Yun Sha turned toward the narrow path leading up the mountain, her boots brushing against loose pebbles as she walked ahead with a determined expression.
"Please help me," she said softly. "I'm still not fully healed… and I want that beast's body for myself."
Zhen Huan walked a few steps behind her, both hands resting behind his head in a lazy stretch.
"But what do I get out of this?" he asked with a hint of boredom.
Yun Sha glanced back at him over her shoulder. Her eyes narrowed just slightly.
"Then what do you want?"
Zhen Huan thought for a moment, then smiled.
"I just want you to tell me about this world."
Yes, it sounds dumb, but I have no choice. The original owner of this body lived like a frog at the bottom of a well—he didn't know a thing about the world outside his little pond.
Yun Sha raised a brow, clearly puzzled. "What kind of question is that? Everyone knows about the world. Are you trying to be funny or trick me?"
Zhen Huan shrugged, bringing one hand down to wave casually.
"Nah. I just grew up in a small village. I never really learned much beyond it."
Is she really mocking me for that?
He placed his hand behind his head again, sighing as he walked.
Yun Sha turned her eyes back to the mountain path and began speaking in a calm voice, her tone slightly softer than before.
"This world is called Tian World. Right now, we're inside the Blue Empire—one of the two major empires of this world. The Blue Empire itself is divided into four great continents: the Eastern, Western, Southern, and Northern Continents. We're currently on the Southern Continent."
Zhen Huan listened carefully, trying to absorb each word.
"Oh… So, what do you mean by 'Blue Empire'? What's the other one?"
Yun Sha stopped briefly, glancing at him again with a knowing smile.
"You don't know about the Second Empire of Tian World?"
Zhen Huan replied casually, "Nope."
She turned her hand toward him, still walking, and said with a slight smirk, "Then I'll tell you—after we deal with that beast."
Zhen Huan let out a small sigh and scratched the back of his head.
"Fine."
They made their way along the uneven mountain path, moving toward the direction the beast had vanished. As they passed through the dense trees and overgrown plants, the air grew heavier. Eventually, they reached the base of another mountain, where a dark cave mouth gaped open before them. The air around it pulsed with the thick, oppressive aura of a powerful beast.
Yun Sha took a step forward, her gaze fixed on the cave.
But before she could go any further, Zhen Huan suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back.
He put a finger to his lips and whispered, "Shhhh… Hey, girl, are you looking to die?"
His eyes scanned the cave warily.
Is she serious? Why is she just walking right in?
Yun Sha turned toward him, her voice low. "Why? What's wrong?"
She frowned slightly. "And stop calling me 'girl.' Didn't I already tell you my name?"
Zhen Huan ignored that part, his voice still hushed. "Don't you have a plan to kill that beast? Or are you just going to rush in and hope for the best?"
This girl's really mad.
Yun Sha let out a soft, awkward laugh. "Do I really need a plan?"
Zhen Huan released her wrist and crouched down, grabbing a stick from the ground nearby. He started sketching on the dirt, his tone serious.
"Listen. You need to lure the beast out. Draw its attention to yourself. While it's focused on you, I'll hide behind that tree over there. The moment its back is turned, I'll strike with the strongest attack I have."
Yun Sha stared at the crude drawing, then raised an eyebrow.
"Shouldn't I be the one hiding behind the tree?"
Zhen Huan looked straight at her. "Do you think I can survive even one of its attacks?"
She looked away, almost embarrassed.
"Ah… right."
Zhen Huan stood up, tossed the stick behind him, and sprinted quietly to a nearby tree. He ducked behind it and peeked out, watching her intently.
"Alright, it's your turn."
Yun Sha took a deep breath and turned back toward the cave. She gripped her sword tightly in both hands.
"I'll lure it out. You just do your part."
From behind the tree, Zhen Huan gave her a silent thumbs-up.
"Okay, girl."
Yun Sha took a step closer to the cave. Her expression sharpened. Spiritual energy began to swirl around her blade as she activated the Water Cutting Art. Her pink sword became cloaked in a shimmering aura of water.
