[I have swallowed almost every pills I can, and now, it has paid off!] Wang Ling's cultivation was rising. From peak middle-energy palace stage, he entered late-energy palace stage without halt.

It was bizarre and scary. Many people had to spend countless of nights before managing to break through a certain stage in cultivation. But Wang Ling just broke through here without any problems.

But what he did wasn't a coincidence. He had ingested dozens of pills before he started the fight with the Black Tiger with this reason in mind. However, that's not all he did as he also used the pressure from the Black Tiger's assault to ensure that he will be able to forcefully refine the pills that was inside him.

The numerous assault of qi that entered his body was enough to refine the cumulative qi that had built-up inside his energy palace. Wang Ling had been focusing on both inside and outside, that he was thrown around like a body bag.

He was unable to focus solely on the fight. For him to survive this long was actually something that is commendable. It was something that even Wang Ling could not believe and was force to let out a smile.

Not that the Black Tiger was weak, no, it was far from being one. The Black Tiger was strong, terrifyingly so, but it seemed like it was holding back… or most likely, it was starting to get used to its newly freed body.

Wang Ling was sure that the longer the fights draws, the stronger this Black Tiger would become. At the moment, the Black Tiger was already a pinnacle-energy palace stage. This beast is not something he had seen before and was something that should be above this realm.

For it to only be a match to some high-level pinnacle-energy palace stage savage beast that Wang Ling could match at his current strength at middle-energy palace stage cultivation was absurd.

The signs of the Black Tiger getting stronger as it stayed free was getting more apparent. It was starting to use different techniques and was also beginning to use strange shapeshifting abilities.

Wang Ling knew that this Black Tiger had yet to show him its true power. Wang Ling was sure that if this Black Tiger gets use to moving again, he won't able to survive. Was this beast so strong that he won't be able to beat the instant it gets used to moving around.

With that in thought, Wang Ling took out the last five pills that was inside his storage ring and popped it into this mouth. These five pills were the best pills he had pillaged from the Soaring Wind Empire people.

These pills were all peak grade 2 pill. He had wanted to use these pills for his break through the foundational phase and reach the first boundary realm. However, this is not the time to be choosy as he need to get stronger and match this Black Tiger, if he acts stingy, he will die.

Seeing Wang Ling eat those pills, the Black Tiger seemed to have realized what Wang Ling wanted to do and raised a brow. It looked at him full of interest as it understood that the human that it was fighting was attempting to make another breakthrough.

But was a breakthrough so easy to achieve? Not considering the foundation being affected because of multiple forced breakthroughs. Death will also follow if the body is not strong enough.

"Hahaha, do you think you can achieve breakthroughs one after another? You fool, what you're doing is only going to kill you!" Looking at Wang Ling with disdain, the Black Tiger continued, "If breakthroughs are so easily achieved, then meditation and grasping the mysteries of cultivation won't be necessary! Why don't you just let me eat you here and now? Eating a corpse isn't as tasty as eating a live human after all."

"Cultivation is mysterious, Black Tiger, don't lump me with other humans. Just as you are special, I am too. With that said, are you really a Tiger? Those wings of yours does not belong to you does it?"

"Hmph, what do you know! These wings is mine, no matter what anyone says, these are mine!" roaring, the Black Tiger suddenly dashed forward as if it was angered by his words.

This was a surprise to Wang Ling but he did not have time to act leisurely and enjoy a pleasant talk with this beast. Wang Ling's Devil's Pupils revolved and reflected a very dangerous light. His Ocean's Lull was spread out to its fullest and he became alerted by his surroundings.

A split second after the Black Tiger suddenly moved in against him, a giant figure appeared before him that was trying to split him into two parts with its two sharp claws. Wang Ling had no time to waste and reacted with lightning speed.

Clang!

He perfectly parried the claw!

Clang!

Another one was parried.

Clang!

Cla-Cla-Cla-Cla-Cla-Cla-Cla-Clangg!

Their speed that was already terrifying was beginning increase. Wang Ling's already terrifying physique was, at this moment beginning to change as his cultivation stabilized and the remaining spirit qi he had just ingested from the five peak grade 2 pills started getting assimilated within every fiber of his being.

The Black Tiger was also not losing out in terms of improvement. Its claws that was enlarged with the use of its Phantom Claws were beginning to become smaller and condensed.

Slowly, the claws were moving more naturally and in a much refined manner. Its hulking body that was over three meters large was also beginning to become smaller as their exchange continued.

At the moment, its three meter large body was already a small as two and a half meters. Its movements were beginning to become faster and the fog that was beneath its paws were beginning to become denser and realistic.

Their improvements were terrifying. One would think that their improvement was inhuman… given that the two of them were indeed inhuman as one was a beast from times of the past and the other was a devil that came from the previous era.

The two were monster of their own rights.

The wind howled as they continued to clash. Their clashes were so intense that a cyclone was beginning to form around the area where they were fighting.

"AAAHHHH!!"

"ROARRRRR!!"

