Chapter Thirteen: Ghost Tiger

  Ye Yang and Song Jiao rushed to the other side together. When they arrived, the scene in the thicket left them both stunned.

  A majestic tiger with a multicolored coat let out a fierce roar, and seven or eight guards were killed instantly. Their bodies were torn to shreds, scattered all over the ground, filling the air with a thick, bloody stench that made one feel like vomiting.

  Song Jiao's body shook all over, and a hint of death appeared in his eyes: "No... it's impossible, absolutely impossible... how can there be a fifth-level demon beast under Qingfeng Mountain?"

  "A fifth-grade demon beast?" Ye Yang's mind also trembled, he could clearly sense the power within this demon beast was majestic and terrifying.

  Song Jiao Tou, this iron-like man was frightened pale, his whole body trembling, nodded and said: "Gui Hu, a fifth-level demon beast, the overlord of the forest in the Central Plains! This... such a powerful demon beast how can it appear on Qingfeng Mountain? Heaven, Young Master Zi Yu, you quickly leave, I'll block it!"

  But it was already too late, the fifth-order demon beast Ghost Tiger let out a loud roar, its hind legs slightly bent, taking on a pouncing posture. As soon as it attacked, Song Jiao's head would be absolutely unable to withstand it. After all, he only had third-order initial-stage strength, and compared to the fifth-order demon beast Ghost Tiger, they were simply worlds apart!

  Ye Yang's expression was stern and fierce, gazing at the piles of broken corpses on the ground. He gritted his teeth and growled in a low voice: "These people followed me out, but died miserably in the wilderness. I have no way to account for them. Today, I must kill this beast!"

  At the same time, a voice in his heart came: "Ye Yang, the fifth-stage demon beast Ghost Tiger has extremely powerful strength and is also very agile. You must be doubly careful, because your protective aura may not be able to withstand the Ghost Tiger's full-strength pounce!"

  Ye Yang nodded and said, "Got it, Grandpa Qin Fang!"

  "Go, kid, kill the Ghost Tiger and temper your strength in actual combat!"

  ……

  "Roar!"

  A fierce and powerful attack came rushing in like a thunderbolt, Song Jiao Tou urged Quan to use his full strength, swinging his three-pointed knife to meet the attack head-on!

  "Clang!"

  A crisp sound, the three blades of the trident all broke off, and Gui Hu only made a light swipe with his sharp claws, yet he destroyed the opponent's weapon!

  Accompanied by a loud roar, the Ghost Tiger's entire body emitted a soaring blood glow, opening its bloody basin-like mouth, and countless spiritual powers quickly gathered!

  Song Jiaotou was shocked: "Heavens! Is this... Ghost Tiger's Blood Roar?"

  Qin Fang exclaimed in surprise: "Blood Howl? The Five-Stage Demon's Secret, this Ghost Tiger is indeed not simple! Ye Yang, if you can kill this Ghost Tiger and use its core to join the materials of the Hundred Refinements, with your strength, you will definitely be able to forge at least an eighth-grade weapon!"

  "Good!"

  Inspired, Ye Yang suddenly leaped forward, his entire body instantly blocking Song Jiao's front. His palms opened wide and in an instant condensed into three icy walls of Qi, which finally proved useful after all the bitter cultivation!

  Song's face was deathly pale, and he stood there motionless, with thin streams of fresh blood seeping out from his mouth and nose, clearly having been injured by the roar of the fifth-order demonic beast.

  Yue yelled without turning his head: "Song Jiao, immediately return to Liang City, you're only hindering us here!"

  "Ah, Young Master Zi Yu?"

  Song Jiao's teeth clenched tightly, gazing at the scattered corpses on the ground, and unexpectedly shed tears of shame: "I... I'm so useless, I couldn't even protect Young Master!"

  As he spoke, Song Jiao Tou grasped the hilt of his three-pointed knife and charged out of the thicket without looking back. Although his strength was not sufficient, his actions were extremely decisive, which made Ye Yang completely free from worries about what was behind him.

  Just then - Blood howl, arrived!

  "Boom!"

  A huge blood-colored energy condensed on the forehead of the Ghost Tiger, taking the shape of a fierce ghost. Under the urging of the Ghost Tiger, this mass of energy, carrying the momentum of thunder and lightning, pounced towards Ye Yang!

  "Honk honk!"

  The first two walls shattered in unison, and Ye Yang was only a beginner with strength at the fourth level of the Great Earth, with an enormous gap between him and the fifth-level demon beast!

  Just as the ghost's raging energy was about to break through the third layer of defense, Ye Yang had already floated out, and the surging Fire God's power poured into the iron sword, suddenly attacking the right side of the Ghost Tiger!

  "Cutting Wind!"

  A fierce strike, a sword energy wrapped in raging flames whizzed out and chopped straight down on the tiger's side!

