Chapter 47: Death or…

Tang Chun Xi narrowed her eyes, her body instinctively preparing itself as she analyzed her opponent's attack patterns. The rhythm, the speed… There was no doubt.

'It's a Crimson-Spotted Feline, a level five spiritual beast, fire-type.'

The knowledge she had acquired in her studies surfaced in her mind. They were known for their ferocity and speed, and this one had already demonstrated two of its characteristic moves:

Blazing Claws, capable of slicing through metal like paper.

And the illusionary displacement ability—the residual blur left behind the moment she lost sight of the feline.

Tang Chun Xi felt her heart quicken slightly, but her face remained impassive.

Something was wrong.

These felines were rarely seen in humid areas. Their natural habitat was dry, mountainous terrain, where they could maximize their advantages.

'It's far from home… Why?'

The answer came almost immediately.

The Wide-Fanged Rabbit that lay dead… It had tried to flee in a specific direction before being struck down.

The same direction the Lunar Umbrella had been pointing to from the beginning.

Tang Chun Xi tightened her grip on her weapon.

'So that's it… It's guarding something.'

The doubt lasted only a moment.

If she wanted to find out what was there, she had to defeat it.

'If fire is useless, I need to change my approach.'

She knew her fire techniques wouldn't be very effective against an enemy like this. It had a natural resistance to extreme heat and could partially nullify her abilities.

'Then I'll try the opposite elements. Water and earth.'

Tang Chun Xi took a deep breath and, in a fluid motion, channeled her energy through her arm, coating the Lunar Umbrella with an earthen aura.

Then, she struck.

The feline quickly retreated, predicting the attack. But this time, it didn't move away completely.

It counterattacked.

Its mouth opened, revealing sharp, gleaming fangs, aiming directly at her left flank.

Tang Chun Xi's instincts screamed a warning, and she forced her arm to alter the trajectory of her strike.

"Weight Amplification."

What would have been a frontal slash curved at the last moment, catching the feline off guard.

— Roar!

The impact was brutal.

The Lunar Umbrella's blade tore a deep gash into the creature's belly, and the force of the strike sent it flying.

But it didn't land defenseless.

With an agile movement, the feline twisted in midair and dug its claws into a nearby tree.

The claws ripped through the trunk, leaving scorch marks as the wood split in two.

The force of the impact was gradually absorbed, and it managed to land without crashing violently to the ground.

Tang Chun Xi kept her eyes locked on it, feeling a throbbing pain in her left arm.

'I overdid it…'

The sudden shift in her strike, combined with the weight amplification, had put too much strain on her body.

But there was no time to hesitate.

Even through the pain, she quickly activated a Water Jet Talisman and unleashed a powerful stream at the feline.

The beast instinctively tried to change course, its muscles tensing to avoid a direct hit. It managed to dodge partially.

But that was exactly what Tang Chun Xi wanted.

With the Lunar Umbrella already back in her grip, she used the tree trunks as support to gain height.

And when she was high enough…

She descended with a direct strike.

A vertical slash, from top to bottom.

The attack was relentless.

But at the last moment, the feline's body became enveloped in a blazing red aura.

Its skin and muscles tensed with force, and its speed increased dramatically.

Tang Chun Xi had expected this.

"Weight Amplification."

The Lunar Umbrella's strike accelerated downward, making a complete dodge impossible.

And then, the result of the attack became clear.

— Roar of agony!

The feline's red blur retreated quickly… but something was left behind.

Its tail.

Tang Chun Xi kept her breathing heavy, her chest rising and falling. Her left arm burned with pain, but this was no time to worry about that.

Her eyes met the creature's.

The feline was perched atop a tree, its body covered in blood.

It tried to conceal its weakness, but Tang Chun Xi saw the truth.

Its wounds were taking their toll.

She could wait. The beast had already been forced to use its acceleration ability twice.

Now, all she needed to do was survive its final attack.

Neither of them moved.

The tension was crushing.

They were at a deadly impasse.

Then, suddenly…

The feline moved.

Quickly.

Leaping from tree to tree, its speed slightly reduced but still agile.

Tang Chun Xi braced for the imminent impact.

But then… something was off.

What attacked her Lunar Umbrella… was a red blur.

Her body tensed.

'I was deceived!'

She searched for its presence. She felt the surroundings.

Nothing.

The Crimson-Spotted Feline…

Had fled.

Tang Chun Xi relaxed slightly, but her mind felt heavy.

She quickly took healing and Qi-replenishing pills, but her concern remained.

The beast's retreat had never once crossed her mind.

'I got used to fighting to the death, or running.'

In her previous life, no enemy ever fled—it was always her who was forced to escape, never her opponents.

But this world was different.

Her adversaries weren't mindless beasts from a ruined world. They had a survival instinct.

She needed to learn to deal with that.

Not every battle would end with one side's death.

Tang Chun Xi wasted no more time.

The resource the feline had been guarding was still there.

And she needed to be quick.

Other cultivators had surely been drawn by the noise of the fight.

Her next challenge was already on its way.

With that in mind, she moved toward the place the feline had been protecting.