Eat Its Flesh

The water had turned murky, but it did not affect Su He or Green Snake's vision.

One spent all day rolling through silt, while the other did not rely on sight to gather information. Turtle and snake faced each other, staring at the White Tiger that had stopped struggling.

It was dead.

The combined efforts of three had finally killed it: Su He, Green Snake, and Lu Ming.

Lu Ming had contributed the most. Without his Myriad Force Talisman, Su He and Green Snake would not have been able to defeat the White Tiger. Even underwater, a Three-Star Exotic Beast was not something the two of them could face at this stage.

Green Snake curled the tip of her tail and tried to shoot out a Water Arrow. The arrow sank an inch into the White Tiger's forehead, but after piercing the flesh, it was stopped by the hard frontal bone.

A Water Arrow that could pierce mountain rock could not pierce the White Tiger's bones.

The White Tiger did not move at all. It was truly dead through and through.

Su He and Green Snake charged at the White Tiger at the same time, stopping on opposite sides of it. They bared their teeth at each other in warning.

Both wanted the flesh of a Three-Star Exotic Beast.

Ordinary wild beasts devoured rare treasures to strengthen their bodies until they broke past their limits and condensed a demon star within themselves. Only then did they become exotic beasts.

At that point, a star would appear between an Exotic Beast's brows. It was known as a One-Star Exotic Beast.

The demon star slowly revolved inside the Exotic Beast, granting it extraordinary power. When the beast advanced continuously and reached its limit once more, the demon star reversed, and a second star appeared between its brows.

And so on. Each time an Exotic Beast advanced, its demon star would reverse once, and another star would appear between its brows.

Thus, exotic beasts of however many stars were also called exotic beasts of however many revolutions. Once the demon star had revolved seven times and the exotic beast reached its limit, the demon star would shatter and form a Profound Moon.

When a demon-star Exotic Beast advanced into a Profound Moon Exotic Beast, the mark between its brows would likewise become a Profound Moon pattern.

Just like the Slovenly Old Daoist's Wine-Loving Camel.

Perhaps it was the Heaven and Earth Rules. Whether Exotic Beast, demon, or human, all had three Great Realms, and each realm was divided into seven minor stages.

For exotic beasts, they were Demon Star, Profound Moon, and Eroding Sun. For humans and demons, they were Mortal Shedding, Demon Transformation, and Treading Heaven.

Just as the Slovenly Old Daoist had mentioned, the first realm for humans and demons was Mortal Shedding, also called Seven Steps Mortal Shedding. It was divided into seven minor stages: Heart Aperture, Divine Object, True Blood, Intent Aperture, Bone Sacrifice, Spirit Awakening, and Essence Gathering.

A Three-Star Exotic Beast was already equivalent to a human at the True Blood Realm of Mortal Shedding. Its entire body had undergone a qualitative change and was no longer like ordinary things.

Especially since this was a tiger, something that was nourishing by nature.

Both Green Snake and Su He wanted to eat it.

Especially now, with hibernation fast approaching. This was exactly the time to eat in great quantities.

Snake and turtle watched each other like tigers watching prey, neither harboring good intentions.

After two breaths, Su He sighed. He backed down. That damned sense of morality—Green Snake had come to help him, and he could not bring himself to crush her and enjoy it all alone.

An ordinary wild beast would have done exactly that long ago.

Suppressing the beastly urge at the bottom of his heart to keep it all for himself, Su He let out a low "ang."

The tiger was large. Half each—eat quickly!

The White Tiger was dead, but Lu Ming was still behind them. They had to eat fast, then run.

Green Snake agreed. With a swish, she coiled around the White Tiger and used all her strength to constrict it, trying to squeeze it into a long strip before swallowing it in one bite. That was how pythons ate.

If prey was too large to swallow whole, they would crush every bone in its body, stretch it out, and then swallow it.

Su He understood. This White Tiger was a Three-Star Exotic Beast. Its tiger bones were indestructible, several times tougher than even his turtle shell. Not even the Myriad Force Talisman had crushed its bones—how could a Green Snake do anything to it? Su He stepped forward and bit out the White Tiger's heart.

This was truly a great tonic. Unfortunately, it was a female tiger; otherwise, it would have been even more nourishing—after two years as a turtle, so long as meat was fresh, there was nothing he would not eat.

If he was truly hungry, it did not matter even if it was not fresh.

He had not eaten for four or five days, and his belly was completely empty. Su He wriggled his internal organs aside, making more room for his stomach.

What a gluttonous feast. Tiger heart, Tiger Gallbladder, and at least eighty pounds of tiger meat went into his belly before Su He was full to his throat. When he turned his head, he saw Green Snake glaring at him with a ferocious expression, teeth bared as her snake tongue flicked rapidly in and out.

She could not swallow the entire tiger, nor could she tear off its meat. Her belly was already full of rage, and she was ready to strike at Su He at any moment.

