Deranged Beast

With a wide jump, the brown tiger used the thick tree trunk as his rebound and landed accurately in front of Ouyang Xueqing, successfully blocking her escape.

She had been prepared, though!

When the beast stopped for a mere millisecond, Ouyang Xueqing striked and stamped another talisman on its body. "Burn!"

A fierce, blue fire suddenly enveloped the huge tiger entirely. The heat was so intense that Ouyang Xueqing could feel it on her back fifty meters away. The tiger howled in panic and thrashed its body on top of the wet soil.

Run! She had to run! The fire could last for five minutes.

But Ouyang Xueqing was sure that she could stall for time and save her tiny life.

She pulled yet another talisman from her sleeves, placing it on a tree trunk and spelled: "Grow!"

The originally thick and brown tree suddenly expanded horizontally and vertically, the top of its branch soaring into the sky, the trunk had completely covered her back and kept on spreading, creating a natural wall and preventing the tiger from passing through.

Sadly, her bad luck wasn't just for show.

Ouyang Xueqing had just covered an entire five hundred meters, adding one hundred meters more from her teleport talisman when she felt the presence of the tiger behind her.

She didn't realize that she had kept on running deeper toward the forest, almost reaching the base of Forbidden Ice Mountain where the protective array laid.

She turned her head and almost cried when she saw the tiger running more aggressively, still with the blue fire surrounding it.

She had forgotten the fact that the deranged beast had lost their sense of pain!

The blue fire had just successful in distracting it and allowing her to escape.

But now, the blue fire had unexpectedly became the weapon against her.

Everywhere the tiger passed was a burnt mark, the tree was covered with blackish burn and ash-y smell. Locking on its target, the tiger leaped energetically and pounced on her back, making them tumbled and rolled on the ground.

Ouyang Xueqing's back were instantly burn, the pain of the fire seeping through her skin almost killing her. She bumped into a huge tree and groaned in agony, blood were tricking down her lips.

Her hair was a mess, her whole body littered with scratches and her face soaked in cold sweat.

What should she do?

She had just used the teleport talisman, so she couldn't use it again for the next ten minutes.

The attack talisman had no use on the deranged beast unless it used strength based attack and could sustain a direct wound on it. But unfortunately, all of her talisman were focused on spiritual energy based attack.

If used against a normal onslaught, she knew her talismans were more than enough. She hadn't doubt her grandpa's skill on making talisman before.

But this was deranged beast ah!

When she got home later, she had to request a talisman that could guard against a deranged beast.

Well, she had to make it out of here first.

In her ten years of life with bad luck, this was the first time that Ouyang Xueqing wasn't sure whether she could stay alive or not.

The fire tiger didn't give Ouyang Xueqing any time to react. It raised a paw full of sharp claws and slapped her like a fly. Ouyang Xueqing were sent flying like a meteor before she crashed once again onto the ground. This time, it was harder and more painful than before.

She felt her ribs cracked, and her body received some internal injuries.

The pain was so intense that she almost couldn't move a finger. Her head was buzzing and her mind dazed. Her spiritual energy had almost depleted from having activated multiple talismans in a short period of time.

She could only watched blankly as the tiger approached her.

Is this it?

Will she die here?

No! She would not accept such a fate!

She was harder to kill than a cockroach!

The huge tiger was approaching with loud thumping, the blue fire around it had dissipated a moment ago, which she had to be thankful about.

Ouyang Xueqing secretly slipped one last talisman between her fingers without it noticing.

She muttered under her breath. Last, this is her last talisman.

She had to bet everything on this last chance! If she had to go down, she would bring the tiger with her!

Ouyang Xueqing tapped the talisman onto her own body and shouted: "Strength!"

On that second, she could feel her own spiritual energy soared dramatically. Power were surging beneath her veins, her blood were boiling.

She didn't realize herself that her pupils had turned into slits like that of serpents.

Green-colored aura enveloping her tiny body. She redirected her surge of spiritual energy to her fist, making layer and layer of impenetrable and hard to break armor.

When the huge tiger attacked her, she retaliated by swinging her fist, the green colored spiritual energy glowing brilliantly as it collided with the tiger.

With one swoop, Ouyang Xueqing punched the tiger on its left eye, instantly destroying one side of its face. It staggered momentarily, having clearly not expected that the weak little brat could bring forth such a great force.

Its left pupils damaged. Blood tricking down its face, making it look terrifying.

But Ouyang Xueqing didn't do any better though.

When the tiger's fangs were only an inch from her, she turned her body slightly. Thus, its large claws slashed on the right side of her face, leaving a bloody gore marks starting from her temple to the side of her cheeks.

Ouyang Xueqing's body crumbled and she clutched her face.

Pain! So painful!

Her right eye were throbbing and aching tremendously. She couldn't resist the scream of agony escaping her mouth.

Her body was trembling and curled like a shrimp, her teeth chattering from the intense torture.

Her chest heaved up and down, and she was gasping for breath weakly, hanging on the last thread of life.

Weak…she was way too weak.

The tiger was a little uncomfortable from losing one eye, but it didn't hinder it much, unlike Ouyang Xueqing who had no strength to get up and fight anymore.

She had used all her talismans and the last bit of her spiritual energy were used on that last attack.

Now, she was akin to a huge sacrificial meat waiting to be slaughtered.

It's weird. She had been battling the tiger for almost half an hour. Why didn't anyone look for her? Why didn't any of the reinforcement come?

She was overflowed with worry. Had something happened to her mother? Was she okay?

Was she unable to find her because she was in a dangerous battle herself?

Ouyang Xueqing was not allowed to think any further because the damn brown tiger smeared with blood had started to circle her, bidding its time to attack before devouring her without leaving any bones.

Her eyes were filled of despair and bitterness. She closed them, a mixture drop of glistening tear and blood dropping from the corner of it.

Her fists balled. She was unwilling, so unwilling to give up!

But her body just didn't want to listen. She couldn't move any muscles and the pain was akin to skinning her alive.

Her right eye had lost its sight since a moment ago. She was rendered defenseless.

Well, so be it.

Does it mean that I will not be living this kind of life again my next life?

Her lips curled in relinquishment. She had no qualms about it. The only thing she regretted was that she would make the people who cherished her sad. Mother, Father, Grandpa, Imperial Father, and everyone in the General's manor…

She closed her eyes and waited.

Yet, the pain never came...

A thudding sound were heard clear and loud, echoing within the empty and desolate forest, accompanied by a weak howl. Silence ensued.

Shocked, Ouyang Xueqing's eyes flew wide.

In front of her, stood a man in white robes. The end of his robes swaying against the bloody soil yet he looked pure and untouched, like a fairy descended from heaven, unaffected by the filth around.

His jet black hair was a contrast against his pure aura, accentuating his tall and slender figure. Gripped within his hand were a large and shiny sword with blood dripping from it and the originally ferocious tiger were laying a hundred meters from him, unmoved and dead.

Ouyang Xueqing's heart leaped.

The man turned. His pair of grey eyes met Ouyang Xueqing's. It was cold, aloof and nonchalant, yet it created a tiny waves in the deepest recess of her soul.

She was a little disappointed to find the mask on the man. It covered his face completely, leaving only his eyes.

The mask made him look more mysterious and untouchable, it was pure white with black streaks like lightning.

He sheathed his sword fluidly, and she heard his voice. It was like him, cold and breezy.

"Are you dying?"