When Zhou Huan had just killed the tiger, it was because he saw the ferocity of the beast's charge and vividly recalled the scene of Wu Song fighting the tiger in the Water Margin television series. When the tiger lunged, Zhou Huan had only intended to dodge, but realizing he couldn't escape, he gambled, ducking low beneath the tiger's belly. Then, summoning all his strength, he braced himself and managed to break the tiger's throat with a forceful thrust.

Thinking back on it, Zhou Huan still felt a lingering chill and exhaustion. If there had been just one more tiger, they would truly have been finished. He took a couple of steps, then looked up at the massive boulder ahead. "Hmph," he murmured, "what an enormous stone, the workmanship of a celestial artisan."

"Brother Zhou Huan, if we take this small path to bypass the stone, the trail just beyond the base of the boulder will let us descend the mountain quickly. We likely won't even be traveling after dark when we reach the bottom," Tian Lang explained the route to him.

Zhou Huan nodded. "That sounds good. If we get down before sunset, we’ll press on into the mountain range opposite us and camp down there for the night."

Once the group had agreed on their plan, they strode toward the giant rock. Before they reached it, a wind swept over them, far more intense than the one accompanying the fierce tiger, and this gust carried a sharper, rank odor.

"Master, what is that smell? It feels so familiar," one of them asked.

"Indeed, brother, why is that strange scent back again?" Tian Lang felt a wave of deep unease; this unprecedented feeling nearly shattered his psychological defenses.

As Zhou Huan peered closely at the massive stone, his eyes suddenly widened, and he gasped, "Today, it looks like we are fated to die here." As soon as his words fell, the others saw three white-browed fierce tigers standing atop the boulder. Saliva, thick with murderous intent, dripped from the corners of their mouths, and their eyes were locked onto the movements of Zhou Huan and his party.

"Stop moving. We can neither retreat nor advance now."

"Why not, Master?"

"If we move forward, we enter their attack range. If we retreat, the three tigers will chase us immediately, and we still won't be able to withstand their assault!" As Zhou Huan spoke, he noticed the three tigers on the boulder seemed to be testing the ground, slowly closing the distance to their small group.

Tiny beads of sweat began to dot everyone’s foreheads. Zhou Huan’s mind raced, focused only on how he had dispatched the previous tiger. But now there were three, and he had no strength left. His two disciples were also drained. How could they face these three ferocious beasts? Zhou Huan was momentarily at a loss, but finally, he gritted his teeth. "There are five of us now; separation is impossible. We fight, or we die trying."

"Master, if we fight, is there any hope? Let’s run! Run for the trees," Dong Zi whispered fearfully from the side.

Zhou Huan immediately rejected Dong Zi’s plea. "If we fight, we have a sliver of hope to kill them. If we run, we cannot outpace them. And climbing trees? They are better climbers than we are. Do you think we can still make it to the capital city alive?"

Zhou Huan’s words silenced the others. Each person prepared whatever meager weapon they possessed. The stone Zhou Huan had used to slay the first tiger was still stained with its blood, but the stones wielded by Tian Xiong and Shi Bingyuan had already been pulverized into sand.

"Everyone, be alert! These tigers are about to attack. Prepare yourselves; your reactions must be swift!" Just as Zhou Huan finished speaking, he felt a flash, like a streak of light, shoot past his back. Zhou Huan watched this streak of white light dart and leap; in the blink of an eye, all three impossibly fierce tigers lay collapsed on the ground, panting heavily, their eyes wide with shock, unable to move an inch.

When Zhou Huan looked again for the source of the white light, it had already ascended the boulder. On closer inspection, the light resolved itself into a small, snow-white rabbit, as white as frost!

"Ah? How can this be..." The group could not help but exclaim in astonishment.

Zhou Huan wiped the sweat from his brow and muttered to himself, "Good heavens, what kind of rabbit is this? Is it a venomous rabbit? This rabbit is too powerful. If it’s a female, wouldn't it be stronger than a tigress?"

