Zhao Jiehui’s strength had reached the fifth level of a martial master, making it easy for him to deal with the Flame Tiger before him. The powerful aura he emitted made the beast involuntarily step back. However, thinking of the Fire Dragon Grass it was guarding, the Flame Tiger was reluctant to give up, as devouring the grass would accelerate its growth.
Just as Zhao Jiehui was preparing to kill the beast with a decisive, thunderous blow, Zou Mei spoke up. "Senior Brother Zhao, this Flame Tiger only has the strength of a fourth-level martial master. Isn’t it a bit of an overkill for you to handle it personally?"
Zhao Jiehui was taken aback. Not quite understanding her meaning, he asked in confusion, "Does Junior Sister Zou want to make a move?"
Zou Mei gave a charming smile, but her gaze was fixed on Ye Qingchen. "Junior Brother Ye, we’ll have to enter the Heavenly Pond Sea of Fire sooner or later. The Fire Rock Beasts in there are all at the fourth-level martial master rank. Why don’t you demonstrate your strength and prove you have the ability to protect yourself when the time comes?"
Zhao Jiehui frowned. Although he believed Ye Qingchen’s strength was extraordinary, he was still only a second-level martial master. Dealing with the Flame Tiger would not be easy. Though both were third-tier Monster Beasts, the Flame Tiger was much stronger than the Fire Rock Beast. The Fire Rock Beast’s power lay in its nature as a pack animal; in terms of individual might, it was far inferior to the Flame Tiger.
Zou Mei had said this simply to make Ye Qingchen embarrass himself. She expected him to refuse, which would give her the perfect opportunity to mock him. To her surprise, however, Ye Qingchen agreed without the slightest hesitation.
This wasn’t Ye Qingchen being arrogant; given his temperament, he couldn’t care less about the opinions of others. He agreed for two reasons. The first was to test his own combat power. Although the Flame Tiger’s strength was comparable to a human fourth-level martial master, its lack of intelligence put it at a disadvantage in a real battle. Having already defeated Li Susu, a third-level martial master, Ye Qingchen had some confidence he could face the Flame Tiger. The second reason was that he wanted the others to know he was not to be trifled with. This way, he could avoid them trying to sabotage him when they entered the Heavenly Pond Sea of Fire.
Seeing Ye Qingchen agree, Zhao Jiehui stepped back and advised, "Junior Brother Qingchen, this Flame Tiger has immense strength. If you need help, don’t hesitate to speak up."
Ye Qingchen nodded. He knew that even Zhao Jiehui doubted he could defeat the Flame Tiger. However, Zhao Jiehui was a man of high emotional intelligence. He managed to preserve Ye Qingchen’s dignity while also clearly stating his willingness to help at any moment.
As Ye Qingchen approached the Flame Tiger, the other three looked on as if watching a joke unfold. Only Zhao Jiehui watched his every move with rapt attention. The Flame Tiger saw the human it had feared suddenly retreat, only to be replaced by another with a clearly weaker presence. Its simple mind couldn’t make sense of the situation. But one thing it does know is that it can probably tear this weak human to shreds with a single paw!
Ye Qingchen had already activated his Dual Pupil Martial Soul. As he approached the Flame Tiger, he was keenly aware of its every move. So when the beast leaped toward him, Ye Qingchen agilely twisted his body and evaded the attack.
Picking Leaf Hand!
Just after dodging the Flame Tiger’s attack, Ye Qingchen used the technique, striking its waist.
The Flame Tiger’s body was too large. Although it felt the attack, it was too late to dodge. But as expected of a third-tier Monster Beast, while it couldn’t dodge completely, it still managed to protect its most vital spots.
AWOOO—!
Nevertheless, the Flame Tiger still let out a pained howl from Ye Qingchen’s strike.
After landing a successful blow, Ye Qingchen didn’t press his advantage. Instead, he tapped his toes on the ground and leaped back ten meters, creating distance between himself and the Flame Tiger.
That first exchange proved the Flame Tiger’s strength is formidable. With my current power, I simply can’t face it head-on. However, it’s much slower than a Fire Rock Beast. My speed is my absolute advantage.
Having analyzed their respective strengths and weaknesses, Ye Qingchen decided to adopt guerrilla tactics to wear down the Flame Tiger.
"Hmph, this kid has some tricks. I’m surprised he wasn’t torn to shreds in the first swipe," Zhou Quan snorted with disdain, not bothering to cheer for his teammate after seeing him dodge the attack.
Zou Mei also shook her head and said to Zhao Jiehui, "Senior Brother Zhao, you must promise not to help him. I’m doing this for his own good. If his strength is insufficient, he’ll be no match for the Fire Rock Beasts in the Heavenly Pond Sea of Fire anyway. It’s better for him to recognize his limitations and retreat now than to die there."
Zhao Jiehui gazed at Zou Mei for a moment. Though her words sounded righteous, as if she were concerned for Ye Qingchen, he understood her true motive: she was plotting to discard him now that his usefulness was over. After all, they had almost finished collecting the medicinal herbs, so Ye Qingchen’s role was no longer significant. Kicking him out of the team now meant one less person to share the loot they would get from the Heavenly Pond Sea of Fire. But they didn’t know that Ye Qingchen, owner of the Ice Armor, was Zhao Jiehui’s greatest asset for ultimately collecting the fire essence.
Zhao Jiehui’s tone turned cold. "Since we formed a team, we are teammates. If you were in danger later, should I also stand by and watch you die?"
His words left Zou Mei and the other two speechless. Shaking his head, Zhao Jiehui continued, "Besides, Junior Brother Qingchen doesn’t need my help. He can kill the Flame Tiger all by himself!"
This wasn’t blind confidence on Zhao Jiehui’s part. At first, he had been worried that Ye Qingchen would be no match for the beast. But in the exchange just now, Ye Qingchen had fought the Flame Tiger to a standstill.
And he hasn’t even used his Ice Armor, a mid-grade Spiritual Artifact! With its enhancement, his combat power would surge. At that point, the Flame Tiger would stand no chance. But why isn’t he using it? Is he saving it for the Heavenly Pond Sea of Fire?
Unable to make sense of it, Zhao Jiehui stopped dwelling on the matter and refocused his full attention on the battle.
Indeed, Ye Qingchen’s strategy was highly effective. Despite its great strength, the Flame Tiger couldn’t even touch him. On the contrary, under Ye Qingchen’s repeated attacks, the beast was now panting heavily and covered in wounds.