Chapter 497 - 479: Prison Suppression Shows Its Might
High above, another piercing, metallic eagle’s cry tore through the clouds.
"Watch out! End this fast!"
Su Yu warned with a solemn expression. At the same time, he gripped the hilt of the Mo Yuan Saber with both hands. The seething Demon Ape Evil Qi suddenly withdrew, condensing entirely onto the pitch-black blade.
Prison Suppression!
In an instant, Su Yu activated his new Trait.
The moment the blade slashed out, an invisible Saber Stance locked onto the Shadow Leopard’s mind and aura, causing the black fur all over its body to stand on end. Its four limbs surged with power, and with a twist of its flexible waist, it attempted to dodge to the side.
But just as it was about to leap, the surging Qi and Blood within its body suddenly stagnated. Above it, it was as if an invisible, black purgatory had descended to crush it. The heavy Prison-Suppression Power pressed down along its aura, sinking deep into the Shadow Leopard’s flesh and bones, leaving its robust body stiff and unable to move.
It could clearly see the terrifying black saber falling like a crashing galaxy, yet it was simply unable to dodge in time.
This was the might of Prison Suppression. Within a mere square inch, a prison was formed!
SQUELCH!
Carrying the Prison-Suppression Power, Mo Yuan instantly tore through the Shadow Leopard’s tough, smooth hide. A crisp crack echoed from its shoulder blade, and blood immediately spurted out. Its massive body was sent flying dozens of feet by the slash, crashing heavily into the nearby cliff face and sending loose rocks tumbling down.
"HOWL!"
The Shadow Leopard let out a miserable howl, its claws frantically scraping the ground as it rolled back onto its feet. Ignoring its injuries, it transformed into a black blur and bolted toward the rear of the canyon.
Although the Dragon Sinew Grass was a great prize that could trigger another evolution, it was still not as important as its own life. It had realized that the human before it was terrifyingly strong. Its beastly instincts were screaming in warning; in that fleeting moment, it felt as though a lethal predator had locked onto it. If it didn’t run now, death was certain.
"Excellent Saber Technique!"
Shi Hai flipped the Fire-Armored Bull with a sweep of his staff, his peripheral vision keeping a close watch on the rest of the battlefield. Seeing Su Yu send the Shadow Leopard—a beast even stronger than a Middle Dragon Tendon Martial Artist—flying with a single strike, he couldn’t help but praise him aloud.
This Su Yu truly lived up to his reputation. Based on that slash alone, how many people present could replicate it? His strength might already be comparable to the Great Dragon Tendon Realm!
Even more shocked were Li Jingfeng and his two companions in the distance. The three of them had been observing the battle and naturally had a clearer view of Su Yu’s move.
"I couldn’t quite see through Brother Su’s strike, but it’s already worthy of my ninth sword!" Li Jingfeng, who had been maintaining a cool profile for only a short while, instantly turned to face forward. His eyes burned brightly as he looked at Su Yu.
He thought to himself, "Brother Su’s strength is truly a mystery. I remember previously saying he was worthy of my sixth sword. Before I knew it, it has already become my ninth?"
For a brief moment, Li Jingfeng felt a bit bewildered, even doubting his own memory. How long had he known Su Yu? Had he really made such drastic progress in so little time?
"Brother Su is amazing! No wonder he’s ranked alongside that big oaf Gu Changfeng as one of the top two geniuses from humble backgrounds!" Li Ningcai chattered excitedly, her face flushed with enthusiasm. She was itching for action, eager to show off her own skills.
A hint of jealousy flashed through Gu Junyao’s eyes. She thought, "He’s just in the Jiao Tendon Realm. So what if he’s a genius? Since he hasn’t broken through at his age, he might even be stuck in the Muscle Forging Realm for the rest of his life."
Although she hadn’t spoken a single word to Yang Zhen, she was already comparing herself to the other woman—such were the petty calculations of the female heart. Right now, the more talent Su Yu displayed as Yang Zhen’s husband, the more envious she felt.
Meanwhile, just as Su Yu was about to chase after the fleeing Shadow Leopard, his footsteps abruptly stopped. He looked up at the top of the cliff face behind him.
There, a massive paw slowly stepped onto the cliff edge.
CRACK!
The razor-sharp claws on the paw sprang out like switchblades, effortlessly sinking into the solid rock. Large chunks of stone debris tumbled down the cliff face with a loud CLATTER.
Immediately after, a ferocious tiger’s head peered out from above.
It was a pitch-black Demon Tiger, five meters long, with its shoulders towering high above any normal human. Its glossy black fur clung tightly to its muscles, rippling with every breath. The "King" marking on its forehead exuded a terrifying aura, faintly glimmering with a silver light. A pair of dark gold, slit-like pupils looked down from its high vantage point, coldly sweeping over the people below.
"ROAR—"
The Demon Tiger roared at the sky, the sound waves rolling like thunder. The deafening roar instantly echoed throughout the Medicine Valley, causing the cliff face below to hum and vibrate.
