A chang ghost’s duty was to clear the path for the white tiger in the mountains.
One could say that each chang ghost served as the white tiger’s eyes and ears within Wenshan.
During the day, whether it was merchant caravans passing by the foot of the mountain, hunters entering the forest, a bear fighting a wolf in the east, or a giant python passing through the west, nothing escaped the eyes of the chang ghosts.
Therefore, nothing that happened in the forest could be hidden from the white tiger.
Now that the chang ghosts’ skeletal remains had been incinerated and two old ghosts along with one new ghost had been slain in succession, the white tiger could no longer remain idle.
A white tiger without its chang ghosts was like a fierce beast with its claws snapped off.
“We meet again, Mountain Lord.”
Sitting beneath the tree, Nan Zhi looked up composedly, meeting the white tiger’s gaze from atop the high rock with a faint smile.
With every movement, she gradually exuded the air of an expert.
“I have merely slain a few ignorant chang ghosts. Why has the Mountain Lord been moved to such great rage?”
She recognizes me?
The white tiger hesitated, pulling back its extended claw as its eyes scanned Nan Zhi from head to toe.
She was dark-skinned and sturdy, her origins and background impossible to discern. Her entire body was shrouded in a ghostly aura, making her seem more like a ghost than a person.
The clothes she wore were neither those of a monk nor a priest, nor was it the black armor of the demon suppressors from the Demon Suppression Division. She wore only coarse cloth garments with cloth shoes and socks, revealing nothing at all.
However... that saber she carried was a bit of a problem.
But it wasn't something that couldn't be dealt with.
Having lived for so long, the white tiger possessed a certain degree of caution.
“Fel... low... dao... ist... why... why... kill... the tiger’s... chang ghosts?”
It suppressed its rage, glaring with golden-brown eyes and baring its fangs at Nan Zhi as it questioned her.
“Tiger... has not... seen... you.”
“Give... give the tiger... an explanation... or else... eat... you.”
“I am Nan Zhi, a 137th-generation disciple of the Qingyun Sect, currently traveling the mortal realm with my senior sister, Jinghong Fairy.
“Passing through this place, I heard rumors of a fierce tiger devouring people in the mountains. I came specifically to take a look and found that it was indeed true.
“Those chang ghosts must have been raised by you, Mountain Lord, but...”
Nan Zhi looked at the pool of black mud on the ground, shaking her head with a sigh.
“If my calculations are correct, the Mountain Lord should have been a natural spirit beast. When your mother was pregnant, she must have swallowed some spirit grass or spiritual object to give birth to you.
“But seeing the heavy karma and lingering resentment upon the Mountain Lord, you must have committed countless evils.”
A trace of suspicion flickered across the white tiger’s face.
Its mother had indeed swallowed a spiritual herb before giving birth to it, which was why its fur color was so unique.
These matters were unknown even to Chunsheng, who had followed the white tiger for over a decade.
How did the person before it know?
“What... business... is it... of yours?”
The white tiger took a step back, its vigilance increasing as it stared fixedly at Nan Zhi.
“Kill the chang ghosts... why... if you want to... slay demons... then... fight.”
“The Mountain Lord misunderstands.
“My Qingyun Sect honors the ancient Tushan Clan as our ancestor, and our disciples naturally share an affinity with demon cultivators. Years ago, when my senior sister passed through Wenshan, she saw a fierce tiger give birth to a white tiger and kept it in her heart.
“Today, I have revisited this old place on her behalf. Seeing the Mountain Lord has gone astray, I wish to offer guidance for the sake of that fleeting encounter.”
Nan Zhi smiled and patted the empty ground beside her.
“The Mountain Lord cultivates by eating people and devouring the souls of the living. Although you can achieve success in your cultivation in the short term, when you face the heavenly tribulation in the future, I fear you won't even survive the first bolt of lightning.
“But heaven values all life. I truly cannot bear to see a spirit beast remain ignorant and fall under the heavenly lightning in the future.
