Battle Through the Heavens: I Am Han Feng, Respect the Teacher and Value the Dao

"Just like that! Mr. Han, the gift you gave me happened to be exactly what I liked most!"

Gu Xun'er looked at Han Feng with delight in her eyes.

"All right, now it's Mr. Han's turn. How did you guess?"

Seeing Gu Xun'er's anxious little expression, Han Feng smiled mischievously.

"Because when I came to wake the little sleepyhead yesterday, I happened to see it."

"Ah!"

Gu Xun'er immediately puffed out her little cheeks, looking somewhat unhappy.

Darn it!

Mr. Han had actually seen it yesterday!

Without the slightest shame, Han Feng used an Imprint Jade to record the little girl's gloomy expression. Then he opened the gift box and took out the ornament.

The ornament was simple and carried a faint woody fragrance. The character "Feng" was engraved in the center.

Han Feng hung it directly from his waist and said with a smile, "Thank you, Miss Gu. I really like the gift."

Hearing this, Gu Xun'er felt much better. Seeing Han Feng put on the ornament right away, her face blossomed into an even brighter smile.

This was the first gift she had ever made for someone else!

As long as Mr. Han liked it, that was enough.

"My gift can wait until later, Miss Gu."

Han Feng glanced at the sky.

"It's about time. I should be setting off."

Gu Xun'er's mood sank to rock bottom again, and the smile on her face instantly turned to dejection.

Han Feng took a Sea Heart Token he had prepared long ago from his robe.

"Don't be sad, Miss Gu."

Gu Xun'er accepted the token and looked at Han Feng questioningly.

"This is my contact token. If Miss Gu encounters any trouble in the future, you can use it to contact me. I'll come as quickly as I can."

Upon hearing how the token worked, light returned to Gu Xun'er's eyes.

With this token, she could contact Mr. Han again in the future.

Thinking of it that way, the parting before them no longer seemed so painful.

"Then, goodbye, Miss Gu."

Han Feng waved to Gu Xun'er and turned away decisively.

"Mr. Han, my name is Xun'er!"

After he had walked more than ten meters, the little girl suddenly called out from behind him.

Han Feng did not turn around. He only waved once more with greater force.

Gu Xun'er watched Han Feng's figure disappear at the end of the path. This time, Mr. Han had not taken her hand and led her away.

She wondered whether Mr. Han had heard her final words.

Feeling somewhat disappointed, Gu Xun'er opened Han Feng's gift box. As expected, there was a book inside.

However, a character had also been engraved on the book's cover.

"Xun."

Gu Xun'er froze.

"Mr. Han... already knew..."

Chapter 11: Evil Tiger

At the entrance of Xiao Mansion, Xiao Zhan had been waiting early.

"After this parting, who knows when we'll meet again."

Looking at Han Feng in his green robe, Xiao Zhan felt rather emotional. Though they had only known each other for a few days, it felt like the friendship between gentlemen, light as water.

This showed that getting to know and understand someone did not require much time.

If two people were kindred spirits, a single glance was enough for them to sit down, drink wine, and talk of songs.

Even now, Xiao Zhan did not know that Mr. Han before him was actually a Dou Emperor expert.

In their daily interactions, he truly could not sense the pride and imposing aura of a Dou Emperor from him. He only felt that the other man was an ordinary, refined scholar.

But what ordinary scholar would know so many secret matters?

Xiao Zhan knew full well that Mr. Han was likely a powerful cultivator, and one who was exceptionally upright and would not use his strength to bully others.

"Patriarch Xiao, there is no need to worry. Though the road ahead may be winding, I believe we will surely carve out a great path."

Han Feng spoke solemnly.

"Good. Then with this cup, I wish Mr. Han a smooth journey!"

Xiao Zhan personally poured the wine to send Han Feng off.

After they finished drinking.

The group escorted him all the way to Wutan City's gate, where Han Feng bowed farewell to Xiao Zhan.

"Patriarch Xiao, until we meet again."

Xiao Zhan nodded.

"Take care!"

"Take care!"

Han Feng turned and left. The autumn wind was bleak, and the weather carried a faint chill.

Xiao Zhan watched that figure vanish into the distance and murmured softly.

"Let's go. We, too, have our own road to walk."

No one could become the patriarch of the Xiao Family without being extraordinary. His cultivation talent, Xiao Zhan's cultivation talent, was not particularly good, but since he had taken on the burden of continuing the family line, there was no turning back.

The morning light outside the city was clear and bright, carrying a trace of freshness. It was warm without being stifling.

Like a young girl's thoughts, pure and sincere.

Han Feng walked against the flow of people and entered a forest path.

The emerald-green bamboo and cypress trees remained evergreen through all seasons, giving off a faint, tranquil fragrance.

Like bamboo and cypress, bearing snow and enduring frost.

These plants, praised for their steadfastness, covered both sides of the mountain slope.

Han Feng continued upward, occasionally seeing a few woodcutters chopping trees in the forest.

