Chapter 133: Heavenly Secret Pavilion's Great Expert

On its back, there was no longer any white fur. Only a bloody, mangled mess remained, revealing eerie white bones. One could even see the internal organs beneath its ribs! It had been moments away from being blown completely through.

The White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast wore an expression of one who had narrowly escaped death. Its gaze, as it turned back to Jiang Fan, finally held a trace of wariness, though a deeper resentment lingered.

Its front paws began to claw at the earth, and a continuous low growl emanated from its mouth. A strange, black light pulsed around its body.

Jiang Fan's heart skipped a beat. This was the White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast's ultimate innate ability: Death Shadow. Once unleashed, its speed would become unparalleled.

Even without relying on demonic power, its extreme speed alone enabled its claws to effortlessly cleave through any divine weapon or sharp implement. Martial artists of the same cultivation level, confronted by this ability, faced only two options: escape or death. There was no third choice.

But Jiang Fan couldn't escape at all!

*Whoosh—*

The White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast transformed into a black blur, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, and instantly appeared before Jiang Fan. Its tough wolf claw, already raised, slashed fiercely towards Jiang Fan's chest.

One swipe, and Jiang Fan would undoubtedly be torn to shreds.

However, the White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast suddenly noticed that Jiang Fan was not as panicked as it had expected. Instead, a hint of excitement lurked at the corner of his mouth.

At the same moment, the White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast also realized that, at some point unknown to it, the black sword in Jiang Fan's hand had been replaced by a longsword emanating a brilliant purple light!

This sword instilled in it a profound sense of unease. A chilling sensation, akin to death itself, swiftly spread through its entire body.

It panicked. It was afraid. And it regretted its actions even more deeply.

It couldn't understand why pursuing this human boy had become so bizarre. Despite his seemingly unimpressive cultivation, he was proving to be more troublesome and terrifying than even those martial artists at the seventh or eighth layer of Foundation Establishment.

Ultimately, it was a Beast King. In the face of life and death, it managed to retain a shred of rationality. Now, whoever struck first would survive. Hesitation meant certain demise!

Thus, its striking claw became faster, more precise, and more ruthless. It had only one thought: "Either you die, or I perish!"

Jiang Fan was equally aware of this, so he poured all his physical and spiritual energy into activating the purple sword.

Thanks to the 'Iron Blood True Scripture,' wielding the purple sword felt much easier than before. With newfound fluidity, he swiftly brought the heavy greatsword down upon the White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast.

A claw and a sword clashed, both imbued with lethal intent, striking at their respective targets.

*Thwack—**Clang—*In a flash of sparks...

The White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast's claw connected with Jiang Fan's chest. Yet, Jiang Fan's purple sword simultaneously struck its claw.

Such was the power of the purple sword! It could cleave through anything from a distance, let alone a direct strike. The incredibly tough wolf claw was severed as easily as tofu. Wolf blood gushed forth like a fountain.

The White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast let out a heart-rending roar of agony!

As for Jiang Fan, he was merely sent flying by the immense force, crashing into and snapping a towering ancient tree. Despite sustaining internal injuries and bleeding from the corner of his mouth, his chest remained unpierced by the sharp claws.

Beneath his tattered clothes, a gleaming black profound iron armor was visible. It was none other than the Zi-Wu Profound Iron Armor, the cherished treasure of Xiaoyao Peak.

Seeing Jiang Fan unharmed while it had lost a leg, the White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast was overcome with a mix of shock and rage.

However, upon glancing at the purple sword, its eyes filled with extreme dread.

At that moment, any thought of retaliation vanished. It turned and limped away towards the east.

Jiang Fan wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze turning cold. "While you're wounded," he muttered, "I'll take your life!"

He had managed to cripple it by surprise — a difficult feat — so how could he let it escape easily?

Naturally, even a White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast with a severed leg was beyond Jiang Fan's direct capabilities. He could only follow from a distance, seeking a suitable opportunity to deliver another sword strike.

If one strike wasn't enough, then two! Ideally, he would wear it down until it died. Even if not, at least he would vent the frustration of being relentlessly hunted.

Despite its injury, the White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast’s speed remained formidable. Within mere miles, it had completely outdistanced Jiang Fan, leaving him far behind.

At this moment, it arrived before a tranquil lake. It was just preparing to find a rock crevice to hide and recuperate from its wounds.

However, from above, an old man's soft exclamation suddenly reached its ears, without any prior warning. "Oh?" the voice wondered. "How did the Beast King of Hundred Beasts Mountain get so badly injured?"

