Chapter 40: Entering the Second Reversion!

At this moment, Xiang Nan was equally tireless. The purple blood within him grew ever hotter, igniting every cell in his body. The energy, unleashed to the point of overload, burst forth beyond even Xiang Nan's own control.

Anxious and helpless, Xu Jiya watched as a faint purple light flickered in Xiang Nan’s eyes. She could not tell whether this was a blessing or a curse, but for now, it seemed that Xiang Nan’s fighting power was enough to hold back the Blazing Ironclad Tiger.

How could a mere first-tier Regressor—barely at the first stage—stand toe to toe with a third-tier monster?

They had already exchanged hundreds of blows, yet neither had gained the upper hand. Their speed was so great that only two blurred shadows—one black, one white—intertwined in a dizzying dance. The Blazing Tiger spat tongues of flame from time to time, but Xiang Nan always managed to dodge by the narrowest margin. Still, it was clear that such supernatural attacks taxed him greatly.

Xu Jiya longed to help with her hidden weapons, but feared she would only hinder him, just as Tang Yin’s mother’s Thunder Orbs had done more harm than good. All she could do was pace anxiously back and forth, wringing her hands in frustration.

Just then, an electronic chime sounded in Xiang Nan’s mind.

[Ding! Five Wolves Eight Trigrams Staff skill maxed out, compatibility +1%.]

At last, his staff technique was perfected. Only the Shadowless Kick remained.

It was at this moment that the Blazing Tiger lunged at him again. Xiang Nan hurled his staff with all his strength; it crashed against the tiger’s face and bounced away, but barely impeded its furious assault.

“Foshan Shadowless Kick!” Xiang Nan shouted, spinning backward a dizzying two full rotations as the tiger pounced. His long legs lashed out in a wild barrage, each kick a blur, striking with relentless force.

Every blow landed squarely upon the tiger’s head. No matter how tough its armored hide, it could not withstand the onslaught of a hundred rapid-fire kicks. The left side of its striped face was kicked into a surreal, mangled mess.

The Blazing Tiger was utterly stunned. How could this feeble human have so little sense of martial honor, focusing all his attacks on one spot—its face, no less! Did its dignity mean nothing?

Fury consumed the beast. Its jaws gaped wide, releasing a searing tongue of flame nearly a meter across.

I’ll burn you to ashes!

Yet, as if by magic, a thick black cloth appeared in Xiang Nan’s hands, blocking the flames completely. This was nothing more than a market tarp he had tossed into his storage space, but it served perfectly as a shield—far better than he had ever anticipated.

With a deft flick, he whipped the cloth onto the tiger’s head, blinding it utterly.

Now the Blazing Tiger was reduced to a helpless, groping beast.

Xiang Nan leapt into the air. “Foshan Shadowless Kick!”

The sound of impact rang out—thud, thud, thud, thud—dozens of kicks landing in rapid succession. The blinded tiger’s claws flailed wildly, unable to defend itself. When it could see, it might at least swipe back, tearing flesh even as it was struck. But now, it could not even touch Xiang Nan.

He rained hundreds of kicks upon the beast. When the cloth finally fell away, the other side of the tiger’s face was battered beyond recognition—its iron-striped mask now a patchwork more chaotic than abstract art.

[Ding! Shadowless Kick skill maxed out, compatibility +1%.]
[Ding! Congratulations! Compatibility reached 100%. Second regression available.]

The system’s chime filled Xiang Nan’s heart with wild joy. He had waited so long for this moment!

Tonight, with the moon bright and the stars scattered, the celestial energy was abundant. Here, on the fringe of the dense forest, the spiritual aura of heaven and earth was far richer than in the city. Xiang Nan could hardly wait to begin his second regression. With the power of the second stage, would he not easily subdue the Ironclad Blazing Tiger?

But the tiger’s eyes had turned completely red with rage. Its fury had reached its peak, and it was determined to devour the audacious human who dared defy it.

As Xiang Nan hesitated, a system prompt resounded:

[Ding! During regression, the aura of heaven and earth shields your body; no external force can harm you.]

It was like a pillow delivered to a man longing for sleep!

Xiang Nan’s eyes lit up with resolve. He shouted to Xu Jiya, “Jiya, run! Go as far as you can!”

But Xu Jiya refused to leave. She thought Xiang Nan’s words meant he feared the tiger would defeat him, and both of them would become its meal. Her heart was filled with gratitude, sorrow, and unwillingness to part.

“No! If we must die, I’ll die with you!” she cried, tears streaming down her cherubic cheeks.

“Who says we’re going to die?” Xiang Nan’s lips curled into a confident smile. “Don’t worry, I have a way to deal with it. Go find a safe place to hide—I can’t be distracted!”

Hearing this, Xu Jiya, clever as ever, realized Xiang Nan must have a plan. She wiped away her tears, but her concern did not fade. “Alright! I believe you! Brother Xiang Nan, you must survive!”

With that, she bit her lip, gazed deeply at him for a moment, and ran off down the path.

“Brother Xiang Nan, you must survive. Don’t lie to me!” she whispered to herself as she ran.

She did not go far, but found a hiding place nearby.

Once Xu Jiya was out of sight, Xiang Nan composed himself, suppressing the surging purple blood within with a calming incantation.

The next second, he sat down cross-legged, palms facing upward, and began the process of his second regression.

Across from him, the furious Blazing Tiger was incensed beyond measure.

Is this human ignoring me? He’s even closed his eyes! A beast can be slain, but not humiliated!

The mighty Ironclad Blazing Tiger would never allow itself to be scorned by a puny human. With a powerful leap, its four-meter-long body lunged at Xiang Nan. Just as its deadly claws were about to strike, a golden arc of light erupted around Xiang Nan, forming a shield that protected his body.

The tiger’s claws struck the golden light and were instantly repelled by a force so great it sent the beast flying twenty meters back into the forest. Leaves rustled as the tiger crashed through the undergrowth, then sprang up again, more enraged than ever.

If I cannot reach you, I’ll burn you where you sit!

Returning to the clearing, the Blazing Tiger unleashed a torrent of fire, its widest yet—a meter in diameter. Flames engulfed Xiang Nan in an instant.

Yet the golden shield held firm, keeping the inferno at bay. Surrounded by blazing fire, Xiang Nan’s mind remained utterly tranquil as he entered his second regression.

A brilliant white light exploded in his mind. Countless figures of martial sages appeared before him. As in his first regression, he was faced with many choices, but this time, all were masters of the martial world: leaders of the Five Sacred Sects, renowned heirs of martial families, grandmasters of every school…

The system was powerful, but the choices overwhelming.

[Ding! The strongest ancestor for this stage has been selected for the host.]

Suddenly, there stood before him an old man in flowing robes, slender and ethereal, his beard and hair white as snow, appearing as immovable as a mountain.

[Ding! Host’s second regression target: The Earthly Immortal Zhang Sanfeng.]
[Regression fusion in progress… 100%.]