127 Mastering the Fusion of "Spirit" and "Sound": The Tiger's Roar

The events at security were merely a minor interlude, and Du Ruo paid them no mind. The two women felt the same; although they had not witnessed the full extent of Du Ruo’s capabilities, they had gained a profound understanding of him.

Naturally, curiosity remained, but their relationship had not yet reached a point where it was appropriate to pry. Pushing too hard when the bond wasn't deep enough could easily lead to a situation where they might not even be able to remain friends.

The four-hour journey passed quickly. The three sat in a row, with Li Qiyao in the middle playing a movie on her phone, making the time fly.

However, after smelling another passenger eating instant noodles, Xiang Yuanyuan became insistent on having some as well. Unfortunately, after checking, she found that the high-speed train did not sell them, leaving her to gaze longingly at others enjoying their meal.

"When we head back, we must buy noodles before getting on the train. I’m going to eat two bowls."

Even as the three arrived at their destination and were walking out, Xiang Yuanyuan was still grumbling about it.

"Yes, yes, we’ll eat noodles together then. But for now, where are we going, and what shall we eat?"

Li Qiyao placated her with a perfunctory smile, checked the time, and began to inquire about their plans.

"Let’s get lunch first. I’ve booked a hotel right by West Lake. After we eat, we’ll stroll around the lake, find some late-night snacks, and then head to the zoo early tomorrow morning before returning."

Du Ruo laid out the plan. It was already past two in the afternoon, and none of them had eaten, so a trip to the zoo was out of the question for the day.

"Mmh, sounds good."

The itinerary was settled. Instead of leaving the high-speed rail station, they took the subway directly toward West Lake. Li Qiyao was quite familiar with the area. As they chatted, they experienced the Hangzhou subway system.

"Qi, you really know this place well."

Xiang Yuanyuan linked arms with Li Qiyao; the two made for quite a striking sight on the train.

"I went to college here. I used to take the subway everywhere back then, though things have changed quite a bit since."

Li Qiyao finished her sentence and stared out the window, lost in thought, perhaps recalling memories from the past.

"Isn't it normal for things to change? You’ve changed a lot too—you’re completely different from when we first met."

Xiang Yuanyuan seemed to sense what Li Qiyao was thinking and quickly offered a gentle comfort.

"Mmh."

Li Qiyao smiled, her eyes curving into crescent moons, looking incredibly affectionate.

"That beauty has such a lovely smile. When she looked over and smiled, I felt like I was falling in love."

Du Ruo’s hearing was sharp. When Li Qiyao smiled, a young student-like man nearby couldn't help but steal a few glances before whispering to his companion.

"In love, my foot! That’s called 'peach blossom eyes.' Even if she smiled at a dog, that dog would feel like it was being deeply cherished."

His companion retorted, though his own eyes couldn't help but drift toward Li Qiyao and Xiang Yuanyuan.

"..."

The two men spoke in hushed tones, but Du Ruo heard every word. He couldn't help but smile; drawing such gazes was a common occurrence when walking with these two women. However, it was rare to find people as frank as these two; most others kept such thoughts to themselves.

"We’re here! Let’s go have some West Lake vinegar fish."

Once they reached the station, Xiang Yuanyuan dragged Li Qiyao toward the exit, with Du Ruo following silently behind.

The subway exit was right by the lake, and Li Qiyao took the lead. As if performing a magic trick, she pulled a parasol from her bag, shared it with Xiang Yuanyuan, and led the way while introducing the sights along the path.

There were many tourists around West Lake; even the afternoon sun couldn't dampen their enthusiasm.

Since it wasn't peak dining time, the restaurant Li Qiyao chose, though located by the lake, was not crowded. They even managed to secure a window seat with a view of the water.

They ordered a table full of food. Both Li Qiyao and Xiang Yuanyuan knew Du Ruo’s appetite—they knew he would finish whatever they ordered. To ensure Xiang Yuanyuan could taste as much of Hangzhou’s cuisine as possible, they nearly ordered the entire menu, including, of course, the West Lake vinegar fish that she had been pestering them about.

