Volume One – The Frontier of the Chen Kingdom, The Marquis Defies Fate on the Path of Immortals Chapter 13: The Ferocity of the Tiger

The striped-eyed tiger, seeing it had failed to hunt down Chen Yu after prolonged pursuit, let out an enraged roar and attacked him with even greater ferocity. For several miles it chased him, refusing to give up, which in turn ignited Chen Yu’s own wrath.

Chen Yu, spirited and proud in his youth, was not one to tolerate being hounded by such a beast again and again. Suddenly, a flash of swordlight gleamed—he had no intention of fleeing further, but instead resolved to slay the striped-eyed tiger right there.

Noticing Chen Yu’s change in demeanor, the tiger became even more violent, pouncing with a mighty roar. Its massive claws swung down, snapping branches as thick as a man’s wrist with ease.

Chen Yu narrowed his eyes, pivoted on his toes, and flipped aside to dodge. The tiger, further enraged by this evasion, lunged sideways in a fresh assault.

“Courting death!” Chen Yu cursed, and with a swift slash, his blade struck the tiger’s foreleg. Blood spurted, dyeing the beast’s fur crimson. The tiger howled in pain, its eyes glinting with malice as it glared at Chen Yu, no longer daring to recklessly attack.

Yet Chen Yu found little cause for joy. His brows furrowed as he watched the tiger warily. The force of his strike could split the black armor worn by Xia You and the others, yet it had barely wounded the tiger’s flesh.

“This beast is truly extraordinary,” Chen Yu thought, gripping his sword more tightly. This time, he did not retreat. Instead, he advanced to take the initiative, charging at the striped-eyed tiger.

Employing his lightfoot skills, Chen Yu seemed to fly across the leaves, moving with such speed that in a blink he was upon the tiger, sword raised for a fierce blow.

The striped-eyed tiger roared, its cry deafening. Chen Yu had never experienced anything like it; his heart quaked, his ears rang with temporary deafness, and he nearly swooned from the shock.

But he held on. In that instant, the tiger sprang forward, its gaping jaws snapping at him.

“Not good!” Chen Yu thought, but adrenaline sharpened his reactions. He grabbed a branch, using it as a rope to swing himself upward, twisting in midair to escape.

The tiger glared up at him in the tree, roaring in frustration.

Having barely escaped danger, Chen Yu was pale, his mind reeling in the aftermath. Hearing the tiger’s furious cries, he forced himself to calm.

He knew that unless he killed the striped-eyed tiger, he would not leave this place alive. His expression grew cold as he murmured, “Since you persist in pursuing my life, I have no reason to show you mercy.”

Sensing Chen Yu’s killing intent, the tiger felt its authority challenged and grew even more wrathful. It paced below, then suddenly gathered its strength and hurled itself against the tree trunk.

With a single crash, the massive tree—so thick a grown man could not encircle it with both arms—toppled.

Yet Chen Yu did not panic. Holding his breath, he waited until the tree leaned at the right angle, then sprinted along the trunk, using its momentum to close the distance to the tiger in a flash.

The tiger roared skyward, its savagery sending chills down the spine. But Chen Yu charged forth without fear.

Man and beast collided in a deadly clash—sword against claw.

A blast of force swept out, flattening the grass and shrubs within several yards. Still, Chen Yu had underestimated the tiger’s might and was ultimately knocked back by its power.

He drew a deep breath, steadying himself without panic. He began to fight defensively, dodging and waiting for an opportunity.

Chen Yu knew he was no match for the tiger’s strength in a direct confrontation, so he relied on his agility and lightness skills to tangle with it, aiming to wear down its endurance.

For half an hour, man and beast dueled fiercely, neither able to claim victory.

Both were wounded and covered in blood—their own and each other’s.

But Chen Yu’s breathing remained steady and his strength held firm, while the striped-eyed tiger, having launched one furious assault after another, was visibly flagging, its steps uncertain and breath ragged.

A cold gleam flickered in Chen Yu’s eyes as his sword thrust forward. With a sickening sound, the tip drove into one of the tiger’s eyes.

The beast howled in agony, thrashing on the ground. In that instant, Chen Yu’s sword snapped under the force of the tiger’s convulsions.

Chen Yu’s heart tightened. Losing his sword put him at a great disadvantage. But he no longer retreated; seizing the tiger’s pain, he pressed the attack to kill it.

The tiger’s cries were filled with both fear and rage. It could not believe that, as the king of the forest, it was being bested by such a seemingly frail creature. Its pride could not accept this fate.

Now, seeing Chen Yu charging at it with reckless abandon, the tiger launched a desperate counterattack, determined to swallow him alive if it was the last thing it did.

At that moment, both combatants seemed resigned to a fight to the death. Just as Chen Yu’s broken blade was about to meet the tiger, he suddenly fell back, rolling beneath the beast’s belly. Without hesitation, he slashed with his jagged weapon.

A torrent of blood sprayed out, drenching Chen Yu.

The tiger, wracked with pain and terror, rolled on the ground, but before long, it succumbed and died in agony and unwillingness.

Seeing the tiger finally still, Chen Yu slumped to the ground, utterly spent.

As his nerves, taut to the breaking point, finally relaxed, exhaustion overwhelmed him.

“I thought I was going to die this time,” Chen Yu muttered, taking deep breaths to calm himself. Gazing at the tiger’s corpse, he remarked, “This was no ordinary beast. Fortunately, I survived this ordeal.”

He glanced at the sky, thinking, There’s no rush. Best recover my strength before heading back.

Though he had slain the striped-eyed tiger, Chen Yu remained vigilant—if anything, even more cautious.

He began to practice the Nine Breaths Calming Technique, slowly restoring his energy.

In the time it takes for half a stick of incense to burn, Chen Yu rose to his feet. He frowned slightly, thinking, This feels different from my usual cultivation.

But when he tried to sense it again, nothing seemed amiss.

Never mind, he thought. Though not fully recovered, it’s growing late—I should return. So long as I’m cautious, nothing unexpected should happen.

As for the tiger’s carcass, he certainly would not waste it. Such a formidable beast—he was curious to taste its flesh. Besides, the meat and bones of a tiger were known to be highly nourishing.