Chen Qingyu faced a new challenge in his hunting efforts.
The terrain of Chaotic Burial Mountain was rugged and uneven, with towering trees obscuring directions.
However, as a member of the clan closely tied to the mountain, Chen Qingyu had a unique way of navigating. He did not have to worry about getting lost.
After walking a few meters, Chen Qingyu abruptly halted and glanced at the nearby dense forest. He sensed the aura of a formidable beast and detected faint traces of scattered life force.
Alone on this hunting expedition, he proceeded cautiously, mindful not to startle the beast into flight. He lowered his footsteps and stealthily advanced towards his target.
Pushing aside a tangle of vines, he finally caught sight of his first quarry---a creature common to the Burial Mountains known as the Dark Gold Beast.
With tough fur, deep brown colouring, sharp teeth, and a ridge along its back, this seemingly small creature was known for its strength.
Although the Dark Gold beast before him was only at the early stage of the Blood Coagulation Realm, its threat level was no less than the mid-stage beast he had hunted yesterday.
However, to Chen Qingyu, there was no significant difference.
His strength at the late stage of the Blood Coagulation Realm allowed him to match the power of the Dark Gold Beast.
After thoroughly surveying the surroundings, Chen Qingyu did not hesitate any longer. He stealthily approached the Dark Gold Beast, carefully timing his attack to catch it off guard.
As he closed in, the creature, engrossed in its meal, suddenly sensed a disturbance. It halted, its senses alert, and scanned the area.
But at that moment, Chen Qingyu had already positioned himself behind a massive tree, hiding his life force.
Unaware of any danger, the Dark Gold Beast continued to feast.
Moments later, the beast twitched, sensing imminent danger. Its fur bristled, and with a powerful thrust of its hind legs, it leaped backward, teeth bared in defense.
Yet Chen Qingyu, well-prepared and swift, seized the opportunity, and didn't give it a chance to retaliate.
The moment the Dark Gold Beast sensed danger, Chen Qingyu's entire body erupted with intense life force. Accompanied by a howling wind and blurry afterimages, his right fist struck directly at the Dark Gold Beast's neck.
In an instant, the Dark Gold Beast was sent flying several meters away, even breaking a tree trunk as thick as a bowl in half.
After successfully landing the blow, Chen Qingyu didn't strike again. He calmly approached the fallen Dark Gold Beast.
The beast roared in pain as it struggled to get up, but Chen Qingyu's first strike had already broken its neck with a surge of powerful life force. No matter how hard it struggled, it couldn't stand.
Under Chen Qingyu's second punch, the Dark Gold Beast's cries of agony ceased.
With an indifferent expression, Chen Qingyu dispatched the creature effortlessly. Such beasts didn't warrant his joy.
He had no intention of returning home yet, but it would be inconvenient to hunt with the Dark Gold Beast's body.
In an instant, Chen Qingyu produced a porcelain bottle and sprinkled the prepared wood orchid powder on the Dark Gold Beast's body to mask its scent.
To avoid detection by other beasts, he concealed the corpse further before turning in a different direction.
Not long after, Chen Qingyu stopped once again, his demeanor more serious than before.
The reason? A mid-to-late-stage Blood Coagulation Realm Beast stood before him.
Despite Chen Qingyu himself being at the mid-late stage of the Blood Coagulation Realm, facing a beast of the same level offered no guarantee of victory, especially in a hunt.
Had it been an uninjured beast, he would have turned around without hesitation.
But this particular beast was none other than the giant tiger he had encountered the day before.
Today, however, the tiger appeared bedraggled. A deep, bone-revealing gash marred its right leg, probably caused by a rival claw attack.
The wound made the tiger's movement precarious.
Despite its injuries, the tiger's massive size remained unchanged, though it lacked the ferocity it had previously displayed.
Seeing the wounded tiger, a hint of satisfaction appeared in Chen Qingyu's eyes.
It wasn't that he enjoyed torturing disabled animals. Rather, such opportunities were rare.
Successfully hunting this tiger could greatly improve the clan's situation.
After all, this single tiger could sustain the clan for three days without worrying about food.
In a world where vital energy flowed abundantly, certain foods could even improve the physical body and vitality of warriors, thus enhancing their cultivation.
Although wary of the wounded giant tiger, Chen Qingyu remained cautious. He recalled vividly that this very tiger had been pursued by a ferocious green wolf just the previous day.
Escaping from the jaws of a Xiantian Realm green wolf, even if he was injured, required Chen Qingyu to be vigilant. He moved with utmost care.
Approaching slowly, Chen Qingyu intended to launch a surprise attack using the same method as before.
But before he could take more than a few steps, the giant tiger, still nursing its wounds, abruptly halted and fixed its piercing gaze in Chen Qingyu's direction.
Sensing the tiger's unwavering focus, Chen Qingyu abandoned any pretense of concealment.
This formidable beast surpassed the earlier Golden Crow. If discovered, any chance of a successful ambush would vanish.
Nevertheless, he had only tested the waters earlier, not expecting a high success rate. The risk of discovery was always present.
Yet, even against an uninjured giant tiger, Chen Qingyu would dare to face it head on. Now that the tiger was injured, his determination was even stronger.
With determined steps, Chen Qingyu crossed the obstacles and quickly closed the distance to the tiger that was only a few meters away.
Unlike other beasts, the giant tiger didn't roar upon seeing Chen Qingyu approach. Instead, it fixed him with a fierce, unyielding gaze.
This unusual behavior made Chen Qingyu even more cautious.
Normally, only weaker beasts relied on sound to intimidate their enemies, masking their underlying fear.
However, this tiger was different. Its scope and intelligence surpassed the golden beast he had encountered earlier.
Chen Qingyu refrained from taking immediate action. He watched the tiger while gathering his life force, ready to unleash a powerful attack at any moment.
The tiger also evaluated Chen Qingyu. Though they hadn't met before, its familiarity with his scent was unmistakable.
Most importantly, it sensed a threat from Chen Qingyu.
As he cautiously approached, the tiger remained seated, seemingly unfazed by his proximity.
However, its claws subtly dug into the ground, revealing razor-sharp talons.
Both sides waited, looking for openings in the other's defenses.