Chapter 479: Chapter 261: Releasing the Tiger

’The Crimson Flame Tiger broke free?’

Song Shihua’s expression changed dramatically!

The Crimson Flame Tiger’s Beast Blood was crucial for the growth of the Vermilion Flame Fruit. If something happened to the tiger, the fruit’s development would inevitably be affected.

If there was a problem with the Vermilion Flame Fruit, Yushao Ancestor Song Yushao’s breakthrough to the Celestial Essence Second Layer would also be impacted.

Worst of all, the entire Yunxi Villa would be destroyed. The estate, which the Song Family had managed for two hundred years over several generations, would be reduced to ruins. This was a crisis that could shake the very foundation of the Song Family.

"How could the Crimson Flame Tiger have broken free for no reason?"

Song Shihua was bewildered, but he dared not delay. He roared, "Quick, send the signal! Summon the Yushao Ancestor!"

If the Crimson Flame Tiger escaped, it wouldn’t matter if everyone in Yunxi Villa died fighting it; they would be no match. Their only hope was to summon Song Yushao.

Fortunately, the Song Family had long anticipated such an event, establishing hidden message relays every mile or two between Cyan Yang City and Yunxi Villa. A message could reach the city in an instant.

BOOM!

A huge firework exploded in the sky above Yunxi Villa, its sound carrying for miles.

The next moment, another signal firework exploded in the distance.

"Everyone, follow me to the Beast Arena! We cannot let the Crimson Flame Tiger escape."

Song Shihua had no time to worry about watering the Vermilion Flame Fruit. He dropped a large bucket, his body erupting with Gang Qi as he flew toward the source of the commotion.

Just as he left, a ghostly figure flew in from a distance.

Xu Yang snatched the Vermilion Flame Fruit from the small tree, unhesitatingly stuffed it into a prepared Jade Box, and without pausing, rushed toward the location of the other two Spirit Medicines.

ROAR!

The Crimson Flame Tiger’s roar was like thunder, deafening.

When Song Shihua rushed to the cave where the Crimson Flame Tiger was imprisoned, he saw that the Spirit Iron Chain locking its neck was already broken. Only three of the chains binding its limbs remained.

The Crimson Flame Tiger, its body covered in flame-like patterns, was going berserk. It used its toothless mouth to bite the remaining chains, desperate to break free as if it had gone mad, even though its limbs were already dripping with blood.

The dozens of Song Family disciples present were so overwhelmed by the Crimson Flame Tiger’s tyrannical and ferocious might that their faces turned pale, and none of them dared to approach.

Song Shihua’s pupils contracted. Looking closely, he discovered that the broken chains were not snapped by brute force but had been severed by a blade, the cuts as smooth as a mirror.

’This was done on purpose!’

"Be careful, someone has infiltrated the villa! Hurry and protect the Spirit Medicine!"

He came to his senses and roared, his eyes filled with killing intent sweeping over the crowd, trying to find the culprit.

...

「Cyan Yang City. The Song Family Estate.」

BOOM!

A huge boom echoed from outside the city. At first, not many people paid it any mind, until they saw the exploding firework form a massive character for "Song" in the sky!

This was the Song Family’s unique distress signal. Different colors corresponded to different events.

CLANG CLANG...

Soon, nine urgent bell chimes rang out from the Song Family estate.

Song Shirong, who was handling affairs in his study, had his expression change dramatically. Nine chimes of the bell meant a crisis at Yunxi Villa, one that required the Yushao Ancestor, Song Yushao, to handle personally.

Any incident that required the Yushao Ancestor, Song Yushao, to handle personally was bound to be a major crisis that threatened the very foundation of the Song Family.

"Yushao Ancestor! There’s trouble at Yunxi Villa!"

Song Shirong burst out of his study to find the entire Song Family estate in an uproar, with everyone at a loss for what to do.

Suddenly, a majestic aura erupted from deep within the Song Family estate. A terrifying wave of power instantly enveloped the entire compound.

BOOM!

The next moment, a rooftop exploded. Song Yushao, his body glowing with surging light, shot out through the shattered roof like a god, emanating an overwhelming pressure.

