Slaying a tiger with a fist, watching a hundred schools

"What terrifying killing aura this beast has."

The instant Lian Youming saw the vicious tiger, his heart lurched. Then a rank wind struck his face, his scalp prickled, and he twisted away, hastily diving to one side.

A tiger paw as large as a palm-leaf fan narrowly grazed his back. Several bloody gashes silently split open, tearing through his clothes, and blood rapidly seeped out.

Lian Youming was shaken to his core, but that brief terror soon gave way to startled fury.

Li Da was under attack from front and rear. Though Lian Youming could not help him, he absolutely could not let this beast get past.

Steadying himself, Lian Youming sharply expelled a breath. A loud Toad Croak-like rumbling rose from his chest and abdomen, and instead of retreating, he advanced to meet it.

The tiger sprang like the wind. After missing its first strike, it merely crouched against the stone wall like a cat, kicked off, swung its tail again, and lunged back at him, its enormous head swaying.

Lian Youming ducked, dropped onto both knees, and slid backward with his upper body leaning back. As they passed one above the other, he gripped his Military Dagger, ready to gut it. Unexpectedly, its terrifyingly thick tail curled with a whoosh and lashed toward his chest like a steel whip.

Feeling the astonishing force behind it, Lian Youming's scalp tingled. Abandoning his attack, he hurriedly rolled out from beneath the Siberian tiger, then pushed off the ground, seized its hide, and climbed onto its back.

Those two lunges alone had already left Lian Youming surrounded by danger. Not only was his back bleeding, but the tiger's tail had also caught half his face. It was completely numb, his mouth filled with the sweet metallic taste of blood, and he could not even speak.

At the sight of blood, a vicious gleam flashed in Lian Youming's eyes. Without a word, he lay against the tiger's back and drove his Military Dagger down madly, stabbing again and again.

Scalding blood splashed into his face, staining his eyes red.

"Heh heh, die fer me..."

The garbled, strange cry squeezed through Lian Youming's teeth.

But the beast had thick hide, tough flesh, and powerful sinews and bones. Amid that flurry of stabs, Lian Youming suddenly heard a snap. A section of the Military Dagger's tip actually broke off, seemingly caught in a bone.

Seeing this, Lian Youming simply released the hilt, seized the back of the tiger's neck in a death grip, and swung his fist down.

The Underground Fortress's passages were spacious enough for people, but undoubtedly somewhat cramped for a beast like this.

Driven by excruciating pain, the vicious tiger tried to twist around, but the confined space prevented it. It could only leap and buck like mad, crashing along the passage.

Lian Youming was dragged along, battered against the stone walls on either side, smashing light bulb after light bulb amid flying sparks and flashes, the impacts making him vomit blood repeatedly.

But with pain wracking his body and death before him, Lian Youming's ferocity also surged. Channeling Coiling Silk Force through his right fist, he hammered the tiger's head without regard for his life.

As the force penetrated, the Siberian tiger beneath him grew even more frenzied. It lowered its head, tilted its body, and rammed along the stone wall.

Lian Youming's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly shifted to the tiger's flank. Amid the chaos, man and tiger crashed forward more than ten meters, until a stone stele was swept in half. Then came a boom-there was actually another space behind it. It was a concealed door.

Many withered remains lay scattered inside the hidden chamber: Japanese soldiers, old people, and children, some not yet reduced to bare bones. Numerous guns and ammunition were also piled there, and faint signs of gnawing remained on some of the bodies.

Before Lian Youming could look closely, the tiger carried him charging toward the other side, until it broke through a stone wall.

Amid flying dust and dirt, yet another hidden chamber appeared.

Inside, white bones still stood thick as a forest, a chilling sight.

But Lian Youming's eyes suddenly widened. Several living figures lay on the floor, men and women alike, their fates unknown. One of those frail figures was Xiao Li.

But he and the tiger were rolling in a tangled heap. After only a hurried glance, he hastily devoted his full attention to fighting it.

According to the older generation, tigers had bodies of pure yang, powerful sinews and sturdy bones, and body heat capable of melting winter snow. This one probably weighed at least five or six hundred jin, its weight pressing painfully against him.

Spotting the equipment scattered on the floor, Lian Youming clamped his legs around the tiger's belly. As it rose, he tilted sideways and snatched up a rifle fitted with a bayonet, preparing to stab down.

Unexpectedly, the Siberian tiger seemed to sense the danger. It toppled sideways, pinning Lian Youming's right leg, and turned its enormous, hideous, blood-covered head to bite him.

This is bad, Lian Youming thought, his scalp tingling. He hurriedly held the rifle crosswise, blocking Tiger's Mouth.

The vicious tiger did more than open its mouth. Its tail swung, cracking against his back, while one paw struck at him at the same time.

As the tiger's tail swept his back, Lian Youming's face instantly paled. Fortunately, its paw could not reach him for the moment and could only claw wildly at the ground.

