While Alex was lost in his trance, busy gaining an understanding of his Sword Heart, Pearl had met his first enemy.

Not an opponent, but an actual enemy.

A man of tall stature, square face, and short blond hair stared down at him with bright golden eyes. His white robes fluttered in the wind, almost a replica of what Pearl was wearing.

Pearl had finally come to meet a White Tiger. And from the expression on the beasts face, Pearl could be certain that this was, in fact, his enemy.

The White Tiger walked toward Pearl, uncaring in his attitude, or just unafraid. He didnt seem to believe that Pearl was a threat at all. His body was relaxed, but also ready to get into action should there be a need to.

Pearl felt the White Tigers cultivation base, a little thankful that it wasnt that high. The White Tiger had a cultivation base of Immortal Transcendent 5th realm.

Considering the number of beasts Pearl had fought, this shouldnt be a problem for him at all. But something about the White Tigers strength made him cautious about counting his eggs too early. He had yet to defeat a single Azure Dragon in battle, so he wouldnt expect victory from this battle until he was actually victorious.

Pearl brought out his spear and got ready to fight. .

The White Tiger paused and laughed out loud. Whats this? A weapon? he asked in a mocking tone. Since when have we needed human weapons in battle? Do you lack your claws? Are your fangs not grown yet? Where is your pride as a White Tiger?

Any remaining notion that the beast hadnt recognized him for what he was vanished right then. It was a hopeful delusion anyway. With Pearls bloodline, the other White Tigers could surely sense it from this close. He would be a bonfire in the night for these tigers.

I reserve my fangs and my claws for only the ones that I find threatening, Pearl said. So, I dont think youll be seeing them anytime soon.

The beast snarled, immediately charging toward Pearl. His speed was quite fast, but Pearl saw no aura to his attack at all. He couldnt tell what sort of technique was being used.

Pearl didnt want to take any chances, so he quickly spun his spear before him, using the 2nd of the Five Heavenly Forms of SpearHeaven Guarding Spear.

The spinning spear turned into a two-meter-wide guarding barrier, and the nameless White Tiger slammed directly onto it. The force of the slam made Pearl wince for a moment, somehow both satisfied at blocking the attack and surprised at the fact that his enemy had used no technique.

Stupid! he cursed himself. Hes a White Tiger. He wont be relying on techniques.

All the different battles for the past year had lulled him into a single fighting style, and now he was meeting another one.

His Body Cultivation is strong, just as strong as his regular cultivation base, Pearl thought as he analyzed the attack. The spear flew back toward him. But Im stronger.

Pearl moved right away, arriving next to the White Tiger, his spear already covered in revolving power, ready to obliterate the tigers body.

The tiger sensed danger right before being hurt, and a soft golden glow appeared around him, defending him as the spear found its target. The attack exploded on the tigers chest, tossing him nearly a hundred meters back.

Pearl pulled his spear back and frowned. That had not been a good feeling he got from the clash. Like hitting metal armor.

The White Tiger slowly got back up, a look of rage on its face.

That was not the White Tigers Dominating Body, Pearl thought, realizing something. Thats only a copy of it. He doesnt have the real thing.

It was evident that the White Tiger hadnt managed to completely defend against all of Pearls attack, primarily because he had been so smug about it all.

The White Tiger hadnt expected Pearls strength to be higher than his own.

A White Tigers physical strength was tied to their cultivation base. As their cultivation base grew, their physical strength grew as well. However, that growth did not account for their Battle Power.

If a White Tiger had a battle power of 2 with a cultivation base of Immortal Ascendant 1st realm, their true strength with Qi would be Immortal Ascendant 3rd realm, but their body cultivation would still only be at the 1st realm.

This was an issue every White Tiger learned since they were but a cub. It wasnt even an issue for them, just a fact. And that fact was currently being broken before the White Tiger for some absurd reason.

Pearls body cultivation was being suppressed to the point where it matched his Qis strength, which didnt remove from his Battle Power. So, despite being just at Immortal Transcendent 1st realm cultivation, his body cultivation and Qi cultivation at the moment were equivalent to Immortal Transcendent 7th realm.

Adding on Pearls powerful Spear Aura into the fold, his attack power easily reached the Immortal Transcendent 8th realm.

That was far too much for the tiger to handle with just its physical body. If not for using his technique at the last moment, he wouldve been hurt.

The tiger growled, his form slowly shifting from a human to a White Tiger. His body changed to that of a massive beast, black stripes covering his white fur. With a roar, he charged at Pearl.

Pearl readied himself for a heated battle, his spear charged with revolving energy, which he forced himself to keep using to learn more for the sake of his Spear Domain.

Just as the White Tiger was about 20 meters away from him, his body suddenly blurred, turning into two identical White Tigers.

Pearl frowned immediately, realizing that the beast had decided to use the White Tigers Steps.

Pearl had always watched people struggle against this technique of his, but never had he been on the receiving end.

Today would be his day to struggle.