Chapter Thirty-Five: The Tiger’s Roar Shatters the Waves

“Hahaha, eat too much and you’ll end up with indigestion, big guy!” Watching the white tiger soar into the sky, Zhang Yang knew his final strike had paid off. He pushed himself up from the ground, raising his head to jeer at the white tiger drifting away in the sky. “Especially when it’s someone as stubborn as me—my spiritual energy isn’t easy to digest! Go home to your children, I won’t see you off! Hahaha!”

“This must be the worst food poisoning incident in history! Hahaha!” Qin Xiaochuan laughed heartily at the sight of the white tiger crashing into walls and finally disappearing inside the castle. Zhang Yang’s last move was indeed brilliant. Despite his somewhat ugly appearance, this fellow was clearly sharp-witted.

“This isn’t really a laughing matter. We’d better hurry and absorb some of the spiritual energy the white tiger left behind, or I’ll be completely depleted.” Feeling the spiritual energy lingering in the air, Zhang Yang quickly brought his hands together, gathering the scattered energy. Otherwise, he wouldn’t even be able to summon a simple spirit sword.

Just as everyone rejoiced in their victory over the white tiger, suddenly, a massive figure smashed a hole in the castle wall with a single punch, emerging from the dust.

“White Tiger?! Is this guy immortal too?”

Seeing the white tiger break through the wall, Qin Xiaochuan and his companions were all startled. They hadn’t expected the beast, whose belly had been torn open, to recover so easily. After releasing the excess spiritual energy within, the white tiger’s body had returned to normal size. It seemed his earlier bloated form had been due to too much spiritual energy. Now, with his size restored, the white tiger wore an expression of dreadful fury. Clearly, his gluttonous display had caused him embarrassment. Upon seeing the four companions, he snorted twice in anger and said, “Your sacrificial tactics surprised me. As an apology, follow me to my battle chamber—I’ll show you what hell looks like!”

With that, the white tiger turned and vanished into the castle, heading toward his dueling room.

Watching the white tiger disappear, Qin Xiaochuan and his friends exchanged uncertain glances, unsure what the beast was plotting. Nonetheless, they passed through the castle’s main gate and followed him inside.

“What did that big guy mean by ‘gates of hell’? Is this the way?”

“I think so. He seemed to be heading this direction.”

Entering the corridor of the white tiger’s castle, Qin Xiaochuan and the others could no longer see their adversary. As they proceeded down the passage, they soon spotted an open stone door. Inside, they found the white tiger already standing in the battle chamber.

Only upon entering did they realize how sweltering the room was—like a sauna turned into a steam basket. The floor was gone, replaced by a vast pit filled with bubbling liquid, black as night, emanating intense heat and incessantly boiling. Huge stone pillars rose from the dark fluid, each topped with a round stone platform seemingly designed for combat.

Seeing the four enter, the white tiger boasted, “How’s this? Welcome to my game room. Nice scenery, isn’t it? Surrounded by hellish magma—fall in, and not even ashes will remain! If any of you have the guts, step onto these pillars and play with me! Hahaha!”

“That worthless bastard brought us to this hellhole. Let me finish him!” Hearing the white tiger’s taunts from the opposite platform, Qin Xiaochuan rolled up his sleeves, ready to leap onto the stone stage and duel. Bai Ying and Zhang Yang were already wounded; he didn’t want any more teammates hurt and planned to go himself. Just then, a hand rested on his shoulder.

“Let me do it. This is a battle between men—it must be fought to the end!”

“Zhang Yang!” Qin Xiaochuan said nothing, seeing the earnest determination in Zhang Yang’s face.

“That’s enough. Rest now. The remaining fight is for Xiaochuan and me. Once you’ve recovered, you can fight again.” Fei Yan, who had evidently recognized Zhang Yang’s earlier performance, rarely advised him to stand down. It seemed he now considered Zhang Yang a member of their team.

“Leave it to you two? Don’t joke with me.” Ignoring Fei Yan’s advice, Zhang Yang clung to his dignity as a man. Since he’d joined the fight, he wouldn’t back down—not even if he died. If he fell, it would be on the battlefield, defending his pride. Even with a sliver of strength, as long as he could fight, he would not retreat. “I clean up my own messes. If I die, I die on the battlefield. Hey! Fatty over there, stand still!”

“What an unreasonable creature…” Fei Yan sighed helplessly at Zhang Yang’s words.

“He’s as stubborn as you,” Bai Ying joked to Qin Xiaochuan, watching Zhang Yang prepare to step up again.

