"Kid, tell us where your family is. If you got lost, we can take you out of the forest."
The three martial artists were not bad people.
Seeing that Jiang Hao was just a child, they knew it was dangerous for him to be in the forest and even offered to escort him out.
"You don't believe me?"
Jiang Hao frowned.
One look at the three of them told him that they did not believe he was Big Tiger's owner.
It truly was rather unbelievable.
"Big Tiger, growl three times."
Jiang Hao suddenly said to Big Tiger.
Big Tiger possessed the Tiger Demon Bloodline and was highly intelligent. Having spent this period at Jiang Manor with Jiang Hao, he was also very familiar with him.
Thus, Big Tiger immediately gave three low growls as Jiang Hao instructed.
"Big Tiger, bare your teeth again."
Big Tiger bared his fangs.
"Big Tiger, wag your tail again."
Big Tiger wagged his tail as Jiang Hao told him.
The three martial artists looked at one another, shock flashing in all their eyes.
It was actually true?
This tiger before them was a child's pet tiger?
This was simply madness.
Thus, the three gradually loosened their grip.
Big Tiger gazed at Jiang Hao with a whimper.
"Big Tiger, come here."
Big Tiger looked at the three men.
The three martial artists did not stop him again.
Big Tiger sprang forward and arrived before Jiang Hao.
Jiang Hao gently patted Big Tiger's head and soothed him. "Big Tiger, you've suffered an injustice. Stay by my side and don't run around."
A wronged look appeared in Big Tiger's tiger eyes. He whimpered and nodded, then obediently stayed by Jiang Hao's side.
Seeing the intimate manner between Jiang Hao and Big Tiger, the three martial artists naturally understood that this child truly was the tiger's owner.
One of the martial artists stepped forward and said, "We are Outer Gate disciples of the Huangtian Sect. We accepted a sect mission and came to Flying Eagle Mountain to capture wild beasts carrying Demon Bloodlines. We tracked a wild boar here and found that it had been killed by this tiger, so we intended to capture the fierce tiger and complete our mission."
"However, since this fierce tiger has an owner, what happened just now was a misunderstanding. Please forgive us, young friend."
The three were not overbearing people.
They had even taken the initiative to apologize to Jiang Hao, which made him secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
"You are Outer Gate disciples of the Huangtian Sect?"
"Yes."
Jiang Hao's heart stirred.
The Huangtian Sect was divided into the Outer Gate and the Inner Gate.
Those below Transforming Force were basically all Outer Gate disciples.
Whoosh.
Suddenly, a figure darted out of the forest.
It was a woman in red. She was tall and beautiful, though her expression was somewhat icy.
Upon seeing the woman in red, the three martial artists hurriedly bowed. "Greetings, Senior Sister Xia."
Clearly, this woman in red held a higher status than all three of them.
Could she be an Inner Gate disciple?
"Young friend, this is Senior Sister Xia Hong, an elite Outer Gate disciple of our Huangtian Sect."
"An elite Outer Gate disciple?"
Jiang Hao understood.
Zhao Heita had once told him about the Huangtian Sect's Outer Gate.
There were numerous Outer Gate disciples in the Huangtian Sect, but they were divided into ordinary disciples and elite disciples according to cultivation.
Only those who broke through to Hidden Force could become elite Outer Gate disciples.
The Xia Hong before him was a Hidden Force martial artist.
Xia Hong asked coldly, "What happened?"
The three martial artists briefly recounted what had happened.
There was also a trace of surprise in Xia Hong's eyes as she looked at Jiang Hao.
Although a fierce tiger with a Demon Bloodline possessed some intelligence, it would not casually acknowledge an owner.
Much less acknowledge a child as its owner.
There was something strange about this.
Xia Hong kept sizing Jiang Hao up.
She could sense the vigorous Blood Qi within Jiang Hao's body.
It was even more immense than the Blood Qi of the fierce tiger before them.
"This child is strange. Liu Quan, you three, test him."
Xia Hong ordered the three men behind her.
The three felt somewhat troubled.
The three of them were Outer Gate disciples of the Huangtian Sect, yet they were going to bully a child under ten years old?
If word got out, it would sound bad no matter how they spun it.
"What, do I need to make a move myself?"
"We wouldn't dare."
The three turned to face Jiang Hao.
"Young friend, excuse us."
Liu Quan said in a low voice.
Though the three were making a move, they would not truly join forces against Jiang Hao.
Liu Quan would merely take the lead, while the other two assisted him.
Jiang Hao frowned.
Everything had been fine, yet the moment this Xia Hong arrived, she ordered the three to attack him.
She really was rather overbearing and unreasonable.
Although he could tell that the three had no killing intent even if they attacked and merely wanted to test him, Jiang Hao could not possibly surrender without a fight.
Swish.
Jiang Hao's aura changed.
It was as though he had suddenly become a fierce tiger roaring through the mountain forest.
His gaze was incomparably cold and sharp.
Jiang Hao had already comprehended Tiger Form.
Thus, the aura around him naturally resembled that of a fierce tiger.
