Chinese Superman

It was a tiger-shaped wine vessel in a seated posture.

The tiger crouches with its two front paws forward and its hind paws squatting, its tail curled up as a fulcrum.

The tiger's mouth was wide open, revealing its fangs, and inside the tiger's mouth was a human figure with a terrified face and its limbs seemingly struggling!

The entire artifact has a unique concept, with an ancient and fierce shape, full of power. It is covered with cloud and thunder patterns and scale patterns, which are complex and mysterious, exuding a primitive, savage, and terrifying pressure.

It is the precious bronze vessel from the late Shang Dynasty, known as the Tiger Devouring Man, which had long been lost overseas!

Chen Mo lifted the Tiger-Eating-Man Wine Vessel with one hand. His aura was subtly connected with the fierce energy emanating from the vessel, giving him an air of murderous intent that seemed to prey on people, despite his calm and refined demeanor.

"The legendary Tiger-Eating-Man Wine Vessel, a relic lost in Japan, has chosen me as its master! Mr. Qian, reveal your trump card!"

"If it were merely a Western Han Dynasty gilt bronze Boshan incense burner, I'm afraid... it wouldn't be enough to save me, Chen!"

Old Qian's gaze fell on the menacing bronze vessel, and a barely perceptible hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

This Chen Mo has indeed kept it well hidden, never revealing this powerful relic to anyone.

He slowly commented, "The desires in your heart are insatiable, like a tiger devouring its prey, without end. It is only natural that this relic chose you as its master."

Chen Mo scoffed and retorted loudly, "My opinion differs!"

"In my view, the tiger-devouring-man vessel does not symbolize the tyranny and cruelty of the ruler, nor is it used to intimidate slaves. It showcases the unity of humanity and bestiality, strength and fear, devouring and struggling. It is a magnificent display of primal life force!"

"Perfectly in line with the new era where strength is paramount!"

Professor Qian shook his head, ceasing further academic debate: "The interpretation of the Tiger-Eating-Man Wine Vessel has always been a subject of much debate. Today, we are not here for that purpose."

"Chen Mo, now that we've said everything... come with me for a walk in the Taoist paradise of Boshan Furnace." As soon as he finished speaking, the illusory image of a spirit swallow cried out beneath his feet.

With a single step, the horse galloped like a flying swallow, its body swift as a startled swan, drifting gracefully towards a distant bronze mountain peak.

"good!"

"Perhaps today is the day I send Mr. Qian off on his final journey!"

Chen Mo laughed loudly, and his feet seemed to move with the wind, his figure floating up gracefully.

The two landed one after the other on the summits of two adjacent bronze peaks, facing each other across a deep valley shrouded in clouds and mist.

"Hehe, I didn't expect that even with all his busy schedules, Elder Qian could still reach the Innate Realm without losing out to those with nothing to do." Chen Mo said in a deep voice, sensing the harmonious and unhindered aura emanating from Elder Qian, which seemed to be in perfect harmony with the heavens and man.

"Didn't you also hide your abilities very well, reaching the Innate Realm?"

Master Qian calmly replied, "Unfortunately, judging from your aura, you are only a Lesser Innate Realm cultivator at the forty-nine-day stage."

"Even a minor innate talent is still an innate talent! The future ultimately belongs to us 'young people'!"

Chen Mo said arrogantly, then his tone turned cold: "Today we are here to contend for our paths, for our ideologies, and also..."

"You're not qualified to discuss ideas with me!"

Mr. Qian interrupted him bluntly, his voice suddenly becoming stern: "What you have is merely ambition consumed by greed, a twisted selfishness! It is worlds apart from the ideals of serving the country and its people, and forging a new future!"

"I just really want to improve! What's wrong with that?!"

Chen Mo growled, "Qian Jiang! Everyone looks out for themselves!"

"Heaven's sins can be forgiven, but self-inflicted sins cannot be escaped. So be it, there's no point in arguing with someone we don't get along with."

Mr. Qian said no more, and his imposing presence began to build.

However, Chen Mo revealed a strange smile: "Unfortunately, Mr. Qian, you have already lost."

"When masters clash, missing the initiative means certain death. Look—"

A sense of foreboding suddenly arose in Mr. Qian's heart, and he subconsciously looked up.

