Overlord of the Wilderness

For the next two days, Zhaang Ye spent all his time sparring with Zhaang Chengtian. As he continued to perfect the Reverse Flow Slash, his strength steadily increased, and by the fourth day, he could exchange seventy moves with Zhaang Chengtian without being defeated.

After four consecutive days of sparring, Zhaang Ye grew increasingly familiar with Zhaang Chengtian’s Mid-Level Combat Skill—the Cyan Wood Rooting Palm.

On the fifth day, when Zhaang Chengtian appeared in the small courtyard, he had someone with him—the Zhaang Family’s Grand Elder.

The Grand Elder had served as the referee during the family competition and was quite satisfied with Zhaang Ye’s performance. He nodded at Zhaang Ye and said, ”Your Comprehension is excellent, but your aptitude and experience are lacking. We can’t do anything about your aptitude, but we can help you gain combat experience. Zhaang Ye, I’ve come to be your sparring partner.”

Zhaang Ye said, stunned, ”A sparring partner?”

The Three Rivers Zhang Family wasn’t large, but it still had many matters to attend to. Zhaang Ye never would have imagined that the Grand Elder would abandon all his duties to come and be his sparring partner.

”Surprising, isn’t it?” The Grand Elder smiled faintly. ”Actually, it’s not surprising at all. You advanced to the Martial Arts Third Layer at thirteen, and your Comprehension far surpasses that of ordinary people. In the future, you will surely go further on the path of the Martial Dao than others; you might even have a chance to reach for the legendary True Dao. The Zhaang Family has always done its utmost to cultivate those with potential...”

Realization dawned on Zhaang Ye. ’This must be the elitist policy so prevalent among the families of the Desolate Continent,’ he thought. ’They pour all their resources into cultivating talented youths with immense potential while leaving the mediocre ones to fend for themselves. If I had remained so mediocre, I would never have received this kind of treatment...’

Seemingly noticing Zhaang Ye’s discomfort, Zhaang Chengtian spoke in a deep voice, ”Zhaang Ye, don’t blame us for our indifference toward you all these years. Our Zhaang Family is small and our resources are limited. Under these circumstances, all we can do is abandon the disciples with ordinary talent and focus all our efforts on cultivating those with potential. It’s not just our Zhaang Family; other families and factions do the same.

”You must remember that on the Desolate Continent, the strong are revered. The Cultivation Techniques, Elixirs, money, and medicinal ingredients needed for Cultivation can only be obtained through strength. In this world, without strength or potential, you have no dignity and receive no special treatment. Everyone will treat you like an ant to be crushed underfoot. The Celestial Dao is merciless, and the Martial Dao has no room for sentimentality. If you want to go far on the path of the Martial Dao, you must not only have a steady disposition but also a ruthless one. Otherwise, you won’t get far at all.”

Zhaang Ye nodded slightly. ”I’ll remember that.”

The Grand Elder then said, ”No faction has a place for useless people. Zhaang Ye, Cyan Mulberry City is nothing like our small, rural town. It is surrounded by various powers, and conflict and death are everywhere. You are the most promising person from our Three Rivers Zhang Family branch, and we all hope you can go far. We also hope that, when it’s convenient for you, you’ll lend a hand to our Three Rivers Town branch.”

Zhaang Ye nodded without hesitation. ”Of course.”

Although this family had been somewhat cold to him, it was, after all, the place where he was born and raised. Zhaang Ye still felt some attachment to the Three Rivers Zhang Family. He wasn’t a bitter person; if he had the ability, he was willing to help his family.

”Our Three Rivers Zhang Family has two Mid-Level Combat Skills,” the Grand Elder said. ”The Patriarch’s Cyan Wood Rooting Palm is one, and the Winding Pine Palm that I cultivate is the other. I have now suppressed my Cultivation to the Early Stage of Martial Arts Third Layer and am about to use the Winding Pine Palm. Be careful.”

As he spoke, the Grand Elder’s slightly stooped figure suddenly transformed. He became like an old pine tree standing tall against the mountain wind, his arms and hair seeming to turn into pine branches, moving with an unpredictable grace.

The Grand Elder didn’t attack. Zhaang Ye knew he was being prompted to make the first move, so he didn’t hold back. Brandishing his Thick-Backed Saber, he unleashed a Gentle Wind Slash straight at the Grand Elder’s feet.

A tree’s weakness is its roots. Cut them, and the tree falls. Zhaang Ye had perceived this as a weakness in the Grand Elder’s technique, which was why he immediately attacked his feet.

