Chapter 50: A Cornered Rabbit Bites Back! Dark Demon Evil God Tiger
As they watched Zhou Yi's departing figure, Tang Xiao and Tang Hao couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
A divine elixir capable of evolving a martial soul—its value was immeasurable.
This time, they owed him a significant favor.
But for their younger sister, it was all worth it.
Zhou Yi didn't return directly but instead headed to the Star Dou Forest to acquire a new Soul Ring.
On the way, he thought he'd check on that rascal of a rabbit...
Star Dou Forest
The forest was eternally lush, with towering ancient trees that seemed to reach the heavens. It brimmed with the vitality and freshness of spring all year round.
In front of a small wooden cabin nestled in a valley, Yan Rou carried a wooden bucket. Her fair, jade-like hands held a ladle as she watered the rows of carrots growing by the door.
Rabbits loved carrots, after all.
Naturally, Yan Rou had planted a patch right outside her home for convenience.
Xiao Wu wasn't home at the moment, which was typical of her. With her energetic and restless nature, she couldn't sit still for long.
Zhou Yi's eyes glinted mischievously as he approached Yan Rou silently from behind. Watching her bent figure tending to the carrots, he suddenly reached out and hugged her tightly.
"Ah!"
Startled, Yan Rou yelped, dropping the ladle. Her Soul Power surged instinctively, ready to unleash her martial soul in defense. But upon sensing Zhou Yi's aura, she relaxed slightly.
"You're back already?" she asked anxiously, glancing nervously around to ensure Xiao Wu wasn't nearby.
"Of course, I came back because I missed you!" Zhou Yi murmured, leaning close to her ear.
"Stop it!"
Yan Rou grabbed his wandering hands, her tone hurried. "Xiao Wu could return at any moment! Let go of me!"
After teasing Yan Rou briefly, Zhou Yi finally released her.
"What are you doing here so soon?" she asked irritably, straightening her clothes and glaring at him.
"To see you, of course!"
Yan Rou huffed in exasperation. "Do you think a rabbit is so easy to bully? Corner me, and I'll bite you!"
Zhou Yi chuckled but quickly grew serious. He wrapped his arms around her slender waist and explained, "I've reached the fiftieth rank and need a powerful Soul Beast to obtain a Soul Ring. Do you know where I can find one? The stronger, the better!"
"You're not thinking of going after Da Ming and Er Ming, are you?" Yan Rou's tone turned wary as she studied him.
Though her relationship with Zhou Yi was close, as a human Soul Master, he inherently stood at odds with Soul Beasts. Their bond was tenuous at best, like that of a cat and mouse. She couldn't entirely rule out the possibility of betrayal.
"Do I look like someone who'd do that?" Zhou Yi pinched her cheek lightly. "If I had designs on them, would I need to ask you first?"
"I've heard there's a Dark Demon Evil God Tiger around here. Isn't it your natural enemy? I can take care of it for you."
Yan Rou's pupils contracted with instinctive fear at the name. Although the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger only had 60,000 years of cultivation, it was still terrifyingly powerful.
Only Da Ming and Er Ming could suppress it.
"The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger has been cultivating for over 60,000 years," she said hesitantly. "Are you sure you can handle it? Its strength is formidable, and its techniques are varied. It's even more dangerous than Da Ming and Er Ming!"
Yan Rou had seen Zhou Yi's strength firsthand, but the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger was infamous—a predator among Soul Beasts.
It wasn't just strong; it exuded a fearsome malevolence.
"Relax, it's just a big cat," Zhou Yi replied confidently. He tightened his hold on Yan Rou's waist. "It seems you know where it is. Lead the way!"
Reluctantly, Yan Rou nodded. "I only know its general territory, but it shouldn't be hard to find."
Under Yan Rou's guidance, Zhou Yi soon arrived at the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's domain.
Activating his Spirit Eyes, Zhou Yi scanned the forest. Not even the dense canopy of ancient trees could block his vision.
[TL/N: Spirit Eyes is the evolved form of Eyes of Calamity.]
