White Tiger Becomes Spirit, Lu Li Fights Tiger

"Your... your excellency is..." Lu Li clasped his hands behind his back, tightly gripping his medicine basket, his expression one of panic, as if afraid the precious medicine would be snatched away.

The black-robed man before him let out a cold laugh. Without further ado, he threw a punch at Lu Li.

The fist carried a gust of wind, the power of the Skin-Refining realm evident.

Suddenly, Lu Li's hands shot out. With a flick of his sleeves, streams of white mist drifted out, instantly dispersing in the air.

The black-robed man was also a seasoned fighter. The moment he saw Lu Li extend his hands, he understood what Lu Li intended to do and immediately closed his eyes and held his breath.

"Kid, I've killed more people than you've eaten rice."

"With such meager tricks, you think you can deal with me? Delusional!"

"You country bumpkin, you're smarter than the other herb gatherers, at least you know how to use a few tricks."

The black-robed man sneered repeatedly, utterly disdainful of Lu Li.

His footwork didn't slow. Eyes closed, the wind of his fist tore through the layers of chalk-white mist, aiming straight for Lu Li's face.

Seeing him close his eyes, Lu Li's killing intent surged. He channeled his qi to his dantian, his blood and qi instantly surging, his spine dragon seeming to come alive.

As Lu Li poured his strength into his fists, the spine dragon instantly unfurled, as if about to take flight.

This punch contained immense power, unleashing rolling thunderclouds that deafened the ears, even overpowering the sound of the wind and snow.

The black-robed man was immersed in the joy of crushing Lu Li with a single punch.

Suddenly, he heard a great gust of wind, causing his hair to fly and his face to sting as if pricked by needles. He couldn't help but feel confused.

What was that noise?

The next moment, he suddenly heard a crack.

Immediately after, his arm throbbed with pain.

His entire body lost control, and with a howl, he was sent flying backward, trailing a long sound in mid-air, crashing heavily into a large tree.

The immense force created a human-shaped indentation in the tree trunk.

He abruptly opened his eyes and shakily got to his feet.

Looking at the fist he had thrown, the tiger's mouth was torn, his knuckles were completely shattered, a bloody mess.

Not only that, but the flesh of his arm was ripped open, revealing bone, like a broken bamboo stalk.

He tried to control his arm, but felt a piercing pain, unable to lift it at all.

With just one punch, his arm was crippled!

This was with Lu Li holding back.

If Lu Li hadn't heard that other herb gatherers seemed to have also ascended the mountain and encountered him, and if he hadn't intended to keep him alive for interrogation.

He would have killed him with a single move!

Having landed a blow, Lu Li didn't pause, immediately attacking again.

The black-robed man's face turned ashen. He quickly dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding Lu Li's attacking fist.

Lu Li's punch struck the large tree behind him.

Instantly, the tree shook violently, nearly breaking, sending snow flying and creating a tremendous noise.

The black-robed man felt fortunate. Seizing the moment when Lu Li's previous strength had waned and new strength had yet to arise, he quickly launched his own attack.

He practiced the Flying Swallow Fist, his punches emphasizing speed, as swift as lightning.

But when they landed on Lu Li, it was like hitting a steel plate.

He again heard the sound of something breaking, and another wave of pain washed over him, as if his knuckles had shattered again.

"How is your body so tough?"

"How is this possible?"

The black-robed man, still shaken, looked at Lu Li's impossibly young face and felt immense disbelief that he possessed such martial prowess.

Lu Li's eyes were cold, like ice, sweeping over the black-robed man.

Instantly, the black-robed man's hair stood on end. He felt as if the surrounding world had frozen.

Even his body felt immobilized, as if frozen solid, unable to move.

Before him, only Lu Li's fist, rapidly enlarging, remained.

"Ah..." The black-robed man was sent flying again, crashing to the ground. His face was caved in, his nose broken, a pathetic sight.

He struggled to open his eyes and watched Lu Li stride towards him, his fist still carrying force. Terror gripped his heart.

If he took another punch, he would surely die!

"Young hero, please spare me! I know a place filled with great herbs!" His pupils trembled violently as he pleaded hoarsely.

Lu Li's fist stirred his hair, stopping just an inch from his cheek.

