Chapter 63

The power of the seventh-stage demonic tiger was not to be underestimated. Yan Qing, now completely exhausted, sat in the snow, unable to stand. He watched eagerly as his Junior Master approached with a calm stride.

He looked at his Junior Master with hopeful eyes, expecting a hand to help him up.

Lin Du simply walked up to him, glanced down, and remarked, “Wow, the snow is really thick here, isn’t it? Must be at least a dozen inches deep. The ground is all packed and frozen underneath, and yet you still managed to sink in—I’m even seeing bits of dirt.”

Yan Qing’s outstretched hand froze mid-air. “Huh?”

After making his comment, Lin Du circled around behind him, grabbed the back of Yan Qing’s collar, and, with a little spiritual power, lifted him to his feet.

“Enough, are you weak from hunger?”

Yan Qing’s legs gave way, and he collapsed back onto the snow.

Lin Du: “…”

“Forget it.”

She sighed, took out a Guiyuan Pill, squatted down, and popped it into Yan Qing’s mouth. Then, lifting him by the back of his collar with a bit of spiritual energy, she flipped him over.

Yan Qing swallowed the pill, realizing just how depleted his dantian was. Just as he was about to speak, a wave of spiritual energy, colder than the surrounding snow, surged into his meridians, reaching his stomach and helping dissolve the pill.

He shivered from the cold, then quickly recognized it as his martial uncle’s spiritual energy.

Cold, pure, and dense—like a spring of spiritual water, with a faint hint of melting ice.

Soon, the pill’s power was fully absorbed, and the cold spiritual energy withdrew. His body warmed up, and the fatigue in his muscles slowly subsided.

Just as Yan Qing was about to thank her, he heard his martial uncle complain, “Your meridians are a bit narrow. I remember you’re a top-grade metal spiritual root, right? I had to hold back my spiritual energy just to make it flow in.”

The blue-robed scholar swallowed his thanks and muttered, “Metal spiritual root or not, Junior Master, you’re not only a top-grade ice spiritual root but were also born on the day of peak ice energy. That’s the day when ice power is strongest—your destiny and talent are perfectly aligned. How could an ordinary person have such luck?”

It’s like some people may not have good spiritual roots, but their birth chart indicates a great destiny, such as the “Heavenly Physician Star.” Even with ordinary spiritual roots, they’re destined to become top-tier healers.

After he mentioned “good luck,” he realized it sounded a bit off. Apologetically, he glanced at his martial uncle, who looked pale and thin, despite eating a lot but only growing taller, not bulkier.

Lin Du seemed oblivious and chuckled. “Well, how else would I be ranked first on the Qingyun Ranking?”

As they were talking, the demonic tiger trapped in the formation continued to furiously slam against the spiritual barriers. Its roars and the sound of claws scraping against the walls echoed endlessly, causing Lin Du, who wasn’t used to loud noises, to frown. In Yan Qing’s horrified expression, Lin Du calmly stepped into the spiritual barrier while holding her folding fan.

Lin Du’s formations allowed only her to come and go freely. Others couldn’t find the hidden entrances. Even her master, Yan Ye, would need time to decipher it—unless he overpowered the formation with brute force.

Lin Du enjoyed using hidden doors, a technique most formation masters avoided due to its complexity and difficulty in unraveling. Her master had made her use it to challenge her, but she ended up enjoying the calculations involved.

At that moment, Mo Lin and his group arrived.

Shao Fei, following behind Mo Lin, expressed concern, “That Taoist Lin looks quite unwell. I’m afraid she might not fare well against the tiger demon.”

“Pooh, pooh, pooh!” Yuan Ye retorted. “Our Junior Master may be weak, but she certainly knows how to protect herself.”

“Yes, and she wouldn’t recklessly interfere with someone else’s battle,” Mo Lin added, quickening his pace and leaving the others behind.

When he arrived, he saw Lin Du gripping the much larger tiger demon by the scruff of its neck, one foot planted firmly on the tiger’s spine, forcing the beast to the ground. Her pale, slender face carried a gentle smile, and she seemed to be speaking softly—just like she had during the interrogation in the ancient city.

