Chapter 131: Slaying the Tiger Demon and Obtaining the Red Flesh Ganoderma

Yanggu County!

The Tiger Demon began spreading word: if Su Yang dared to marry the laicized Jingxin, he would see the entire Su household slaughtered. If Su Yang was sensible, he would send Jingxin to Blackwood Mountain, and the matter would be considered as if it had never happened.

The news was too sensational and instantly spread throughout Yanggu County. The Tiger Demon of Yanggu County was a fourth-rank beast that had entrenched itself for many years, so most of the common folk knew of its terrifying power. Every year, the county secretly paid tribute in the form of blood food, though on the surface, everyone pretended nothing was amiss, continuing their lives in secret fear.

Villages outside the county were hit particularly hard, forced to pay tribute almost every year. The requirements varied—sometimes it was young boys and girls, sometimes pigs and sheep, and sometimes beautiful women. The Tiger Demon was notorious, its reputation defined by heinous, unpardonable crimes. It was also notoriously lecherous; any woman who caught its eye would be seized, never to be heard from again, their fates—whether death or something worse—left to dark speculation.

No one had expected, however, that this beast would set its sights on the concubine-to-be of Master Su of the Yanggu County Su family.

"Have you heard? That Tiger Demon outside the city has taken a fancy to the concubine Master Su is about to marry."

"Now we have a show to watch. The beast is a fourth-rank entity, while Master Su is only fifth-rank. Even the strongest martial artist in our county is only fifth-rank. If Master Su really marries her, do you think the demon will slaughter his entire family?"

"Hard to say. They say that demon is obsessed with lust; no woman it has chosen has ever escaped its grasp."

"But if Master Su really sends his concubine to the demon, the whole city will laugh at him."

"What's there to laugh at? A great man knows when to bend and when to stand. He's only fifth-rank; why throw his life away against a fourth-rank beast? If I were Master Su, I’d prioritize peace. It’s just a concubine. Give her to the demon, and when I reach the third rank, that will be the demon's death day."

"You kid—if Master Su wanted to sleep with your wife for a night, would you give her up?"

"That... that's not the same thing!"

"We're in for a show now. These wealthy masters are heartless; it's quite possible he'll just hand her over."

"How exciting!"

The entire county buzzed with anticipation. Everyone, including the elite families, waited to see how it would unfold. If the concubine were sent to the demon, the wedding would be off, and they wouldn't even have to send wedding gifts.

***

"Master, shouldn't you advise the son-in-law? It's just a concubine. Giving her to the demon is no great loss. He is still young; in a few years, he might reach the third rank and settle the score then."

At the Zhou residence, the steward of Zhou Wanliang spoke up. "If that demon truly comes to our county, no one can stop it. Even if it angers the authorities and brings the Demon-Suppression Army, if the beast just hides away, wouldn't we have suffered this indignity for nothing?"

Zhou Wanliang frowned, equally worried for his son-in-law. But eventually, he waved his hand. "Forget it. Let the boy decide for himself. I believe our son-in-law has a way to handle both sides."

Zhou Wanliang felt inferior to Su Yang, whether in martial arts, Confucian studies, or business. The cloth trade in Yanggu County had been monopolized by Su Yang, and his influence was slowly encroaching on the six surrounding counties. His restaurants were the same; the locals only recognized the Su family's establishments.

Su Yang had categorized them: *Peach Blossom Dock* was an exclusive, high-end restaurant with the best chefs, services, and entertainment like opera and singing; *Jiangnan Tower* was mid-range, offering expensive but high-value dishes; *Fortune Pavilion* was a budget-friendly eatery, beloved by the working class for its excellent preparation of offal. Since Su Yang entered the restaurant business, a saying had spread: there were no other eateries in Yanggu County, only the Su family's restaurants.

Recently, he had even begun selling some sort of high-priced soap, which his own wife and concubines had bought in bulk. If he was inferior to such a young man, how could he offer advice? He decided to provide a safety net instead. After all, he was a fifth-rank martial artist himself; at worst, he could rally the other old men in the city. He couldn't let his daughter become a widow so soon, could he?

