Silver Bell Guard

He was only comparable to the mid stage of internal force. Drinking its blood would do nothing to improve his cultivation.

As for tiger whip?

He was only sixteen, full of youthful vigor. He had no need for it.

The white tiger seemed unwilling to be ridden and struggled several times.

But each time, it was ruthlessly suppressed.

In the end, it let out a mournful, indignant whimper and gave up completely, allowing Zhao Hong to knead it as he pleased.

He had to admit, stroking a tiger felt pretty nice.

After petting it for a while, Zhao Hong grew a little tired of it.

As he examined the enormous white tiger, his eyes suddenly lit up.

"Just what I needed to replace my legs."

"With strength comparable to the mid stage of internal force, it can't be slow."

He patted the tiger's head and met its indignant yet fearful gaze.

"Walk forward."

After some instruction from Zhao Hong, he rode the white tiger.

The tiger gradually understood what he wanted. At first, it had been reluctant.

But after suffering a few times, it became completely obedient.

A tiger under the eaves had no choice but to bow its head.

Riding the white tiger, he sped through the wilderness.

There was no need to mention how imposing it looked. More importantly, it saved effort. It was faster than a horse, and the steep, undulating mountain terrain did nothing to hinder its speed.

Zhao Hong was very satisfied.

From time to time, he stopped along the way to hunt prey for the white tiger and replenish its strength.

Three days later.

Zhao Hong began seeing mountain paths marked by human activity.

His spirits immediately rose.

Over the past few days, he had covered roughly two hundred li.

Though he had traveled around the edge, it should be about right.

Looking up, he saw towering, vast mountains rising amid the endless wilderness deep within the range.

Such scenery could never be seen from the wild mountains near Clear Creek Village.

"Go."

Zhao Hong patted the white tiger's head.

Awooo~~

The white tiger gave a low roar and darted forward.

Not long after.

Zhao Hong suddenly frowned.

"There's a smell of blood."

He immediately pressed the back of the tiger's head. The tiger obediently stopped, gently swaying its head as its tiger eyes scanned the surroundings.

Zhao Hong warily looked in a certain direction.

The scent of blood came from there.

And it was fresh.

Swish, swish, swish!!

Three figures leaped up from below.

Roar!

The white tiger instantly roared.

Zhao Hong's expression changed slightly. Without hesitation, he leaped up, hoisted the white tiger over his shoulder, and raced backward.

"Hm?"

With a soft murmur, one of them shot out like lightning. He leaped incredibly high, crossing over the treetops with unbelievable speed.

Swish!

Zhao Hong stopped short, his entire body tense as he stared at the man before him as though facing a great enemy.

What speed.

He was definitely at blood aura.

The invisible aura radiating from the other man felt extremely familiar to him.

He had felt the same thing from Lu Hong. The two were almost identical.

Early-stage blood aura.

Zhao Hong slowly set down the white tiger, then glanced sideways at the other two approaching from behind.

These two only felt like internal force practitioners.

It's not like I can't fight.

He's only at blood aura.

"What a handsome big white bug."

The martial artist who seemed to be at blood aura looked at the white tiger. At his words, the tiger's fur stood on end, and it could not help pressing close to Zhao Hong. Zhao Hong could feel Big White's body trembling.

He stroked Big White's back with one hand and cautiously watched the man. "Sir, I'm merely passing through."

"Where did you come from, kid?"

The lead martial artist looked him over, rather surprised that someone as young as Zhao Hong could tame such a huge white tiger.

"Sir, I came from Clear Creek Village in the south. I'm looking for the Judge's Office."

"Hm? The Judge's Office?"

The three exchanged glances, their expressions turning strange and amused.

"What a coincidence."

"You want to join the Judge's Office? What's your cultivation?" The lead martial artist smiled without smiling.

"I've just entered the internal force realm."

"Tsk, that's a little weak."

"With that strength, even the lowest-ranking Bronze Bell Guards need to be at the late stage of internal force."

Bronze Bell Guards?

Late-stage internal force?

