Overlord of the Wilderness

Under the watchful eyes of the youths and the Stewards, Zhaang Ye strode into the iron cage in a single step.

The Black Armor Fang Beast’s two tusks, at some point, had retracted again. Seeing Zhaang Ye enter, it glared at him with its blood-red eyes and snorted a sharp breath from its nostrils. It suddenly raised its foreclaws—each thicker than a man’s waist—and swiped at Zhaang Ye.

The Black Armor Fang Beast’s tusks were formidable, but the Attack Power of its claws was by no means weak. Its claws were incredibly sharp, and the strike came down like a mountain crashing from above. If it connected, even a man of iron would likely be flattened.

Faced with such a ferocious attack, the only thing Zhaang Ye could do was dodge. He took a shallow breath, and the Startled Swan Step activated. His body moved with deceptive speed, taking a step that seemed both slow and fast at the same time.

BOOM! The Black Armor Fang Beast’s giant claw slammed viciously into the ground, causing a section of the floor to cave in.

ROAR! Having missed its target, the Black Armor Fang Beast let out a furious roar. SLAM! SLAM! SLAM! SLAM! It struck another four times, each blow immensely powerful. The iron cage filled with dust and smoke, and the incessant rumbling shook the entire hall. Some of the weaker youths even found it difficult to stay on their feet.

”This...” The spectating youths were stunned. They had never imagined that, besides its tusks, the Black Armor Fang Beast’s claws could be so terrifying.

A horrified Zhaang Qing said to Zhaang Que, ”We were lucky! If that Fierce Beast had attacked like this from the start, I doubt I would have lasted even five breaths!”

Zhaang Que nodded slightly.

Zhaang Dahong, Zhaang Yuhu, and Zhaang Yang were also dumbstruck. They had a faint feeling that this might be the Black Armor Fang Beast’s true strength. If it had shown this power when they first entered, they doubted they would have been able to hold on.

Zhaang Yuhu thought to himself, ’With my Body Technique, I could probably endure this kind of assault for nine breaths, but not any longer. I wonder how long this Zhaang Ye can last?’

Zhaang Dahong looked dejected. He had taken a blow from the Black Armor Fang Beast earlier and had felt a bit proud. But seeing the Fierce Beast’s true strength, he couldn’t help but feel discouraged. He knew in his heart that with his own power, there was absolutely no way he could have blocked one of those claw strikes.

Zhaang Yang, however, was both shocked and pleased. He thought with malicious glee, ’Heh heh, I’d like to see how you last for ten breaths!’

Just then, Zhaang Ye’s body floated up like a leaf, narrowly dodging one of the Black Armor Fang Beast’s claws. Then, with a light tap of his foot on the edge of the iron cage, he landed like a bird on the creature’s back!

”What! This...” The youths were stunned, and the Stewards were startled as well. They never would have imagined that Zhaang Ye would dare to land on the Black Armor Fang Beast’s back!

”Heh heh, that kid Zhaang Ye is asking for it! He’s a dead man!” Zhaang Yang chuckled and couldn’t help but shout, ”The Black Armor Fang Beast has always been a solitary creature and hates contact with other beings. By landing on its back, Zhaang Ye has certainly infuriated it. This time, he’s definitely dead!”

Zhaang Yuhu also shook his head and sighed.

”This Zhaang Ye is too inexperienced!” As Zhaang Yang shouted, Steward Bai sighed and said, ”The Black Armor Fang Beast dislikes being touched. Landing on its back is an absolute provocation. Zhaang Ye has completely enraged it now. He’s in for it... huh? What’s happening?”

Indeed, just as Steward Bai had said, the moment Zhaang Ye landed on its back, the Black Armor Fang Beast let out an earth-shattering roar. Its blood-red eyes blazed with fury, and its whole body shuddered, trying to shake him off.

But the moment he landed, Zhaang Ye immediately executed the Iron Bridge Stopping River Formation. He became as steady as a mountain, firmly rooted to the beast’s back. With that one shake, the Black Armor Fang Beast found it couldn’t budge him at all!

”Wh-What’s going on?!” Zhaang Yang was utterly dumbfounded.

It wasn’t just Zhaang Yang. Zhaang Yuhu, Zhaang Dahong, Zhaang Que, Zhaang Qing, and the several Stewards were also staring, dumbfounded. They couldn’t believe that with the Black Armor Fang Beast’s strength, it was still unable to shake Zhaang Ye off!

”ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!”

