Overlord of the Wilderness

Pan Shi strode over and said to the young man, ”Brother Zhu, didn’t you come here to ask for Zhaang Ye’s help? Why did you start a fight with him?”

The young man clapped Pan Shi on the shoulder and let out a hearty laugh. He then turned to Zhaang Ye and said, ”That was just a little test, I didn’t mean any harm. I hope Younger Brother Zhaang doesn’t mind. By the way, I am Zhu Nulang.”

Zhu Nulang!

The Zhu Nulang who was ranked fourth in strength among the two thousand Outer Disciples, the one who had defeated countless experts of the Outer Sect with his Anger Wave Palm!

Zhaang Ye had been in the Outer Sect for over two months, but this was the first time he had met one of its seven top experts. He suppressed the frustration from Zhu Nulang’s surprise attack, sheathed his Thick-Backed Saber, and looked at the two of them. ”Why have the two of you come looking for me?” he asked.

Zhu Nulang chuckled. ”My purpose is just as Pan Shi said a moment ago—we’ve come to ask for your help, Younger Brother Zhaang. To be specific, we accepted a family mission to slay an Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox. The problem is that this ox is too powerful, and its hide is too tough. We’ve tried everything but can’t even wound it. That’s why we’d like to invite you to join us and help slay this beast.”

Zhaang Ye was slightly taken aback. ”There are nearly two thousand Outer Disciples, and no shortage of experts. Why come looking for me specifically?”

Zhu Nulang smiled. ”The reason is simple: your Saber Technique is domineering enough, and its Penetrating Power is strong enough. The hide of that Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox is incredibly tough. Only you have a chance of cutting through its skin and slaying it.”

Zhaang Ye was intrigued. ”How strong is this ox?” he asked. ”And what’s the reward for killing it?”

Zhu Nulang said, ”This ox is even a bit stronger than someone at the Peak of the Martial Arts Third Layer. For killing it, we can collect a reward of twenty-five thousand taels of gold from the family. In addition, aside from its long horns, which must be handed over to the family, we get to keep its hide, meat, sinews, bones, and blood. Selling those parts will likely earn us another thirteen thousand taels of gold. Younger Brother Zhaang, if you’re willing to help, we can offer you ten thousand taels of gold as your share.”

Although Zhu Nulang’s total earnings would reach thirty-eight thousand taels, he had to spend a portion of that on preliminary preparations, such as dispatching personnel and gathering information. His actual profit wouldn’t exceed thirty thousand taels. To promise Zhaang Ye ten thousand taels was already a generous offer.

Zhaang Ye was greatly tempted. However, he didn’t agree immediately. Only after asking several more detailed questions did he finally say, ”Alright, I’m in!”

Seeing Zhaang Ye agree, both Zhu Nulang and Pan Shi breathed a sigh of relief. Although they were both experts at the Peak of the Martial Arts Third Layer, they had little confidence in slaying the Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox without his participation.

Zhu Nulang smiled. ”Now that Younger Brother Zhaang has agreed, everything’s settled. How about this: we’ll set out in two days. What do you think?”

Zhaang Ye nodded. ”No problem.”

Two days later, Zhaang Ye, carrying his Thick-Backed Saber, walked out of the family gates. After meeting up with Zhu Nulang and Pan Shi, the three of them headed straight out of Cyan Mulberry City.

Zhaang Ye had been in Cyan Mulberry City for nearly three months, but he had never once had a proper look around. Even though he was now outside the family grounds, he had a mission to attend to and no time for sightseeing, so he could only pass through in a hurry.

Outside Cyan Mulberry City lay a vast plain that stretched for thousands of miles, a perfect place to use a Body Technique. After leaving the city gates, Zhu Nulang, Pan Shi, and Zhaang Ye exchanged no more words, each using their respective Body Technique to travel at full speed.

As they traveled, the difference in their Body Technique mastery immediately became clear.

Of the three, Zhu Nulang was undoubtedly the fastest. He was using a Mid-Level Body Technique. Though he had only cultivated it to the Minor Achievement realm, his speed was still remarkable. Each step covered several dozen feet, and he soon pulled far ahead.

Pan Shi also used a Mid-Level Body Technique, but he had little talent for it. He hadn’t even reached the Minor Achievement realm with this technique, so his speed was naturally nothing special.

Zhaang Ye’s Startled Swan Step was a low-level cultivation method, but he had long since cultivated it to the Great Success Realm. When he used it at full power, his speed was actually a bit faster than Pan Shi’s.

