Wu Tian swung Soul Reaver with swift precision.
One blade of wind after another shot forth, shrieking as they tore through the air and slammed into the walls of the Sky-Rending Tiger's cave. The slashes came in relentless succession, like an invisible rain of swords.
ROAAARR—!
From within the cave, a massive shadow surged forward. The Sky-Rending Tiger lunged out, its claws glowing blue-silver as it slashed through the air. Each swing shattered Wu Tian's wind blades mid-flight, obliterating them before they could draw near.
Explosion after explosion rippled around the cave entrance.
A pair of blazing red eyes locked onto Wu Tian with cold disdain.
"You're merely a Qi Condensation cultivator," the tiger snorted. "But your weapon… it's at the Golden Core level. Interesting."
A savage grin spread across its face.
"But it won't save you."
Its demonic aura erupted. Golden Core pressure swept across the forest, trees groaning and the ground cracking under its weight. The tiger had clearly decided to end the battle immediately.
Wu Tian turned and fled.
"Running?" the tiger roared furiously. "You think you can escape me?!"
It pounced. Dozens of meters vanished in a single leap. Each step shattered the earth, claw-shaped gusts ripping through the air around Wu Tian.
Wu Tian ran while desperately evading. In an instant, he swallowed a Moonshadow Mirage Pill.
His qi surged violently. His body grew light, his movements suddenly elusive and hard to grasp. His figure blurred, flickering like a phantom among the trees.
The tiger's claw struck where Wu Tian had stood moments earlier—BOOM!—the ground exploded, yet Wu Tian was already several meters away.
After running far enough, Wu Tian turned to face the Sky-Rending Tiger.
A fierce battle erupted.
Wu Tian slashed, fired wind blades, dodged at the last second, then slashed again. The tiger retaliated with claws, roars, and relentless waves of demonic qi.
But the gap in strength was overwhelming.
After a long struggle, Wu Tian was pushed to the brink.
The tiger's attacks grew faster and more brutal. Several times, Wu Tian narrowly avoided fatal blows. His body was covered in wounds, his breathing ragged.
This… is insane.
At first, he had only planned to fight briefly—to condense his qi—then retreat.
But reality was far crueler than his calculations. Escape had become impossible.
A sweeping claw struck Wu Tian's qi barrier—CRACK!—it shattered instantly. His body was flung away, crashing hard into a tree trunk.
Blood sprayed from his mouth.
The Sky-Rending Tiger approached, its red eyes brimming with mockery.
"Enough," it said coldly. "Die quietly."
Wu Tian gasped, yet a faint smile curved his lips.
"Don't you find it strange…" his hoarse voice rasped, "…that I stopped running and led you this far?"
The tiger paused. Its battle-hardened demonic instincts trembled.
Then it snorted. "You're bluffing."
Wu Tian chuckled softly, blood still dripping from his lips.
"Look behind you."
The tiger frowned and turned—
And its body froze.
Standing behind it was Lin Yao, holding a struggling tiger cub weakly in her arms.
ROOOAARR—!!!
The Sky-Rending Tiger roared in fury. Its demonic aura surged wildly, filled with rage and panic. It tried to turn and charge—
But Lin Yao calmly pressed a dagger against the cub's throat.
The tiger stopped dead.
Its crimson eyes trembled—rage intertwined with fear.
Wu Tian didn't waste the moment.
He raised Soul Reaver and poured qi into it.
But this time, it wasn't ordinary qi.
It was Reaver Qi.
A pitch-black wind blade formed, pulsing with soul-devouring intent.
The tiger turned, its pupils shrinking.
In shock, it slashed forward, releasing a qi attack to intercept—
"Too late."
The black blade pierced through its qi defense like butter.
SSSSSHHKK—!!
Skin and flesh were torn apart. Fresh blood sprayed into the air. Bones snapped with a horrific sound.
ROOAAAAAARR—!!!
The Sky-Rending Tiger howled in agony. Its massive body staggered, its condition utterly ruined. Yet as a fourth-rank demonic beast, it still stood.
But panic crept into its eyes—
Its regenerative ability wasn't working.
On the other side, Wu Tian dropped to one knee. Blood poured from his mouth. His body felt as if thousands of blades were stabbing him from within.
Reaver Qi had yet to fully merge with his body, leaving him in this state.
With trembling hands, he swallowed a Qi Recovery Pill and a Stamina Pill.
In the distance, Lin Yao and the tiger cub suddenly vanished.
The Sky-Rending Tiger stared in realization.
"That was… an illusion?!"
Its fury exploded. It roared at Wu Tian, but this time, clear caution flickered in its gaze.
"Human," it growled, "you are truly despicable."
Wu Tian was too exhausted to reply.
He simply stared at the tiger before him, chest heaving.
Thank heavens that attack landed…
If it hadn't… I'd be dead today.
Wu Tian forced himself upright, though he was on the verge of collapse. Soul Reaver was embedded in the ground, supporting his trembling body. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, his breathing heavy—
Yet his eyes burned brighter than ever.
While studying the Soul-Reaving Dream Technique, he had realized something.
This technique wasn't merely for creating illusions or manipulating others' emotions—
It could also control his own.
From that realization, a mad idea was born.
What if… with precise emotional control, the full potential of a human could be unleashed?
Wu Tian smiled faintly. His spiritual energy surged—and without hesitation—he injected pure rage directly into his own soul.
His heartbeat skyrocketed. His blood boiled. His pupils dilated, turning pitch-black like a bottomless abyss.
The crushing pain ravaging his body vanished instantly, drowned by a brutal surge of adrenaline.
"AAAAARGH—!"
Wu Tian lifted Soul Reaver and vanished.
BOOM!
The ground where he had stood exploded under the force of his kick. In a blink, he appeared before the Sky-Rending Tiger, his blade swinging wildly—chaotic, savage—each strike an outpouring of uncontrollable fury.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Claws and black blade collided, sparks spraying in all directions. The tiger's massive body barely budged. Its steel-hard hide withstood the blows, leaving only shallow cuts.
The tiger roared, its tail whipping like a steel lash, smashing Wu Tian into a massive boulder.
Not enough…
Wu Tian rose, laughing hoarsely.
Seeing this, the tiger recoiled in shock."Deranged human."
Wu Tian reached into his storage ring and swallowed a Dragon Vein Surge Pill without hesitation.
BOOM!
Qi detonated within his body. Veins bulged across his neck and arms. Bones creaked violently. A faint red-gold dragon seemed to roar within his meridians.
Wu Tian charged again.
This time, every step shattered the ground. Every swing of Soul Reaver carried the crushing weight of a mountain.
Slash!
Blood finally sprayed.
The tiger howled in pain as its shoulder was split open, its protective qi cracking layer by layer. Wu Tian gave it no time. He leapt, spun midair, and slashed toward its throat in one brutal slash.
But—
The black blade halted midway, jammed by instinctively hardened muscle and bone.
The tiger opened its jaws, claws raised, ready to end it all.
Wu Tian grinned.
"Not yet."
Reaver Qi flooded the blade. Soul Reaver vibrated violently, roaring like a starving beast.
CRACK—!
In an instant, the tiger's neck was severed cleanly. Its massive head flew before crashing to the ground with a heavy thud.
Without hesitation, Wu Tian lunged forward, his hand plunging into the corpse's chest. He seized something hot and pulsing—
The demon core.
He ripped it out swiftly, ensuring the tiger would never rise again.
Wu Tian stood amid the sea of blood, breathing heavily, eyes gleaming with savage light.