Tiger Roars at Black Mountain

# Chapter 6: Tiger's Roar, Black Mountain

The Fierce Tiger Gang's leader, "Mountain-Splitting Tiger" Zhao Kuang, personally blocked the gate!

The news spread through Black Mountain City like a plague, emptying the streets as countless commoners and factions gathered at a distance to watch and whisper, the air thick with the oppressive weight of a coming storm.

Before the County Government's main gate, a dark mass of over a hundred elite Fierce Tiger Gang members stood, their temples bulging, eyes fierce, brandishing gleaming weapons as Sha Qi rolled off them in waves, sealing off the yamen completely. At their head stood a man nine feet tall, with a leopard's head and round eyes, a full beard, and an open tiger-skin vest revealing a scarred, muscular chest. In his hands he carried a door-plank-thick Nine-Ring Ghost Head Blade. Just standing there, he exuded a suffocating, murderous aura!

This was the Fierce Tiger Gang's leader, Zhao Kuang! His aura far surpassed Lei Bao's, clearly placing him at the Bone Refining Realm's early stage—perhaps even half a step into the mid-stage threshold!

Prefect Wang's face lost all color as he hid behind the yamen runners, his legs trembling so badly he nearly collapsed. Zhao Hu and the other constables also paled, their hands on their sword hilts shaking. The pressure of a Bone Refining Realm expert was not something Skin Refining or Body Refining martial artists could withstand.

Zhao Kuang's bell-like eyes locked onto Li Yifan, killing intent nearly solidifying: "So you're Li Yifan? Young as you are, your methods are vicious! Today, you die without a doubt!"

"Die without a doubt?" Li Yifan's lips curled into a faint sneer. "Lei Bao led men to attack government officers, caught red-handed. Under the Great Xia Law, summary execution is justified! This constable acted according to law—what crime have I committed? Your Fierce Tiger Gang gathers a mob to blockade a government office and threaten imperial officials—that is the true capital offense!"

"Law? Hahaha!" Zhao Kuang laughed, his voice dripping with contempt. "In this Black Mountain City, my word is the law! Wang the Skinflint, don't you agree?" His gaze swept toward the trembling Prefect Wang.

Prefect Wang shuddered and didn't dare let out a single fart.

Li Yifan sneered inwardly, knowing today's matter could not end peacefully—only strength would decide the outcome. He slowly drew his waist saber, the blade glinting coldly in the sunlight: "Then let our blades do the talking. Let this constable see if you, 'Mountain-Splitting Tiger,' live up to your name."

"You seek death!" Zhao Kuang was enraged by Li Yifan's composure. He roared, his joints cracking like popping firecrackers as wild aura exploded outward like a storm! The technique he cultivated was the Fierce Tiger Gang's signature Yellow Grade Upper Mad Tiger Force, which he had trained to minor mastery. Paired with his Bone Refining early-stage cultivation, his strength was unmatched in its ferocity!

"Ground-Splitting Slash!"

He stepped forward, shattering the blue bricks beneath his feet, and gripped his Ghost Head Blade with both hands, bringing it down at Li Yifan's head with a mountain-splitting, rock-crushing terror! This strike carried the maddened force of Mad Tiger Force, its blade wind so fierce it tore the air apart!

Nearly a full major realm separated them, but Li Yifan's Basic Breathing Technique and Five Tiger Severing Gate Saber had both reached Grandmastery. Though Basic Breathing Technique was low-grade, the inner force prototype and body control from Grandmastery partially compensated for the foundation gap. In overall strength, Li Yifan was slightly disadvantaged, but he could still fight.

Facing this earth-shattering strike, Li Yifan's pupils contracted as he instantly judged that meeting force with force was impossible! His Grandmastery Basic Breathing Technique spun wildly, the faint true qi prototype merging with his blood and qi to grant him extraordinary agility and perception. His footwork shifted mysteriously, his body sliding sideways like a ghost, while his waist saber traced a precise arc, pressing against the Ghost Head Blade's spine and using subtle force to deflect it outward!

Screech! A harsh grinding sound rang out as sparks flew!

Zhao Kuang's sure-kill strike was pulled off course, scraping past Li Yifan's body and carving a deep trench into the empty ground!

"Slippery little bastard!" Zhao Kuang roared, his blade technique surging like a storm! Driven by Mad Tiger Force, each strike was heavy and fierce, forcing Li Yifan to constantly dodge and weave.

Failing to land a hit for so long, Zhao Kuang grew increasingly agitated: "Raging Tiger Overturning the River!" He unleashed his killing move, blade light rolling like monstrous waves, sealing off Li Yifan's retreat and forcing a direct clash!

At that moment, Li Yifan realized that while this move was ferocious, when Mad Tiger Force reached its peak, there was a momentary stagnation of qi at Zhao Kuang's Shanzhong Acupoint—a subtle flaw from insufficient technique grade and control.

