"Jiahuairen, where are the others?" Wen Chong urgently asked.


    Jiahuairen, flustered, hurriedly replied, "We had a smooth journey at first. Although there were over a hundred demons in Misty Lake Gorge, we managed to infiltrate the area. Young Master Qin even used an invisibility technique to retrieve the spiritual fruit."


    The County Magistrate listened carefully, and the surrounding crowd quieted down.


    "Young Master Qin did manage to collect the spiritual fruit," Jiahuairen continued anxiously. "But who would have thought that besides the hundred demons guarding the gorge, there was also a terrifying White Tiger Demon King? That demon stood over two zhang tall, wielding two massive axes. The black winds howled—it was utterly terrifying. Young Master Qin and Miss Yi went to fight the White Tiger Demon King, telling Uncle Qian and me to flee for our lives since we would only hinder them and could not help."


    "Uncle Qian and I fled desperately, pursued by over a hundred demons. Uncle Qian blocked them for me so I could escape," Jiahuairen explained, not daring to withhold any details. "As for what happened after I left Misty Lake Gorge, I do not know."


    The crowd fell silent.


    The County Magistrate felt a chill in his heart. Although he had suspected the White Tiger Demon King would be in Misty Lake Gorge, he had clung to a shred of hope that the intelligence was incorrect.


    "Brother Qin and Miss Yi fought the White Tiger Demon King? What happened?" Wen Chong asked.


    "Young Master Qin was incredibly powerful," Jiahuairen said. "When I saw him, he was evenly matched with the White Tiger Demon King."


    "Evenly matched?" The County Magistrate and Captain Fang were both shocked and asked in unison.


    "Yes, evenly matched," Jiahuairen confirmed. "I saw it with my own eyes."


    "And then?" the County Magistrate pressed. "What happened next?"


    "After that, I fled and didn’t see anything more," Jiahuairen admitted softly.


    "You—!" The County Magistrate was furious.


    Wen Chong quickly consoled him. "Father, if Brother Qin could hold his own against the White Tiger Demon King, they should be able to make it out."


    "However, the thousand demons on Cangya Mountain are far more fearsome than just the White Tiger Demon King," Captain Fang said grimly.


    The County Magistrate fell silent and waved Jiahuairen aside.


    After a while, the County Magistrate felt dizzy with worry when suddenly Captain Fang said, "It’s Young Master Qin and Miss Yi."


    The County Magistrate felt a jolt of energy course through him as his blood seemed to boil. He quickly looked into the distance.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    "They made it out?" Jiahuairen, standing in a corner, also looked up. He saw a man and a woman descending the mountain like an immortal couple. But then his eyes widened as he noticed the battered corpse of a yellow-furred dog on Qin Yun''s shoulder. Jiahuairen’s heart sank. From childhood, he had only seen Uncle Qian’s true form—a yellow-furred dog—once, when he had begged him to reveal it.


    "Uncle Qian..." Jiahuairen stood frozen. He had seen Uncle Qian gravely wounded, blocking the hundred demons. Though he had anticipated it, seeing the lifeless body stirred a storm in his heart.


    Swish, swish.


    Qin Yun and Yi Xiao leapt down to the foot of the mountain, where the County Magistrate, Captain Fang, Wen Chong, and the others had already come forward to greet them.


    "Young Master Qin, Miss Yi," the County Magistrate greeted them with a bow. "It was my failure to detect the White Tiger Demon King’s presence, nearly placing you in mortal danger. The fault lies with me."


    "Uncle Wen," Yi Xiao replied with a smile. "Entering a demon lair comes with risks. No matter what, Brother Qin and I made it back alive."


    Captain Fang eyed the large axe and tiger claw in Qin Yun’s hands. "Brother Qin, are these...?"


    Qin Yun placed the tiger claw and axe on the ground. The 1,800-catty axe landed with a resounding thud, shaking the earth. Qin Yun smiled. "This tiger claw is from the White Tiger Demon King’s left paw, which I severed. The axe is one of his two massive weapons."


    "You severed the tiger claw?" The crowd was stunned.


    This was the claw of the White Tiger Demon King. He had severed it?


    "This success is all thanks to Brother Qin," Yi Xiao said with a smile.


    "If not for your Heaven Thunder spell, Miss Yi, I wouldn’t have been able to defeat the White Tiger Demon King," Qin Yun replied modestly.


    Qin Yun then gently placed Uncle Qian’s battered corpse on the ground. Everyone, including Jiahuairen, gazed at it silently. Unable to help himself, Jiahuairen stepped forward and knelt, tears in his eyes, as he touched the yellow-furred dog’s body.


    Qin Yun looked at him and sighed inwardly. Jiahuairen, who had selfishly fled earlier, now wept sincerely.


    "Brother Qin," Wen Chong said softly, "Father and I are overjoyed that you and Miss Yi returned safely. But what about the spiritual fruit?"


    The County Magistrate also turned to Qin Yun expectantly.


    With a smile, Qin Yun took a jade box from his robes and handed it to the County Magistrate. "Mission accomplished."


    The County Magistrate’s eyes widened, his blood rushing as his hands trembled while reaching for the box. When he opened it, the crimson fruit inside glowed with a faint purple hue, more captivating than the finest ruby. His heart raced as he gazed at it.


    While the County Magistrate rejoiced, far away, the White Tiger Demon King flew to a Water God’s estate over 200 miles away.


    In the Water God’s domain, rules were strict. Male demons acted like disciplined human soldiers, while female demons and human women served the Water God.


    "Oh, White Tiger Junior Brother, you’re here," the Water God said as he appeared in a flash beside the demon king.


    The White Tiger Demon King, now in human form but missing a hand, laid his axe aside and said bitterly, "Senior Brother, the spiritual fruit was stolen!"


    "Stolen?" The Water God’s cold eyes burned with black flames. "What happened? And what about your claw?"


    "A pair of elite disciples from a major sect," the White Tiger Demon King growled. "The woman wielded powerful thunder magic and severely injured me. The man was even more formidable—a sword immortal! While his raw skills might not surpass mine, he wielded a flying sword of at least seventh-grade quality. Together, they severed my claw and fended off five hundred demons, killing over sixty without taking a single scratch."


    The Water God frowned, his gaze darkening. "A sword immortal with a seventh-grade flying sword? Could it be... Qin Yun, the son of Qin Lietu, the Silver Badge Captain of Guangling County?"


    The White Tiger Demon King’s eyes flashed. "Qin Yun?"


    The Water God sneered. "Yes, it must be him. He killed my strongest demon servant with a single strike. If it’s him, this is far from over."