Zhu Nulang led the way, glancing back at Zhaang Ye trailing far behind him, and he couldn’t help but feel a secret shock. ’Zhaang Ye is only fourteen,’ he thought. ’It’s one thing for his Cultivation to be high and his Saber Technique to be excellent, but even his Body Technique has reached the Great Success Realm.’ He had a faint feeling that if Zhaang Ye were given a little more time, he would become one of his greatest rivals for entering the Inner Sect.

’My greatest rival? Why would I even think that?’ Zhu Nulang shook his head, pushing the thought from his mind. Zhaang Ye was growing fast, but his own Cultivation had already reached the Peak of the Martial Arts Third Layer. If he was given another year or so, his Furious Wave Fist would also reach Great Success. By then, he wouldn’t even fear Zhaang Yujing, so why would he be afraid of a mere Zhaang Ye?

The plains were vast and open under a boundless sky. Galloping across such a landscape was a true pleasure. After traveling at high speed, the three of them finally crossed the plain at dusk and arrived atop a high mountain.

Zhu Nulang pointed to a massive, dark green mountain range in the distance. ”That range,” he said, ”is the legendary Barbaric Beast Mountain Range. I’ve heard it’s crawling with High-level Fierce Beasts and rampaging Barbaric Beasts. In the deepest parts of the mountains, there are even more powerful Spirit Beasts. It’s said that even a True Dao Expert would face certain death if they went in there.”

Both Pan Shi and Zhaang Ye had heard of the terrors of the Barbaric Beast Mountain Range. But boys will be boys, and as they gazed at the range, their eyes held not a trace of fear, but rather a deep sense of yearning.

’The Barbaric Beast Mountain Range,’ Zhaang Ye said silently to himself. ’Sooner or later, I will go in there and see it for myself.’

As his gaze wandered, Zhaang Ye suddenly spotted a massive river. Although it was over a hundred miles away, he could still faintly hear the roar of its waters. The river felt somewhat familiar. He pointed to it and asked, ”Brother Zhu, what is the name of this river?”

Zhu Nulang glanced over and smiled. ”That is the famous Boundary River. At its narrowest point, the Boundary River is over ten miles wide, and in its wider sections, it can be over a hundred miles across. Legend says it stretches for millions of miles and has numerous Branches. It separates the outer forests of the Barbaric Beast Mountain Range from the ordinary forests, preventing the Fierce Beasts and Barbaric Beasts inside from coming out to harm humanity...”

Zhaang Ye was slightly stunned. ”That doesn’t seem right,” he said. ”I remember there’s a Boundary River about thirty miles from Three Rivers Town. That one was only about a thousand feet wide...”

Zhu Nulang chuckled. ”That’s not strange at all. The Boundary River spans millions of miles and has countless tributaries. The one you saw, Younger Brother Zhaang, must have been just a small tributary.”

Zhaang Ye nodded in understanding.

His interest piqued by Zhaang Ye’s question, Zhu Nulang continued, ”I’ve read some ancient texts. According to them, this Boundary River isn’t a natural formation. The books mention that a million years ago, an incredibly brutal war took place on the Desolate Continent. The combatants on both sides were unimaginable Great Powers. The battle shattered the starry sky, cracked the very earth, and boiled the seas dry. It was only after this war that the mysterious Boundary River appeared...”

This time, even Pan Shi was visibly moved. ”Are you saying this river was blasted into existence by sheer force?” he asked.

Zhu Nulang’s face also showed a look of disbelief. ”According to the ancient texts, it was either that, or someone used an inconceivable Divine Power to forcibly create it.”

The three of them were speechless for a moment.

Forcibly creating a river that spanned millions of miles was something far beyond their imagination.

After a long silence, Zhaang Ye suddenly let out a long, clear cry.

The resonant cry traveled far and wide, provoking the beasts within a radius of dozens of miles to roar in response. Amidst the cacophony, Zhaang Ye thought he heard a few familiar, giant roars that sounded like ”GURK GURK,” but when he pricked up his ears to listen carefully, he couldn’t hear anything anymore.

’That ”GURK GURK” roar sounds a bit like the call of that man-eating Mammoth,’ Zhaang Ye thought. ’But this place is thousands of miles from Three Rivers Town. There’s no way that Mammoth could be here.’ He shook his head, turned, and went to prepare a campsite.

(Thank you for your support, my brothers!!! Ahem, here I am again, asking for Recommendation Tickets.....)