Strictly speaking, she did not have to enter this state of enlightenment right away. She could have suppressed the sensation and delayed it if she really wanted to. But there was not much point in doing so. After that earth shaking tiger's roar, there were probably only insects and frightened rodents left alive for miles around. This was likely the safest place she could be right now. Besides, no matter how long one spent in this detached consciousness space, only a fleeting moment would pass in the real world.
"Here I am again... this strange, inner consciousness space," she mused, looking at the swirling void around her. "Or maybe I should just call it the Heavenly Dao space."
Without a moment of hesitation, though it lasted only an instant in real time, Su Min focused her entire being on comprehending her gains from the recent battle. This was nothing like the game. In the game, the system would casually pop up a notification telling her exactly what item or skill she had obtained.
But this was not a game. Here, everything depended on her own perception, her own understanding of the laws she had touched.
Fragments of understanding coalesced in her mind, forming clear concepts.
[You have walked the Path of Slaughter and slain the Demon Tiger. The soul of the Demon Tiger has been collected and inscribed upon your path.]
[You have obtained an acquired divine ability: Four Symbols Slaughter—Tiger.]
[Four Symbols Slaughter—Tiger: As you continue along this path, the Tiger Soul's strength will steadily grow, unlocking new abilities.]
[Four Symbols Slaughter—Tiger — ① During battle, you may summon a Tiger Soul to assist you. If dispersed, it cannot be summoned again for a period of time. ② To be unlocked.]
"Hmm... a white tiger?" she murmured.
Looking at the translucent, faintly glowing white tiger soul now floating obediently beside her in the mental space, Su Min was slightly surprised. For some reason, though, her mind drifted to some... less serious, more modern thoughts about certain internet memes involving cats.
"Focus," she chided herself. "A corpse this big should yield plenty of valuable materials. But butchering it is going to be a real pain. Guess I will need to ask the village hunters for help after all."
Pulling her thoughts firmly back to business, she willed herself out of the trance. Back in the real world, she quickly stored the massive tiger's body inside her spatial ring. Honestly, that ring was so spacious it could hold not just one tiger, but an entire mountain if she wanted it to. Then she began her journey back toward the village she had passed through earlier. As she neared the outskirts, she retrieved the tiger's corpse, hoisting its immense weight casually with one hand infused with spiritual energy. Dissecting a corpse of this size and toughness was not something just anyone could do. She was an alchemist, not a butcher, after all.
At that moment, no one in the village could sleep. That bone shaking, soul trembling roar earlier had startled even the deepest sleepers awake. Combined with the recent string of mysterious, withering deaths, everyone was on a razor's edge of fear. If Su Min had not handled the situation, they would have had no choice but to abandon their homes and flee for their lives.
The three tusi, the local chieftains, were not much better off. Every village within a hundred mile radius was under their command, and as the old saying went, a barefoot man was not afraid of a man wearing shoes. But they had everything to lose. If they lost control of this situation, they would lose their power, their wealth, their entire way of life.
Just then, as the tense silence stretched on—
THUD!
A heavy, sickening impact shook the ground right in the center of the village square, as a massive object crashed down from the dark sky above.
"AH—!"
"WAAAH!!"
Screams erupted instantly as people instinctively staggered back, some tripping over their own feet and falling flat on their backs, their legs trembling uncontrollably. More than a few felt a warm, shameful wetness spread down their legs.
Before them lay a gigantic creature, its body nearly ten meters long from nose to tail. Even collapsed on the ground, its shoulder was taller than a grown man.
The darkness, the suddenness of its appearance, and its sheer, monstrous size all combined to strike pure, primal terror into the crowd.
Before the panic could spiral further, another, much smaller figure descended from the sky and landed steadily, silently, atop the tiger's body.
WHOOSH!
The sudden sight of her quelled the rising screams.
"Any experienced butchers here? Step forward and help me dismantle this corpse," Su Min's clear voice cut through the night. "I need the bones, tendons, skin, and all the blood, every last drop. As for the meat, set aside the best cuts for me. The rest, you can split among yourselves."