The steward nodded and withdrew.

***

"Father, what do you intend to do?" asked Ma Ji, the son of Magistrate Ma, looking displeased. "This Tiger Demon is truly bullying us too much."

"The beast is a fourth-rank wild demon that has caused chaos for years. Even if all the old men in the city combined, they wouldn't be its match. We must wait and see. If it dares to enter the city, we can notify the Demon-Suppression Army to suppress it." Magistrate Ma waved his brush, inscribing a poem onto the fair back of a woman.

"But Father, if we wait for the army, it might be too late," Ma Ji urged.

"Do you have a better plan?" The Magistrate looked at his son with a steady gaze. Seeing his son fall silent, he added, "Trust that Su Yang will have a way. To reach the fifth rank by twenty, the heavens won't let him die so easily."

***

Beyond the Ma and Zhou families, the Lin and Wei families also considered the threat, but ultimately found no better options. They could only hope Su Yang had a solution; if not, it would end in a bloody battle.

At the Su residence, in the small nunnery, Jingxin wore a plain white dress, her skin fair and her temperament quiet. She stood before Abbess Baiyu, who was meditating. "Master, perhaps I should leave Yanggu County. Otherwise, I will surely bring endless trouble to Master Su."

"If you leave, where would you go?"

Jingxin shook her head. She didn't know. But she knew that if she stayed, the Tiger Demon would come. If it started a massacre, not only would she be in danger, but the entire Su family would suffer.

"I don't know, but it would be better than staying here," Jingxin said.

"Do you not like Su Yang?"

"I like him, which is why I don't want to implicate him. The beast is fourth-rank, and he is only fifth-rank. If he meets with misfortune, what of his many wives and concubines? Master, I cannot be so selfish."

Abbess Baiyu tapped her wooden fish. "Even though you have returned to secular life, if you are in danger, I will still stand before you!"

***

Inside the Su mansion, Su Yang heard the news, and a trace of murderous intent flared in his heart. Daring to covet his woman had crossed his bottom line.

He had already consumed the remains of the Grass-Python Demon after refining them into medicinal pills, and his strength had advanced a step, though he was still far from the third rank. If he could consume this Tiger Demon as well, he would surely take another step forward. Since the beast was courting death, he would not indulge it.

"Master, someone delivered a letter." At that moment, Li Yeniu rushed in, presenting a fragrant envelope to Su Yang.

"What letter?"

"I don't know. The person who delivered it was very powerful and left immediately. I didn't dare to delay."

Su Yang waved him away. Once alone, he examined the envelope—thin as a cicada's wing, with a faint, familiar fragrance. He couldn't quite place it.

Opening the envelope, he found delicate, elegant handwriting—clearly the work of a refined lady. *Lady Yu'er.*

Su Yang thought for a long time before recalling the alluring woman in the sedan chair, with her heart-shaped face and watery, seductive eyes that seemed to melt anyone who looked at them. Any man would feel a surge of desire at a single glance, especially at the sight of the bell hanging from her fair neck, chiming softly as she walked.

He had met her once—a woman! No, a female demon, reeking of demonic energy. He had thought her a fifth-rank demon at the time, though her true power was unknown. He hadn't had any interaction with her since, so why the sudden invitation to a birthday banquet?

The venue was a peach blossom grove outside the city, half a month from now.

He wasn't in a hurry, so he tucked the letter away and left Yanggu County, heading toward Blackwood Mountain.

If it were anywhere else, he might have endured it for the sake of the demon's fourth-rank status, but now that his bottom line had been touched, he would not suffer it. How dare it cast its eyes on his woman.

No one knew he had left.

Blackwood Mountain was named for its dark trees. The entire mountain was patrolled by the Tiger Demon’s minions.

"The King told me to patrol the mountain, I take a turn around the little hill..."

