C7 Yin Yang Sect

Zhao Yu bent over and rummaged through the long-faced disciple's chest, quickly producing a bottle of pills and over twenty taels of silver.

"Essence Converting Pill!"

Upon opening the bottle, Zhao Yu discovered an apricot-yellow pill inside, its rich medicinal scent wafting up, much to his delight.

The Essence Converting Pill was a highly valued healing elixir, particularly effective in restoring one's Yuan Qi, making it perfect for his current needs.

Within the Sky Profound Sect, even inner sect disciples rarely had the chance to acquire such a coveted Essence Converting Pill.

The long-faced disciple must have toiled for a considerable time to accumulate this bottle of pills, which now, fortuitously, had come into Zhao Yu's possession.

After pocketing the pill and silver, Zhao Yu used his sword to dig a large pit and buried the long-faced disciple.

Standing by the grave, Zhao Yu reflected, "You are the first person I've killed since arriving in this world. But you sought to harm me first, so don't resent my merciless hand. I hope in your next life, you're reborn as a good person."

Following a moment of prayer, he made his way back to where the Black Wind Tiger lay, now a lifeless heap surrounded by blood.

Yet, Zhao Yu cautiously drew the Nether Dream Dagger from a safe distance of several meters.

Aware of the tenacity and guile of Demonic Beasts, he remained on guard.

With a whoosh, a saber aura burst forth from the Nether Dream Dagger, striking the Black Wind Tiger.

Suddenly, the previously still beast let out a roar, turned, and lunged in an attack.

Luckily, Zhao Yu was on alert, retreating frantically from his position over ten meters away.

The Black Wind Tiger was, in truth, at death's door. Its fierce lunge was a final, desperate effort.

After a fruitless pounce, it collapsed heavily to the ground, twitching a few times before succumbing to death.

"Complacency is not an option," Zhao Yu reminded himself, his heart still racing from the close call. Had he not been cautious, he might have met the same fate as his three fellow disciples.

Still not entirely at ease, he brandished the Nether Dream Dagger, releasing several more saber auras. Only after confirming the Black Wind Tiger would no longer stir did he finally allow himself to relax.

He scoured the area for the bodies of the round-faced and tall, thin disciples. His search of their remains yielded no treasures comparable to the Essence Converting Pill, only a collection of miscellaneous items and silver taels.

Zhao Yu buried the two disciples and returned to the Black Wind Tiger's carcass.

For martial cultivators, every part of a Demonic Beast is valuable: fur, bones, flesh, and organs can fetch a handsome price. They can also be traded for Tao points within the sect.

The Black Wind Tiger was no ordinary beast; even the sect's elders struggled to contend with such creatures.

With a spring in his step, Zhao Yu hauled the carcass, looking for a suitable spot to carve up his prize.

He soon found a clearing and laid the Black Wind Tiger on a flat boulder. Drawing his Nether Dream Dagger, he prepared to begin the dissection.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed nearby, followed by voices.

"I haven't encountered a single valuable Demonic Beast for days. My luck's been atrocious."

"We have no choice but to keep looking. Without completing the sect's mission, we'll forfeit our monthly reward."

Were people approaching? Zhao Yu tensed, swiftly stowing the Nether Dream Dagger.

But concealing the massive Black Wind Tiger was already out of the question.

Shortly, four figures emerged from the dense forest.

Three men and one woman, all clad in the black and white uniforms of the Yin Yang Sect and roughly twenty years of age, much like Zhao Yu himself.

"Disciples of the Yin Yang Sect?"

He instantly recognized the distinctive attire. The Yin Yang Sect, another martial arts faction, resided on the opposite side of Mount Taibai, less than a hundred miles from the Sky Profound Sect. They were practically neighbors.

Though similar in strength, the two sects were longstanding competitors.

The Yin Yang Sect's quartet appeared taken aback upon spotting Zhao Yu. Their astonishment only grew when they noticed the Black Wind Tiger at his feet.

This was the Black Wind Tiger—could it really have been slain by this young man?

"I am Zhang Bao, an inner sect disciple of the Yin Yang Sect. These are my junior brother and sister. May I inquire if you're a disciple of the Sky Profound Sect?" The lead disciple from the Yin Yang Sect, who appeared more seasoned, took a moment to examine Zhao Yu's attire before asking politely.

Zhao Yu nodded and offered a respectful bow. "I am Tian Feng, a disciple of the Sky Profound Sect. It's my good fortune to encounter fellow senior brothers from the Yin Yang Sect here."

A disciple with dark skin from behind Zhang Bao inquired, "Was it you who killed the Black Wind Tiger?"

"I just had a bit of luck," Zhao Yu responded with a nod.

Despite the outwardly cordial relations between the Sky Profound Sect and the Yin Yang Sect, one can never be too cautious with the unpredictability of human nature—especially in the depths of the wilderness where anything might happen. Zhao Yu had to stay vigilant.

He was outnumbered, four to one. The Black Wind Tiger's carcass had become his leverage, a means to deter them.

The dark-skinned disciple remained silent, his frown deepening as he gave Zhao Yu a skeptical look.

Considering their combined strength, it would be a challenge for the four of them to take down a Black Wind Tiger. Zhao Yu seemed to be around their age, and an inner sect disciple of the Sky Profound Sect would typically only be at the Qi Refining Layer Three or Four. It was improbable that he had the power to kill the beast.

But since Zhao Yu wasn't forthcoming, it wasn't their place to pry further.

"Senior brothers, I have other matters to attend to and must take my leave now. Farewell!" With that, Zhao Yu ceased the conversation and departed with the Black Wind Tiger's remains.

He knew his story wouldn't hold up under close examination. The best course of action was to make himself scarce.

As the four watched Zhao Yu walk away with the corpse, avarice flickered in their eyes.

Once Zhao Yu was out of earshot, the female disciple spoke up, "That's not Tian Feng."

"How do you know?" the others asked in unison, taken aback. Zhang Bao's voice carried a mix of surprise and curiosity.

"I've met Tian Feng before. I may not recall his face in detail, but I'm certain that's not him," she explained.

The dark-skinned disciple interjected with a chilly tone, "That means he's likely concealing his true identity out of guilt. And it's doubtful he's the one who killed the Black Wind Tiger. If he truly possessed the strength to slay such a beast, he wouldn't have been so eager to leave."

The other three nodded in agreement with his speculation.

"Senior Brother Zhang, the Black Wind Tiger is worth a fortune. Besides, we've come up empty-handed these past few days. If we keep this up, there's no way we'll fulfill our sect's monthly mission. Maybe we should just kill him?" suggested a gaunt disciple with a sinister tone, making a throat-slitting gesture.

The dark-skinned disciple and the female disciple clearly shared the sentiment, all eyes turning to Zhang Bao in anticipation.

As the leader of the group, Zhang Bao was more cautious. After a brief pause, he voiced his concern, "However, we don't know if he has any allies, and he's no ordinary man—he's a disciple of the Sky Profound Sect. A failure on our part could bring about serious complications."

"We shouldn't just abandon the idea," the female disciple countered. "He's burdened with the Black Wind Tiger's carcass; he won't be moving quickly. Let's tail him discreetly for a while. Once we've got a handle on his situation, we can make our move."

The dark-skinned disciple sneered in agreement, "Sister's got a point. We can always back off if it turns out he's got backup. But if he's alone and just putting on a show of strength, then he's ours for the taking."

"Fine. Let's proceed with caution and stay out of sight," Zhang Bao decided at last.

Silently, they began to track Zhao Yu, following the path he had taken.