A Treasure Here?

'Interesting...' Miao Ying focused inward, tugging on this energy stream with his soul force. A black flash illuminated his palm and the Devourer Dao rune manifested once more.

Just as Miao Ying moved to investigate further, his soul abruptly stirred in warning.

Death wasn't imminent, but danger was definitely approaching.

Miao Ying remained calm as he stored the cracked amulet, stone tablet, and Heavenly Art scroll within his soul. 

To think that in just a few short days, he had gone from struggling to break through to Body Refinement's 3rd stage to now standing at the 7th stage of the realm, filled with earth-shattering might!

Miao Ying didn't let this fortune cloud his judgment though. He took steady steps towards the cave entrance and casually punched the air. 

A whirlwind erupted as his fist's sheer strength disintegrated the remaining boulders into powder.

Stepping out into the sunlight, Miao Ying's keen eyes quickly spotted a hulking figure in the distance—the same creature that had been most likely chasing him before.

It was an enormous white tiger, fur dazzling like fresh snow. Mesmerizing flame runes danced across its body. This majestic demonic beast carrying a murderous aura didn't charge at Miao Ying recklessly. It seemed to be waiting for something.

Before anything else could happen, a voice cried out from the forest: "Over there! The compass is pointing this way. Tch, begone you damned beasts!"

Miao Ying simply raised an eyebrow while the white tiger whipped its head around, blazing bloodthirst in its eyes.

In the next moment, several smaller tigers burst out from the underbrush. Though bearing a clear resemblance to the larger beast, they were still pushing their demonic ambient energy to the limit.

Alas, they were far too slow. Glinting swords slashed through the air with blinding speed. 

"Sssss!" 

Blood sprayed everywhere. Three young men wearing uniform robes easily dispatched the tigers with falling sword strikes.

Miao Ying observed calmly as one tiger managed to slip through, charging frantically toward the cave to seek shelter. It clearly intended to bulldoze past Miao Ying.

In the face of this beast, Miao Ying moved with the wind. 

To the tiger's eyes, he had vanished!

Then without warning, a sickening crunch rang out. Miao Ying's fist was brutally lodged in the creature's skull.

Even just a wisp of his lightning-imbued ambient energy granted strength far beyond anything Miao Ying had experienced before. His casual punch caved in the tiger's head, splattering brain matter in a gory mess.

"This guy..." The three uniformed cultivators narrowed their eyes suspiciously at Miao Ying. 

But before they could question him, an earth-shaking roar exploded from the giant white tiger!

Raging flames rose from the runes on its body as it went utterly berserk! The tiger charged the three youths, its speed kicking up clouds of dust and debris.

"Hmph. Annoying beast!" The trio of cultivators sneered with disdain. 

Gripping their swords, a searing heat permeated the air around the blades. Explosive ambient energy gushed through their bodies.

Moving faster than the tiger could track, they clashed against the creature with all their might! 

Dazzling swords shredded through its hide as blood sprayed in every direction. Fluctuating sword energy wreaked havoc on the tiger's insides.

After trembling for a few seconds, the massive feline collapsed lifelessly to the ground. 

The three youths snorted coldly before turning their attention back to Miao Ying.

Though they seemed to let their guard down, Miao Ying's experienced eyes could detect the subtle tension in their stances. They were prepared to strike at a moment's notice.

Calmly approaching Miao Ying, the one in the center who appeared to be the leader spoke: "Well met, fellow brother. We hail from the esteemed Profound Martial Sect. My companions and I were utilizing a treasured compass to hunt for resources in the area when it suddenly went into a frenzy, leading us here. And now we find you standing in the thick of this violence? Surely that is no coincidence? If I may be direct...is there a heaven-defying treasure nearby?"

The three youths radiated an oppressive aura clearly meant to pressure Miao Ying into compliance. It wasn't malicious per se, but certainly forceful enough to unhinge any ordinary cultivator.

Miao Ying was unfazed, casually responding, "Ahhh the Profound Martial Sect? Very impressive. One of the greater second-rate powers if I recall, a fair notch above my old Blue Wind Sect. As for your treasure compass, well...what would you fine gentlemen do if I stated there was nothing of value here?"

The disciples' faces darkened as the one who had spoken before coldly declared, "Friend, surely you jest! This compass was personally crafted by an exalted Houtian elder. Are you implying a treasure from a venerated master is faulty?"

One of the other youths began to take action, slowly unsheathing his sword. Killing intent began to roll off him in sickening waves.

"Hah, Let's not waste time here. Mere average people at the 7th stage and a single 8th stage isn't really anything to fear." Miao Ying's tone was nonchalant, almost amused despite the thick tension in the air.

The Profound Martial Sect disciples' faces contorted with barely suppressed fury. 

The leader took a menacing step forward, his voice laced with venom, "You dare mock us!? A mere commoner at the 7th stage of Body Refinement has the audacity to-"

Before he could finish his tirade, Miao Ying raised a hand to cut him off. "Ah? So you think you can pressure me? Oh no no no, I believe there's been a misunderstanding. Let me clarify..."

In that instant, Miao Ying's soul force surged! 

A torrent of electrifying ambient energy exploded through his meridians, crackling like thunder with each flex of his muscles. The sheer pressure exuded by his aura was staggering, whipping up a whirlwind of dust and debris.

"Impossible! How can a Body Refine-" The disciples' eyes widened in shock, but they had no time to process this revelation.

With blinding speed, Miao Ying vanished from sight! 

A sickening crunch rang out as his fist smashed into the chest of the closest disciple, caving in his ribcage like paper!

Blood sprayed in every direction as the youth was sent hurtling through the air, his agonized scream cut short when he slammed into a tree with bone-crushing force.

The other 7th stage disciple barely had time to blink before Miao Ying appeared right in front of him. A casual backhand strike to the face shattered his jaw, the impact launching him backwards to join his comrade in a broken heap.

"Y-You!" The 8th stage leader stammered, his previous arrogance replaced by sheer disbelief and growing fear. 

Miao Ying was a hurricane of devastation, far beyond what any Body Refinement expert should be capable of!

Gritting his teeth, the lead disciple unsheathed his sword in a desperate gambit. Waves of searing heat radiated from the blade as he poured every ounce of his cultivation into this one strike!

Alas, to Miao Ying's lightning-enhanced senses, the sword seemed to move in slow motion. He effortlessly ducked under the blazing edge, the tip barely grazing his sleeve...

And then Miao Ying's own fist rocketed upwards, smashing into the disciple's sternum with an echoing boom! 

Ribs shattered like glass as the young man was lifted off his feet, blood gushing from his mouth.

His broken body crashed to the ground several meters away, twitching pathetically in a growing pool of crimson.

Miao Ying straightened up, not a hair out of place. He glanced at the fallen disciples with an almost bored expression.

In this brutal world where the strong devoured the weak, killing was simply a fact of life. Since these arrogant fools had intended to rob and murder him, Miao Ying felt no pity in crushing them like the insects they were.

No, what truly excited Miao Ying was his newfound strength! 

To think that he, a former outer court trash, could so easily disciples from a stronger sect...the feeling was absolutely exhilarating!

At that moment his mind drifted to the ancient stone tablet's Devourer Dao rune. If the instructions were accurate, he should be able to use it to absorb these disciples' remaining energy and further bolster his cultivation.

Miao Ying knelt beside the badly injured 8th stage leader, the only one still clinging to life. He raised his left hand, focusing his soul force on the specific pattern he had learned.

The Devourer Dao rune manifested in a burst of chilling black essence, hovering above his palm. Miao Ying sensed the disciple's fading life force, his ambient energy steadily trickling away.