In this quiet forest.
Tang Yin cautiously led Tang San farther ahead.
Suddenly, as if he had spotted something, Tang Yin's pupils contracted sharply. He lowered his voice and said,
"Take cover!"
The two of them darted away in an instant, hiding behind a massive dead tree that would have taken several people to wrap their arms around. They held their breath.
Through a gap in the dead tree,
Tang Yin's Purple Demon Eye clearly saw a huge beast lazily basking in the sun in a relatively open clearing about three hundred meters away.
It was a giant tiger covered from head to toe in dark golden fur. It was as big as an adult water buffalo, stood over two meters tall at the shoulder, and was nearly three meters long. Its muscles bulged like cast iron, packed with explosive power.
Its fur shimmered with a metallic sheen in the patchy sunlight filtering through the trees.
Most striking of all was the distinct dark golden marking on its forehead, shaped like a crown and radiating a faint aura of pressure.
Every so often, it raised its massive head, baring dagger-like fangs. Its amber vertical pupils opened and narrowed, flashing with brilliance as it looked down on everything around it.
(Vajra Overlord Tiger · Concept Art)
"Big brother, it's a Vajra Overlord Tiger!"
Tang San drew in a sharp breath and spoke in a barely audible voice, shock in his tone.
"A top-tier metal-attribute Soul Beast. Judging by its size and aura, it's definitely over two thousand years old!"
"Its strength and defense are both terrifying. They say its hide is as tough as refined iron, and its claws can tear through rock with ease!"
A glint flashed in Tang Yin's eyes.
Metal attribute?
His first Soul Skill was the Mysterious Jade Divine Thunder Arm, with its lightning attribute.
If he could obtain this Vajra Overlord Tiger's Soul Ring, his Mysterious Jade Arm would gain the metal attribute and a second metal-attribute Soul Skill.
His fists would be even harder, and when he used Bullet Fist, the stronger electrical conductivity from the metal attribute might produce a more powerful magnetic field, greatly increasing Bullet Fist's might!
"More than two thousand years... Its cultivation is a little beyond our initial estimate, but it's not impossible to try."
Tang Yin's mind raced as he analyzed the situation.
"Its defenses are incredibly strong. We have no chance of winning a direct assault."
"We have to outsmart it!"
"Big brother, you mean...?"
Tang San looked at Tang Yin.
"Dig a trap and use a trick."
Tang Yin gave a slight smile, answering succinctly as he surveyed the surrounding terrain.
"Even if this two-thousand-year-old Vajra Overlord Tiger is very powerful,"
"it's not like we don't have anything that can threaten it. Whether it's your Mother-Child Soul-Chasing Life-Taking Orb, Xiao San, or my Fragmentation Grenade, we can hurt it—or even kill it!"
"So we can set a trap, lure it over, and make it fall in. Then we throw the Mother-Child Soul-Chasing Life-Taking Orb and the Fragmentation Grenade at it!"
"In the pit, there'll be little room to move."
"The Mother-Child Soul-Chasing Life-Taking Orb and the Fragmentation Grenade will be able to unleash their full power. They might even kill it!"
"Even if they don't, they'll be enough to seriously wound it."
"Then the two of us can join forces and finish it off!"
"But, big brother, it's a two-thousand-year-old Soul Beast—and a Vajra Overlord Tiger at that. Isn't this still a little dangerous?"
Tang San was still hesitant.
Tang Yin, however, smiled with confidence.
"Don't worry! It'll be fine!"
"My Martial Soul: Mysterious Jade Arm, stacked with my Mysterious Jade Hand, gives me strong defenses. My first Soul Skill, the Mysterious Jade Divine Thunder Arm, carries the power of lightning, which naturally pierces armor when it strikes!"
"Besides, with my Micro-Perception Level Martial Soul: Purple Demon Eye stacked with the Tang Sect's Purple Demon Eye, there's a good chance it won't be able to hurt me."
"Even if it does, aren't I wearing your Mysterious Iron Gold-Thread Inner Armor?"
"As long as one strike doesn't kill me, I have the second Soul Skill from the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor right leg bone Mother left me: Wildfire Never Dies; Spring Breeze Brings It Back. I'll recover in no time!"