“As long as the Mountain Lord promises me to no longer harm living beings, devour sentient humans or beasts, and instead focus on quiet cultivation...
“I will pass our sect’s cultivation technique, the Moon-Worshiping Breathing Method, to you.”
The white tiger didn't believe her in the slightest. Its eyes scanned her back and forth, unable to determine if her strength was truly superior or if she was just bluffing.
“Why would I lie to you?”
Nan Zhi sighed, making a move as if to leave.
“I had hoped to settle a karmic debt for my senior sister. Forget it, forget it. Since you do not believe me, then I shall simply drop the matter.
“However, if we meet again in the future, I will certainly not show any mercy.”
A cultivation technique.
And one passed down from the ancient Tushan Clan.
The white tiger wavered. Its eyes darted around as an idea formed.
It would pretend to believe her to keep her here and slowly coax her.
Once it got close, it would leap up and bite her throat.
At that time, whether what she said was true or false, she would have no choice but to submit.
It wondered what a cultivator tasted like.
They should be more delicious than ordinary mortals.
Presumably, even if she were turned into a chang ghost to be driven, her power would be greater.
It might as well eat her and then force her to hand over the technique and treasures.
The white tiger licked its lips.
Thinking this, it hurried to jump down from the rock, its tone gaining a hint of respect.
“Fair... fairy... wait.”
“I... I am coming... over.”
The white tiger was waiting for an opportunity to get close.
Nan Zhi was also waiting.
Seeing the white tiger slowly approach, she didn't show it on her face but beckoned it over.
“Come here. I will teach you this method, but remember well, this method must not be easily passed on to others...”
“I know... thank you... fairy.”
The white tiger crouched on the ground and slowly approached, looking much like a docile giant cat as it tilted its head up to look at Nan Zhi.
The young girl smiled, looking down to stroke the white tiger, her eyes flashing with a sharp light.
The fierce tiger looked up, its beastly face filled with eagerness, its pupils brimming with greed.
To an uninformed observer, it would have seemed like a very heartwarming scene.
“Roar!!”
In the next instant, the image shattered.
The furry tiger head suddenly lunged, its blood-basin mouth snapping open and striking toward Nan Zhi’s neck like lightning!
In the blink of an eye, a slaughtering knife abruptly appeared. Nan Zhi jammed it vertically into the tiger’s mouth, prying that blood-basin mouth wide open!
Stunned by the sudden blade wedged in its maw, the fierce tiger faltered. That split second of hesitation gave Nan Zhi her chance!
Crackle!
The protection curse activated. Lightning flickered along Nan Zhi’s fingers, and she didn't hesitate to thrust her hand into the tiger’s mouth!
Thunder light erupted, numbing the white tiger’s scalp as a burst of lightning exploded inside its mouth!
Boom!
“Awooo!!”
With the sudden explosion of thunder, flesh and blood flew from the white tiger’s mouth. Bits of meat splattered everywhere, and the tiger rolled on the ground in agony.
“I’ll kill you!! Awooo!!”
It snapped its jaws at Nan Zhi, but forgetting the slaughtering knife was still wedged in its mouth, it only lunged at empty air—
Nan Zhi grabbed the tiger’s head with one hand and its fangs with the other, landing several heavy punches directly onto the tiger’s eyes. Then, she flipped over and landed firmly on the tiger’s back!
The size difference between the human and the tiger was too great; Nan Zhi couldn't even reach the tiger’s head.
She could only tear at the tiger’s fur, repeatedly striking the white tiger’s spine with her fists.
Tiger fur flew everywhere, the white hairs drifting like fluff or falling snow. The white tiger was in excruciating pain.
“Get off!! Get off!! Awooo!!”
The white tiger was in such pain that it twisted its head and spat out a cloud of black smoke, hitting Nan Zhi square in the face!
Unable to dodge in time, she took the hit full on, and her vision instantly blurred—
【Cultivator is afflicted by a curse】
【Temporary Effect: Combat Power -5, Constitution -5】
【Duration Effect: Luck -10, Combat Power -5】
This white tiger really did have a trump card!