But faced with that enormous head pressing toward him, Lian Youming had no attention to spare. He could only grit his teeth and brace the rifle with all his strength against Tiger's Mouth.

The tiger bit across the rifle, saliva dripping from its mouth. Its breaths rolled out like waves of heat, rank and foul. Its eyes were savage and brutal, their pupils seemingly condensed into two yellow beans. With its teeth bared, it looked like an evil ghost, enough to make anyone's limbs tremble.

Perhaps seeing that it could not break the rifle, the tiger swiped with its paw. Lian Youming immediately felt tremendous force strike the stock, wrenching his arms aside. As its mouth began to turn toward him, he could only release the rifle, taking the opportunity to slide his left hand along the muzzle and detach the bayonet.

Now there was no retreat left, nor any chance of a lucky escape.

Tiger's Mouth came straight at his face. Lian Youming drew back, and in the instant he opened a little distance, he narrowed his eyes and flicked his raised hand, throwing the Short Dagger into its mouth like lightning.

Tiger's Mouth clamped down, striking Lian Youming squarely on the left shoulder, but after only a brief burst of agony, it opened again.

A short blade was wedged between its upper and lower jaws, drawing streams of blood.

Lian Youming bared his teeth in a grin, blood seeping between them. How could he let the beast spit out the blade? Without hesitation, he mustered all his strength, propped up the tiger's lower jaw with his left hand, and smashed his right fist into its head.

The tiger's opening jaws immediately snapped shut.

In pain, the vicious tiger hurriedly stood up, whimpering and howling, opening its mouth to spit out the blade. Lian Youming pressed his advantage, leaping onto it again, locking his arm around its neck, raising his elbow and swinging his fist, pounding until hot blood spilled from Tiger's Mouth.

Hot blood splashed beneath his fist, while blood also flowed from Lian Youming's shoulder.

That single bite seemed to have nearly broken the bones in his left shoulder. Had it bitten down fully, it would probably have torn half his body apart.

The lingering terror of surviving death made him furious rather than frightened. He had nearly died in this beast's jaws.

Yet before his agitation had lasted three seconds, a tiger's tail lashed Lian Youming's back like a steel whip.

Caught off guard, Lian Youming felt the blood in his chest and abdomen churn. Already running short of strength, he immediately tumbled off the tiger's back.

"Cough, cough... How can it take this much punishment?!"

The vicious tiger did not pursue him. Instead, it shook its head, continually tearing at its own face with its paws until the flesh was mangled. At last, it managed to remove the bayonet.

"Ah!"

Perhaps the commotion of the man and tiger bursting in had been too loud. Among the piles of remains, those unconscious martial artists woke one after another. The moment they opened their eyes and saw this scene, they could not help crying out.

"Watch out!"

Lian Youming only had time to shout a warning before the vicious tiger's eyes darted toward them. With a flying leap, it sprang into their midst. A pounce, a bite, a scissoring sweep-flesh and blood flew beneath its jaws. One swipe of its paw tore open someone's waist and belly, spilling intestines across the floor.

Four people had stood up. In the blink of an eye, only one young man remained, his face ashen. Terrified beyond measure, he dodged away and fled outside without looking back.

Seeing the vicious tiger open its mouth for another pounce, Lian Youming hurriedly spat out a mouthful of blood and took the opportunity to draw his pistol with his left hand.

Bang! Bang!

As the pistol fired, Lian Youming strode forward to meet it.

But when the bullets struck, the tiger merely swayed, showing no further reaction.

Xiao Li also slowly regained consciousness on the floor just then. But looking at the vicious tiger within arm's reach, she seemed frightened witless, sitting motionless and staring blankly.

Roar!

The vicious tiger opened its mouth and bit.

"Kill."

Lian Youming's tiger-like eyes widened. With a tiger's roar of his own, he leaped forward, angled his body sideways, and slammed into it with every ounce of strength.

Despite weighing several hundred jin, the vicious tiger staggered from the impact and lost its balance.

Every stray thought had now been swept from Lian Youming's mind. Only one remained: slaughter this beast.

Amid fury, shock, and hatred, he stamped one foot and steadied his weight. A sinew within him suddenly sprang, swelled, and quivered. At this perilous moment, he actually broke through the second barrier of Golden Bell Cover.

While the tiger staggered, Lian Youming pursed his lips and inhaled like a great whale drawing in water. Shallow ripples suddenly rose across the back of his clothes. His entire right arm swelled by a size in an instant, blue veins bulging. His five fingers loosely curled like a hammer, and as air squeezed through his palm, it became a sharp, piercing whistle of fist wind.

"Fall!"

Lian Youming's brows rose and his eyes glared, overflowing with murderous intent. He drove a full-strength punch into the enormous head slowly rising before him.

The vicious tiger also rose, lifting a sharp-clawed paw onto his chest, snagging his clothes and opening several hideous bloody gashes.

Pop!

The dull, strange sound was not a thunderous explosion, but more like a fleshy palm striking water.

In an instant, all killing intent abruptly ceased.