His gaze shifted to Yan Rou, who shivered involuntarily under his scrutiny. It was as if his eyes could see through her entirely, leaving her feeling exposed and uneasy.
"You really can sense it," Zhou Yi muttered under his breath, his Spirit Eyes revealing two radiant full moons in the distance.
They had found it.
A massive tiger emerged from the shadows. Its entire body was jet black, without a single trace of any other color. Its blood-red eyes gleamed with a chilling, sinister light.
The beast was over eight meters long, its muscular frame exuding a palpable sense of oppression. Its estimated weight exceeded 3,000 kilograms.
A distinctive black "王" (king) mark adorned its forehead. Unlike the rest of its fur, this marking seemed like a dark mist, adding to its eerie aura.
Most striking, however, was its tail. Unlike ordinary tiger Soul Beasts, its tail was unnaturally long, composed entirely of bony segments. At its tip was a massive hook-like appendage that shimmered with an ominous, ghostly light.
"The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger!"
Yan Rou gasped as Zhou Yi held her. Even at a distance, she couldn't suppress her instinctive fear.
This beast was exceedingly rare—practically extinct. Its overwhelming power made survival in the Soul Beast world difficult, so only a few existed.
Legends spoke of its origins: a divine act of corruption by an Evil God, who transformed a pure white tiger's light-attribute into a sinister darkness. This mutation birthed black wings symbolizing its fall, as well as the scorpion-like Evil God Hook.
The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's strength was legendary. Unlike most Soul Beasts, it could not become a martial soul. Its dark energy, stemming from the Evil God's corruption, was far too malevolent for any human to endure.
If ranked as a martial soul, it would undoubtedly be on par with the Six-Winged Angel.
The tiger spotted them, its gaze locking onto Yan Rou. It didn't recognize Zhou Yi but immediately identified Yan Rou as a 100,000-year Soul Beast—an ally of Da Ming and Er Ming.
Its blood boiled with rage. Those two had beaten it repeatedly in the past, and now was its chance for revenge.
Without hesitation, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger charged. Its Evil God Hook swayed ominously behind it, releasing waves of chilling energy that distorted the air.
Yanrou trembled. As a herbivorous Soul Beast, she was naturally suppressed by the tiger's aura and could barely keep her composure.
Zhou Yi smirked confidently. "Let me show you the ultimate swordsmanship I've recently mastered!"
Zhou Yi released Yan Rou.
In the next moment, the Frost-Defying Sword materialized in the palm of his hand. A surge of sharp, unrelenting sword intent erupted skyward, as if it could split the heavens themselves.
Yan Rou stared at Zhou Yi in shock, frozen in place.
At this moment, the usual roguish air he carried around her vanished entirely. He was no longer the playful troublemaker she knew, but a peerless divine sword unsheathed, radiating an unstoppable edge that could cut through anything.
Roar!
Sensing imminent danger, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger let out an earth-shaking roar. Layers of gray light coalesced around its massive frame, condensing into a sphere that it hurled toward Zhou Yi with devastating force.
Dark Demon Evil Thunder!
This was one of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's most formidable abilities. It fused its dark energy and malevolent power into a singular burst of terrifying strength.
The attack combined the elements of wind, thunder, and evil in a devastating area-of-effect strike.
"One Sword to Open the Heavenly Gate — Heaven-Cleaving Slash!"
With a sharp cry, the Frost-Defying Sword left its sheath. The explosive sword qi surged forward, pure and unadorned. There were no unnecessary flourishes, no dazzling effects—just the simplicity of a single, unyielding strike.
As the sword descended, its condensed energy reached its peak, tearing through the fabric of space itself.
Centered on Zhou Yi, the surrounding heavens and earth seemed to split in two, as if a heavenly gate had been forced open.
The Dark Demon Evil Thunder was instantly severed, dissipating silently into the void. The terrifying sword intent, unstoppable and unmatched, pierced forward with unrelenting momentum, slashing directly toward the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger.
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