You've Got Spirit. I Like That

Xia Yu surged forward without a wasted word and unleashed a punch with all his strength.

Ancestral Dragon Fist, Boundless!

Boom!

A thunderous crash rang out. Dust billowed, and shattered stones flew.

Xia Yu was hurled more than a dozen yards away, landing with a thud that kicked up a cloud of dust.

Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Xia Yu staggered to his feet.

Two wounds on his forearm streamed blood, exposing the stark white bone beneath.

A high-level demonic beast comparable to a Spirit Origin Realm cultivator was simply too powerful for him as he was now.

A single exchange had left him badly injured.

The origin energy in his small world surged at full strength, healing his injuries.

The Jade-Eyed Striped Black Tiger had retreated only a small step.

It stared at Xia Yu and let out a low growl.

Its forepaws scratched lightly at the ground as it searched for the best moment to strike.

After Xia Yu's punch, it had realized that the human before it was no ordinary opponent. An inexplicable instinct warned it of danger.

Xia Yu grinned and said in a low voice, "That hurts! But this is the kind of battle that makes your blood boil! Again!"

With a sudden lunge, Xia Yu charged straight at it.

Boom!

Another thunderous crash rang out, and Xia Yu was hurled away once more.

Pfft!

While still in midair, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Xia Yu rolled to his feet and stumbled, yet the smile on his face only grew wider.

"Again!"

With a furious roar, Xia Yu charged once more.

Ancestral Dragon Fist, Boundless!

He poured in every ounce of strength!

Boom!

Xia Yu was sent flying again.

Boom!

And again...

After more than a dozen exchanges, Xia Yu shakily climbed to his feet and grinned, blood dripping from his mouth.

Three wounds had opened across his chest, deep enough to expose bone, their flesh torn outward.

Yet the light in Xia Yu's eyes only grew brighter.

Had the young people of Huai City's Li, Gong, and Zhang families been there, they would have been utterly shocked.

They all knew that the worse Xia Yu was injured, the wider he smiled, and the wider he smiled, the more savage he became.

And the more savage he became, the harder he fought and the stronger he grew in battle.

That feeling could send a chill down anyone's spine!

Even long after fighting him, the memory alone could leave you trembling with fear!

"Found it!"

Xia Yu murmured to himself, his voice seemingly audible only to him.

The next moment, he suddenly threw back his head and roared.

"Kill!"

His battle cry shook the heavens!

Xia Yu charged straight ahead. With every step, dust flew from the ground, leaving a deep footprint behind.

And with every step, the aura around him grew stronger.

Suddenly, that mighty aura seemed to trigger a change, and an overwhelmingly powerful presence soared skyward from his body.

An illusory figure appeared in midair, dozens of yards tall, its muscular body seemingly cast from gold. Long hair draped over its shoulders, and it wore nothing but a pair of beast-hide shorts.

He gazed up into the void and unleashed a soundless roar.

The next moment, he plunged downward and rushed into Xia Yu's body.

At that instant, Xia Yu threw his punch.

Ancestral Dragon Fist, Boundless!

He unleashed everything, holding nothing back!

Either he would die, or the tiger would!

In the Treehouse Settlement several miles away, a man seated in quiet meditation suddenly looked in Xia Yu's direction.

"Who is that? They've actually gained an initial understanding of battle intent?"

"Never mind. I've reached a critical moment. I'll find them once I leave seclusion."

Deep within the Ten Thousand Demons Forest, a woman in white whose beauty could topple cities and kingdoms drove back the demonic beast before her with a sword thrust, then turned to look in Xia Yu's direction.

"Elementary battle intent! Interesting. Worth meeting once I come out."

"Roar!"

At that moment, the Jade-Eyed Striped Black Tiger growled, slowly retreated a step, then pounced fiercely at Xia Yu.

Thud!

A dull impact rang out.

Dust flew, and broken stones scattered in all directions.

The Jade-Eyed Striped Black Tiger crashed heavily to the ground, its enormous body motionless.

Xia Yu, however, was nowhere to be seen.

