189: Tiger recognizes its master

After handling matters at the Training Ground, Shen Xiaochuan returned to his residence. It was just dawn; he didn't use the front entrance and went directly to the tiger enclosure in the backyard. He swiped across the barrier, a flash of green light appeared, and he went inside.

The four Canglan Tigers were already awake, huddled in the corner. Their fur was darker than before, and their bodies had grown much sturdier. Shen Xiaochuan crouched down, pulled out a life scanner, and pressed it against the nearest one.

[Growth Rate: 3.1 times the baseline] [Energy Absorption Efficiency: 87%] [Health Rating: Excellent]

The data appeared. He nodded and measured the other three, with similar results. Over the past month, Aphrodite had taken good care of them, feeding them Spiritual Milk and exposing them to Spiritual Qi every day; the Tiger Cubs had recovered well. He put away the instrument and brushed the dust off his pants.

"Time to train."

He walked to the outside of the fence and pulled open the iron gate. The four tigers immediately raised their heads, staring at him. As he moved forward, the first tiger stood up immediately, let out a low growl, and followed him. The other three also stood up and followed in a line.

Shen Xiaochuan walked in front, holding the leash of the first tiger in his left hand. The leash was woven from Thunder Crystal threads and black iron; an ordinary person wouldn't be able to hold it, but he pulled it with ease. The tigers' paws thudded against the ground, causing the earth to tremble slightly with every step.

The streetlights were still on. An old man sweeping the street stopped and stood still when he saw them. A woman holding a vegetable basket froze. Several children peered from the windows, and one child shouted, "Is that a Divine Beast?"

An adult quickly covered his mouth, "Don't speak! Don't scare it."

No one ran, and no one screamed. Skydome City had changed too much during this time—power plants smoking, steel furnaces glowing red, modified cars driving on the streets—everyone had gotten used to it. But these four tigers were different; they were almost as big as oxen, their eyes glowing with golden light, looking formidable at a glance.

"I heard the snow monsters are coming," someone whispered.

"With them guarding us this year, we have nothing to fear."

Shen Xiaochuan listened without turning his head, only tightening his grip on the leash. The Tiger Cubs walked steadily, tails swishing, their noses constantly sniffing the air.

The Training Ground was in the east of the city, three kilometers away. There were two intersections on the road, both with patrol squads. When the soldiers saw them approaching, they immediately stepped aside, hands on their weapons, looking tense. They only breathed a sigh of relief after the tiger pack had passed.

"Boss, are these really for us to use?"

"How could they give them all to us? We'll be lucky to pick a few at most."

When they arrived at the gate of the Training Ground, it was open. The three major legions were already lined up inside, three thousand people divided into three formations. Shen Yan was on the right, Ling Feng in the middle, and Yang Lie on the left, each leading their own men. Seeing Shen Xiaochuan walk in, leading the tigers, the entire venue fell silent.

He walked to the front of the high platform, untied the leash of the first tiger, and patted its neck. The tiger let out a low growl, circled around, and lay down, wrapping its tail around itself.

"You've all seen it, right?" Shen Xiaochuan spoke, his voice not loud, but everyone could hear it. "This is a Canglan Tiger. Once fully grown, its combat power is no less than that of a Transcendent. Now, the process of recognizing masters begins."

The crowd below immediately erupted into noise.

"Who gets to be paired?"

"Is there an exam?"

"Can I try?"

Shen Xiaochuan raised his hand to calm them, and everyone quieted down again.

"You three, come up."

He called out the names of Shen Yan, Ling Feng, and Yang Lie.

The three looked at each other and walked onto the high platform. They were wearing combat uniforms and stood straight. Arriving in front of Shen Xiaochuan, they said in unison, "Present!"

Shen Xiaochuan pointed to the three tigers nearby, "Try it yourselves. They will sense you."

Shen Yan moved first. He walked toward the tiger on the far right, slowly crouched down, neither touching it nor speaking, just looking into its eyes. The tiger also looked at him, its nostrils twitching, and suddenly stood up, lowering its head to rub against his shoulder. Shen Yan smiled and reached out to stroke its back; a purring sound came from the tiger's throat.

"It's done," someone whispered.

Ling Feng went second. He stood in front of the tiger in the middle, standing straight with his chest puffed out, and suddenly let out a low growl, sounding like a tiger's roar. The tiger's ears twitched; it suddenly raised its head to stare at him for three seconds, then lowered its front legs and bowed its head to the ground, as if paying respects.

The entire venue applauded.

Yang Lie was the last one. He walked to the final tiger and stood still. The tiger looked at him, and he looked at the tiger. Five seconds later, the tiger opened its mouth and gently bit his sleeve, gave a tug, let go, and then lay down.

