"Thank you, Envoy Zhou, for your understanding."
Qian Wenlong's face lit up with joy, and he immediately clasped his fists in thanks to Zhou Chun.
Following his guidance, Zhou Chun concealed his aura and proceeded on foot, heading toward the Tiger Den several dozen miles ahead.
Though Demon Beasts lack Divine Sense, their spiritual perception, hearing, and smell are exceptionally sharp, allowing them to detect enemies from great distances.
When Zhou Chun arrived at the base of the mountain where the Tiger Den was located, a tiger's roar erupted from above.
The deathly roar, full of murderous intent, sounded from the mountain, and Zhou Chun's released Divine Sense instantly locked onto the target.
It was a Golden-Furred Giant Tiger, about forty to fifty yards long, with two golden fangs like long swords, ferocious beyond measure.
At this moment, it stood atop a massive rock, overlooking the area where Zhou Chun was, clearly having detected him, the intruder.
However, what caused Zhou Chun's expression to slightly change was that he did not find the Blood Spirit Grass outside the Tiger Den, as Qian Wenlong had mentioned.
Could it be that Qian Wenlong deceived him?
The thought had barely formed in Zhou Chun's mind before he squashed it.
Qian Wenlong didn't have the nerve!
After all, the Blood Spirit Grass was the target of their mission, and whether the Golden Sword Tiger lived or died was irrelevant.
Could it be that the Golden Sword Tiger had already eaten the Blood Spirit Grass?
With this thought, Zhou Chun wanted to withdraw and discuss the situation with Qian Wenlong.
However, before he could move, the Golden Sword Tiger pounced, hurtling toward him fiercely.
Seeing this, Zhou Chun quickly took to the air, flying away from the mountain.
But the Golden Sword Tiger followed suit, leaping into the air and spitting out a golden light blade aimed fiercely at him.
In mid-air, Zhou Chun slapped his Storage Pouch at his waist, and a Dragon Scale Golden Shield Artefact flew out, blocking the golden light blade.
This Scaled Shield Artefact, a second-tier, medium-grade Defensive Dharma Artifact, was a reward given to Zhou Chun by the Golden Dragon Hall Master, Li Tianxing, and was of very good quality.
But the Golden Sword Tiger seemed hell-bent on keeping Zhou Chun there, and it quickly opened its mouth again, condensing golden light that swiftly formed a thick golden light column, bombarding Zhou Chun.
The golden light column was extremely powerful, blasting the Dragon Scale Golden Shield Artefact away and continuing with unabated force to strike the "Golden Cauldron Profound Light" Protective Barrier Zhou Chun had raised.
Though Zhou Chun was unharmed by the attack, he could not keep fleeing blindly.
After all, no matter how fast he ran, he couldn't outrun the Golden Sword Tiger's Spells.
Zhou Chun decisively released Baibai, the Silver Lightning Python, and began an intense battle with the Golden Sword Tiger.
Qian Wenlong, who was watching from a distance, thought the plan had succeeded when he saw Zhou Chun draw out the Golden Sword Tiger. He immediately and quietly moved toward the Tiger Den from another direction.
But when he got close to the Tiger Den, his Divine Sense swept over the area, and his expression changed drastically in an instant.
"What's going on? Where's the Blood Spirit Grass?"
His Divine Sense enveloped a nearby area with broken rocks, where the ground was dark red, as if stained with blood.
That was indeed the case! The Blood Spirit Grass had managed to grow normally for over nine hundred years precisely because the Golden Sword Tiger usually watered the area with the fresh blood of its prey.
But now, the Blood Spirit Grass, which was over nine hundred years old, had vanished!
Could Zhou Chun have stolen the Blood Spirit Grass?
Qian Wenlong's mind was immediately struck by this thought.
But he quickly realized that Zhou Chun wouldn't be so bold as to embezzle the Spiritual Objects specified by the Great Protector, Guan Cheng, on his first mission.
Had the Golden Sword Tiger eaten the Blood Spirit Grass beforehand?
Qian Wenlong thought of this possibility as well.
Yet he soon shook his head, rejecting the idea.
If the Golden Sword Tiger had consumed the Blood Spirit Grass, it would definitely be a second-tier, superior quality Demon Beast by now.
Where had the Blood Spirit Grass gone?
Panic took hold of Qian Wenlong.
If he couldn't figure out where the Blood Spirit Grass had gone, how would he report back to Guan Cheng!
In his urgency, he rushed up the mountain toward the Tiger Den, intending to enter and investigate.
But just as he was nearing the Tiger Den, his expression suddenly changed, and he stopped in his tracks, forming a hand seal and pointing forward to conjure a golden shield to protect himself.
Immediately, a foot-long green wind blade struck the golden shield, shattering it upon impact.
Then, from within the Tiger Den, a flash of green light revealed another Demon Beast, a Green-Furred Giant Tiger with a pair of wings!
Qian Wenlong's face changed as he recognized the origins of the Green-Furred Giant Tiger.
There's a saying, 'Like adding wings to a tiger.'
It means a person with great ability who acquires new skills is as formidable as a tiger with wings.
And among the many types of tiger demons, the strength of the Winged Tiger indeed ranks near the front.
What alarmed Qian Wenlong even more was that although the aura of the Winged Tiger seemed somewhat weak, it appeared to still be a second-tier, superior grade Demon Beast!