The Tiger in His Heart, Unleashed to Bite

"Senior Disciple Brother, do you think we can successfully seize the gates of Celestial Master Temple in three days?"

"Yeah, Senior Disciple Brother. Celestial Master Temple is the most spiritually rich place on Wangwu Mountain. If we can take it, it'll greatly benefit our cultivation from here on."

"Exactly! Didn't you all feel it just now? The moment we stood before the gates, the energy was already denser than in most places!"

Mountain winds swept through the forest, carrying snatches of conversation.

The view drew closer. In front of a wooden cabin deep in the forest, smoke curled into the air and the scent of food wafted around. Seven or eight Quanzhen Sect disciples, led by Feng Qi, sat around a campfire, their faces flushed and their spirits high.

A woman nestled in Feng Qi's arms. She was his junior sister.

Though the sect strictly forbade its disciples from romance, few could endure the loneliness. Especially given Feng Qi's standing, many junior sisters eagerly threw themselves at him. How could he resist?

Feng Qi laughed heartily. "Don't worry. In three days, the gates of Celestial Master Temple will belong to us!"

One disciple was curious. At the gathering between the various sects, Feng Qi had been crushed by Xue Ding. He'd certainly improved over the years, but Xue Ding hadn't been idle either. So why was Feng Qi so confident?

"Senior Disciple Brother, did you learn some strange art, or get modified with Wang family technological martial arts? Why are you so confident?"

Before Feng Qi could answer, the junior sister in his arms couldn't resist boasting. "Senior Brother Feng got modified with Wang family technological martial arts. Not only did he master a powerful martial art, he also deepened his understanding of our sect's 'Chongyang Palm.' A little nobody like Xue Ding will be a piece of cake for him~"

The junior disciples exchanged glances, their eyes full of envy.

So far, technological modifications had been extremely expensive. You'd need at least ten million to modify yourself with a fairly powerful martial art.

Feng Qi obviously didn't have that kind of wealth. The Wang family had only agreed to modify him because of his status—the Quanzhen Sect's senior disciple brother and future sect master.

"So that's how it is! Then we must congratulate Senior Brother Feng!"

"We're so lucky to be able to follow Senior Disciple Brother. Hahaha!"

"Exactly! Once we take Celestial Master Temple, Senior Brother Feng, you'll have to find us a nice place to live with abundant energy!"

"Do you even need to say that? How could Senior Disciple Brother not look after us~"

"What's a mere Celestial Master Temple? Senior Disciple Brother is sure to become one of the foremost young talents in China. Follow him, and we'll rise with him and make something of ourselves!"

Feng Qi didn't care how sincere their flattery was. He simply enjoyed the feeling.

Once he got excited, the words came easily.

"Haha, speaking of which, do you know why I'm certain I can beat Xue Ding?"

Everyone perked up, curiosity written all over their faces.

"I have a close friend who's a core disciple of Celestial Master Temple and has a great relationship with Xue Ding. He told me that Xue Ding's cultivation went wrong a few years ago. A demonic thought took root in his heart, and the moment he drew his sword to fight, he'd lose control of his mind and be consumed by it."

"That's why he hasn't dared to draw his sword in years. He's afraid that if he fights, his nature will change, ruining his reputation for false benevolence and righteousness—and Celestial Master Temple's reputation too. Haha!"

Everyone was astonished. They'd never expected such a reason. No wonder Feng Qi had provoked Xue Ding so relentlessly at the gates earlier. He'd wanted to force him into a fight, ruin his reputation, and strike at his heart.

"Xue Ding, Xue Ding. So this is where you've ended up. You were so arrogant at the gathering, crushing me in just a few moves and making me lose face. But what are you to me now? Hahaha!"

Whoosh—

The flames over the campfire suddenly flickered wildly. A bone-deep chill swept through them.

Killing intent!

Feng Qi snapped to attention and sprang to his feet.

The other disciples rose almost at the same time, looking around, thinking they'd encountered some kind of Molting Beast.

"Feng Qi, Feng Qi. I never knew you were so petty. At the gathering, I spared you because our families both belonged to Wangwu Mountain. I could've beaten you in one move, but I deliberately dragged it out for a few rounds."

"You didn't have to be grateful, but you could've let it go. Instead, you held on to it and let resentment fester. Ridiculous."

Xue Ding?

Seeing Xue Ding step out of the darkness, Feng Qi's slight nervousness immediately faded.

"I was wondering what it was. Turns out it's you, Xue Ding. What brings you here in the middle of the night?"

"To kill you." Xue Ding's voice held excitement he was trying hard to suppress.

"Kill me? Fine. Draw your sword, then. Let's see if you can put it away again once it's out."

Feng Qi grinned. It didn't matter whether Xue Ding really dared to draw his sword. Even if he did, so what? Feng Qi had undergone a technological martial arts modification, gaining decades' worth of martial arts mastery for free. Why would he fear him?

"Draw my sword? No. I won't be using a sword tonight."

Not using a sword?

Feng Qi suddenly noticed a black longsword hanging behind Xue Ding's waist, concealed behind the Celestial Master Sword.

