Chapter 47: The Golden-Blood Blue Tiger

Time flowed swiftly.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

With only two days left before the Western Mansion qualification test, Ryan finally prepared to leave the Forest of Death. By now, his cultivation had reached the Nine-Star Exalt realm, just one final threshold away from becoming an Upper Exalt.

If time allowed, he was confident he could break through completely. Unfortunately, reality left no room for indulgence.

Still, this half month had transformed him completely.

Not only had his level skyrocketed, but his true combat strength had increased severalfold.

Heavenly Star Palm, Landslide, and Wind Blade all reached full proficiency, unleashing power far beyond their initial limits.

Phantom Step was also perfected, granting him speed surpassing most Upper Exalts below the five-star level.

Below that realm, Ryan was confident no one could even touch him.

Sword skills and finishing techniques remained unfinished, limited by time and God of War points, but Ryan knew those could wait.

Another subtle change also occurred.

After prolonged killing, Ryan unknowingly began to exude a chilling killing aura. Wherever he went, others instinctively felt fear. His presence alone carried pressure, as though violence lurked just beneath the surface.

Yet Ryan himself remained unaware.

After cleaning the battlefield, he turned to leave Forest of Death.

At that moment, a sharp cry pierced the sky.

Ryan looked up.

A familiar golden figure descended rapidly from above.

A Golden-Blood Polar Shadow Bird was flying straight toward him.

The Golden-Blood Polar Shadow Bird that Ryan had killed on his first day in the fifth-rank region of Forest of Death was something he remembered all too clearly.

How could he forget it? That corpse was still lying quietly inside his system backpack.

Yet the one flying toward him now was clearly different.

Its golden feathers gleamed brighter, its body was larger, and its speed was even more terrifying. At a glance, it was obvious that this Golden-Blood Polar Shadow Bird was stronger than the one Ryan had killed before.

Even more interesting was what lay ahead of it.

A much smaller creature was fleeing desperately in front of the bird. Its movements were agile but clearly strained, and faint wounds could be seen on its body. It was obvious that it was being hunted.

At first glance, Ryan almost thought it was a cat.

It was about the same size as a kitten, but its blue fur was patterned with faint golden-yellow stripes, its tail slender and hook-like, and its eyes shone with an eerie green light. Compared to ordinary cats, it looked far more beautiful and spirited. If not for its current battered state, it would have been dazzling.

Ryan did not relax for even a moment.

A creature that could flee from a Golden-Blood Polar Shadow Bird, a monster famed for its speed, was no ordinary beast.

And this was the fifth-rank monster area.

How could anything here be simple?

“Interesting,” Ryan muttered, a faint smile forming as he cast Eye of Insight toward the fleeing little creature.

Name: Golden-Blood Blue Tiger

Rank: 5

Status: (Infancy)

Description: A Tiger King monster beast in its infancy. Golden holy blood flows within its body. When it matures, it will reach the realm of a Beast Emperor.

Threat Assessment: Low (relative to the player)

Ryan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

A tiger?

And not just any tiger, but a Beast Emperor in the making?

This instantly overturned his understanding. Forest of Death was rumored to lack Beast Emperor-rank monsters, yet here was an infant descendant that could one day reach that realm.

That meant one thing.

Either the Forest of Death had once been visited by a Beast Emperor, or this Golden-Blood Blue Tiger had wandered in from somewhere far more terrifying.

There was no time to dwell on it.

The two monsters were already rushing straight toward him.

The Golden-Blood Blue Tiger noticed Ryan at the last moment and froze for an instant, startled by the human blocking its path.

But the fear of the predator behind it far outweighed any concern about the youth in front of it. Without hesitation, it continued charging forward.

As for the Golden-Blood Polar Shadow Bird, Ryan barely registered as an obstacle at all. Its attention was entirely focused on the prey. In its eyes, the small human before it was nothing more than a speck of dust.

Both monsters made the same mistake.

They ignored Ryan.

Ryan’s smile deepened.

What better timing could there be?

He was just about to leave the Forest of Death, and two monsters delivered themselves right to his doorstep.

Free experience.

With a flick of his wrist, the Afterimage Sword appeared in his hand. His gaze did not linger on the Golden-Blood Blue Tiger at all. The real threat was the massive bird behind it.

“Heaven’s Guidance”

The sword hummed as Ryan pointed it forward. A brilliant white sword beam erupted instantly, tearing through the air like a streak of judgment.

The Golden-Blood Polar Shadow Bird never even had time to react.

Its eyes were still locked on the fleeing tiger when the beam pierced straight through its body.

A thunderous boom echoed.

A massive blood hole opened in the bird’s chest, and its golden form plummeted from the sky, lifeless before it could hit the ground.

Killed in one strike.

A fifth-rank monster, stronger than the one Ryan had faced days ago, was erased instantly.

If the bird had taken Ryan seriously, if it had spared even a glance, it might have triggered its life-saving technique. But arrogance sealed its fate.

Ryan’s strength had soared, and combined with a top-grade sword skill, the result was inevitable.

Masters decide life and death in a single breath. Whether human or beast, the rule was the same.

The Golden-Blood Blue Tiger skidded to a halt.

Its green eyes widened in pure terror as it stared at Ryan, its small body trembling uncontrollably. The predator it feared most had been annihilated in an instant.

Compared to that, the human before it was nothing short of a demon.

Escape?

The Golden-Blood Blue Tiger knew in its heart that in front of this human, there was nowhere left to run.

“Meow~”

The Golden-Blood Blue Tiger clearly understood its situation.

It couldn’t outrun the human in front of it, couldn’t defeat him, and now that the terrifying bird was gone, there was nowhere left to flee. So it chose the only option it had left.

Beg.

With watery green eyes and a pitiful little cry, it looked up at Ryan, its small body curled slightly as if afraid he might change his mind at any moment.

Paired with its kitten-like appearance, the effect was devastating.

Soft fur, delicate stripes, a trembling tail, and that helpless expression… it was cute to an unreasonable degree. If a woman who loved pets were standing here, she would have surrendered instantly.

“Heh~”

Ryan chuckled.

Seeing how frightened the little creature was, he deliberately lifted the Sword and strolled around it slowly, letting the blade glint in the light. The Golden-Blood Blue Tiger shrank back with a whimper, shivering so hard it nearly rolled over.

Ryan found it oddly entertaining.

Although this little fellow was technically a fifth-rank monster, killing it wouldn’t give him much benefit anymore. A few hundred thousand experience points meant almost nothing at his current stage.

So for now, he wasn’t in a hurry to kill it.

“Do you want me to let you go?” Ryan asked with a smile.

“Meow~”

The Golden-Blood Blue Tiger nodded frantically, the movement so humanlike it almost looked comical, as if saying: Yes, yes, please, anything is fine, just don’t kill me!

It glanced nervously at the sword in Ryan’s hand, then tucked its head down again, pitiful to the extreme.

Ryan’s gaze sharpened slightly.

This thing’s intelligence was no joke.

After thinking for a moment, he said casually, “Letting you go isn’t impossible. But can you understand what I’m saying? If you do, answer a few questions first.”

“Meow~”

The Golden-Blood Blue Tiger sat obediently in place and nodded again, its posture almost respectful.

“So you do understand,” Ryan said with interest. “Then tell me, you’re still in infancy. How did a beast like you end up alone here?”

“Meow~”

The Golden-Blood Blue Tiger shook its head, then pointed at itself with a small paw, looking utterly helpless.

Ryan understood. “You don’t know either?”

“Meow~”

“Were you separated from your mother?” Ryan asked.

The Golden-Blood Blue Tiger tilted its head, clearly confused by the word.

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