Chapter 279: Chapter 278 Tiger Demon_1 Kong Sheng wasn’t in a hurry, knowing he couldn’t escape anyway. The plump cultivator kept an eye on the refectory, and now with heightened vigilance, it became somewhat inconvenient for Mo Hua to come here to eat. Moreover, Kong Sheng wanted that jade pendant he had. However, his methods had to be covert, and his actions meticulous, so as not to give himself away. Mo Hua began to watch the plump cultivator, observed for a day, and quickly came up with an idea. The plump cultivator would deliver food to the Evil Cultivators as well as to a Monster Beast. This Monster Beast was a Tiger Demon at its first-tier late stage, kept in a separate room and shackled with chains. The chains were also inscribed with Formation Patterns, immobilizing the Tiger Demon completely. Tigers were among the most powerful Monster Beasts on Big Black Mountain; without being constrained by Formations, they were incredibly dangerous. This particular Tiger Demon seemed special with its mixed black and white patterns and a “king” character on its forehead. Kong Sheng guessed that because of its extraordinary bloodline, the Evil Cultivators had captured it and locked it in Black Mountain Stronghold. As to the specific purpose of this Tiger Demon, Mo Hua was unclear. Every day at noon, the plump cultivator would feed the Tiger Demon. But each time, he fed it very little, probably for fear that the Tiger Demon might regain its strength, break free from the chains, and cause trouble. Seeing this, Mo Hua smiled to himself and thought, “if you won’t feed it, then I will.” He picked select pieces of Monster Beast jerky from the refectory and stashed them in his Storage Bag, then quietly sneaked into the prison cell where the Tiger Demon was confined. With a rumbling stomach, the Tiger Demon lay languid on the ground, only to suddenly see a few rough and hard pieces of food appear before it—it was indeed meat. The Tiger Demon blinked, a bit puzzled, but driven by hunger, it couldn’t resist tearing into and eating the jerky. Soon it had devoured all the meat and licked its sharp teeth, still not fully satiated. Mo Hua tossed a few more pieces of meat in front of it. The Tiger Demon fixed its gaze ahead; there was no shadow of a person, but it could sense the presence of a cultivator. It did not know why the cultivator was feeding it, but driven by hunger, it consumed all the meat. Then it discovered that the cultivator’s presence had vanished. The Tiger Demon opened its mouth and let out a low growl. Having eaten its fill to about seventy to eighty percent, its strength also recovered by the same margin, yet it was still restrained by the chains and Formation Patterns, unable to move. A glint of intelligence flashed through the Tiger Demon’s eyes, and then it slowly lay down again, head drooping, eyes closed, pretending it was still hungry. From a distance, Mo Hua caught a glimpse and couldn’t help but feel impressed: “This Tiger Demon is quite clever.” The plump cultivator came to feed it the next day with the same disgruntled expression. He had been scolded by the old man again. Before it was just pastries, now even meat had started going missing. The plump cultivator didn’t understand, who dared to steal from the refectory in the Black Mountain Stronghold? Moreover, he had checked for half a day and hadn’t found a single clue. Aside from him and the old man, there were no other people in the refectory. If no one was stealing, could it be that a ghost was doing it? The plump cultivator gave a snort of derision, then frowned thoughtfully. “Could it be a Concealment Technique?” That would be the only thing capable of escaping a cultivator’s sight. However, the plump cultivator shook his head again. Concealment Techniques weren’t so easy to learn, and within the entire Black Mountain Stronghold, there probably wasn’t a single cultivator who could learn it, much less master it. And even those who were adept in Concealment Techniques weren’t flawless. A Hidden cultivator may deceive the eyes, but not the Divine Sense. He had encountered Hidden cultivators before; although they were invisible to the eye, their traces could be detected by Divine Sense, and with his rich experience in fighting, it only took a few exchanges before he caught the Hidden cultivator and cleaved him with his blade. The plump cultivator was confident that even a cultivator skilled in Concealment Techniques couldn’t elude his Divine Sense, especially not right under his watch. So what exactly was going on? Who stole from the refectory? As he fed the Tiger Demon, his mind kept pondering the dilemma. “` He, however, did not notice that at this moment, in an unseen corner, a delicate little hand was holding a pen, stroke by