parentshiftbook Chapter 549 - 455: Thirty-Three Times
Chapter 549 - 455: Thirty-Three Times
Another two months passed, in the renowned "Clear Breeze Teahouse" third-floor private room, in Qingshi County.
The carved wooden window was half-open, blocking the noise below, while wisps of tea fragrance rose gracefully from the purple sand clay tea pot, enveloping the blue porcelain cups on the table.
Inside the private room, a middle-aged man in a brocade robe stood respectfully, his waist bent very low, hands hanging beside him, speaking with utmost respect to the elderly man opposite him.
The white-haired elder sat in a chair, dressed simply, his hair and beard white, yet his complexion was rosy, his eyes murky yet deep as if he could see through people’s hearts.
He was fiddling with two shiny walnuts in his hand, the soft "crack" sounds were unusually clear in the quiet room.
Upon hearing the middle-aged man’s words, his fiddling with the walnuts suddenly stopped, he raised his eyes to the middle-aged man:
"Tiger demon? Tell me carefully!"
The brocade-robed middle-aged man’s heart chilled, he promptly replied:
"Yes, Leader! This matter is almost certain, I have been secretly investigating for several months, there is no mistake."
He swallowed and organized his words, continuing:
"Initially, one of my subordinates named Zhang Yu, a small leader, disappeared for months without any news."
"I went to inquire from his family, but they firmly insisted that Zhang Yu had gone out on official business."
The white-haired elder nodded gently, rubbing the walnut with his fingertips, he said mildly:
"That’s normal, the mainstay of the family has fallen, the remaining people naturally have to be cautious, afraid to bring trouble upon themselves. Continue."
"Yes!"
The middle-aged man nodded promptly:
"Leader is wise, I saw their expression was off, so secretly dispatched people to watch Zhang Yu’s family, and consequently discovered three others missing along with him, all good fighters in the realm of blood exchange."
"I dared not alert them, probing their relatives one by one subtly, from one person I learned that the four’s last known direction was they were headed to Zhang Yu’s rural hometown, claiming to hunt a rare white tiger to sell its fur at a high price."
He paused, his tone intensified:
"Later, I personally sent people to the countryside, disguising as merchants buying mountain goods to inquire among local villagers."
"Villagers said that after those four went up the mountain, they never came down, some even claimed to have heard terrifying tiger roars deep in the mountains at night, too scared to go out."
"Based on this, I conclude that these four must have fallen prey to that white tiger, and that white tiger is no ordinary beast, it must have become a tiger demon after the blood rain!"
The white-haired elder, after listening, slowly closed his eyes, his fingers once again rotated the walnut, the "crack" sound resumed.
After a while, he opened his eyes, a flash of insight glinted in them:
"You are thoughtful. So it seems, deep within the Blue Stone Mountains, truly hides a tiger demon."
He curled his lips into a meaningful smile:
"The king of beasts, after transforming into a demon, its blood is surely condensed exceptionally, its tiger bones and tiger blood are highly beneficial for martial practitioners like us."
"Blue Stone is just a small place, after the blood rain, though some spiritual beasts emerged, ones that could kill four blood exchange realm experts are rare, worth for me to take a trip."
Though after the blood rain descended, spiritual Qi revived in the world, bringing forth spiritual beasts in the wilderness, in this secluded Qingshi County, such creatures are indeed rare.
The elder too heard from some old friends not long ago, that after the blood rain, spiritual beasts in the deep forests contained pure energy, greatly beneficial for martial cultivation, advising him to venture into the deep mountains seeking opportunities.
Now it seems, this opportunity has come knocking on the door of its own accord.
The brocade-robed middle-aged man promptly bowed:
"With your expertise, success is assured! No matter how powerful that tiger demon is, before you, it is no more than fish on the chopping board!"
His words carried unwavering confidence, with not a trace of doubt.
No wonder he has such faith in the elder, this white-haired elder named Mi Youdao is not an ordinary person—he is indeed a Third Realm martial expert, an External Scene realm powerhouse!
In such a remote county as Qingshi, martial cultivators of the Second Realm, the Aperture realm, are already top-notch experts, each capable of opening schools and accepting disciples to admiration from thousands.
Mi Youdao, being an External Scene realm expert, is akin to a legendary existence.
Were it not for his solitary nature, weary of the conflicts of the state mansion, choosing to retire back to his hometown, he still would be maneuvering in the state mansion, gaining favor from various forces.
Mi Youdao slightly raised his hand, halting the middle-aged man’s compliments, his tone indifferent:
"You go and prepare, accompany me into the mountains three days from now."
"Yes! I obey!"
The brocade-robed middle-aged man, relieved, respectfully bowed and slowly withdrew from the room.
In the private room, only Mi Youdao remained, fiddling with the walnuts, his gaze directed outside towards the Blue Stone Mountains, a glint of anticipation in his eyes.
It’s been a while since he exercised his muscles, hoping this tiger demon provides some satisfaction.
...
Meanwhile, at the heart of the Blue Stone Mountains, in front of a giant cave.
A giant beast, much larger than ordinary white tigers, was slowly exhaling a breath of turbid air.
A column of white gas shot out like a sharp sword, hitting the giant rock ahead with a "booming" thud, the surface of the rock instantly covered in web-like cracks.
This giant beast was none other than Chen Sheng.
After frenzied hunting, his figure had grown even larger by several circles, his pair of amber beast eyes deep as the night sky.
"The blood food in these mountains is still too scarce."
Chen Sheng shook his head, carrying a hint of dissatisfaction.
He looked down at his claws, sharp as knives, gleaming with a cold light, a gentle wave could tear the air.
The martial cultivation techniques of this world seemed too crude to him.
The so-called "Great Power Demon Suppression Force," boasting a capacity for five blood exchanges, was considered a decent secret technique.
But for Chen Sheng, who had once cultivated to become one with the Tao, this five-time blood exchange limit was merely insignificant.
Ever since he comprehended the complete God Will Diagram, Chen Sheng had combined his vast foundation to develop a cultivation technique adapted to this world’s rules.
He used the "Elephant Swallowing Dragon Technique" as the foundation, integrating runes from the God Will Diagram, raising the blood exchange limit infinitely.
After a simple experiment on Wang Qi, confirming no errors in the technique, he began his frenzied hunting.
In the mountains, all beasts and spiritual creatures he encountered were without exception turned into his blood food.
He devoured the essence blood of ferocious beasts, absorbed the pure energy within, constantly refining his flesh, undergoing blood exchange and transformation repeatedly.
"Thirty-three blood exchanges... I wonder what level of power I am at in this world."
Chen Sheng murmured to himself, a flash of contemplation in his eyes.
He could distinctly feel, his flesh strength and energy concentration had reached a terrifying level.
Yet, he lacked a proper reference.
In this Blue Stone Mountains, Tiger Mother was already the top-level existence, but since Chen Sheng surpassed thirteen blood exchanges, his aura completely exceeded Tiger Mother.