Lindsay Windson hurriedly stepped back, muttering anxiously to herself, “I wonder how Mr. Shelby is doing right now?”
Meanwhile, the man in white fought fiercely, strategizing his escape.
Unfortunately, the Skyclaw Tiger was relentless, refusing to let him go, making any chance of escape impossible.
As the battle raged on between the man in white and the Skyclaw Tiger, Lindsay seized the opportunity to dash into the cave.
Inside, rocks tumbled down continuously, forcing her to dodge and weave.
She soon noticed that the cave’s entrance ahead was completely blocked by fallen stones.
Her face turned pale at the sight. Without hesitation, Lindsay began moving the rocks aside.
Now at the Pinnacle level of Aetherbinding cultivation, clearing these stones was within her ability.
One by one, she removed the rocks, her hands bloodied in the process. Yet, she refused to give up.
The cave had partially collapsed, and if the stones weren’t cleared, there would be no way to find Chris.
“Mr. Shelby, you have to make it out alive!”
Her voice cracked as she worked tirelessly, tears streaming down her face.
Suddenly, a large boulder came crashing down from above.
Caught off guard, Lindsay froze, unable to react in time.
In that split second, a figure darted toward her, snatching her up and carrying her away just as-
Boom!
The massive rock slammed into the ground with a deafening crash.
Lindsay, still trembling with fear, took a deep breath before looking up.
When her eyes met the figure before her, her face lit up with joy.
“Mr. Shelby!”
It was Chris, none other than the man she had been desperate to find.
When he saw the boulder about to crush her, Chris had rushed out in time to save her.
“Lindsay, didn’t I tell you to run in a different direction?” Chris asked, his tone both stern and concerned.
“I…” Lindsay lowered her head, unable to form a response.
Chris sighed, realizing that her return was out of worry for him.
As his gaze dropped to her bloodied hands, he felt a wave of emotion wash over him.
Taking her by the hand, Chris said, “Come with me. There’s something I want to show you.”
With that, he led her deeper into the cave. Lindsay followed, her face filled with confusion.
Now that the man in white was battling the Skyclaw Tiger, this was their best chance to escape. Why were they venturing deeper into the cave instead?
Moments later, they arrived at the deepest part of the cave.
“Mr. Shelby, isn’t this where the Skyclaw Tiger sleeps?” Lindsay asked curiously.
She clearly remembered the first time they entered the cave and encountered the beast here.
Chris didn’t answer her question. Instead, he gestured ahead.
“Lindsay, look at this.”
Following his gaze, Lindsay’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Before her was a massive pile of treasures.
Essence Stones, rare metals, valuable herbs-all piled high in a glittering heap.
“Mr. Shelby, what is all this?” Lindsay asked, her voice tinged with awe.
“These are the Skyclaw Tiger’s treasures,” Chris explained.
It was common knowledge that high-level beasts often had a habit of hoarding treasures.
Since the Skyclaw Tiger ruled this area, no other beasts dared to enter its domain. Naturally, these treasures belonged to it.
“We need to gather these quickly,” Chris said. “If the Skyclaw Tiger returns, we’ll be in trouble.”
Without wasting another moment, Chris stored the treasures into his spatial ring.
Once finished, he grabbed Lindsay’s hand and led her out of the cave.
Outside, the battle between the man in white and the Skyclaw Tiger continued to rage on.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The ground shook violently as the two clashed, toppling countless towering trees.
Even the earth bore the marks of their ferocious fight, riddled with massive craters.
“Roar!”
The Skyclaw Tiger let out an enraged roar. Though the man in white’s attacks had injured it, the beast’s immense strength rendered the wounds negligible.
Furious at the audacity of its challenger, the Skyclaw Tiger lashed out with its razor-sharp claws.
Crash!
The man in white was sent flying backward, blood spraying from his mouth mid-air.
When he finally steadied himself, his face was deathly pale.
He hadn’t anticipated the Skyclaw Tiger’s power to surpass his expectations by such a wide margin.
Clenching his teeth, the man in white pulled a signal flare from his robe.
Bang!
A brilliant firework exploded in the sky.
Moments later, multiple figures descended rapidly-each a Solstice-level cultivator.
It turned out that the man in white wasn’t alone in the search for Chris.
Three or four Solstice-level experts had been stationed nearby, ready to respond to the flare if needed.
Originally, the man in white had been confident in his ability to kill Chris.
But Chris had outsmarted him, leading him straight to the Skyclaw Tiger.
Now realizing he was no match for the beast, the man in white called for reinforcements.
“Help me kill this Skyclaw Tiger!” he commanded.
With that, he and the other Solstice cultivators launched their assault on the beast.
Boom!
A thunderous impact sent the Skyclaw Tiger sprawling.
Though wounded, the beast’s fury only grew as blood poured from its injuries.
At the same time, the man in white and his allies weren’t faring much better.
Each of the Solstice cultivators was bloodied, their injuries severe.
Recognizing the Skyclaw Tiger’s overwhelming strength, the man in white gritted his teeth.
“We’re retreating!” he barked.
Without hesitation, he and the others turned and fled.
The Skyclaw Tiger, though enraged, didn’t pursue them.
At its level of intelligence, it understood the risks of chasing such a group. The outcome wasn’t guaranteed.
Meanwhile, Chris and Lindsay slipped out from the cave’s depths.
As they emerged, a sudden oppressive force swept over them.
Chris’s face darkened. “This isn’t good. The Skyclaw Tiger has returned!”
He quickly pulled Lindsay aside, hiding in the shadows.
Moments later, the Skyclaw Tiger stormed back into the cave.
Though injured, the beast would recover after a period of rest.
Once the Skyclaw Tiger disappeared inside, Chris stepped out from hiding.
His eyes fell on the blood staining the ground-blood left behind by the Skyclaw Tiger.
A thought struck him.
The blood of high-level beasts was an incredibly valuable ingredient for refining elixirs.