Chapter 2: The Wicked Tiger in the Temple Devours Human Hearts
A cold, eerie voice came from all directions, as if countless specters surrounded the Mountain God Temple.
The grandfather and grandson were already terrified, their legs trembling, as they cowered in the corner, not daring to move.
Jiang Sheng, however, ignored the five reckless ghosts. He calmly looked at the Mountain God statue, which, though dilapidated, still retained its majesty: “Is the Mountain Lord still not showing himself?”
The sound of claws scraping slowly emerged from within the Mountain God statue. Immediately after, its two stone-carved eyes suddenly transformed into a pair of emerald beast pupils.
The tall, crumbling Mountain God statue trembled, and the faded, lifeless statue suddenly shuddered.
The beast pupils looked down from above, and then a blast of Demonic Qi rushed forth!
In an instant, the Mountain God statue had completely come alive, transforming from a tall, majestic Mountain God into a three-zhang fierce tiger.
The striped tiger demon was perched on its throne, its massive shadow engulfing the entire Mountain God Temple.
Demonic Qi, as if substantial, pressed down within a hundred-zhang radius. Wherever its emerald tiger eyes gazed, the vengeful ghosts trembled and prostrated themselves, unable to rise. With a single roar, a foul wind arose, and Demonic Qi soared to the heavens.
“How did you discover me?”
The tiger demon spoke in human tongue, a faint red glow in its eerie green eyes. Its expression held a hint of cunning and curiosity, as if a living person resided within its tiger skin.
Demonic Qi emanated from the tiger demon. Ordinary people would feel a sense of mountains of corpses and seas of blood from a distant glance, and would have long been terrified, their legs trembling, their gallbladders splitting.
Under such Demonic Qi pressure, the grandfather and grandson were on the verge of fainting. Jiang Sheng casually flicked out a clear light to protect them, allowing them to recover from the suffocating, drowning-like pressure.
“Before this King, you still have time to bother with those two Mortals?”
The tiger demon’s expression was more vivid than a human’s. Its massive head leaned close to Jiang Sheng, spewing forth a bloody stench that would make even ordinary Cultivators tremble with fear!
The tiger is revered among all beasts; its fierce Aura can awe all spirits.
But even with the tiger demon’s head right in front of him, the bloody stench almost hitting his face, Jiang Sheng remained calm and composed: “Though they are two Mortals, they offered me a piece of firewood for warmth. How could I let the Mountain Lord harm their lives?”
“You Daoist, you are truly interesting!”
The demon tiger burst into laughter, its voice like thunder, and the rolling sound waves stirred up large clouds of dust all around.
Yet, within three feet of Jiang Sheng, no ripples appeared, as if everything outside had no bearing on this spot.
Jiang Sheng ignored the substantial Demonic Qi and ghostly presence around him, and also ignored the menacing, clawing postures of the five reckless ghosts. He simply looked up at the high-and-mighty tiger demon and said softly: “The Mountain Lord resides on Green Screen Mountain, born of heaven and earth, a rare creature.”
“Originally, the Mountain Lord also had the potential to attain the Dao as a Mountain God, protecting a corner of the world. But alas, the Mountain Lord should not have, absolutely should not have, chosen this Green Screen Mountain as his Foundation.”
With that, Jiang Sheng sighed softly: “If the Mountain Lord had good intentions, it would be another matter; this humble Daoist still lacks a mount. But the Mountain Lord is clearly of the demon kind, and this humble Daoist truly cannot spare the Mountain Lord.”
The tiger demon was momentarily stunned by Jiang Sheng’s words, but then it roared: “No matter who you are, on this Green Screen Mountain, this Seat is the Mountain God!”
A mere young Daoist, still dreaming of eliminating demons and defending the Dao?!
The tiger demon had seen enough of the show. He would devour this Daoist alive!
A Daoist who cultivated the pure Qi of heaven and earth, with tender skin and flesh, was an excellent blood meal!
The tiger roared through the forest!
Immediately, fierce winds raged, Demonic Qi surged, and the tiger’s roar, carrying soul-capturing and spirit-suppressing power, spread out, actually blowing away the Mountain God Temple’s doors and even parts of its walls.
With a single roar, the rain within a hundred-zhang radius was dispersed!
As the tiger demon roared, Jiang Sheng’s figure moved like a cloud swallow.
The surging Demonic Qi seemed to aid him like a wind, helping Jiang Sheng fly until the Demonic Qi dissipated, and only then did Jiang Sheng slowly land a hundred zhang away.
