"Looks like we're not the only ones trying to take you down," Xu Song said, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. His gaze toward Lin Tian was tinged with schadenfreude. The three-tailed spirit cat before them radiated the power of Qi Refining Stage Eight.
Even at the same cultivation level, Lin Tian might not have stood a chance; yet here he was, four full levels below the ferocious beast.
Moreover, Xiangye Mountain served as the Xuanwu Sect's official assessment ground, personally overseen by the sect's elders. No outsider could smuggle a spirit beast in—meaning this three-tailed spirit cat had been deliberately placed there by the sect itself. In other words, even before officially entering Xuanwu Sect, Lin Tian had already earned the ire of its disciples.
Watching idly from the sidelines, Xu Song's mood was buoyant. Since the spirit cat would attack Lin Tian on its own, he could avoid intervening directly. Once the beast defeated the trio, claiming the ribbons from their hands would be effortless.
"Lin Tian, what should we do?" Du Yuejiao's voice trembled with tension. The three-tailed spirit cat exuded overwhelming pressure.
Du Feng's brows were furrowed, eyes filled with unease. This was, without doubt, the strongest opponent he had faced since beginning his cultivation.
"Why are you two so scared?" Lin Tian said calmly, observing their wary expressions.
The two turned to him, perplexed. Though Lin Tian had occasionally pulled off impressive feats, they were now facing a three-tailed spirit cat. Could a Stage Four cultivator like him possibly handle it?
"You must be out of your mind to talk like that," Xu Song laughed derisively.
"Who's out of their mind? You'll see soon enough," Lin Tian replied with a grin, producing a red laser pointer from his hands. When he had first created the spirit energy gun, he had simultaneously crafted this laser pointer as an aiming aid.
The gun had broken during his fight with Lin Xinhang, but the laser pointer remained intact. He had thought it useless—until now, facing a three-tailed spirit cat on Xiangye Mountain.
As the laser pointer flickered to life, a bright red dot appeared. The cat's fierce expression instantly changed. As a spirit beast, it possessed a degree of intelligence, yet its relatively low cultivation meant its primal instincts remained dominant. A sudden red dot triggered its predatory reflexes.
Though it remembered its master's orders, its eyes continuously flicked toward the moving red dot. The cat's paws twitched uncontrollably, eager to strike.
After a brief internal struggle, instinct triumphed over reason. The three-tailed spirit cat leapt like an arrow, lunging for the dot.
But Lin Tian's red dot moved faster than the beast's claws could follow. Every time it swiped, the dot slipped away, heightening the cat's competitive fervor. Soon, a most theatrical scene unfolded: a three-tailed spirit cat chasing a red dot across the entire mountain.
"Why haven't you acted yet?" Xu Song's face darkened in frustration. He had expected to reap the rewards effortlessly once the spirit cat appeared—but the situation had taken an unexpected turn.
He realized that Lin Tian's control over the cat relied entirely on this strange device. Destroy it, and the beast would break free.
Just as he prepared to strike, he noticed Lin Tian's lips curl into a mischievous smirk. The previously bouncing red dot now hovered over Xu Song's chest.
A chill ran down Xu Song's spine. A massive paw descended mercilessly. Xu Song's face turned ashen as he braced himself—but the speed of the attack was unmatched. The strike landed with tremendous force, sending him flying like a ball.
"You brat! I'll kill you!" Xu Song hissed, half his pride shattered. The cat had turned into Lin Tian's ally, dealing serious damage he hadn't anticipated.
Yet the red dot continued to dart around him, guided by Lin Tian. The three-tailed spirit cat's eyes rolled playfully, paws swiping as if ready to strike at any moment.
"Big brother! I was wrong! Truly wrong!" Xu Song whimpered. The previous paw strike had nearly cost him his life. Another blow from the cat would surely be fatal.
"Alright, since you've admitted your mistake, I'll let you off this once," Lin Tian said with a satisfied smile, pocketing the laser pointer.
But the moment the device was put away, the three-tailed spirit cat's expression turned ferocious. Letting out a thunderous roar, spiritual energy erupted from its body. With a single bound, it lunged directly at Lin Tian.
Startled, Lin Tian quickly produced the laser pointer again, sweeping the red dot across the mountain.
Unbeknownst to him, the beast's roar had already drawn countless heads from across Xiangye Mountain. Shadows began darting through the forest, converging rapidly toward Lin Tian's position.