"It's like it just recognized its daddy," someone laughed.

Shen Xiaochuan watched these three scenes with an expressionless face, but the corners of his eyes relaxed. Once they had all returned to the front of their formations, he asked, "Among the three major legions, how many Transcendents are there now?"

Shen Yan checked his wristband, "Report, thirty-one people in my unit have achieved Breakthrough."

Ling Feng added, "Forty-seven in the Central Army have achieved Breakthrough."

Yang Lie said in a low voice, "Twenty-three in the Left Formation have achieved Breakthrough, totaling ninety-eight people."

Adding them up, it was less than one hundred. This number wasn't small, but in the entire Training Ground, it was still too few. Most people were still in the body-tempering stage, relying on medicinal baths and training to improve slowly.

Shen Xiaochuan nodded, "Fine. Listen to my order: winter is coming soon, and the snow monsters in the Myriad Races Battlefield are about to become active. From today on, each legion's goal is to cultivate five hundred Transcendents before winter arrives."

Once these words were spoken, the entire venue exploded.

"Five hundred?!"

"There aren't even one hundred yet!"

"In one month?"

Shen Xiaochuan swept his gaze over them, and everyone immediately shut up.

"I will allocate the resources. Medicinal Pills, Cultivation Techniques, and Training Grounds will be prioritized for the Breakthrough groups. Progress will be reported daily, and those who fall behind will have their quotas canceled. Any questions?"

No one dared to speak.

"Silence means agreement." He looked at the three commanders, "Go back and form groups immediately, select people for focused training. Don't try to negotiate with me."

The three said in unison, "Yes!"

Shen Xiaochuan turned around and looked at the last Canglan Tiger that hadn't recognized a master yet. It had been standing there, neither moving nor growling, its nose constantly sniffing, and its eyes scanning everyone.

"This one," he said loudly, "will not be assigned, nor will there be a lottery. It will choose for itself."

Everyone held their breath.

"It only recognizes the strong. Now, let it in."

He stepped back and untied the leash. The tiger stood in place, its ears twitching, then it took a step, slowly walked down the high platform, and stepped onto the ground of the Training Ground.

It walked very slowly, crossing the open ground. With every step it took, the soldiers tensed their bodies. Someone wanted to step forward but was grabbed by their captain.

"Don't move! Let it look for itself!"

The tiger stopped in front of the formation and raised its head to sniff the air. Its eyes were golden with vertical pupils, its gaze sweeping over the crowd. Some people were forced to step back by its stare, others puffed out their chests and raised their heads, and some closed their eyes to circulate their Qi.

It continued walking, bypassing the front row and moving toward the middle. In the back row, several injured soldiers were sitting on wooden crates, with bandages wrapped around their legs. As the tiger passed, one young man suddenly opened his eyes and stared fixedly at it.

The tiger stopped. The two stared at each other.

The young man sat still, his hands gripping his knees tightly, his knuckles turning white. He smelled of medicinal ointment, and his right arm was wrapped in cloth, clearly from torn Meridians during a Breakthrough. Yet his breathing was steady, and he didn't avert his gaze.

The tiger let out a low growl; it didn't move forward or walk away, but turned around in place, facing him, then lay down with its head resting on its front paws, as if waiting.

The entire venue was silent. Shen Xiaochuan stood on the high platform, watching without saying a word.

The young man slowly raised his hand, reaching out tentatively. The tiger didn't dodge, letting him touch the top of its head. The young man's hand trembled slightly, but he didn't pull it back.

"It... chose me?" he asked in a low voice.

No one answered. Shen Xiaochuan looked at the tiger, then at the others, and suddenly said, "It hasn't recognized a master yet."

Everyone was stunned.

"It just stopped; this is not a contract." Shen Xiaochuan's voice was calm. "True recognition of a master is a resonance of Bloodline, a meeting of minds. It thinks you are tough enough right now, but it is not yet certain if you are the strongest."

The young man raised his head, his eyes changing.

"Therefore," Shen Xiaochuan pointed to the martial arts training area, "it will continue to walk. Whoever can make it lower its head and bow its back, whoever can make it willing to carry them into a charge, will be its true master." He paused, looking at everyone. "Now, it is choosing. Are you ready?"

The last Canglan Tiger slowly stood up, its nostrils flared, and its gaze swept over the crowd once more. It took a step and walked into the center of the martial arts training area. Sunlight shone on its body, and its fur shimmered with golden light. Shen Xiaochuan stood at the edge of the high platform, the copper gear pendant on the cuff of his work uniform swaying gently.