"Huh?"
The little white tiger was dumbfounded to see that Han Xuanji had started cultivating too.
And he was cultivating even faster than the little white tiger.
That was outrageous!
Wasn't this supposed to be the little white tiger's own place of fortuitous opportunity?
But given the little white tiger's temperament, the little white tiger thought about it for only a few seconds before giving up.
In any case, there was nothing bad about the little white tiger's master growing stronger when the little white tiger was his Demon Beast pet.
One day later.
Han Xuanji slowly opened his eyes and nodded slightly.
Clearly, he was quite satisfied with the speed of his cultivation.
Originally, it might have taken him two or three years to break through a minor realm, but one year here should be enough.
System, sign in.
Han Xuanji spoke inwardly; he couldn't waste today's sign-in opportunity either.
[Congratulations, host, you have successfully signed in and obtained the Cultivation Method "Ancient Heavenly Demon Body Forging Method."]
"Not bad luck!"
Han Xuanji's eyes lit up.
He hadn't expected his second sign-in to give him such a great gift. After receiving the memories transmitted by the system, he learned that this Body Refining Cultivation Method was exceptionally formidable, a top-tier Body Refining Cultivation Method of the Demon Race.
Although it was a Cultivation Method suited to the Demon Race, human cultivators could practice it just as well, provided their physiques were strong enough.
One section on drawing in Sha Qi to refine the body would also be a great help to him.
After all, wasn't the environment he was in now the perfect opportunity to draw in Sha Qi and refine his body?
Days spent cultivating always passed quickly.
Spring gave way to autumn, and two years passed.
For cultivators of the Void Return Realm, that time was no more than the flick of a finger.
Often, a figure of this level would spend a hundred years in a single bout of seclusion, or a thousand years on a single expedition...
As for Han Xuanji, he could sign in once every day and had a little white tiger to keep him company, so it wasn't quite so dull.
At the Geng Metal Sha Altar, what he obtained most often from signing in was a treasure called the Spirit Sha Fruit. It gathered the Spiritual Qi and Sha Qi of heaven and earth and contained immense energy, making it in no way inferior to those high-grade cultivation pills and spirit fruits. The drawback was that the Sha Qi was very difficult to refine.
To ordinary cultivators, Spirit Sha Fruit was no different from poison; after absorbing it, they would still have to spend a great deal of time purging the Sha Qi.
Han Xuanji, however, was spared that trouble. With the White Tiger Spirit Blessing, his physique had also undergone some changes. He swallowed one every day to improve his cultivation and occasionally fed one to the little white tiger as well. Mainly, the fruit tasted good, sweet and sour, just to his liking.
After two years of signing in, even setting aside the ones he had eaten, he still had over a thousand in stock. If he ate them sparingly, they would last him quite a while.
On this day.
Han Xuanji sat cross-legged beside the little white tiger, his presence harmonious and restrained. His breakthrough to the Third Layer of Void Return came naturally, like a channel forming when the water arrived.
Han Xuanji showed no outward reaction to this breakthrough.
The little white tiger merely yawned, having grown used to it.
In those two years, the little white tiger had nearly broken through too, so it was only reasonable for the little white tiger's monstrous master to be stronger than him. Moreover, the little white tiger had gained considerable insight from the Sword Intent imprint on the Demon Core, making the little white tiger's attacks even stronger.
I haven't signed in today. Time to sign in.
Han Xuanji spoke inwardly.
System, sign in.
[Congratulations, host, you have signed in at the Geng Metal Sha Altar and obtained one drop of White Tiger Essence Blood (diluted).]
"White Tiger Essence Blood?"
Han Xuanji was slightly startled.
If this was a drop of Essence Blood from the legendary sacred beast, the White Tiger, then it was extraordinary. Even diluted, it was undoubtedly a treasure rarely seen in the world.
Han Xuanji took it out of the system space and examined it closely. The drop of blood was as large as a thumb and radiated golden light. It contained a trace of the White Tiger's essence of the origin of slaughter and Geng Metal Sha Qi. To tiger-type Demon Beasts, it was a supreme treasure that could greatly purify their bloodlines and awaken bloodline Divine Abilities.
