Chapter 20: Tiger Cub

"Perfect, one fierce tiger isn't enough pressure."

Xu Mingwei laughed wildly several times.

You should know that just now he had only been using pure strength to fight the male tiger. If he used internal energy and martial techniques, he could easily toy with it.

The male tiger turned back and roared at the tigress.

The tigress responded.

Then, the male and female flanked Xu Mingwei from two directions.

Their movements were extremely practiced, clearly not the first time they had encircled and hunted other beasts this way.

The male tiger pounced first while the tigress slowly closed in.

When Xu Mingwei fought the male tiger, he always kept thirty percent of his attention on the tigress.

Xu Mingwei began using techniques from the Lesser Dragon Elephant Technique, combined with internal energy. Each move possessed nearly six thousand catties of force.

The two fierce tigers' bodies were extremely robust. After receiving several consecutive punches, they still held on.

"Good, only this way is it satisfying!"

Xu Mingwei held nothing back anymore, deploying movement techniques, martial skills, and everything else.

Bang bang bang~

His fist wind was sharp, whistling loudly.

The sound of his fists breaking through the air shook the wilderness.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, this tiger couple was beaten to death by Xu Mingwei's fists.

He showed no mercy whatsoever.

This was the most primitive struggle, with only life and death between them.

If he were defeated, the one dying here today might be him.

"This fur is quite good. Such a large pelt should sell for four or five hundred taels."

Ordinary ones only sold for about three hundred taels.

Xu Mingwei took out his dagger and began skillfully skinning them.

If he brought back complete corpses, the value would naturally be higher, but they would be hard to carry and would easily expose his strength.

After finishing, Xu Mingwei stored the pelts away, and his bundle immediately bulged.

He was about to leave when he looked back at the cave.

Out of curiosity, he went in to explore.

The cave wasn't large, the ground only about five or six meters from the ceiling, and in low places only about two meters.

"Drip, drip, drip."

Xu Mingwei followed the sound and saw a small pool.

Water droplets continuously fell onto the pool from above.

His Eagle Eye allowed him to see in the night as if it were day, quite miraculous.

Looking around, he saw grass piled on a stone platform, thinking it should be where the fierce tigers rested.

"Rustle rustle rustle~"

A sound came from the dry grass pile.

Xu Mingwei walked over and saw a small creature about the size of a kitten, eyes still closed, pawing at dry grass and branches.

"This is a tiger cub?"

"Its fur is actually white. Could it be a variant species?"

Xu Mingwei was somewhat surprised, but then sighed slightly. If he had known the tigress had just given birth, he might have spared her.

Without the tigress, this cub would be hard pressed to survive.

"Right, little Xueji wanted a small animal. Perfect to bring it back, though I don't know if it will be wild and untamable in the future."

"Forget it, we'll deal with future matters in the future."

"Worst case, if it goes wild, I'll just kill it."

Before the year-end sacrifice, he could break through to first-rate martial artist realm, and then it would be even easier.

Xu Mingwei picked up the small white tiger. He originally wanted to put it in his bundle, but thinking that inside were its parents' pelts, he felt it wasn't quite appropriate, so he simply tucked it into his bosom.

"This trip has yielded some harvest, so I'll head back first."

Xu Mingwei shouldered his long bow and quiver and returned along the path he came.

Returning to the Xu family home, it was just approaching lunchtime.

After teaching Xu Mingshu and Xu Mingxian martial arts in the morning, Xu Chuan had gone out for a walk, then came back to supervise their calligraphy practice.

"You came back so early today."

"Father."

Xu Mingwei smiled and said, "This time I encountered two fierce tigers, extremely formidable, considerably larger than ordinary ones. I got two tiger pelts. Father, do you think we should keep them for family use or sell them in Qingjiang County?"

"I estimate one could sell for over five hundred taels."

"After you clean them, take them to sell. Keep the money for Ahyuan. He needs more silver on hand, better to be prepared."

"No problem."

"Big brother!" Xu Mingshu ran over quickly, tugging at his robe corner, looking up expectantly, "Where's the small animal you got for me?"

Xu Mingwei smiled and pulled out a large creature from his bulging bosom.

"Such a cute little white cat, I really like it."

Xu Chuan's eyes narrowed slightly. After pondering, he said, "This is a white tiger?"

"Father's eye is indeed sharp."

Hearing "white tiger," even Xu Mingxian, who hadn't been particularly interested, came over to examine it closely because he had never seen a white tiger before.

"Such a small one." Xu Mingxian said.

"It was only just born recently, its eyes haven't even opened yet. I didn't know the tigress had just given birth, otherwise I would have spared her life."

"Without parents, it simply cannot survive, so I brought it back."

Xu Mingwei explained.

Xu Chuan nodded. "Then let Xueji raise it."

Xu Mingshu took the small white tiger and gently stroked it, saying softly, "Little white tiger, from now on you're my pet."

Xu Mingwei smiled warmly.

"Fourth sister, when it grows up it will be bigger than you and very fierce. Be careful it doesn't bite your head off in one bite." Xu Mingxian's lips curved as he joked.

"Hmph, stinky brother, Little White won't do that, right, Little White?"

Xu Chuan examined it carefully and also reached out to pet it, saying, "Since you've given it a name, Xueji, you must take good care of it from now on."

"I see it should have been born nearly two weeks ago. Even without the tigress's milk, it doesn't matter."

"I'll write down some things to pay attention to. You take care of it according to what's written."

"Thank you, Father. Father is the best." Xu Mingshu called out sweetly.

Xu Chuan rubbed her head, then wrote down a page and handed it to Xu Mingshu, who immediately skipped away happily.

Xu Mingxian looked at Xu Chuan and said, "Father, tigers are fierce wild beasts. Won't raising it be dangerous?"

"What, worried about your fourth sister?"

"I'm not worried about her." Xu Mingxian turned his head away proudly.

"Don't worry, Xueji raising it won't be a problem." Xu Chuan assured with a smile. "Go practice your calligraphy. Only after finishing that can you have lunch."

"Yes, Father."

Xu Mingwei was somewhat surprised to hear this, not knowing why his father was so certain but he still chose to believe.

"Oh right, Father, there are also these two strange fruits, hard as rocks. I don't know what they are. You're well-informed, could you help take a look?"

Xu Chuan nodded and took them, but couldn't figure them out either, so he simply set them aside for now.

Xu Mingwei returned to his room, hung up his bow and arrows, then went to wash the blood stains from the tiger pelts and remove the fishy smell.

…

Time flashed by to noon the next day.

Seeing the tiger pelts had dried, Xu Mingwei mounted his horse and headed to the county seat.

In less than half an hour, he arrived at the gate of Qingjiang County.

The city wall, over twenty meters high, was built of whole basalt blocks, extending over ten li in both directions, spanning across the plain like a dragon's spine.

The gray wall body was full of mottled traces of time, with green moss covering the base of the walls.

In the very center were two large elm wood doors wrapped with iron plates. Bronze beast heads embedded on the door panels held copper rings as large as rice bowls. Each door was three or four meters wide, over ten meters tall, and over thirty centimeters thick, with surfaces painted completely red.

The place was busy with people coming and going, vehicles and horses passing through, with gate soldiers specially conducting inspections and verifying the identities of travelers.

Xu Mingwei dismounted and led his horse forward.

People not registered in Qingjiang County had to pay an entry fee and obtain a temporary identity badge to enter the city.

If conducting business, they also had to register and pay commercial taxes.

Xu Mingwei naturally didn't need to. After showing his proof of identity, he led his horse into the city.