NOVEL NEXT Chapter 10: A Vixen Chased By a Soul-Devouring Tiger
"I don't know about that—or at least I need time to think," Xiao Yu said firmly, her voice decisive. The weight of her choice seemed to hang heavy in the air, but her mind was troubled by thoughts she couldn't quite place.
Meanwhile, deep within the forest, a white fox spirit was fleeing at full speed. The air was tense, crackling with the scent of danger. She was being chased by a Rank 2 peak-level Soul-Devouring Tiger, a fearsome beast known for its ability to consume souls to fuel its strength. This particular tiger was relentless, its eyes gleaming with a primal hunger. It had already claimed a baby fox, a precious seventh-tier spirit who had nearly reached maturity, a step away from ascending into a higher realm of power. The little one hadn't stood a chance, its soul snatched away before it could defend itself.
This left the fox spirit, an ethereal being with seven luminous tails, in dire straits. Each of her tails glowed bright white, accentuated by a striking red moon-shaped mark on her forehead. Her very essence was now at risk, and she knew that if she didn't act fast, she would meet the same fate as her kin. Her power was strong, but not enough to stand against a Soul-Devouring Tiger. Her only option was to find a human host, someone she could merge with to extend her life and possibly find a path to survival.
With desperate determination, the fox spirit ran through the dense forest, searching for a suitable human vessel. She knew that her best chance would be to merge with a female host, as their spiritual energies were more compatible with her own essence. Her senses were finely attuned, picking up traces of energy from nearby humans as she sped through the trees, her tails flicking and swirling behind her. Every second counted as the tiger gained ground, its roars echoing through the trees.
Finally, the fox spirit detected the presence of two humans nearby—Xiao Yuan and Xiao Yu. The spirit could sense their unique energies, their distinct essences as male and female. Without hesitation, she chose Xiao Yu, feeling an instinctual pull towards her. In a swift decision driven by both intuition and survival, the fox spirit veered toward Xiao Yu, her soul already beginning the process of merging with the young woman.
As the fox spirit approached, she used her remaining spiritual energy to lift Xiao Yu off the ground, carefully guiding her body into a state of receptivity. Xiao Yu's feet left the earth, and she began to float, her mind unaware of the transformation that was about to unfold within her. The fox spirit concentrated, merging her essence into Xiao Yu's, fusing their energies in a way that would bind them together.
In those brief moments, the fox spirit felt a strange calm. It was as if she had found her sanctuary within Xiao Yu. Their souls intertwined, blending and expanding as the fox's vibrant energy mingled with Xiao Yu's own spirit. The fox's powers began to shield them both from the tiger, cloaking their combined essence in an aura that momentarily confused the beast's predatory senses.
And so, the forest fell quiet as the fox spirit found refuge within her new host. A profound transformation had begun, one that neither the fox spirit nor Xiao Yu fully understood, but which would irrevocably bind their fates together.
Xiao Yuan initially felt worried about Xiao Yu. But as he watched her calm demeanor, his anxiety started to fade—that is, until a fearsome roar broke the silence from behind.
"Roar… Roar… Roar…" The sound reverberated, heralding the presence of a Soul Devouring Tiger. This was no ordinary beast; it was a creature so rare that its birth rate was a minuscule 0.000000078 percent—one in ten million. The legends spoke of this tiger's unique, deadly ability: it could consume the souls of others to increase its own power, making it feared across the land.
The tiger's aggression was unmistakably directed at Xiao Yu, and Xiao Yuan immediately understood why. This beast must have been tracking the seven-tailed vixen, who had somehow become entwined with Xiao Yu. Now, sensing the vixen's presence within her, the Soul Devouring Tiger was bristling with rage and hunger. "This could be trouble," Xiao Yuan thought, a frown creasing his face. He realized he had no choice but to stand his ground and face the beast. However, the challenge was daunting—the tiger in front of him was a Rank 2 Peak Beast, with power equivalent to a 9-Star Dou Shi, one full realm above his own as a Peak Dou Zhe practitioner.
Determined, Xiao Yuan quickly summoned his 'Objectory Reflection Clone Illusion.' With this technique, he created multiple clones of himself. Although each clone possessed the strength of only a Dou Zhe, the system endowed them with a special aura-concealment ability, making it difficult for the tiger to identify the real Xiao Yuan among the illusions.
Before Xiao Yuan could initiate his attack, something unexpected happened—one of the clones launched itself at the tiger from behind. It was Xiao Yuan's clever tactic: his strategy was to tire the tiger out by repeatedly forcing it into skirmishes, hoping to drain its stamina.
With a sharp battle cry, Xiao Yuan shouted, "Step Blast: Fire!" In an instant, he surged forward with the speed of a Da Dou Shi, an advanced combat speed technique, and his strike hit the tiger with tremendous force. The impact resounded through the air—"Boom… Bang… Boom!"—as Xiao Yuan's fiery attack pushed the tiger back.
But as the smoke began to clear, Xiao Yuan's expression hardened. The Soul Devouring Tiger had barely flinched; instead, it was now radiating a dark, bloody aura. Its eyes blazed with fury and bloodlust as it gathered its strength, seemingly more powerful than before.
Xiao Yuan took a deep breath, steeling himself. He understood now that this would be a true test of his strength and resolve. Facing a creature that could devour souls, he would need every ounce of skill and strategy to survive.