"Brother, I’m really at a loss here! I don’t know what got into this beast; you must save me!"
Ying Wuqing knew that only the Crown Prince could save him. He dared not mention that he had killed the Dragon-patterned Leopard’s cub. If he spoke up, he feared the Crown Prince would give him a severe tongue-lashing.
"You’re more trouble than you’re worth! Step aside!"
The Crown Prince had already guessed that Ying Wuqing must have done something foolish to provoke the Dragon-patterned Leopard to such fury. Otherwise, why would it relentlessly pursue only Ying Wuqing and not the others?
Still, Ying Wuqing was his brother, and he couldn’t just stand by and watch him die. He circulated his True Qi, unleashing the full might of his cultivation as a Second Level Martial Artist.
"Assist me!" the Crown Prince commanded the three young experts who accompanied him.
The trio nodded. This Dragon-patterned Leopard was no ordinary Exotic Beast. Considering Ying Wuqing, despite his strength, had ended up in such a miserable state, they knew they stood no chance against it themselves. Thus, they could only assist the Crown Prince and look for an opportunity to strike its vital points.
The Dragon-patterned Leopard transformed into a silver silhouette and, in an instant, charged at the Crown Prince, its claw striking fiercely.
However, just before the leopard could reach him, the Crown Prince pushed off the ground with both legs. Propelled by the force, he leaped over three meters into the air.
"Unconquered King Fist!"
Vigorous True Qi circulated rapidly. The Crown Prince executed his Imperial Clan’s ultimate skill, the Earth-rank high-grade Boxing art—Unconquered King Fist. This fist contained the Crown Prince’s unparalleled, overbearing power, and he blasted it downwards with immense force.
However, the Dragon-patterned Leopard’s speed was too great; the Crown Prince’s attack missed, striking the ground instead.
A silver silhouette flashed past, appearing before the Crown Prince. A sharp beastly claw struck his chest.
Forced to engage, the Crown Prince exchanged a blow with the Dragon-patterned Leopard; his right sleeve disintegrated, and his entire arm throbbed with numbness.
At that moment, the two young experts in the distance fired two Divine Mechanism Arrows, aiming at the Dragon-patterned Leopard’s eyes.
The Dragon-patterned Leopard, with its extraordinary reflexes, swiped its claws, deflecting the two arrows.
Seizing the opportune moment, the Crown Prince rushed forward. Using his momentum, he lashed out with another punch. This punch, delivered from a cunning angle, landed on the Dragon-patterned Leopard’s head, sending it flying.
Simultaneously, two more Divine Mechanism Arrows slammed into the Dragon-patterned Leopard’s body and exploded violently.
The coordination in their attacks and command was exquisite. Under such teamwork, the Dragon-patterned Leopard finally sustained injuries.
"The Crown Prince is indeed formidable," Ling Chen, who had just arrived, remarked, surprised as he watched the battle unfold.
"The Crown Prince is an elite of the Imperial Clan, after all—a man of both great intelligence and courage. He’s not to be underestimated," Xiao Muyu nodded in agreement.
"What use is intelligence and courage when the Dragon-patterned Leopard’s formidable strength is so apparent? Even with all his Divine Powers, I doubt the Crown Prince can kill it," Ling Chen said calmly. "Dealing with a frenzied Dragon-patterned Leopard is no easy feat."
In Ling Chen’s view, simply escaping unharmed from the Dragon-patterned Leopard’s clutches would be an impressive feat.
By this time, the intense battle between the Crown Prince’s party and the Dragon-patterned Leopard had reached its climax. With a final Divine Mechanism Arrow shot, which exploded upon hitting a wound on the Dragon-patterned Leopard’s body, the Crown Prince and his men exhausted their supply.
A deafening roar echoed through the forest. The Dragon-patterned Leopard was battered and bloodied, its body covered in gashes of all sizes, blood flowing unceasingly. Despite such grave injuries, its combat effectiveness seemed unaffected; instead, the Exotic Beast only grew more frenzied.
The Dragon-patterned Leopard suddenly accelerated, transforming into a silver flash. It appeared before the two young experts assisting the Crown Prince and, with a sweep of its tail, sent them flying, spitting blood.
"Such a cunning beast!" the Crown Prince exclaimed, his face darkening. It seems to realize it can’t defeat me quickly, so it decided to eliminate my helpers first. This is real trouble.
Before he had time to ponder further, the Dragon-patterned Leopard, swift as a gale, rushed toward him.
A sharp claw aimed for his abdomen.
The Crown Prince retreated, his body leaning back to avoid the ferocious claw.
In that instant, the Dragon-patterned Leopard opened its massive maw, and from it, a dazzling Qi Blade, like a bolt of lightning, abruptly shot towards the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince felt his scalp tingle. If I’m not mistaken, that Qi Blade is formed from a unique Energy within the Dragon-patterned Leopard’s body—a finite resource that depletes with use. To think this beast, in its frenzy, would expend such precious Energy to deal with me!
The Qi Blade inevitably struck the Crown Prince, sending him flying backward, spitting blood.
After felling the Crown Prince, the Dragon-patterned Leopard continued its assault, a claw aimed at his throat.
"You dare, beast?!" the Crown Prince roared in anger, flinging a Silver Hidden Weapon from his sleeve. The weapon, perfectly smooth and resembling a small round ball, detonated the moment it struck the Dragon-patterned Leopard, emitting a deafening explosion.
The force of that explosion was terrifying enough to blast a Martial artist to death.
"That Hidden Weapon’s explosion is incredibly powerful!"
Xiao Muyu and Ling Chen were somewhat surprised, but they quickly understood. The Crown Prince is the heir to the throne of Wind Country, after all, they reasoned. How could he not possess some life-saving measures?
Despite the Hidden Weapon’s powerful explosion, the Dragon-patterned Leopard’s figure emerged from the smoke; astonishingly, it hadn’t been killed by the blast.
Before the Dragon-patterned Leopard’s form fully emerged from the smoke, the terrified Crown Prince, already scared out of his wits, had turned to flee the instant he glimpsed its form, not daring to linger for even a second.
Seeing the turn of events, Ying Wuqing and the few young experts turned pale and scrambled to escape, each trying to be faster than the last.
In the blink of an eye, the clearing was deserted.
As the smoke dissipated, the battered Dragon-patterned Leopard’s form was revealed. Having endured the violent explosion, it was now covered in wounds; hardly an inch of its body was intact. Clearly, it had suffered extremely severe injuries.
Seemingly enraged by the group’s hasty escape, the Dragon-patterned Leopard threw its head back and let out a wail of anguish. Presently, it was like a candle in the wind; its combat power had been reduced by eighty to ninety percent, and even its gait was unsteady.
At this moment, Ling Chen and Xiao Muyu emerged from behind a large clump of grass, faint smiles on their faces. If the Crown Prince and his group had been just a little braver, that Dragon-patterned Leopard would surely have been their prize, and we probably wouldn’t have had a chance to act, they mused. Unfortunately for them, they were scared out of their wits. Their panic has played right into our hands.
Indeed, the situation had turned to their advantage.