In the end, Tang San was persuaded.
The two of them quietly retreated, moving out of the Vajra Overlord Tiger's sight.
Several thousand meters away from the Vajra Overlord Tiger, Tang Yin and Tang San chose a patch of relatively soft ground.
The ground here was thick with fallen leaves, and the soil was loose, making it easy to dig.
No sooner said than done.
The brothers took out the simple iron spades they had made in advance and began digging in shifts.
To avoid making too much noise, they worked quietly, so progress was slow.
It took nearly two hours to dig an irregular pit about six meters deep and five meters across.
Next, they cut down many iron bamboo stalks nearby, each about as thick as a bowl and made of tough wood. They sharpened one end, hardened the points slightly over a fire, then drove them densely into the bottom and sides of the trap, points facing upward.
Then they cut many thinner branches and laid them crisscross over the opening. They covered them with a thick layer of fallen leaves and loose soil, carefully smoothed it out, and scattered some dead twigs and leaves from the area to disguise it.
When they were done, the spot looked almost indistinguishable from the surrounding forest.
"The trap's ready. Now for the bait."
Tang Yin wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Digging a pit and setting a trap took hard work. Even with their physical conditioning, they were exhausted.
Tang San nodded, and the two of them concealed themselves again and searched the area.
Soon, they spotted a small herd of ten-year Green Wood Deer nibbling on tender leaves.
These were gentle, herbivorous Soul Beasts with a wood attribute.
Their flesh was quite appealing to carnivorous Soul Beasts, especially those with a metal attribute.
The life energy in the flesh of wood-attribute Soul Beasts could somewhat temper the sharp, vicious nature of the metal attribute, making it easier to absorb.
Tang Yin and Tang San worked in perfect sync, using hidden weapons to subdue a lone Green Wood Deer without making much noise.
They dragged the still-struggling Green Wood Deer to a spot behind the trap, which happened to be downwind.
Tang Yin cut a deep gash in the deer's hind leg with a dagger. Blood immediately gushed out, and the rich, coppery scent slowly drifted on the wind toward the Vajra Overlord Tiger.
Then the two of them quickly backed away with the Green Wood Deer and tied it to a tree not far behind the trap, making sure it couldn't escape and would keep giving off the scent of blood.
Once everything was in place, the brothers quickly withdrew to a dense treetop about thirty meters diagonally above the trap and hid among the branches and leaves.
They had a good view of the area around the trap, and the spot was relatively safe.
Less than five minutes later,
a deep, commanding tiger's roar rang out in the distance, shaking leaves from the trees.
The Vajra Overlord Tiger had been drawn over by the scent of blood!
It strode toward the source of the scent, steady and powerful, yet unhurried.
Its amber vertical pupils held a hint of caution and scrutiny, but more than anything, they held the arrogance of a top predator.
In its territory, nothing could threaten it.
It spotted the Green Wood Deer tied to the tree, struggling and whimpering, and a bloodthirsty gleam flashed in its eyes.
A delicious prey—and one rich in the wood-attribute life energy that made it feel so good.
It picked up its pace and headed for the Green Wood Deer.
The path it chose led straight across the carefully disguised trap!
Tang Yin and Tang San held their breath, their hearts nearly leaping from their chests.
Tang Yin's Purple Demon Eye fixed on every step the Vajra Overlord Tiger took.
Thirty meters... twenty meters... ten meters...
The Vajra Overlord Tiger's enormous paw stepped onto the disguise covering the trap!
"Crack... crash!"
The fragile branches couldn't bear its weight and snapped at once!
The loose earth and fallen leaves gave way!
"ROAR—!!"
The Vajra Overlord Tiger let out a furious, startled roar. Its massive body suddenly lost its balance and plunged into the trap!
It instinctively tried to twist around and leap out, but it was falling too fast, and the opening was relatively narrow!
"Rumble!"
Dust billowed into the air, accompanied by the dull thud of a heavy body hitting the ground, the teeth-grating squelch of bamboo spears piercing flesh, and the Vajra Overlord Tiger's anguished, enraged roar!
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