"You know how to use a blade too?"

A fierce gale rushed toward Feng Qi, its blade-song howling like a ghost!

Feng Qi was stunned.

The true energy raging through the wind like willow fluff wasn't Celestial Master Temple's righteous energy. It was threads of blood-red energy, as if from the depths of hell. They swayed in the gale like twisted ghost faces, hideous and terrifying!

This was bad!

The moment Feng Qi sensed Xue Ding's aura, he panicked completely.

The gale rushing toward him was so fast it made his heart tremble. In an instant, the ghost faces had crossed to within ten feet of him!

At the brink of life and death, Feng Qi tossed the junior sister in his arms away without hesitation. He retreated several steps, circulated his Chongyang true energy, and sent a mental command to activate his core. His arms grew scorching hot, turning faintly red as the air around them warped from the heat!

Technological martial art—Three Thousand Molten Gold Hands!

"Xue Ding! Things are different now. Do you still think I, Feng—"

He cut off mid-sentence!

Amid the gale, flecked with sparks, a figure with a fiendish grin had appeared right in front of him without warning!

Splurt!

The blade, moving at incredible speed, pierced Feng Qi's body!

The gale swept away and dissipated. Xue Ding stood behind Feng Qi, grinning wickedly as he covered his face and let the blood slide from his blade, staining the ground.

"Heh, heh..." Xue Ding's shoulders shook as a suppressed chuckle escaped him. A moment later, his laughter grew louder. "Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahaha! Senior Yuan, Senior Yuan... You were so right! This feeling... is amazing!"

Still laughing, Xue Ding whipped around, his gaze ferocious. The beast he'd kept repressed deep inside had finally broken free!

As Feng Qi stared blankly at the slash across his chest, too late to defend himself, the cold blade struck again. In the blink of an eye, dozens of blows tore him apart, his remains scattered across the ground!

"Hahaha! Hahaha! Feng Qi, you're still just as pathetic! Hahaha!"

His laughter made the surrounding silence feel even more oppressive.

The Quanzhen Sect disciples nearby looked at Feng Qi's dismembered body and his junior sister, already dead. Their hearts sank.

One of them hurriedly spoke up. "Senior Brother Xue, this has nothing to do with us!"

"Senior Brother Xue, we..."

Splurt!

Splurt!

The blade flashed again. The demonic thought became a fiend, shrouding the forest.

Before long, the mountain wind blew once more. The flames flickered gently, and corpse after corpse lay strewn across the ground. Not one of them survived.

The sky had yet to brighten.

At Celestial Master Temple, on the cliffside lookout.

Zhou Shanling, a true disciple, followed the only path up the cliff and reached the summit.

Beneath a twisted old pine, its branches coiling like a dragon, Xue Ding stood with his back turned.

"Senior Disciple Brother, why did you call me here so early? Is something the matter?"

Xue Ding didn't turn around. He gazed at the sea of clouds in the distance and the rising sun.

Only when Zhou Shanling came to stand beside him and turned to look did Xue Ding speak.

"Shanling, how has Celestial Master Temple treated you?"

"Very well. Master treats me like his own flesh and blood, and you've always treated me like a younger brother and looked after me." Zhou Shanling answered honestly, his tone objective.

Xue Ding drew a deep breath and turned to face him. A ray of sunlight fell across his face, his expression gentle and kind.

"Is that so? Then why did you tell Feng Qi my secret? If I hadn't met Senior Yuan, I might not have survived this ordeal."

Zhou Shanling's expression changed. "Senior Disciple Brother, what are you talking about? I don't understand!"

Xue Ding said nothing. He gently rested his right hand on the hilt of the Celestial Master Sword planted beside him. "Draw your sword. Your senior brother will see whether you've been diligent in your training lately."

"Senior Disciple Brother, what are you doing? We're brothers!"

"Draw your sword," Xue Ding repeated, his voice utterly flat.

How could Zhou Shanling dare draw his sword? He knew that Xue Ding had discovered he'd revealed his secret to Feng Qi.

As the senior disciple brother of Celestial Master Temple, Xue Ding's cultivation was far beyond that of his junior disciples.

He'd been too afraid of his demonic thought to draw his sword?

Zhou Shanling realized all too clearly that the Xue Ding standing before him was no longer the same Xue Ding as yesterday. He'd broken through his shackles and dared to draw his sword!

That only made him even less willing to draw his own.

His senior brother had always been gentle, benevolent, and upright. As long as Zhou Shanling didn't draw his sword, he'd never attack someone who refused to fight back!

Certain of this, Zhou Shanling kept shaking his head, insisting that they were as close as brothers and that he'd never attack. He played the friendship card relentlessly.

"Last chance. Draw your sword."

"Senior Disciple Brother! Even if you kill me, I'll never draw my sword against you. There must be some misunderstanding between us..."

The Celestial Master Sword suddenly slid from its sheath with a clear, ringing note.

Zhou Shanling's pupils contracted. In disbelief, he reached up to touch the bloodstain on his neck.

"Senior Disciple Brother, you—you..."

"Go in peace. Celestial Master Temple will be better off without you."