Chapter 11: Tiger Vanguard

It took a day and a half before Wang Liang finished preparing the Tiger-Slaying Axe Talisman, along with an item meant to lure the tiger demon.

That item came from the knowledge of the Xiao family of southern Gan. It was bait made from a pig’s head, to which every tiger would be irresistibly drawn, eating it almost against its will.

Any tiger that consumed the bait would have its combat strength halved, while its temper would become far more irritable.

This was one of the Xiao family’s methods for dealing with tigers. After all, not everyone in their household was like the old man, able to face a fierce tiger without even blinking.

When Wang Liang received the materials, he also obtained information about the tiger demon.

[Name: Tiger Vanguard]
[Gender: Male]
[Profession: Demon Tiger]
[Level: 27]
[Attributes, unequipped: Strength: 30+, Agility: 30+, Constitution: ??, Spirit: ??, Condition: Unknown]
[Talents: None]
[Skills: Tiger Pounce, Level 3; Tiger Sweep, Level 2; Tiger Roar, Level 2; Heaven-Swallowing Art, Level 1…]
[Secondary Profession: None]

Compared with the demon tiger Wang Liang had fought before, it was obvious that this was a relatively weak specimen.

Thus, Wang Liang was filled with confidence. Once the Tiger-Slaying Axe Talisman was ready, he would set out.

Just as he was preparing to leave, Big Bull, the goat demon, took out two things and handed them to Wang Liang.

One was a bloodstained gold token. The other was a pouch woven from wool.

“This gold token was left behind by my father before he died. The pouch contains my horns. If you take these two things with you, then after killing Tiger Vanguard, you can prove to the authorities that I hired you to avenge my blood kin.

“Remember: once Tiger Vanguard is dead, you must take these out. Otherwise, the soldiers who come rushing over will kill you on the spot.”

Wang Liang accepted the two items and opened them to take a look. Only then did he nod in confirmation.

Afterward, he discovered that another entry had appeared among his temporary quests.

[Temporary Quest: Blood Feud]
[Quest Description: Help Big Bull, the goat demon, avenge his blood kin by killing Tiger Vanguard, the tiger demon who devoured his father.]
[Quest Reward: One Goat Treasure, one hundred years old]

A Goat Treasure?

Wang Liang glanced at the reward without comment. He mounted his bronze warhorse, took up the Life-Cutting Saber, and rode toward the outskirts of Chang’an City.

Big Bull had prepared for this blood feud for a long time. He had been keeping close watch on everything concerning Tiger Vanguard.

He had learned that Tiger Vanguard would be leaving the city today on business and had specifically told Wang Liang the route he would take.

Once Wang Liang rode his bronze warhorse out of Chang’an City, he released the reins and let it gallop.

At the same time, he began observing his surroundings. According to Big Bull’s information, Tiger Vanguard was leaving the city today to collect protection fees from a nearby village.

The village was not far away. It was inhabited by goat and rabbit demons.

These little creatures possessed little combat strength, yet they produced abundant resources. They were the largest suppliers of grain and cloth in the vicinity of Chang’an.

More than half of Chang’an’s food and other supplies came from the surrounding villages.

The villagers were all weak animal demons or ordinary humans, so it was only natural that the hands of certain underworld forces would reach toward them.

But as far as Chang’an’s guards were concerned, so long as no one was killed, such minor affairs were hardly worth their attention.

Tiger Vanguard was a minor leader of Yellow Wind Valley, a nearby gang, and managed nearly ten villages of various sizes.

Usually, his duties consisted of collecting protection fees and the like. Today happened to be the day for the monthly collection.

Early that morning, Tiger Vanguard set off for the villages he was responsible for, carrying his great saber and half a slaughtered pig.

The half-pig was his provisions for the day. Although the journey involved no mountain crossing or river wading, it was still far from pleasant. The distance was considerable, and he had to make a circuit of every village. The trip would take an entire day—an extremely uncomfortable prospect for a feline creature accustomed to spending the day sprawled on the ground.

Still, this was Tiger Vanguard’s job. Without it, he would not even have half a pig to eat.

In a foul mood, Tiger Vanguard snorted and held his great saber upside down as he peered in every direction. He hoped to come across an isolated demon so that he could enjoy a full meal.

As long as he was not caught in the act by the soldiers of Chang’an, Yellow Wind Valley would smooth the matter over as an internal dispute within the gang.

That was, in a sense, one of the hidden benefits enjoyed by minor leaders like him.

As Tiger Vanguard continued looking around, he suddenly caught a scent.

His fang-filled mouth twitched.

“Pig’s head. Cooked?”

Rather than becoming excited, Tiger Vanguard grew wary. In a desolate place like this, anyone with a functioning brain would understand that finding a cooked pig’s head lying about meant trouble.

He set down the half-pig he had been carrying and glanced at it anxiously. He had barely taken a few bites along the way. If he left it on the ground, he wondered whether it would become covered in too much dirt and sand, spoiling the taste later.

Thinking this, Tiger Vanguard gripped his great saber and strode toward the source of the cooked pork smell.

After only a few steps, he spotted a bloodstained bundle hanging beside the road from a tree. It was somewhat larger than a human head, and the fragrance of pork came from within.

With a swing of his saber, Tiger Vanguard split open the bundle. A pig’s head, braised until it had turned black, rolled out and spun several times across the ground, picking up a thick coating of dirt.

Tiger Vanguard lifted it with the tip of his saber and examined it carefully.

After a long inspection, he could find nothing suspicious about it.

He thought for a moment, then brought his saber down with tremendous force. The pig’s head split in two, and the braising juices still inside sprayed outward beneath the blow.

Tiger Vanguard dipped the tip of his tongue into a little of the sauce clinging to the blade.

His eyes immediately brightened.

The flavor seemed to pierce straight into his soul, leaving him with only one thought:

He wanted to eat.

Using his saber, Tiger Vanguard lifted the pig’s head, now cleaved in two. He reached forward with his left hand, opened his mouth, and bit down.

The instant he tasted it, his eyes shone.

It was the most delicious food he had ever eaten. In comparison, everything he had consumed before this had been a complete waste.

While Tiger Vanguard devoured the meat, he failed to notice the eight silver, iron-forged figures emerging from behind the nearby trees.

They were dressed in the robes of civil officials. In their hands they carried a jade tablet, a jade seal, a writing brush, bamboo slips, a long flute, an ancient zither, an incense burner, and a candlestick.

They advanced in a circle around Tiger Vanguard.

As they surrounded him, the landscape nearby underwent subtle changes. Several trees began to shift from their original positions.

Tiger Vanguard noticed none of this. All his attention was focused on the pig’s head in his hands.

Only after he had eaten the entire thing—and even licked his fingers clean—did he sense that something was wrong.

Looking at the silver iron figures surrounding him, he asked,

“Who are you?”