At first, he just looked up at Yang Nian, but seeing Yang Nian still approaching, he quickly stood up and roared at Yang Nian. Even from afar, Yang Nian could smell the foul odor from the tiger's mouth. Seeing the opponent roar at him, Yang Nian knew he had entered the opponent's territory and that it would definitely charge at him.
As soon as Yang Nian raised his longsword, the body that had been pacing on the spot before rushed over. Yang Nian seized the opportunity and stabbed the longsword towards the tiger's neck, but it only penetrated about half a foot before he felt it couldn't go any further. It must have hit bone.
Yang Nian immediately felt that things were bad. If this sword didn't kill the opponent, its next attack would definitely be fierce. Yang Nian didn't pull out the longsword; it hung on his neck like that.
He then fell to the side and rolled, dodging the tiger's two front paws. After landing, the tiger swiped at the longsword with its front paws, pulling it out. Not much blood flowed; this attack wouldn't kill it.
Yang Nian had no choice but to draw the dagger from his lower back. It would be difficult to keep the tiger hide intact now. Seeing the tiger pounce at him again, Yang Nian charged forward as well.
He jumped up, stomped hard on the tiger's head with his foot, and then grabbed a branch, flipping himself up. Seeing this, the tiger immediately leaped at the tree and began to climb. As it reached the first branch, Yang Nian jumped down from the tree towards the tiger, plunging his dagger fiercely into the tiger's eye and quickly jumping down the tree after pulling out the dagger.
After this successful strike, the tiger, in pain, went berserk. It roared at Yang Nian and ran towards him again. Yang Nian didn't confront it directly.
As the tiger leaped up, he moved aside, but he thrust his dagger into the tiger's neck. The entire edge of the dagger disappeared into the tiger's neck, and Yang Nian quickly pulled it out. He immediately turned and ran to the side.
Now, he just had to wait for the opponent to die. He was only afraid of the final counterattack. When the dagger was pulled out, blood began to pour out like water.
It was best to stay away at this time; getting injured would be inconvenient. If he could have severed the tiger's head with one blow, he wouldn't have to worry about these things. Yang Nian watched from a treetop as the tiger roared and crashed around below.
After a quarter of an hour, seeing the tiger collapse and unable to move, Yang Nian waited on the tree for a while longer before descending. From a distance, he used a branch to throw it at the tiger's corpse. Seeing no reaction, Yang Nian stepped forward and put the tiger's corpse into his storage bag, but he found it seemed he couldn't.
After he took everything out, he could then put the tiger's corpse in. He then put in some important items bit by bit. Finally, he found some clothes, dry rations, and bean dregs for feeding the horse that couldn't be stored.
He immediately ate some and burned what he couldn't take. After resting for a while, Yang Nian started walking back. When he was close to Sūmíng City, Yang Nian found a secluded spot and took out the tiger's corpse, preparing to put it on the horse.
However, the horse became agitated just seeing the tiger. There was no other way. Yang Nian put the tiger back into the storage bag, rode the horse into the city, borrowed a carriage from the innkeeper, bought a piece of ragged burlap, found a place outside the city and put the horse-drawn carriage on the ground.
He led the horse to a turn and tied it up a long distance from the carriage. He went back and took out the tiger's corpse again, placed it on the carriage, and covered it with burlap. He didn't cover it for fear that the horse would refuse to work if it saw the tiger's corpse.
Originally, he only wanted to take the tiger hide and nothing else, but now he was short of silver, and it was just a little more trouble. After covering it, the horse was very obedient, unlike the first time when it almost lost control. He deliberately waited outside the city before entering.
When entering the city, Yang Nian intentionally exposed the tiger's tail and one foot, wanting people to make an offer. Sure enough, as soon as he reached the entrance of the restaurant, he saw a middle-aged man on horseback from the opposite street ride up to him and say, "Young man, is that a big bug on the carriage?" Yang Nian saw that there were only three people and said, "What?
I just hunted it today and plan to sell it tomorrow." The other party was overjoyed to hear Yang Nian's words and said, "My master heard that someone hunted a big bug today and specifically sent me to ask if you would sell it." "I'll sell it, but I don't know what price you can offer.
I'll tell you, my tiger hide is very good, with only one cut, and no damage elsewhere," Yang Nian said. The other party then said, "May I see it, young man? I'll make an offer after I see it!"
Yang Nian replied, "Then you follow me! We'll go to the inn backyard to unload the horses first, otherwise these horses will get out of control again." Saying that, Yang Nian walked towards the back of the inn.
After leading the horses away, Yang Nian lifted the cloth and saw a cut on the neck and a stab wound on the eye. Because the two cuts on the neck were very close, Yang Nian had already enlarged them with his dagger on the mountain to form one large opening. Moreover, when skinning it later, he would make a cut in this position, so it would not affect the price of the hide at all.
The men had just taken a look when a rough voice of a big man came from outside the door: "I heard there's a young man who hunted a fierce tiger today. Are you selling it?" The middle-aged man frowned slightly upon hearing this voice.
Before Yang Nian could say anything, the big man who had just entered saw that the tiger only had two cuts and asked, "Are there really only these two cuts on the tiger?" Yang Nian said, "Yes, I put a lot of effort into this tiger hide." Both parties looked at Yang Nian with a strange expression.
Then the first person who arrived said, "This fierce tiger wasn't killed by just you, was it?" Yang Nian nodded and turned the tiger over for them to see. The middle-aged man said, "Young man, you have great skill.
Do you have a price in mind?" Yang Nian frowned slightly upon hearing this and said, "I've never sold such game before. How much silver can you offer?"
The big man immediately bid, "I'll offer one hundred taels. I haven't seen such fine tiger hide in many years!" The middle-aged man heard the big man's words and said, "Gang Leader Guo, my master also heard from his servants that a young man brought a tiger into the city today and sent me to see if he would sell it.
My master also said that if the quality is good, he can offer one hundred and fifty taels of silver. I'm not trying to offend you, Gang Leader Guo, but we servants can only do as our master instructs. I hope Gang Leader Guo will forgive me for any offense."
Yang Nian knew from the middle-aged man's words that this big man was not of low origin. After hearing this, the big man said, "This tiger isn't very big. How about this, I'll offer one hundred and sixty taels.
What do you think, young man? If you agree, I'll have someone come and take it away right now." Seeing that the middle-aged man had no further offer, Yang Nian nodded, "Then thank you, Gang Leader Guo.
I was actually looking for medicinal materials in that valley today when I encountered this tiger. I almost didn't make it back, my brother." "Young man, don't be so modest.
You killed this tiger by yourself, and the hide is completely intact. Even if I encountered it, I might not have your skill," the big man said. Just then, a middle-aged scholar entered through the door, handed a bag to Gang Leader Guo, who weighed it and then handed it to Yang Nian.
Yang Nian took it without opening it, just feeling its weight in his hand, knowing it was about the right amount. The first man who arrived cupped his hands to Gang Leader Guo and said, "Congratulations, Gang Leader Guo, on obtaining this fierce tiger. May you be even more powerful in the future.
I will return to report to my master now."