TFBAT -Chapter 76

If she had to use one word to describe Hu Shu, Chi Yuyang’s mind immediately flashed with “straightforward.”

If she had to use one word to describe Hu Jin, Chi Yuyang thought of… a series of words.

“Loyal, strong, gentle…”

The clan leader’s teachings had helped her understand the meaning of loyalty; strength was inherited from his father’s genes.

At this moment, Chi Yuyang looked at the tiger humanoid before her, said to be related to Hu Jin by blood, and guessed that Hu Jin’s gentleness might come from his mother’s influence.

Hu Li had a refined appearance, his muscles were not as developed as other clan members, and his features and demeanor exuded a scholarly elegance. Were it not for knowing his identity as a tiger humanoid, Chi Yuyang would have thought him more of a bookish type.

She quickly withdrew her gaze.

After all, judging from Hu Jin’s non-aggressive features, he didn’t seem to be one of the clan’s strongest warriors.

A tiger cannot be judged by its looks.

Hu Li gave Chi Yuyang a strange sense of gentleness.

Perhaps it was because his eyes were strikingly similar to Hu Jin’s mother’s.

Yet when Hu Jin smiled, he was even gentler.

Hu Jin spoke first, his voice calm: “Hu Li, long time no see.”

Facing him, the tiger’s lips moved slightly, and his brows lifted, “Cut the formalities. Let’s start!”

His voice, unlike his gentle appearance, was rough and loud—louder even than the clan leader.

The calm aura around him vanished instantly, replaced by an urgent desire to win.

Chi Yuyang was momentarily startled.

This contrast was unexpected.

After speaking, Hu Li immediately nodded toward the clan leader standing not far away.

He was eager to begin the tiger fight, unwilling even to exchange pleasantries.

He had waited for this day for a long time.

Hu Jin didn’t care much about the match location; when registering, he didn’t know where Hu Li would be, so the location for each tiger fight was chosen by the opponent.

Hu Li hadn’t registered either.

Thus, the clan leader set the location in front of his own cave.

As Hu Jin and Chi Yuyang hid inside the clan leader’s cave to rest, some clan members lingered nearby, while others arrived gradually, drawn by the news.

Voices of discussion drifted into Chi Yuyang’s ears.

Most of them had heard that Hu Li would be fighting here.

Because of the tournament system, last year’s newly adult Hu Jin had fewer matches.

Another reason was that after reaching adulthood, Hu Jin hadn’t stayed in the clan for long.

As a result, aside from tigers of the same age, few clan members could match his face to his name. But many were familiar with Hu Li and knew his strength.

Hu Li was extremely popular in the clan, while Hu Jin’s reputation was not particularly positive.

There were whispers in the clan that Hu Jin had only won due to luck.

Hu Shu listened attentively and felt the urge to defend her friend.

Her partner grabbed her just in time.

Hu Shu took a deep breath.

She believed that after today, more tigers in the clan would know of Hu Jin’s existence.

Thinking of this, Hu Shu grinned and linked arms with Chi Yuyang, finding a seat by the clan leader’s side.

Caught up in the excitement, Chi Yuyang smiled as well.

She was always more sensitive about Hu Jin than others.

Clearly, the clan was more interested in Hu Li, and although they didn’t look at Hu Jin with the same ferocity as the other young tigers, their gaze carried hints of disdain and doubt.

Unless a humanoid tiger was at the brink of advancement, the gap between a fourth-tier and third-tier fighter was immense. Hu Jin defeating a third-tier opponent in one strike was unexpected, yet plausible.

Chi Yuyang also caught a slightly childish “ao ao” sound.

She looked back.

A few steps away, a female was whispering.

She held a round little tiger in her arms, and its large eyes stared straight at Hu Jin.

Chi Yuyang tried to read her lips.

“White-eared… Silver… Father… different clan…”

She seemed to miss a few words, but she guessed the mother was talking about Hu Jin.

Chi Yuyang wanted to observe further, but a conversation behind her interrupted her thoughts.

“Hey, look at that female over there. She’s not tiger clan, right? Whose mate is she?”

“Sitting next to the clan leader probably means she’s the mate of one of the two tigers in today’s match, right?”

“Hu Li’s? Judging by her outsider looks, she could be the silver-haired, snow-eared one.”

“I think so too.”

Hu Shu turned her head first and gave the two females, speaking at full volume, a warning glare.

Chi Yuyang, however, smiled faintly.

Though their assumption about her being Hu Jin’s mate was somewhat strange, it wasn’t as offensive as the other women’s comments.

Hu Jin’s gaze also flicked over; his ears twitched slightly.

“Hu Jin, focus on the match,” Chi Yuyang whispered.

Seeing his mate calm, Hu Jin shifted his gaze and exchanged a brief look with the clan leader.

“Begin.” The clan leader’s hands clenched behind his back.

The fighting spirit in both tigers ignited instantly, and the oppressive aura spread across the arena.

Hu Li took a step back, adopting a defensive stance.

Contrary to his earlier eagerness, his movements were careful and deliberate.

Until he gauged the opponent’s true strength, Hu Li would not act rashly.

Hu Shu explained the situation to Chi Yuyang, who couldn’t sense the tiger humanoids’ aura.

“Hu Jin and Hu Li’s battle auras are evenly matched, but it seems Hu Jin has a slight upper hand.”

The essence of a tiger fight was hand-to-hand combat, which rarely had any elegance.

Even so, Chi Yuyang watched Hu Jin without blinking. When she heard Hu Shu’s comment, her hands clenched tightly.