"The rest of you, follow later!"

Song Yushao’s authoritative voice echoed. By the time he finished speaking, his figure had already vanished from the sky above the Song Family estate, disappearing like a streak of light into the distance.

Celestial Essence Martial Artists were capable of short-term flight.

Seeing this, Song Shirong breathed a sigh of relief.

’With the Yushao Ancestor on his way, the matter should be resolved quickly.’

"You lot, come with me. The rest of you, guard the estate. If any intruders appear, kill them on sight."

After selecting a few Bone Marrow Cleansing Martial Artists and giving some simple instructions, Song Shirong led them away from the Song Family estate and toward Yunxi Villa.

Word spread: the Song Family was in trouble.

The nine bell chimes, coupled with the spectacle of Song Yushao’s departure, quickly alerted the major powers of Cyan Yang City that something had happened to the Song Family.

No one knew the specifics, only that any matter requiring a Celestial Essence Strong Person to take action was bound to be significant.

"Men, fetch the Second Elder," the Ding Family Patriarch ordered. "Have him send someone to the Song Family to test the waters and find out what’s going on."

At the same time, the other top families in Cyan Yang City made similar moves, all wanting to find out what exactly had happened to the Song Family.

...

「Yunxi Villa.」

The Crimson Flame Tiger was still struggling. Even though the taut chains had turned its paws into a bloody mess, it didn’t stop.

Imprisoned for over a decade, it finally had a chance to break free and would not be deterred by excruciating pain.

"Elder, what should we do?" Someone looked to Song Shihua.

The ferocious Exotic Beast was comparable to a Celestial Essence Martial Artist. Even after being imprisoned by the Song Family for over a decade and having its blood drawn daily, its ferocity hadn’t diminished in the slightest. Even Song Shihua, with his Marrow Cleansing Great Success cultivation, could not withstand the tiger’s oppressive might enough to get close.

Moreover, with the Crimson Flame Tiger’s neck and one leg now free, even if Song Shihua could withstand the pressure to approach, he would just be a meal for the tiger.

"We can only wait. The Yushao Ancestor should be here soon!" Song Shihua said grimly.

The Crimson Flame Tiger’s ferocity was overwhelming and its Physique was powerful; he was completely helpless against it.

"Elder, it’s bad! The Vermilion Flame Fruit and the other two Spirit Medicines have been taken!"

Just then, the person who had gone to check on the Spirit Medicines returned and informed Song Shihua of the theft.

"That animal!" Song Shihua spat, his eyes wide with fury.

The other Song Family members were also seething with uncontrollable rage upon hearing the news.

The other two Spirit Medicines weren’t as critical, as they weren’t very old. But the Vermilion Flame Fruit was the key to the Yushao Ancestor’s breakthrough to the Celestial Essence Second Layer. To have it stolen at such a precarious time was like digging up the very roots of the Song Family.

"Tear this place apart, I don’t care if you have to dig three feet into the ground! Find that person! He’s still in the villa," Song Shihua roared.

"Elder, what about the Crimson Flame Tiger?" someone asked.

"Ignore it. The Crimson Flame Tiger won’t break free anytime soon. The Vermilion Flame Fruit is what’s important."

’They’re all just standing here anyway. If we can’t get the Vermilion Flame Fruit back, what good is it even if we secure the tiger?’

BANG!

But the moment Song Shihua’s words fell, the sound of a snapping chain echoed out.

He turned his head in horror and saw that one of the three remaining chains had been snapped by the Crimson Flame Tiger.

At the point of the break, there was a tiny incision. It had clearly been tampered with.

"This is bad!" Song Shihua’s face drained of color.

’This chain was sabotaged. The other two probably were as well.’

As if in a chain reaction, the thought had barely formed in Song Shihua’s mind when he saw the two remaining chains stretch like noodles.

BANG! BANG!

The next moment, two sharp snaps echoed from inside the cave. The Crimson Flame Tiger was completely free.

ROAR!

A roar filled with tyranny, hatred, and fury erupted from the cave. The Crimson Flame Tiger threw its head back and bellowed, the terrifying sound causing the cave to tremble. An overwhelming, ferocious might radiated from it, and its roiling Vitality appeared like flames enveloping its massive body.

