## AST 560 - A Hard Fight, Consuming The Mysterious Fruit, Another Breakthrough In Tiger Form

Although Qing Shui didn’t breakthrough to the Sixth Heavenly Layer for the past two years, his physical strength had reached to eleven countries, his defense had reached to fifteen countries while his speed and the rest had also reached a terrifying amount.

Riding on the Diamond Gigantic Elephant, he gradually increased every strength of his entire body!

Nature Energy! 30% of increase in strength.

Diamond Qi! 50% of increase in energy.

Heavenly Thunder Slash! 30% of increase in energy.

Frenzied Bull’s Strength! 40% of increase in energy.

Immovable Mountains! 20% of increase in strength.

……...

In addition to that, the clothes forged out of Lunar Silk provided another 40% of energy and defense respectively while the helmet, boots and belt provided another 30% of defense. The Violet Gold Divine Shield increased his strength by twice, while the Big Dipper Sword increased his strength by 50%.

He slapped a Godly Force Talisman and Divine Shield Talisman against his body!

His achieved a terrifying strength of sixty-six countries…..

Seven Star Armored Vest!

Godly Armor Shield!

Diamond Protection!

He also achieved a terrifying defense power of sixty countries…...

At this very moment, Qing Shui had at least gained some confidence. After all, the Violet Gold Divine Shield under the state of Godly Armor Shield could block out half of his opponent’s damage, and this was of course, under normal circumstances.

State of One with Elephant!

Screech!

Before Fire Bird arrived, it had already breathed out a mouthful of pitch black flames. A pitch black fireball with the diameter of about one metre was sent flying towards that Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armored Beast.

Emperor’s Qi!

Qing Shui’s Emperor’s Qi instantly locked onto that gigantic Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armored Beast!

The Big Dipper Sword in his hands that exuded a wave of sword aura hacked towards the beast, as the Binding Talisman that was taken out later reached to its target first!

Art of Pursuing!

Bam!

In the end, Qing Shui’s Big Dipper Sword hacked on it, but his Binding Talisman and Fire Bird’s Hellfire were evaded. Although this fellow was extremely huge, it was very nimble.

Qing Shui who was riding on the Diamond Gigantic Elephant was still too tiny compared to this big fellow. This Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armored Beast was more than 50 metres long, had a body shape of a gigantic male lion and three sinister-looking heads. The Diamond Gigantic Elephant which was 10 metres long appeared to be extremely petite compared to the three-headed beast.

Qing Shui saw there was only a white scar left on those thick dark scales. The attack he had dealt with 80% of his strength couldn’t even break his opponent’s defense.

ROAR!

A gigantic pair of wings fully covered by scales swept towards him!

Godly Armor Shield!

Qing Shui immediately defended using the Violet Gold Divine Shield with his full power. Under the State of One with Elephant, his attack and defense had achieved a whopping amount of seventy countries.

Even so, Qing Shui was driven a couple of steps back from the impact. His body’s endurance had reached its limits and at the same time, he was also certain that this Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armor Beast was a demonic beast at the peak of Martial Saint Grade One.

A demonic beast at the peak of Martial Saint Grade One was not an opponent that Qing Shui could take on with his current strength. He had been very baffled by his own strength. He had already attained the strength of seventy countries with the help of supplementary techniques and his powerful armor, yet he still couldn’t set a foot in this Martial Saint realm.

A human cultivator at the peak of Martial Saint Grade One seemed to only have the strength of one hundred countries. However, the peak Martial Saint Grade One opponent that Qing Shui was facing right now was a demonic beast. This meant that its strength was more than twice the amount of a human cultivator at the same level..

Qing Shui’s Emperor’s Qi had weakened its strength by 20% and half of the damage it dealt was blocked off by the Godly Armor Shield. Even so, its remaining strength was still so much more powerful than him. Most importantly, he wasn’t able to break through the defense of this Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armor Beast.