The sky above, which had been filled with auspicious golden clouds, had somehow transformed into the enormous, mysterious bronze tiger's jaw.

The "mountain" they stood on, along with a large area around it, disappeared and was transformed into the lower jaw of a bronze divine tiger.

Unbeknownst to him, he had already found himself inside the jaws of a terrifying divine tiger formed from the mysterious power of the Tiger Devouring Man Vessel!

"When...?"

"roar--!!"

With a roar that seemed to shatter the soul, the gaping maw snapped shut.

The sharp bronze fangs gleamed with a cold light, ready to devour Old Qian whole!

Although Qian Lao was shocked, he remained calm and did not dodge or lose his composure in the face of the sudden and deadly attack.

Because the mouth of the giant tiger possesses mysterious and wondrous properties, anyone trapped within it will be completely locked in, with no way to avoid it or escape it.

The only option is... to tough it out!

If you can't hold on, you die.

"Old Qian, have a safe journey. According to Miao'er, the Tiger-Eating Vessel has a special attack on individuals, especially humans. You came alone; you really underestimated me." Chen Mo said with a confident smile.

I doubt it!

Old Qian raised the cane he had been using with one hand and thrust it upwards towards the closing, pressing bronze tiger's jaws!

"Click"

The cane, made of what appeared to be ordinary wood, shattered upon impact with the bronze tiger's mouth, unable to withstand the weight.

In an instant.

Shining with golden light!

A magnificent, vast, and noble golden light, seemingly carrying ancient authority and the radiance of the sun, burst forth from beneath the broken wood, illuminating the entire dim bronze tiger's mouth and even penetrating it, dimming the surrounding clouds and azure sky!

Wood chips flew everywhere, revealing a golden staff that was entirely golden in color.

The golden staff is about 1.2 meters long, with a slightly curved top. The staff is engraved with patterns of birds, fish, arrows and other creatures, and it radiates a sun-like luster, exuding a majestic aura that commands all things and is sacred and inviolable.

"The Sanxingdui Golden Staff?!"

Chen Mo's pupils suddenly contracted, and he cried out in alarm.

He never expected that the ordinary cane that Old Master Qian always carried with him actually contained this top-level relic!

The golden scepter and the sun bird gold ornament both originated from Sanxingdui, stemming from the ancient Shu civilization, and are shrouded in mystery.

Although its grade is not quite that of a sacred relic, it is definitely of the level of a heirloom, and may even be infinitely close to a national treasure relic.

Regardless of the circumstances, the golden staff is definitely stronger than the tiger-eating vessel.

"Break it for me!"

Old Qian shouted, holding his golden staff, and instead of retreating, he advanced. The tip of the staff burst forth with an even more condensed golden beam of light, like the first ray of dawn piercing through the darkness, and slammed into the upper jaw of the bronze tiger.

"clang--"

A resounding metallic clang, like the clanging of a great bell, exploded from the giant tiger's mouth, echoing and reverberating.

The golden beam of light collided violently with the inner wall of the bronze, creating visible shockwaves that made the inner wall of the tiger's mouth vibrate and the patterns flicker. Even the place on the upper palate where the golden light pierced appeared with traces of molten gold.

And just like that, the bronze tiger's attempt to shut its mouth was abruptly stopped by this staff!

Chen Mo's expression changed drastically. He frantically channeled his spiritual power, bit his tongue, and spat a mouthful of blood onto the tiger-devouring vessel in his hand: "Swallow it! Suppress it!"

"Aren't you the Tiger-Eating-Man Vessel? Go ahead and eat him!"

"roar--"

The bronze tiger roared, its roar echoing through the bronze mountains.

At this moment, the fangs of the divine tiger's gaping maw transformed into hundreds of bronze spears and halberds, shooting towards Elder Qian like a metal storm.

The patterns on the inner wall of the tiger's mouth came to life, transforming into bronze chains of order that rattled and coiled around it.

Even more intense was the malevolent aura, which coalesced into a human form, resembling a vengeful ghost, howling and baring its fangs as it lunged at Old Qian.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

(Tiger devouring man)

I must say...it actually looks quite cute. I really admire the imagination and creativity of the ancients...

Oppressive government is more ferocious than a tiger. In their eyes, tyrants and oppressive government are far more terrifying than tigers.