Luken, being in the middle stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm himself, exuded a powerful aura that was rather imposing.
The tiger demon looked at him with doubt, frowning as he replied, "I do not wish to provoke nor fight you."
The tiger demon was unwilling to even fight. As his immortal foundation surged, gusts of yin wind enveloped him, and with the aid of the black mist, he shot away like an arrow.
Luken was taken aback; the tiger demons he had encountered in the demon den were typically reckless and short-tempered. He had not expected one to be so cautious.
Stunned for a moment, he jumped up and cursed, "Cowardly tiger!"
He swung the ax in his hand, unleashing a few ax qi the size of horse carriages at the tiger demon, who nimbly evaded the attacks and continued to flee.
"Gosh... I knew this would happen!" Li Qinghong sighed loudly as she shook her head helplessly, seeing the scenario she had feared finally unfold before her very eyes.
Despite Luken's advanced age, he had spent years in the demon den, sheltered by others while focusing on his cultivation. He believed the tiger demon would be impulsive enough to fight to the death over a few provocations.
How could he possibly be a reckless creature and still manage to survive in this mountain? Luken's decisiveness and confidence were even more surprising to me.
She hooked her slender finger, causing her jade-like digits to glow with purple light as she drew a talisman in the air. Thunder suddenly rumbled and black smoke billowed as her thunder talisman was gradually condensed.
Purple Talisman Origin Light Secret Technique!
Li Qinghong focused intently on her spell, stepping onto a bolt of lightning as she chased after the tiger demon at an incredible speed, the thunder talisman in her hand ready to be unleashed.
Swoosh!
The tiger demon swayed in the wind, distancing himself and avoiding Luken's attack. Intent on escaping, he had not anticipated that a beautiful female cultivator would fly toward him, wielding a surge of thunderlight. The purple glow surrounding her radiated great power.
"Fairy... Ah...!"
Black qi surged in the tiger demon's hands as he shouted in confusion, not daring to take a direct hit. He attempted to put distance between himself and his pursuers, trying to ward off the attacks by pushing black qi forward.
Suddenly, lightning flashed, igniting his hands and leaving his face scorched and bloodied, nearly revealing his true form.
Shit! This deer demon specifically brought a thunder cultivator to target me!
As a cultivator who practiced the Hurricane Ghost Yin , he was inherently weak against attacks involving light and thunder.
His apprehension deepened when he saw the long spear in Li Qinghong's hand, its white jade-like appearance indicated it was no ordinary weapon.
His courage faltered.
Wielding a Foundation Establishment Realm dharma artifact and top-tier spell; she must belong to one of the three sects!
As black tiger fur began sprouting on his face and his body began to swell, he cried out miserably, "I am willing to hand over the treasure!"
Luken frowned but continued swinging his ax. Li Qinghong's thunder spear transformed into a shadow, circling him and cutting off his escape route as she urged, "Hand over the treasured panacea quickly, and you shall be spared!"
The tiger demon reacted swiftly. With one hand, he produced a jade box while using the other to channel black qi to resist Luken's ax, retreating several steps in the process.
Li Qinghong launched the jade box into the air with her Duruo Spear and soared up into the sky to retrieve it. She scanned it with her spiritual sense, confirming that it indeed contained the Blood Sun Fruit . With a quick flick of her wrist, she stored it away just as the tiger demon surged a li away, propelled by the wind.
Li Qinghong propelled herself forward amidst purple light, still chasing after him. As the black qi flowed in the tiger demon's palms, he transformed into his original form.
The black tiger loomed as large as a hill, surrounded by a strong wind and swirling black qi. Its bloodshot eyes glinted with malevolence, and dark yin energy clung to it. Roaring, it unleashed sound waves that shocked both Luken and Li Qinghong.
"Since it is the Exalted Immortal who demands the treasured panacea, you can have it as I cannot afford to offend you. However..."
The tiger demon adopted a desperate demeanor, growling fiercely as he continued, "You two will be sorry If you continue to push me further!"
Although this tiger demon had a higher cultivation level than Li Qinghong, he had witnessed the strength of a disciple from the three sects. Fearful of Li Qinghong, he seemed restless, gritting his teeth as he attempted to intimidate Luken.
What a tiger demon...
Li Qinghong glanced at Luken beside her and noticed his fear. Previously, he had been the one who suggested killing the tiger demon, but now, he was the first to show fear.
She could not help but snicker inwardly to herself in amusement.
Most demon cultivators are indeed bullies... The tiger demon is more domineering in a low-key manner but becomes fearful when pushed.
Li Qinghong raised an eyebrow and assured calmly, "Don't be nervous, fellow Daoist. I simply want to ask where you have obtained this spirit fruit."
The black tiger visibly relaxed, and he became noticeably more polite in speech as he asked, "Which sect do you represent, Fairy?"
Li Qinghong laughed and replied ambiguously, "I came from the north."
Realization dawned upon the tiger demon as he breathed a sigh of relief.
So, she's a mountain master from the Yue Cultivating Sect. No wonder she spared my life... I guess she wouldn't have wasted her breath talking to me if she were from the devil gate...
He promptly replied respectfully, "Mountain Master, I came from the southern border. I obtained this fruit from the Wu State on the southern border..."
He then transformed into his human form and told the story of how he had obtained the fruit in detail. It was just an ordinary treasure hunting story that shed no useful information.
Li Qinghong frowned and said, "Since you are familiar with the southern border, do keep an eye out for news of this treasure in the future... Maybe I will come again in a few years. If you obtain more of this fruit, you'll be rewarded."
The tiger demon was overjoyed. Li Qinghong did not want to make an enemy, so she was not going to complain. This treasured panacea was just a tonic for him, saving him ten years of cultivation. He had no one to rely on in Yue State, and it was rare for a disciple from the upper sect to befriend him.
"I understand. Well, this fruit shall be a gift for meeting you," he replied politely.
Li Qinghong glanced at him and felt that this tiger demon behaved more like a human rather than a demon.
"How thoughtful, fellow Daoist..." she commented with an arched brow.
The tiger demon lowered his head and did not answer. Li Qinghong was naturally delighted to be able to obtain the treasure by simply just demanding it. She waved her hand happily and said, "Let's go!"
Luken nodded and followed, and the two rode out on the wind. Li Qinghong got the treasure without much effort and was in a good mood.
Luken stroked his beard and found the entire situation to be strange.
Is this how prominent clans work? The human race is truly strange in their ways... To think that they even turn enemies into friends!
Although he was old, he had been cultivating in the cave for many years and every seclusion lasted at least a decade. Not only that, but the interactions between demons were usually straightforward, hence they were not sophisticated creatures.
Now that he had been out of the cave as a demon general for only more than ten years, he had even less time to deal with people. Combined with the childish mistakes he had made before, regret welled into his heart.
No wonder... No wonder this tiger demon can cultivate in Mount Quanwu for so long... It could survive all this time probably because he is tactful... There is indeed a lot I can learn from these two individuals!
At this moment, he suddenly became much more enthusiastic. Li Qinghong did not understand the sudden shift in the deer demon's demeanor, but she continued chatting with him.
She took the Blood Sun Fruit out from the jade box and carefully checked it several times. Upon verifying that it was of good quality and she did not make a mistake, she finally let out a sigh of relief.
The two flew toward Mount Qingdu, and the deer demon finally left, albeit reluctantly. Li Qinghong landed in front of the mountain and counted the days.
Only more than a month had passed.