Chapter 34: Turning Defeat into Victory

Chu Xiaotian was sent flying by the Jackal Tiger Beast, spitting blood from the force of the blow. His back bore the marks of its five claws. Fortunately, using the momentum from being flung, Chu Xiaotian narrowly evaded a fatal strike with his Qing Feng Step, but he was still severely injured.

"Chu Xiaotian?!" Mu Qingcheng was simultaneously shocked and relieved to see him take the hit for her, but her anger was directed entirely at the Jackal Tiger Beast. "Are you alright?" she asked, approaching Chu Xiaotian with concern.

"I'm fine, I just barely dodged a lethal blow," Chu Xiaotian reassured her, though his face was pale. With Mu Qingcheng's help, he stood up shakily.

Swallowing a healing pill, its effects rapidly mending his injuries, Chu Xiaotian's complexion soon regained some color. His gaze then turned towards the Jackal Tiger Beast, whose black eyes now showed a mix of shock and ferocity.

The beast attacked again, this time its claws wreathed in flames that split the air and raised the surrounding temperature. The darkness of the forest was briefly illuminated as the beast charged towards them with fiery rage.

"Sword Draw Technique!" "Heavy Sword Technique!" "Ice Snow Sword!" ...

Chu Xiaotian and Mu Qingcheng faced the beast's furious assault with pale faces. In an instant, they unleashed all their martial arts skills in a desperate counterattack. "Break!" they shouted, colliding fiercely with the beast.

The resulting shockwave was tremendous, destroying nearby trees and scattering debris all around. Both Chu Xiaotian and Mu Qingcheng spat blood, forced back over ten meters by the impact. Chu Xiaotian, already injured, was now in a critical state, while Mu Qingcheng also sustained serious internal injuries.

Despite their powerful attack, the Jackal Tiger Beast was wounded too. Its massive body bore the marks of their swords, and it was visibly affected by the icy chill of their attacks.

Roaring in pain and anger, the beast seemed to lose its mind. "This is bad, it's completely enraged," they realized as the beast's howl obliterated the surrounding trees and forced them back several meters.

"I'm sorry, I've dragged you into this," Mu Qingcheng said, regretting her decision to venture into the core area.

"It's not your fault. I chose to come," Chu Xiaotian replied with a smile.

"Can I see your smile one last time before we die?" he asked, as the Jackal Tiger Beast gathered its strength for a final, devastating attack.

"Alright," Mu Qingcheng agreed, smiling gently. Her smile was so radiant it seemed to brighten the darkness around them, soothing the soul and healing the heart. Chu Xiaotian smiled back and summoned the system.

"Ding! Congratulations, host, on increasing your sword intent by 1%." "Ding! Congratulations, host, on increasing your sword intent by 1%." ... "Ding! Congratulations, host, on achieving 30% sword intent and obtaining a first-level Sword Domain." "Ding! Reminder, the host's points are nearly depleted."

Chu Xiaotian's sword intent surged as he grasped his Zhan Tian Sword. He felt an unprecedented power, surpassing Lingyuan realm, as if merging with heaven and earth. He felt invincible, capable of splitting the sky and earth with a single strike.

"Don't worry, I won't let you die," Chu Xiaotian assured Mu Qingcheng confidently. To her, he seemed to grow taller and more formidable, a figure capable of standing against the heavens.

As the Jackal Tiger Beast charged, Chu Xiaotian stepped forward with immense power and determination. His sword intent gathered around him, even causing Mu Qingcheng's Ice Snow Sword to resonate.

With a simple but powerful strike, he cut through the beast's defenses. The Jackal Tiger Beast, filled with fear, could not resist this divine sword attack.

Chu Xiaotian's sword fell, decapitating the beast in a single, clean cut. The beast's body convulsed and then lay still, lifeless.

"We survived," Chu Xiaotian said, smiling at Mu Qingcheng's astonished expression before collapsing to the ground, unconscious. The effort had exhausted his spiritual energy and physical strength, leaving him in a critical state.

"Chu Xiaotian!" Mu Qingcheng rushed to his side, relieved to find a faint breath. She breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that he was still alive.