Chen Yang held his breath, staying perfectly still behind the tree.

The two inner disciples lingered by the tiger's corpse for a long time, eventually leaving on their swords when they found no clues.

Only when the sword light completely disappeared into the horizon did Chen Yang emerge from his hiding place.

His chest still ached where the tiger's tail had struck him, but he gritted his teeth against the pain and quickly harvested the valuable materials from the Blaze Tiger's body.

He had no intention of returning to the Herb Garden today.

Firstly, his injuries were not minor, and secondly, the Blaze Tiger Core in his possession made him eager to break through.

He requested three days' leave from Steward Wang, claiming an urgent matter at home, using the opportunity to go into seclusion for a breakthrough.

Chen Yang ventured deep into the Rear Mountain, finding a secluded cave.

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The entrance was obscured by vines, and inside it was dry and spacious, seemingly an abandoned lair of some beast.

He scattered Beast Repelling Powder at the entrance and partially blocked it with a boulder before entering with peace of mind.

Taking out a clay bowl, Chen Yang began replicating the core.

This Blaze Tiger's cultivation was comparable to a fifth-level Qi refining cultivator, and the spiritual power contained in its core far exceeded that of a Shadow Wolf's, requiring more spiritual fluid for replication.

He continuously poured clear water into the bowl, watching as spiritual light flickered and faded, with crimson cores forming at the bottom.

Throughout the entire night, Chen Yang worked tirelessly, finally replicating ten Blaze Tiger Cores.

Including the original, eleven crimson cores glowed warmly in the cave.

"This should be enough," Chen Yang calculated. Based on his previous experience with the Shadow Wolf Core, two Blaze Tiger Cores should be sufficient to help him break through to the fifth level of Qi refining.

He took out one core and swallowed it.

As soon as the core entered his stomach, it dissolved, and a surge of scorching spiritual power swept through his body.

This spiritual power was several times more domineering than the Shadow Wolf Core, as if flames were burning within his meridians.

Chen Yang hurriedly circulated his cultivation technique, guiding the power to assault the barrier.

After three cycles, the spiritual power gradually calmed, but the barrier to the fifth level of Qi refining remained firm.

Unperturbed, Chen Yang swallowed another core.

This time, the spiritual power was even more violent, causing intense pain in his meridians.

The barrier began to loosen, yet it still did not break through.

"Strange," Chen Yang frowned.

Logically, two cores should have been enough.

He hesitated for a moment, then took out a third core.

Just as he was about to swallow it, a deafening tiger's roar suddenly echoed from outside the cave!

This roar was even more powerful than the previous Blaze Tiger's, filled with overwhelming rage.

Chen Yang's heart skipped a beat, and before he could react, the boulder at the cave entrance was violently smashed open!

A crimson shadow darted into the cave like lightning, carrying a strong bloody aura.

In the darkness, Chen Yang saw only two scarlet glows and felt a suffocating pressure.

Instinctively, he rolled to the side, hearing a "rip" as his shoulder garment was torn by sharp teeth, leaving several blood stains.

By the moonlight streaming through the entrance, Chen Yang finally saw the attacker—a more robust Blaze Tiger! This tiger was larger than the previous one, its fur deep red like blood, with a white marking on its forehead resembling a third eye.

Most terrifying of all, its aura was comparable to a sixth-level Qi refining cultivator!

Chen Yang gasped.

He immediately understood that this was likely the mate of the previous female tiger, here for revenge!

The male tiger missed its first strike and turned to pounce again.

Its speed far exceeded Chen Yang's expectations.

He hurriedly used the Wind Riding Technique to dodge, simultaneously throwing his last Vajra Talisman.

Golden light flickered, forming a shield.

However, the male tiger's claws shattered the shield with a single swipe!

Chen Yang was thrown by the shockwave, crashing heavily against the cave wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

The demonic beast before him was far beyond his imagination!

The male tiger seemed to smell the scent of the female tiger on Chen Yang, growing even more furious.

It opened its blood-churning maw, spewing a crimson flame that filled the entire cave.

Chen Yang rolled on the ground to dodge, but the flames still grazed his back.

Pain seared through him, and he smelled the scent of his own flesh burning.

At this rate, death was certain!

Anxious, Chen Yang could no longer care about anything else and swallowed another Blaze Tiger Core.

As the core entered his stomach, spiritual power erupted, but his mind was in turmoil, unable to calmly absorb it.

The spiritual power rampaged within him, worsening his injuries.

The male tiger seemed to sense him consuming the core, growing even more enraged.

It recognized it as its mate's core!

Another claw strike came, and Chen Yang barely raised his sword to block.

The iron short sword snapped with a sound, and he was once again sent flying, unsure how many ribs were broken.

The shadow of death loomed.

A strong sense of unwillingness surged in Chen Yang's heart.

He couldn't die here; he hadn't yet avenged himself against those three!

In desperation, he swallowed another core.

With the previous two, the four demonic beast spiritual powers clashed within him, nearly tearing his meridians apart.

The barrier to the fifth level of Qi refining wavered but remained unbroken.

The male tiger approached step by step, its eyes gleaming with cruelty.

It seemed in no hurry to kill this enemy, wanting instead to torment him slowly.

A resolute look flashed in Chen Yang's eyes.

He suddenly grabbed all the remaining cores, seven Blaze Tiger Cores in total, and stuffed them into his mouth!

"If I can't break through, then let's perish together!" he roared.

With seven cores entering his stomach simultaneously, it was as if a volcano erupted within him!

The violent spiritual power instantly shattered the barrier to the fifth level of Qi refining, even continuing to surge upward!

But at the same time, countless wild instincts flooded Chen Yang's mind.

These were the Blaze Tiger's lingering wild nature, its desire to kill, its attachment to its mate, its rage at its enemy...

"Ah—!"

Chen Yang let out a cry of agony.

His body began to undergo terrifying changes: his eyes turned blood-red, pupils vertical like a feline; his nails grew long and sharp, like tiger claws; his teeth became pointed, protruding from his lips; his muscles bulged, tearing his clothes; crimson markings appeared on his skin, like tiger stripes.

Most terrifying of all, an overwhelming ferocious qi erupted from him, mixed with the spiritual pressure of the fifth level of Qi refining, causing the entire cave to tremble.

The male tiger, startled by this sudden change, took a step back, its animal instincts warning it that this enemy had become extremely dangerous.

Chen Yang slowly raised his head, his blood-red eyes devoid of any humanity, filled only with primal wildness and a desire to kill.

He dropped to all fours, a low growl emanating from his throat, no longer sounding human, more like...

A thunderous tiger's roar erupted from the cave, echoing through the entire mountain forest!

This roar contained endless rage, pain, and wildness, startling countless birds and beasts.

In the moonlight, Chen Yang's figure was now half-human, half-tiger, exuding a chilling ferocious qi.