"Luo Feng, this Crystalline Flame Lion is extraordinary. It seems to have mutated. Its strength is rapidly approaching the peak of the ninth Heavenly Court Realm; we are no match for it."

Her emotions somewhat stabilized, Yuan Ying glanced at the Crystalline Flame Lion across from them. Her white teeth bit her red lips as she took a step forward and stood protectively in front of Luo Feng.

"I'll hold it off for a moment; you should leave here," Yuan Ying spoke hastily, determination in her gaze.

From the attack moments ago, Yuan Ying was certain she wasn't a match for the behemoth before them. Whoever could escape now, should.

No answer came, but suddenly footsteps sounded. Luo Feng had somehow moved in front of Yuan Ying.

Luo Feng shook his head, his calm tone filled with resolve. "If I leave by myself, what's the difference between that and running away?"

Yuan Ying was taken aback. A warm feeling welled up in her heart, and then her Daimei knitted slightly.

"Luo Feng, now is not the time for stubbornness. You need to get out of here quickly. I'm not sure how much longer I can hold it off. If we drag this out, neither of us will be able to get away."

Luo Feng turned his head, a smile in his eyes. He patted the anxious Yuan Ying on the shoulder and chuckled, "Don't worry, I can handle it."

Yuan Ying's gaze firmed.

The young man before her was clearly much younger, yet his calm and composed demeanor at this moment gave her an inexplicable sense of peace. It was as if he were a general about to set off on a campaign; his valor left Yuan Ying momentarily stunned.

"But…" Yuan Ying still wanted to urge Luo Feng to leave.

"Since you were protecting me just now, it's my turn to protect you."

Luo Feng chuckled, not waiting for Yuan Ying to speak again. He turned, his gaze icy as he faced the approaching Crystalline Flame Lion.

ROAR...

With a stomp, ten Qi Dragons rose from beneath Luo Feng's feet amid a dragon's cry. His figure shot forward, charging directly at the Crystalline Flame Lion.

ROAR!

Having failed twice to kill the detestable human before it, the Crystalline Flame Lion's eyes seethed with fury. Now, seeing Luo Feng draw near, it unleashed a great roar and spat out a dozen fiery Yuan Qi balls, sealing off the space Luo Feng occupied.

"Watch out!"

Seeing this, Yuan Ying grew anxious. She let out a stifled groan, and a trickle of fresh blood flowed from the corner of her rosy lips.

She had been lightly injured in her previous clash with the Crystalline Flame Lion but had hidden it so Luo Feng wouldn't notice.

Taking a shallow breath, Yuan Ying gripped her Cold Pheasant Saber tightly, pushing her Yuan Qi to its limits, ready to intervene if Luo Feng couldn't hold on.

However, a surprising scene unfolded before her.

Facing the rapidly approaching Yuan Qi fireballs, Luo Feng's gaze was icy. Pouring his Yuan Qi into his Rage Flame Knife, a potent Qi Force whistled out, and the crimson blade erupted with a cold blade glow many meters long.

"Slash!"

With a low cry, Luo Feng raised his Rage Flame Knife and unleashed a powerful slash.

The immense blade glow swept out with overwhelming and domineering power, carrying a crushing force.

BOOM!

Amidst the thunderous sound, the dozen formidable Yuan Qi fireballs were directly cleaved apart, vanishing without a trace.

SWISH!

The residual blade glow carved a terrifying Slash Mark many meters long beside the Crystalline Flame Lion's feet, sending rock fragments flying.

Witnessing this, Yuan Ying, standing nearby, stared wide-eyed, her pretty face filled with shock and disbelief.

She had been wounded by the Crystalline Flame Lion's Yuan Qi fireballs just moments before, so their power was deeply seared into her memory.

She had never imagined that a dozen such fireballs could be so effortlessly obliterated by Luo Feng's seemingly casual slash.

So this is his true strength... Yuan Ying muttered softly, her lips slightly parted, as if in a trance.

The reality before her was a tremendous shock.

Just moments ago, she had believed she was the one protecting Luo Feng.

But what unfolded before her now was like a sheep she had been protecting suddenly transforming into a ferocious behemoth! It was utterly unbelievable.

As images of their earlier encounters with Demon Beasts flashed through her mind, a helpless smile touched Yuan Ying's lips. So he was the one protecting me all along.

ROAR!

Seeing the Slash Mark by its feet, the Crystalline Flame Lion felt its dignity challenged. Unprecedented rage flared in its eyes. It roared, and the fierce Qi Force shook the entire mine tunnel as a ten-meter-high pillar of crimson fire erupted from its body.

BAM!

Its four hooves slammed the ground, and the Crystalline Flame Lion's massive body transformed into a crimson streak, lunging at Luo Feng.

Luo Feng's eyes flickered. His blade intent intensified, containing within it the essence of wind and thunder.

"Skyfall Thunder!"

BOOM!

He slashed with his Rage Flame Knife. A massive, brilliant blade glow, like a mountain, accompanied the strike. A formidable aura, as if a mountain were crashing down, dominated the space within the mine tunnel. In that instant, it seemed only his slash existed.

The two terrifying torrents of Qi Force met instantly in mid-air. The moment they collided, the surrounding space seemed to congeal.

BOOM!

After a brief silence, a thunderous explosion erupted, like a clap of thunder from a clear sky.

The colossal blade glow clashed against the Crystalline Flame Lion's fiery Demon Qi. Both released terrifying energies, grinding against each other, and the space at their intersection visibly distorted.

WHOOSH!

Yuan Ying tapped her feet lightly on the ground, her figure gracefully retreating. She only stopped when she was a hundred meters away.

Her beautiful eyes fixed on Luo Feng, who was locked in a standoff with the Crystalline Flame Lion, Yuan Ying felt shock after shock.