Now! Light exploded from Li Yifan's eyes! He no longer evaded, instead pouring all his strength and that thread of true qi into his waist saber! The ultimate essence of Grandmastery Five Tiger Severing Gate Saber erupted! His body dropped low like a crouching tiger coiling its power, and he thrust his blade against the incoming light—supremely fast, supremely precise, supremely vicious! Straight at that fleeting flaw!

Thunk!

The blade light scattered!

Li Yifan's waist saber had pierced precisely through the gap in the blade technique, driving into Zhao Kuang's throat!

Zhao Kuang's Ghost Head Blade stopped three inches above Li Yifan's head.

The fury and ferocity on Zhao Kuang's face froze, replaced by boundless shock, terror, and disbelief. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but only bloody froth gushed from his throat and lips.

"Ah... ah..." His massive body swayed, then toppled like a collapsing mountain, crashing to the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.

Bone Refining Realm early stage, Fierce Tiger Gang leader Zhao Kuang—dead!

Silence!

Dead silence!

Even more silent than when Lei Bao had died!

Everyone was petrified, staring blankly at the young constable standing with his saber, a single blood spot at his throat but otherwise unharmed.

He won? Constable Li won? He killed "Mountain-Splitting Tiger" Zhao Kuang?

How was this possible?! He was only at Body Refining!

After a brief stillness came a thunderous uproar!

"Heavens! Constable Li killed Zhao Kuang!"

"Incredible! Absolutely incredible!"

"Black Mountain City is about to change!"

Commoners gasped, praised, and couldn't believe their eyes. As for the Fierce Tiger Gang members, it was as if their spines had been ripped out. Staring at their leader's corpse on the ground, their faces were full of terror and confusion, unsure what to do.

"The leader... the leader is dead!"

"Run!"

Someone shouted, and the hundred-plus elite Fierce Tiger Gang members cried out as one, abandoning their weapons and armor, fleeing for their lives, scattering like birds and beasts! When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter!

Li Yifan slowly sheathed his saber, his chest rising and falling slightly. That last strike had drained much of his mental and physical energy. But he stood straight, his gaze sweeping over the fleeing gang members without ordering pursuit. The chief culprit was dead; the remaining rabble were no threat.

He turned to look at the utterly terrified Prefect Wang and the yamen runners, speaking calmly: "Your Excellency, the bandit leader has been executed. Please issue orders to seal the Fierce Tiger Gang's assets and reassure the people."

Prefect Wang jolted back to his senses, looking at Li Yifan with eyes full of awe—even a trace of fear—and stammered: "Yes! Yes! Everything as Constable Li says! No, as Chief Constable Li says!"

After this battle, Li Yifan's prestige in Black Mountain City reached its peak! His name spread through the city like a whirlwind, even expanding to surrounding towns. The title "Scourge" Constable spread like wildfire.

That night, the scent of medicine once again filled Li Yifan's small courtyard. He used the second Blood Ginseng without hesitation.

This time, the medicinal force surged even more violently, but his Body Refining late-stage body could withstand it better. Guided by his Grandmastery Basic Breathing Technique, the medicinal power was fully absorbed. His muscle fibers seemed forged and tempered countless times, becoming tougher, his strength surging like a tide.

[Second Blood Ginseng used. Realm advanced to: Body Tempering · Body Refining (Peak!)]

[Blood and qi as heavy as mercury, vitality abundant, beginning to sense the bones—preparing for the Bone Refining Realm.]

Body Refining complete! Only a single step away from the Bone Refining Realm!

Li Yifan felt the surging power within his body. He was confident that if he faced Zhao Kuang again now, even without relying on tricks, he could defeat him head-on.

Yet just as he was consolidating his cultivation, Zhao Hu came sneaking in to request an audience, bringing an unexpected piece of news.

"Master Li," Zhao Hu said, his attitude so respectful it bordered on fawning, "I've just learned that the Green Robe Gang's leader, Liu Qing, heard you killed Zhao Kuang and was scared out of his wits. He's packed his valuables and plans to flee Black Mountain City tonight! He even sent someone to pass word to me, offering to present half the wealth his gang has accumulated to you, Master Li, begging only that you spare his life."

Li Yifan's eyes flickered with understanding. This was the intimidation that came with strength! Without lifting a finger, he had already made the other major power in Black Mountain City tremble in fear, offering tribute and begging for mercy.

Black Mountain City—the starting point of his journey through time—was now thoroughly crushed beneath his heel. But his gaze had already turned to a farther horizon—Qingzhou Prefecture City. There lay a broader world, stronger opponents, and... the path to the pinnacle of martial arts.

Still, before leaving, he needed to sort out the interests in Black Mountain City properly.

(This novel's realm divisions: Body Tempering (Skin Refining, Body Refining, Bone Refining, Tendon Refining, Blood Refining), Meridian Opening, Innate, True Essence, Sea of Consciousness, Dharma Form, Supernatural Power, Void Breaking, Martial God. From Meridian Opening onward, each realm is divided into Early, Mid, Late, and Peak stages.)