It was known that demonic beast could defeat five human cultivators of the same level. At this moment, Qing Shui changed his opinion on the Martial Saint level again. Or more like, he was wondering just how much was the strength of a peak Martial Saint Grade One?

“How to even fight this?” He realized that his strength that had been so violet had now turned into something so feeble.

ROAR!

Shield Attack!

The defense of this Three-Headed Dark Cloud Beast was simply absurd. Although Qing Shui could just barely manage to knock his opponent back half a step, he was unfortunately unable to inflict any damage on it at all.

And this was under the condition where Qing Shui’s Emperor’s Qi had reduced its overall strength by 20%.

Binding Talisman!

Armor Break Talisman!

Qing Shui generously threw a bunch of it out!

These talismans reduced the opponent’s strength accordingly, using Qing Shui as the benchmark. Even though it didn’t reduce much, every little amount counted. Fortunately the 20% of speed reduction and 20% of weight increase by the Art of Pursuing was very optimistic.

Even though with this, the speed of the Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armor Beast was still higher than Qing Shui. However, there was a limit to it so Qing Shui could still barely hang in there.

Qing Shui wouldn’t dare to let even the Diamond Gigantic Elephant withstand the attacks of that Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armor Beast. On the contrary, the Hellfire breathed out by Fire Bird seemed to bother the the Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armor Beast a lot.

Bang, bang…...

At this very moment, Qing Shui’s Shield Attack had replaced the Basic Sword Techniques. Only the Shield Attack could barely block those horrifying attacks and resist its attempts in killing the Fire Bird.

Screech!

The cry of a crane rang out. Qing Shui sensed someone’s appearance not too far behind him. He didn’t even need to guess to know that it was Di Qing!

“Dumb woman, didn’t I ask you to go…..?” A trace of blood stained the corner of his mouth as he yelled without turning his head around.

“I can’t just watch you die!” Di Qing took out a bow and let loose an arrow towards the eye on the biggest middle head of that Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armor Beast.

She was skillful in bow and arrow, it was a pity that there was a large disparity between their strengths. The Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armor Beast only shut its eyes lightly and the arrow clinked noisily against its eyelid.

“Silly woman, how foolish of you…..” Qing Shui rambled on. He was very angry.

Di Qing didn’t say anything as she watched Qing Shui’s struggling silhouette. She didn’t know what she was feeling in her heart. It was a little sour, a little sweet and also something indescribable.

“Catch! Shoot when I order you to!” Qing Shui immediately tossed the Crimson Dragon Bow and the Poison Dragon Arrow towards her as soon as he found the time to retrieve them.

“Got it!”

Clank!

Clank!

……...

Qing Shui was repeatedly sent flying!

Although he could barely endure those powerful attacks, he was all scratched up. The ground around him was also in a disastrous state, as dirt filled the air.

The water in the lake exploded continuously, as if there was a gigantic beast turning itself over in the it. The water mixed together with the dirt in the air, making a mess.

Screech~!

Fire Bird directly hurled two Hellfire balls consecutively towards the Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armor Beast!

After thinking for awhile, Qing Shui recalled that Mysterious Fruit!

He might as well gamble at this point of time. Even if nothing worked out, at least he had tried his best. He quickly retrieved a small bottle and crushed it before he swallowed the Mysterious Fruit.

After almost a space of breath, Qing Shui felt something changing within his body!

ROAR!

He let out a mightier tiger roar, as the Tiger's Roar separated itself from the qi of Ancient Strengthening Technique and coursed throughout his entire body. A wave of boundless qi poured forth within his body.

The qi of Tiger’s Roar coursed throughout his body once before melting into the qi of Ancient Strengthening Technique. At this very moment, Qing Shui felt like it was as if his body had completed its transformation and then his eyes lit up.

Tiger Form had actually raised to another realm by one level…….

It had unintentionally broke through the Great Perfection Stage, destroyed a wall of obstruction and reached the Grand Perfection realm. Little did he expect that one Mysterious Fruit would allow him to once again stride forward through a brand new door at the most crucial moment.