Zhao Hong looked astonished. "Sir, are you from the Judge's Office?"

Clang, clang~~

The lead martial artist flicked up his sleeve, revealing a silver bell in his hand that rang with a crisp, pleasant sound.

A Silver Bell!

Bronze bells, silver bells—there was surely a gold bell above them.

"Where is Clear Creek Village?"

"Near Stone Valley County."

"Stone Valley? That's quite far. You dared to venture into the Azure Cloud Mountains alone. You've got some nerve."

The Azure Cloud Mountains?

Zhao Hong fell thoughtful. This should be the name outsiders used for the main range of the Great Green Mountains.

"Did you encounter anything on the way?"

Seeing the casual way the man asked, Zhao Hong hesitated before saying, "I met a man wearing wolfskin..."

"A demon from the Skinning Cult."

All three of their expressions changed at once.

"Only at the mid stage of internal force? It really is the Skinning Cult's style. Whenever they come across some unlucky soul, they create chaos without restraint. You're only at the early stage of internal force, yet you managed to kill a Skinning Cult demon at the mid stage. Interesting." The lead young man gave Zhao Hong a long look.

Zhao Hong remained wary and did not tell them the wolfskin man's true strength, leaving himself a backup.

His heart tightened. "Sir, just what is this Skinning Cult? It's far too sinister."

"A bunch of lunatics. Everyone has the right to kill them."

"You're lucky, kid. I've lost several men under my command. If you're willing, follow me for now and serve as a runner."

After saying that, the young man put away the silver bell and walked past him.

Only after they had passed did Zhao Hong's vigilance ease somewhat, and he quietly let out a breath.

These three were covered in baleful air.

But the Judge's Office was filled with elites. Even Zhao Yang's strength was unremarkable within it. Having endured countless battles, it would be stranger if they lacked baleful air.

If they were evil men, then with his apparent cultivation of merely the early stage of internal force—

He would have no power to resist before the three of them.

He could not help looking at the white tiger beside him and patting it. "Go on."

Roar!

The white tiger gave a low roar, rubbing against Zhao Hong rather reluctantly. After being ridden for several days, it had unexpectedly grown attached to him.

Zhao Hong could not help laughing and waved it away.

The white tiger shot off, vanishing into the wilderness forest after only a few blinks.

He withdrew his gaze and followed the three beneath their watchful eyes.

After crossing a slope, he saw a corpse lying on the ground. It had only died moments ago.

One of them casually picked up the corpse and continued onward.

Several dozen breaths later, after passing through a dense thicket, the view suddenly opened up ahead into a valley.

A lone small tree stood in one corner. Beside it lay a pile of bones and corpses, their flesh shriveled and their deaths miserable.

Zhao Hong's eyes locked onto the locust tree at once. His eyelids twitched violently as a powerful sense of danger surged through him.

A human skin hung vividly from a branch, spread flat and open. Its edges curled slightly backward, while its surface was smooth and rounded. The skin even gave him the illusion of tender softness.

Just one glance.

Sent a chill down Zhao Hong's spine.

Why did that skin look alive? It was eerie and horrifying.

"The Divine Skin Holy Church."

"The Skinning Cult."

"You..."

He stared fixedly at the three men.

The three slowly turned around.

A strange smile appeared on the lead young man's face.

The other two watched Zhao Hong's reaction, their faces full of the delight of a cruel prank successfully played.

"Surprised? Didn't expect that, did you?"

"You're young, yet you dared to enter the Azure Cloud Main Range alone. You've got guts, brat. But what a pity. I'm afraid you're fated to miss the Judge's Office."

"I understood with one look from Third Brother. Staying in these mountains without even a woman around, we have to find some amusement. Look at this kid's reaction—hahahaha!"

"You don't know shit."

The young man called Third Brother laughed and cursed. "That white tiger was roughly at the mid stage of internal force, yet it was completely obedient before him. And the wolfskin man this kid mentioned was probably real as well. With strength like that, on top of being so young, he'll make an excellent skin."

Of course, there was also a little cruel amusement involved.