“What a magnificent tiger, what a pity.”
Jiang Sheng felt a bit regretful. He had originally thought of subduing this tiger demon as a mount, but now it seemed this tiger demon was truly stubborn.
“Mountain Lord, this humble Daoist thought of giving you a way out, but it is the Mountain Lord who sought his own demise. This humble Daoist will simply send the Mountain Lord on his way.”
As Jiang Sheng spoke, the oiled paper umbrella in his hand shook, transforming into a green-edged longsword.
The sword was three feet six inches long, entirely black, yet adorned with green lotus patterns. As the sword body vibrated, it emitted soft hums, like the roar of a Dragon.
The moment this sword appeared, the tiger demon sensed something was wrong. This was actually a Spiritual Artifact!
A Spiritual Artifact, that was a treasure only Immortal Masters of the Purple Mansion realm could use!
Could it be that this Daoist in front of him was actually an Immortal Master of the Purple Mansion?
“A mere young Daoist, playing tricks with a Magical Artifact, truly seeking death! You little ghosts, kill this Daoist for this Seat!”
The tiger demon roared, commanding its reckless ghosts to swarm forward, while it remained seated on the altar, clearly intending to let the reckless ghosts test him.
The five reckless ghosts, driven by the tiger demon, had their eerie green eyes gradually turn blood-red. With no other thoughts, they all grinned and rushed towards Jiang Sheng, one after another.
The night wind howled, the rain poured down, and outside the Mountain God Temple, where dark clouds obscured the moon, Demonic Qi surged. The five reckless ghosts attacked together, their accompanying ghostly Qi even enveloping a ten-zhang radius, adding a chilling Aura.
The grandfather and grandson, protected by the clear light inside the Mountain God Temple, saw this scene and quickly called out: “Daoist Priest, be careful!”
“Mere reckless ghosts, the Mountain Lord underestimates this humble Daoist too much.”
As Jiang Sheng spoke, he flicked the three-foot green-edged sword in his hand, and a beam of green Sword Qi whistled out, instantly cutting through the rain and mist before him, and also cleaving the ten-zhang chilling ghostly Qi.
The five reckless ghosts were swept away by the Sword Qi before they could even reach Jiang Sheng, and in the blink of an eye, their ghostly bodies shattered, turning into ownerless ghostly Qi that returned to heaven and earth.
The tiger demon saw Jiang Sheng wipe out its reckless ghosts with a single sword, and let out another tiger’s roar.
As the surging Demonic Qi spread, ghostly Qi also continuously bred, and reckless ghosts kept appearing from all directions around Jiang Sheng.
One, two, three.
In just a few breaths, dozens of reckless ghosts appeared from all sides, surrounding Jiang Sheng.
The tiger demon opened its blood-red mouth, now certain that this Daoist was merely at Foundation Establishment!
Gazing at the surrounded Jiang Sheng, the tiger demon laughed ferociously: “Daoist, you do have some skill, but surrounded by so many of this Seat’s reckless ghosts, what can you do? This Seat can wear you down to death!”
The night rain poured, the demonic wind howled, and Jiang Sheng looked at the dozens of reckless ghosts surrounding him, shaking his head gently: “Has the Mountain Lord still not understood? Since this humble Daoist can be here, it means this humble Daoist can slay you.”
“This Seat is the Mountain God of this Green Screen Mountain! All living beings within this twelve-hundred-li radius belong to this Seat! A mere Daoist, still trying to snatch this Seat’s Green Screen Mountain?”
Amidst the squall, the demon tiger grinned, a red light flashing in its emerald beast pupils: “Kill this Daoist!”
Upon receiving the tiger demon’s command, these dozens of reckless ghosts, driven by a craving for flesh and a ferocious desire for living beings, howled as they rushed towards Jiang Sheng.
The grandfather and grandson watched, wide-eyed, as so many reckless ghosts rushed towards Jiang Sheng one after another, their hearts burning with anxiety.
This Daoist Priest was their only hope for survival!
“Daoist Priest, the demon is powerful, please be careful!”
The old man watched eagerly, fearing Jiang Sheng’s defeat.
But Jiang Sheng stood calmly, his eyes as indifferent as a deep pool: “You all just watch.”
“That fine tiger skin awaits this humble Daoist to claim it.”
This is a slow-burn Xianxia novel. Linyuan hopes to use his meager writing skills to create something with a Xianxia feel, and hopes that gentlemen will enjoy it.