After some thought, Su He tore off a large chunk of meat and tossed it to her.

Green Snake immediately withdrew her threat, pounced on the tiger meat, and swallowed it in one bite.

Look at this snake—she was like a dog.

Fed, swallowed.

Su He discovered that this Green Snake could actually eat even more than he could! And she did not care whether it was meat or vegetables—even the fur went down! Had she never eaten a full meal before? Two streaks of sword light sliced through the sky and stopped above the water. Su He and Green Snake both halted their movements and looked up.

Tiger blood had dyed the lake red. From this angle, the entire sky carried an eerie, demonic air.

Upon the two sword lights stood a fat youth and a thin youth. The two had been ordered to capture an escaped beast pet. Following its aura here, they witnessed a horrifying scene beneath the lake.

"Senior Brother, isn't that being torn apart and eaten below Senior Brother Lu's White Tiger?" The thin youth stared in shock at the White Tiger that Su He and Green Snake had gnawed into a mangled mess.

The fat man swallowed and nodded. "It's that White Tiger. There's no mistake. Senior Brother Lu's Lifebound Beast."

The two looked at each other. Both understood what the other meant: this matter had become enormous!

"Senior Brother Lu's Lifebound White Tiger was killed, but there's no trace of Senior Brother Lu's aura nearby. Why hasn't he come to help?"

A Lifebound Beast and its master shared weal and woe, inseparable from one another. They prospered together and suffered together. How could Senior Brother Lu simply watch the White Tiger be killed?

Fat Senior Brother shook his head. "You don't know. Because of the matter involving Junior Sister Qiao, Senior Brother Lu was confined for three months."

Azure Origin Sect's confinement was so strict that he could not come out even when his Lifebound Beast had been killed?

At the bottom of the lake, Su He's eyes lit up.

Junior Brother said, "...What do we do? Capture this Green Snake and the big turtle and bring them back?"

A beast pet from Beast Taming Valley had escaped, and Lu Ming's Lifebound Beast had been killed. Someone had to bear responsibility. The Sect Leader's little daughter could not run away, but given her status, at most she would be confined. They could not truly lock her in Prison Suppression.

Then this snake and turtle were simply doomed to misfortune.

Fat Senior Brother looked at Junior Brother in astonishment. "Are you crazy? This is the Green Snake from Snake Valley that swallowed a Demon Transformation Fruit!"

He was specifically responsible for monitoring the Demon Transformation Fruits within Azure Origin Sect, so he recognized this Green Snake.

"This time, Starfall in the Azure Origin Realm produced only eighteen Demon Transformation Fruits, yet only six beasts that swallowed Demon Transformation Fruits survived. The rest either could not endure the aura of the Demon Transformation Fruits and died in self-destruction, or died fighting with other beasts for them."

"You want to use her as a scapegoat? Are you afraid the Law Enforcement Elder will not whip you?"

Junior Brother suddenly understood.

The Demonic Race was naturally favored. Any beast that could Transform into Human could at least cultivate to the Demon Transformation Realm. Moreover, the Demonic Race was simple-minded. If brought back to the sect and properly taught, they would develop an extremely strong sense of belonging toward it.

And the Demonic Race had long lifespans, allowing them to serve the sect for longer. Every beast capable of Demon Transformation was a treasure to the sect.

"Then this turtle cannot be taken away either." Junior Brother pondered. "I saw from afar just now that this turtle was tearing meat apart to feed the snake. Could it be a pet Green Snake has taken in?"

This Green Snake would certainly Transform into Human, and her status in the future would not be low. There was no need to offend her. Beasts were simple, but they also held grudges, especially wolves and snakes.

Fat Senior Brother nodded, though he was still somewhat puzzled. He closed his eyes and activated his technique. Then his eyes abruptly opened, a flash of sharp light passing through them.

"Come out!" he shouted softly, making a beckoning motion behind him. The Myriad Force Talisman turtle shell pressing down on the White Tiger broke through the water and flew out.

Fat Senior Brother pointed a finger, sealing the Myriad Force Talisman's effect. Holding the turtle shell in his hands, he suddenly understood. "That's what I thought. Green Snake and this turtle, as they are now, could not possibly have killed the White Tiger."

Someone had interfered, deliberately targeting Senior Brother Lu. This talisman shell had to be handed over to the Law Enforcement Hall.

He flicked a finger and completely sealed the Myriad Force Talisman so it would not dissipate over time. Then, with another beckoning gesture, he summoned the Location Talisman turtle shell from beneath the White Tiger and treated it the same way. Only then did he cup his fists toward Green Snake. "Fellow cultivator of the Snake Clan, this White Tiger is the Lifebound Beast of a senior brother from our sect. My junior brother and I must take it back. I hope you will not take offense!"

Green Snake would sooner or later Transform into Human. Proper courtesy had to be shown now, lest she recall this event once the time arrives and harbor resentment.