She had initially thought the Crystalline Flame Lion had already unleashed its full strength, but now it was clear that wasn't the case at all.

The power of this strike was even more terrifying than before; the aftershocks alone filled her with trepidation. How dreadful!

What surprised her even more was that Luo Feng could actually withstand such a terrifying blow!

Is he truly only at the mid-stage of the ninth Heavenly Court Realm?

Her gaze fixed on the young man standing before the Crystalline Flame Lion, Yuan Ying's beautiful eyes grew distant, lost in thought.

In her years of wandering the rtiad, she had seen countless gifted and exceptional young talents.

Yet, Luo Feng was the only one who had ever made such an impact on her.

Demon Beasts are physically more robust. He might struggle to hold out if this stalemate continues,

Watching the two locked in confrontation, Yuan Ying resolved to lend Luo Feng her aid.

Just then, Luo Feng moved again.

Seeing its fiery Demon Qi block his blade glow, Luo Feng was slightly taken aback. This Crystalline Flame Lion was stronger than he had anticipated.

However, it was still no match for him.

A cold smirk touched Luo Feng's lips. He glanced at the Crystalline Flame Lion, balled his left fist, and struck out fiercely.

VMMMM!

The air vibrated like disturbed water as a strange fist-generated Qi Force spread out. The fiery Demon Qi immediately began to tremble violently.

"Slash!"

Seizing the opportunity, Luo Feng slashed out again.

SHIICK!

The cold blade glow sliced through the Crystalline Flame Lion's protective Demon Qi and struck its body, producing a sharp, metallic clang and leaving behind a white Slash Mark over a foot long.

Seeing the Slash Mark on the Crystalline Flame Lion, Luo Feng's eyes revealed his astonishment. Such strong defense!

With his current Saber Technique, he could easily cleave through the Protective Gang Energy of an ordinary martial artist at the late stage of the Heavenly Court Realm. He hadn't expected to be unable to even harm the Crystalline Flame Lion.

This Crystalline Flame Lion is indeed quite strange, Luo Feng's eyes flickered. He then gave a cold smile. Since that's the case, I'll slowly wear down your defenses. Let's see how many of my slashes you can withstand!

At this thought, Luo Feng's Yuan Qi surged, and a faint sound of wind and thunder seemed to emanate from within his body.

BOOM!

Luo Feng stepped forward, his aura like a mountain. The Rage Flame Knife in his hand slashed out repeatedly, each strike seemingly slow yet incredibly fast.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM...

Immense blade glows, like flying snow, slashed out one after another.

Though the attack angles of these blade glows differed, they all landed on the exact same spot on the Crystalline Flame Lion's body. The white mark grew larger, and the Crystalline Flame Lion's crystal-like skin gradually cracked open.

Such sophisticated Saber Technique! Yuan Ying watched Luo Feng with some surprise.

If before she had merely acknowledged Luo Feng's strength, now she was genuinely starting to admire him.

Her own Saber Technique, the Falling Flower Snow Moon, was one she had created herself, so she had always been very confident in her skills.

But now, seeing Luo Feng's Saber Technique, she felt as if her eyes had been opened to new possibilities.

To control slashes from different angles to strike the same spot—this kind of Saber Technique was something she had never seen before. It even gave her many new insights.

This person has an extraordinary talent for the Saber Technique, Yuan Ying thought.

The Crystalline Flame Lion retreated continuously, the intense pain from its wounds driving it into a frenzied struggle, a mix of terror and fury in its eyes.

However, the blade glows rained down like a torrential storm, giving it no respite.

ROAR!

With a furious howl, the Crystalline Flame Lion's eyes gleamed with a bloodthirsty light. Disregarding its injuries, its entire body erupted in a blinding crimson radiance, sending waves of scorching heat pulsing outwards.

It's that same attack as before! Yuan Ying's pretty face paled slightly as she watched the Crystalline Flame Lion's aura escalate. She had nearly died to this attack earlier.

"Dream on!" Luo Feng sneered. He slammed his fist onto the ground—it was the Sky Collapse Fist's Sky Collapse Earth Splitting! A surging internal energy spread through the ground.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM...

The two impacts collided beneath the earth. The roiling magma was forced back by the fist's Qi Force, brutally slamming into the still-astonished Crystalline Flame Lion.

CRASH!

The Crystalline Flame Lion's colossal body was sent flying, smashing into the adjacent rock wall and creating a large crater. Clear cracks even appeared on its crystalline skin.

AWOO! AWOO! AWOO! AWOO! AWOO...

Suffering such a heavy blow, the Crystalline Flame Lion let out a series of mournful howls. The sound waves formed tangible ripples, causing the rock walls to crack and crumble.

WHOOSH!

Taking advantage of the chaos, the Crystalline Flame Lion sprang up and fled towards the depths of the mine tunnel with a speed that belied its gargantuan size.

The human before it was terrifyingly powerful; its own killing moves couldn't harm him in the slightest. The Crystalline Flame Lion dared not linger a moment longer.

"Stay." Luo Feng's voice was indifferent. He tapped his foot on the ground and, like a bolt of lightning, shot off in pursuit.

VMMMM!

A phantom blade shadow enveloped Luo Feng.

"Slash!"

His gaze locked onto the Crystalline Flame Lion, and Luo Feng slashed out.

As the Rage Flame Knife fell, a blade glow over ten meters long viciously struck the Crystalline Flame Lion's existing wound.

CRACK!

With that crisp sound, the Crystalline Flame Lion's original wound was torn wider, now extending from its flank all the way to its neck.

The massive, running body shuddered to a halt. The Crystalline Flame Lion's head tumbled to the ground. Crimson blood gushed out, splashing onto the earth with a sizzling sound, instantly melting the rock.

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