In one fluid motion, she slashed her sword diagonally through the air.
A blue arc of water energy shot forward, slicing into the cave entrance like a blade of compressed tide.
A loud explosion echoed from deep inside.
A thunderous roar followed, shaking the ground beneath them.
Dust billowed from the cave mouth.
Yun Sha narrowed her eyes, keeping her stance firm.
It's coming out.
Suddenly, deep within the darkness of the cave, a pair of glowing green eyes appeared. They shimmered with menace, locked onto Yun Sha like twin lanterns in the gloom. Step by step, the creature emerged, its massive paws pressing into the earth with a quiet yet terrifying weight.
With each step, its aura grew heavier, more suffocating. The air around them thickened as the pressure increased, spiritual energy vibrating in the atmosphere like a taut string.
Then, with a deafening roar, the beast revealed itself—
A massive white tiger, its fur streaked with silver, its muscles rippling with brute power. Its wings—broad and jagged like blades of bone—unfolded behind it as it snarled, saliva dripping from its fangs.
Without hesitation, it lunged.
Letting out a furious roar, the white tiger swung its wing like a blade, hurling it toward Yun Sha with deadly force.
She raised her sword just in time, blocking the wing with both hands. The impact sent a shockwave through the mountain path, kicking up dirt and pebbles.
She skidded back a few steps, gritting her teeth.
"He's fast," she muttered, gripping her sword tighter.
The beast charged again, this time with its claws slashing downward. Yun Sha stepped to the side, narrowly avoiding a strike that tore a deep gouge into the earth where she'd just stood.
She countered, her sword glowing with water aura as she slashed across the beast's shoulder. A line of blood was drawn, but shallow—it barely pierced the beast's hide.
The white tiger roared louder in pain and fury, its tail whipping around. Yun Sha ducked, rolling out of the way just as the tail swept past where her head had been a heartbeat ago.
From behind the tree, Zhen Huan clenched his fists.
Now's my chance.
He leaped out from hiding, spiritual energy surging to his palm. He drew the invincible slayer sword from his storage in a flash, the blade humming as it cut through the air.
The tiger had just turned to strike Yun Sha again when Zhen Huan landed on its back.
"Now!" he shouted.
With perfect timing, Yun Sha stabbed her blade forward, aiming for the beast's chest.
Zhen Huan drove his own sword downward into the back of the tiger's neck.
Both attacks hit at once.
The beast let out one final, echoing roar—
Then fell silent.
Its massive body dropped to the ground with a heavy thud, wings twitching once before going still.
Zhen Huan jumped off its back, breathing heavily.
Yun Sha stood opposite him, her sword still dripping.
There was a short silence between them, broken only by the soft rustle of wind through the trees.
Zhen Huan grinned.
"See? Told you the plan would work."
Yun Sha didn't reply. She sheathed her sword and looked down at the tiger's body.
"We'll split the beast body. You helped."
Zhen Huan raised a brow.
"That's very generous of you but no"
She turned away, arms crossed.
"You don't want fine."
Suddenly, a translucent screen flashed before Zhen Huan's eyes, glowing softly with violet light.
System Prompt:
You have successfully killed a Furry White Tiger – Rank 3, High-Tier Beast.
XP Points Granted: 500
[You received half the XP points because Yun Sha assisted in the kill.]
Current XP Points: 700
Zhen Huan blinked at the prompt, his thoughts running quickly.
So the system halves the XP if someone helps… That makes things harder.
He let out a small sigh and rubbed the back of his neck, feeling both satisfied and slightly cheated.
Yun Sha caught the look on his face. With a sly grin, she tilted her head and said, "Haha, are you regretting not asking for a bigger share now?"
Zhen Huan turned to her, his expression calm. "No," he said flatly.
Then, without another word, he summoned the storage portal from his system. A ripple in the air opened near his hand, and he slid the blood-stained sword into it. The portal shimmered once and vanished.
Yun Sha gave him a sideways glance in shock but said nothing more.
W-What? The sword… it disappeared into the air.
The white tiger's massive body lay still beside them, the air thick with fading spiritual pressure.