The snake's head shot toward Lin Xuan's shoulder with blinding speed.
His heart jolted .... he hadn't expected such a sudden counterattack.
At the last instant, Lin Xuan twisted and flipped off the beast's back, narrowly avoiding being bitten.
"That was close," he muttered grimly. "Seems I'll have to get serious."
Gentle measures wouldn't work. This was a mother defending her cubs. She would fight to the death.
Though weakened, she was still a Heaven Yuan.....level monster by nature.
Even now, her combat strength rivaled a late-stage Earth Yuan cultivator.
Fortunately, Lin Xuan's speed was unmatched. Injured as she was, the Fire Python Tiger couldn't keep up with him.
The flow of battle remained firmly in his hands.
"Mountain-Shaking Fist!"
Seizing an opening, Lin Xuan surged forward. His fist shot upward like a crashing wave, slamming squarely into the tiger's jaw.
Boom!
The impact resounded, its head snapping back violently.
The powerful shockwave left it staggering, dizzy, and disoriented.
Now was the time.
Without hesitation, Lin Xuan tore off his heavy black iron coat, weighing two hundred jin, and flung it over the beast's head.
The thick metal obscured its vision and added crushing weight, suppressing its movements.
Before it could shake free, Lin Xuan yanked off his iron boots, each a hundred jin, and slammed them down onto the tiger's skull.
Bang! Bang!
The tremendous impact echoed through the forest.
The Fire Python Tiger let out one last groan before collapsing. Its body went limp, knocked unconscious.
"For your sake, this is the gentlest way," Lin Xuan murmured.
His fists carried too much destructive power.
The boots, though heavy, distributed the force, knocking it out without inflicting further harm.
Satisfied, he strapped the boots back on, muttering, "At Earth Yuan, I should really get myself a proper weapon. Beating monsters with shoes isn't exactly dignified."
Perhaps the system would reward him with something soon.
Once dressed, he summoned his Alchemy Furnace.
"Chi Ling, collect the Fire Python Tiger inside," he commanded.
"Understood. Do you want me to refine it into pills?" Chi Ling's voice echoed in his mind, the spirit of the furnace already preparing to ignite its divine flames.
"What?!" Lin Xuan nearly choked. "You can refine a living beast into a pill?"
Chi Ling responded solemnly, "Of course. Any being containing energy can be refined .... even humans.
Alchemy is simply the process of extracting, fusing, and solidifying energy.
A monster's corpse can also serve as material, though the refining process is troublesome and time-consuming."
Lin Xuan exhaled in relief. Thank heavens Chi Ling hadn't acted on its own, or his painstaking efforts to save this beast would have been wasted.
"Don't touch her," he ordered. "I want her alive. Stabilize her wounds with your flames instead."
Obediently, Chi Ling drew the unconscious tiger into the furnace, surrounding it with gentle, life-nourishing fire.
Lin Xuan stepped into the cave.
Inside, three tiny figures squirmed in the shadows.
"Yip! Yip! Yip!"
Three newborn tiger cubs whimpered pitifully. Their fur was still matted with blood, their eyes unopened, bodies weak and unsteady.
Lin Xuan's expression softened.
"From today, I'll be your foster father."
One by one, he scooped them up and placed them into the furnace as well.
.
With Chi Ling carefully adjusting the flame's warmth, the furnace provided a safe, nurturing space.
At that moment, the system chimed:
[Mission Complete: Rescue and adopt the Fire Python Tiger family. Rewards: One bottle of Fifth-Grade Rejuvenation Pills, Spirit-level Spiritual Technique "Beast Taming Art".]
"Claim!" Lin Xuan said at once.
White light flashed. A porcelain bottle of pills appeared in his hand, while a flood of new knowledge etched itself into his mind.
The Beast Taming Art.
He didn't leave the cave immediately.
The hunt would last a long while, and he needed to secure the Fire Python Tiger fully.
A Heaven Yuan beast could never be kept near unless completely subdued.
Trust and companionship weren't options here ... not in the short term.
Only through true mastery of the Beast Taming Art could he control her without risk.
"System, establish task: study Beast Taming Art."
[Task Created: Read Beast Taming Art ten times. Reward: Beast Taming Art .. Beginner Understanding +1.]
Lin Xuan settled down. Compared to the profound Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill, this manual was simple.
In just half an hour, he had read it a hundred times, reaching Familiarity Level.
The art revolved around using spiritual power to brand one's imprint upon a beast's spiritual sea, binding its will.
Lin Xuan had yet to formally cultivate spiritual techniques, but his natural spirit attribute was seventeen .... far stronger than most.
Within two attempts, he successfully condensed a spiritual brand.
"Truly extraordinary talent," he muttered.
Another task appeared.
[Task Created: Practice Beast Taming Art once. Reward: Beast Taming Art Proficiency +1.]
Half an hour later...
[Beast Taming Art (Beginner +10) → Beast Taming Art (Minor Success).]
The brand had stabilized. He could now project it outward, capable of binding a beast's will.
"It's time to try."
Lin Xuan stood, determination flashing in his eyes.
"System, establish task: tame the Fire Python Tiger."
[Task Created: Use Beast Taming Art to subdue Fire Python Tiger. Reward: One bottle of Fourth-Grade Spirit-Nurturing Pills.]
Lin Xuan smiled faintly.
The real challenge was about to begin.
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