Chapter 37: Lightning Over Flame

Chapter 37: Lightning Over Flame Despite this being a training regime—a competition to see who could obtain the finest monster core—this was still a righteous sect. There were lines that could not be crossed. No matter how fierce the rivalry was, they were still a part of the orthodox alliance. They were cultivators bound by discipline and honor, not cutthroats scrambling for scraps. Helping others when needed, not harming them out of greed or spite, was part of what separated them from the demonic paths. Hei Long pressed deeper into the forests. He wasn’t here to sabotage anyone. Besides the protagonist... But nobody had to know that... Eventually, Hei Long arrived where his instincts and the faint claw marks along the cliffside told him to go. A shadowed cave opened ahead, its mouth wide and jagged like a beast’s jaw. Hei Long didn’t hesitate. He stepped inside. Cool air greeted him at first, brushing past his skin like a whisper from the underworld. The deeper Hei Long walked, the less light there was, until only the soft glow of his spirit energy provided illumination. His hand trailed along the damp, jagged wall, fingers brushing against the occasional crystal or fungus. Every few steps, a subtle tremor moved through the stone around him, like a slumbering breath echoing from something deep within. Then came the heat. A wave of it, subtle at first. The kind of creeping warmth that builds behind the neck, that beads sweat across the brow. The deeper Hei Long went, the more intense it became. Soon, he could feel sweat trailing down his spine. His breathing slowed instinctively, every footstep light. He was close. The tunnel opened into a wider chamber, and there—lying amidst a scorched bed of rock and broken stalagmites—was the target. The flame-veined tiger. It was enormous, easily the size of a carriage, its broad frame covered in sleek, charred fur traced with glowing crimson lines like lava flowing beneath obsidian. But its most striking feature was its legs—no flesh, no bone—just writhing, ever-burning flames shaped into massive paws. With each slow breath, heat pulsed from its body, warping the air and making the ground beneath it shimmer. It was asleep, or at least appeared to be. Hei Long narrowed his eyes: ’This is my chance. Take it down quickly. No drawn-out battle. Don’t give it a chance to roar or lash out. A clean hit. Take the eye. Disorient it. Then finish it off.’ He crept forward, controlling every breath, every motion. His muscles tensed, not with panic, but with coiled discipline. Years of training were etched into his limbs, his body a tool honed for moments like this. Hei Long raised his fist, gathering Qi silently: ’Wait until the last possible second. Don’t let the crackle give me away.’ The Lightning Fist technique flickered into existence, sparking across his knuckles like a snake of raw voltage. He could feel it—barely contained power dancing beneath his skin, hungry to be unleashed. In one fluid motion, Hei Long surged forward. The lightning flared. The flame-veined tiger’s eyes snapped open, molten gold blazing with primal fury. But it was a fraction too late. Crack! Hei Long’s fist slammed into the monster’s eye with a thunderous crash, the lightning exploding on impact. The force sent shockwaves down the flame-veined tiger’s spine, its head snapping back violently. A guttural, enraged roar burst from its throat as it stumbled sideways, half-blind and snarling. Hei Long didn’t give it time to recover: "You’re not getting up!" He lunged again. Another Lightning Fist crackled into being, brighter this time, wild arcs whipping around his wrist. With a feral yell, Hei Long drove the blow into the flame-veined tiger’s chest just as it tried to rise. The impact sent it hurtling backward, crashing into the far wall of the cave with a deafening boom. Rock split, rubble fell, and the entire cavern shook as the flame-veined tiger’s massive body imprinted into the stone like a comet had struck it. Chunks of debris fell from the ceiling, clattering around them. The monster roared again—this time in fury, pain, and humiliation. Smoke curled from the cratered wall. Hei Long dropped into a crouch, panting, his fists still crackling with residual sparks. The heat in the chamber was unbearable now, his robes sticking to his skin, his hair damp with sweat. The flame-veined tiger writhed and thrashed, trying to regain its footing—but it was dazed, blood and flame dripping from the ruined socket of one eye. Hei Long tightened his stance. With a sharp exhale, he launched himself forward, a blur of movement cutting through the heat and smoke. The flame-veined tiger, now fully roused and thrashing in fury, raised one of its massive paws and swiped at him. Flames burst along the edges of its attack, tongues of fire erupting in thin cracks across the cavern floor. The air hissed where they passed. But Hei Long was faster. He leapt—soaring over the fiery strike, the heat licking at his ankles mid-air. As he descended, his fist coiled again, lightning crackling violently across his arm. This time, he didn’t hold back. He pulled every last thread of Qi and put it into his fist. The technique flared to life—Lightning Fist. The surge of power overwhelmed Hei Long’s meridians instantly, and a burst of blood splattered from his lips as he forced his body to comply. His vision trembled at the edges. His muscles screamed. But his aim was clear. The flame-veined tiger opened its mouth, unleashing a blast of flame, desperate to burn him. Fiery spit scattered into the air—searing droplets landing across Hei Long’s robe and singeing holes into the fabric. The cloth blackened and curled, smoke trailing behind him. But Hei Long didn’t flinch. With a roar of his own, he swung his lightning-charged fist upward, just as the monster lunged, its fangs glinting inches from his face. The blow struck true. Right under the chin. The impact cracked like a thunderclap, echoing through the cave like divine punishment. The flame-veined tiger’s entire head snapped back violently, and for a moment—its entire body was lifted clean off the ground. Lightning exploded in every direction, coursing through its spine, bursting through fur and flame alike. The sound of shattering bone—a grotesque orchestra of cracking and splintering—filled the air. Then silence. The flame-veined tiger hit the ground with a crash, its body now still, limp, and charred. Smoke drifted lazily from its mouth. Its once-glowing legs of fire slowly dimmed and extinguished, turning to solid stone-like limbs as the spiritual flames dispersed. It was dead. Hei Long stumbled, barely catching himself before he collapsed. His knees trembled, his fists still buzzing faintly. He sucked in deep, ragged breaths. "Holy shit..." Hei Long muttered between gulps of air, dragging a sleeve across his mouth: "That was close. Way too close." He turned to the corpse of the fallen monster. "..." Hei Long approached it slowly, his arms heavy and body trembling with the aftershocks of overexertion. He knelt beside the monstrous body, now cooling fast, and pressed his hands against its side. The fur was coarse, matted with blood and soot, and stank of burnt spirit essence. Without hesitation, Hei Long dug in with his bare hands. It wasn’t clean work. Flesh tore under his fingers, hot blood spilling over his hands and wrists as he ripped open the flame-veined tiger’s hide, his breath hissing through clenched teeth. Pain shot up his arm with every tug, but he ignored it, biting his lip until he tasted copper. Then—Hei Long saw it. Nestled deep within the chest cavity, surrounded by shattered ribs and glowing tissue, was the monster core. It pulsed with a crimson light, its surface smooth and glossy like polished glass. The center of it was darker—a rich, deep red almost black, like cooled magma, and branded across its center was a distinct flame-shaped rune, the symbol of its affinity. "..." Hei Long stared at it for a moment, breathless. Despite being soaked in gore— The heat of it still lingered faintly. "I’ll be taking this," Hei Long muttered under his breath, voice hoarse. And he did. His blood-covered fingers closed around the core, lifting it free from the corpse’s chest. It was heavier than he expected. Despite Hei Long’s exhaustion, a small grin tugged at the corner of his mouth: "This... was worth it."