CHAPTER 185: CHAPTER 185: ARE YOU HUMAN OR DEMON?

ROAR!

The Black Scale Leopard pounced, a demonic gust of wind swirling through the forest. Its tyrannical aura stirred the nearby Yuan Qi into a frenzied surge, like a tidal wave.

Chen Caiyun, watching the ferocious Black Scale Leopard charge towards her, shrieked. Her limpid, beautiful eyes shimmered with terror as she impulsively covered her face with both hands.

"Junior Sister Caiyun!" cried out the two Floating Snow School disciples who had been sent flying by the Black Scale Leopard.

The black-robed youth stood to one side, a hint of reluctance in his eyes, but he made no move. Instead, he took a step back.

Luo Feng, standing among the treetops, shook his head at the sight.

Beneath him, eight Qi Dragons rose. He pushed off with his feet, instantly unleashing the Wind and Thunder Momentum. Like a black shadow, he darted out at lightning speed.

Reaching the side of the girl in colorful clothes, Luo Feng swept her up by her soft waist with one hand and threw a punch with the other.

RUMBLE!

No sooner had his fist shot out than the Black Scale Leopard’s attack arrived.

His fist clashed with the creature’s claws. Gang Qi erupted, and the powerful shockwave scattered pebbles. It blasted a two-meter-deep pit in the ground between the man and the beast—a truly shocking sight.

Luo Feng and the Black Scale Leopard each retreated more than ten meters.

The Black Scale Leopard let out a low growl, its icy pupils fixed on Luo Feng, but it didn’t rashly attack again. The human youth before it exuded a sense of danger.

"Ah! Don’t eat me!"

Hearing the commotion, the girl in colorful clothes trembled in Luo Feng’s arms. She screamed for help, her eyes still squeezed shut.

Luo Feng was somewhat speechless. Seeing that the Black Scale Leopard didn’t press the attack, he whispered, "Relax, I don’t eat people."

At the sound of his voice, the girl’s delicate eyebrows twitched slightly, and she hesitantly opened her eyes.

Looking at Luo Feng, her large, limpid eyes filled with surprise and doubt. "Are you a human? Or a demon?"

Seeing her tense expression, Luo Feng was rendered even more speechless. He pointed to the Black Scale Leopard nearby. "A demon wouldn’t save you."

The girl in colorful clothes looked at the terrifying crater in the ground. Her face paled as she finally understood what had happened.

So he was the one who saved me, and I called him a demon earlier...

Knowing she had misjudged Luo Feng, the tips of the girl’s delicate ears turned a faint red.

"Who are you?!"

A cold shout suddenly shattered the awkward atmosphere between them.

The black-robed youth strode forward. Seeing Luo Feng holding the girl, a flicker of jealousy lit his eyes.

"Let go of Junior Sister Caiyun! Or don’t blame me for being impolite!"

"Senior Brother Liu, you’ve misunderstood. He saved me..." The girl in colorful clothes, nestled in Luo Feng’s arms, felt a blush creep up her snow-white neck. She was about to explain when Luo Feng stopped her.

Luo Feng released the girl, glanced sideways at the black-robed youth, and sneered, "You’re so concerned about your Junior Sister? Then why didn’t you step in to stop the Black Scale Leopard earlier?"

At this, the other two Floating Snow School students also approached. Hearing Luo Feng’s words, they too looked at the black-robed youth with doubt.

Luo Feng didn’t wait for an answer, continuing with a smile, "Could it be that you’re afraid of the Black Scale Leopard? So you didn’t dare to make a move?"

"Bullshit!"

His thoughts exposed, the black-robed youth flushed with shame and anger, cursing loudly. He glared at Luo Feng, hissing through clenched teeth, "If you hadn’t suddenly appeared, I would have already saved Junior Sister!"

The girl in colorful clothes beside them frowned, her beautiful eyes fixed on the black-robed youth.

She might be naive, but she wasn’t foolish.

The black-robed youth had been right beside her. If he’d wanted to save her, it would have been far more convenient for him than for Luo Feng, who was some distance away. He couldn’t possibly have been slower to act.

Luo Feng didn’t point out the flaw in the youth’s claim. He clapped his hands and smiled. "I see. So you’re truly not afraid of the Black Scale Leopard. In that case, how about you cover the retreat?"

Luo Feng gestured towards the Black Scale Leopard, which was eyeing them covetously.

Hearing this, the black-robed youth swallowed, his gaze flickering, but he didn’t respond.

Feeling the cold stare of the girl in colorful clothes beside him, the black-robed youth gritted his teeth, his face twisting into a sinister scowl as he glared at Luo Feng. "I don’t dare. But do you?"

Upon hearing this, the eyes of the two other Floating Snow School youths flashed with contempt as they looked at the black-robed youth.

His words were an undeniable admission that he hadn’t dared to face the Black Scale Leopard and had, in fact, abandoned Chen Caiyun to her fate.

Martial Artists despised cowards above all, especially one who would abandon a fellow student from their own school to die!

"Junior Sister, that’s not what I meant. I was just..."

The moment the words left his mouth, the black-robed youth realized his blunder and hurriedly tried to explain to the girl in colorful clothes.

She frowned and glanced at him. Although she had already figured it out, she hadn’t expected him to be so shameless as to deny it to the death even after being exposed.

"Senior Brother Liu, I know this wasn’t your fault." Imperceptibly, the tone of the girl in colorful clothes became much more indifferent.

Feeling the coldness in her words, the black-robed youth’s expression darkened.

Because his cultivation was outstanding in the Floating Snow School, the girl in colorful clothes had previously admired him greatly. He had invited her to train in the Ghost Howl Forest this time specifically to get closer to her. He never expected to encounter a Black Scale Leopard, and now, after all this, he sensed that his relationship with her was likely over.

