164: Chapter 164 Tiger Hill

The medicinal efficacy of the pill slowly dissolved within his meridians, like a tepid warm current on a winter's day.

Chen Zilong sat cross-legged on the hard plank bed of the carriage, fine beads of sweat seeping from his temples.

His internal injuries had mostly healed, and the bruises on his flesh had faded to a pale yellow.

But the needle-like pain in his head still surfaced from time to time, reminding him how severe the damage to his Primordial Spirit was.

'Qi Refining Early Stage...'

He looked down at his own palm, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

The cultivation base that once could move mountains and fill seas had now shrunk pitifully. The thin, sparse spiritual energy in his dantian couldn't even conjure a decent fireball spell.

Fortunately, the foundation of his physical body remained.

A physical constitution of the Spirit Transformation Realm, even if he stood still and let a Foundation Establishment cultivator hack at him, probably wouldn't even break the skin.

This was probably his only reliance for now.

Recovering the Primordial Spirit was a slow, grinding process; rushing it was futile.

By the most optimistic estimate, he wouldn't be able to return to his peak state without at least eight to ten years.

Chen Zilong had it all figured out in his mind:

Being a personal Guard for the Zhou Family's young lady, earning a living while slowly recuperating, was actually a viable path.

That girl Zhou Xiao, though she appeared cold and aloof, wasn't bad at heart. A few days ago, she had specifically sent someone to deliver a bottle of 'Spirit-Nourishing Pills' to him.

Although the grade wasn't high, he remembered this gesture of goodwill.

After a few days of interaction, the rough-and-tumble men in the caravan had gotten familiar with him.

The driver, Wang Laowu, was a chatterbox, always going on about how fierce his wife was.

The head Guard, Zhao Tiezhu, had a loud voice and an even greater capacity for drink. Last night, he downed three bowls of strong liquor with Chen Zilong, only to end up under the table first.

Chen Zilong occasionally chimed in with a couple of words, but more often he just listened to their banter with a smile.

This kind of mundane, lively atmosphere reminded him of a long time ago, back on Blue Star, when he and his former friends Xie Xie and Tang Wulin would squat by a food street, gnawing on beef from a sealed pot.

How simple it was back then. Fighting, training, joking around... the biggest worry was whether they'd pass the next day's assessment.

'Brother Chen, all packed up? Time to move out!'

Zhao Tiezhu's coarse, grating voice sounded outside the door, carrying the hoarseness of a hangover.

Chen Zilong picked up the worn iron sword he had confiscated from the bandits.

More decorative than practical, he pushed the door open and went out.

The morning mist hadn't fully dispersed yet. The carriages were already hitched to the horses. Zhou Xiao's blue-canopied carriage was parked at the very front, its curtain hanging down, obscuring the person inside.

'We're crossing Hugang Mountain today,'

Wang Laowu sidled over, lowering his voice, his face showing a hint of fear. 'They say that tiger... is really sinister.'

The name Hugang Mountain was straightforward, and the mountain's shape resembled a crouching tiger:

The central main peak rose like a tiger's back, while the lower ridges on either side meandered like claws and fangs.

The forest was so dense that light couldn't penetrate. Ancient trees with gnarled roots and vines coiled like giant pythons.

The carriage wheels rumbled over the gravel road, clattering loudly.

Apart from that, there was only the mournful sound of the wind whistling through the treetops. It was so quiet it made one's heart uneasy.

Chen Zilong rode his horse slightly behind and to the side of Zhou Xiao's carriage, his gaze sweeping over the dark woods on both sides.

His Spirit Transformation Realm physique granted him senses far surpassing an ordinary person's. He could hear the rustle of a squirrel darting across branches a hundred meters away, smell the fishy odor of rotting leaves deep in the soil, and also detect...

Those several heavy, suppressed breaths hidden behind the bushes.

'They're here.'

He said in a low voice, not loud.

But Zhao Tiezhu up ahead immediately tightened his grip on his sword hilt.

