Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Human Heart

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At the height of her momentum, Shi Qi struck out with a single, decisive palm, landing it squarely on the tiger’s hindquarters. Instantly, a layer of ice surged across the beast’s body, and within a few breaths, it was frozen solid, transformed into a statue of ice.

Shi Qi exhaled, retreating two steps to steady her vital energy.

At that moment, three figures emerged from the forest behind her—the very three cultivators who had only just been chased by the tiger. Realizing the danger had passed, and seeing the tiger subdued, they finally revealed themselves.

The man at the head straightened his clothes and strode over to Shi Qi, speaking loudly, “Fellow cultivator, we discovered this tiger first! We were about to lure it into an ambush, you know. For you to act so precipitously—doesn’t that go against the rules?”

Shi Qi’s expression remained cold. From the moment the three of them had abandoned him without a trace, she had known they were not to be trusted.

Yet their shamelessness still managed to surpass her expectations.

Shi Qi turned her back to them and said nothing.

Just then, Su Xiaomu, who had been quietly eating roasted meat, suddenly piped up, “Shameless! If not for big brother here, the three of you would be dead a dozen times over.”

“You!” The leader, stung by the little girl’s mockery, flushed with anger but found himself at a loss for words.

After a moment’s thought, the man stepped in front of Shi Qi, cupping his fists in greeting. “I am Yuan He, young master of Pointstar Manor!”

Shi Qi nodded. “Oh, Pointstar Manor.”

The man smiled smugly. “Exactly!”

Shi Qi replied, “Never heard of it. What do you want?”

The man had hoped family prestige would cow Shi Qi, but found himself utterly disregarded.

He snarled, “Do you have any idea how much clout Pointstar Manor holds in these parts? In Yongzhou, no one dares disrespect my father, Yuan Chengtian.”

Shi Qi smiled faintly. “And what does your father’s reputation have to do with you?”

The man was dumbstruck, unable to retort for a long moment. Finally, he sputtered, “I don’t care! That tiger is ours. If you dare try to take it, I’ll have my father destroy you!”

“Oh?” Shi Qi nodded, then walked over to Su Xiaomu, turning her back on Yuan He. With a flourish, she snapped her fingers. “Then it’s yours.”

“Hmph!” Yuan He puffed up with pride, convinced Shi Qi had been cowed by his intimidation.

“Y-Young master!” the woman beside him suddenly cried out.

“What is it?” Yuan He turned to her.

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The woman’s mouth was agape, her finger trembling as she pointed at something behind Yuan He, unable to form words.

“What’s got you so flustered?” Yuan He snapped, turning around—only to see that the ice encasing the tiger had completely vanished. With its jaws wide open, the beast was charging straight at him.

“Mother!” Yuan He shrieked, his legs giving way as he collapsed to the ground.

“Don’t be afraid, young master! Watch me!” The other man drew a long sword from his back, striding forward with confidence. As the tiger leaped at Yuan He, the man slid in with a dramatic flourish.

He thought smugly to himself, I saw exactly how Shi Qi did it just now. His paltry ice blade was useless, but my treasured sword is sharp enough to cut through anything!

But, as fate would have it, things did not go as he planned.

The tiger slammed a paw down, pinning him to the earth. Its gaping maw descended, and in an instant, blood sprayed everywhere. The man’s head was severed from his body, which fell stiffly to the ground.

This sight terrified Yuan He out of his wits. His legs were so weak he couldn’t stand, and he could only scramble backward on hands and knees as fast as he could.

The woman rushed over in a panic, helping him to his feet, and together they fled.

But in their terror, they could barely move. Yuan He felt as if his feet were weighed down with hundreds of pounds of stone. He even forgot to use any techniques.

The tiger licked its nose, gave a thunderous roar, and pounced at the pair with lightning speed.

In desperation, Yuan He found a sudden surge of strength. He grabbed the woman beside him and hurled her backward. She had no inkling he would do such a thing, and was caught completely off guard.

The tiger’s jaws opened wide and swallowed her whole.

Shi Qi and Su Xiaomu stood by, frowning deeply.

It has always been said that the human heart is unfathomable. After years among the world, Shi Qi had seen all sorts of people: selfish, cold, heartless, unreasonable. But someone as utterly wretched as Yuan He was rare indeed.

Pointstar Manor was no great sect, but it was still a branch of the cultivation world. Cultivators seek longevity, ascension, and the Way. Yet after millennia, it seemed most had forgotten their original purpose.

Whether one seeks to deliver oneself or the world, it all comes down to the act of crossing—a passage, a transformation.

But now, most cultivators seemed enslaved by the great power their path bestowed. They forgot their purpose, chasing strength instead, for strength brought more power and temptation.

From splitting wood and stone, to soaring across the heavens, to moving mountains and filling seas—each increase in cultivation brought fulfillment. The power to decide life and death at will, to hold the fate of others in one’s hands, gave a heady sense of satisfaction.

Yet cultivators are still human. Fulfillment breeds arrogance, arrogance leads to folly.

So it was with Yuan He. Born the privileged young master of Pointstar Manor, pampered and lofty, he had never known hardship.

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But there are always greater heights and deeper mysteries beyond one’s ken. In the Twelve Provinces, Pointstar Manor was but a speck among countless stars. With such a narrow view of the world, even the smallest setback could prove fatal for Yuan He.

Now, as the tiger’s bloody jaws loomed before him, Yuan He’s heart was filled with despair. His greatest skill was wielding his title as young master of Pointstar Manor—but the tiger before him cared nothing for such things. Was this to be his end?

“Wretched beast! How dare you!”

Just then, a thunderous voice boomed from above.

Shi Qi and Su Xiaomu looked up to see an elder in gray robes descending from the sky, brimming with authority. With a single strike, he slapped the tiger’s head.

With a deafening crash, the tiger was slammed into the ground.

Yuan He stared, dazed, as if all sense had been knocked out of him.

Moments later, he came back to himself, and, seeing the gray-robed elder before him, tears welled up in his eyes.

“Uncle!” Yuan He crawled over, clutching the elder’s leg as he wept.

The elder gazed at him kindly, patting his head and murmuring, “He’er, don’t worry. With me here, that beast won’t harm you.”

Meanwhile, the tiger, flattened by the elder’s strike, slowly rose to its feet and stared at him. The malice in its gaze seemed to have vanished. After a moment’s standoff, the tiger suddenly sprouted wings and soared into the sky, disappearing into the depths of the forest.

The elder made to pursue, but Yuan He clung to him.

“Uncle, let it go! There will be plenty of chances to deal with it later.”

With that, Yuan He pointed at Shi Qi.

“It was him!”

Shi Qi’s gaze turned icy.

Yuan He shouted, “He ruined our plan! If not for him, I’d never have been in such danger, never so close to losing my life!”