An Evil Tiger in the Temple Devours Human Hearts

Chapter 2: An Evil Tiger in the Temple Devours Human Hearts

An icy voice came from every direction, as though countless specters surrounded the Mountain God Temple.

At the sight, the grandfather and grandchild trembled all over, their legs shaking as they huddled in a corner, not daring to move.

Jiang Sheng ignored the five Chang Ghosts. He gazed calmly at the mountain god statue, which remained imposing despite its dilapidated state. "Will you still not show yourself, Lord of the Mountain?"

The slow scrape of sharp claws came from within the statue. Then its two carved stone eyes abruptly became a pair of emerald-green beast eyes.

The tall, battered statue shuddered repeatedly. Its faded, lifeless form suddenly jolted.

Those beast eyes looked down from above, and a wave of demonic energy rushed straight at them!

In mere moments, the statue came fully to life, transforming from a tall, imposing mountain god into a ferocious tiger thirty feet long.

The striped tiger demon crouched atop the divine seat, its enormous shadow engulfing the entire Mountain God Temple.

Demonic energy, almost tangible, bore down on everything within a thousand feet. Wherever its emerald eyes swept, vicious ghosts prostrated themselves, trembling and unable to rise. When its jaws opened, gusts of blood-reeking wind billowed out, and demonic energy surged into the sky.

"How did you discover me?"

The tiger demon spoke in a human voice. A faint red gleam lurked within its eerie green eyes, and its expression held both cunning and curiosity, as though a living person dwelled beneath that tiger skin.

Demonic baleful intent spilled from the tiger demon. An ordinary person would see mountains of corpses and seas of blood with a single distant glance, their legs shaking in terror—or their liver and gallbladder bursting from fright.

Under that oppressive demonic energy, the grandfather and grandchild nearly fainted. Jiang Sheng casually flicked out a beam of clear light to protect them, allowing them to catch their breath beneath a pressure that had felt like suffocating underwater.

"You still have time to concern yourself with those two mortals in this king's presence?"

The tiger demon's expression was more animated than a human's. It brought its enormous head close to Jiang Sheng, breathing out a bloody stench potent enough to make an ordinary cultivator tremble with fear!

The tiger was lord of all beasts, and its baleful aura could cow every living spirit.

Yet even with the tiger demon's head right before him and its bloody breath nearly washing over his face, Jiang Sheng remained perfectly composed. "They may be mere mortals, but they gave me a stick of firewood to keep warm. How could I let you take their lives, Lord of the Mountain?"

"You really are an interesting Daoist!"

The demonic tiger burst into laughter. Its voice thundered, rolling waves of sound whipping up clouds of dust all around.

Only the space within three feet of Jiang Sheng remained undisturbed, as though everything outside had nothing to do with it.

Ignoring both the almost tangible demonic and ghostly energy around him and the five Chang Ghosts baring their claws and fangs, Jiang Sheng merely looked up at the lofty tiger demon and said softly, "You dwell on Qingping Mountain, born of heaven and nurtured by earth. You are a rare creature indeed, Lord of the Mountain."

"You might have attained the Dao and become a mountain god, sheltering this corner of the world. Unfortunately, of all the things you should never have done, you chose to make Qingping Mountain your foundation."

As he spoke, Jiang Sheng sighed softly. "If you held kindness in your heart, we could still discuss matters. I happen to need a mount. But you have plainly become a demon, Lord of the Mountain, and I truly cannot spare you."

Jiang Sheng's words stunned the tiger demon for a moment, but it promptly roared, "Whatever your identity, here on Qingping Mountain, I am the mountain god!"

A mere little Daoist dared dream of slaying demons and defending the Dao?!

The tiger demon had watched enough of this performance. He would swallow this Daoist alive!

Daoists who cultivated the clear spiritual energy of heaven and earth had tender flesh and delicate skin—the finest of blood meals!

The tiger's roar shook the mountain forests!

Fierce winds rose at once, demonic energy billowing. The tiger's roar reverberated with the power to seize souls and suppress spirits, blasting away the temple doors along with its walls.

With a single roar, it drove away all the rain within a thousand feet!

As the tiger demon roared, Jiang Sheng moved, light as a swallow among the clouds.

The rolling demonic energy instead seemed to become a wind that helped Jiang Sheng soar. Only after it dispersed did he slowly land a thousand feet away.

