Xu Que raised his longsword and swiftly struck at the head of the Three-Tailed Infernal Tiger.
The beast's claws shot out like lightning, slamming against the descending blade with a force that sent a tremor through the air.
"Impressive!"
Xu Que swiftly evaded the tiger's claw attack. Just as he prepared to strike again, the Three-Tailed Infernal Tiger lunged at him, teeth bared.
In an instant, Xu Que rolled, putting a safe distance between himself and the beast.
"Roar!"
The tiger let out a deafening roar, shaking the entire forest. With a single, powerful leap, it launched itself at Xu Que. Without flinching, Xu Que swung his black longsword, meeting the oncoming attack head-on.
The clash was immediate. The sharp claws of the tiger collided with the sword in a shower of sparks, filling the air with a shrill metallic screech. Thanks to the speed and power granted by his array, Xu Que pushed the tiger back, but the creature was relentless and charged once more, fiercer than before.
Xu Que's mind raced with thoughts of how crucial the array's power was for this battle; without it, he would have surely perished.
Tightly gripping his longsword, Xu Que moved with utmost concentration, parrying and dodging the tiger's claws and fangs. Every clash of sword and claw was accompanied by sparks flying, as if they were engaged in a battle for survival.
With each passing moment, the power of the array grew, and Xu Que gradually gained the upper hand. Though every strike he landed only caused minor damage to the formidable beast, it was enough to whittle it down, one blow at a time.
As the tiger began to show signs of exhaustion, Xu Que saw his opportunity. He aimed for the throat and unleashed a swift, precise slash with his sword.
The Three-Tailed Infernal Tiger tried to dodge, but Xu Que was faster. A second slash—this time a devastating "Heavenly Slash"—cut through the air.
The tiger howled in agony as blood spurted from its throat. It staggered, then collapsed, its breath fading as it lay defeated.
Hidden in the bushes, Ye Gou was stunned, watching Xu Que's skill and strength with awe. In that moment, he felt as though Xu Que had grown into a towering figure before his eyes.
But just as Ye Gou was about to speak, an earth-shattering roar echoed through the forest.
A massive, eight-meter-tall, two-headed Inferno Lion appeared, its fur blazing with fiery intensity.
Xu Que grinned. "Finally, you've come."
As the two-headed lion roared, a hundred-meter-long sword beam shot toward it in an instant.
The Inferno Lion had barely any time to react before it was struck by the wave of energy.
"Boom!"
A violent vortex of wind exploded, a massive force slamming into the lion's body. The lion let out a mournful cry that reverberated through the forest.
The creatures lurking nearby scattered in terror, as though they had never existed.
The storm of sword energy relentlessly tore into the lion's flesh, and its agonized howls grew weaker. In moments, one of its heads was reduced to nothing but a mangled, bloody mess of bone and tissue.
Xu Que quickly downed a stamina potion and charged toward the now weakened beast. Seeing its pitiful state, he wasted no time delivering a final blow with his sword.
The mighty beast, once the ruler of the forest, was felled in mere moments.
As the lion breathed its last, a system prompt echoed in Xu Que's mind.
"Congratulations, Human Xu Que, you have successfully cleared A-grade [Graveyard Forest G]. You have earned the territory rights for [Graveyard Forest G], as well as the following rewards: 19 Spirit Iron Ore, 55 Spirit Crystals, 8 Spirit Stones. Please check the transaction hall interface for daily territory income."
"Congratulations, Human Xu Que, based on big data analysis, you already possess a corresponding high-level territory. [Graveyard Forest G] is being folded into [Gate of Hell]…"
Xu Que turned around, the moment the prompt finished, and shouted, "It's safe now. You can start cultivating here."
Ye Gou, having noticed the disappearance of the eerie green eyes, cautiously ran toward the platform.
"Big brother, is this crack the way back?" Ye Gou asked, pointing excitedly at the rift.
"Bang!"
Xu Que kicked him. "I told you to focus on cultivation, not running away! Do you have no shame? Does your conscience not hurt?"
Ye Gou looked at him in confusion. "Big brother, we're both insane, aren't we? Don't act like we're any different."
Xu Que had no words for that. It seemed Ye Gou had a point.
"Damn it," Xu Que muttered. "Almost got led astray by you. Focus on your cultivation. You've still got over an hour left."
"Alright," Ye Gou grumbled, sitting down reluctantly.
Xu Que ignored the foolish dog and began gathering the spoils of battle.
Leaning against a smooth boulder, Xu Que opened his inventory, his face breaking into a smile as he examined his loot.
**[Name: Heart of Dual Fire, A-grade (Unique Accessory)]**
**[Quality: Epic (Golden)]**
**[Active: When used, grants a brief fire attribute energy boost (45 seconds duration, 30-minute recharge)]**
**[Passive: Reduces fire damage taken, increases fire attribute attack slightly.]**
"Not bad. This is perfect for Zhao Xian."
**[Name: Fire Spirit Crystal, A-grade]**
**[Quality: Epic (Golden)]**
**[Material: Formed from the saliva of a legendary fire spirit, moderately hard, suitable for beast evolution, forging, or alchemy.]**
"Such a pity it's not the Wind and Cloud Magic Crystal..."
**[Name: Flamehide of the Infernal Lion, A-grade]**
**[Quality: Epic (Golden)]**
**[Material: Fire-resistant hide from an adult Infernal Lion, highly durable, suitable for forging and alchemy.]**
**[Name: Firewalker Boots, B-grade (Unique Equipment)]**
**[Quality: Excellent (Purple)]**
**[Active: When used, grants a brief flame walking effect (15 seconds, 80-minute recharge)]**
**[Passive: Increases movement speed, with a chance to trigger a sprinting effect.]**
"These boots are for aggro-kiting!" Xu Que thought, surprised. Though he knew how powerful these boots were if used correctly, they could also be disastrous for the team if misused.
In his past life, these boots had passed through the hands of four people, eventually ending up with someone from M country...
**[Name: Wind Howler Spear, B-grade (Unique Equipment)]**
**[Quality: Excellent (Purple)]**
**[Active: Unleashes a gusting storm stab on target (24-hour recharge)]**
**[Passive: Increases attack speed and movement speed when attacking, but reduces stamina slightly.]**
**[Note: Crafted from the spinal marrow and claws of the Three-Tailed Infernal Tiger, has immense destructive power.]**
"Nice, this would be perfect for Young Master Kun."
After briefly scanning the loot from the Three-Tailed Infernal Tiger, Xu Que moved on, knowing he would need to upgrade his forging skills before these materials could be used.
**[Name: Venomous Cat Claw, C-grade (Unique Equipment)]**
**[Quality: Excellent (Purple)]**
**[Passive: Has a chance to poison target when striking, increases attack speed and movement speed slightly.]**
**[Note: The claws of a fully grown Golden-Claw Cat, light and agile, a favorite among shadow assassins.]**
"Not bad, looks like I really hit the jackpot this time!" Xu Que grinned, pleased with the spoils. Not only had he acquired a life-saving piece of armor, but also two top-tier weapons.
After collecting everything, Xu Que turned his attention back to Ye Gou, whom he still valued highly.
Not only did Ye Gou possess a magical lineage, but his personality also resembled someone from Xu Que's past life.
He wanted to ensure Ye Gou was carefully studied by Duan Jiude, as his innate magic abilities could be a powerful asset in the future.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Xu Que glanced at the timer.