The Black Armor Fang Beast was enraged. It shook its body several more times in succession. Its armor-like hide rippled like waves, one after another, crashing toward Zhaang Ye in a ceaseless tide!

’Bring it on!’ Zhaang Ye thought. Faced with the Black Armor Fang Beast’s tactic, he felt as if he were back to the days of practicing his saber beneath the waterfall. He calmly sank his center of gravity. He became like a great mountain, like an iron bridge spanning a great river; no matter how fierce the waves, he stood firm!

With every shake from the Black Armor Fang Beast, the spectators thought Zhaang Ye was about to fall. But after each tremor passed, they were shocked to find him still standing perfectly steady, showing no sign of falling at all!

”That’s the Iron Bridge Stopping River Formation! The simplest of Defensive Forms, yet Zhaang Ye has mastered it to a divine degree!” The sharp-eyed Steward Wang identified the Cultivation Technique Zhaang Ye was performing in a single glance and couldn’t help but cry out in alarm.

”The Great Success Realm of the Iron Bridge Stopping River Formation is described as: ’Heavy as a mountain, solid as iron, unmoving even as fierce winds and waves arise.’ This Zhaang Ye has not only cultivated the Iron Bridge Stopping River Formation to the Great Success Realm, but he has also incorporated his own insights into this Defensive Form, giving it a balance of hard and soft, and blending stability with an ethereal grace. This kid has mastered this form to a divine degree!” Steward Bai, who had always looked down on Zhaang Ye, couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement.

While the two Stewards were surprised, the youths below were utterly shocked. They never dreamed that the simple Iron Bridge Stopping River Formation could be so useful, so miraculous!

ROAR, ROAR, ROAR, ROAR! After shaking several more times and finding it couldn’t dislodge Zhaang Ye, the Black Armor Fang Beast changed its tactic. It threw its body forward, charging toward the iron cage!

If Zhaang Ye, standing on its back, were slammed into the cage, he would be instantly turned into a bloody pulp. Faced with this move, he could no longer remain still. With a slight movement, he stepped across to the other side of the Black Armor Fang Beast’s back.

Even as he moved, Zhaang Ye’s body remained steady as a mountain, firmly planted on the Black Armor Fang Beast’s back.

The Black Armor Fang Beast slammed into the cage a few times, but when it realized this move was useless against Zhaang Ye, it let out a strange cry. Its massive body dropped to the ground, and it began to roll!

’This beast is a little clever! But trying to force me off with this trick is impossible!’ Zhaang Ye thought. With a slight shift of his feet, just as the Black Armor Fang Beast began to roll, he instantly moved to its belly.

The Black Armor Fang Beast’s tail and tusks couldn’t reach its own back, but its belly was a different story. That area was close to its limbs, allowing it to attack with its four claws. When it discovered Zhaang Ye on its belly, it let out an excited cry, about to swat him to death with a claw. But then a clear CLANG rang out, and an aura of Forest Blade Qi filled the iron cage.

The Black Armor Fang Beast trembled, its entire body freezing rigid. It didn’t dare to move an inch.

It turned out that, just before the Black Armor Fang Beast could attack, Zhaang Ye had, with a swift motion, drawn the Thick-Backed Saber from his back and pressed it against the beast’s belly.

The belly is the vital weak point for most beasts, and the Black Armor Fang Beast was no exception. While its back was covered in a thick, hard hide, its abdomen was protected only by soft flesh. One slice would be enough to disembowel it. Although the beast was dim-witted, it knew its belly could not withstand a blade. So, it decisively stopped its attack and looked at Zhaang Ye with pitiful eyes.

Seeing Zhaang Ye subdue the enormous Black Armor Fang Beast with a small, single-handed saber, the youths present turned to stone. Their necks were craned and their eyes were wide, completely unable to accept this astonishing reality.

After a long moment, the Steward finally announced, ”Zhaang Ye has subdued the Black Armor Fang Beast!”

BOOM! The youths finally snapped back to their senses, and the hall instantly erupted into a commotion. They murmured amongst themselves, all while staring at Zhaang Ye with looks of awe and reverence.

Zhaang Yuhu, Zhaang Dahong, and Zhaang Yang, the three most talented and powerful individuals among them, also watched Zhaang Ye with complicated, unreadable expressions. The sense of superiority they once felt when facing him had long since vanished into thin air.

Zhaang Que let out a long breath and muttered, ”To subdue the Black Armor Fang Beast with such ease... what terrifying strength! Zhaang Ye, is this... is this your true power?”