Seeking Mercy

Chen Bin struck true and immediately pulled away, charging toward another Tiger Demon.

Tiger Three's attack had failed. Ignoring the wound on his hand, it pursued Chen Bin at once, fury flashing in its eyes.

By then, Chen Bin had already darted to the side of another Tiger Demon.

Without the slightest hesitation, he reversed his grip and swept his blade across the creature's throat.

Blood sprayed, and the Tiger Demon crashed to the ground.

Chen Bin had killed two Tiger Demons in quick succession, completely enraging Tiger Three.

Tiger Three let out a deafening roar. A strange red light glimmered in its eyes as the muscles in its claws and hind legs bulged further, making it look even more vicious and terrifying.

Chen Bin charged at the third Tiger Demon, his Demon Suppression Blade carrying a piercing chill as it slashed down cleanly.

But just then, a tiger claw suddenly swiped at Chen Bin from the side.

The enormous tiger head was sliced clean off by the Demon Suppression Blade, but the claw kept coming, still swiping toward Chen Bin.

Chen Bin reacted instantly, turning his blade around and striking backhanded.

With no force left behind it, the tiger claw was severed in one slash. The vivid red markings on the Demon Suppression Blade shone brighter, lending the weapon an eerie, dangerous air.

That single exchange was all it took for Chen Bin to feel the fierce wind bearing down around him, like an invisible wall rushing toward his face.

With no time to block, Chen Bin rolled across the ground.

Boom!

The tremendous force smashed into the earth, leaving a deep crater alongside the Tiger Demon's corpse.

Before he could get up, Tiger Three's claws were already sweeping toward him with ruthless force.

Chen Bin didn't dare let his guard down. Still unable to rise, he rolled again, using the ground's rebound to launch himself like a streak of black lightning toward another Tiger Demon.

That Tiger Demon didn't dodge. It spread its arms and lunged at Chen Bin like a small mountain.

Fortunately, Chen Bin reacted quickly, ducking and twisting aside at the very last moment.

Otherwise, the Tiger Demon would have had him locked in a crushing embrace.

A flash of light leapt from Chen Bin's blade, and the Tiger Demon's throat was sliced open.

Seven Merit points. Got them.

Chen Bin thought to himself, then immediately turned and pounced on another Tiger Demon.

Dodging Tiger Three's punches, he kept his eyes fixed on the Red Name trails on the map in his mind, targeting only the weaker Tiger Demons.

One, two...

Soon, the heads of all six Tiger Demons lay on the ground, their blood pooling into a dark red lake.

Die!

Tiger Three's fist, heavy with boundless fury, punched through the Tiger Demon corpse in front of it.

Chen Bin had hidden behind the corpse with his blade held across his body, waiting for the opening. The instant Tiger Three's fist pierced through, the blade split it in two.

Aaargh! Tiger Three's anguished howl rang across the mountains.

Chen Bin also took two solid punches from Tiger Three. The two halves of its fist slammed into him, one high and one low.

If Tiger Three hadn't been hurt and pulled back its claws in time, Chen Bin would have been sent flying ten zhang away.

With the Tiger Demon corpse between them, both fighters staggered back three zhang.

As the corpse thudded to the ground, Tiger Three stood there clutching the claw that had been sliced in half. Blood gushed from the wound like a spring.

The pain cut to the bone. Tiger Three bared its fangs and panted heavily, its low growl sounding like a roar from the depths of hell.

Its gaze drifted over the corpses of its companions, its slit pupils glinting crimson.

At last, it fixed its eyes on the young man, Chen Bin, who clutched his chest and trembled faintly. It snarled, "Our South Mountain hasn't suffered a loss like this in a long time. You'll pay for it."

"Don't worry. Our Demon Suppression Division will sweep all of South Mountain clean," Chen Bin shot back without flinching.

Trash talk? He could do that too.

At that moment, his blood roared through his body, and the only sound in his ears was his heart pounding.

He let out a heavy breath, bent his knees slightly, and sprang at Tiger Three like a hunting leopard.

This time, with no other Tiger Demons in the way, Chen Bin had nothing to worry about.

He moved with far greater ease.

Tiger Three's wounded claw only stoked its ferocity, driving it into an even greater frenzy.

Chen Bin knew better than to meet Tiger Three head-on. The instant he drew near, he leapt away, his Demon Suppression Blade sweeping out in the same motion. The blade flashed like a streak of black-and-red lightning, slicing through Tiger Three's fur before he withdrew at once.

In the next instant, Chen Bin appeared like a ghost at Tiger Three's side. The Demon Suppression Blade, its red markings gleaming, brushed lightly across Tiger Three's back and shoulder, leaving a shallow gash.

Then Chen Bin ducked low and swept his blade toward Tiger Three's ankle.

With its ankle cut open, Tiger Three raged and roared wildly along the mountain path.

The markings on the Demon Suppression Blade had a unique wounding effect on demons and evil spirits. The severed flesh couldn't quickly scab over, and the wounds kept bleeding.

As time passed, Tiger Three's wounds multiplied. Blood streamed from them, and its body grew weaker and weaker.

Chen Bin was just the opposite. The longer the battle went on, the more at ease he became. The blade in his hand grew sharper and faster, as if it had become one with him.

In the end, more than a hundred wounds covered Tiger Three's body, with over a dozen cuts deep enough to expose bone.

Chen Bin's breathing was steady, his expression calm. He showed no sign of fatigue.

At first, Tiger Three had thought Chen Bin's cultivation was only at the initial Jade Marrow stage, and that the earlier displays of power were simply him revealing his hidden strength.

But now, it was clear that Chen Bin had reached the pinnacle of Jade Marrow and was on the verge of entering the Qi Gathering realm.

When that realization hit, Tiger Three's head spun.

It had lost too much blood and could barely hold on.

Tiger Three's pupils suddenly contracted. At last, it understood Chen Bin's true strength. With difficulty, it forced out a few words: "You... you've reached the pinnacle of Jade Marrow. You're about to enter Qi Gathering."

"Congratulations, you guessed right." Chen Bin stood some distance away, the moonlight falling on him as the corners of his mouth lifted in a faint smile. "But there's no prize."

As soon as he finished speaking, fear flashed in Tiger Three's eyes. It turned and bolted for the entrance to South Mountain.

It wanted to live.

"Trying to run?" Chen Bin's gaze sharpened. He stepped forward and shot through the air like an arrow loosed from its string.

He caught up with Tiger Three as it ran.

Just as Chen Bin was about to reach Tiger Three in midair, a sudden warning flashed through his mind. The Demon Suppression Blade in his hand swiftly traced a red crescent.

Splurt!

Roar!

A tiger's roar rang through the forest as Chen Bin severed Tiger Three's thick, waist-sized claw, sending it flying.

Tiger Three had turned and charged back in a surprise attack. It had never imagined Chen Bin would be ready for it.

By now, more than a hundred wounds covered Tiger Three's body, especially its limbs.

That slash sent its entire body crashing to the ground. Despair and the will to survive flickered in its eyes as it pleaded desperately, "Spare me."