Chapter 40 - Quiet as a Turtle, Moving as a Demon God
Chapter 40: Quiet as a Turtle, Moving as a Demon God
A sudden swarm of tigers surged forth like a tidal wave of beasts, shattering forests and shaking the mountains until they crumbled into ruin.
Xuan Qing’s expression darkened. “Is this the White Tiger, corrupted by demonic energy? What a pity… it has no sanity left, only the instincts of a wild beast.”
In his eyes, these demonized tigers were devoid of intellect, merely beasts. Though they were descendants of the divine beast White Tiger, they had fallen from grace. But as they charged toward him, Xuan Qing was not foolish enough to engage them directly.
Soon after, the tigers vanished in a single direction.
“Should I follow them and see what’s going on?” he muttered, then shook his head. “Forget it. Tracking them is far too dangerous with too many unknowns. Better to familiarize myself with this secret realm first.”
With that, Xuan Qing activated the Law of Concealment, then transformed into the Misty Avatar, and finally employed the Law of Flight. The Concealment Law suppressed his aura, making detection nearly impossible. The Mist’s divine ability obscured his tracks and blended his presence into the ambient demonic Qi. Flight allowed him to move at extreme speed, avoiding pursuit altogether.
Combined, these three techniques enabled him to roam the secret realm with safety and stealth. Meanwhile, the Purification Gourd emitted its Purifying Divine Light, shielding him from demonic corrosion.
Even Zi Yun was speechless at Xuan Qing’s overly cautious approach. Master is too steady… This realm held little danger, and with the Xuanhuang Tower in hand, such precautions felt excessive.
But Xuan Qing did not care. He was more focused on observing this fragmented blessed land.
Though he already knew this was part of the Divine White Tiger’s domain, its sheer vastness still surprised him. The realm brimmed with demonic Qi and Geng Gold Qi, and in the depths of its forests and crumbling peaks lay the ruins of an ancient palace—what might have once been the White Tiger’s sacred court.
As he wandered, he often encountered more demonized tigers. Without intellect, they could not detect him, and he saw no need to provoke them.
And so, Xuan Qing spent several years wandering the realm, gradually learning its layout. Though he could not grasp it entirely, he grew familiar enough with many key areas.
Xuan Qing felt no sense of urgency.
On the contrary, he leisurely refined seals and practiced in peace, while his elders grew increasingly anxious.
“Big brother… Little Xuan Qing is far too relaxed,” Tongtian sighed. “He was sent here to fight demonic cultivators and gain real experience. Instead, he’s using divine abilities to sneak around like a tourist!”
The First Heavenly Father wore a stern expression but did not disagree. “The shadow left by those Purple Heaven Guests still lingers. It made the child overly cautious, unwilling to take risks. He avoids fighting whenever possible.”
Laozi also frowned. “He’s still too young. We cannot let him be so idle. Have a few demon tigers surround him—give him some trouble.”
Tongtian nodded. “A good idea. He’s too steady. A little pressure might sharpen him up.”
Unable to change Xuan Qing’s nature, his masters decided to change the situation instead.
Unaware of their machinations, Xuan Qing was currently exploring a region saturated with Geng Gold Qi.
“This place is dense with Geng Gold Qi… Divine materials are likely hidden nearby,” he murmured, preparing to search for treasures.
Though he did not lack resources or treasures, who would complain about having more?
Just as he began his search, several tiger roars echoed nearby, making him instantly alert.
“Tiger calls again? These demonized beasts have nothing better to do?”
Though he grumbled, he initially ignored it. But then the demonic aura thickened, and the roars grew closer.
In a flash, over a dozen demonized tigers rushed toward him. Their vicious eyes locked onto Xuan Qing as if they could see through all his concealment.
He frowned. “What’s going on? Can these spiritless tigers detect me? Have my divine powers failed?”
But there was no time to analyze the anomaly—those tigers had already lunged.
ROAR!
A pitch-black demonic tiger, bloodthirsty fangs bared, pounced like a storm of fury. Its eyes gleamed with wild savagery as it hurtled toward Xuan Qing.
Faced with this sudden assault, Xuan Qing’s thoughts stirred.
I cannot endure this.
Though careful in all things, Xuan Qing was not timid. He simply disliked unnecessary trouble and avoided karmic entanglements. But if pushed, he would never back down.
For mere beasts to dare provoke him—this was courting death.
In the blink of an eye, Xuan Qing vanished. His speed, sharp as lightning, tore through the air. Behind him, the tiger’s Geng Gold-clawed strikes devastated the mountainside.
The remaining tigers charged again, as if they had deliberately locked onto his location.
Seeing this, Xuan Qing calmly circulated his Divine Elixir of Qi, and the Great Dao he had fused with it began to resonate.
“Great Dao transformation—evolve toxin… Fire Poison.”
Xuan Qing turned ruthless. He drew on the transformative nature of the Great Dao of Dan and shifted it into the Great Dao of Poison.
Poison and alchemy were the two Dao most suited for Xuan Qing. The Dao of Poison was inscribed deep in Zi Yun’s soul; he had studied and derived much from it. Now, he refined it into a powerful Dan Poison.
This fire poison radiated intense heat, perfect for restraining beasts imbued with Geng Gold Qi.
As the toxin spread, the demonic tigers staggered. Though mindless, their bodies could still feel the poison’s devastating effects.
Xuan Qing took the chance to strike.
“Golden Light Sword Technique! Gale Sword Technique! Shangqing Thunder Law!”
Without hesitation, he unleashed a barrage of techniques. Taught by Tongtian himself, Xuan Qing had given up an engraved Dao in favor of the Way of the Sword—and he had practiced countless techniques tied to Zi Yun’s branded Daos.
The Golden Light Sword Technique, carrying the Great Dao of Light, made his sword as fast as light itself.
In that moment, the cautious turtle became a divine god in motion—brilliant, ruthless, and unstoppable.