The tiger’s roar immediately whipped up the mountain winds. The ancient trees at the peak shook violently as countless dead branches were swept high into the air, turning into a fierce gale that surged down along the cliff.
The Demon Tiger then slowly lowered its body. The muscles on its shoulders and back rippled and surged like waves—a terrifying display that showcased its immense, explosive power.
CRACK!
In the next instant, the Demon Tiger actually leaped off the high cliff. Its four paws, each larger than a human head, violently smashed into a protruding boulder below, shattering it to pieces. Immediately after, it launched itself into the air again. Bounding along the steep cliff face in quick succession, its speed was so incredible that its figure blurred into nothing more than a howling, descending black squall.
Before the people below could even recover from the shock of its roar, the Demon Tiger’s massive body was already right above them, casting a huge, looming shadow.
"ROAR!"
Another roar sounded, stirring up a foul, blood-scented gale throughout the Medicine Valley. Over a dozen ordinary Martial Artist Apprentices from the Shi Family were so terrified that their knees knocked together, and they collapsed to the ground amidst the fierce wind.
"Watch out!"
Shi Yueshan roared a warning, but it was too late.
The Demon Tiger landed heavily, its massive paw instantly crushing a Shi Family servant into a bloody pulp. Without missing a beat, it whipped its tail, sweeping three nearby people away as easily as tossing straw.
"Stop it!"
The sudden turn of events happened far too quickly. Even Shi Hai, a Profound Bone Realm expert, was momentarily delayed by the Fire-Armored Bull and couldn’t mount a rescue in time. In the blink of an eye, several people were already dead.
"It’s a Profound Bone Realm Demon Tiger! It’s only a single step away from becoming a Mountain Monarch!"
"Attack! Help out!"
In the distance, Li Jingfeng took the initiative to strike. His opening move was "Startled Dragon Emerges from the Abyss" from his Dragon-slaying Nine Swords.
CLANG!
The clear ringing of the Qingyue Sword echoed throughout the mountain forest. Li Jingfeng’s longsword instantly crossed dozens of feet, slashing straight for the Demon Tiger’s neck.
The Demon Tiger, just about to kill another person, sensed the incoming danger. It twisted its body and fiercely swiped its paw.
CLANG!
The sword edge clashed against the tiger’s claws, releasing a piercing screech of colliding metal. A formidable shockwave exploded outward. Several nearby Martial Artists were thrown off their feet by the immense blast, their faces draining of all color in pure terror.
Li Jingfeng’s body was also forced back several steps, his feet stomping out a series of deep craters in the dirt.
"What a powerful Demon Tiger! Be careful!"
"Thank you, Commander Li! Once this is over, I will definitely reward you with the Dragon Sinew Grass!"
Going all out, Shi Hai severely wounded the Fire-Armored Bull and rushed over, stepping in to block the Demon Tiger.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
In the blink of an eye, the man and the tiger exchanged dozens of blows. With every clash, deafening impacts echoed throughout the valley. Although the Demon Tiger was strong, Shi Hai was also an expert in the Profound Bone Realm. The two tangled in fierce combat, temporarily fighting to a standstill.
Meanwhile, Su Yu and the others joined the fray, continuously slaughtering the remaining Demon Beasts. Among them, Su Yu and Li Jingfeng were in a league of their own. Every time the two struck, another Demon Beast fell dead.
"Haha, Brother Su, your strength has grown again! Let’s have a contest to see who can kill more Demon Beasts!" Li Jingfeng laughed heartily. His Dragon-slaying Nine Swords unleashed an endless barrage of attacks, the flashing sword light truly a terrifying sight to behold.
Su Yu, on the other hand, unleashed a waterfall of saber light with continuous slashes. Although his Prison Suppression consumed a great deal of energy and couldn’t be used repeatedly, his foundational Saber Technique was already at the master level. By occasionally weaving in a strike of Prison Suppression, it was more than enough to kill any Demon Beast below the third tier in a single move.
Gu Junyao fought alongside Yang Zhen and Li Ningcai. For some unknown reason, a sense of competition had sparked among the three women, and they slaughtered no small number of Demon Beasts themselves.
If the battle continued like this, the only remaining threat would be the Demon Tiger!
"Deploy the White Tiger Godslaying Crossbow!"
Feeling that the situation was ripe, Shi Hai bellowed an order toward the distant dense forest, his booming voice rolling outward.
From the thick woods came the mechanical CLICK CLACK of strings being drawn back, as if a great instrument of slaughter was now aiming directly at the battlefield.
Shi Yueshan killed a red-eyed green wolf with a single move, a trace of relief flashing in his eyes.
He thought, "With the power of the White Tiger Godslaying Crossbow, as long as a single arrow hits that Demon Tiger, it will be severely injured. Then, Third Uncle will be able to take it down!
"And all the Dragon Sinew Grass in this valley will be ours!"
BOOM!
From within the dense forest, a powerful Siege Crossbow Arrow flashing with azure light shot forth, shattering the ancient tree branches along its path as it streaked through the air.
"Watch out!!!"