Li Chen had no idea what had happened down at the foot of the mountain.
He followed the mountain path deeper inside. After about two hours, he had already entered the deep forest.
However, today’s harvest was pitifully small. Aside from shooting down more than a dozen large birds perched on branches, he gained little else. He did not even catch a single rabbit.
This puzzled him.
The wild animals that used to roam all over the mountains seemed to have vanished overnight.
Continuing deeper, he did manage to shoot a nest of wild chickens on a grassy slope, two large and three small, but beyond that there was nothing.
Seeing that the sky was growing late, though reluctant, he could only turn back.
He was worried that his maid wife would not be safe alone at home at night.
Just as he was about to head down, a deep and extremely low tiger’s roar suddenly echoed in the distance.
He heard it clearly. It was indeed a tiger.
Yet the roar was very short. It stopped halfway, as if something had clamped down on its throat.
He was startled, then suddenly understood.
No wonder the prey in the mountains had decreased so sharply. A large tiger had arrived.
Although he carried a powerful crossbow, unless absolutely necessary, he did not want to confront a tiger head-on.
Tigers were born with pure yang bodies, full of muscle, immensely strong, and astonishingly durable. One careless move and he could end up in its belly.
He quickly slung his game over his back and prepared to head down the mountain.
But after only a few steps, “Wuu-ao…” another short tiger’s roar sounded. Judging by the direction, it was not far away.
At the same time, he faintly heard a sharp, cat-like screech.
“A leopard?” Li Chen stopped and narrowed his eyes toward the source of the sound.
It seemed no more than 100 to 150 meters away, and there were clear sounds of fierce beasts fighting and roaring.
After a moment’s thought, Li Chen decided to take the risk and go have a look.
If two ferocious beasts were fighting, picking up the leftovers would be even better.
He took down his crossbow, set the string, bent low, and swiftly moved through the dense forest toward the noise.
Before long, he could clearly hear the intense sounds of battle ahead.
After advancing several dozen more meters, he parted the branches in front of him and carefully stuck his head out.
Only then did he see what was happening.
In a clearing ahead, two fierce beasts were locked in a life-and-death struggle.
But the fight was nearly over.
A massive black leopard was clamping its jaws tightly around the throat of a golden tiger. After kicking its legs a few times, the tiger began convulsing, then finally lay still.
A tiger and a leopard fighting, and the leopard winning, was a rare spectacle.
By all logic, that should not have happened. Yet here it was.
A surge of excitement rose in Li Chen’s heart as he slowly lifted his crossbow.
Since heaven favored him so generously, he could not possibly pass up such a bargain.
At that moment, the leopard seemed to sense danger. It suddenly lifted its head and saw him. A vicious glint flashed in its orange-yellow eyes.
It released the tiger and let out a sharp, cat-like cry. With a powerful push of its hind legs, it leapt nearly 2 meters high and 7 to 8 meters forward. At a distance of just over 30 meters, two leaps brought it close enough to pounce.
On the third leap, while still midair and less than 5 meters from Li Chen, its green pupils glowed with cold, ruthless killing intent.
Li Chen’s gaze hardened like steel. He showed no fear. He raised his head and stared back, divine light flaring in his eyes. A chilling aura like a prison of authority pierced straight through the leopard’s pupils and into the depths of its soul.
Spiritual intimidation worked again.
In the next instant, the leopard’s body stiffened. It hesitated for a brief moment.
“Bang!”
The crossbow string thundered. The feathered arrow shot forward like a streak of light.
One arrow pierced its throat.
Two jets of blood burst from the leopard’s throat and the back of its neck. It fell from midair and rolled on the ground in agony.
Li Chen rushed forward and fired another arrow, driving it directly into the leopard’s forehead. Only then did the beast finally die.
“It seems this kind of pressure works on animals too,” Li Chen nodded inwardly.
Letting out a long breath, he approached the tiger cautiously, crossbow in hand.
