ROAR!
The black tiger threw its head back and let out a thunderous roar.
The entire forest trembled.
The shockwave exploded outward, sending trees crashing down in a hundred-meter radius. The force was so powerful that the very air seemed to ripple, and countless leaves were shredded to dust.
The sound carried for dozens of kilometers, startling countless creatures into fleeing in terror.
Yet—
Luo Chuan remained completely unmoved.
He stood there calmly, untouched by the destruction around him.
This was the power of his Invincible BUFF.
The black tiger's golden eyes widened in disbelief.
"My bloodline… It actually improved?!"
Its voice trembled.
As a monster, it understood the importance of bloodline better than anything.
To beasts, bloodline was everything—just like how a human's aptitude determined their potential.
The purer the bloodline, the faster the cultivation speed, the stronger the abilities, and the greater the future.
Yet bloodline was something determined at birth. Even with breakthroughs in strength, improving it was agonizingly slow.
But now—
A single bottle of water had changed everything.
It could feel it—the transformation in its body, the raw power coursing through its veins, the purity of its own essence rising to new heights.
It was an impossible miracle.
An Offer… Or a Command?
Luo Chuan's voice remained as indifferent as ever.
"So? How about becoming my mount?"
The black tiger froze.
Its heart told it to reject the idea outright—monsters prided themselves on their strength, their independence.
Becoming a mount for a human?
That was shameful.
But then, reason kicked in.
Monsters are never slaves…
Unless the other side provides food and shelter.
The black tiger quickly adjusted its mentality.
This wasn't slavery. This was… an opportunity.
A single bottle of that water had improved its bloodline.
What other treasures did this human possess?
What other benefits could it gain?
It made up its mind.
With great dignity, it spoke:
"It would be… my honor to serve as your mount, Senior!"
By the time the black tiger had finished speaking, all traces of the beating it had received earlier were gone.
Its body was stronger, its fur sleeker, and its golden markings shimmered with power.
Luo Chuan gave a small nod of approval.
Without hesitation, he jumped onto the tiger's back, crossing his legs as if he were sitting on a comfortable lounge chair.
Despite its previous colossal size, the tiger's body had shrunk slightly after its bloodline enhancement—now just around ten meters long.
Still, it was more than large enough.
Luo Chuan sat there, perfectly at ease, as the black tiger rose into the air.
An invisible aura shield formed around them, blocking out the rushing wind.
The ride was… smooth.
He nodded to himself.
This tiger knows what it's doing.
As they soared through the sky, the black tiger finally spoke.
"Senior, are you here for the ancient relic as well?"
Luo Chuan thought for a moment, then replied casually:
"I suppose so."
The black tiger paused.
What does that even mean?
It seemed… uncertain?
Sure enough, the High Priest was right—trying to understand the minds of top human cultivators was impossible.
The black tiger gave up trying to make sense of it.
Instead, it asked something else.
"Senior, with your strength, why didn't you just fly from the beginning?"
"I didn't feel like it."
"...?"
That was it?
That was the only reason?
"Senior, you…"
The black tiger hesitated, then continued asking one question after another.
It had been too curious for its own good.
And now—
Luo Chuan was beginning to regret his decision.
This tiger… was way too talkative!
The questions continued.
"Senior, are you an elder from one of the great sects?"
"No."
"Then are you a rogue cultivator? A hidden master?"
"No. I run a store."
The black tiger almost choked on air.
"A… store?"
Luo Chuan was already growing impatient.
"Yes. A store."
The black tiger blinked rapidly.
It had expected many things.
This was not one of them.
"Senior… you're joking, right?"
"What would I gain from lying?" Luo Chuan's tone was flat.
"...Then… What does your store sell?"
"The mineral water you just drank is one of my store's products."
The black tiger shuddered violently.
For a brief moment, it lost control of its flight—its entire body jerked midair, nearly tossing Luo Chuan off.
A Pathseeker-level beast losing control like that?
Unheard of.
That alone showed just how shocked it was.
"You… You mean to tell me…"
It steadied itself, but its voice still trembled.
"That divine elixir I drank… was just a store product?!"
"Yes."
The black tiger felt lightheaded.
This was beyond comprehension.
"Senior… that sounds too ridiculous!"
A mystical, bloodline-enhancing artifact being sold in a store?
What kind of insane establishment was this?!
For the first time in its life—
The black tiger realized something.
It had stepped into the world of a true monster.
And that monster… was Luo Chuan.