**White Tiger's Last Wish**
"Roar!"
As Ye Tian swiftly concealed himself behind a colossal rock, a fierce roar echoed through the forest, and in the next moment, two immense creatures materialized before him.
Before him stood two gigantic beasts: one was a colossal python, measuring an astonishing fifteen meters in length and as thick as a barrel, its body adorned with azure scales. The other was a magnificent white tiger, its limbs robust and its massive jaws lined with teeth as long as ivory tusks, glistening with a cold, menacing sheen.
Even from a distance, Ye Tian felt a chill run down his spine; the overwhelming aura emanating from these formidable beasts left him nearly breathless.
"So powerful! They must be beasts of a rank above the Martial Master level!" Ye Tian thought to himself, astonished. He had once witnessed the village chief, at the pinnacle of the Martial Apprentice level, unleash his power; although formidable, he paled in comparison to either of these beasts.
Clearly, these two creatures surpassed the village chief in strength; if the chief stood at the pinnacle of the Martial Apprentice level, then these beasts were undoubtedly at a level far superior.
In the Shenzhou Continent, martial practitioners are categorized into detailed ranks, with significant disparities between each level. Higher-tier martial artists can easily slay their lower-tier counterparts.
Any one of these two beasts before him possessed the capability to annihilate the entire Ye family village.
Currently, Ye Tian was at the peak of the Martial Apprentice level; above this lay the realm of Martial Artists, which is further divided into ten tiers. A pinnacle Martial Artist like the village chief was among the top experts in Baiyun Town, and it was precisely due to his presence that Ye family village was renowned far and wide.
Surpassing Martial Artists are the Martial Masters, an esteemed existence. Ye Tian had heard the village chief mention that a Martial Master could demolish a five or six-meter-high stone house with a single punch, regarded as a match for thousands.
The two ferocious beasts before him possessed such terrifying strength. As he watched their fierce confrontation, he was filled with dread, noticing that the towering trees surrounding them fell like matchsticks in the wake of their battle.
The very earth trembled beneath their ferocity—
Hiding behind the colossal rock, Ye Tian dared not even breathe, fearful of being discovered; he knew that beasts at the Martial Master level had developed intelligence, making them incredibly perilous.
"Strange, I've never seen these two beasts before," Ye Tian thought, his curiosity piqued. While there were indeed three known Martial Master-level beasts in the vicinity of Ye family village, the elders had identified and sketched them, warning villagers to steer clear should they encounter them.
Yet, Ye Tian did not recognize either of the formidable beasts before him; they were not among the three warned of by the elders. Could they be outsiders?
His mind swirled with questions.
Just then, the battle between the two beasts began to take a turn; despite the white tiger's ferocity, it succumbed to the python's cunning, which bit down hard, piercing its neck and staining its pristine white fur with blood.
"What a shame for such a magnificent white tiger!" Ye Tian lamented, feeling a pang of sympathy. Compared to the sinister python, he favored the regal white tiger; its imposing stature and fierce presence made it a creature he wished to have as a steed.
Of course, he could only dream; to ride a Martial Master-level beast was a folly for one like him, a Martial Apprentice without any martial soul.
"Roar!"
Suddenly, as Ye Tian continued his daydreaming, the tide of battle shifted; the seemingly doomed white tiger suddenly erupted with a ferocious energy, its sharp teeth launching like arrows and piercing the python's body, causing blood to spray everywhere.
"Roar!" The python, now grievously wounded, let out an enraged roar. It abandoned its pursuit of the white tiger, its massive form shaking as it retreated into the depths of the forest, vanishing from Ye Tian's sight.
"Boom!"
After the python's departure, the colossal white tiger could no longer withstand the strain, collapsing to the ground, gasping for air.
Ye Tian observed in silence, noting that the white tiger was teetering on the brink of death due to the fatal injury it sustained, blood gushing uncontrollably from its neck.
"Pierced vessels; even a Celestial Immortal could not save it," Ye Tian sighed softly. Drawing upon his past experiences as a special forces soldier, he immediately recognized the severity of the white tiger's wounds.
"Whew…"
The groans of the downed white tiger filled the air as it struggled violently, attempting to rise, but it was far too injured to regain its footing; it had reached its limits.
Ye Tian couldn't help but admire the tiger's indomitable spirit, yet he dared not make any sudden moves. One could never tell if a beast would erupt in its final moments; caution was paramount when dealing with a ferocious creature, especially one on the brink of death—this was a lesson well learned from his previous life as a soldier.
"Roar!"
Suddenly, the white tiger ceased its attempts to stand. It tilted its head, its enormous lantern-like eyes fixating intently on Ye Tian's direction.
In an instant, the gaze of the two—one large and one small—interlocked.
"Not good!" Ye Tian thought, startled. He attempted to retreat, but it was too late. Instead, he sprang out from behind the rock and stared cautiously at the white tiger, his expression tense.
Yet, the anticipated danger did not materialize. Instead of hostility, the white tiger's eyes betrayed a glimmer of joy as it regarded Ye Tian.
