Chapter 279: The Tiger Demon
Chapter 279: The Tiger Demon
Kong Sheng wasn't in a hurry. After all, his target had nowhere to run.
The plump cultivator kept a close eye on the kitchen, knowing that Mo Hua would find it inconvenient to eat there now that they were on guard.
Moreover, he also coveted the jade pendant that Kong Sheng possessed.
However, he had to be discreet and meticulous in his actions to avoid exposing himself.
Mo Hua began observing the plump cultivator, and within a day, he had formulated a plan.
This cultivator not only provided meals for the evil cultivators but also for a demon beast—a tiger demon, to be precise.
The tiger demon was a late first-grade beast confined in a separate room and restrained by chains inscribed with array patterns, preventing it from moving.
Tigers were among the most powerful demon beasts on Great Black Mountain, and without such restraints, they could be extremely dangerous.
This particular tiger demon seemed rather unique, with a mix of black and white stripes and a character "Wang" (king)
on its forehead.
Most likely, its bloodline was extraordinary, which was why the evil cultivators had captured and imprisoned it in Black Mountain Fortress.
As for the specific purpose of capturing this tiger demon, Mo Hua wasn't entirely sure.
Every day at noon, the plump cultivator would feed the tiger demon. However, he never gave it much food, probably fearing that the tiger demon would regain its strength, break free from the chains, and cause trouble.
Amused by this, Mo Hua smiled to himself and thought, "If you won't feed it enough, then I will."
He rummaged through the kitchen, selecting some demon beast jerky, which he then tucked into his storage bag. Afterward, he made his way to the room where the tiger demon was held captive.
The tiger demon, hungry and weak, lay on the ground. Suddenly, several pieces of jerky appeared before it. Although they were dry and tough, they were indeed meat.
The tiger demon blinked, slightly confused, but driven by its hunger, it couldn't resist and started tearing into the meat.
Soon, it devoured everything and licked its fangs, still craving more.
Mo Hua threw a few more pieces of meat in front of it.
The tiger demon stared ahead, seeing no one, but it could sense the presence of a cultivator.
It didn't understand why this cultivator was feeding it, but driven by hunger, it finished the meat nonetheless.
Then it noticed that the cultivator's aura had disappeared.
The tiger demon opened its mouth and let out a low roar.
It had eaten until it was about seven-eighths full, and its strength had recovered by about the same proportion. Yet, it was still restrained by the iron chains and the array, unable to move.
A gleam flashed in the tiger demon's eyes, and it slowly lay down, lowering its head and closing its eyes as if it hadn't eaten its fill.
Mo Hua, observing from a distance, couldn't help but marvel at the tiger demon's intelligence.
The next day, the plump cultivator returned to feed the tiger demon, still looking disgruntled.
He had been scolded by the old man again.
First, it was the pastries, and now even the meat was going missing.
The plump cultivator was perplexed as to who dared to steal food from the Black Mountain Fortress' kitchen. Despite his investigations, he had found no clues.
Besides himself and the old man, no one else had access to the kitchen.
Unless... it wasn't a person but a ghost?
The plump cultivator snorted derisively, then furrowed his brows as a thought occurred to him.
"Could it be an invisibility technique?"
The only thing that could conceal one's presence from a cultivator's sight was an invisibility technique.
However, he quickly shook his head, dismissing the idea.
Invisibility techniques were not easily learned; it was unlikely that anyone in the entire Black Mountain Fortress could master such a technique.
Even if there was a cultivator skilled in invisibility, they wouldn't be entirely without flaws.
While an invisible cultivator could deceive the eyes, they couldn't hide their spiritual sense.
He had encountered invisible cultivators in the past. Although he couldn't see them, he could sense their traces with his spiritual sense, and with his ample combat experience, it only took a few exchanges before he captured and slew them.
The plump cultivator was confident that even a cultivator skilled in invisibility couldn't hide from his spiritual sense and perform clandestine actions under his watch.