The tiger lay there without a trace of life. There was no need for a finishing shot.
Looking more closely, however, he saw that the tiger was extremely thin and covered with old wounds. Some had already festered and rotted. Its fur had fallen out in patches, leaving bald spots. It looked as though it had fought other beasts and suffered greatly. Such a fine pelt was now worthless.
But as Li Chen examined it further, he noticed something strange.
The tiger’s tongue was not pink. It was an alarming black.
It was not a trick of the light. It had clearly been poisoned.
Seeing the tiger’s tattered fur, Li Chen suddenly understood. After being poisoned, it likely never recovered. It must have been injured again during hunting, reducing its strength dramatically and making it unable to defeat the leopard.
If he guessed correctly, it had probably been bitten by some venomous mountain snake, leading to its current state.
Li Chen put away his crossbow, his heart filled with excitement.
Though he had not hunted other large prey, this leopard alone was a tremendous gain, worth at least 50 to 60 strings of cash.
Heaven truly favored him.
Just as he prepared to drag the leopard away, he suddenly heard several duck-like cries from nearby bushes.
Thinking it was some small animal, he took his hunting bow and moved toward the sound.
When he reached the grass, his eyes widened in shock. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
There lay a newborn tiger cub, its eyes not even open yet, crawling while making duck-like cries.
Li Chen finally understood. The dead tiger was a mother. She had likely just given birth and was extremely weak. Combined with her injuries and poison, she must have been near death when a leopard she had once driven away seized the opportunity.
Whether for revenge or territory, the leopard attacked and killed the poisoned and injured tigress.
Under normal circumstances, no matter how fierce a leopard was, it would not stand a chance against a tiger.
But this turn of events had allowed Li Chen to reap enormous benefits.
Looking at the cub, a thought stirred in his heart.
If he raised a tiger for fun, and to guard his home, that would not be bad at all.
With that in mind, he gently picked up the cub. It was a male, surprisingly robust. It made duck-like cries and occasionally stretched out its tiny tongue to lick his hand.
“Little fellow, you’ll follow me from now on.”
Li Chen carefully wiped the dirt from the cub’s body, placed it into a cloth bag he carried, and tucked it securely against his chest.
He then fashioned a simple drag-sled and hauled the leopard down the mountain.
He did not intend to sell the leopard. Instead, he would skin it and eat the meat.
Though the leopard could fetch a good price, it was a rare and ferocious beast. If he brought it into Pingyang County City and paraded it through the streets, it would draw too much attention.
Earning a small sum at the cost of widespread fame might invite trouble.
A tree that stands taller than the forest is bound to be toppled by the wind.
A pile built higher than the riverbank is sure to be eroded by the current.
He would rather eat the meat, boil the bones for soup, and use the pelt to make a cloak for his maid wife.
As for the tigress’s body, her fur was already too ruined to be worth anything.
Moreover, since she had been deeply poisoned, her flesh and bones were likely tainted with venom. Even if he dragged her down, no one would want her. It would be a waste of effort.
Dust returns to dust, earth to earth. Born in the forest, dead in the forest. That was her fate.
Dragging the leopard, he returned to Muer Village.
When he arrived, he did not hide anything.
After all, the villagers had already seen him kill the Armored Wild Boar in the morning. Bringing back a leopard was nothing in comparison.
Everyone lived in the same village. Hiding it would be impossible. As long as the story was not exaggerated outside, it would be fine. Outsiders had not witnessed it and might not even believe it.
By the time he reached the village, it was evening. Every household had begun cooking.
Unlike usual days, the bitter smell of wild vegetables had been replaced by the rich aroma of meat.
Lamps were lit in every home. The whole village felt festive and joyful.
Smelling the fragrance, Li Chen felt his stomach growl.
But as he neared his house, he saw from a distance that a crowd had gathered outside his door. Someone even seemed to be kneeling there, and angry shouts could be heard.