"Who said I'm stronger than a tigress? I didn't even have to exert myself. If I had, I would have been much more formidable. Hmph, little rabbit, you come back here! I told you not to run wild, but you won't listen!" A girl dressed as a hunter slowly walked up from behind Zhou Huan. She was in the prime of her youth, appearing perhaps seventeen or eighteen, certainly under twenty, but she was quite fetching, beautiful enough by any standard.

Zhou Huan turned and examined the young woman intently, scanning her from head to toe at least three or four times.

"What are you looking at? Never seen a beauty like me before? Honestly!" The girl said, displaying a slightly sharp temper at Zhou Huan's prolonged stare.

Zhou Huan immediately plastered on an amiable smile. "Miss, might I ask who you are?"

"Don't ask who I am; even if you do, I won't tell you. I am the owner of this rabbit. My name is Xiao Yun." The girl spoke strangely. As she spoke, the rabbit that had just performed such feats hopped cheerfully to Xiao Yun’s side and leaped directly into her arms.

The girl named Xiao Yun frowned upon catching the rabbit. "You are still so lazy! If you stay in my arms a moment longer, be careful I don't feed you tonight. Put your own leash on and get down."

It was truly bizarre. The rabbit actually obeyed. It wriggled and pushed a rope loop out from under Xiao Yun’s arm, stuck its head through it, and then jumped to the ground, precisely looping the slipknot securely around its neck.

Zhou Huan chuckled. "Your rabbit is quite interesting. Did you raise it yourself?"

"Of course, I did. This is a divine rabbit our family has bred for generations. What would you know?" This girl, Xiao Yun, seemed quite amusing, drawing laughter from everyone present.

Just then, an elderly man ascended from the mountain path below, his head covered in white hair. Upon reaching Xiao Yun, he spoke sternly, "Wild girl, what nonsense are you spouting now?" The elder approached Zhou Huan and examined the five of them closely. Then he asked, "You are travelers, aren't you?"

"Precisely. We were journeying together when we encountered the great beasts and thought we were surely doomed. We never expected this little rabbit to save us!" Zhou Huan recounted the events of the moment.

Xiao Yun, however, was displeased upon hearing this. "Hey! If I hadn't unclipped the little rabbit's tether, would he have come to save you? And instead of thanking me, you thank the rabbit? It’s infuriating!"

The group looked back at the rabbit, which now seemed to be deliberately grinning, mocking the girl’s demeanor.

"Enough talk. Where are you headed?" The elder spoke with an undeniable, powerful confidence that bespoke his true nature.

Zhou Huan replied respectfully, "We are bound for the capital city. We have urgent matters there; if we had perished here, it would have ruined great plans!"

"Oh? It seems you are not ordinary folk either!" The elder’s gaze seemed to fall upon the stone in Zhou Huan’s hand, and a slight smile finally touched his lips. "Little master, you killed the tiger down the mountain, didn't you?"

"Ah! Heh heh. At the time, I was only fighting to survive, pouring every ounce of strength I had. Otherwise, how could I have been completely exhausted just moments later?"

"I see. Looking at your ruddy complexion and robust energy, perhaps you were merely tired. Very well, it will take those tigers at least two or three hours to recover. You should be on your way. We also have ground to cover!" The elder spoke, reaching out to take the rabbit's leash from the girl's hand and leading the little rabbit forward.

Xiao Yun called out to the elder, "Grandpa, wait for me! They said they’re going to the capital. Aren't we going there too? Wouldn't it be nice to travel together?"

"Speak less. We are not traveling the same road, and it’s inconvenient to go together. Hurry up!" The elder's words held definite authority over the young girl. Xiao Yun quickly ran to catch up with the elder, leading the way past the giant boulder until they vanished from sight.

Zhou Huan watched their retreating figures, then turned to his companions. "Let's go. It seems this place isn't safe either!"