Chapter 402: Chapter 181: Tiger Monarch

"Brother Cui."

Dong Chuo glanced sideways.

"Don’t tell me you’ve lost your confidence. Why do I get the feeling you’re a little nervous?"

"...Nervous?"

Cui Zifeng’s eyes snapped open.

"I may have only recently broken through to the Divine Storage Realm, but dealing with a single Tier Two Exotic Beast is hardly a difficult task... You just worry about managing these people you brought along!"

At his words,

Ning Chong, Guan Tong, and Li Gang all shot Cui Zifeng a sidelong glance, whether intentionally or not.

The three of them still didn’t know Cui Zifeng’s exact identity. All they knew was that he was an expert in the Divine Storage Realm, but not from the Mountain and Sea Sect.

However, judging by his attitude toward Dong Chuo, the faction backing him was surely no weaker than Dong Chuo’s.

And the two infants, still wailing shrilly, had been brought by Cui Zifeng.

Furthermore, the unidentifiable roasted meat they were eating had also been provided by Cui Zifeng.

Although Cui Zifeng never said so outright, his fragmented words hinted that it was likely some kind of special human flesh. Eating it was highly beneficial to a Martial Artist, and it was called something like ’Great Medicine’.

Dong Chuo and Yin Xi had both eaten a fair amount.

Guan Tong and Li Gang had also tried a few bites.

Only Ning Chong hadn’t touched a single piece. Even just watching them eat made him feel physically and mentally ill.

"Senior Brother Dong."

Li Gang gnawed on a bone-in piece of the Great Medicine and asked casually,

"What if those two kids... oh, no, what if the two pieces of live bait get snatched by wild wolves? Wouldn’t all our efforts be for nothing?"

"This is where you’re mistaken,"

Dong Chuo said coolly.

"All great tigers mark their territory with urine. Any Lower Rank animal that catches a whiff of that scent will be scared out of its wits and won’t dare come anywhere near!"

Li Gang nodded, musing,

"So, by that logic, if the bell rings, it must mean that beast is here..."

JINGLE JINGLE JINGLE...

Before Li Gang could even finish his sentence, the sound of a bell echoed from within the valley.

"It’s here!"

Cui Zifeng’s eyes flew wide. He shot to his feet and was the first to charge into the valley.

"Quick! Stick to the plan!"

Dong Chuo fumbled to put on his Hand Armor, shouting orders all the while.

"Yin Xi, Guan Tong, you two are with me! Enter the valley and provide cover fire with your Bows and Arrows!"

"Ning Chong, Li Gang, you two hold the valley entrance! If that beast tries to break out, greet it with Divine Fire Thunder!"

"Understood!"

Though caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, they were all formidable experts. They quickly composed themselves and rushed toward the valley entrance.

They had carefully selected this valley. It had only one entrance, and the other three sides were incredibly high, steep stone cliffs.

"Where’s the tiger!? Where are the people!?"

Cui Zifeng charged into the valley but saw no sign of the Golden-eyed Mutant Tiger. Even the two infants were gone.

Dong Chuo, Yin Xi, and Guan Tong followed right behind him.

"Seal the entrance—!"

Cui Zifeng whipped his head around and roared at Ning Chong and Li Gang at the mouth of the valley.

"That beast must still be in the valley..." Dong Chuo said in a low voice.

"Shut up!"

Cui Zifeng cut him off sharply. He immediately expanded all his senses, ensuring that not the slightest rustle of grass or gust of wind within a certain radius could escape his perception.

Meanwhile,

in the shadows of some boulders and bushes far from the crooked old tree, Chen Cheng gently placed the two infants on the ground.

He had used a tiny dose of a sedative to make the children fall into a deep sleep, silencing their cries.

However, these two children didn’t know the Endless Moon Breath technique. As Cui Zifeng conducted his sweeping search, it was only a matter of time before their breathing and heartbeats were discovered.

ROAR—!

Just then, a deafening roar echoed from the cliffs high above the valley.

"How... How did it get up there?"

Dong Chuo stared at the surrounding cliffs, which were nearly vertical, his brows knitting tightly together.

SWOOSH— SWOOSH—

At that moment, without the slightest hesitation, Cui Zifeng leaped into the air. In just a few bounds, he reached the top of a large tree.

His Body Technique was as swift as flight. He quickly leaped to the midpoint of the cliff face, then used a few protruding rocks to continue his ascent.

However, his inexperience in mountain climbing was obvious. Several times, he stepped on loose rocks and nearly fell.

Only by relying on the reflexes and skill of his Divine Storage Realm cultivation, and by driving his longsword into the cliff face, did he manage to steady himself.

"Brother Cui! Stop chasing it! By the time you get up there, that beast will be long gone!"

Dong Chuo shouted up from below.

But Cui Zifeng turned a deaf ear, stubbornly continuing his climb.

In his mind, even if the Golden-eyed Mutant Tiger had escaped, it would have left behind tracks or other clues. He was determined to follow them and see where they led; with any luck, the trail would take him straight to his target.

WHOOSH—

Just then, a sharp whistle echoed through the valley.

The instant everyone’s gaze turned toward the source of the sound,

THWUMP!!

a dull thud sounded from Yin Xi’s head as something forcibly burrowed into her temple.

The next moment,

her entire head exploded, splattering brains, shredded flesh, and eyeballs all over Dong Chuo’s and Guan Tong’s faces and bodies.

"Who!?"

Dong Chuo let out a hysterical roar. His face was completely contorted by Yin Xi’s gruesome death, and covered as it was in blood and gore, he looked more terrifying than a demon from hell.

Beside him, Guan Tong immediately drew his bow and nocked an arrow, firing a rapid succession of shots toward where the whistle had come from.

Unfortunately, the only sounds that returned were of Arrowheads embedding themselves in tree trunks and rock.

Chen Cheng had already silently moved to a new position.

"Ugh... AGH—!!!"

A few moments later, Dong Chuo and Guan Tong let out nearly simultaneous, hysterical screams.

"Poison... The blood and flesh... it’s highly poisonous!!!"

The two of them screamed, one part of their mind desperately circulating Transforming Force to suppress the poison’s spread, the other frantically fumbling for an Antidote.

Just then, a second sharp whistle rang out.

WHOOSH—!

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