Chapter 554: Little Flame's Experiences and the Next Plan
A deathly silence enveloped the surroundings outside the Nine-Tailed Village, as everyone was left dumbstruck by the scene unfolding before their eyes.
Behind Lin Langtian and Lin Dong, Aunt Xin and the others, who had previously felt despair, were equally stunned into silence.
"Big brother?"
Aunt Xin and the others paused momentarily, soon realizing that this ferocious first general of Thunder Abyss Mountain was actually the very person Lin Dong and Lin Langtian had journeyed into the Beast War Region to find.
As this realization dawned, their expressions became oddly complicated.
They had anticipated that someone regarded as a brother by figures like Lin Langtian and Lin Dong would naturally be extraordinary, but they had never imagined he would actually be the infamous first general of Thunder Abyss Mountain.
"It's good to see you're still alive…" Lin Dong said, smiling gently as he saw the emotional redness in Little Flame's tiger-like eyes. "Now get up; you're making quite the scene."
Lin Langtian also stepped forward, patting Little Flame on his shoulder as he took in the towering figure before him, along with the numerous battle scars covering his body. He couldn't help but sigh softly, "It seems you've had a difficult year as well, Little Flame."
Hearing this, Little Flame gave a fierce grin and responded, "It's a long story. I'll explain everything later, but first, let me deal with the immediate matters."
After saying this, Little Flame respectfully cupped his hands toward Lin Langtian and Lin Dong before turning around, his cold, scarlet gaze locking onto the now-pale Meng Shan.
Meng Shan visibly trembled upon seeing the murderous glint in Little Flame's eyes, forcing an awkward smile as he stammered, "Haha, so it's General Flame. I didn't realize you knew these two humans."
"I sent a messenger to inform you," Little Flame said coldly, his heavy footsteps slowly approaching Meng Shan. Behind him, a dark crimson aura began to coalesce, forming a blood-red tiger phantom that roared furiously toward the sky, emanating overwhelming ferocity.
Meng Shan's expression twisted uncertainly. He had indeed received news, but as he was already en route, he had simply ignored the messenger.
"General Flame, this is all a misunderstanding! Had I known they were your acquaintances, I would never have interfered," Meng Shan hastily replied.
Though both served as generals under Thunder Abyss Mountain, Meng Shan was fully aware that he stood no chance against Little Flame. Otherwise, Little Flame could not have risen so rapidly to his current formidable position.
"A misunderstanding?" Little Flame halted before Meng Shan, flashing a sinister smile that revealed his sharp, menacing teeth, sending chills down everyone's spine.
Meng Shan immediately nodded vigorously.
"But you still have to die!" Little Flame's smile vanished, replaced instantly by ruthless savagery. His enormous fist surged forward, blood-red energy manifesting as a fierce, roaring tiger, brutally charging toward Meng Shan.
"You!"
Meng Shan's face drastically changed as immense Yuan Power erupted from his body, quickly forming a towering earth-yellow wall in front of him.
Bang!
Little Flame's fist smashed into the wall, shattering it into debris. Meng Shan staggered backward, his body instantly enveloped in yellowish patterns that resembled sturdy scales, offering him exceptional defense.
"General Flame! How dare you attack me! Our lord will never forgive you!" Meng Shan roared in desperation.
Meng Shan's Iron Mountain Guards panicked, attempting to step forward. However, as they moved, they sensed a terrifying aura rushing toward them. Raising their heads, they saw hundreds of dark-armored soldiers from the Tiger Devouring Army staring coldly at them, their crimson eyes promising slaughter should they dare interfere.
The Tiger Devouring Army would show no mercy, even though they belonged to the same Thunder Abyss Mountain. Their loyalty belonged solely to Little Flame, not even extending to Thunder Abyss Mountain's overlord himself.
"Boom!"
Little Flame's body suddenly blurred. Meng Shan's expression paled dramatically as he desperately retreated.
Swish!
A shadow flashed behind Meng Shan with ghostly speed. Before Meng Shan could even react, a giant black tiger claw tore through space, seizing one of his arms and viciously smashing him into the nearby mountainside.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Mountains crumbled one after another, and spectators gasped as Little Flame relentlessly smashed Meng Shan's body against every available obstacle, leaving numerous deep craters and shattered rock formations.
In mere moments, the once arrogant Meng Shan, a half-step to Perfect Profound Death Stage expert, was rendered completely powerless.
Eventually, the dust settled, revealing Little Flame dragging Meng Shan's unconscious form. With casual disdain, he tossed the battered figure back toward Meng Shan's terrified soldiers.