The two of them was roaring as the wind began to sweep the trees below. One was releasing an aura of slaughter and destruction while the other was releasing an aura of pure ferocity and savageness.

They were equal, no one was above nor was anyone below. They moved at the same speed and their strength were the same as well. If one wanted to triumph over the other, a variable must be present to send ripples to the situation.

However, that wanted variable was not coming any time soon. Their fight was too intense and too balance. Their clashes began to move as they tried to move in different angles of attack.

They tried moving above their opponents while also trying to attack the other party below. Their clashes that was only intensifying was brought upon destruction to the White Dragon Valley.

The land was unearthed and various craters were created. What used to be the habitats of the savage beasts were destroyed. Not that destroying the White Dragon Valley would actually matter anyway.

The beasts of the White Dragon Valley were already almost instinct. What used to be the hunting grounds for various powers was now a lifeless valley. Almost every savage beasts inside the White Dragon Valley was drained by the Black Tiger.

Wang Ling and the Black Tiger would occasionally come upon a few corpses of savage beasts and humans as they fought. Wang Ling's eyes managed to chance upon the storage rings that was on the fingers of the human corpses that was flying all over the place with his Devil's Pupils.

Although he found it a waste not being able to harvest their wealth for himself, Wang Ling did not break his concentration and faced against the monstrosity that was the Black Tiger.

Their fight had now lasted for more than four hours, the two was beginning to feel tired. No matter how strong they were, their spirit qi was still limited. After fighting for hours, they were nearly running out of energy.

They were trying to catch their breath, but no one wanted to take the chance and die because they stopped moving from being too tired. The two of them knew how dangerous one another was, they were both careful on this fight.

But as the fight went on and their strengths grew more and more, Wang Ling felt that his cultivation had finally reached the peak. The two grade 2 pills were doing its job.

Without wasting any time, he went ahead and clashed once again with the Black Tiger and used the pressure from it to break through another level. He used his sword and met with the Black Tiger's claw and with a bang, Wang Ling sent the Black Tiger flying as his cultivation suddenly had a breakthrough.

Two simultaneous breakthroughs in the span of a single day was not something that anyone can do. However, Wang Ling managed to do it with the help of his cosmic foundations and superb cultivation technique.

Wang Ling's power surged and began to fight like a devil. He finally gained the upper hand and was starting to create dozens of slashes in mere seconds.

The Black Tiger noticed this and roared at Wang Ling before pouncing forward as it denied what was happening. It was a proud ruler of beasts that once ruled over countless beings.

The pride it had was not something a mere human can comprehend. For it to lose to someone as weak as Wang Ling, the Black Tiger suddenly felt a burning passion and crazing for destruction.

The Black Tiger's blood essence immediately turned into a sea of flames. The now two meter large Black Tiger began to emit terrifying aura of slaughter that was even denser than Wang Ling's.

What's more is that the aura of slaughter was not alone as another aura was there. It was the fierce aura of a true Sovereign and Tyrant, the Tiger. Two different beings suddenly emerged behind the Black Tiger.

It was the Phoenix it had devoured and a Black Tiger that looked exactly like it. The ignition of its bloodline had started.

A sudden burst of power emerged from deep within the Black Tiger. It looked at Wang Ling with ferocity and roared to the heavens.

"ROARRR!!!"

The roar was fierce and the image of the Phoenix and the Black Tiger behind it also did what it did. The illusory image of the Black Tiger Roared and a black fog covered its body and started to emit dark gold light. The Phoenix burst into flames and looked like a ball of flames that was so hot that it made the air pop.

Wang Ling saw this, did the same as the Black Tiger and ignited his blood essence. His blood churned as his whole being changed.

The black tattoo that only took so little space started to spread. Soon, his back was filled with black patterns. The black patters emitted a devilish light that almost made him stronger by a fold.

But Wang Ling knew, that this was now enough. He even drew power from his Hell Spark and gained the chaotic energy of flames. The Hell Spark was not flames yet, but it still improved his current conditions.

Wang Ling that was emitting devilish might stood against the Black Tiger that had two illusory figure of a Black Tiger and a blazing Phoenix. The two of them stared at one another before letting out another heaven shaking roar to rouse themselves up.

They dashed forth and tried to take the title of victorious for themselves.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!"

"ROOOOAAAAARRRRR!!!"

Ssssshhhh!!!

Boom!

Two different force clashed and an explosion that made a towering cloud of dust appear in the depths of the White Dragon Valley.

The dust started to settle and no shadow could be seen standing. A crater was now formed that spread over tens of meters in radius, in the middle of the crater were two figures.

One was a bloodied human and the other was an also bloodied beast. The two of them was unconscious and no one seem to have won that fight.

But something weird had now come into full view, beside Wang Ling was no Black Tiger nor a Phoenix, beside him was a Snow Fox that had been injured.

====

authors note: the arc of the White Dragon Valley is now over, also, sorry about the short chapters, I intended to finish the fight last chapter but I have finals to take care of. I still have exams but I should still be able to continue updating regularly.

Thank you and please vote.

Oh, tell me what you think about the plot twist.