263: Chapter 271 Escape

Fleeing a thousand miles, as fast as a flash of lightning.

Lu Yang held Liu Yan's waist with one hand, and the Flying Sword beneath his feet turned into a streak of light, tearing through the clouds and speeding eastward at near-limit velocity. Liu Yan tightly held the Crimson Flame Blazing Sun Tiger in her arms, her small face slightly pale from the high-speed flight, but her eyes never left the hot little body in her embrace.

They didn't dare to stop for a moment. The deathbed counterattack of the Black Fiend Tiger King and that heart-palpitating aura of death made them realize that even though they had won, they could not let their guard down. In case that black shadow hadn't gone far, or other powerful experts were attracted by the commotion of the battle, their current state left them unable to fight again.

It wasn't until they had flown over a thousand miles and confirmed there were no pursuers behind them that Lu Yang breathed a long sigh of relief and controlled the Flying Sword to slowly descend.

This was a remote valley with thin Spiritual Qi, but it had the advantage of being hidden. Jagged rocks and tangled vines surrounded them, which happened to be enough to shield them from heavenly detection.

"Let's stay here." Lu Yang put away the Flying Sword and looked solemnly at the Crimson Flame Blazing Sun Tiger in Liu Yan's arms, "Let's see how it's doing."

Liu Yan carefully placed the Crimson Flame Blazing Sun Tiger on a flat bluestone. At this moment, the little tiger that had just experienced a life-and-death bloody battle was curled into a ball, its breathing weak and rapid. Its crimson fur was charred and curled in many places, caused by the erosion of the Black Fiend Tiger King's Evil Qi, and several deep-to-the-bone claw marks were still slowly seeping blood, staining the bluestone beneath it red.

However, upon this seemingly miserable body, a startling change was quietly taking place.

Lu Yang crouched down, extended a finger, and lightly tapped the center of the Crimson Flame Blazing Sun Tiger's brow. A gentle stream of spiritual power was channeled through his fingertip to investigate the condition inside its body.

"Its Meridians..." A flash of surprise crossed Lu Yang's eyes, "They are actually self-repairing."

Hearing this, Liu Yan hurriedly leaned in for a closer look. Sure enough, the Crimson Flame Blazing Sun Tiger's Meridians, which were originally shriveled due to the exhaustion of spiritual power, were now filling up at a visible speed. But unlike the previous mixed Spiritual Qi, what was flowing through its Meridians now were streams of extremely pure, overbearingly high-temperature crimson-gold air currents.

Wherever this current passed, the wounds eroded by Evil Qi and the broken capillaries healed at an astonishing speed. At the base of the charred fur, tiny new sprouts even began to emerge. The new fur was no longer purely crimson but was faintly tinged with a layer of golden light, like flowing lava.

"Is this... a Bloodline Awakening?" Liu Yan covered her mouth in surprise.

"It's more than just an Awakening; it's an evolution." Lu Yang's voice contained a hint of irrepressible excitement. "It swallowed some of the Black Fiend Tiger King's Essence Blood and demon power. Although the amount wasn't much, the Black Fiend Tiger King was, after all, a Demon General Middle Stage, and it Cultivated an extremely overbearing Evil Qi Cultivation Technique. Under the extreme pressure of a life-and-death struggle, Little Fire forcibly achieved a Fusion of this external power with its own fire-attribute Spiritual Qi, completing the preliminary purification of its Bloodline."

As if to confirm Lu Yang's words, the Crimson Flame Blazing Sun Tiger's body suddenly trembled slightly.

"Roar—"

A low but majestic roar came from deep within its throat. This sound was no longer as immature as before, but carried a hint of the weight and vicissitudes belonging to a superior being.

Immediately after, its tightly closed eyes snapped open.

At that moment, Liu Yan felt as if her heart had been struck hard.

The tiger's eyes, originally clear as amber, had now turned into pure molten gold! Deep in the pupils, there seemed to be two substantial flames burning. Wherever its gaze landed, even the air seemed to be ignited, creating a slight distorted ripple. In that gaze, the previous dependence and docility were gone, replaced by a heart-palpitating wildness and disdain.

"Its eyes..." Liu Yan subconsciously took half a step back.

"Don't be afraid." Lu Yang held her hand and comforted her, "This is the 'Blazing Sun Golden Pupils,' a sign of its Bloodline evolution. With this pupil technique, it can see through illusions and even directly intimidate an enemy's mind through its gaze. It's still Little Fire, just stronger and prouder."

At that moment, the Crimson Flame Blazing Sun Tiger slowly stood up.

Although its size hadn't noticeably exploded, the contours of its entire body had become smoother and more full of explosive power. The originally somewhat rounded tiger body now had distinct muscle lines, like a miniature version of an ancient Vicious Beast. The wounds on its body had scabbed over, and the charred fur had fallen off, replaced by a brand-new coat of reddish-purple fur with gold highlights that shimmered in the sunlight, emitting a heart-trembling high temperature.

It lightly shook its body, and a series of crackling sparks actually burst out in the air.

It turned its head, its gaze scanning the surrounding rocks and trees, finally fixing on Lu Yang and Liu Yan. Those golden pupils contracted slightly, as if identifying something. After a moment, the wildness in its eyes gradually receded, and a familiar hint of attachment re-emerged.

It walked with elegant yet heavy steps to Liu Yan, lowered its high-held head, and gently rubbed its head, now covered in new golden fur, against Liu Yan's palm.

"Meow-woo..."

A low cry with a hint of acting spoiled sounded. Although the voice was still deep, that intimate feeling made Liu Yan's eyes turn red instantly.

"You scared me to death, do you know that!" Liu Yan hugged its neck, tears welling up again, but this time they were tears of joy.

The Crimson Flame Blazing Sun Tiger submissively let her hold it, but its golden eyes vigilantly scanned the surroundings, as if announcing to the world: It was no longer the cub that needed constant protection.

Lu Yang looked at this scene, a gratified smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

"A blessing in disguise, Bloodline evolution, and the first appearance of the Blazing Sun Golden Pupils." He murmured to himself, "This battle was worth winning. Next, as long as we give it enough time to digest this Opportunity, it will become the sharpest sword in our hands."

He stepped forward and took a Medicinal Pill emitting a rich fire-attribute Spiritual Qi from his Storage Pouch—it was the "Crimson Essence Pill" he had originally prepared for himself, but now he handed it to the Crimson Flame Blazing Sun Tiger's mouth without hesitation.

"Eat it; it will help you completely stabilize your Realm."

The Crimson Flame Blazing Sun Tiger sniffed it, seemingly sensing the pure energy in the pill, and opened its mouth to swallow it in one gulp. Immediately, it crouched on the bluestone, closed its eyes, and crimson-gold flames rose around its body again as it entered a deep retreat for refinement.

In the valley, the wind whistled, but it couldn't disperse that ball of blazing light. Lu Yang and Liu Yan guarded its sides, their gazes firm. They knew that the legend of this young tiger had only just begun.