Overlord of the Wilderness

(Thank you to Ni Jue for the evaluation ticket, and thank you to all my friends for the Sanjiang Tickets and Recommendation Tickets! To any friends who still have Sanjiang Tickets and Recommendation Tickets, I implore you to cast a vote for me. Thank you!)

Zhaang Ye stepped out of the nest and thought, ’Judging from that person’s cry, his vital energy is far stronger than mine. He must be at the Martial Arts Fourth Layer. I just broke through to the Peak of Martial Arts Third Layer, and my Dragon Elephant Skill has only reached the Minor Achievement Realm. If I try to take on someone at the Martial Arts Fourth Layer right now, I’ll most likely lose. I have to think of a plan...’

Zhaang Ye’s mind raced. In the next instant, his body began to spin. As he twirled, the Thick-Backed Saber in his hand stirred up a small whirlwind, quickly digging a shallow trench in the gravel that was over a foot deep and more than seven feet long. Zhaang Ye flipped into the trench, and with another movement of his Thick-Backed Saber, covered his entire body with sand, leaving only his head exposed.

Zhaang Ye reached out and pulled over two rocks, positioning them to conceal his head. He then buried his saber beneath the gravel, laying it horizontally across his chest.

The Ant Robbing Plain was covered in loose sand and gravel. A short while after Zhaang Ye had hidden himself, the fierce winds stirred up by the Mammoth’s advancement completely erased any trace of him.

Zhaang Ye held his breath, waiting in silence.

After a short while, a figure swiftly approached from the distance.

This person was clearly a veteran. He moved with an erratic, unpredictable path, frequently pausing to survey his surroundings. His steps were so quick and light that they left no footprints on the sand.

’It’s someone from the Luo Family. His Cultivation should be at the Martial Arts Fourth Layer Early Stage.’ Zhaang Ye took one look and, based on the man’s attire, immediately determined his identity and approximate strength.

The man stopped about thirty zhang away from Zhaang Ye. Squinting, Zhaang Ye saw he was a gray-clothed man in his thirties with a short, stocky build, holding a Short Sword. The man was peering into the Tribulation Ant Nest, and even from dozens of zhang away, Zhaang Ye could see the astonishment on his face.

After sizing up the situation for a moment, the gray-clothed man began to walk slowly toward the Tribulation Ant Nest. He had already seen what was happening inside, and a look of ecstasy spread across his face. His entire body trembled slightly with excitement.

”A Mammoth is actually advancing! Haha, this is wonderful! Wonderful! The heavens are truly helping me, Luo Xiao Mountain!” The gray-clothed man, Luo Xiao Mountain, tightened his grip on his Short Sword and advanced step by step.

Zhaang Ye narrowed his eyes.

’This Luo Xiao Mountain is powerful, but I have to kill him. Otherwise, he might interrupt the Mammoth’s advancement, and its very life could be at risk.’

The Tribulation Ant Nest was as vast as a mountain, but it had only a single exit. Zhaang Ye was lying in ambush right beside it, and Luo Xiao Mountain, completely unaware, was drawing closer and closer.

Thirty feet.

Twenty feet.

Ten feet.

Five feet!

Now!

Zhaang Ye’s body shot into motion. The Thick-Backed Saber in his hand flew up like a bolt of lightning. A sharp Sword Qi, over a foot long, erupted from the blade, leaving a terrifying trail of white light as it slashed directly at Luo Xiao Mountain!

”Who’s there!”

Caught by the sudden attack, Luo Xiao Mountain’s expression changed instantly. But he was, after all, a master of the Martial Arts Fourth Layer Heaven. In the same instant Zhaang Ye struck, he flicked his Short Sword, conjuring a protective screen of Sword Aura around his body.

The Saber Technique Zhaang Ye unleashed was his self-created Reverse Flow Slash. Once executed, the Reverse Flow Slash could not be altered. Ignoring Luo Xiao Mountain’s defense, Zhaang Ye brutally swung his Thick-Backed Saber forward. The chilling Sword Qi tore through the air, cutting directly into Luo Xiao Mountain’s screen of Sword Aura.

CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG! CRACK!

