Chapter 37: The Tiger Menace Is No More; the Yellow Sand Sect Recruits New Members

"Head Constable, do you know this tiger?"

"I do. You could say we're old acquaintances."

Lu Yuan smiled. Looking at the tiger before him, he unconsciously swallowed.

"Fifteen years, and you’ve certainly grown. That’s good, very good."

"These claws, these powerful muscles, this tender belly... it must all be delicious."

Lu Yuan mused aloud as he inspected the beast, leaving the people around him even more bewildered. *Head Constable, is this really the kind of "acquaintance" you're supposed to have? Your tone doesn't sound quite right.*

It was an acquaintance, alright—the kind that ends up well-cooked.

"ROAR!"

"Head Constable, watch out!" the crowd cried in alarm.

Enemies meeting face to face are bound to be filled with resentment; this held as true for beasts as it did for men. While Lu Yuan hadn't immediately recognized the tiger, the tiger had recognized him instantly. Though fifteen years had passed and Lu Yuan’s appearance and physique had undergone massive changes, the aura he carried remained unforgettable. It was neither human nor beast, yet it stirred a deep-seated fear that had never faded.

The giant tiger let out a heaven-shaking roar and lunged like a shadow. Its speed was blinding. The onlookers gasped; even those among them with martial arts training knew they could never have dodged such an attack.

...

Lu Yuan did not dodge. He kept his smile as he watched the tiger strike, simply extending an arm to block it.

"Wuff..."

The tiger clamped its jaws onto Lu Yuan’s arm, biting down with all its might, intending to tear its prey apart as it always did. Yet, no matter how hard it bit, it couldn't tear a single shred of flesh. Not even a hair fell out. It didn't feel like it was biting into meat; it felt like it was biting into steel—a piece of elastic, living steel.

"Good strength."

"Compared to your father, your teeth are better. Your meat should be superior to his, too."

"Thank you for working so hard to become even more delicious over these last fifteen years."

Lu Yuan exerted a slight pressure, the muscles in his arm bulging. The next moment, a crisp *snap* echoed out as the tiger’s fangs shattered completely. Before the beast’s mournful howl could even fade, Lu Yuan’s fist arrived.

*BOOM!*

The fist connected with the tiger’s jaw. Its eyes bloodshot, an invisible shockwave surged into its brain, turning it to mush. The man-eating king, which had claimed hundreds of lives, was killed with a single blow. Before it died, it felt that childhood fear once more—only this time, the fist was far more powerful than the one from its youth.

The giant tiger collapsed to the ground. The onlookers stared at the scene, awestruck.

"Head Constable, you’re invincible!"

"My god, the tiger bit you like that and didn't even break the skin? Head Constable, your body is like iron!"

"Killing a tiger with one punch—that’s terrifying."

"Invincible defense, invincible offense, invincible speed. Put them together, and you have our invincible Head Constable."

"Head Constable, you’ve eaten your fill, but what should we do with the rest of the tiger? This tiger penis..."

"Hey, Old Yang, don't be greedy. You’ve already got the bear’s share; why are you eyeing the tiger’s? Leave some soup for the rest of us!"

"Er-gou, you don't even have a wife, what good is that to you? Instead of wasting money on the ladies at Cuiyuan Pavilion, why not give it to me? At least it’ll keep my home peaceful."

"Handle it however you like, but leave the pelt for me. It’ll make a fine fur coat for Old Lu."

Lu Yuan, having had his fill, had no plans for another meal. He let them divide the carcass, saddled his horse, and left. Before departing, Old Sun wrote on the wall of the ruined temple, "Tiger Menace Eradicated," to warn travelers that the area was safe.

...

In the Great Desert, the Yellow Sand Sect.

"Congratulations on passing the sect trials."

"From today on, you are outer disciples of the Yellow Sand Sect."

"These three volumes are our foundational techniques. You may choose one. Other techniques are kept in the Scripture Pavilion and can be exchanged for with contribution points."

[System Prompt: A sect elder is teaching you techniques. Please choose one.]

[Falling Sand Palm (Yellow), Treading Wind and Sand (Yellow), Gathering Qi Whip (Yellow).]

"Wait, they're actually giving us martial arts? Upon entry? And they're ranked techniques, not that common, trash-tier stuff? Haha, this is amazing!"

"All the suffering over these past few days has finally paid off."

Several players knelt on the ground, weeping with joy. For over a month, they had suffered so much and died so many times just to join the Yellow Sand Sect. They had tried almost every miserable way to die: blown away by the wind, falling to their deaths, swallowed by quicksand, drowned, eaten by soldier ants, dying of pain, heatstroke, or thirst. The road to joining the Yellow Sand Sect had been paved with their lives.

Now, looking at their choices, they felt the sacrifice was worth it. To join the number one sect in the Great Desert—just thinking about it made them tremble with excitement. Simply marvelous!

"Er..."

"Are you going to choose or not?"

The Yellow Sand Sect elder stared at the "Outlanders" before him, looking baffled. It was just a few Yellow-tier techniques—was there really any need to be this worked up? When he was tricked into joining the sect years ago, he hadn't been this excited. *Do these Outlanders not know what good meat tastes like?*

"Elder."

"Speak."

"Does our sect have a technique that allows one to walk beneath the sand?"

The three techniques were good, but one player remembered the first time he was killed by a Yellow Sand Sect disciple. He recalled that the disciple had used a technique similar to earth-burrowing, appearing out of nowhere to slice them to pieces. He wanted to learn that.

"Yes, this one: Treading Wind and Sand."

"Though it is a Yellow-tier technique, if cultivated to the pinnacle, one can tread the wind above and the sand below. Moving without obstruction, you could walk the world alone."

Sand-burrowing techniques weren't rare in the Yellow Sand Sect; many of their arts could achieve this. Treading Wind and Sand was one of them, provided one could reach the pinnacle. Cultivating a technique to the limit was difficult—it required perseverance, talent, and hard work in equal measure. But these people were Outlanders from beyond the heavens; they possessed the traits of immortality and heaven-defying comprehension. As long as they met the cultivation requirements, they could succeed. That was something he envied.

"That’s perfect! Elder, I choose Treading Wind and Sand."

"I choose Falling Sand Palm."

"I’ll take the Gathering Qi Whip."

"Elder, how do we earn contribution points?"

"Good question."

"There is only one way to earn contribution points in the Yellow Sand Sect: kill. Kill anyone who bears a grudge against us. Be they righteous or evil, as long as they are our enemies, kill them. Even if you cause a catastrophe, we elders and the Sect Master will back you up."