  "Boom!"

  The flames burst open, and the ghost tiger was shocked to retreat repeatedly, but it did not suffer too much damage, and even just its fur was burned a little. Ye Yang's full-strength blow actually couldn't break through the ghost tiger's defense?

  "Hum, scoundrel!"

  One strike failed, immediately withdrew and retreated hastily, Ye Yang was a clever person, knowing that hard collision would have no good result.

  The demon tiger did not allow the insignificant human in front of it to leave, having come to Qingfeng Mountain for half a year, it had already become the ruler of this mountain forest, how could the majesty of the ruler tolerate the desecration of a small human?

  "Roar!"

  Electricity shot over, the ghost tiger raised its sharp claws and slapped them heavily on Ye Yang's shoulder!

  "Crack!"

  A scorching pain came, and Ye Yang's shoulder appeared with several miserable claw marks. Fortunately, his protective aura was strong enough, otherwise this blow would have shattered half of his body, just like those guards.

  Ye Yang wasn't one to take a loss without fighting back. The moment he suffered the fierce blow from Gui Hu, he spread his five fingers wide, and a fierce flame was transmitted, heavily imprinting itself on Gui Hu's cheek!

  "Boom!"

  The fierce flames ravaged, and the ghost tiger's whiskers were all burned to ashes, leaving only a bald head, but its ferocity was even more exposed. This fifth-stage demon beast had gone mad!

  Ye Yang's attack was fierce, but it couldn't hurt the opponent's body. Ye Yang was only at the initial stage of Earth Level 4, while this Ghost Tiger was indeed at the peak of Earth Level 5, and the gap in their strength was really too big!

  Qin Fang's voice came to Ye Yang again: "Ye Yang, find the weak spot of Gui Hu, its sides, tail and head are all covered with thick and tough fur, after cultivating to the fifth level of the earth, its fur has already become so tough that swords and knives can't enter, your fire god power can't penetrate at all!"

  "Hmm!"

  Ye Yang endured the pain in his shoulder, nodded slightly with one foot, and quickly left his original position. The ghost tiger pounced with all its might, stirring up a fierce gust of wind that tore apart the small thicket of bushes.

  The tiger's roar echoes through the mountains, its momentum reaching the sky!

  "Shasha..."

  Ye Yang wandered away to the tail of the Ghost Tiger, but suddenly a bolt of lightning split the air!

  "Bang!"

  His left arm was scorching hot, and when Ye Yang looked at it, he felt a sharp pain that pierced his heart. His arm had been whipped by the ghost tiger's tail, causing the skin to split open and the flesh to burst out. What was even more frightening was that it had actually dislocated, which meant that Ye Yang had lost an arm, and the gap between him and the five-stage magic beast's strength had become even more insurmountable.

  Qin Fang was shocked: "Ye Yang, stop it! Use the wall to block the ghost tiger, hurry up and escape, you're not a match for this beast!"

  Ye Yang gritted his teeth and said in a low voice: "No need, I've found his weak spot!"

  As he spoke, Ye Yang condensed a wall of energy and struck again at the Ghost Tiger's rear!

  "Brush!"

  It was another sweep of that tail, the ghost tiger's tail was incredibly tough, just like an iron whip.

  "Boom!"

  The tail's strike shook the wall to pieces without a trace, but it gave Ye Yang a precious opportunity to attack! With a loud "Hong" sound, infinite fire god power poured into the iron sword. The unranked rusty sword in his hand was burned bright red and was about to soften and melt. Just before it melted, Ye Yang swiftly stabbed it out like lightning.

  "Hmph!"

  Accompanied by a miserable cry from Gui Hu, a wonderful scene appeared ——

  In spring, hundreds of flowers bloom; in autumn, chrysanthemums bloom!

  "Hooo..."

  A mournful howl echoed through the valley of Qingfeng, as Ye Yang's full-force strike infused with Fire God's power sent the Ghost Tiger's chrysanthemum into a state of liver and intestines severed, turning back and forth, wailing ceaselessly!

  That iron sword is done for, it was melted by the Fire God's power after being stabbed into the Ghost Tiger. A large amount of residual Fire God power exploded within the Ghost Tiger's body, this intensity of attack would be unbearable even for a sixth-tier magical beast!

  The ghost and tiger roared and howled, knocking down countless ancient trees that reached the sky, and actually ran away.

  Ye Yang was somewhat surprised, but his whole body was weak and he suddenly fell to the ground, his left arm dislocated, his right arm scratched and bruised, and he was covered in scars.

  "Yeyang, first use the hundred-refined technique to treat the wound, then follow the bloodstains to find the lair of the ghost tiger. You were struck by its sword, this wild beast will surely not survive," said Qin Fang.