Seeing Zhaang Ye attack his lower body from the very start, the Grand Elder nodded slightly. His body remained perfectly still, but one arm suddenly stretched to an impossible length. Like a tree branch, it swept out from a bizarre angle, neatly parrying Zhaang Ye’s attack.

’What a strange Combat Skill!’ Zhaang Ye’s interest was piqued. He unleashed his Sword Force and executed three consecutive Gentle Wind Slashes.

The Grand Elder’s body and arms moved like an old pine in a gale, sometimes swaying with the wind, sometimes standing perfectly still. He effortlessly blocked Zhaang Ye’s three slashes.

While blocking Zhaang Ye’s Saber Technique, the Grand Elder explained, ”Of the two Mid-Level Combat Skills of our Three Rivers Zhang Family, the Cyan Wood Rooting Palm focuses on ’stability,’ seeking victory through a solid defense. My Winding Pine Palm, on the other hand, is all about ’agility.’ It relies on nimble Body Techniques and maneuvers to neutralize an opponent’s every attack, all while waiting for the perfect moment to counter.”

As he spoke, one of the Grand Elder’s arms shot out from a strange angle, grabbing for Zhaang Ye’s wrist. Before his hand was even close, the sharp gust of wind it generated made Zhaang Ye’s eyelids twitch.

SWISH! The Thick-Backed Saber decisively intercepted, blocking the Grand Elder’s attack.

The Grand Elder smiled faintly, his form shifting as he leaped up in a peculiar posture. His hands seemed to detach from his body as they flew toward Zhaang Ye in a simultaneous attack.

Zhaang Ye’s eyes flew wide open. The Thick-Backed Saber in his hand suddenly slashed out, unleashing his newly created Sword Technique—the Reverse Flow Slash.

The greatest strength of the Reverse Flow Slash was its ability to concentrate a hundred slashes into a single, domineering strike. The wind from the blade was terrifyingly sharp, and even with his Cultivation at the Martial Arts Fifth Layer Middle Stage, the Grand Elder dared not underestimate it. His two attacking hands bent slightly, and his withered arms, like a pair of pine branches, gently tapped Zhaang Ye’s Thick-Backed Saber.

CLAP! Zhaang Ye was forced back two steps, shocked. His Reverse Flow Slash was an incredibly domineering strike—not only was it powerful and heavy, but it was also lightning-fast. Yet, a Saber Technique of such speed had been casually intercepted and effortlessly neutralized by the Grand Elder.

’The Grand Elder began his Cultivation at age five and has been training for a full sixty years. I truly can’t compare to sixty years of Cultivation and experience!’ Zhaang Ye quickly adjusted his mindset and once again engaged the Grand Elder with his Gentle Wind Slash.

The Grand Elder’s Cultivation was a little weaker than Zhaang Chengtian’s, but his combat strength was by no means inferior. When he unleashed his Winding Pine Palm, his long arms and legs moved like four strange vipers, or like the ever-present branches in a dense forest—flexible to the extreme. Faced with such a Palm Technique, Zhaang Ye wanted to attack but couldn’t find an opening; he wanted to defend but couldn’t predict where the strikes would land. He was thrown into a completely wretched state.

Though Zhaang Ye was struggling, Zhaang Chengtian, who was watching from the side, nodded in approval. ’Zhaang Ye’s fundamentals and adaptability are very strong,’ he thought. ’The Grand Elder’s Palm Technique is agile, unpredictable, and incredibly bizarre. Even I wouldn’t have an easy time dealing with it. For Zhaang Ye to last over forty moves against him with only the strength of the Martial Arts Third Layer is quite remarkable.’

As Zhaang Chengtian mused, Zhaang Ye and the Grand Elder exchanged several more moves. Finally, Zhaang Ye was struck by one of the Grand Elder’s long arms and sent flying back over ten steps. Just as he was about to fall flat on his face, Zhaang Ye twisted his body, slashed his Thick-Backed Saber to one side, and used the force to stabilize himself, landing steadily on his feet.

The Grand Elder was surprised to see Zhaang Ye use his Thick-Backed Saber to shift his center of gravity. When he’d struck Zhaang Ye, he had used a burst of Dark Force, intending to make him take a nasty fall. He never expected Zhaang Ye to use his Thick-Backed Saber to so easily dissipate the force.

’This Zhaang Ye’s Comprehension is simply too good. With such insight, even if his innate talent is a bit lacking, he can still go very far on the Martial Dao.’ The Grand Elder praised him silently, his interest in Zhaang Ye growing even stronger. ”Again!” he called out.

Sparring without restraint against a master like the Grand Elder, Zhaang Ye gained new insights with every passing moment, and his Cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds. Hearing the Grand Elder’s call, he nodded, his body flashed, and the two were once again locked in combat.