"Speak," Lu Li uttered coldly, devoid of any emotion.

The man in the black robe shuddered, hurriedly spitting out a few cryptic words that Lu Li could barely understand.

Just as Lu Li frowned, about to press him for an explanation, the earth suddenly trembled. A massive commotion erupted in the distance, as if some gargantuan beast were smashing through every obstacle in its path.

Within a single breath, a three-zhang-tall White Tiger leaped into view.

Blood stained the corners of the White Tiger's mouth, dripping onto the ground. Its maw was a crimson mess, still clinging to scraps of flesh.

It exhaled plumes of white mist, baring its fangs and claws with murderous intent. Its red eyes locked onto Lu Li, filled with pure, unadulterated brutality.

The man in the black robe laughed wildly, scrambling away to put distance between himself and Lu Li.

"Brat, you dared to humiliate me? I'll have you dead!"

"Though this White Tiger is under my control and its strength is greatly diminished, it still possesses the power of the Flesh-Refining Realm. If you were merely a commoner, you'd be nothing more than fodder."

"Kid, you're finished!"

He muttered a few more words, and the White Tiger let out a deafening roar, lunging toward Lu Li to slaughter him.

A streak of white light flashed as the White Tiger swung a forelimb as thick as a barrel toward Lu Li.

Its claws, sharp as arrows and glinting with a cold light, raked toward him.

Lu Li's pupils constricted. Sensing the power behind the blow, he dared not be careless and hurriedly dodged aside.

Bang.

The tiger's claws slammed into the ground, carving out five deep furrows.

An ordinary tiger couldn't grow this large. Is this a demon? Lu Li felt a chill, watching the White Tiger with heightened vigilance.

I've heard that demons are cruel and tyrannical, but seeing it in person, it truly is extraordinary.

However, the fact that someone can control a demon is truly unexpected. I must interrogate him later and learn the method to control these creatures, Lu Li thought to himself.

Missing its mark, the White Tiger roared angrily at the sky and charged at Lu Li once more.

Lu Li let out a cold snort, snapped off a tree about ten meters long, and swung it at the White Tiger like a club.

The tree was about three zhang long and four or five inches thick, weighing at least fifteen hundred catties, yet he swung it with such ease that it whistled through the air.

The White Tiger yelped in pain, its head spinning and its footing unsteady.

Lu Li channeled his blood energy, bracing his entire body. Veins bulged on his arms and forehead, and his muscles rose like undulating mountain ranges.

With a fierce shout, he smashed the tree down onto the White Tiger with all his might.

The White Tiger, still reeling from the previous blow, felt the world spinning.

Even if a demon has thick skin and flesh, it isn't made of iron, and it couldn't recover in such a short time.

It was struck squarely by Lu Li's full-force blow.

A dull thud echoed as the tree in Lu Li's hands shattered, wood chips flying everywhere.

The White Tiger's head was bloodied, and it wailed in agony. Lu Li clearly saw the crimson hue in its eyes begin to fade.

It seemed that after this beating, even its eyes had become slightly clearer.

Lu Li leaped up, landing on the White Tiger's head. His fists rained down like a storm, striking the beast's wounds relentlessly, causing it to howl in pain.

The White Tiger tried to shake Lu Li off, but he gripped its fur tightly, his hands like iron pincers, holding on with absolute stability.

Not only did it fail to throw him off, but its skin tore further, exposing the flesh beneath.

Seeing that it couldn't break free, it bent its forelimbs and actually collapsed to the ground. It pressed its paws together, held them high, and let out a whimpering sound, as if begging for mercy.

Lu Li paused, taking a deep look at the White Tiger beneath him.

Coincidentally, the White Tiger looked up at him as well.

Their eyes met.

Lu Li discovered that the red in the White Tiger's eyes had vanished, replaced by a pair of clear, pool-like orbs.

Tears welled up in the corners of its eyes, making it look like a giant, aggrieved cat.

Lu Li could see that when it realized he wasn't attacking, it let out a sigh of relief that was almost human.

"It's gained sentience?"

What happened next amazed Lu Li even more: the White Tiger pointed its claw forward, its expression pleading, as if asking him to follow it.

"It really has gained sentience!" Lu Li was deeply astonished, clicking his tongue in wonder.