“What’s going on?” Lin Bao stepped forward and asked.
“No idea. After breakfast this morning, the hunting team heard a blood tiger had appeared east of town, so they went to hunt it,” someone nearby explained. “And just a moment ago, Wu Laosan came running back, covered in blood.”
“Did he say anything?” Lin Bao frowned.
“He only managed to say one word, ‘danger.’ He passed out from his injuries before saying anything else,” the man explained.
Medical treatment here was poor. Xu Zimo glanced at the injured man and figured there was no way he’d wake up for at least half a day.
“I have a healing pill here. Let’s give it a try,” Xu Zimo said as he took out a high-grade healing pill from his storage ring.
As soon as the pill was taken out, a rich medicinal fragrance filled the air.
“Let’s try it, then. We can’t just sit and wait for death.”
Lin Bao took the pill and fed it into the man’s mouth.
The moment the pill was swallowed, spiritforce surged throughout the area.
All that energy poured into the man's body. The wounds on his skin quickly scabbed over.
“This is an immortal pill!” someone exclaimed in shock.
Wu Laosan slowly regained consciousness, weak and dazed.
“Hurry… hurry and save them… there’s a mutated Blood Tiger King…” he began shouting in terror even before opening his eyes.
“Where exactly?” someone nearby asked anxiously.
“In the Blood Tiger Cave to the east…” Wu Laosan opened his eyes slowly and answered weakly.
Seeing the situation, Lin Bao frowned slightly and turned to give orders. “Divide the remaining warriors in town into two groups. One will come with me to rescue them. The other stays behind to guard the town.”
As Greensky Town sprang into action, Xu Zimo looked at Wu Laosan and asked, “Can you tell me more about what happened?”
Wu Laosan nodded and said, “This morning, we received a report from the scouting team. They said a blood tiger had appeared near the farmlands on the eastern edge. A lot of townspeople working in the fields were killed.”
“When we got there, we didn’t see the tiger, but we found a cave. After entering, we discovered a female blood tiger that was about to give birth.”
“No male tiger?” Xu Zimo asked, puzzled.
“No,” Wu Laosan shook his head. “We thought we could kill her while she was weakened from labor. She fought us for a long time, but during the battle, the cub in her belly was accidentally killed.”
“That’s when she went completely berserk, and mutated.”
“We fought our way out in blood so I could come back and get help.” Wu Laosan’s expression turned sorrowful. “I don’t even know if they can hold out.”
By now, the townspeople had already assembled.
Tianshi looked anxiously at Lin Bao and said, “Uncle Lin, let us come with you. The more people, the stronger we are.”
Lin Bao hesitated briefly, then nodded.
A group of people rushed off urgently toward the east.
In the Infinite Immortal Mountain, shrouded in mist within the Heavenly Sea on the Eastern Continent.
Jiang Mochou stood surrounded by surging spiritforcee. Flickers of fire swirled around him.
In front of him loomed a snow-covered mountain radiating freezing mist.
Tiny flames danced at his fingertips. With a flick of his right hand, the flames leapt onto the snowy mountain.
Despite the cold, the flames didn’t go out. Instead, they burned stubbornly.
Jiang Mochou slowly closed his eyes. In the darkness behind his lids, a tiny red dot flickered into view.
The aura around him grew stronger and stronger.
“Burn… my Dao!” he whispered.
That small red dot gradually expanded into a small fireball.
The fireball ignited, swelling into a massive flame.
Then, BOOM, a loud explosion erupted. Raging fire lit up the world in brilliant crimson.
Jiang Mochou opened his eyes again. Outside, on the enormous snowy mountain, the little flame had begun to blaze as well.
It was as if the entire mountain had become fuel.
The fire spread rapidly, coiling around the entire peak.
In just a few moments, the snow mountain had turned into a volcano.
As the fire intensified, the snow melted quickly.
At some point, the figure of the old man Lord of Nihility appeared beside Jiang Mochou.
“Master,” Jiang Mochou turned and greeted him quickly.
“Very good. You’ve already grasped the true essence of fire. Your Scarlet Flame Imperial Physique can now wield much greater power,” Lord of Nihility said with satisfaction.
“It’s just… I’m still far from avenging myself,” Jiang Mochou said, looking a bit discouraged.
He had been living in the Infinite Immortal Mountain lately. Everything he ate or used came from top-tier spiritual herbs and mystical fruits.
Even among imperial lineages, such treatment would be exceptional.
But his current cultivation level was still only at the Desolate Meridian Realm. He could’ve advanced faster, but Lord of Nihility had been holding him back deliberately to solidify his foundation.
Jiang Mochou knew that, even so, he was progressing at an impressive pace.
Still, to go up against an imperial lineage, especially one like Supreme Primal Sacred Ground, which had two Grand Emperors, he was still far from ready.
“Don’t let hatred blind you,” Lord of Nihility sighed.
“You’ve been here long enough. It’s time to descend the mountain and experience the world. Find the meaning of your life. Taste the joys and sorrows of the mortal world.”
Jiang Mochou fell silent for a moment, then knelt and kowtowed several times.
“Master, I will never forget your teachings, not in this life.”
“If you ever need me in the future, I will do everything in my power.”
“Stand up,” Lord of Nihility said with a smile. “I have my own selfish motives. I want you to stand against the Demon Sovereign. Your path will be filled with hardship and trials.”
A great wind swept the mist.
The waters of the Heavenly Sea were deep blue and clear.
At sunset, a young man in white walked down from the Infinite Immortal Mountain.
In a dangerous region on the Eastern Continent,
The warm morning sun streamed into the jungle. A black bear, freshly awakened, stepped out of its cave to hunt.
Its skin was coated with a thin, steel-like membrane. Its fur was stiff and sharp like a porcupine’s.
This was a formidable Iron-armored Black Bear, a dominant force among beasts of the Desolate Meridian Realm.
As it emerged from its den, sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a dappled light.
Suddenly, a brilliant flash of light flickered in the sky above.
A single falling leaf drifted down.
In that moment, killing intent erupted.
An axe cleaved down from behind.
Despite its legendary defenses, the Iron-armored Black Bear was sliced clean in half.
Blood scattered in the air. The steel-like armor on its body shattered like paper.
Tan Jiulin slowly lowered her axe.
The weapon in her hands gave off a distinctly eerie aura.