"How is it? Is it to your taste?"

Li Qiyao took a few bites of everything before checking in with the others.

Du Ruo had often heard people call Hangzhou a "culinary desert." Having never tried it, he hadn't wanted to voice an opinion, but now that he had, he had a few thoughts:

"Perhaps it’s a matter of preference. I prefer bolder flavors, and the food here is quite light and leans toward the sweet side. I’m not quite used to it."

Du Ruo spoke with high emotional intelligence, but adhering to the principle of not wasting food, he continued to eat heartily.

"It’s not good, especially the fish. I think even if Ya-Ya would eat it, Mao-Mao certainly wouldn't."

Xiang Yuanyuan’s reply was less tactful. She frowned as she swallowed the piece of fish. Being from Fujian, where people love fish and are particularly skilled at preparing it, she was certain that if such a dish were served on a Fujianese table, it would be met with outrage.

"?"

Du Ruo looked up. He felt that Ya-Ya had been insulted, but upon closer reflection, he somewhat agreed with Xiang Yuanyuan. As long as it was fish, Ya-Ya would likely not refuse it, even if it were raw—and if she did refuse, she would at least take a bite first.

Li Qiyao sat to the side, giggling while refilling Du Ruo’s tea.

By the end of the meal, Xiang Yuanyuan had only tasted a few bites before finishing two small steamed buns, which was enough for her. As it was getting late, the three strolled around the lake. At Xiang Yuanyuan’s suggestion, they rented a boat for a tour on the water.

They played until nightfall, when Xiang Yuanyuan became hungry again. They found a late-night street food stall, but since Xiang Yuanyuan couldn't drink, she could only watch longingly as Du Ruo enjoyed his beer and barbecue. They didn't feel like they had truly indulged, and eventually, they headed to the hotel, mostly because Du Ruo felt guilty about eating in front of her.

The next morning, after waking up, Du Ruo went to the lakefront to practice his boxing and stretch his body. Li Qiyao roused a sleepy Xiang Yuanyuan, and they headed downstairs to exercise as well.

Xiang Yuanyuan had changed a lot. Sometimes she wasn't sure if giving up alcohol was good for her or not; she had started eating more staples, sleeping later, and lingering in bed. Naturally, this had made her already impressive figure even more rounded.

Li Qiyao and Xiang Yuanyuan attracted the attention of many morning exercisers, while Du Ruo’s boxing appeared quite unremarkable in comparison.

Du Ruo’s morning training remained focused on Xingyi Quan. He was increasingly looking forward to the system’s next evolution. Since the changes to his "Essence, Qi, and Spirit" attributes after reaching 9.50, he suspected that breaking the 10-point threshold would bring further shifts.

He was only two days away from reaching 10 points. There was no need to rush, and he felt that following his routine was best. Despite his anticipation, he didn't force any specific attribute to reach ten first.

After finishing his training and having breakfast, the three took the subway to the zoo. Li Qiyao, having been there before, acted as their guide, leading a wide-eyed Xiang Yuanyuan—who was as curious as a child—through the various exhibits.

From the kangaroos and alpacas to the wolves, Xiang Yuanyuan was thoroughly entertained. Naturally, the giant pandas were the highlight, and she took plenty of photos in their pavilion.

Du Ruo, however, focused his attention on animals related to the "Twelve Shapes" of Xingyi Quan. It was a pity that no matter how carefully he observed them, he couldn't grasp a shred of their essence.

Take the brown bear, for example: because of the heat, it didn't want to move at all, lying lazily on a block of ice without doing much of anything.

"It seems I’m destined to be disappointed. I suppose I was being too idealistic. Animals in the zoo have lost their wild nature, and even if they retain a sliver, they won't show it. I hope the tigers at the end will offer some insight."

Du Ruo followed a cheerful Xiang Yuanyuan and a talkative Li Qiyao toward Tiger Mountain, feeling somewhat disheartened.