"What a magnificent tiger. A pity."

Jiang Sheng felt some regret. He had originally hoped to cow the tiger demon into serving as his mount, but now it seemed the creature was truly obstinate beyond reason.

"Lord of the Mountain, I considered offering you a path to life. You chose the road to death yourself, so I can only see you on your way."

As Jiang Sheng spoke, the oil-paper umbrella in his hand shuddered and abruptly transformed into Qing Feng, a longsword.

The sword measured three feet six inches. It was pitch-black throughout, with azure lotus patterns winding across its surface. As the blade trembled, soft ringing rose from it like a dragon's cry.

The moment the sword appeared, the tiger demon sensed trouble. It was actually a spirit artifact!

A spirit artifact—that was a treasure only a True Person of the Purple Mansion Realm could wield!

Could this Daoist before him actually be a True Person of the Purple Mansion Realm?!

"Little Daoist, you think holding a magical artifact lets you play god and conjure tricks? You're courting death! You little ghosts, kill this Daoist!"

With a roar, the tiger demon drove his Chang Ghosts forward in a swarm while he remained perched high atop the incense altar, clearly intending to have them test Jiang Sheng first.

Compelled by the tiger demon, the five Chang Ghosts' eerie green eyes gradually turned blood-red. Then all other thoughts vanished, and they rushed toward Jiang Sheng one after another, grinning hideously.

The night wind howled and rain poured down. Outside the Mountain God Temple, beneath clouds that hid the moon, demonic energy rolled. As the five Chang Ghosts attacked together, their ghostly energy shrouded a hundred feet around them, lending them an even more sinister presence.

Seeing this, the grandfather and grandchild, protected by clear light inside the temple, hurriedly cried out, "Be careful, Daoist!"

"Mere Chang Ghosts? You underestimate me, Lord of the Mountain."

As he spoke, Jiang Sheng flicked the three-foot Qing Feng in his hand. An azure streak of sword light whistled out, instantly cleaving apart the rain and mist before him—and the sinister ghostly energy shrouding the surrounding hundred feet.

Before the five Chang Ghosts could reach Jiang Sheng, Sword Qi swept across them. In the blink of an eye, their ghostly bodies shattered, becoming ownerless ghostly energy that returned to heaven and earth.

Seeing Jiang Sheng wipe out his Chang Ghosts with a single stroke, the tiger demon let out another roar.

As billowing demonic energy spread, ghostly energy continued to arise. Chang Ghosts appeared one after another on every side of Jiang Sheng.

One, two, three...

In just a few breaths, dozens of Chang Ghosts emerged from every direction, surrounding Jiang Sheng.

The tiger demon spread his blood-filled jaws. He could now be certain that this Daoist was merely in the Foundation Establishment Realm!

Watching the surrounded Jiang Sheng, the tiger demon laughed savagely. "Daoist, you do have some ability. But with so many of my Chang Ghosts surrounding you, what can you do? I can wear you down until you die!"

The night rain poured like a torrent, and the demonic wind howled. Looking at the dozens of Chang Ghosts encircling him, Jiang Sheng gently shook his head. "Have you still not understood, Lord of the Mountain? The fact that I could come here means I can slay you."

"I am the mountain god of Qingping Mountain! Every living creature within twelve hundred li belongs to me! A mere Daoist thinks he can steal my Qingping Mountain?"

Amid the raging wind and torrential rain, the demonic tiger grinned hideously, a red gleam flashing through his emerald beast eyes. "Kill this Daoist!"

At the tiger demon's command, the dozens of Chang Ghosts hurtled toward Jiang Sheng, howling with hunger for flesh and savage hatred for the living.

The grandfather and grandchild watched so many Chang Ghosts rush at Jiang Sheng, wave after wave, their hearts burning with anxiety.

This Daoist was their only hope of surviving!

"Daoist, that demon is powerful! Please, you must be careful!"

The old man watched anxiously, terrified that Jiang Sheng would fall.

Yet Jiang Sheng stood serenely, his eyes as impassive as a deep, dark pool. "Just watch."

"That fine tiger skin is waiting for me to claim it."

This is a xianxia story with a rather slow start. With what little ink he has, Lin Yuan hopes to work hard and write something with the spirit of xianxia. I hope you gentlemen enjoy it.

(End of chapter)

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