She did not bother explaining what had happened or how she had done it. She issued her orders plainly, ignoring the villagers' wide eyes and complicated, fearful expressions. The scene fell into a stunned, heavy silence.
Then came a single, broken voice from the crowd.
"My son... your spirit can finally rest in peace now..."
"Wuuu... Dad..." a younger voice wailed.
"It was this damned beast!" another shouted, pointing a trembling finger.
In an instant, the dam of emotion broke. Chaos erupted. Shouts of relief, wails of grief for lost loved ones, and curses of hatred all blended into a deafening storm of sound. Villagers clung to each other, some howling toward the sky in release. Even the tusi found it difficult to calm the surging mob. Meanwhile, one of the chieftains himself approached the tiger's body, his eyes wide, clicking his tongue in amazement.
"Since the honored one has spoken, someone fetch my personal, treasured skinning blade!" he bellowed, his voice full of excitement. "Opportunities to carve up a genuine demon tiger like this come once in a lifetime, if you are lucky!"
Clearly, even for a man of his status, the chance to dissect such a legendary creature was a rare honor.
"You would all best move quickly," Su Min said, her tone deceptively light. "The weather is quite hot, and the body is massive. It was no easy feat killing it, you know. I nearly wore myself out doing it. If you dawdle and these precious materials spoil, I will be very, very upset."
Her words, delivered so casually, sent a visible chill through the crowd. Judging by their eager, almost feverish faces, they had no plans to sleep tonight anyway, but now they dared not slack off either.
"Yes, yes, right away, Master!"
The villagers, many now arming themselves with torches that cast dancing shadows, exchanged wide eyed glances. In the flickering firelight, they could clearly see the truth, the tiger's hide was almost perfectly intact, with only two precise, fatal wounds. It had been killed with terrifying efficiency.
And she says she 'nearly wore herself out'?
Were they supposed to believe that? Even the best hunters they knew, men who could take down a boar with a single spear throw, could not have managed something like this. But it was the last part of her warning that truly made everyone's hair stand on end. If she really got upset... what might happen then?
Instinctively, almost as one, everyone's eyes turned toward a certain tusi whose face had gone slightly pale at the memory. A lesson from her might not be fatal, but if she decided to "play" with someone again, who would not be terrified?
"I will go get the largest basin to collect the blood! Not a single drop will be wasted!" one villager volunteered hastily, snapping everyone back to the task.
"Rest assured, honored one!" another man shouted, puffing out his chest. "I have butchered over a hundred pigs in my life! People call me 'Hundred Pig Butcher' around here! Ten villages would all come to me for their slaughters!"
"Yes, yes! We will all assist the tusi and make sure it is done exactly to your satisfaction!"
"Good," Su Min said, allowing a small, cool smile to touch her lips for the first time that night.
In an instant, the once chaotic village turned orderly, driven by a mix of fear, gratitude, and burning curiosity. Some villagers ran to fetch tools, others rolled up their sleeves, ready to lend their strength. Their greatest threat had been eliminated. And facing this rare, mythical beast up close, their curiosity was burning bright. Combined with Su Min's subtle yet chilling reminder, they worked at lightning speed. Watching the skilled butchers begin to expertly bleed and skin the massive tiger, Su Min found herself a relatively clean spot to sit down, crossing her legs lazily as she observed the work like a queen overseeing her subjects.
Before long, a large basin of still steaming blood was carefully placed before her. She had not asked for it to make some bizarre hotpot, of course. She needed it to refine the tiger's potent essence blood, an incredibly precious resource for a cultivator. Whether for high level alchemy, forging spiritual artifacts, or certain powerful spell rituals, the essence blood of a demon beast was invaluable. That was why she had insisted they begin the dissection immediately. Every second wasted meant a loss of its spiritual potency.
As she finished refining the first basin of blood, concentrating its vital energy into a dense, crimson pearl, she spotted the head tusi rushing over, cradling something huge and hefty in his arms as if it were a sacred relic.
"My lady! Look here!" he announced with a mix of pride and reverence. "This here is a first rate, prime tiger whip!"
"..."