Cultivation: From Poor Peasant to Celestial Lord

But Chu Bai was different.

After his frenzied slaughter along the way, the Evil Qi in his body had long since reached an extreme density. A faint, unsettling red glow emanated from his entire being.

Plus, with the enhancement of three Upper Grade Dharma Artifacts, his combat prowess could no longer be measured by common sense.

’A Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation Demon Beast... The quality of its Evil Qi must be far superior to that of ordinary ones.’

Chu Bai licked his somewhat chapped lips, the fighting spirit in his eyes soaring.

’Killing this one will probably be much faster than painstakingly clearing out several Demon Beast Swarms down below...’

’Fortune favors the bold. I’m going for it!’

However, he was not one to act recklessly.

’But this kind of Demon Beast has already gained intelligence and is incredibly powerful. I absolutely cannot attract more than one at a time, or I’ll just be seeking my own death.’

Chu Bai held his breath and focused his mind, concealing his aura to the absolute limit. He slowed his steps, like a patient cheetah, stalking silently toward his chosen target.

Behind a massive boulder, sheltered from the wind, a brilliantly striped tiger over twenty feet long was sprawled out, napping.

This Tiger Demon’s body was immense, its muscles sleek and packed with explosive power. Every breath it took stirred up a low rumble like wind and thunder, a clear sign of its profound Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation.

Moreover, the tiger is the king of beasts and has always been a solitary creature. No other Demon Beast dared to approach the area.

It was the perfect target for a hunt.

Using the boulder for cover, Chu Bai closed in step by step. He had already silently gripped a Spirit Water Needle between his fingers, preparing to launch a surprise attack.

However, just as he was still a hundred feet away from the Tiger Demon...

ROAR—!!!

The Tiger Demon, which had seemed to be sound asleep, suddenly snapped its eyes open, a vicious glint revealed in its golden pupils. Without even rising, it opened its mouth and unleashed an earth-shattering roar.

This was no ordinary beast’s cry, but a Sound Wave Demon Technique filled with Demon Power—Tiger’s Roar in the Forest!

A visible sound wave spread out as if it were tangible. Wherever it passed, rocks shattered and vegetation turned to dust.

’Such keen senses!’

Chu Bai’s heart tightened. He knew a surprise attack was now impossible.

The instant the sound wave was upon him, the Spiritual Power in his body circulated frantically.

"Guardian Shield!"

A deep blue Spirit Shield instantly formed in front of him.

THUD!

With a muffled bang, the Guardian Shield trembled violently, its surface rippling. Although it barely blocked the direct impact of the sound wave, a strange vibratory force penetrated the Spirit Shield and struck deep into Chu Bai’s organs.

Chu Bai felt a tightness in his chest as his blood roiled, and a faint, sweet taste rose in his throat.

But as strong as the tiger’s roar was, it failed to injure him fundamentally.

HUMMM!

The Rejuvenation Seal on his chest instantly lit up with a soft green light. A cool, revitalizing energy flowed into his meridians, and the discomfort from the vibration vanished in an instant.

"Not quite good enough."

Chu Bai snorted, and instead of retreating, he advanced.

Seeing its attack had failed, the Tiger Demon grew even more enraged. It shuddered violently, and the fur on its back rippled as a pair of wings wreathed in blazing flames sprouted from thin air.

WHOOSH!

With a flap of its wings, its enormous body transformed into a streak of fiery red light, charging toward Chu Bai wrapped in a monstrous wave of heat.

"Bring it on!"

A cold glint flashed in Chu Bai’s eyes as he unleashed all his techniques.

Spirit Water Needles formed a curtain of rain, the Cloud Hand coalesced into a gigantic, mountain-like palm, and his Golden Eye Shattering Illusion tracked the opponent’s every move.

The man and the tiger were instantly locked in a chaotic battle.

Logically, for an Early-stage Qi Cultivation cultivator to face a Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation Demon Beast, even with the advantage of Dharma Artifacts, the gap should have been an insurmountable chasm.

Yet Chu Bai, relying on his Perfection Level mastery of Magic Techniques and his Endless Life Five Elements Spiritual Power, actually managed to fight the Tiger Demon to a standstill.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Atop the mountain peak, shattered rocks flew everywhere.

As time wore on, the Tiger Demon was wounded in several places, its fur stained red with blood. Chu Bai was not faring well either; his clothes were torn to shreds, and several new claw marks, deep enough to show bone, marred his body.

’This beast has a tough hide and astonishing regenerative abilities.’

Chu Bai’s figure flashed as he narrowly dodged a claw swipe from the Tiger Demon that could split mountains and shatter rock, and he began to calculate inwardly.

’If I don’t use any other methods, this will likely end in mutual destruction. I might only be able to take it down after suffering heavy injuries myself.’

’But this is an assessment. If I get seriously injured, how am I supposed to continue?’

’Fortunately, though...’

Just then, the Tiger Demon, seeing it could not win after a prolonged attack, let out a great flare of ferocity in its eyes. It flapped its wings violently and once again transformed into a fiery red afterimage as it lunged for the kill. This time, it was truly determined to land a fatal blow, leaving its own center completely exposed in its desire for a one-hit kill.

’Now’s my chance!’

A sharp light exploded in Chu Bai’s eyes. Not only did he not dodge, but he charged straight toward the tiger’s head.

In the instant before they collided.

"Essence-Bearing Tripod!"

Chu Bai roared, and the ancient Small Tripod that had been hovering at the ready behind him trembled violently.

In an instant, a pressure far more terrifying and vast than what he had unleashed at the foot of the mountain descended.

After all the slaughter along the way, the Evil Qi within Chu Bai’s body had now reached a shocking density. Driven at full force by this Evil Qi, the power of this Upper Grade Dharma Artifact was finally and completely unleashed!

Suppression.

It was as if an invisible mountain had materialized out of thin air and slammed down.

The Tiger Demon, mid-pounce, suddenly froze in the air. Its surging Demon Power was instantly cut off.

Under the immense pressure, its fiery wings disintegrated, and its massive body was slammed into the ground as if swatted by an invisible giant hand.

CRASH!

The ground cracked. The Tiger Demon let out a mournful, unwilling cry, its four limbs clawing desperately at the earth as it tried to struggle. But it was pinned in place by that terrifying suppressive force, unable to move a muscle!