Mo Lin froze. Oh no, Junior Master was definitely pissed.

He stood outside the formation, searching for a way in, but couldn’t find one.

The others soon caught up. Shao Fei spotted Yan Qing sitting on the ground, leaning on his golden sword, covered in snow and clearly exhausted. Mo Lin stood behind him, but Lin Du was nowhere in sight, only the barrier.

“Fellow Taoist, it seems you’ve been through a tough battle. Are you alright? I have some basic medicinal pills if you need them.”

Yan Qing looked up. “No need, thanks. You’re a good person.”

Shao Fei straightened up and smiled slightly before asking, “And where is the little Taoist? She looked rather frail—I’m guessing you spent a lot of energy protecting her, right?”

Yan Qing decided to take back the “good person” comment. “Your words are misleading. Among fellow disciples, mutual support is part of our duty—that’s basic integrity.”

“But since you seem to be without any fellow disciples, I suppose you wouldn’t understand that concept.”

Shao Fei’s smile stiffened. “Of course, I have fellow disciples. They’re back at the village, recuperating from injuries.”

She then asked, “Was this formation set up by Taoist Mo Lin? Impressive, it must be the work of someone from the Tengyun Realm.”

Yan Qing hesitated to answer, but a slow, casual voice came from behind him. “No, it was set up by Yan Qing, who you were just talking to. Why, is there an issue?”

The disciples of the Supreme Sect all turned to see Lin Du, sitting atop the tiger, chin slightly raised.

A rope designed for binding demons was now wrapped around the tiger’s neck like reins, with Lin Du casually tugging it from side to side with an air of authority.

The pale-robed youth smiled gently. “Isn’t that right, Yan Qing?”

“I’m a scholar,” Yan Qing replied, meeting Lin Du’s intimidating gaze. “I’ve studied the words of sages, so of course, I wouldn’t lie.”

“That’s right, I set up the formation.”

Mo Lin: “…”

Yuan Ye, who had just arrived: “…”

Yan Qing nodded vigorously.

Lin Du, satisfied, reached out and patted the tiger’s forehead, as if teaching a well-behaved student.

Shao Fei believed him. “You’re truly remarkable, no wonder you’re from the Supreme Sect.”

Yuan Ye called from outside the formation, “Junior Master, can I ride the tiger? I want to ride it and beat up the demon.”

“Wait a moment, let me finish first,” Lin Du replied. The patience from earlier was gone, and she forcefully invaded the tiger demon’s soul with her spiritual sense, seeking answers.

She quickly learned the reason for the tiger demon’s rage.

Its child was gone.

Lin Du immediately thought of the faint demonic energy in that house. Indeed, the demonic energy was light, which she had initially dismissed as a result of the wind. But now it was clear—the demonic aura was of the same origin as this tiger demon, likely from its lost cub.

Because her child was gone, the tiger demon had descended the mountain to search for it.

The tiger demon was extremely displeased by the invasive spiritual sense searching through her memories. However, bound by the demon-binding rope and with her spine frozen by Lin Du’s spiritual energy, she couldn’t use brute force to throw Lin Du off. Her spiritual sense was weaker than the one invading her mind, so she had no choice but to open up her sea of consciousness.

Lin Du examined the recent memories. The tiger demon had smelled her child’s scent and circled anxiously beneath a window, but found no trace of her cub—only a mess of blood and flesh.

It wasn’t her child.

But there was another mother who had also lost her child.

The tiger demon had sensed that same overwhelming despair and sorrow, so she left to search elsewhere for her own cub.

Finally, the cries of her child had led her to this place.

Lin Du narrowed her eyes and turned to Shao Fei. “Brother Shao, could you tell me again what you saw? Was it this tiger demon?”

Shao Fei hesitated for a moment before nodding firmly.

Lin Du let out a mocking laugh, then looked down and patted the tiger demon’s head. “Be good and come back with me to the sect. I’ll give you some pork to eat—as long as you help my junior nephew train a little, alright?”

The tiger demon had no way to refuse.

Lin Du had already called Mo Lin to take out the spirit beast pouch.

This time, they caught it alive.

Good thing tiger meat wasn’t tasty.