"Young man, are you heading up the mountain?"

A woodcutter standing near Han Feng stopped his work, concern evident in his voice.

"Yes, sir."

Han Feng looked at the woodcutter, who appeared to be fifty or sixty. The man still had the strength to chop firewood, so his actual age likely was not much greater than Han Feng's, yet he already looked extremely old.

"There have been rumors lately that there's an evil tiger on the mountain. It eats people. You're just a scholar, and no one is escorting you. You should go back down and take another route."

"An evil tiger? When did this happen?"

The woodcutter glanced toward the mountain with lingering fear.

"It's been some time. Three people from our village were eaten. The neighboring village had it even worse—more than ten lives were lost. Now we only gather firewood in groups, and we don't dare go any higher."

"Thank you for the warning, sir, but it's all right. I'm not afraid."

"Ah, you young people never listen! More than half of those ten-odd people from the neighboring village were just like you. They organized a group to go up and kill the tiger. And what happened? Not a single one came back!"

The old woodcutter lectured Han Feng, so anxious that he stamped his foot.

Han Feng smiled helplessly, then asked again, "Have you tried reporting it to the authorities?"

"Of course we have. The officials said they would handle it, but so much time has passed without a word. I suppose they've simply let the matter fade away."

This place was some distance from Wutan City. The nearest official force was in a place called Qingshan Town.

Troops from the Imperial Capital's government were stationed there.

However, because it was remote and bordered the Monster Beast Mountain Range, there were likely not enough personnel. Most of its manpower took the form of militiamen similar to mercenary groups.

Mercenary groups worked for money and did solve many problems for the nearby commoners, but their weakness was that most of their members were not highly cultivated. When faced with powerful opponents, they were helpless.

"Sir, I must continue on my journey. If I encounter the evil tiger, I'll deal with it for you."

After saying this, Han Feng continued up the mountain.

Seeing that he could not dissuade him, the old woodcutter could only sigh and shake his head.

"Ah, what a fine young man. I hope his luck is better and he doesn't run into that evil tiger."

When Han Feng reached the mountaintop, he did not encounter the so-called evil tiger.

Had the old man not warned him, he might have simply continued on his way.

But now that he knew what the villagers here had suffered, Han Feng could not simply turn a blind eye.

He closed his eyes and spread out his Soul Power to sense the surroundings.

Very soon, he sensed the aura of a magical beast inside a hidden cave.

Dou Qi gathered beneath Han Feng's toes. With a light leap, he landed atop a treetop branch, then crossed several times through the trees. In less than half a minute, he arrived near the concealed cave.

Looking down from above at the massive figure slowly emerging from the cave, Han Feng finally saw what kind of creature it was.

It was a Blood Pattern Fierce Tiger. Judging from its size, it was likely already an adult and possessed at least the strength of a Third-Tier Magical Beast.

Equivalent to a human Da Dou Shi.

No wonder no one had dealt with it for so long. Even for Wutan City, a Third-Tier Magical Beast was not easy to handle, much less for a small Qingshan Town.

Han Feng lightly jumped down from the treetop, revealing himself.

The Blood Pattern Fierce Tiger looked at the human before it, who had not formed Dou Qi Wings, and let out a low growl as a bloody stench spread through the air.

Han Feng frowned.

Blood Pattern Fierce Tigers liked to devour human blood. After reaching adulthood, they could grow to the Fifth Tier, making them magical beasts humans considered must-kill targets.

Therefore, there was no need for him to hold back.

He raised a finger, and the sword descended.

A streak of blue Dou Qi condensed into a sword and instantly pierced through the fierce tiger's forehead.

The Blood Pattern Fierce Tiger's roar had not even left its throat before it froze there. Its tiger eyes bulged wide, and its massive body crashed to the ground.

It seemed unable to understand why this utterly ordinary-looking human before it could kill it in a single strike.

Han Feng reached out with one hand and retrieved the magical core from the tiger's head through the air.

It truly was a Third-Tier Magical Beast, and one at the late Third Tier at that.

Such a magical beast could fight even a human Dou Ling. If it had not encountered Han Feng today, it likely would have advanced into a Fourth-Tier Magical Beast before long. By then, the nearby people would have suffered.

Entering the cave, Han Feng illuminated it with the flame in his hand and found human bones scattered everywhere. The bloody stench was so thick it made him want to vomit.

This was a very typical Blood Pattern Fierce Tiger nest. They liked to turn their surroundings into a blood-soaked enclosed space, leaving only a narrow ventilation opening to preserve the scent of blood to the greatest extent possible.

Han Feng sighed mournfully, ignited the Sea Heart Flame, and burned this filthy place clean.

Generally speaking, the territory of a Blood Pattern Fierce Tiger would produce a rare mineral called Blood Essence Stone.

Because of their exquisite appearance, with distinct blood-red patterns running through their crystal-clear jade-like bodies, they were novel and rare, making them popular among some wealthy people.

Many mercenary groups hunted Blood Pattern Fierce Tigers for this reason.