Indeed, based on Ye Tian's previous studies of animals, he discerned that the expression in the tiger's eyes was genuinely one of joy—an anthropomorphic display he had never encountered before.
"No wonder they say that beasts of the Martial Master level and above possess intelligence; it's truly remarkable…" Ye Tian marveled.
"Roar!"
The white tiger suddenly let out a low growl towards Ye Tian, its eyes filled with a pleading look. It then directed its gaze down towards its abdomen, where a small white tiger, no bigger than a kitten, crawled out from the folds of its massive tail and flopped down beside the white tiger, instantly falling asleep.
Realizing this, Ye Tian understood the white tiger's intent—it was entrusting its young to him! Though it was a fierce beast, he couldn't help but feel admiration for its maternal instincts at that moment.
"Rest assured, I will take good care of it," Ye Tian spoke earnestly, unsure if the white tiger could comprehend his words.
"Roar!" The white tiger responded with a joyful roar, and Ye Tian immediately recognized that he had underestimated the creature's intelligence.
Just as Ye Tian prepared to pick up the small white tiger, the white tiger abruptly raised its head.
"Huh?" Filled with caution, Ye Tian quickly sidestepped, jumping back and glaring at the white tiger, his face contorted with anger.
"Roar!"
The white tiger let out a mighty roar, unleashing a beam of light from its mouth that descended directly at Ye Tian's feet. Unable to resist the urge, he looked down and discovered an ancient parchment made of sheepskin.
"Ah, a gift for me," he realized, picking up the parchment and instantly understanding his misunderstanding of the white tiger. He cast an apologetic glance toward the beast.
At that moment, the white tiger finally exhausted its last vestiges of strength, its massive head dropping to the ground. Its lantern-like eyes reflected the serene slumber of the small white tiger, before slowly closing.
"Whew!"
Seeing the white tiger lose its final breath, Ye Tian took a deep breath and gently lifted the little white tiger from beside it. The tiny creature scratched its fluffy paws, then nestled into Ye Tian's embrace, rolling over to expose its snowy white belly and continue its slumber.
"It hasn't even opened its eyes; it must have just been born?" Ye Tian observed the little white tiger, his brow furrowing. Suddenly, a realization struck him, and he turned to look at the fallen white tiger with a gaze filled with respect.
Clearly, this mother white tiger had just given birth to the little one before it was attacked by the python. In its fight against the python, it had valiantly shielded its offspring with its tail, holding on until the very end.
"This white tiger is remarkable. Had it not recently given birth and had this little white tiger to protect, the python wouldn't have stood a chance against it," Ye Tian mused to himself, astounded by the white tiger's strength.
It is known that beasts experience a period of weakness after giving birth, yet even in this vulnerable state, the white tiger had fought the python to a standstill. This demonstrated the immense power it wielded; in its prime, it would have been far beyond the python's capabilities.
"Rest easy; I will ensure its well-being as it grows," Ye Tian sighed softly as he set the little white tiger aside. He then exerted effort to drag the massive body of the white tiger toward the waterfall.
Despite the treasures that adorned the white tiger's body, Ye Tian was filled with reverence, unwilling to desecrate its remains. He also feared that the corpse would attract other ferocious beasts of the forest, so he decided to dispose of it in the waterfall.
After ensuring the white tiger's body was properly dealt with, Ye Tian lifted the little white tiger once more. He gazed at the large pool of blood on the ground, his brow furrowed deeply. "The commotion here has been too loud, and such a strong scent of blood will undoubtedly attract powerful beasts. I should leave at once."
With that thought, Ye Tian sprang into action, leaping into the forest like a monkey, racing toward the direction of Ye family village.
Roar!
Not long after Ye Tian departed, several ferocious beasts appeared, yet they found nothing but bloodstains at the scene. Reluctantly, they left.
…
Half an hour later, Ye Tian finally caught sight of the outline of Ye family village, and a sense of relief washed over him.
In this perilous world plagued by savage beasts, only within the village did Ye Tian feel a genuine sense of safety. The recent battle between the ferocious creatures made him cherish the tranquility and peace of the village even more.
"Ye Tian!"
As Ye Tian stepped into the village, a familiar voice called out to him. He quickly looked up to see a familiar figure approaching.
"Da Niu, what brings you here? Is something the matter?" Ye Tian asked, puzzled.
The imposing figure before him, standing two meters tall with well-defined muscles, was Ye Niu, Ye Tian's childhood companion and shadow.
"Hurry, Ting Ting's sister is here. You need to go back and see her," Ye Niu panted, clearly having run all the way.
"Is it Sister Xue? What's the matter? You seem quite anxious!" Ye Tian chuckled in response.
"It's Lin Jiao, Ting Ting's eldest sister!" Ye Niu said gravely.
Ye Tian's smile immediately froze on his face. He took a deep breath, his expression turning somber as he coldly asked, "What does she want?"
"I'm not sure, but it seems to be about your and Ting Ting's marriage. Uncle Meng sent you back quickly," Ye Niu replied, shaking his head.
"Marriage? Could it be—"
Upon hearing this, Ye Tian's expression darkened as if a sudden realization struck him.