Chapter 97

After going to great lengths to retrieve the golden needles, Tang Jie tidied up the battlefield, erasing the traces of the formation.

He casually tossed the tree spirit seed to Yi Yi: "Here, it's for you. I didn't expect that the final harvest of this trip would end up benefiting you."

"What is this?" Yi Yi looked curiously at the seed in her hand. The seed resembled an olive pit, entirely emerald green, but Tang Jie had poked a hole in it, causing some green liquid to flow out.

"The essence core of a tree spirit, which is the source of its essence," Tang Jie replied, picking up Yi Yi and pointing at the essence core. "The essence core, demon pearl, ghost essence, and monster marrow are the most valuable treasures of the four major categories of spirits, demons, ghosts, and monsters. This one is the essence core of the tree spirit, and it's worth a lot of money."

"Why didn't the wolf we killed earlier have a demon pearl?" Yi Yi asked curiously.

Tang Jie laughed: "Spirits and monsters lack life, with insufficient blood and qi but easily gather spiritual energy, so they can more easily form essence cores. However, this also means that their other body parts are mostly worthless, with their essence concentrated here. Demons are different; they are born with flesh and blood, and even without spiritual energy, they have life. Their spiritual energy is integrated into their entire body, so their flesh, blood, fur, and skin are all valuable. Cultivating a demon pearl is difficult, and if they truly have one, they are bound to be extremely powerful. If we encounter such a demon beast, we would die without even knowing how. This tree spirit, though ranked as a lower-grade, has clearly lived for a long time. Over the years, it formed an essence core, which is not surprising. However, it has only been formed for a short time, so it's relatively small. I think this one is worth at most three to four hundred coins."

"Does it have any use?"

"It has many uses. Whether for refining elixirs, making medicines, drawing talismans, or setting up formations, it can be used. The effects vary depending on the purpose. This tree spirit is ordinary, ranked as a lower-grade, and has no special functions, but it is rich in spiritual energy and full of wood qi. If you eat it, it will greatly benefit you."

"Such a good thing, brother, you should sell it," Yi Yi said, hugging Tang Jie's neck.

The little girl, though a bit mischievous, was also sensible. She knew that Tang Jie came here to make money, and this essence core was his biggest harvest. If she ate it, wouldn't it be a huge loss?

Tang Jie smiled, scratching her nose: "Silly girl, eating it is the best use. Besides, the essence core was punctured by me just now, and the essence is already leaking. If you don't eat it now, it will be worthless once it leaks completely."

Although essence cores and demon pearls are valuable, they are also the life essence of demons and monsters. Before death, they often use them to make a final desperate attack, so obtaining a complete essence core or demon pearl is not easy. Tang Jie's strength was insufficient, and he could only counter the essence core's attack with the golden needles. If he had been slightly hesitant, he might have died.

Of course, part of the reason he could be so generous was because Yi Yi was here, and the essence core wouldn't lose much.

Hearing this, Yi Yi no longer hesitated and swallowed the essence core in one bite.

After swallowing the essence core, a green aura immediately flashed across Yi Yi's face, and a large amount of spiritual energy filled her body. Her body grew like an inflatable doll, and the little girl, who was originally only twenty centimeters tall, suddenly grew to the size of a newborn baby, more than doubling in size.

Not only that, but her skin became crystal clear and translucent, with a lustrous glow visible under the white skin.

Seeing this, Tang Jie frowned: "The spiritual energy fills the body, but it is empty and not solid, scattered and not condensed..."

He raised the green light sword and slashed his wrist, creating a deep wound. He then pointed at Yi Yi: "Yi Yi, drink!"

At that moment, Yi Yi felt an overwhelming hunger, and seeing Tang Jie's arm, she began to suck his blood without hesitation.

This time, her blood-sucking was much more intense than before, and Tang Jie felt as if all the blood in his body was flowing into Yi Yi's mouth.

Tang Jie knew this was bad. The more spiritual energy Yi Yi absorbed, the more blood qi she needed to supplement. The essence core of the tree spirit contained a large amount of spiritual energy, which meant he had to provide a lot of blood. If he let her continue to suck, it would cause significant damage to his body, and even months of rest might not be enough to recover.

He realized he had been rash this time. Although he had thoroughly studied the content taught by his master, there were still some things that the masters didn't have time to explain, and he could only understand them through experience.

At this moment, seeing Yi Yi still sucking blood, her body gradually becoming full, no longer like a crystal doll, and her eyes gradually turning red and showing a hint of confusion, Tang Jie knew this was a critical moment and should not be disturbed. He gritted his teeth and took out a Blood Demon Pill to swallow.

The Blood Demon Pill is made from blood-refined demon pearls, and after use, the blood qi surges, providing a large amount of blood essence, suitable for supplementing Yi Yi's blood qi. Even if he became weak afterward, at least he wouldn't damage his fundamental essence.

At this moment, under the effect of the Blood Demon Pill, Tang Jie's blood qi surged, and Yi Yi also sucked blood crazily. Tang Jie's body was like a leaking water pool with a faucet turned on, leaking and filling water at the same time.

Until the crystal-clear color of Yi Yi's body gradually disappeared and she returned to a rosy hue, the little girl finally let go, and her previously confused, bloodshot eyes returned to clarity.

She took a deep breath and fell asleep.

"..." Seeing the little thing eat and drink to her heart's content and then fall asleep, Tang Jie was speechless.

At this moment, most of the demon power from the Blood Demon Pill had been absorbed by Yi Yi. Since there was still a bit of residual power, Tang Jie hadn't felt its side effects yet and felt energetic.