"That fellow was ruthless! A real hard case! Too bad he was only at Origin Absorption. In the end, he still wound up in the black tiger's belly."

Not far away, a thin male cultivator slowly shook his head.

"Boss, let's kill the black tiger. That kid had a precious treasure on him."

"That's right, boss. This black tiger is worth plenty, too."

Four others stood beside the male cultivator.

The cultivator shook his head and said, "No. We're too weak. We can only follow in secret. There are experts hiding here, too. If we act, we'll die without even a place to bury us."

"Ha ha! When the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman reaps the spoils. I am Ning Yidao. Anyone uninvolved, get lost, or don't blame me for being ruthless."

A figure slowly walked toward the Jade-Eyed Striped Black Tiger.

He wore a loose black robe and had a full head of white hair.

"It's Ning the Butcher! Let's go. We're giving this up."

At once, people began leaving from all around.

But some remained where they were.

Ning Yidao was very well known in the Treehouse Settlement.

Once, someone in the Treehouse Settlement had offended him. Not only had he killed that person, he had gone to their home and slaughtered their entire clan.

Most importantly, he was an expert at the fourth heaven of the Profound Origin Realm, a tyrant even within the Treehouse Settlement.

Just as Ning Yidao was about to reach the black tiger, a hoarse, aged voice suddenly rang out.

"Then would I be the oriole waiting behind the mantis as it stalks the cicada?"

A stooped figure slowly emerged, leaning on a walking stick taller than he was.

The moment he appeared, the temperature all around seemed to drop considerably.

"Old Man Cold Crow, it's you? I never imagined you'd be interested in this kid, too."

Ning Yidao froze, his expression immediately turning ugly.

Like him, Old Man Cold Crow was a lone wanderer of the Ten Thousand Demons Forest.

But Old Man Cold Crow's cultivation was much higher than his. Supposedly, he had reached the half-step King Realm many years ago.

Ning Yidao belonged to the Treehouse Settlement in the northern Ten Thousand Demons Forest, while Old Man Cold Crow belonged to the western Treehouse Settlement and was one of its rulers.

He was unquestionably one of the Ten Thousand Demons Forest's foremost experts!

"Ahem, ahem. I was merely passing through when I noticed battle intent soaring into the sky. I never expected such an opportunity to be waiting here. I'll take both this black tiger and that kid."

"Ahem, ahem. I'm old, with only a few years left to live. My only wish is to advance one step further. Ning Yidao, I think you'll make way for an old man like me, won't you?"

Ning Yidao said nothing. He turned and left.

A number of faint sounds suddenly rustled through the woods as more people withdrew.

Old Man Cold Crow tilted his head and listened for a moment before nodding in satisfaction.

"Heh heh. Good children, all of you. Such good children!"

An icy smile spread across Old Man Cold Crow's wrinkled face as he said, "I hope you're a good child too, little fellow. Comprehending elementary battle intent is no simple feat!"

"This old man wants to comprehend battle intent too, to advance another step. I'm too old, far too old! I must advance further. I don't want to die yet!"

Muttering to himself, Old Man Cold Crow walked up to the Jade-Eyed Striped Black Tiger.

"Little fellow, I know you're not dead yet, though you have only a breath left in you. Killing a high-level demonic beast at the seventh heaven of Origin Absorption makes you a promising prospect. Become my disciple. As long as you tell me how you comprehended battle intent, I'll let you inherit my mantle. Becoming a mighty Emperor Realm expert in the future won't be difficult."

"Otherwise, one light tap from this decrepit old man, and both your treasure and your life will be gone. Heh heh..."

The Jade-Eyed Striped Black Tiger lay motionless, without the slightest sign of movement.

"Not bad. You won't shed tears until you see the coffin. You've got spirit. I like that!"

Old Man Cold Crow nodded and lightly jabbed his walking stick at the black tiger's body.

The stick pierced straight through the tiger's hide, passed through its body, and struck Xia Yu beneath it.

That walking stick was Old Man Cold Crow's weapon, a Supreme-Grade Spirit Weapon.

The instant Old Man Cold Crow struck Xia Yu, he froze.