397 - Made-Up Martial Arts, Have You Really Mastered Them, Disciple?

Chapter 397: Red Cat Dupes Fengling Tiger, Master of the Spirit Sovereign Gate Is Stunned "Who are you?" Meng Chong, holding a blade, appeared with a radiant golden glow, like a divine being. The four assassins remained silent, attacking simultaneously from four directions. Their coordination was impeccable, leaving no room for Meng Chong to evade; his only option was to endure the oncoming attacks. Boom! Meng Chong employed the Great Sun Divine Annihilation, surrounded by wind and thunder, transforming into an eighteen-zhang tall giant. His blade morphed instantaneously into a colossal weapon. Boom! Utilizing the Hidden Blade Intent, rocks transformed into longswords, sweeping toward the four attackers from all directions. Meng Chong, covered in golden armor with divine waves surging around him, seemed invincible. Yet, the four attackers, all at the peak of True King Heavenly Venerable, were formidable. "Ah, so he is the divine Meng Chong!" One scoffed coldly. "Kill him!" Their ferocious onslaught continued unabated, sealing off any escape route for Meng Chong, allowing no chance for retreat! Boom! The powerful attacks struck Meng Chong, but the divine waves mitigated the terrifying force, with a golden armor layered underneath. Although shaken, Meng Chong remained unscathed. "Let's see how you plan to kill me!" Meng Chong grasped the Great Sun Divine Annihilation in his left hand, wielding it as if holding the sun, charging at the approaching assassin. He unleashed his divine might, relentlessly assaulting the foe in front of him. The attacks from the other three he bore through the formidable defense of his Infinite Divine Tides. Despite being visibly impacted, his divine tide defense prevented any injury. The assaulted assassin, however, was in disarray, unable to withstand Meng Chong's ferocity. Though a peak True King Heavenly Venerable, the assassin faltered under Meng Chong's relentless close-quarter assault, fearing inevitable death should the combat reach its current phase. Yet, to prevent Meng Chong's escape, they couldn't distance themselves too far, resulting in a precarious situation. The remaining three attackers had equally grim expressions, caught off guard by Meng Chong’s unexpected resilience and physical prowess. Boom! Despite their desperate attempts, each fierce attack seemed swallowed by the waves, diminishing into nothingness, consistently failing to strike down Meng Chong. Boom! Wielding the Great Sun, Meng Chong’s blade tore through wind and thunder, exuding divine majesty. He abruptly lunged forward, returning to his normal size, catching the defending assassin off guard. "Not good!" Gripped by a sense of impending danger, the assassin retreated hurriedly. Boom! Even so, when Meng Chong's fist, seemingly holding a blazing sun, brushed past the assassin's arm, it resulted in a crack, breaking the bone! As Meng Chong prepared to continue his assault, his expression shifted slightly. A thin, long flash of cold pierced through, catching him off guard. A masked assassin with a five-leaf engraving suddenly emerged, thrusting a slender blade at him. Splat! The thin, lengthy beam pierced through the divine tide. Even though part of its power was dissipated, the blade pressed on unrelentingly. Splat! The gold armor within the divine tide was breached, a small puncture forming as pain surged through Meng Chong's shoulder. Injured! Boom! He hurled the Great Sun away, detonating it, forcing back the masked attacker with the ensuing radiant burst. "I’ll remember you all!" Meng Chong snorted coldly, stepping out like a shining sun, vanishing into the horizon in a flash! The masked assailant's strength was beyond ordinary peak True King Heavenly Venerables. Meng Chong sensed an inherent threat from him. The slender blade's penetrative power breached Meng Chong's Infinite Divine Tide, injuring him slightly. Though this injury was not significant, it made Meng Chong realize that continued engagement would be dangerous, especially with unknown enemy reinforcements. Thus, he decisively retreated! "Chase!" The masked figure wielding the slender blade pursued, but Meng Chong's speed was exceptional; in a blink, he merely flashed past, disappearing from sight. "What do we do now that Meng Chong escaped?" "No wonder he's called the divine Meng Chong, his power and physique rival even divine artifacts." "The stronger and more freakish, the better; killing him will cause even greater upheaval." "Indeed!" The Sky Fiend Earth Shadows members conversed in awe. "Continue pursuing Meng Chong, by any means required, he must perish!" Their leader, Five-Leaf Sky Fiend, declared coldly. "Yes, sir!" The Sky Fiend Earth Shadows dispersed, beginning to track