Although Luo Xiao Mountain had reacted quickly, Zhaang Ye had the element of surprise and had seized the initiative with his first strike. Amidst the loud clashes, Luo Xiao Mountain let out a pained scream as Zhaang Ye’s single slash lopped off one of his arms.

Seeing that one slash had not been enough to kill the man, Zhaang Ye had no time for regret. He slashed with his Thick-Backed Saber again. Amidst the sharp whistle of the blade, the Thick-Backed Saber tore through the air like a fish swimming against the current, striking at Luo Xiao Mountain once more.

With his arm severed, Luo Xiao Mountain had no time for shock or pain before Zhaang Ye’s second slash descended. He had no choice but to let out a furious roar and roll across the ground, narrowly dodging the blow.

Although he had momentarily dodged Zhaang Ye’s blade, sand and gravel from the ground ground deep into the wound of his severed arm, making Luo Xiao Mountain cry out in agony.

Zhaang Ye’s Saber Technique was purely offensive, unafraid of an opponent’s evasion. Luo Xiao Mountain’s roll gave Zhaang Ye the perfect opening. His figure drifted forward like a shadow as he delivered another slash. This strike, like a Meteor Chasing the Moon, traced a graceful arc and instantly caught up to Luo Xiao Mountain, passing clean through his body.

Luo Xiao Mountain’s body abruptly froze before splitting in two. Entrails and blood sprayed out, staining a large patch of ground red.

Even with his body split in two, Luo Xiao Mountain didn’t die immediately. He pointed a finger at Zhaang Ye and said venomously, ”A fine Saber Technique! But don’t celebrate too soon. It won’t be long before someone avenges me. You... are a dead man...”

Zhaang Ye sneered. ”Nonsense!” He stomped his foot heavily, and the ground trembled violently. Whatever else Luo Xiao Mountain wanted to say was cut short as the force of the stomp scattered his vital energy, killing him instantly.

CLANG! Zhaang Ye’s Thick-Backed Saber settled back onto his back.

Killing a Martial Arts Fourth Layer master in three moves should have been a source of pride, but Zhaang Ye felt no joy. Instead, his brow was tightly furrowed.

This Luo Xiao Mountain was a member of the Luo Family, and he had let out a long cry upon his arrival. Combined with his dying words, Zhaang Ye was certain that the Luo Family had other masters in the Ant Robbing Plain.

Luo Xiao Mountain’s cry could be heard from a great distance across the Ant Robbing Plain. If other masters from the Luo Family heard it, they would likely find their way here.

’If a master at the Martial Arts Fourth Layer comes, I still have a fighting chance; I might even find a way to kill them. But if someone from the Martial Arts Fifth Layer or even the Martial Arts Sixth Layer arrives, the gap in our strength will be too vast. Even a sneak attack would be useless.’

’Alternatively, if two masters at the Martial Arts Fourth Layer were to arrive together, I would be helpless.’

”Sigh!” Zhaang Ye sighed in frustration and glanced toward the Mammoth. The Heaven and Earth Essence Qi from miles around was still surging toward it without pause. The Mammoth was like a bottomless pit, absorbing all the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi into its body. There was no telling how much longer this would continue.

’Come on, big guy, I hope you finish advancing soon! Otherwise, I’m going to be in huge trouble.’ Zhaang Ye gave a wry smile and hurried over to deal with Luo Xiao Mountain’s body.

Before disposing of the body, it was the usual routine: loot it first. Zhaang Ye was already very familiar with this process. With practiced hands, he searched Luo Xiao Mountain’s corpse and pulled out several items.

Two Golden Tickets worth twenty thousand taels each, a bottle of Qi Gathering Pills, a bottle of Golden Healing Powder, and a tightly sealed black vial whose contents were a mystery.

Zhaang Ye pocketed the Golden Tickets, Qi Gathering Pills, and Golden Healing Powder, then gently opened the black vial. Inside, he found a gray powder.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhaang Ye used his Blade Tip to scoop out a bit of the gray powder and sprinkled it onto Luo Xiao Mountain’s corpse. The moment the powder touched Luo Xiao Mountain’s flesh, it instantly dissolved into a pool of foul-smelling liquid.

’This is actually a bottle of poison! What a great find!’

Zhaang Ye’s eyes lit up as an idea took root in his mind. He immediately set to work putting his new plan into motion.