Chapter 21: Hunting the Shadow Leopard

Glug glug~

After finishing the last sip of fish soup, Qin Chuan set down his bowl and chopsticks.

Shui Hua almost simultaneously licked the fish soup clean from the food bowl, then lifted its head to look at Qin Chuan.

"Next, we need to expand our territory." Qin Chuan spoke softly, "After searching the nearby area these past few days, there are no resources left that could help you continue to level up."

"In order to become strong as soon as possible, we need need to find a new territory."

"You've lived around here since birth; do you have any ideas?"

After hearing Qin Chuan's question, Shui Hua showed a thoughtful expression on its face.

After a moment, its eyes suddenly lit up, then immediately showed a hesitant expression.

"What's wrong?" Noticing Shui Hua's abnormality, Qin Chuan asked.

Over the past eight days he never wasted Time Stop, and now he has accumulated nine seconds.

And Shui Hua's hesitation is obviously because of the Shadow Leopard.

Shui Hua tilted its head, its face showing a confused expression.

After hearing Shui Hua's account, Qin Chuan showed a thoughtful expression.

"The Shadow Leopard's biggest trait is its speed." Qin Chuan said with some confidence, "We will use the Shadow Leopard's speed to deal with it."

"Woof woof woof…" (I really know a place with plenty of experience‑boosting fruit, but…)

As Shui Hua spoke, Qin Chuan showed an expression that was unexpected yet reasonable.

Nine seconds of Time Stop should be more than enough to deal with a Shadow Leopard.

Time Stop—Qin Chuan had previously used only one second, and had done nothing with it.

Even though it is now level 7, the gap to a level 12 Growth Tier Shadow Leopard is still large.

Qin Chuan casually took out a wooden stick and drew in the sand‑filled wooden frame.

To use Time Stop more effectively, he needs to plan ahead.

According to Shui Hua, it actually does not live in that area; it goes there because there are special fruits that boost its experience, and there are plenty of them.

After about an hour, he threw down the wooden stick and said, "I've got a plan!"

The place Shui Hua mentioned is the Shadow Leopard's territory, and also where they first met.

As a result, they didn't find the fruit, met Qin Chuan, and the person and beast were chased by the Shadow Leopard, leading to today's situation.

Waiting beside Qin Chuan, Shui Hua, lying dazed on the ground, quickly lifted its head.

Believing the method Shui Hua used last time won't fool the Shadow Leopard a second time, and relying on normal means they definitely cannot defeat it.

Strictly speaking, this will be his first genuine use of Time Stop.

But this needs to be carefully planned.

His gaze finally fell on Time Stop.

"Woof?" (What?)

Obviously, it didn't understand Qin Chuan's meaning.

"Just like that…"

Qin Chuan quickly explained his plan, meanwhile gesturing with his hand in the air.

As Shui Hua listened, its eyes grew brighter and its face showed an expression of sudden realization.

After finishing the explanation, Qin Chuan glanced at the time.

【03:53:29/08:00:00】【00:00:09】

"There are still four hours; we need to hurry."

"Woof!" (Good!)

——

"Phew~ Finally arrived."

Qin Chuan exhaled, setting down the secret weapon he had spent nearly three hours crafting behind him; at this moment the weapon's surface was covered with simple woven hemp sheets, also topped with grass, blending almost seamlessly with the surrounding waist‑high vegetation.

"Woof!" (That's the Shadow Leopard's territory ahead.)

Shui Hua gazed ahead, its small face showing a solemn expression.

"After today, this will be our territory."

Qin Chuan grinned, looking somewhat reckless.

He glanced at the time.

【07:58:18/08:00:07】【00:00:02】

Seven seconds is the minimum time Qin Chuan estimates he needs.

If seven seconds isn't enough, he will keep adding one second at a time until the goal is reached.

However, now is not the time to act.

He lacks confidence to survive 102 seconds in the Shadow Leopard's grasp.

【07:59:20/08:00:07】【00:00:02】

"Move out." Qin Chuan gave a low shout, left the secret weapon in place, shouldered a strange wooden board, and charged into the Shadow Leopard's territory with Shui Hua.

Fifty meters… one hundred meters… two hundred meters!

【07:59:46/08:00:07】【00:00:02】

At the moment he penetrated two hundred meters, Qin Chuan saw a patch of black in his field of view.

He immediately ran in another direction, meanwhile letting out a reckless shout: "Big black cat, if you've got the guts, come catch me!"

"Roar!!!"

A stunning roar came from behind; that patch of black instantly turned into a heart‑pounding black streak, chasing after Qin Chuan.

Shadow Leopard recognized this person and beast.

The memory of being toyed with by those two ants became clear, and in an instant its hatred reached its peak.

This time, it will definitely kill those two guys!

The deep, obscure patterns under its feet flickered; each leap of the Shadow Leopard spanned a full ten meters, and the distance to Qin Chuan visibly shortened.

But Qin Chuan showed no panic at all.

When the Shadow Leopard was about twenty meters away—just two or three leaps from reaching him—Qin Chuan leapt, landing on the slope hidden deep in the grass.

This was exactly the slope that had earlier made him lose his footing and fall, leaving him unconscious for several hours.

Now, this slope had become the ideal battleground for him to face the Shadow Leopard!

Upon landing on the slope, the wooden board on Qin Chuan's back had somehow moved beneath his feet, turning into a special skateboard; his speed kept increasing, far surpassing that of a full sprint.

The Shadow Leopard, driven by hatred, pursued him without hesitation.

Having lived there long, it was naturally familiar with this slope, but the rugged, steep terrain hindered its run; to avoid losing balance again, the Shadow Leopard had to reduce its speed slightly.

As its speed rose and fell, Qin Chuan—who had been easy to catch—now seemed tantalizingly close yet out of reach in the Shadow Leopard's eyes.

It fixed its murderous gaze on Qin Chuan's back, waiting for the moment he would glide to the bottom of the slope and begin to slow down.

It swore that, once it caught that hateful guy, it would tear him to pieces!

The slope wasn't long; before long, Qin Chuan had glided to its very bottom.

Upon reaching the flat ground, his skating speed dropped sharply, while the Shadow Leopard's speed surged behind him.

【07:59:58/08:00:07】【00:00:02】

Qin Chuan glanced at the time; he knew exactly what he was doing.

Without hesitation, he jumped off the skateboard, whose speed had dropped to roughly that of his full sprint, turned, and began sprinting in another direction.

The Shadow Leopard was caught off guard, but it quickly reacted, turned, and gave chase.

【07:59:59/08:00:07】【00:00:02】

Qin Chuan could already feel the murderous aura lunging at him from behind, yet at the same time he spotted the inconspicuous Secret Weapon hidden among the grasses.

Seeing Qin Chuan within reach, the Shadow Leopard let out a roar and lunged at him with all its might.

【08:00:00/08:00:07】【00:00:02】

In the instant when everything around fell still, Qin Chuan swiftly turned his head, gazing at the Shadow Leopard about to pounce on him, and sucked in a breath of cold air.

(End of chapter)