Sure enough, around the bend in the mountain path ahead, a figure was crouched on a boulder the size of an ox.

Calling it a 'person' wasn't quite accurate.

The thing was roughly humanoid in shape, but it bore a massive tiger's head, yellow with black stripes. Its copper-bell-like eyes glinted with a dark golden light.

It wore an ill-fitting coarse cloth jacket, revealing its brawny, muscular arms covered in thick black fur.

Its claws rested on its knees, the nails curved like hooks, gleaming with a cold, metallic sheen.

A Nascent Soul that had taken form, yet too lazy to fully shed its monstrous appearance, exuding an air of naked arrogance.

Behind it, within the woods, shadowy figures emerged, revealing over a dozen pairs of glowing green eyes.

Low growls rose and fell, and waves of a foul, beastly stench wafted over.

The caravan came to a halt.

Zhao Tiezhu steeled himself and stepped forward, clasping his fists in salute, trying his best to keep his voice respectful:

'Great Tiger King, we are a passing merchant caravan. Please grant us passage.'

As he spoke, he gave a meaningful glance. A trembling servant from behind came forward holding a cloth bundle. He opened it, revealing neatly stacked silver ingots and several pieces of decent-quality spirit stones.

The tiger-headed demon—Tiger Tyrant—twitched its nostrils twice, but its gaze bypassed the money, fixing directly on that blue-canopied carriage.

'The money, I want.'

It spoke, its voice rumbling like muffled thunder, making eardrums ache. 'The little lady in the carriage, I want her too.'

Chen Zilong's brows furrowed.

Zhou Xiao's description was accurate.

This beast's sense of smell was excessively keen. It had probably long ago caught the unique, cold, delicate fragrance of Zhou Xiao's body.

The carriage curtain stirred slightly but did not open.

Zhou Xiao's voice came from within, clear and cold, yet steady:

'Great Tiger King jests. This humble woman is of plain appearance, unworthy of sullying your eyes. Consider this wealth as payment for passage. I beg you to show mercy.'

'Show mercy?'

Tiger Tyrant grinned, baring its fangs. Drool trickled down the corner of its mouth. 'I've been squatting on this mountain for thirty years, robbing money, grain, and women! Rules are rules!'

'You look tender-skinned, with pure spiritual energy. You'd make a fine concubine for me, perfect for Dual Cultivation! Come out quietly and spare yourself the pain!'

Before the words had fully faded, the dozen or so lesser demons behind it could no longer restrain themselves. Howling, they pounced out.

They were tiger spirits and leopard monsters that hadn't fully gained intelligence yet, their bodies larger than calves. Their pouncing movements stirred up a foul wind.

'Protect the young lady!'

Zhao Tiezhu's eyes turned red. He drew his blade and charged forward to meet them.

Wang Laowu and the other Guards also roared as they rushed forward. The sounds of clashing swords and weapons, beastly roars, and human screams instantly exploded. The mountain path descended into chaos.

Tiger Tyrant didn't even glance at the melee over there. It leaped down from the ox-sized boulder, landing with a heavy 'thud' that made the ground tremble.

It strode forward, unhurried, towards the carriage. Its pair of golden vertical pupils were filled with mockery and greed.

'little lady, come out yourself, or shall I drag you out?'

Just as the tiger claw was about to touch the carriage curtain, a figure stepped in front of it.

It was Chen Zilong.

He hadn't drawn his sword, just stood there empty-handed. He was over a head shorter than Tiger Tyrant, his frame appearing somewhat slender in comparison.

Tiger Tyrant was taken aback for a moment, then snorted with contempt:

'Where did this ant come from? Qi Refining Early Stage? Daring to block my path? Scram!'

A casual swipe of its claw, the gust of wind it carried could send an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator flying.

Chen Zilong didn't move.

The claw-wind whipped past his robes, making them flutter violently, but he himself stood firm as a nail driven into the ground.

