Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Evil Tiger’s Body-Devouring Technique

Inside the Tiger Spirit Sect, Fang Can followed the man toward the Sect Master’s quarters, secretly sizing up the back of the man ahead of him.

It was fair to say that as a guard to the Tiger Spirit Sect Master, the man felt to be at least at the seventh or eighth level of the Profound Gate realm. As for the Sect Master himself, according to the disciples, he had reached the realm of Ascending the Heavenly Path—a being akin to a deity, far beyond the reach of those still tethered to mortal bodies.

They walked in silence, hurrying through the sect grounds. Along the way, the disciples from the Martial Arts Hall who had just been beaten by Fang Can watched him pass, their minds replaying his words from earlier that morning:

"This is the closest you will ever be to my level."
"And it is your best chance to defeat me."
"Once you miss this opportunity, from this day forward, you will only be able to gaze at my back, struggling to move forward along the path I have paved."

Reflecting on this, the group of disciples felt a mix of frustration and the grim realization that his words were true.

...

Stopping before a courtyard with red walls and green tiles, Fang Can noticed three other experts, all at the seventh or eighth level of the Profound Gate, standing guard. He realized this must be the Sect Master’s office.

"Go in. The Sect Master is waiting for you," the guide said, taking his place alongside the other three guards, clearly intending for Fang Can to enter alone.

Fang Can nodded slightly. Under the gaze of the four, he stepped through the gates, which slammed shut behind him with a loud thud.

*‘Why does this feel like a trap?’* Fang Can mused, ignoring the meticulously groomed exotic flowers, strange grasses, and pavilions as he made his way to the innermost building.

Pushing open the heavy doors, he was met by a massive figure standing two meters and twenty centimeters tall. Since arriving in this world, every martial artist Fang Can had encountered was bulkier than the last, their physiques bordering on the abstract—everyone looked like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

As the doors swung open, the giant turned to stare at him. "Are you Fang Can?"

Seeing Fang Can nod, the giant muttered, "Too scrawny."

Fang Can: "???"

The giant added nonchalantly, "Thin arms, thin legs. You differ too much from what I expected. How are you supposed to battle enemies in the martial path?"

Seeing Fang Can’s confusion, the tall man explained, "At the mortal body stage, flesh and blood are power. At the same first level of the Profound Gate, a heavier fighter can easily take on three lighter ones."

Fang Can understood the theory. With equal muscle quality, the heavier party held the advantage—much like weight classes in boxing.

Of course, sheer strength wasn't everything, but it was enough to compensate for many deficiencies.

The man continued, "It’s a pity you’re already eighteen and your bone structure has set. Otherwise, with secret elixirs and training from a young age, growing to two meters wouldn't have been an issue."

Hearing this, Fang Can finally couldn't hold back. "Are you the Sect Master?"

"Indeed, I am Yang Duan, Master of the Tiger Spirit Sect," the man said with a slight nod, confirming his identity. "The Heaven’s Secret Pavilion will release its rankings in three days. Time is short; whatever you can learn in that time is your own skill."

"Thank you, Sect Master," Fang Can said sincerely.

Yang Duan looked at him with inscrutable eyes. "Don't talk about gratitude. I only hope that when you inevitably invite disaster in the future, you won't implicate the Tiger Spirit Sect."

Fang Can: *‘Wait, what? What is he talking about? I don't follow.’*

Bewildered by Yang Duan’s train of thought, Fang Can remained silent as the Sect Master spoke again. "I have two cultivation techniques here: the 'Evil Tiger Devouring Body Art' and the 'Tiger-Subduing Dragon-Taming Golden Body.' Which one do you wish to learn?"

Fang Can hesitated for a moment before saying, "...I am a genius. Can I have both?"

Yang Duan was slightly taken aback, but then nodded. "Greed often leads to poor digestion, but very well."

With a wave of his hand, two wooden boxes flew from the table behind him, which Fang Can caught firmly.

"These contain the essence of the techniques, stripped of their original complexity. They contain the 'Heart Image'—the true intent of martial arts transmitted through my own mind. They can only be comprehended by the first person to read them, and only for half an hour."

"What you grasp from them, and how much you understand, depends entirely on your own aptitude."

*‘Is this some kind of experience book or devil fruit? Only usable by one person?’* Fang Can thought, mocking the situation as he opened one of the boxes.

Golden light, piercing and sharp as a sword, surged into his brow, transforming into a stream of pure intent. Once Fang Can regained his focus, he found a parchment scroll inside the box. Opening it, he identified the characters he had learned over the past few days: *Evil Tiger Devouring Body Art*.

In truth, literacy didn't matter. As his eyes landed on the words, Yang Duan’s voice automatically resonated in his mind. The man was using a pre-recorded Heart Image to transmit the technique. It was then that Fang Can realized how masters in this illiterate world taught their secrets—they simply used mental resonance. After all, words could never be as clear or precise as direct mental communication.

However, Fang Can knew he couldn't perform such a feat yet; it likely required reaching the level of Ascending the Heavenly Path.

According to the Heart Image’s instruction, the *Evil Tiger Devouring Body Art* was a technique that burned one's foundation and consumed vital blood—a suicidal maneuver similar to a 'Heavenly Demon Self-Destruction,' not to be used unless facing certain death.

*‘Wait, wait, wait.’* Seeing this, under Yang Duan’s strange gaze, Fang Can hurriedly pulled a handful of arsenic from his inner pocket and swallowed it. Feeling his aptitude skyrocket tenfold, he breathed a sigh of relief. *Now, this feels right.*

Without hesitation, he opened the second box. The *Tiger-Subduing Dragon-Taming Golden Body* was an external hardening technique that could transform the skin into something tougher than steel.

As he delved into the contents of the two scrolls, Fang Can became completely immersed, absorbing their essence. On his interface, notification windows began to appear:

[Host’s concentration gathered. Using 'Evil Tiger Devouring Body Art' as a foundation, flesh and blood as the altar, intent as the anchor, and the Heart Image as the sacrifice, visualization and materialization begin.]
[Materializing: Evil Tiger Devouring Body Art]
[Estimated time: 5 minutes and 16 seconds]

[Host’s concentration gathered. Using 'Tiger-Subduing Dragon-Taming Golden Body' as a foundation...]

Ten minutes later, as the Heart Image flickered, Fang Can stood up and exhaled deeply. He had completely mastered the contents. However, the Heart Image in his mind continued to wail incessantly, repeating the information over and over, seemingly determined to keep going for the full half-hour.

Fang Can let out a thought, actively releasing his own Heart Image to clash with it. In an instant, like fire touching butter, his mind cleared, and the noisy, intrusive mental force was dissolved into nothingness.

"You've learned it?" Seeing Fang Can stand up, even knowing the boy was a rare genius, Yang Duan couldn't help but be astonished.

"Yes, it took me ten minutes to finish," Fang Can said with a humble, brag-like smile.

"Very good," Yang Duan clapped his hands and smiled. "Guards, Fang Can has stolen the sect's secret techniques. Strip him of his status as a disciple immediately and throw him into the dungeon."

Fang Can: "Huh???"