It’s all this meddler’s fault!

His simmering resentment had nowhere to go, so he directed all his anger towards Luo Feng. Seeing Luo Feng remain silent, he sneered, "What’s wrong? You were so self-righteous just now. Don’t tell me you’re planning to chicken out like a cowardly turtle?"

Although Luo Feng hadn’t hidden his cultivation, his Teng Dragon’s Step inherently concealed his aura. Given their limited strength, they were completely unable to see through his true capabilities.

The black-robed youth, noting Luo Feng was slightly younger than himself, was certain his strength couldn’t be that impressive.

As long as Luo Feng didn’t dare to face the Black Scale Leopard, he could still salvage some face.

And if Luo Feng did make a move? Even better!

That would be the perfect opportunity for the Black Scale Leopard to eliminate this eyesore of a fellow!

The black-robed youth schemed, a cold light glinting in his eyes, a sinister smirk playing on his lips.

Luo Feng took in the youth’s expression and smiled faintly. "I’m not as useless as you."

WHOOSH!

Before his words faded, Luo Feng executed the Teng Dragon’s Step. His feet slid across the ground as he closed in on the Black Scale Leopard.

This kid, daring to act tough in front of me! Let’s see how he dies this time!

Seeing Luo Feng rush out, the black-robed youth sneered inwardly. He turned to the girl in colorful clothes and said, "Junior Sister, this brat actually dares to challenge the Black Scale Leopard alone! The Black Scale Leopard’s strength is equivalent to that of a peak Seventh Stage Essence Storage Realm Martial Artist; he’s no match for it. We should take this chance to get out of here."

The girl in colorful clothes furrowed her fine brows, a hint of disgust in her bright eyes. She hadn’t expected him to be able to utter such words without his expression changing in the slightest. How utterly shameless!

She mocked herself inwardly. To think I once admired such a shameless person!

Her gaze shifted to the black-haired youth approaching the Black Scale Leopard. Under the morning sun’s glow, the youth’s figure appeared quite tall and slender, his profile etched with determination. Even when facing a ferocious Demon Beast like the Black Scale Leopard, there wasn’t a trace of fear in his eyes.

Staring at the youth, she too felt affected, and her fear of the Black Scale Leopard diminished somewhat. She said calmly, "Senior Brother Liu, you go on ahead. I’m going to lend him a hand."

"Junior Sister, we’ll go too! We don’t want to be known as cowards from Floating Snow School who cling to life and fear death!"

The two blade-wielding youths also stepped forward, not sparing the black-robed youth a single glance.

The black-robed youth stood there, wanting to leave but unable to, yet not wanting to stay. He opened his mouth but couldn’t speak, his face burning as if on fire.

Just as the girl in colorful clothes and the two blade-wielding youths were about to move forward to help, a sudden change occurred.

WHOOSH!

Luo Feng’s body flashed. He soared into the air like a great bird, gliding for more than ten meters before fiercely pouncing towards the Black Scale Leopard, his body arching for the strike.

ROAR!

Seeing someone dare to provoke it, the Black Scale Leopard became enraged. It let out a savage roar, stirring up a foul wind as it lunged at Luo Feng.

BOOM!

Facing the charging Black Scale Leopard, Luo Feng neither dodged nor retreated. His clothes stirred, and transparent Gang Qi, like glaze, condensed on his fist as he threw a punch.

The Black Scale Leopard hadn’t anticipated Luo Feng’s attack to be so swift. Unable to dodge, it took the punch directly to its forehead. Its massive body was sent flying, crashing through several trees before it finally stopped.

Luo Feng didn’t want to reveal too much of his strength, so he had only used six-tenths of his power in that punch.

"Scram!" Luo Feng shouted coldly, watching the Black Scale Leopard struggle to its feet.

Unexpectedly, this Black Scale Leopard was exceptionally ferocious. It shook its dizzy head, roared at the sky, and charged again!

Luo Feng’s brow furrowed.

"Courting death!"

Ignoring its attack, Luo Feng gathered eight-tenths of his strength. With a single leap, he shot forward like a tiger uncaged, smashing a fist into the Black Scale Leopard’s front paw.

CRACK!

A sharp cracking sound echoed. The Black Scale Leopard’s sharp front claws, over a foot long, were shattered by the force. Its enormous body was sent flying for several dozen meters, gouging out a large crater where it landed.

AWOO...

Scrambling up from the ground, the Black Scale Leopard let out a mournful whimper. It cast a fearful glance at Luo Feng, then limped away into the depths of the jungle.

The girl in colorful clothes and the others were already dumbstruck.

One of the blade-wielding youths gasped, "So strong! He drove back the Black Scale Leopard with just two punches!"

The other blade-wielding youth nodded, unconcealed admiration in his eyes.

The Black Scale Leopard was a peak existence among Level Three intermediate-rank Demon Beasts, its strength equivalent to a peak Seventh Stage Essence Storage Realm Martial Artist. The four of them together were no match for it.

Luo Feng, who was about the same age as them, had repelled the Black Scale Leopard with just two punches. They couldn’t help but admire him immensely.

The black-robed youth standing nearby now looked at Luo Feng with a peculiar expression.

Luo Feng dusted off his hands and turned to walk towards the others.

The girl in colorful clothes stuck out her tongue playfully. "You’re amazing! You scared off the Black Scale Leopard with just two punches. If my brother knew, he’d definitely want to spar with you!"

Luo Feng glanced at her. "Your brother is?"

"Hu Yitian, the ’Chaotic Snow Blade’ from Floating Snow School! He’s really incredible!" the girl said, her beautiful eyes sparkling with a proud smile.