In unarmed combat, one’s own strength decides the outcome.

Chi Yuyang, familiar with Hu Jin’s movements, could also read his thoughts from his subtle expressions.

This was a formidable opponent.

Hu Jin’s lips were pressed tightly.

His tail no longer twitched randomly, lying straight along his back, while a few soft hairs on his ears swayed slightly in the wind.

Hu Jin lowered his gaze, interlaced his fingers, and carefully flexed his joints.

Normally, he preferred to strike first.

But judging by Hu Li’s aura, this opponent was evenly matched.

Hu Jin appeared to be thinking, but in reality, he was searching for Hu Li’s weakness.

Hu Li stepped back again.

His foot accidentally landed on a fallen leaf, producing a faint crunch.

It seemed like the signal to start.

All the tigers’ throats tightened in anticipation.

Yet Chi Yuyang didn’t hear it—her focus was on Hu Jin’s movement.

The next moment, he appeared close to Hu Li’s right side, forming a fist aimed at his chest.

Hu Li instinctively blocked with his arm, his pupils shrinking slightly in response to the pain.

Hu Jin was stronger than he had expected.

Hu Li gritted his teeth and reached for Hu Jin’s wrist.

The fair wrist, unmarked by stripes, could still overpower him.

He would let him taste second place.

Being so close to the ultimate victor, Hu Li was not a paper tiger.

He composed himself, relaxing his face, but his left hand clenched a fist behind his back.

Chi Yuyang suppressed a gasp.

She couldn’t make a sound, or it would affect Hu Jin.

She noticed that Hu Li’s fist glowed faintly silver.

The scene seemed familiar.

Chi Yuyang couldn’t recall where she had seen it, but her subconscious warned her—this attack was dangerous.

Hu Jin’s expression remained unchanged, though his figure seemed slightly blurred.

As Hu Li’s fist approached, he closed his fingers together and met it with his palm.

“Palm to fist—Hu Jin’s move is rather reckless.”

A comment from behind made Hu Shu frown, but Chi Yuyang remained silent.

No.

Chi Yuyang thought.

Hu Jin’s real target was…

The palm wind shifted like ripples in midair, then struck Hu Li’s neck at an extremely strange angle.

Hu Li tried to defend, but realized too late—he couldn’t dodge.

The metallic taste of blood sharpened his senses.

Words kept echoing in his mind:

—“Hu Li, next year’s champion will be you.”

The first time he placed second, his mother and friends comforted him thus.

—“Hu Li, that newly adult tiger was just lucky last year. Next year, you will…”

The second time, still second.

—“Hu Li, what was your ranking last year?”

—“Past results don’t matter. I believe you can win this year.”

If he didn’t take first place this time, what was the meaning of his year-long effort?

No one cared about second place.

Now, last year’s champion was right in front of him.

Hu Li lifted his head, eyes full of ruthlessness and determination.

The clan’s strongest tiger humanoid?

Hu Jin, sensing the approaching danger, narrowed his eyes.

He glanced briefly at Chi Yuyang.

Hu Li interpreted it as Hu Jin disregarding him.

“Ao wu!”

Chi Yuyang froze.

Other than Hu Jin, could any tiger humanoid produce a tiger roar in human form?

The next moment, a thunderclap fell.

Hu Li was about to advance? The clan leader was shocked.

Before the echo faded, another thunderclap struck.

Intertwining with the first, it dimmed the sunlight itself.

The usually composed clan leader almost shouted.

At that moment, Hu Jin swiftly dashed toward Chi Yuyang, covering her ears.

“Hu Jin!” the clan leader shouted.

“During the tiger fight… you can’t… and you…”

His voice was shattered by the thunder, yet it couldn’t mask the increasing roar.

“Ao wu wu—”

“It’s a beast tide!” Hu Shu exclaimed. “The clan members guarding the outskirts report a beast tide approaching!”

The surrounding tiger humanoids looked shocked, but Hu Jin calmly held Chi Yuyang’s hand.

It was as if he had anticipated the beast tide.

“My wife, you go with Hu Shu to the cave first.”

The roar continued, more information flowing in.

The clan leader exchanged a look with the shaman.

“Males, come with me to face the beast tide. Shaman, take the females to safety!”

Hu Jin kissed Chi Yuyang on the forehead, reluctant to leave.

“My wife, stay close to Hu Shu. I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay.” Chi Yuyang obediently nodded.

From their earlier conversation, she had guessed the beast tide would arrive—just not so soon.

“I’ll come back and win,” Hu Jin added.

With that, he transformed into his tiger form.

The white tiger nuzzled Chi Yuyang’s ear lightly.

Before she could react, it became a blur and vanished into the forest depths.

“Ao wu!”

Hu Li froze, staring at his own wrist.

After hearing Hu Jin’s roar, he regained focus and transformed to follow the main group.

His tiger form, like the other clan members, was yellow with black stripes.

Chi Yuyang stood silently, watching the direction Hu Jin had gone.

Hu Shu, noticing her wistful gaze, teased, “You miss him already, and he just left?”

“No.” Chi Yuyang touched her ear; warmth still lingered at the tip.

“Hu Shu, just now, for a moment, I saw Hu Jin’s black stripes disappear.”

After speaking, she looked up among the brownish-yellow forest, searching for that unique white.

Hu Jin was incredibly fast.

Hu Shu confirmed that he had indeed left their sight.

“I didn’t see Hu Jin,” she said as she led Chi Yuyang into the cave, “Are you sure you saw correctly?”

Chi Yuyang didn’t answer.