For others, if they could comprehend the Geng Metal origin and power of slaughter contained within it, they too would gain considerable benefits.
As Han Xuanji pondered, he suddenly heard the sound of someone swallowing.
The little white tiger's big eyes were wide open, staring unblinkingly at the White Tiger Essence Blood in his hand. Drool streamed down without stopping, soaking a patch of ground.
"Hey, hey, hey, you're a descendant of the sacred beast White Tiger, at least. Mind your image."
Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Han Xuanji spoke to the little white tiger.
Only then did the little white tiger come to the little white tiger's senses and look up at Han Xuanji. A humanlike smile immediately appeared on the little white tiger's face, and the little white tiger asked eagerly:
"Master, this thing is no use to you, right?"
"To me? Of course it's useful."
Han Xuanji answered without a second thought.
"Uh..."
The little white tiger was dumbfounded. The little white tiger wanted it badly, but didn't dare continue asking Han Xuanji for it.
After hesitating for a long while, the little white tiger still couldn't resist the temptation and ventured:
"Just one lick. Can I have one lick?"
Seeing the little white tiger's adorably goofy expression, Han Xuanji couldn't help laughing.
In truth, the thing was of no use to him. With the White Tiger Spirit Blessing trait, he had long possessed many of the White Tiger's characteristics and had no need to go to great lengths to refine this diluted White Tiger Essence Blood.
For him, at most, it would provide the energy of a few Spirit Sha Fruits.
He had deliberately taken it out to tempt the little white tiger just now, also to see whether the little white tiger could suppress those instincts. If the little white tiger had forcibly seized it, he certainly would not have kept that future threat around.
Fortunately, the little white tiger was fairly clever and had done nothing to displease him.
Han Xuanji immediately held it out to the little white tiger's mouth.
"Eat it, but be careful. The energy contained in this Essence Blood is powerful, so you need to absorb it slowly."
Hearing Han Xuanji's words, the little white tiger's eyes immediately lit up. As though receiving a priceless treasure, the little white tiger let out a cub's high-pitched roar, then lay down and swallowed it. Golden light immediately radiated from the little white tiger's body, the markings on the little white tiger's forehead shone brilliantly, and the little white tiger's presence began to steadily grow stronger.
Han Xuanji had originally thought the little white tiger would have great difficulty refining it, but he had still underestimated the little white tiger.
It seemed his little Demon Beast pet had an extraordinary background too. No wonder, despite having reached the peak of Spirit Transformation, the little white tiger was still in the juvenile growth stage.
Time slowly passed.
One year went by.
Han Xuanji had reached the Fourth Layer of Void Return, and his progress with the Ancient Heavenly Demon Body Forging Method was gratifying. His physical body was far stronger than those of others at the same realm, enough to rival those Demon Race members with powerful bloodlines. Moreover, over the year, he had obtained several thousand more Spirit Sha Fruits and many other treasures through sign-ins.
The little white tiger had gained quite a bit as well. The little white tiger's presence was now steady, the little white tiger having stabilized in the Void Return Realm. At the center of the little white tiger's brow, a silver-white sword-pattern imprint shone brilliantly, adding a measure of majesty and mystery.
Three months earlier, the little white tiger had gone out alone and successfully undergone Tribulation Transcendence. Now the little white tiger was a great demon of the Void Return Realm, and the White Tiger Essence Blood within the little white tiger's body had yet to be fully absorbed, leaving plenty of room for growth in the future.
[Congratulations, host, you have successfully signed in at the Geng Metal Sha Altar and obtained the "Blade of the White Tiger."] [The Dao essence of this place has been exhausted. Please find another place with Dao essence to sign in!]
"Blade of the White Tiger?"
Han Xuanji's heart stirred, and he quickly found it in the system space.
The Blade of the White Tiger was a long saber with a tiger-head design. Silver light shone from its entire length, and its blade was engraved with numerous runes that released boundless killing intent. Even Han Xuanji's mind was shaken slightly the moment he saw it.
He had taken a Sacred Heart Pill, and even his immensely powerful mind could not escape its influence. An ordinary Void Return cultivator would likely be affected even more.
"This is a demonic blade."
The thought flashed through Han Xuanji's mind, and his mood quickly settled.