Strictly speaking, she didn't have to enter this state right away. She could have delayed it if she wanted. But there wasn't much point. After that earth-shaking tiger's roar, there were probably only insects left alive around here. This was the safest place she could be right now. Besides, no matter how long one spent in this consciousness space, only a fleeting moment would pass in the real world.
"Here I am again... this strange consciousness space. Or maybe I should call it the Heavenly Dao space."
Without hesitation—though it was only an instant—Su Min didn't want to waste time. She immediately focused on comprehending her gains. This was nothing like the game. In the game, the system would just casually pop up a message telling her what she had obtained.
But this wasn't a game. Here, everything depended on her own understanding.
[You have walked the Path of Slaughter and slain the Demon Tiger.
The soul of the Demon Tiger has been collected and inscribed upon your path.]
[You have obtained an acquired divine ability: Four Symbols Slaughter—Tiger.]
[Four Symbols Slaughter—Tiger: As you continue along this path, the Tiger Soul's strength will steadily grow, unlocking new abilities.]
[Four Symbols Slaughter—Tiger — ① During battle, you may summon a Tiger Soul to assist you. If dispersed, it cannot be summoned again for a period of time. ② To be unlocked.]
"Hmm... A white tiger?"
Looking at the translucent, faintly visible white tiger soul floating beside her, Su Min was slightly surprised. For some reason, though, her mind wandered to some... other thoughts.
"Focus. A corpse this big should yield plenty of valuable materials. But butchering it is going to be a pain. Guess I'll need to ask the hunters for help."
Dragging her mind back to business, Su Min quickly stored the tiger's body into her spatial ring. Honestly, her ring could easily hold not just a tiger, but an entire mountain if she wished. Then she headed toward the village she had passed through earlier. As she neared the outskirts, she finally retrieved the tiger, hoisting it casually in one hand. Dissecting a corpse like this wasn't something just anyone could do. She wasn't a butcher, after all.
At that moment, no one in the village could sleep. That bone-shaking roar earlier had startled even the deepest sleepers awake. Add to that the string of mysterious deaths lately, and the villagers were all on edge. If Su Min hadn't handled the situation, they would have had no choice but to flee for their lives.
The three tusi—local chieftains—weren't much better off. Every village within a hundred-mile radius was under their command. And as the saying goes, barefoot men aren't afraid of those wearing shoes—if they lost control, they'd lose everything.
Just then—
THUD!
A heavy impact shook the ground as a massive object crashed down from above.
"AH—!"
"WAAAH!!"
Screams erupted as people instinctively staggered backward, some even falling flat on their backs, legs trembling—and more than a few wet themselves.
Before them lay a massive creature, its body nearly ten meters long. Even collapsed on the ground, it stood taller than a man.
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
The darkness, the suddenness, the sheer size—it all struck terror into the crowd.
WHOOSH!
But before the panic could spread further, another figure descended from the sky, landing steadily atop the tiger's body.
"Any butchers here? Step forward and help me dismantle this corpse. I need the bones, tendons, skin, and blood—all of it. As for the meat, set aside the best cuts for me. The rest—you can split among yourselves."
Su Min didn't bother explaining further. She issued her orders plainly, ignoring the villagers' complicated expressions. The scene fell into stunned silence.
Then—
"My son... Your spirit can finally rest in peace..."
"Wuuu... Dad..."
"It was this damned beast!"
In the next instant, chaos exploded. Shouts, wails, curses—all blended into a deafening storm. Villagers clung to each other, howling toward the sky in grief. Even the tusi struggled to calm the mob. Meanwhile, one of the tusi approached the tiger's body, clicking his tongue in amazement.
"Since the honored one has spoken—someone, fetch my treasured blade! Opportunities to carve up a demon tiger like this come once in a lifetime!"
Clearly, even for him, dissecting such a creature was an honor.
"You'd best move quickly," Su Min added. "The weather's hot, and the body's massive. It was no easy feat killing it either—you know, I nearly wore myself out. If you dawdle and the materials spoil, I'll be very, very upset."
Her words, delivered lightly, sent a chill through the crowd. Judging by their eager faces, they already had no plans to sleep tonight—and now they dared not slack off either.
"Yes, yes, right away!"
The villagers, many now armed with torches, exchanged wide-eyed glances. In the firelight, they could clearly see: the tiger had been killed in a single strike. Its skin hadn't even been damaged.
And she says she 'nearly wore herself out'?
Were they supposed to believe that? Even the best hunters they knew couldn't manage something like this. But it was the last part of her warning that truly made everyone's hair stand on end. If she really got upset... what might happen?
Instinctively, everyone's eyes turned toward a certain tusi whose face had gone slightly pale. It might not be fatal, but if she decided to "play" with someone, who wouldn't be terrified?
"I'll go get a basin to collect the blood! Not a single drop will be wasted!" one villager volunteered hastily.
"Rest assured, honored one! I've butchered over a hundred pigs in my life—people call me 'Hundred-Pig Butcher' around here! Ten villages would all come to me for their slaughters!"
"Yes, yes! We'll assist the tusi and make sure it's done exactly to your satisfaction!"
"Good." Su Min gave a rare smile.
In an instant, the once-chaotic village turned orderly. Some villagers fetched tools; others rolled up their sleeves to help. Their greatest threat had been eliminated, after all. And facing this rare beast up close, their curiosity was burning bright. Combined with Su Min's subtle yet chilling reminder, they worked at lightning speed. Watching the butchers skillfully bleed and skin the massive tiger, Su Min found herself a spot to sit down, crossing her legs lazily as she observed the work.
Before long, a basin of fresh blood was placed before her. She hadn't asked for the blood to cook hotpot, of course. She needed it to refine the tiger's essence blood—a precious resource. Whether for alchemy, forging magical artifacts, or certain spell rituals, essence blood was invaluable. That's why she had insisted they begin dissection immediately. Every second wasted meant a loss of potency.
As she finished refining the first basin of blood, she spotted the tusi rushing over, cradling something huge and hefty in his arms.
"My lady! This here's a first-rate tiger whip!"
"..."