Chapter 63 - 62: Powerfully Tearing Apart Tigers and Leopards! Martial Arts Break Limit! (Please Follow)

Chapter 63: Chapter 62: Powerfully Tearing Apart Tigers and Leopards! Martial Arts Break Limit! (Please Follow)「Two days later.」 After informing his parents of his plans for a long journey, Jiang Shu returned to Pingling County and proceeded to Sanling Town with Qi Yuan. Sanling Town was surrounded by mountains on three sides. Half of its residents were from hunting families, living off the land. Although not Martial Artists, generations of passed-down skills and experience enabled them to hunt small game like rabbits and pheasants on the outskirts of the mountains. This game could be sold in town for a good price or used to improve meals at home, adding a bit more meat for the women and children. No sooner had the two of them arrived in town than a middle-aged hunter in his forties was already waiting and called out, "Young Master Zhao." Disguised as Young Master Zhao, Qi Yuan was dressed in tight-fitting traveler’s clothing. He carried a large Longbow on his back with a hundred feathered arrows—clearly an expensive set at a glance. A long saber hung at his waist. His equipment was suitable for both close and long-range combat. Jiang Shu, on the other hand, appeared much more low-key. The iron staff, taken from the masked Martial Artist, was wrapped in a layer of sheet iron by him to disguise it, and he carried it on his back. In his hand was a water flask, and his pack contained some seasonings. "Let’s go," Qi Yuan’s voice was cold. The less said while away from home, the less chance of exposure. Despite being in a small town where nothing could truly threaten them, it was best to avoid accidents if possible. Most of his focus had to be on the mountain. "Right! Big Black, let’s go." With his most prized old dog, Big Black, at his side, the hunter led Qi Yuan and Jiang Shu up the mountain. As they ascended, he shared his knowledge. "We travel this road the most, so there aren’t many good mountain products left. Look, these wild fruits don’t taste very good, but they quench your thirst. Eating a few is more effective than drinking water." "Fewer people take the path up to the left. Last time, there were rumors that a hunter from our town was carried off by a big tiger, but who knows if it’s true." "As for the path on the right, we’ve scoured it thoroughly; there’s not much good stuff left there either." The middle-aged hunter spoke as he led them toward the left path. Having received a hefty sum, he certainly couldn’t guide his clients to a place in the mountains where there was nothing to find. Though the left path was more dangerous, it seemed safe enough in broad daylight. Besides, Big Black was leading the way. "Ah! Hehe. Young Master Zhao, just a moment." The hunter suddenly halted, a glint of joy in his eyes. He turned, stooped, and pulled a plant from between some rocks. "We call this ’sugar-heart grass’," he explained. "Boil it in water, and the water turns sweet. It’s perfect to take back for my grandson." He clutched the finger-sized wild grass to his chest like a treasure, grinning broadly. Suddenly, Big Black, who had been in the lead, shuddered and scrambled back. Leaves rustled to the ground as a sudden, fierce gust of wind seemed to sweep through the forest. Behind a tangle of trees, a loud CRASH erupted. A ferocious tiger with glaring eyes and a white forehead leaped out. Its fangs were menacing. As it roared, Big Black collapsed to the ground, whimpering incessantly. The middle-aged hunter was even more terrified; despite all his experience, he had never encountered such a fierce beast! He had a woodcutting knife in his hand and an ancestral wooden bow on his back. But facing such a ferocious tiger, what use could these trinkets be! Am I... finished this time? SWOOSH! Drawing a feathered arrow and nocking it to his Longbow, Qi Yuan’s movements were fluid as he loosed the shot, striking the tiger directly in the eye. He had made many preparations for this mountain expedition; he had even practiced archery for more than ten days. No matter how ferocious the tiger, it was still just an ordinary wild beast. How could it possibly block his path! "I’ll take it!" Jiang Shu let out a long cry. Coming to these great mountains, he also intended to hone his combat abilities. If it were a brown bear or something similar, he would let Senior Brother Qi kill it with another arrow. But this tiger was different. Having learned the martial arts of the Hungry Tiger Martial Hall, how could he not experience fighting a real one firsthand! Jiang Shu leaped out, roaring with a ferocity that matched the snarling tiger. BANG! Dodging the tiger’s claws, Jiang Shu threw a punch, his strength colliding with the tiger’s! POUNCE! TOPPLE! SHEAR! Jiang Shu seemed to gain new insights. Through this personal experience, the proficiency of his Tiger Form Three Styles on his panel surged once again, and he faintly felt he was approaching a limit! "You can go back now if you want," Qi Yuan said, turning to the middle-aged hunter. The hunter had already shared much of his experience and explained the layout of the mountain paths. "After all," Qi Yuan added, "we’ve encountered a fierce tiger this early on the trail." Indeed, the path ahead might hold other wild beasts, and without the hunter, they would have more freedom to act. Nearby, the sounds of fists and feet clashing with the white-foreheaded tiger, along with its furious roars, were incessant. He wasn’t concerned. Having sparred with his junior brother for so many days, he naturally knew his junior brother’s capabilities. An ordinary Stone Skin Realm Martial Artist might not even be able to defeat him. A fierce tiger, though indeed a tiger, was still just an ordinary beast! In terms of technique, it couldn’t compare to his junior brother. In terms of strength, it also couldn’t compare. Sure enough, by the time Qi Yuan turned back, Jiang Shu had already gained the upper hand. He was mounted on the tiger’s back, his fists like hammers, fiercely striking its head! BANG! BANG! BANG! After three punches, the tiger, which had been so overwhelmingly ferocious moments before, was beaten until it bled from its eyes, mouth, nose, and ears. It whimpered, collapsed to the ground, and couldn’t move! "This... This is a Martial Artist master!" Seeing the fallen tiger, unable to rise, the middle-aged hunter couldn’t help but tremble as he spoke. He had never imagined that these two young masters before him were actually Martial Artists! No wonder they dared to venture into the mountains, he thought. "This is the payment I promised you. You should head back now," Qi Yuan said again, tossing out a liang of silver. "Alright, alright, alright." The middle-aged hunter didn’t dare to linger. He took the money and left with Big Black. Jiang Shu shouldered the dead tiger and, with Qi Yuan, headed deeper into the mountains. They traveled the mountain paths by day and sheltered in caves by night, drinking from streams and eating the meat of beasts. Three days and nights passed without encountering a single Mutant Beast. However, they came across many ordinary wild animals: brown bears, fierce tigers, vicious wolves, and wild boars. BANG! BANG! BANG! In the mountain forest, Jiang Shu’s clothes were long since tattered. He hadn’t rested for a single day. Every day, he battled different wild beasts, accumulating countless experiences. In his view, since Mutant Beasts were naturally mutated from these fierce animals, they surely retained their habits and attack patterns. The more he understood about fierce animals, the less likely he would be at a disadvantage when facing Mutant Beasts of the same realm in the future. His every punch and kick now carried the momentum of a tiger. By this day, his Tiger Form Three Styles seemed on the verge of breaking through to an entirely new realm, no longer confined to just those three styles. With a long cry, Jiang Shu raised his hands, and with a surge of power, he actually tore a leopard apart with his bare hands! Warm leopard blood splattered onto Jiang Shu’s body. In his mind: POUNCE! TOPPLE! SHEAR! Each move, each style, transformed endlessly! A translucent panel suddenly appeared: Jiang Shu— Hungry Tiger Sitting Stake: Perfection (800/1000) Hungry Tiger Breathing Method: Perfection (800/1000) Tiger Form Three Styles: Break Limit Hungry Tiger Stripping Claw: entry-level (400/1000) Snake Step: entry-level (600/1000)