So, what was happening here? Who was stealing the food from the kitchen?
As he fed the tiger demon, these thoughts kept running through his mind.
Unbeknownst to him, in a corner beyond his sight, a delicate white hand was carefully unraveling the array patterns inscribed on the chains binding the tiger demon.
The tiger demon's eyes gleamed with intelligence, but it lowered its head to disguise its true emotions, feigning indifference as it ate the meager offering.
The plump cultivator continued to ponder the situation.
The harder he tried to think, the more confused he became, and the more frustrated he felt.
"Damn it!" The cultivator swore, and seeing the tiger demon with its head bowed, he became even angrier. He slapped the tiger demon on its forehead and cursed, "I have to serve you now, you beast?!"
Beating up the tiger was nothing new to him.
After all, the tiger demon was bound by the array and couldn't move, so he could vent his frustration without consequences.
The plump cultivator turned to leave, but as soon as he took a step, he suddenly realized something was amiss.
The ground beneath his feet seemed hazy, as if a shadow had appeared out of nowhere.
At the same time, he felt a surge of thick and violent energy behind him.
The cultivator's eyes widened in surprise.
He turned his head slightly, glancing back to see the tiger demon he had just bullied standing silently behind him, its massive jaws wide open, ready to bite down on his head.
The plump cultivator's heart shattered with fear.
"What the hell is going on? How did this damned beast break free from its chains?!"
Even as fear gripped his heart, the cultivator desperately channeled his energy, dashing forward in an attempt to escape.
The tiger demon snapped at him, but due to being restrained by the array for too long, its limbs were stiff, and it was a split second too slow, allowing the plump cultivator to escape its jaws.
The cultivator breathed a sigh of relief.
However, the tiger demon roared in anger and lunged at the plump cultivator, swiping at him with its massive claws.
But the cultivator had already adjusted his energy and was prepared, barely managing to dodge the attack.
The tiger demon continued to pounce and bite, and the cultivator, relying on his agile movements, engaged in a fierce struggle.
Those who were sin cultivators typically possessed exceptional agility.
After a few exchanges, the plump cultivator calmed down and his expression eased, no longer showing panic.
He was at the late First Tier, and so was the tiger demon.
Even if he couldn't defeat the tiger, he was confident that he could hold his own for a short period and ensure his own safety.
Moreover, the tiger had been hungry and imprisoned for a long time, and its strength was not at its peak.
With this in mind, the cultivator's heart steadied, and he coldly smiled, "Vile beast, just you wait and see how I'll torture you later!"
Even if the tiger had broken free from its chains, it couldn't escape Black Mountain Fortress, and it would eventually fall into his hands again.
When that time came, he wouldn't be so courteous.
The tiger demon's rage intensified, and its attacks became more frenzied, but the plump cultivator remained calm and collected.
Hidden in the corner, Mo Hua observed the battle, assessing the cultivator's strength.
His cultivation was at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, nearing the peak, and his agility was impressive. The martial art he practiced was called Golden Light Fist, a First-Grade technique.
As a sin cultivator, he had years of combat experience under his belt.
Overall, his strength was slightly weaker than Mo Hua's father, Mo Shan, but stronger than the average ninth layer Qi Refinement demon hunter.
The reason the plump cultivator wasn't heavily relied upon wasn't due to his inadequate strength but because he was new and hadn't earned their trust yet.
In terms of cultivation alone, he was among the upper-middle tier of the evil cultivators.
Mo Hua nodded to himself.
Based on this assessment, the average strength of the Qi Refinement evil cultivators would be higher than that of the demon hunters.
However, the demon hunters had their First-Grade iron armor and simple swords, so if they were to engage in battle, the outcome would likely be evenly matched.
Mo Hua's heart settled a little.
At this point, the plump cultivator had served his purpose and was no longer useful.
Mo Hua extended his small hand, forming a grabbing motion toward the cultivator, preparing to use his Water Prison Technique to trap him and offer him as a meal to the tiger.
(End of Chapter)
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