The air was hot. Even the eighth-rank wild demon patrolling, which looked half-human and half-tiger, panted to cool down, staying in the shade.

*Thump!*

In the next second, Su Yang burst from the bushes, his fist slamming into the demon's chest like a drum. The demon flew backward like a kite, crashing into the dust.

A dagger was at its throat before it could react. The demon broke into a cold sweat, trembling. "Master, spare me! Master, spare me!"

"Where is your king?" Su Yang asked calmly.

"In the cave, resting. Why are you looking for him?" The demon raised its hands, terrified. "Do you want me to take you there?"

"How sensible." Su Yang nodded. "Lead the way."

The demon scrambled up, relieved he wasn't after its skin. Su Yang forced a Heart-Control Bug down the demon's throat, testing it once to ensure the demon felt the pain and swore absolute loyalty. There were many demons on the mountain; he could use a few as "dogs."

Guided by the demon, they reached the summit without being stopped by other patrols.

"Master, this is the King's private territory. He has guards; I can't go further."

The demon knelt, humble and servile. On this mountain, apart from tigers, there were other monsters—wild boars, crows, wolves, dogs, and even long-haired rabbits running a "flesh trade" business. It was quite busy.

"Who goes there?"

"This is the King's private territory! No entry without permission!" The snake-headed guard had barely finished speaking before Su Yang’s hand clamped around its throat. As the other guard, a wolf demon, reached for its steel fork, Su Yang said, "Tell your King: Su Yang of Yanggu County has come to find him!"

"What? Su Yang?" The wolf demon was shocked. It couldn't believe a mere fifth-rank human dared to storm Blackwood Mountain alone.

"Stay here... I'll report to the King!" The wolf demon ran off, terrified.

Su Yang snapped the snake demon's neck without hesitation and told his "dog" to guard the entrance. He walked into the private territory, carrying the corpse.

It was noon, so few demons were out. He reached a hundred-meter-long clearing piled high with white bones—human remains. Maggots writhed, flies swarmed, and the stench was suffocating. There were over thirty piles of bones, including small ones belonging to children.

A nameless fury burned in his Dantian.

He waited at the entrance of the spacious cave. The imperial law stated that any demon entering a city would be hunted down by the Demon-Suppression Army, which had kept the cities safe. But most of the people lived in villages outside, where they were nothing more than livestock to the monsters.

"Roar! Where is Su Yang? Come and pay your respects to this King!"

The Tiger King’s voice boomed from the cave. It had been worried about the risks of attacking the Su family, but since the human had come to its door, it would kill him, trade his life for the nun, and then feast.

*Whoosh!*

As the Tiger King emerged, Su Yang unleashed his full-strength strike—a blast of "Wild Bull Qi." The air compressed into ripples. The Tiger King, blinded by the sudden light after leaving the dark cave, could only scream "Coward!" and block with its arms.

*Thump!*

The force was immense. The fourth-rank demon’s arms went numb. Before it could recover, Su Yang spat out his flying sword—a three-inch blade shimmering with blood-red malice.

"A magical artifact?"

The Tiger King ducked, but it was too late. The sword pierced its skull, spraying brain matter.

The fourth-rank Tiger Demon—dead.

Su Yang gasped for air; the move had exhausted him.

*System: [Carcass: Fourth-rank Tiger Demon Body. Tumors: 132 present, can be cleared with incense. Incense Cost: 105.]*

He cleared the tumors. A stream of human merit flowed into his panel, raising his merit from 3 to 8. Killing the beast had earned him five points of merit—a testament to the creature's countless sins.

He entered the cave, killing the wolf demon he encountered, and walked deeper. He found rows of iron cages filled with women—young girls, teenagers, and beautiful young wives. They were chained like dogs, their clothes tattered.

"Is he human?"

"He killed the Tiger Demon?"

"Save me! Please, save me!"

Su Yang ignored their pleas for now. He would rescue them after he looted the demon's nest. He reached the back of the cave and found a massive, bed-sized red Ganoderma mushroom.