The swaying tiger's head rose halfway into the air, then fell heavily back down. Blood seeped from its seven orifices. It was already dead.

With that punch delivered, Lian Youming went limp, almost completely drained. He collapsed onto his backside, panting desperately, his right hand entirely red.

Looking at the blood-drenched Lian Youming before her, Xiao Li asked in a trembling voice, "Are you all right?"

Though pain made Lian Youming bare his teeth and grimace, he still chuckled. "Minor injuries. When I get out, I'll take this beast along and eat it. That'll replenish everything."

It had cost him half his life.

Looking at the hideous claw marks across his chest, where skin and flesh gaped open, Lian Youming hurriedly eased his breathing. Using Golden Bell Cover's inward-wrapping method, he gradually drew the open wounds together.

They did not heal; they merely closed to stop the bleeding.

But after catching only a few breaths, Lian Youming rose and walked over to the scattered firearms. Picking through them, he gathered a pile of grenades and a light machine gun. Yet he did not notice Xiao Li wiping the blood spattered across her cheeks. The bloody color entered her eyes, seeming to dye the girl's pupils red as well. There seemed to be struggle, something sinister, and timidity, as though heaven and humanity were at war within her.

"What's your name?"

Checking the firearms, Lian Youming answered without turning around, "Lian Youming... Don't panic. I'll take you down the mountain in a bit. Don't come back to this rotten place again."

He spoke to himself, then glanced at the white bones covering the floor, his expression complicated.

It seemed Li Da had been right. This place truly was the burial ground of those Kwantung Army soldiers, as well as those abducted villagers.

But judging by appearances, most had died in the hidden chambers, unknown to anyone, never seeing daylight.

Lian Youming quickly looked around and saw several scattered piles of paper ash in a corner, as though someone had deliberately come to pay respects-and those respects had been paid to the villagers, women, and children.

The Japanese soldiers' remains were all piled off to one side, while those women and children had been laid out with extraordinary care.

Looking at those countless white bones, large and small, all neatly arranged, Lian Youming felt an immense heaviness in his heart.

But remembering that Li Da was still fighting, he hung the grenades on himself and picked up the light machine gun. "Let's go. We'll fight our way out."

The girl murmured assent and hurried after him.

In the tunnel.

Li Da moved at a run. Without even looking, his fists attacked left and right. Several figures pursued him closely, unleashing an endless succession of moves, yet scarcely anyone could break within two feet of him.

Seeing that Lian Youming was unharmed, Li Da suddenly smiled. "Don't shoot. This is a rare opportunity. Consider it compensation for acting as bait. I'll let you see their fighting methods and broaden your horizons, so you won't be stumbling blindly through the martial world later, unable to recognize anything."

Lian Youming had hurried back eagerly and was just about to raise the light machine gun to help. Hearing this, he realized Li Da had plenty of strength to spare and let out a breath of relief.

Li Da smiled gently, his gaze passing over the girl behind Lian Youming before returning to the people surrounding and attacking him. As he dodged and parried, he explained unhurriedly.

"What I'm using is Dai-Style Xinyi Fist. Watch closely."

"And this old gentleman uses Chuojiao, combined with Springing Leg and Ground-Tumbling methods. One look tells you he's an expert who specializes in attacking the lower body."

"This young lady uses Fan Zi Fist, mixed with a few moves from Flower Fist and military saber techniques. Not bad."

"He's an expert in Shaanxi Hong Fist, with Eighteen Falls Upon Touching Clothes as well. He opens with throws and holds, and has also trained the finger strength of Eagle Claw Kung Fu and the hooking hands of Mantis Fist. First he confounds the eyes, then closes in to grapple."

"This one uses Three Emperors Cannon Fist. His foundations are a little shaky."

"The one behind me strikes at the side of the waist with his palm, then turns to reach for the groin. Those are killing moves from Bagua Palm. Watch out for them in the future. Oh, he's mixed in Chen Family Fist methods too. Not bad. This Chen-Style Taiji has considerable ties to the Taiji Gate. You may have to exchange greetings with them someday."

"The methods of the one on my right are somewhat uncommon. If I remember correctly, this must be the southern school's White Eyebrow Fist. Its fighting is fierce and swift, its strikes like lightning. Truly formidable... And there are Hung Fist's dividing, stabilizing, and inch-force methods, Cai Family Fist—oh, and kicks beneath the skirt, Sleeve-Hidden Hand. Interesting."

"And this one. She's the White Lotus Sect's Vice Sect Leader, versed in Baji, Xingyi, Wudang swordsmanship, and Shaolin fist arts. She's also trained a Five Thunder Palm, blending hardness with softness. Truly exceptional. Perhaps she's even more formidable than my younger sister. What deep foundations... Excellent, those following behind have arrived. The heroes under heaven truly are as plentiful as crucian carp crossing a river..."

I'm numb. While clearing out old groups, I disbanded the readers' group. There's a group in the comments; anyone who wants to join can add it themselves.

(End of chapter)