Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Celestial Sacrifice of the Ice Sabertooth Tiger

“What did I just smell? Hahaha, after ten thousand years, has that thing finally appeared again?” In an unknown palace, a silver-haired man suddenly opened his eyes, which seemed to flash with boundless might, making it impossible for anyone to look him in the eye.

“If that’s the case, then Gu Ming and Le Dao must have sensed it too. I must find it before they do.” The silver-haired man continued speaking to himself.

...

Meanwhile, Lin Yanghao was hurrying toward the Trial Grounds. Now that Old Lin had been healed, there was no longer any reason for Lin Yanghao to remain on the Dragon Martial Continent. Without the strength of the Nascent Soul stage, his only option was to leave the way he had before—by using the teleportation array at the Trial Grounds, and then decide what to do next upon returning to the Spirit Realm.

The Trial Grounds had become a forbidden zone on the Dragon Martial Continent ever since Lin Yanghao last left through the teleportation array. Originally, this was because the outer protective barrier had been shattered, causing the sinister energy within to spread out. Instead of weakening, the miasma thickened, seeping into the surrounding dozens of miles.

Since then, no one dared set foot in the Trial Grounds, and for years it remained deserted.

After several days of journeying, Lin Yanghao arrived at the Trial Grounds and immediately noticed the changes. Unlike before, he no longer needed to search for the Tri-Leaf Demon-Subduing Flower. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a shield of spiritual energy and strode into the grounds.

With no outsiders entering for years, the Trial Grounds remained much as they had been, and Lin Yanghao made his way with practiced ease to the entrance of the teleportation array.

Unbeknownst to Lin Yanghao, a pair of eyes was watching him from the shadows, observing his every move.

As he was about to activate the teleportation array, he suddenly felt a strange chill behind him. A sense of foreboding struck him—for since beginning his cultivation, few things had ever unsettled him, especially while protected by a spiritual shield. He immediately sensed danger.

“Roar, roar, roar~.” Realizing it had been discovered, the strange beast revealed itself. A massive white tiger sprang out, charging straight for Lin Yanghao.

“Boy, your luck’s run out! Consider yourself unlucky to have met me. Just hand over your body! I promise to put it to good use!” the white tiger said greedily, its eyes glowing as if Lin Yanghao were a feast laid before it.

“Heavenly Sacrifice Frost Tiger, look carefully—do you remember who I am?” Lin Yanghao instantly recognized the beast; it was the very same tiger that once guarded the teleportation array. Why it had ended up in such a state, he could not guess.

The Heavenly Sacrifice Frost Tiger no longer retained its former majesty. Now, it looked haggard, its body covered in dark, mottled scars. Lin Yanghao could not imagine what ordeals could have reduced a celestial beast to such a state.

“So it’s you, the boy from before? In just a few short years, you’ve reached the late Foundation Establishment stage. If those self-proclaimed geniuses knew, they’d be ashamed. Not bad, not bad.” Hearing Lin Yanghao call its name, the tiger finally took him seriously, surprised to see the person it had waited years for had grown so strong. A subtle, sinister smile crept onto its face.

Ever since the tiger appeared, Lin Yanghao had watched its every move. That sly smile did not escape his notice. Facing a celestial beast, he dared not let down his guard, and readied himself for battle.

As expected, the tiger lunged at him. Lin Yanghao’s heart pounded; he had foreseen the beast’s ill intentions, but a celestial beast’s power was immense—the gulf between Foundation Establishment and Core Formation was vast. Before such a creature, he was like an ant before an elephant.

But when the attack came, Lin Yanghao quickly realized he had overestimated the threat. The tiger’s strength was no more than that of a high-ranked inferior spirit beast. Instantly, his anxiety vanished, replaced by newfound confidence. He easily dodged the attack and countered with a fireball spell.

“Boy, how can you be this strong at late Foundation Establishment? No, you can’t be merely at the Foundation stage—you must be at least Core Formation!” After a brief exchange, the tiger realized Lin Yanghao’s true power far surpassed what he appeared to be, and it dared not hold back as it attacked again.

Lin Yanghao merely sneered.

He had once thought celestial beasts were fearsome, but now he saw this one as nothing but an empty shell—impressive in appearance, but useless in reality. He was now confident of victory.

However, Lin Yanghao changed his mind. Long ago, he had dreamed of having a mount, and this beast was undoubtedly a celestial one. Just imagining it filled him with pride.

He drew out a Beast Control Ring—a tool whose sole purpose was to make spirit beasts acknowledge a master. Though the tiger was a celestial beast, in the end, both spirit and celestial beasts belonged to the same tribe, so the ring should work just as well.

“Hmph, I don’t care what tricks you have, but since you’ve provoked me, I won’t let you off!” Lin Yanghao thought coldly, watching as the tiger charged at him again.

“Hah, you underestimate me! I am a dignified celestial beast. How could a lowly creature from the Spirit Realm possibly control me?” But as soon as the words left its mouth, the tiger felt something was wrong. An ordinary Beast Control Ring should not have any hold over it, yet this one was taking effect. Cold sweat broke out across its body.

If it could not break free, it would soon be at Lin Yanghao’s mercy. Would it not be a case of losing everything in trying to gain something?

Lin Yanghao, of course, did not stand idly by. He rained down attacks on the tiger, determined not to give it a chance to break free.

“What is this thing? Let me go! I’ll let you leave if you want!” the tiger pleaded in genuine fear, realizing it was on the verge of being subdued. In desperation, it tried to bargain with Lin Yanghao.