Meng Chong, strategizing for another attempt on his life. Meng Chong had barely entered Jiushan Realm when he was ambushed, forced to flee, slightly injured. Meanwhile, in the Spirit Sovereign Mountain region, a tiger, a flood dragon, and a toad roamed the forest. "Big brother, what should we do next?" Yu Xiaolong inquired, looking towards Red Cat. "We’ve learned all from Old Sealing Rock, right? Spirit Sovereign Mountain is a land of spirit beasts. That Spirit Beast King Fengling Tiger is far more potent than Old Sealing Rock. "So, regarding the Beast Tribe matters, let it rest for now. I am the Red Cat Demon King, adaptable and yielding as needed. More so when weaker, it’s natural to keep a low profile. "Fengling Tiger King is a formidable figure of our tiger tribe; we’re going to pay respects, so stay alert." Red Cat spoke as he walked. "Understood, big brother!" Yu Xiaolong and Little Ha nodded. How to proceed, gain Fengling Tiger King's trust, and eventually conquer Spirit Sovereign Mountain, establishing the Beast Tribe and ascending the throne as Demon King—all relied on Red Cat’s scheming. In Spirit Sovereign Mountain, a monumental roar echoed. A majestic tiger, imposing and grand, strode upon it. Quickly, the mountain's spirit beasts were startled, gazing at the approaching Red Cat trio with surprise. Red Cat, with his unyielding eloquence, swiftly won over the spirit beasts in Spirit Sovereign Mountain, securing a respectable position. From these beasts, he learned more about Fengling Tiger, noting that due to his esteemed status, few dared approach him. Fengling Tiger, as it seemed, enjoyed being flattered, which sparked an idea in Red Cat. He began with "our tiger tribe..." Within days, Red Cat had infiltrated the ancient forest of Spirit Sovereign Mountain, meeting Fengling Tiger. Fengling Tiger, lying on the ground, looked bewilderedly at Red Cat, puzzled by this peculiar spirit beast seemingly out of place. The power was somewhat distinct from typical spirit beasts. Nonetheless, Fengling Tiger didn't ponder deeply; with numerous spirit beasts around, even within the tiger tribe, some had unique powers due to their bloodlines. Red Cat stood upright, exuding a mighty presence as he walked, adorning a large gold chain and carrying a treasured blade at his side. A jade flood dragon and a toad followed behind him. The dragon and toad bore a large, golden chair, trailing closely after Red Cat. This scene left Fengling Tiger visibly bewildered. Particularly watching Red Cat standing upright, blade at his side, exuding an air of authority. "Red Cat, meeting the formidable Fengling Brother of the tiger tribe!" Red Cat respectfully cupped his paws. Fengling Tiger remained in a daze, unconsciously rising, "You called me what?" "Our formidable Fengling Brother from the tiger tribe!" As Red Cat spoke, Yu Xiaolong and Little Ha swiftly placed the chair. "Please, Brother Fengling, have a seat!" Red Cat said solemnly. Before coming to dupe Fengling Tiger, Red Cat had understood clearly—beside Fengling Tiger, there were only three tigers in the entire Spirit Sovereign Mountain. The other two, to Red Cat, seemed gullible and easily misled. Precisely because of this, Fengling Tiger, the Spirit Beast King, would not readily resort to punishing another tiger. After all, there were few tigers left! With each gone, one less remained. That’s precisely why Red Cat dared to act as he did. As a cultured tiger, Red Cat was confident that for now, although not yet as powerful as Fengling Tiger, he had the upper hand mentally. "Brother Fengling, your divine and valiant presence is unparalleled. As a great figure of the tiger tribe, you naturally deserve to sit upon this throne to fully exhibit your regal majesty and unrivaled power..." With a flurry of compliments, Red Cat flattered Fengling Tiger, transitioning him from bewilderment to a state of intoxicated pride. "Indeed, indeed, you speak the truth!" The more he listened, the more convinced Fengling Tiger became that this little tiger’s words struck a chord. With his divine and valiant presence, how could he simply lie on the ground? Wouldn't that tarnish the majestic aura of a great figure of the tiger tribe? Feeling elated, Fengling Tiger walked over to the gleaming golden chair, shrinking down to lie upon it. Seeing this, Red Cat thought to himself, as expected, Fengling Tiger isn't that bright. Lying on the chair isn't much different from lying on the ground. "Brother Fengling, listen to me; lying down fails to showcase your divine power. You should sit upright..." Red Cat approached, advising Fengling Tiger on how to properly sit upon the throne. "This is a great gold chain set with thirty-six sparkling gems, which will elevate your noble aura when worn..." "This is the