  Ye Yang nodded, sat in the grass, his right hand grasping his right hand, and suddenly sent it out. The dislocation was restored, but it hurt a bit. However, compared to the Ghost Tiger's attack, this degree of pain was actually not much different from being bitten by a mosquito.

  He pulled out some golden medicine and applied it to the wound. Although the Fire God's power had a healing effect, in reality, it only quickly restored his strength and couldn't completely cure his injuries.

  ……

  Half an hour later, his physical strength had recovered to at least 70 or 80 percent. After a slight mobilization of energy, the Fire God Force inside him also recovered by 70 or 80 percent, and he could now head out to search for the Ghost Tiger's lair!

  The grass, the ground, and the tree branches were all stained with the fresh blood of the ghost tiger. Ye Yang's strike was like a chrysanthemum flower that would be remembered for eternity, completely disabling these five-stage magical beasts.

  After walking for about five minutes, a deep cave appeared in the jungle, covered with dense branches and leaves. This kind of place is warm in winter and cool in summer, and the ghost tiger was really enjoying it!

  Clutching an iron fist, without a long sword, Ye Yang ventured into the tiger's lair with only his fists.

  The flame on his fist illuminated the cave, making it bright inside. A strong stench assailed his nostrils, and indeed, the ghost tiger was dead, lying motionless in its nest. Ye Yang kicked it with his foot and found that the body of this fifth-stage magical beast had already started to stiffen.

  Qin Fang's voice came again: "Ye Yang, the Ghost Tiger's fur is a top-grade material for making armor, its skeleton is an excellent medicinal material, especially that whip-like tail can be used to make an outstanding nine-section whip. Also, there is a core in the Ghost Tiger's skull, take it out!"

  "Good!"

  Ye Yang reached forward, pulled out a short dagger from his waist, and infused it with the power of the Fire God. He tore open the Ghost Tiger's scalp, dug in a few times, and a blood-red orb appeared. He held it in his palm, feeling a cool sensation seep into his skin. It was indeed a precious treasure, containing immense power that left Ye Yang extremely excited.

  Qin Fang smiled and said, "What a dense energy! The core of this fifth-order ghost tiger is really good. Ye Yang, seize the opportunity! There are many minerals by your side, can you see them?"

  Ye Yang turned around and took a look, indeed, a whole piece of stone mine was connected together!

  "Mystic Spirit Stone?"

  "That's right!" Qin Fang stroked his beard and smiled, "The ghost tiger is a yin creature, so it likes to find places with dense xuanling stones as its lair. My guess was correct after all!"

  Ye Yang was excited, and immediately took out the Xuanling stones one by one and threw them into the Qiankun bag. Fortunately, there was this magical space bag, otherwise, if he had to carry so many stones down the mountain himself, he would probably be exhausted to death.

  Then, he put the corpse of Gui Hu into the Qian Kun bag together, took some beef and fine wine, and sat down in the forest in front of the Ghost Tiger Cave to eat.

  The fine wine was fragrant and mellow in the spring, but it wouldn't get so strong that people would want to vomit. This made Ye Yang certain of one thing: the brewing technique had indeed regressed. Compared to the fine wine in his hand, those big-name whiskeys he used to drink were nothing but a fleeting cloud, and they were simply undrinkable!

  Alone, descending the mountain without hindrance from the guards, Ye Yang advanced at full speed, his entire person transformed into a green virtual shadow flying past, and in less than two hours he had already arrived at Liang City.

  The sky was getting late, and Liangcheng and Pengcheng, the two counties of the military base, were shining brightly with lanterns, and their prosperity was at its peak.

  Ye Yang's upper body was bathed in blood, his right arm's clothing was torn to shreds, the tattered cloth hanging from his shoulder, revealing a patch of bloody skin. His entire demeanor exuded confidence, composure and calmness, yet his facial expression was languid. Such a handsome young man was enough to capture the hearts of any romantic maiden, so when Ye Yang appeared at the Red Mansion, he was indeed surrounded by a large group of girls who stared at him in admiration.

  Probably those girls also thought Ye Yang's outfit was full of postmodern style.

  The Ye family mansion had hung up white mourning banners and set up a funeral hall in the main hall!

  Ye Yang was shocked, someone died at home?

  When Ye Yang appeared, a group of family members were frightened and scattered, shouting: "Ghost..."

  "Ghost?"

  Ye Yang furrowed his brow and shouted loudly: "Everyone be quiet! Who's dead?!"

  At this time, a person in front stood up and stared at Ye Yang with astonishment. It was Song Jiao Tou. His voice trembled: "Young Master Zi Yu, you...you actually came back alive?"

  Ye Yang burst out laughing: "Of course!"

  Song Jiao said: "The old man just took people out to find you!"

  "Oh?"

  Ye Yang was about to speak when a fragrant breeze suddenly swept in, and two delicate bodies flung themselves into his arms. They were none other than his two concubines, Lian Xiang and Xi Yu. The two women cried with tears streaming down their faces: "Master, you've finally returned! You scared us to death!"