“Ay, I told him not to go! This guy is really thick-headed!”

“What’s the matter? Are you scared? No one dares to come up?” the white tiger sneered.

“Shut up! Just wait, I’ll come over and deal with you!” Zhang Yang shot him a rude gesture, eyed the platform below, and jumped down.

Whether Zhang Yang’s jump was too powerful, or the stone platform had been too long baked by the hellish magma below, the moment he landed, the edge of the platform crumbled away. Seeing the stones tumble toward the magma, Zhang Yang hurriedly stomped on the broken fragments and clung to the rim of the platform. Watching the rocks fall into the molten pit, cold sweat broke out on his forehead. “Damn, nearly died before even starting!”

“Hey, Zhang Yang! Want to switch out?” Qin Xiaochuan called out loudly, seeing Zhang Yang almost fall into the magma. This guy truly was a clown, nearly dying just like that.

“Shut up!” Zhang Yang gripped the edge of the platform for dear life, pulled himself up, and after catching his breath, called back to Qin Xiaochuan, who was crouched above watching him. “I was acting, you know? Don’t rush me. Scared the sweat out of me, though—it’s so hot in here!” He wiped the cold sweat from his brow and took off his shirt, exposing a lean yet muscular physique. Despite his skinny frame, Zhang Yang was all sinew—clearly no stranger to exercise.

“Let me finish you once and for all, White Tiger!” With that, Zhang Yang tossed his shirt onto the platform, summoned a spirit sword in his right hand, and prepared to leap to another stone platform to attack the white tiger.

Seeing Zhang Yang ready to charge, the white tiger grinned. “Let me show you my greatest secret technique!” He clasped his hands to his throat, emitting a series of muffled roars as if something were stuck in his windpipe. His body began to swell and tremble. As Zhang Yang was about to leap toward him, the white tiger suddenly opened his maw and unleashed a white sphere, wrapped in black lightning, shooting straight at Zhang Yang.

“A mere energy ball? Nothing to fear! Let me bat it right back!” Seeing the projectile—reminiscent of the fireball the demon child had launched at him before—Zhang Yang gripped his spirit sword, apparently planning to knock it out like a home run.

“No! Don’t touch that energy ball—dodge, quick!”

Hearing Bai Ying’s warning, Zhang Yang didn’t hesitate, leaping to another stone platform. Luckily, the sphere wasn’t fast, but as Zhang Yang landed on the new platform, the white tiger’s sphere enveloped the one he’d just left. With a violent flash, the entire platform vanished, leaving only a stub of stone jutting from the magma.

“Hahaha, see that, kid? This is my ultimate move: Tiger’s Roar Sonic Wave! Anything caught in this light will be pulverized by the vibrations—scared now? Hahaha!”

“I’ve heard of a monster that can generate energy balls inside its body capable of destroying molecules. Never expected the white tiger to be one! When faced with those balls, you can only run.” Fei Yan recalled the legend as he watched the white tiger unleash his attack.

Failing to catch Zhang Yang with his first strike, the white tiger began firing Tiger’s Roar Sonic Waves at him relentlessly. If not for the sphere’s fatal flaw—its slow attack speed—Zhang Yang would have already been pulverized.

It seemed the white tiger was toying with him, shattering every platform within Zhang Yang’s jumping range. Soon, only a single stone pillar remained within ten meters. The white tiger called out gleefully, “Well? Not running anymore? Hahaha! I’ve got a landing spot over here, but there’s a ten-meter gap. Even if you jump with all your might, you’ll fall into the magma and be incinerated! What now? Surrender? Hahaha!”

Staring at the gap, sweat broke out on Zhang Yang’s brow. The white tiger was right—unless he grew wings, he couldn’t jump that far.

“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?” The white tiger picked up four sharp spikes formed from demon energy, pinched them between his fingers. “About to die and you can’t even voice your fear? Beg for mercy! Maybe your pitiful cries will change my mind!” With that, he flung the spikes toward Zhang Yang, apparently intent on tormenting him rather than finishing him off immediately. After all, Zhang Yang was now at a safe distance—he could toy with him as he pleased, then launch another Tiger’s Roar Sonic Wave to finish him off. This stubborn human deserved some payback for his earlier resilience.

The white tiger’s demon spikes flew at Zhang Yang. Shielding his vital areas with his spirit sword, Zhang Yang managed to block the lethal blows, but his body was still grazed and wounded by the other spikes.