What realm is this?

Oh!

“I see that even the Heavenly Thunder Slash had breakthrough to the Obscure Realm!”

Qing Shui felt like he had just struck gold. He circulated the qi of Ancient Strengthening Technique in his body and once again raised the strength in his body to the peak.

Nature Energy!

Heavenly Thunder Slash!

……....

Qing Shui put away his Big Dipper Sword. At the same time, the gigantic Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armor Beast suddenly flapped its enormous wings and opened its ferocious mouth aggressively towards Qing Shui.

Shield Attack!

Ripping Tiger Claw!

Qing Shui was going all out on this!

Bang!

Ka!

The Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armor Beast was knocked half a step backwards by Shield Attack, just like it did earlier. Then at the same moment, Qing Shui unleashed the most powerful ‘Tiger Ripping Claw’ technique that his right hand had been building up for long time on the gigantic head in the middle.

It was almost as if a black veil was seen trailing after his right hand that had struck out!

This was the attack of a Martial Saint. This single attack contained the force that only a Martial Saint was capable of dishing out!

ROAR!

The Ripping Tiger Claw landed a blow squarely on the enormous face of the Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armor Beast. A large gash was immediately cut open by Qing Shui on its face that was unprotected by those thick and pitch black scales.

Jet-black colored blood oozed out from the gash!

Body Securing Talisman!

Qing Shui conveniently beckoned forth Fire Bird!

Screech!

Three Hellfire balls that were about the size of one metre each lined up into a triangle shape were hurled in the direction of the Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armor Beast, with more than twice the speed from earlier.

The Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armor Beast who wanted to evade realized that it couldn’t move!

Qing Shui suddenly flung his Ripping Tiger Claw towards the eyes on the its left head!

“Dumb woman, shoot the eye on its middle head!”

Qing Shui’s attack was swift and ferocious!

Ripping Tiger Claw!

Heavenly Thunder Slash!

The Heavenly Thunder Slash of the Obscure realm had a momentary paralyzing effect. Although it lasted for a very, very brief moment only, it was enough for Qing Shui.

Di Qing, who was once again being called a dumb woman, angrily let loose a Poison Dragon Arrow towards the lantern-like eye on the beast’s middle head. The Poison Dragon Arrow flashed by with a trail of black glow. It was almost on par with Qing Shui’s Heavenly Thunder Slash.

Roar, roar…...

Qing Shui’s entire arm sunk into the Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armor Beast’s head!

Primordial Flame!

This was the first time Qing Shui used the Primordial Flame this way ever since it became strong. The Primordial Flame of two feet tall instantly crippled one side of the Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armor Beast’s head.

A deafening blood-curdling screech rang out!

Bang!

Its left head exploded. The strong impact sent Qing Shui flying in the opposite direction. At the exact same moment when the Three-Headed Dark Cloud Armor Beast was paralyzed, the Poison Dragon Arrow was shot into its eye that was about the size of a lantern.

Three Hellfire balls of about one metre each smashed on the gigantic beast’s face and exploded!

Whimpers!

The enormous body turned over, as a pitch black flame was ignited on its enormous head!

Roar!

A strong black mist was spurted out, putting out Fire Bird’s pitch black flames. But the skin on its face was already peeled off, exposing the white bones beneath it.

Roar!

Another mouthful of strong black mist spurted over in Fire Bird, Qing Shui and Di Qing’s direction!

Qing Shui immediately retreated in a flash. That thing was definitely a bad news. But Di Qing was still standing there dumbly, so he quickly lifted her up!

Flickering Light Passing Shadow!

Qing Shui didn’t expect to ever use the speed-enhancing battle technique on fleeing!

He also ordered Fire Bird to beat a hasty retreat!

Fortunately the lowered strength and speed of the Three-Headed Dark Cloud Beast was not any faster than Fire Bird’s speed. On top of that, Fire Bird had already escaped beforehand.