"Scram."
Little Flame's deep, raspy voice resonated ominously. Terrified, Meng Shan's subordinates hurriedly retreated, lacking any courage to retaliate against the dreaded General Flame.
As they dispersed, Little Flame turned toward Qin Gang, whose face had gone deathly pale. Little Flame grinned savagely and growled, "You still haven't left? From now on, this Nine-Tailed Village is under my protection. If Hundred Beast Ridge dares to come again demanding tribute, I'll slaughter every one of you!"
Qin Gang's face twitched violently. Although angered, he swallowed his words upon recalling Meng Shan's fate. Promptly, he turned his bat around, fleeing hurriedly into the distance with his men.
Aunt Xin and the villagers, witnessing the enemies scatter in mere minutes, stared blankly at Little Flame, whose fierce demeanor abruptly softened as he approached Lin Langtian and Lin Dong. Such contrast left them speechless.
Indeed, the title of Thunder Abyss Mountain's First General was thoroughly deserved.
Within a pavilion inside the Nine-Tailed Village:
"When the spatial transmission was disrupted by the three old dogs from Yuan Gate, I landed severely wounded here in the Beast War Region. It took me nearly a month to fully recover."
"Afterward, I wandered the region, exploring various places until I accidentally stumbled upon a hidden ancient cave. Its master was a powerful Samsara Stage expert who possessed a tiger bloodline. I obtained a significant portion of his legacy bloodline there."
Lin Langtian and Lin Dong both nodded in understanding. This explained Little Flame's rapid rise in strength; with his mutant constitution, absorbing legacy bloodlines of the same nature would be remarkably effective.
"However, I didn't manage to claim the entire bloodline inheritance because someone else found me before I could finish," Little Flame sneered, recalling unpleasant memories.
"That someone was Xu Zhong, Thunder Abyss Mountain's overlord. He also possesses a tiger bloodline—one of the three major tiger clans, the Dark Abyss Tiger Clan. He's incredibly strong. Ultimately, we had to split the inheritance."
"Was Xu Zhong so easy to negotiate with?" Lin Dong asked skeptically.
Little Flame laughed bitterly, "Of course not. But by the time he found me, I had already absorbed part of the inheritance. If he'd forced it, I would've fought him to the death, leaving him empty-handed. So, he compromised by agreeing to split the bloodline inheritance."
"How did you end up serving under him and become his first general?" Lin Dong continued curiously.
"He refused to let me leave easily, and honestly, I had nowhere else to go at the time, so I stayed. Later, I recruited some men with tiger bloodlines, shared part of the legacy with them, and formed my own fighting force."
"That became the Tiger Devouring Army?" Lin Langtian asked knowingly, impressed. "Their strength is truly impressive."
Little Flame nodded proudly. "These men are incredibly loyal to me; I raised them from a pitiful existence to become fierce warriors. Even Xu Zhong covets the Tiger Devouring Army, but they answer to no one but me."
"How strong is Xu Zhong now?" Lin Dong asked sharply. "Has he stepped into Samsara Stage yet?"
"No, he's at the peak of Perfect Profound Death Stage, only one step from Samsara Stage," Little Flame replied decisively.
Lin Langtian smiled calmly. "Then let's get rid of him and retrieve your stolen inheritance."
Lin Dong agreed firmly. Little Flame was their brother; naturally, they'd support him.
Little Flame's grin widened. "With the three of us reunited, that bastard Xu Zhong has no escape. It's death for him!"
Having suffered immensely at Xu Zhong's hands, Little Flame had long awaited this moment of revenge.
"Have you contacted Little Marten?" Lin Dong asked.
"Second brother? No, I've been too occupied here to seek him out. Given his character, if he was safe, we'd have heard from him already. He likely encountered trouble," Little Flame frowned.
"And Jin Wu?" Lin Langtian interjected.
"Jin Wu is here too?" Little Flame's expression turned anxious upon hearing this, quickly relieved once Lin Langtian explained Jin Wu's situation.
Apologetic for his lack of outside information, Little Flame promised wholeheartedly, "Once we resolve matters here, I'll accompany you both to find Jin Wu. If he needs help, the Tiger Devouring Army will be at his service!"
Seeing his determination, Lin Langtian smiled warmly. "If Jin Wu knew you had such a formidable army, he'd certainly envy you greatly."
Finally, the three rose to leave. Outside the pavilion, beneath soft moonlight, stood a slender, nervous figure—Xin Qing.
Lin Langtian paused slightly upon noticing her, a thoughtful glint appearing in his eyes…
(Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Franklin1