A flicker of surprise passed through Tiger Tyrant's copper-bell-sized eyes, but it was quickly replaced by the anger of being affronted.

'Seeking death!'

It growled low, this time putting a bit of real force—three-tenths of its strength—into the blow. A tiger paw the size of a palm-leaf fan swept down towards Chen Zilong's head, its claw-tips gleaming with a cold light sharp enough to split stone!

Chen Zilong moved.

No fancy footwork, no flashes of spiritual light. Just the simplest sidestep. The tiger claw brushed past the tip of his nose.

It slammed into the ground with a 'boom!', sending gravel flying and leaving a crater half a foot deep.

'Huh?'

Tiger Tyrant, having missed its strike, grew even angrier. Its other claw swept horizontally, its speed more than doubled!

This strike sealed off the space for dodging left or right.

Yet Chen Zilong, as if he had anticipated it, bent his waist back in an almost unnatural arc, nearly touching the ground. The tiger claw swept past just above his abdomen, carrying the foul wind.

Simultaneously, using his left foot as a pivot, his right leg snapped up like a tightly coiled iron whip, shooting upwards from below, and slammed viciously into Tiger Tyrant's completely unguarded armpit!

'Thud!'

Amidst the dull impact, Tiger Tyrant's massive body actually staggered from the kick, a wave of sore numbness spreading from its armpit.

It was both shocked and furious. This brat's strength was unnaturally powerful!

He clearly couldn't sense any strong spiritual energy fluctuations!

'What are you?!'

Tiger Tyrant roared, the sound wave shaking the surrounding leaves loose.

It no longer held back, its demonic power erupting violently.

A dark red aura surged around its body. The oppressive might of a great demon at the Nascent Soul Early Stage was unleashed without reservation!

A few of the lesser demons nearby, still tearing at the Guards, trembled in fear from this imposing aura.

Chen Zilong felt a tightness in his chest, a stabbing pain in his Primordial Spirit.

The gap in cultivation was too vast. Just the oppressive might alone made him uncomfortable.

But his eyes instead grew brighter.

This was exactly the kind of pressure he wanted!

His physical body hadn't truly been exercised in far too long!

Tiger Tyrant pounced. This time it wasn't a casual swipe, but a genuine pouncing kill technique!

It went down on all fours, truly like a fierce tiger pouncing on prey. Its speed became a dark red afterimage. Its bloodthirsty maw opened wide, a wave of hot, foul-smelling breath washing over Chen Zilong as it aimed straight for his neck!

No way to avoid it!

Yet Chen Zilong didn't retreat. Instead, he advanced. He pushed off with his feet, the ground 'cracking' and splitting in several places beneath him.

He lowered his stance, narrowly slipping under the tiger's jaws. His shoulder Go with the flow slammed hard into Tiger Tyrant's lower jaw!

'Crack!'

A sickening sound of bone fracturing!

Tiger Tyrant howled in pain, its head knocked upwards, the momentum of its pounce immediately thrown off.

Chen Zilong pressed his advantage relentlessly. He twisted his waist, turned his body, and drew his right fist back to his hip.

Power surged from the soles of his feet, through his waist and hips, connecting link by link, finally coalescing at the tip of his fist—

'Ora!'

A low, guttural roar burst from his throat. It wasn't any martial art chant, purely an instinctive cry as power erupted.

His fist tore through the air, emitting a piercing shriek, and struck without any flourish right at Tiger Tyrant's exposed throat—a vital point revealed by its head being thrown back!

'BOOM—!!!'

This punch landed solidly!

Tiger Tyrant's eyeballs instantly bulged out.

Its massive body flew backwards as if struck by a battering ram, crashing through two trees as thick as bowls before slamming into the mountain wall with a thunderous impact, sending gravel and dust flying.

A deathly silence fell over the mountain path.

Even the humans and demons locked in combat over there stopped, staring dumbfoundedly at the scene.

The dust slowly settled, revealing a human-shaped indentation in the mountain wall.