"What the hell?! Aren't you a mere mortal?!"
The Black Tiger Beast was terrified as it looked around at the scene, its heart pounding wildly.
Once it realized the person before it was a cultivator—and one it could not possibly match—the Black Tiger Beast, which had just declared it would eat Su Changqing, had only one thought left: run!
It hurriedly turned around and bolted, afraid that if it ran too slowly, Su Changqing would strike again and take its life with another sword slash.
"One sword didn't kill it?"
Su Changqing stood in spotless white robes, watching the Black Tiger Beast dodge. He shook his head slightly, seeming somewhat annoyed with himself for failing to kill it in one strike.
Seeing that the Black Tiger Beast had survived his sword strike and was still trying to flee, how could Su Changqing let such a fine opportunity to practice slip away? He immediately formed another hand seal.
Several array flags flew out from Su Changqing's robes. After rising into the air, they landed around the Black Tiger Beast in four directions. A transparent barrier then appeared out of thin air along with the flags.
"I can't believe this. I only just gained intelligence and started cultivating, yet I ran into a human cultivator like this. Isn't this just sending me to my death? This tiger lord still wants to live another hundred years!"
The Black Tiger Beast had no idea an array had already been set around it. It kept its head down and focused solely on fleeing. Just as it was secretly rejoicing that Su Changqing had not caught up—
It slammed into something the next instant and was bounced back with a bang.
"What was that?!"
The impact left the Black Tiger Beast dizzy and aching. After shaking its head and recovering, it saw nothing in front of it and was utterly baffled.
Sensing the surrounding spiritual energy beginning to churn, the Black Tiger Beast immediately felt that something was terribly wrong. It extended a tiger claw forward and touched a transparent barrier blocking its way.
"What the hell is this?!"
Having lived on Nine Yin Mountain all its life, the Black Tiger Beast had naturally never seen an array like this. It only knew that something had trapped it. Enraged, it slammed a fist into the transparent barrier.
There was a bang, followed by a piercing tiger roar. Its claw seemed to have struck steel and iron, and a burst of pain shot straight to its skull.
Even with its full-powered punch, the barrier showed no sign of breaking.
"With the Four Directions Earth Trapping Array in place, you still think you can escape?"
Su Changqing had taken in everything the Black Tiger Beast had done and could not help laughing at it. Carrying his sword on his back, he slowly walked toward it.
"It was you! You did this!"
The Black Tiger Beast instantly realized that this human had been behind it all and roared at Su Changqing through gritted teeth.
Now that it possessed intelligence, it naturally understood that this human was determined to kill it. The reason Su Changqing had not pursued it earlier was because he had prepared a backup plan to ensure it could not escape.
"Argh! You've enraged this king! This king isn't helpless either! Today, I'll fight you human to the death!"
Knowing it could not escape, the Black Tiger Beast's fury reached its peak. It no longer had any desire to run. Even if it had to risk its life, it would fight this human cultivator for a sliver of hope.
The Black Tiger Beast transformed into its ghostly tiger form again. It took a fierce step back, then leaped several meters into the air like a starving tiger pouncing on prey, its sharp claws slashing viciously toward Su Changqing.
"Good!"
Su Changqing shouted, his eyes fixed seriously on the charging Black Tiger Beast.
That's more like it. Practicing moves one-sidedly was far too boring. A real fight was much more exciting!
In an instant, the Black Tiger Beast was less than a meter from Su Changqing. Joy surged through it. This human cultivator seemed like an idiot—he actually did not dodge at all despite seeing its attack coming.
My claws can slice through boulders with a casual swipe. No matter how powerful your Cultivation Level is, you're still flesh and blood. Let's see how you block this strike from my tiger claws.
Just wait to be torn into pieces by me!
Thinking this, the Black Tiger Beast could already picture Su Changqing being ripped into several pieces by its claws. But just as its claws were about to fall, its pupils widened again.
Just as the Black Tiger Beast was about to strike, Su Changqing, who had clearly been standing before its eyes, suddenly vanished. Its claws struck empty air.
"Where did he go?!"
The Black Tiger Beast hurriedly landed on the ground, standing there in a daze. It had clearly been about to hit that human—how had he suddenly disappeared?
"I'm over here."
Su Changqing's leisurely voice came from behind it.
The Black Tiger Beast spun around sharply and stared at Su Changqing in shock. Hadn't he vanished? Why had he suddenly reappeared in the same spot?
Are you putting on a magic show for me?!
Su Changqing yawned boredly. He had thought this eighth-level Foundation Establishment Realm Black Tiger Beast would have some ability, but it turned out to be nothing more than trash. He had toyed with it effortlessly using just a little Movement Technique.
"Enough. This is boring. I'm done playing with you."
A faint smile appeared on Su Changqing's lips as he silently formed a hand seal. The array flags rose again and flew toward the Black Tiger Beast, trapping it within.
Nine Yin Mountain had enjoyed clear weather just moments ago, but as the array flags fell, dark clouds and mist swept in from all directions. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed. The shaking heavenly thunder terrified all living creatures on Nine Yin Mountain, sending beasts back to their dens and birds back to their nests.
"Ten Thousand Heavenly Thunder Array!"
"Gale Swordplay!"
"Desolate Falling Violent Body Fist!"
Su Changqing, who had been calm and composed moments ago, now focused his gaze and unleashed all his Divine Abilities. Like splashing water, he hurled every one of them at the Black Tiger Beast.
In an instant, thunder roared, sword qi surged forth, and fist shadows erupted. All manner of strange techniques burst out together, sending the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy in this area into violent chaos as countless lights and shadows scattered in every direction.
If anyone else had witnessed this sight, they would surely have mistaken it for a divine miracle descending from heaven and fallen to their knees in worship.
As for the Black Tiger Beast at the center of it all—the one that called itself the Great Black King—it had already collapsed on the ground in despair. Its eyes were lifeless as it watched the scene before it. Before its body died, its heart had already been frightened to death.
"I only just gained intelligence! Fine, you're strong, but do you seriously have to use every kind of Divine Ability and trick just to kill me?!"
Boom! Crash! Bang!
Heavenly thunder, sword qi, fist shadows, and all kinds of Daoist magic crashed down on the Black Tiger Beast together, kicking up dust and debris across Nine Yin Mountain. Only after a long while did it gradually settle.
The Black Tiger Beast was nowhere to be seen. All that remained were several charred chunks at the bottom of a pit several meters deep—likely pieces of its flesh that had been scorched black by the heavenly thunder.
"Boring. That wasn't satisfying."
Su Changqing shook his head slightly. He had thought it was an expert, but it turned out to be a lowly nobody. It had made him excited for nothing.
Still, the battle had not been meaningless. At least, he had been able to handle a Foundation Establishment Realm beast with ease. That proved that although he was only at the ninth level of Qi Refinement, he already possessed strength comparable to the upper three levels of the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Su Changqing did not even spare the Black Tiger Beast, which had been blasted into scraps, a glance. He stretched his limbs, but he had not forgotten his real task—he still had to find the Desolate Orchid Water Lily.