After waking up, Ning Beichen drank all the tiger blood left from last night to avoid waste.
Tiger blood could only be stored for twelve hours. After twelve hours, the energy within the tiger blood would be less than one percent, and even preservation tools like refrigerators would be useless.
"What a shame. If Yilin were here, she would be fortunate."
After drinking all the tiger blood, Ning Beichen said with some regret.
"En..."
"Here it comes again..."
Ning Beichen felt a surge of heat rising from his lower abdomen and quickly sat cross-legged to refine the tiger blood.
At this moment, within Ning Beichen's blood vessels, the fresh blood was surging like a mighty tide, circulating rapidly through his meridians and emitting sounds like crashing waves. If anyone were near Ning Beichen, they would hear the sound of countless waves, as if the sea was crashing within his body.
After an unknown amount of time, a loud roar erupted from Ning Beichen's body, like a dam breaking open, and torrents of water crashed down, making Ning Beichen's ears ring. His clothes and hair fluttered without wind, and all the vegetation within ten meters of him bowed outwards, forming a ten-meter circle centered on Ning Beichen.
At this moment, Ning Beichen's eyes suddenly opened, and it seemed as if lightning shot out from them, making it impossible for anyone to meet his gaze directly. However, this anomaly quickly disappeared, and Ning Beichen returned to his mortal form, giving the impression that he was no different than before, yet somehow subtly changed.
Following this, Ning Beichen tilted his head back and let out a long howl. The sound pierced the heavens. Some large wild animals foraging in the forest were so startled by this howl that they cowered and trembled.
"Now I can truly be considered a Grandmaster!"
Ning Beichen felt his own strength and muttered to himself. He hadn't expected the tiger blood to give him such a significant boost, indicating that the striped tiger he had killed was no ordinary beast. He now felt that his strength was worthy of the title of Grandmaster. Although he had been a Grandmaster before, he had still felt somewhat overwhelmed when dealing with the Old Ancestor of the Ma family. If not for his last resort moves, the outcome of that battle would have been uncertain. Now, Ning Beichen had a strong feeling that if he were to face the Old Ancestor of the Ma family again, he could destroy him with a single blow.
Ning Beichen felt the power surging within his body, devoid of any drowsiness. He decided to roast the meat of the striped tiger. While this tiger meat was highly nourishing, it was nothing compared to its blood. However, it was still good for filling his stomach. Ning Beichen ate one tiger leg and could eat no more. He did not waste the remaining tiger meat, instead making it all into smoked meat, so he wouldn't have to hunt for food during his stay here.
After eating his fill and preparing the smoked meat, it was already noon the next day. Ning Beichen packed the smoked meat and his belongings and continued to venture deeper into the Devil's Mountain. He had items belonging to his senior sister, Nangong Feiyan, and had also learned a tracking sorcery from Haitang. As long as Nangong Feiyan was within a kilometer radius, the sorcery would react, saving Ning Beichen the trouble of searching everywhere.
"This Devil's Mountain is truly eerie. It suddenly started to fog for no reason."
Not long after Ning Beichen had set off, a thick fog suddenly appeared within the Devil's Mountain, making Ning Beichen feel as if he were in the clouds, with his vision limited to less than a hundred meters. This was thanks to Ning Beichen's Grandmaster cultivation, which granted him keen senses and exceptional vision; he could see a small ant a hundred meters away. For an ordinary person, they would likely be walking in circles.
...
"Miss, it's foggy. Let everyone stop."
At a certain location within Devil's Mountain, an old man with a goatee stopped with seven or eight people. In front of him stood a woman with a good figure but slightly tanned skin. However, among them was also a woman whose hands were bound, and this woman was Ning Beichen's senior sister, Nangong Feiyan.
The dark-skinned woman walked up to Nangong Feiyan, first displaying a smiling demeanor, then changing to a fierce expression. She slapped Nangong Feiyan across the face and said ferociously, "Nangong Feiyan, are you playing games? You've been leading us around this Devil's Mountain for over ten days. When will you take me to the ruins of the Annan royal family?"
Nangong Feiyan's face stung from the slap. She gritted her teeth and glared at the woman, wishing she could pounce and fight her if her hands weren't bound. No one had expected that this woman, whom she had considered a good friend, upon learning that she knew the location of the Annan royal family ruins and intended to search for the Nine Palace Strategy there, would attempt to seize it for herself and secretly arrange for people from the Ruan family to ambush her.
"Pah! Ruan Jinzhu, you heartless woman, you'll die a terrible death sooner or later!"
Nangong Feiyan spat at her, but missed.
"Nangong Feiyan, we were friends once. Why be so stubborn? As long as you take me to the Annan royal family ruins and I get what I want, I will spare your life."
Ruan Jinzhu, who had been ferocious moments ago, now wore a smiling expression, appearing like a mentally unstable person.
"Wishful thinking! Kill me if you dare!"
Nangong Feiyan retorted angrily.
"Hehehe... we're good friends, why would I kill you?"
"However, if you don't cooperate, I'll have to disfigure your face. And do you see them? They'll be very interested in your body."
Ruan Jinzhu took out a sharp knife and placed it against Nangong Feiyan's face, speaking with an evil expression. Nangong Feiyan's heart skipped a beat, a hint of fear creeping in. She wasn't afraid of death, but Ruan Jinzhu was a madwoman, a psychopath. If she refused, Ruan Jinzhu would hesitate to do as she pleased. Seeing the seven or eight men with wicked glints in their eyes, Nangong Feiyan relented, her voice softening.
"Go through the fog ahead. Once you pass through a small path, you'll be there."
"That's wonderful! I knew you would agree. After all, we're good sisters, aren't we?"
Ruan Jinzhu retracted the sharp knife from Nangong Feiyan's face, saying with great satisfaction. Nangong Feiyan's face darkened, resigned to her fate. She didn't want to resist, but Ruan Jinzhu was not her match.