stroke unlocking the Formation Patterns on the Beast-binding Chain. The plump Cultivator was unaware, but the Tiger Demon’s spirits were instantly lifted. It felt the Formation that was binding it weakening more and more, and when it glanced with the corner of its eye, it saw new Patterns spontaneously appearing on the chain of the Formation, while at the same time, the Formation itself was gradually failing. The eyes of the Tiger Demon flashed with even greater intensity, but it lowered its head to conceal this, listlessly consuming the meager food. The plump Cultivator was still pondering. The more effort he put into thinking, the more bewildered he became, and the more he thought, the more irritated he got. “Damn it!” the plump Cultivator cursed in anger, then seeing the Tiger Demon who was now head down eating, he became even angrier, slapped its forehead, and scolded: “I’m fine with serving people, but to serve a beast like you!” Hitting the Big Tiger was something he did frequently. After all, the Tiger Demon was bound by the Formation and couldn’t move, so venting on it didn’t really matter. The plump Cultivator turned around intending to leave, but after walking only a few steps, he suddenly sensed something was amiss. The ground beneath his feet seemed murky, as if an additional shadow had appeared. At the same time, behind him emerged a thick and fierce aura. The plump Cultivator’s eyes gradually widened. He tilted his head slightly, and with a quick glance backward, he saw the Tiger Demon, which he had just bullied, quietly standing behind him, opening its huge bloodied mouth towards his head. The plump Cultivator was scared out of his wits. “What the hell is going on? How did this cursed beast break free from the chains?!” While terrified, the plump Cultivator desperately spurred on his movement technique, running forward crazily. The Tiger Demon bit down, but because it had been trapped by the Formation for too long and its limbs had stiffened, it was a beat too slow, allowing the plump Cultivator to escape. Seeing this, the plump Cultivator breathed a sigh of relief. Enraged, the Tiger Demon swiftly charged towards the plump Cultivator, striking down with a fierce claw. But at this moment, the plump Cultivator had already adjusted his breath and was prepared; he managed to narrowly dodge the claw. As the Tiger Demon continued to rip and bite, the plump Cultivator relied on his movement technique to engage in a tangled fight. Those who qualify as Sin Cultivators would not have shoddy movement techniques. After several exchanges, the plump Cultivator began to regain his composure, and his expression was no longer panicked. He was at the later stage of Qi Refining, and so was the Tiger Demon. Even if he couldn’t defeat the Tiger Demon, he could definitely protect himself in a short-term skirmish. Moreover, the Tiger Demon was weakened from hunger and prolonged confinement, so it wasn’t at its peak strength. With this thought, the plump Cultivator’s mind settled slightly, and then he sneered: “You cursed beast, just wait and see how I’ll torture you later!” Even if it escaped the chains, the Tiger Demon could not flee Black Mountain Stronghold; it would fall into his hands sooner or later. Next time, he wouldn’t be so courteous. As the Tiger Demon’s fury escalated, its attacks grew more urgent, but the plump Cultivator became increasingly composed. Hidden in the corner, Mo Hua observed for a while and roughly estimated the plump Cultivator’s strength. His Cultivation was Qi Refining Ninth Level, nearing the peak, with an exceptionally good movement technique; the Taoist Skill he practiced was a first-grade Martial Arts called Golden Light Fist. Being a Sin Cultivator accustomed to fighting for survival, he had ample experience. Overall, his strength was slightly weaker than his father, Mo Shan, but stronger than an average Monster Hunter at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining. The plump Cultivator wasn’t highly utilized, not because he was not competent but because he was new and not trusted. In terms of Cultivation, the plump Cultivator was still among the upper-middle ranks of Evil Cultivators. Mo Hua nodded silently to himself. If such was the case, then the average strength of Qi Refining Evil Cultivators would be stronger than that of Monster Hunters. But with Monster Hunters equipped with first-grade armors and Pu Blades, a true confrontation would probably be an even match. Mo Hua felt slightly reassured. Since things had come to this point, the plump Cultivator was of no use anymore. Mo Hua extended her small hand and began to look for an opportunity to use the Water Prison Technique to lock up the plump Cultivator, serving up an extra meal for the Big Tiger.