The White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast's fur bristled instantly, and its pupils sharply contracted in alarm.

It was a Beast King of the Core Formation Realm! Its sensory abilities far surpassed those of humans at the same level. How could someone have approached it without it detecting anything?

Terrified, it leaped to its feet. Looking up, it discovered a massive black eagle. On the eagle's back sat an old man and a young woman.

The young woman was a somewhat proud figure in pink, her hair styled in attractive braids, and a finely crafted green sword strapped to her back. The old man, clad in a Taoist robe, had a Bagua mirror tucked into his waist and carried a whisk. He appeared benevolent and kind-faced.

However, the White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast instinctively recoiled in fear, its entire body trembling uncontrollably. It could sense that the old man was as terrifying as an abyssal beast. Under his piercing gaze, it found itself utterly paralyzed.

The pink-clad young woman scrutinized its mangled head, the gaping blood hole in its neck, the vicious wounds on its back, and its severed foreleg. She couldn't help but shiver. "Only an elder from the Qingyun Sect could have inflicted such injuries," she murmured.

The old man nodded slightly. He, too, believed that only a Qingyun Sect elder could have wounded the White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast so severely.

"Deputy Pavilion Master, let us continue our journey. We must inform Sect Master Liu of our Tianji Pavilion's decision in person as soon as possible." The pink-clad young woman held little interest in the White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast. She seemed, instead, impatient to reach Qingyun Sect.

"Since when have you been so concerned with the serious affairs of the Tianji Pavilion?" the old man asked, a wry smile on his face. "You clearly just want to challenge Liu Qingxian again!"

Her intentions exposed, the pink-clad young woman blushed and gave up the pretense. "You're right!" she admitted. "I want to spar with her! A year ago, she was lucky to manage a draw against me! I refuse to accept that! I will definitely defeat her, and I'll do so thoroughly, earning her complete conviction!"

The old man offered a helpless smile. As the revered prodigy of the Tianji Pavilion and possessor of an eighth-grade spirit root, her innate talent far surpassed Liu Qingxian's. Yet, in their last sparring match, Liu Qingxian had managed to achieve a draw against the pink-clad young woman through various means. This had been a profound humiliation for her. For the past year, she had trained diligently, driven solely by the desire to decisively defeat Liu Qingxian.

"Don't worry," the old man reassured her. "Unless she has a peerless master guiding her, it will be very difficult for her to win against you." Innate talent determined one's ultimate potential, and after a year, the pink-clad young woman's strength had reached an exceptionally high level. It was unlikely Liu Qingxian could achieve a draw again.

"Then let's go quickly!" the pink-clad young woman urged, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. The old man chuckled. "No rush," he said. "Let's take care of this Beast King first. Consider it a small favor for the elder of the Qingyun Sect!"

With that, his smile faded, and he cast a serious gaze down upon the White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast beneath them.

The Beast King, utterly terrified, tucked its tail, turned, and fled on its three remaining legs.

The old man's face remained impassive as he flicked his whisk through the air. *Thump!* The White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast, which had already fled several dozen feet, suddenly let out a pained whimper. Immediately afterward, blood began to stream from its seven orifices, a clear sign of severe internal injuries.

Yet, drawing upon its tenacious body, it continued to flee towards the distant forest.

"Oh? It took a blow from me and still clings to life?" the old man mused. "I underestimated this beast! Take another strike from me!"

The old man's gaze sharpened, and he prepared to give chase.

Suddenly, a flash of purple light erupted from within the forest, piercing through the enormous body of the White-Furred Jade Crystal Beast. Without even a whimper, its massive form split in two and collapsed to the ground.

Witnessing this, the old man gasped softly. "Such powerful sword qi!" he exclaimed. "Could Huang Zhantian of the Qingyun Sect have intervened? In the entire Qingyun Sect, only he could unleash such potent sword qi!"

The pink-clad young woman also showed a flicker of surprise. "Haven't people been saying there are no capable individuals left in the Qingyun Sect?" she wondered aloud. "This Grand Elder seems quite formidable!"

The old man allowed a faint smile to cross his lips. "It appears he has made significant progress in his sword arts during his years of secluded cultivation," he remarked. "Come, let's go meet him!"

The two swiftly descended. The old man, laughing heartily, called out towards the forest, "Old Huang, this Beast King, you'll have to share with me—" He stopped abruptly, unable to finish his sentence. The pink-clad young woman also stared in stunned silence. For the person who emerged from the forest was not Huang Zhantian!