The next moment, Jiang Hao moved.
Like a true fierce tiger, he sprang out once he spotted the right opportunity, striking with a single blow meant to kill.
He threw a punch.
Vaguely, Jiang Hao's small body seemed to truly transform into an enormous fierce tiger.
That was the king of all beasts!
Its aura alone made Liu Quan and the other two freeze for an instant.
Bang.
Jiang Hao did not retreat in the slightest, meeting force with force.
His fist collided with Liu Quan's.
Force empowered to 160% blasted into Liu Quan's body in an instant.
Crack.
Liu Quan's hand bones broke instantly.
"Ah..."
This Outer Gate disciple of the Huangtian Sect screamed as he fell to the ground like a kite with its string cut.
That was only because Jiang Hao had held back.
He did not continue pursuing him.
Otherwise, Liu Quan would already be dead.
"What?"
"That was... the Fierce Tiger Fist!"
"Yes, it should be the Fierce Tiger Fist, and a Fierce Tiger Fist at Minor Accomplishment."
"Although the Fierce Tiger Fist has long since spread beyond the sect, this fist technique is easy to learn but difficult to master. Reaching Minor Accomplishment requires at least several years, perhaps even a decade of work. But how old is this child?"
"It is more than just the Fierce Tiger Fist at Minor Accomplishment. This child has clearly already produced Force, and the power enhancement of his Force is terrifying as well—likely no less than double. Even in the Huangtian Sect's Outer Gate, anyone with such strength would be a figure who could stir the winds and clouds, with hopes of entering the Inner Gate in the future!"
After seeing Jiang Hao move and defeat Liu Quan in a single strike, the remaining two were utterly shocked and did not dare make a move at all.
"Hm?"
Xia Hong's gaze narrowed slightly.
Though there was not the slightest change on her face, stormy waves had already surged within her heart.
Jiang Hao was not even ten years old, yet his strength was so terrifying.
He was already a Ming Jin Martial Artist?
Moreover, he had likely purified his Blood Qi and naturally produced Force.
He had purified at least thirty percent, perhaps even more.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to defeat Liu Quan with one punch.
No matter how inadequate Liu Quan was, he was still an Outer Gate disciple of the Huangtian Sect.
"What is your name?"
Xia Hong asked.
Jiang Hao did not know what Xia Hong wanted, so he did not answer.
"Don't worry, I will not attack you."
"Besides, there is a top-tier Hidden Force martial artist protecting you from behind."
"At such a young age, you are already a Ming Jin Martial Artist, and you have purified a great deal of Blood Qi. Your potential is immense. But you are probably not yet a disciple of the Huangtian Sect. Is it because you lack a recommendation slot that you cannot enter the Huangtian Sect?"
"Take this token. It is a token of the Qingyang Xia Family. With this token, you will have the equivalent of an Outer Gate recommendation slot for the Huangtian Sect, and you will be able to join the Huangtian Sect then."
Xia Hong directly tossed over a token.
Jiang Hao caught the token steadily. The character "Xia" was inscribed upon it.
Such a token alone could allow him to join the Huangtian Sect?
Jiang Hao had once sought out famous masters far and wide, yet he had been unable to obtain a Huangtian Sect Recommendation Slot.
In the end, he had paid a great price to become Zhao Heita's disciple, gaining the chance to obtain the Huangtian Sect Recommendation Slot in Zhao Heita's possession.
Yet before his master's recommendation slot had been fulfilled, he had unexpectedly obtained a Huangtian Sect Recommendation Slot now?
"Can you tell me your name now?"
Xia Hong showed goodwill.
Jiang Hao then said, "My name is Jiang Hao."
"Good. Jiang Hao, I hope to see you at the Huangtian Sect soon."
With that, Xia Hong directly turned and left with the others.
As Xia Hong and the others vanished from sight, a familiar figure emerged from behind Jiang Hao.
Second Senior Sister Wen Xiang!
Sure enough, Xia Hong had already noticed Wen Xiang's presence.
That was why she had said that a "top-tier Hidden Force expert" was protecting Jiang Hao from behind.
"Second Senior Sister, this token..."
Jiang Hao asked.
"Put it away."
"If this token were in Cang City, it would be enough to cause a sensation."
"The Qingyang Xia Family truly has tremendous boldness! They gave away an Outer Gate recommendation slot just like that, and directly to a stranger at that..."
Second Senior Sister Wen Xiang's words made Jiang Hao realize that the token in his hand was likely extremely precious.
"Second Senior Sister, then I..."
"Don't ask me. Go back and ask Master."
"Besides, do you know how tempting a Huangtian Sect Recommendation Slot is..."
Wen Xiang cut Jiang Hao off.
She knew what Jiang Hao wanted to ask.
But she could not offer any advice on matters involving a recommendation slot.
She was even afraid that she might not be able to restrain herself from snatching the Xia Family Token.
Jiang Hao also felt that something was off about the look in his Second Senior Sister's eyes.
He immediately put away the token, then jumped onto Big Tiger's back and left Flying Eagle Mountain together with his Second Senior Sister.
Before you continue