Tiger Might Divine Staff, fully showcasing the divine might of our tiger tribe..." Finally, Fengling Tiger wore the great gold chain, with its thirty-six gleaming gems, embodying an almost nouveau-riche demeanor. Holding a gold staff with a tiger head in one paw, Fengling Tiger sat proudly on the throne, exuding majesty. "Brother, doesn’t this truly exhibit the divine might of our tiger tribe?" Red Cat signaled, and Little Ha and Yu Xiaolong brought forth a giant prepared mirror, standing it before Fengling Tiger. Seeing himself, Fengling Tiger was ecstatic. "Good, good, good. This truly showcases my regal power!" "Brother, I find the spirit beasts of Spirit Sovereign Mountain are too lax. They fail to reflect your regal tiger king's might; they must be drilled." Red Cat seized the moment. "You're right. I entrust this task to you, my wise brother." "Rest assured, brother, it will be handled perfectly!" Red Cat pounded his chest confidently. Next, Red Cat selected four imposing spirit beasts, assigning them the task of carrying the throne, transporting Fengling Tiger around Spirit Sovereign Mountain. Wherever they passed, spirit beasts bowed and hailed, "Welcome, the godly and mighty, unrivaled, invincible King Fengling!" Fengling Tiger was overwhelmed with excitement, feeling for the first time that this was the kind of treatment a true king should enjoy. "Brother Red Cat, you truly understand how to highlight the might of our tiger tribe!" "Don’t mention it; it’s all due to your divine might, brother. Without your unrivaled presence, where would such imposing majesty come from?" Red Cat flattered again. "Good, good, good!" Fengling Tiger was so pleased that he announced, "From now on, Red Cat will be the second ruler of Spirit Sovereign Mountain, only beneath me, King Fengling. You all must heed Brother Red Cat's commands..." Red Cat successfully established a firm foothold in Spirit Sovereign Mountain, commanding all spirit beasts aside from Fengling Tiger. The Immortal Heavenly Venerables of the Spirit Sovereign Gate were utterly bewildered. How did Fengling Tiger suddenly change like this? The master of the Spirit Sovereign Gate came to the ancient forest, seeing Fengling Tiger seated on a golden throne, wearing a large gold chain, gems shimmering, with a tiger-headed staff in paw, and rubbed his eyes. Was he seeing things? Wasn't this tiger always lying on the ground? Why was it sitting on a chair like a human? "The master has arrived, serve tea!" Fengling Tiger lifted a paw, and a spirit beast immediately brought over a table, followed by another brewing tea. "Master, have a seat!" Fengling Tiger gestured to a chair. The Spirit Sovereign Gate master was dumbfounded—did Fengling Tiger have a mental lapse? "Fengling Tiger..." "Hmm? You should address me as Elder Supreme Fengling, or call me King Fengling. Show some respect. "You're the master of the Spirit Sovereign Gate, representing the face of Spirit Sovereign Mountain. How can you lack etiquette, disgracing us? "Don't blame me for being overbearing; I’m thinking of Spirit Sovereign Mountain. Brother Red Cat, give the master a copy of the etiquette manual..." Damn! The muscles on the Spirit Sovereign Gate master's face twitched as he glanced at the small booklet handed over, feeling deeply unsettled. A spirit beast dared accuse him of lacking etiquette? "Supervising Elder Fengling, this..." The Spirit Sovereign Gate master could hardly sit still. Was Fengling Tiger truly out of his mind? He, the strongest in Spirit Sovereign Mountain, was Fengling Tiger! "I, as a great tiger tribe figure, should lead by example, teaching juniors etiquette and honor, and you see just that. "This here is Brother Red Cat, overseeing the spirit beasts’ affairs. Should any issues arise, direct them to Brother Red Cat. "Meeting Brother Red Cat should be as if meeting me; I hope the master understands..." The Spirit Sovereign Gate master glanced at the rainbow-hued tiger standing upright, gold chain around its neck, knife at its waist, his mouth twitching. Damn! He suspected Fengling Tiger's transformation was entirely this tiger's doing! "I understand!" The Spirit Sovereign Gate master couldn't stay any longer, offering a few cursory remarks before departing. Fengling Tiger’s now cultured speech was even harder for him to bear! Terms: - Fengling Tiger (风灵虎) is translated directly since it's a name. - Red Cat (赤猫) retains its literal meaning as a name. - Spirit Sovereign Mountain (灵尊山) and Spirit Sovereign Gate (灵尊门) reflect the literal essence of the place and organization, preserving context. Note: - Fengling Tiger's transformation into a regal, human-like presentation is a comical depiction of how Red Cat manipulates him. This scene humorously critiques vanity and gullibility.