Nan Zhi didn't dare relax. She gripped the fur on the tiger’s back tightly and threw another punch!
“Awooo!!”
The white tiger was in agony. A flash of ruthlessness crossed its eyes as it let out a roar. With a sudden surge of strength, it risked injury to forcefully shatter the slaughtering knife in its mouth!
The sound of metal snapping echoed. Before Nan Zhi could even feel the loss, she dodged the tiger’s tail as it swung toward her. The tail cut through the air, snapping a small tree in half with its force!
“Eat you! Eat you! I will definitely eat you!”
The white tiger refused to give up, trying to slam Nan Zhi against a tree trunk. Unexpectedly, a large net fell from the sky, firmly trapping Nan Zhi and the fierce tiger together!
“Awooo!!”
“Roar!!”
The white tiger let out a loud roar that echoed through the sky and shook the mountain forest. But with its enemy riding its back and the large net binding it, it was momentarily unable to escape!
I was waiting for this!
She couldn't drag this on any longer!
Nan Zhi scrambled up the tiger’s fur, feeling for the soft cartilage behind the white tiger’s ear.
Sensing her intent, the tiger began to struggle desperately. Its thick tail coiled around her leg as it twisted its body to bite her!
Found it!
Relying on her memory, Nan Zhi saw the well-hidden death point. She thrust her left hand into the fierce tiger’s mouth, using it to block the fangs aimed at her neck!
Crunch!
Sharp teeth sank into her flesh, and two bloody holes immediately appeared on Nan Zhi’s arm, but she didn't let go!
A rusty arrowhead appeared in her hand, and she stabbed it fiercely into that death point!
“Roar—”
The white tiger went completely berserk. It shredded the net on its body and used all its strength to crash into a large tree, throwing Nan Zhi off!
Nan Zhi fell heavily to the ground, but her eyes remained fixed on that white figure.
One step, two steps, three steps.
The white tiger staggered for a few steps, its massive head swaying back and forth, but in the end, it couldn't hold on.
With a loud thud, the mountain-like tiger collapsed to the ground.
The white tiger’s eyes were wide, its furry face filled with a very human-like confusion.
It didn't understand how this person knew its weakness.
And where did that arrowhead stained with its mother’s blood come from?
Had Chunsheng betrayed it?
Why?
It lay on its back, gasping for breath, refusing to close its eyes for a long time. After struggling for a while longer, it finally stopped moving, its limbs stiffening.
Nan Zhi sat slumped on the ground, not approaching rashly.
After waiting for a good while, she threw a stone at it, confirming that the tiger was as dead as could be.
Only then did Nan Zhi pick up a shard of the slaughtering knife and cleanly sever the millstone-sized tiger head.
Crimson blood flowed out in a gurgle, and steam rose from the still-warm wound.
【Congratulations, Cultivator, on clearing the dungeon “The Tiger in the Mountains”】
【Dungeon Clear Rewards: White Tiger Demon Core ×1, Azure Sea Sky Boots ×1, Azure Sea Sky Garment ×1, Dream Soul Flower ×3, Tiger Saliva Grass ×3】
【Enemies Slain: chang ghost ×7, tiger-chang ×1, white tiger demon ×1】
【Kill Reward: 1,000 EXP】
【Cultivator has leveled up】
【Current Level: 27】
【Current Cultivation: Qi Refinement level 7】
【Congratulations, Cultivator, on killing the regional BOSS and achieving the achievement “Tiger-Slaying Hero” (I). Reward: Heavenly Treasure Tree Lottery Ticket ×5】
【Congratulations, Cultivator, on completing an over-level kill and achieving the achievement “Vulnerable” (I). Reward: Heavenly Treasure Tree Lottery Ticket ×5】
【Cultivator is under a curse.】
【“Mountain Lord’s Curse”: This is a curse from a fierce tiger. While the curse lasts, the cultivator’s luck is -10 and combat power is -5.】
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