However, Tang Jie knew this wouldn't last long, so he didn't go to hunt more demon beasts. He just tidied up his things, carried Yi Yi, and walked around the valley, eventually returning to the water pond.

The tiger at the peak was already gone, possibly returning to its den to rest.

Tang Jie stepped towards the mountain.

Following the path paved with black stone slabs, he walked up the mountain. When he was about one-third of the way to the peak, he saw a stone stele with three large characters: "Demon Suppressing Stele."

The stele stood across the path leading to the peak.

Behind the stele, the black stone slabs turned into red stone slabs, forming a clear boundary, dividing the peak and the lower part into two different worlds.

This was where the only high-grade spirit tiger in Tiger Roar Valley was imprisoned.

Crossing the boundary meant crossing the protection of the formation and entering the tiger's cage.

Every year, a large number of students from Xi Yue Academy enter the tiger's cage to duel with the spirit tiger. Although they often fail, the outcome is not important.

For the students, this is a necessary experience in their growth. Only by truly experiencing the power of high-level spirit creatures can they understand what they can and cannot do in future trials.

Standing in front of the stele, Tang Jie looked deeply at it, his mind filled with thoughts.

After a while, he suddenly took a step forward.

He stepped onto the red stone slab.

"Roar!"

A tiger roar suddenly echoed from the peak.

The tiger reappeared, standing on a large rock, staring intently at Tang Jie.

Tang Jie's left foot was on the red slab, and his right foot on the black slab, standing on both sides of the boundary, also staring coldly at the tiger.

The two of them stood there, facing each other.

Tang Jie slowly lifted his right foot and took another step forward.

At this moment, his entire body was inside the boundary.

The tiger still didn't move, just watching Tang Jie.

Tang Jie took another step.

The third step!

The fourth step!

Tang Jie walked forward carefully, his eyes fixed on the spirit tiger.

Until the tenth step.

The spirit tiger finally moved.

It leaped into the air, jumping from the peak.

At the same time, Tang Jie quickly retreated.

He took the first step back!

"Roar!"

The tiger let out a fierce roar, like a thunderclap, stunning Tang Jie.

Just as he was about to use the Purple Lightning Leap, the roar made it dissipate.

He couldn't activate it in time, so he retreated again!

The second step back.

The tiger's body was already in the air, with wind and clouds swirling beneath it.

Tang Jie took the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth steps back!

After retreating four steps, the tiger's body drew a lightning-like path in the air, rushing down with the force of a rainbow, instantly crossing the hundred-meter gap!

He took the seventh step back.

The tiger was already close, and a strong wind was blowing!

He took the eighth step back, the tiger's claws raised high, and it struck him fiercely.

Tang Jie's body suddenly leaned back, the tiger's claws grazing his face, passing by his legs, and landing on the ground, causing a splash of blood.

Boom!

The ground shook like a thunderclap!

The tiger's claws hit the ground, stirring up wind and clouds, and sweeping up sand and stones, attacking Tang Jie.

A large amount of debris hit him like bullets, causing numerous blood splatters.

Tang Jie spat blood and retreated.

The ninth step!

One foot stepped out of the boundary.

At this moment, a series of spikes shot out from the stone slab, hitting Tang Jie's feet.

Tang Jie leaped up.

The spirit tiger also leaped up, opening its mouth to bite Tang Jie.

In the air, Tang Jie couldn't dodge, so he tilted his body as much as possible, leaning back as far as he could.

At that moment, time seemed to slow down.

His body moved backward in the air, while the tiger rushed down the mountain.

The huge tiger head opened, revealing sharp, ferocious teeth.

Tang Jie had no doubt that if it bit him in this vital spot, even with his current body, he would die.

The sharp teeth grew larger in his pupils, almost filling his entire field of vision, dominating his entire world, with a sharp, cold gleam and the smile of death...

A touch of coldness had already reached his body.

Just as the teeth were about to touch him, a golden giant net suddenly appeared, covering the entire peak.

Tang Jie's body passed through the golden net as if through air.

The tiger head, however, hit the net.

Lightning flashed across the net, instantly converging into a massive bolt of lightning that fiercely struck the tiger.

"Roar!" The spirit tiger let out a painful, piercing cry.

At this moment, Tang Jie finally flew out of the boundary, landing heavily on the ground, his momentum undiminished, and he sat on the ground.

Then he saw the tiger, under the lightning strikes, still not retreating.

It rammed its head into the net, roaring madly at Tang Jie, emitting a terrifying scream.

It used its head to ram the net!

It used its claws to tear the net!

It used its teeth to bite the net!

It was extremely疯狂!

迎接它的是一道道更加凶猛无情的雷电。

天空中的雷电无情地劈在它身上，撕开它的血肉，烧焦它的皮毛，甚至露出森森白骨。

直到它再也支撑不住，终于倒下。

它大口喘息着，目光依旧停留在唐劫身上，唐劫能看到，那满满的恨意！

唐劫也看着它，什么也不说。

一人一虎，就这样隔着一张网，遥遥相对着。

良久，那妖虎重新站了起来。

它蹒跚着向山峰走去，脚步微微有些踉跄。

唐劫看着它的背影，看着它一步一步走回山顶，消失于峰顶。

一股前所未有的疲惫感弥漫全身，唐劫知道，自己此番的虎啸谷之行，已然走到尽头。

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A wave of unprecedented fatigue spread through his body, and Tang Jie knew that his journey in Tiger Roar Valley had come to an end.