Evil's Worst Nightmare (4)

Tension only multiplied as time went on without anyone making the first move. As Ja Sun observed the beast, he came to realize that there was one thing he could not sense— The Devilgod Tiger's core!

It was as if the core was wrapped in a mystery even greater than the insight that his Sage Bloodline can understand. Or... maybe it could just be the origin of it that is shrouded in a curtain of mystery and not the core itself? There is only one way that Ja Sun could find out the truth about and 'talking' with the beast, is not it?

Yet, more eager than him were two entirely different beasts.

"H- How about I hunt this beast for you?" Zi Ji inquires through her intent. She clearly felt she was stepping out of some form of a line. For all intent and purposes, Ja Sun had revealed that he wanted to make this beast the first spirit soul of his second martial soul but... she wanted a taste of this entirely dangerous beast.

She isn't alone in such desire. Surprisingly, it's Snow instead of Bing Bing that also contacts him with her intent, "Beast God, if I may... this beast is interesting. His core even more so... could I be the one to lead the charge here?"

Ja Sun merely hears them and at this moment, a rather terrifying intent fills the entire space. Everyone save for Ja Sun feels their skin, scales, and fur crawling with a sense of demise. As if it is the reaper's scythe that is gently grazing past their bodies.

"I don't usually do this," Ja Sun chuckles, the disgustingly calm, frightful, ENCOMPASSING killing intent pierces through everyone, "But when I say I'm hunting someone... I mean it."

He turns to look at Zi Ji and Snow with a collected smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Of course, he knew that beasts ar loyal yet volatile in nature. Zi Ji's demand for hunting the tiger did not step on her loyalty for him, but her respect for him and now he may remain rather frivolous in the face of insults since his skin and fur are quite thick, but this kind of behavior he did not tolerate. Even the likes of Erlong knew that by now... but then again, Erlong is the kind of girl who would still step on your toes constantly to get a rise and then, well, get appropriately 'punished.'

With Zi Ji and Snow lowering their heads, Ja Sun notes the additional surreptitious rubbing of thighs by Zi Ji's side, almost making him roll all three of his eyes but he chose to focus on the Tiger itself while the two aquatic beasts, Bi Ji, and Bing Bing release a collective sigh of relief...

The Devilgod Tiger had gotten silent long ago!

Just that killing intent shook him to his core, literally!

For some reason, his actual spirit core is still shaking in utmost terror, an emotion that the Tiger sensed for the first time.

As Ja Sun begins to march toward the tiger in slow, measured steps, a pair of dark golden gauntlets with white and black tiger stripes cover his arms.

A thin milky glow covers his clenched paws and space began to distort around this glow. The tiger, too, crouches. His tail stiffens slightly in preparation for an attack at a moment's notice while gale begins to ruffle through him and even cause the sand around them to fly about!

*Roar*

Unable to truly cope with the pressure after facing that particular cruel but 'kind' killing intent, the Tiger roars in frustration and shoots back instead, pulling more distance between Ja Sun and himself. Meanwhile, the space around him begins to crack.

However, before the beast could escape, the cracks repair themselves the next second!

"The only reason I didn't add any defense against the escape mechanism... is because I'm IT!"

Ja Sun's cold cackle resounds in the Tiger's senses before his body is sent smashing into the sand dune while he feels an unimaginable force of shock and tremor pass through his body and almost rearrange his innards!

As Ja Sun said, he focused on spatial elements the most and attained the comprehension of a master in law a long time ago. He is still far from being a grandmaster but then again, Grandmasters are too rare, much less a Great-Grandmaster. The only Grandmaster Ja Sun knew for a fact is the most recent Blood God— Qian Xunji.

Ascending to godhood itself played a large role in that.

As the Devilgod Tiger struggles to get up, Ja Sun stays beside the beast quietly. Killing it in an instant... well, that's no fun. Ja Sun wanted to see the limits at which he could push this one and if the beast could even hope to push him more than Di Tian ever did.

*Grrr*

Ja Sun silently smirks while taking a simple boxing 1-2 position. His feet gently skip as if he wasn't standing on sand but concrete.

"Now, now, this is me at my weakest," He adds as the Tiger shakes its head with a further guttural growl to regather himself, "You can't be taking it easy~!"

Ja Sun disappears in the next instant. Not a display of spatial manipulation but pure speed as his fists jab down at the tiger with reverberating booms echoing from its face under each impact!

*Crack*

Ja Sun scoffs as pitch-black lighting coils over his arm.

Now he admits that he didn't give basic elements a lot of his time but he'll be damned if a relatively weak lightning attack fazes him. Letting the shock course through his veins and not feeling the least bit numb, Ja Sun continues to pound the Tiger!

"Please! You must ask the Beast God to not take it easy on that vile beast! End him as quickly as possible!" The Flood Dragon looks at Bi Ji as they watch the battle from a distance only for Zi Ji to scowl back in return. Clearly, she enjoyed being put down but it did leave a naturally annoying taste. Hissing at the 'lower' 'python', she berates, "Let him have fun! Tch... What I'd give to be in the Sun's position... or the Tiger's..."

"Enough, have you not embarrassed yourself already," Bi Ji frowns, "I and Yuehua will take greater care in your training," her words instantly make Zi Ji a notch gloomier but she regains a bit of joy when her friend pulls the other offender, too, "Just because he takes things easy does not mean you can step on his limits carelessly. I mean you, too, Snow Empress!"