  Ye Yang was so embarrassed that he couldn't move, and his feelings for them were very deep?

  Not long after, Ye Nan Tian returned and saw that his son had come back safely. He was overjoyed, dismantled the mourning hall, and put up lanterns and decorations.

  Ye Yang then took out the corpse of Gui Hu, instantly stunning Ye Nan Tian and others. The strength of a fifth-stage demon beast was well-known to everyone, and even Ye Nan Tian himself might not have had the power to kill a peak fifth-stage demon beast, but Ye Yang had already done it!

  At night, Ye Bei Chi also brought his only son Ye Shuang over, and the Ye family gathered together.

  Ye Nantian and Ye Beicheng witnessed Ye Yang's rapid growth, feeling relieved and drunk. Afterwards, the ghost tiger's fur, bones, and meat were all kept, but its head was cut off and sent to the government office. Three-stage or higher magical beasts had already been listed as targets for hunting and execution. The head of a fifth-stage magical beast could be exchanged for at least 5,000 taels of silver. Of course, the head of the bandit Situ Feng was also sent along with it.

  This money, Ye Nantian didn't want a single penny of it, and gave it all to Ye Yang. As a result, Ye Yang now had 6,000 taels of silver, which was already considered wealthy for someone so young. Of course, compared to the noble sons in Liangcheng, Ye Yang was still extremely poor. The Ye family wasn't originally a wealthy household to begin with, and being able to take out tens of thousands of taels of silver was already their limit.

  Late at night, Ye Yang walked into the room and turned around to instruct the two guards: "I will be undergoing a very long period of cultivation. Without my permission, no one is allowed to enter the room. Do you understand?"

  "Yes, young master!"

  ……

  Entering the room, Ye Yang took out the Divine Dragon Cauldron, Xuanling Stone, and Cold Iron from his Qiankun bag. He also had a mold for a long sword, which cost ten taels of silver to purchase. It was said to be crafted by a famous artisan. The sword's body was streamlined and rounded, with an overall killing intent that was restrained yet powerful without being angry.

  Under Qin Fang's guidance, first put the 20-jin heavy cold iron into the Divine Dragon Cauldron, infuse the Fire God's power to melt it, then put in the 40-jin Xuanling Stone, and burn them together. Finally, the most crucial step is to refine the Ghost Tiger's inner core!

  The core is an energy crystal that must undergo a long period of refinement, and this is an extremely arduous process. Especially the refinement of the Hundred Refinements Technique, for an entire night, Ye Yang was immersed in his comprehension of the fire element and his suffering, his physical body growing stronger under the tempering of the Fire God's power, while his soul grew more vigorous as well. As Qin Fang would say, the stronger one's soul is, the more powerful the strength that can be unleashed!

  This time, Ye Yang cultivated for three whole days and nights, his entire body floating above the Divine Dragon Cauldron, with flames surging around him, his robust muscles radiating a translucent glow. This was the result of his physical refinement. If others were to see this scene, they would undoubtedly think it was a miracle!

  "Whoa......"

  He took a deep breath and suddenly opened his eyes, laughing: "It's done!"

  Qin Fang's voice came: "Hehe, well done, Ye Yang!"

  The core of the Ghost Tiger has been fully refined, becoming a thriving power that seeps into the molten lava of Cold Iron and Mysterious Spirit Stone, causing the divine dragon furnace's molten steel to contain even more dense energy, making the forged blades naturally extraordinary!

  "Put down your sword, Ye Yang!" Qin Fang laughed.

  Ye Yang nodded, took out the mold of the long sword and put it into the Divine Dragon Cauldron. After pouring in a large amount of minced meat, he used his subtle fire god power to repair and balance it, and then hammered it for several minutes. Then, he took out the mold and placed it in cold water. With a hiss, smoke billowed, and the mold cracked open, revealing a sharp sword that had just been forged!

  He grasped the hilt, raised the long sword, and saw that the sword was shining brightly all over, with a cold blade edge. The sword body was surrounded by swirling blood-red energy, which was the effect of the Ghost Tiger Core!

  Qin Fang burst out laughing: "Indeed, it's a great sword! Ye Yang, this sword has absorbed at least 80% of the energy from the Ghost Tiger's core. However, there is still plenty of refined and thick iron residue in the Divine Dragon Furnace. You can use these remnants to forge another blade, which will surely not be too bad!"

  Ye Yang smiled, and from the Qian Kun bag again took out a mold for a long spear. With one hand, he tossed it up, and fiery molten metal flew in, filling the spear. The flames surrounded it, but under Ye Yang's control of his Fire God power, what was originally an arduous forging process became so simple!

  In a few minutes, the remaining molten steel was used up, and Ye Yang had another sword in his hand!