A horrifying aura surged out of the cave like a bursting dam. The Crimson Flame Tiger’s bloody limbs bent slightly, and its massive body shot out of the cave like a gust of wind.

The Song Family disciples were aghast, their faces contorting in terror. All thoughts of enemies and the Vermilion Flame Fruit were thrown to the wind. The only thing that mattered now was surviving the jaws of an Exotic Beast comparable to a Celestial Essence Martial Artist.

"Run!"

"Escape!"

"The Crimson Flame Tiger is out!"

...

The Song Family disciples screamed, petrified, with no courage to fight back.

Even after being imprisoned for over a decade and bled daily, the Crimson Flame Tiger was not something a group of Bone Marrow Cleansing Martial Artists could hope to match.

ROAR!

The Crimson Flame Tiger charged out of the cave with overwhelming fury. With a single roar, three or four unlucky souls were instantly shaken so hard they bled from all seven orifices, their internal organs ruptured. They collapsed limply to the ground, dead.

The ground for a hundred feet around shattered and exploded, sending dust and debris flying into the air. With the power of a single roar, everything in that radius was turned to dust.

Many who weren’t killed by the roar were still sent sprawling, spitting up mouthfuls of blood as they screamed and fled for their lives.

"You bastard, show yourself!" Song Shihua roared, his eyes filled with rage.

’If it weren’t for that bastard hiding in the shadows, none of this would have happened!’

The people here were the elites of the Song Family. If they died, even if the Song Family didn’t fall, its Vitality would be greatly damaged. Even if the Yushao Ancestor broke through to the Celestial Essence Second Layer, it would be of little use.

Suddenly, he felt a terrifying gaze lock onto him.

’This is bad!’

Song Shihua was horrified. Of all the people in the Song Family, the Crimson Flame Tiger hated him the most—the one who had bled it day after day.

ROAR!

The Crimson Flame Tiger’s eyes were crimson, shooting out two beams of bloody light. With a single pounce, it was behind Song Shihua, opening its massive jaws and biting down hard.

Not even a scream was heard. Song Shihua, a Marrow Cleansing Great Success Martial Artist, was snatched up in the Crimson Flame Tiger’s jaws and brutally chewed, blood spraying everywhere.

"Elder!" the Song Family disciples roared in grief and fury.

The berserk Crimson Flame Tiger paid them no mind, continuing its slaughter with overwhelming ferocity. Wherever it went, Song Family disciples fell. In just a few breaths, ten to twenty people were already dead.

BOOM!

A rumbling sound rolled through the heavens, and the Power of Heaven and Earth fluctuated. Song Yushao was burning with anxiety, pushing his Cultivation to its absolute limit.

’Faster!’

’Even faster!’

The Vermilion Flame Fruit was the key to his breakthrough to the Celestial Essence Second Layer. Absolutely nothing could go wrong. This was not just about the future of the Song Family, but also about his own lifespan.

He pushed his Cultivation to its peak, wishing he could reach Yunxi Villa in a single step. But the distance between Yunxi Villa and Cyan Yang City was too great; even for a Celestial Essence Martial Artist like him who could fly for short periods, it was impossible to arrive instantly.

He drew upon massive amounts of the Power of Heaven and Earth to propel his body forward. Finally, he saw Yunxi Villa and heard the deafening roars of a tiger.

In his line of sight, he could already see the Crimson Flame Tiger with its flame-patterned coat slaughtering people all over Yunxi Villa. Of the dozens of Song Family disciples stationed there, only seven or eight were still alive.

’How could that beast have possibly escaped?’ Song Yushao was stunned and furious.

’The Song Family has had that Crimson Flame Tiger locked up for over a decade. If the Spirit Iron Chains weren’t sturdy, it would have escaped long ago. Why would it happen today?’

Yet the scene before him told him that the Crimson Flame Tiger had indeed broken its chains and was on a murderous rampage in Yunxi Villa.

"You beast! Die!"

Song Yushao roared, striking out with a Palm attack while still in the sky.

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