Snow thins her lips, a little displeased and not used to getting a shaking down. But she accepts it nonetheless. Bi Ji berating them is simply far easier to deal with than that stifling killing intent.

"Tch, what's the use of all that intimidation?" Bing Bing scoffs, "It's not like he'll do anything to us. He did accept us..."

Bi Ji and Zi Ji look at Bing Bing as if looking at a fool... but Bi Ji does keep her gaze more subtle.

"Pray that he finds enough joy in battling the Dark Devilgod Tiger... or he'll find entertainment elsewhere. Of course, Ja Sun is not the kind to cross the lines he drew for himself... but you'll still be going through a lot for his entertainment."

Bi Ji's words do make Bing Bing and especially Snow grow a little more alert... the Emerald Swan Monarch is right, of course. There are lines Ja Sun did not cross for his own sake but many things considered the worst for others were his options.

They shift their attention to the ongoing battle as the Tiger suddenly unfurls his wings and slashes at Ja Sun and used the momentum of his wings to jump high in the sky.

Then, without missing a beat, the Tiger rushes down with a pitch-black gale gathering around him and increasing his speed many folds!

Not only that, his tail hooks around his left hind limb, and the poisonous tip of it remains pointing out.

Choosing to still keep at basics, Ja Sun's smirks slowly develop into a grin and he chooses to punch out while the space around him visibly cracks. Before the Tiger could even get the idea to escape, the tremendous shock wave nullifies his momentum, making him roar in frustration!

Dark Mist oozes from his fur the next instant!

A domain!

Before the dark mist could spread, however, a wave of blinding light engulfs everyone with Ja Sun releasing his own opposing domain— Bright World!

To the Tiger's credit, the wave of light does NOT override his darkness mist domain but merely limits it. Like Ja Sun who could 'turn' into light in this domain, the tiger melted into the mist...

In the next second, the entire mist shapes into a giant tiger with its wings unfurling.

And... this catches Ja Sun by surprise.

A moving domain.

An idea so simple... and amazing.

For a moment, his ninth spirit ring flashes in dark crimson, and then, under everyone's stunned gaze—

*Roar*

The Tiger enveloped by his domain barely creates some distance as a gigantic paw made of pure white contained light brightens the entire dimension as if a celestial object itself and grabs onto the Tiger's neck, slamming the 'domain' into the ground while the arm extends into the further glow and forms a gigantic sage. Pure white and without any facial features save for the glimmering orb in the center of his chest!

Everyone gulps at the sight of it.

As if the Devilgod Tiger's ability to manipulate the domain to such an extent wasn't enough... Ja Sun's ability to copy it in a blink of an eye is startling enough.

Just when everyone felt things are going the 'right' way, a wave of darkness multiplies the size of the tiger, and then...

The domain disappears.

The Tiger is nowhere to be found...

And as the light gently flickered away in groups of motes of light...

The Beast God is nowhere to be found, too...

---

"H-How did you do it?" A 'childish' growl entered Ja Sun's senses as he looks around the arena surrounded by darkness.

The seats of the arena are gathering dust while the entire structure is surrounded by a flickering grey film of energy.

"How did I do what?" Ja Sun grins, his childish and somewhat pouty voice making the Dark Devilgod... cub growl!

"How did you pull me into the effects of my own evil domain?"

This indeed is a domain. A wildly different one. Ja Sun understood the mechanics once again...

One of his ninth spirit abilities— The Eye of Causality.

Once used, Ja Sun needs to expend a lot of his divine intent and in return, he will be able to understand and assimilate the mechanics of any concept, skill, and attack into his experience. The only drawback is that he cannot understand something that skips upon his own base knowledge.

For instance, if he is a master in one concept then he can understand the works of a grandmaster in that particular concept.

However, if he is a master, he cannot just pry upon the secrets of the realm of a Great Grandmaster!

The Tiger is not a Grandmaster much less a Great Grandmaster.

And...

"A domain of space AND time... but not of this world. Evil Domain... huh. Carving out another dimension and letting the essence of Time Flow through us to make us children once again. But that's not all..."

Ja Sun smirks as a heavenly and dignified voice filled the arena.

"Only one may survive."

"A domain that would affect you to the bindings. Of course, that shield of darkness would have saved you from turning younger..." Ja Sun laughs and the cub growls, "I don't need to be old to kill you now!"

"Your domain puts us in the same position. A fair take," Ja Sun sneers, "But it's still unfair. It provides you with a shield to escape the same fate AND even if you are turned into a 10-year-old beast... you would still tear 100-year-old beasts easily..."

The beast charges as Ja Sun still keeps an easy-going smirk as a remarkable bloodlust locks the tiger in its position.

"Calm down now... I've analyzed your greatest secrets... save for your core. At least, hear me out on how I'm gonna fuck you sideways..."

Ja Sun snickers. His body suddenly shifts as and the next second... his grown-up, sagely self appears instead of a toddler. The Cub's eyes widen fearfully and in confusion as Ja Sun's right hand glows in a bloody red and rustic gold glow.

"You aren't the only one who can rig a fair battle... Battlefield of Madness..."

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Alternate Title: Zi Ji Wants To Be the Poundee and the Pounder

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A/N: I'm not really going to update the spirit skills of Ja Sun. Since he's now transcending it, I'll just add the elements and his mastery of it. Important useful skills like Eye of Causality is explained in here itself.

It's just that coming up with random skills and names he won't even use is too exhausting for me... truly.

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