"There are several kinds of tigers in the mountain—Siberian, white, and Southeast Asian tigers. We’ll see them all soon."

Li Qiyao, knowing this was what Du Ruo cared about most, introduced them as they walked.

"Wow! I didn't realize tigers were this big! I wonder how much wine this could..."

Xiang Yuanyuan was shocked upon seeing the tigers for the first time. If Li Qiyao hadn't hurried over to cover her mouth, she might have finished her sentence about tiger bone wine.

"You really shouldn't talk about tiger bone wine here."

Li Qiyao whispered a warning. While the trade was restricted, it wasn't strictly enforced unless someone reported it, but saying it in such a public place could lead to unnecessary trouble.

"Hehe, occupational hazard. I’ll watch it."

Xiang Yuanyuan laughed awkwardly, but the surrounding tourists were busy taking photos and didn't pay her much mind.

Du Ruo, meanwhile, was fully focused on observing the tigers.

Before him was a rare Siberian tiger. It had completely lost its wild edge, holding a chicken in its mouth and biting off half of it, showing such pickiness that it refused to finish the rest.

Du Ruo had originally intended to observe the tigers' pouncing or running movements, but this massive Siberian tiger remained lazy, acting like nothing more than a giant house cat.

"Forget it, let’s go."

After observing for a long time, Du Ruo shook his head, ready to leave.

"There’s still a white tiger. Since we’re already here, let’s go have a look."

Li Qiyao noticed that Du Ruo hadn't gained anything, so she suggested they move forward.

"Mmh, since we’re already here," Xiang Yuanyuan echoed, reciting the classic phrase.

"Fine, let’s go."

Du Ruo nodded, though he was determined to leave immediately after.

"Roar!"

Before they had gone far, a low, deep roar echoed.

Upon hearing the sound and feeling the deep, resonant vibration characteristic of a tiger's roar, Du Ruo’s heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively took a few quick steps forward.

"Roar!"

A white tiger stood atop a rock, roaring at the tourists.

The sheer power of the sound drew gasps from the crowd. The white tiger’s massive size, combined with the resonant chest cavity typical of large felines, made the roar incredibly intimidating—the majesty of the King of Beasts was on full display.

Du Ruo’s eyes widened as he carefully observed the physical changes in the tiger.

From the contraction of its chest during inhalation to the movement of its throat and the expression during the roar, Du Ruo watched every detail. Subconsciously, he began to mimic it, letting a similar feline resonance form in his chest and abdomen, followed by the movement in his throat.

"ROAR!"

"Roar!"

The white tiger roared atop the rock. Immediately after, Du Ruo let out a roar of his own. The low, guttural sound startled the nearby tourists, whose minds went blank for a split second before they instinctively backed away from him.

The white tiger, which had been roaring, seemed to hear Du Ruo’s response. It stopped, walked forward a few steps, scrutinized Du Ruo, and then turned away.

A smile spread across Du Ruo’s face.

That roar had solved a problem that had been troubling him for days.

Ever since he had witnessed the lama’s "Hum" chant, he had been trying to combine "Spirit" with "Qi" to produce a sound from his throat. But he had never succeeded; he could only amplify the volume, lacking the deterrent power that came with the addition of "Spirit." It was as if a thin film stood in his way, preventing him from gaining entry.

Just now, mimicking the tiger’s roar, he had finally pierced that film. "Spirit" wasn't just mental energy; it also encompassed the essence or "rhythm" of a thing.

Though his roar had been an instinctive imitation, he had kept his wits about him, infusing only a sliver of "Spirit." Yet, it was completely different from his previous attempts.

The film was broken; it was like a door to a new world had been opened. Du Ruo immediately understood how to combine "Spirit" with "Sound."

"Let’s go. We’ll grab a bite to eat and then head back."

Du Ruo suppressed the urge to roar again, took Li Qiyao and Xiang Yuanyuan’s hands, and headed toward the exit, the smile on his face impossible to hide.