Overlord of the Wilderness

Zhaang Ye was slightly taken aback. Ten days ago, Zhaang Wu had said that easily obtaining a spot in the competition would likely draw the ire of some Inner Sect Disciples, leading to someone showing up to challenge him. He just hadn’t expected a challenge to arrive the moment he emerged from the Wind Cave.

Zhaang Ye sized up the young men who had approached. There were five of them, all around twenty-four or twenty-five years old. Their Cultivation levels weren’t far apart, either; they were all at the Martial Arts Fourth Layer Middle Stage.

When the five men walked into the small courtyard and saw Zhaang Ye’s appearance, they froze for a moment before bursting into laughter. One of them pointed at Zhaang Ye and laughed, ”All of us Inner Sect Disciples are young men in our twenties and thirties. Since when did the Steward Hall let an old man like this in? HAHA...”

The other young men who had come with him all laughed as well.

Zhaang Ye stood there impassively. He waited for their laughter to die down before asking leisurely, ”Are you lot here to challenge me, or to play the fool?”

Under Zhaang Ye’s mocking gaze, the young men suddenly felt like clowns, performing desperately for an audience of one.

The laughter from the five men stopped all at once, as if a crowing rooster had suddenly been grabbed by the throat.

”Hm? What are you all doing?” Just as the five young men were about to lash out, a hoarse voice drifted over. Zhaang Ye and the youths turned to see an old woman using a Body Technique to speed toward them.

Upon seeing the old woman, the young men were stunned. They then bowed in unison and said, ”Greetings, Granny Mei.”

As it turned out, the old woman who had appeared so suddenly was Granny Mei.

Seeing Granny Mei’s figure, Zhaang Ye’s brow furrowed slightly.

Zhaang Ye had no favorable impression of Granny Mei whatsoever. The old crone had always held an inexplicable hostility toward him, and every time they met, she would find a way to mock and belittle him. During their last encounter, she had even taken it upon herself to test his strength. Zhaang Ye had been forced to bite his own tongue and feign injury just to fool her.

With a placid expression, Zhaang Ye followed the five young men in bowing, saying nothing.

Granny Mei landed in the middle of the group. Her gaze swept over the five young men before finally settling on Zhaang Ye. After staring at him for a moment, her body suddenly trembled. Her eyes bulged wide, like those of a dead fish. Utterly astonished, she pointed at Zhaang Ye and stammered, ”You... you... you’re Zhaang Ye?”

Zhaang Ye smiled faintly. ”Granny Mei, we meet again.”

Only upon hearing his voice could Granny Mei be sure that the person before her was indeed Zhaang Ye. Sensing the aura around him, she gasped, then said in disbelief, ”Zhaang Ye, it really is you! You’ve actually cultivated to the Martial Arts Fourth Layer? Aren’t you Eighth Grade? How is this possible!”

Sensing Zhaang Ye’s aura, the shock in Granny Mei’s heart was truly beyond words. This Zhaang Ye only had an Eighth Grade aptitude, no powerful master, and no significant financial backing. Yet, in just a few short months, his Cultivation had soared from the Early Stage of Martial Arts Third Layer to the Martial Arts Fourth Layer—a jump of an entire Layer.

A few months ago, she had belittled Zhaang Ye, declaring he would be stuck at the Martial Arts Third Layer for the rest of his life. She never imagined that after just a few short months, Zhaang Ye would actually become an Inner Sect Disciple at the Martial Arts Fourth Layer. His speed of Cultivation even surpassed that of the geniuses in the Zhaang Family.

Just then, Zhaang Ye chuckled. ”Advancing to the Martial Arts Fourth Layer with an Eighth Grade aptitude is indeed very difficult. A few months ago, some shortsighted people even said it was impossible. However, I succeeded. Heh heh...”

Zhaang Ye’s eyes were smiling. But Granny Mei could clearly feel the mockery within that gaze, mocking her for being old and blind, for her inability to recognize true talent. Seeing that look, Granny Mei’s old face burned as if it had been slapped dozens of times.

Although Granny Mei was technically a servant, she held a special status, and even Inner Sect Disciples treated her with great respect. Zhaang Ye’s contemptuous gaze immediately sent her into a rage born of shame. She slammed her cane on the ground and sneered, ”Zhaang Ye, this Cultivation of yours... I’m certain you didn’t achieve it through your own efforts, did you? Let this old woman offer you a piece of advice: a Cultivation rapidly achieved through external means is not the proper path. If you’re not careful, you could suffer a cultivation deviation and not even be able to save your own life.”

Zhaang Ye smiled and replied with feigned respect, ”Granny Mei, your insight is as sharp as a torch, and your experience is vast. I will be sure to remember your words.”

Hearing Zhaang Ye’s deliberate compliment, Granny Mei snorted in anger. ’I’ve misjudged him time and time again, yet he’s intentionally bringing up ’sharp insight’ and ’vast experience.’ Isn’t he just mocking me?!’

At that moment, a slender young man from the group of five stepped forward. He nodded to Granny Mei and said, ”Granny Mei, we wish to challenge Zhaang Ye. We would like to ask you to be a witness. What do you think?”

”Challenge Zhaang Ye?” Granny Mei’s eyes lit up, and she let out a strange cackle. ”Of course. This old woman would be more than happy to be the witness.”

Having readily agreed, Granny Mei sneered inwardly. ’No matter how monstrously talented Zhaang Ye is, he only just advanced to the Martial Arts Fourth Layer. This Inner Sect Disciple challenging him, on the other hand, reached the Martial Arts Fourth Layer two or three years ago, and his Cultivation is at the Martial Arts Fourth Layer Middle Stage. In that case, as long as Zhaang Ye dares to accept, he’s guaranteed to lose. And he’ll lose miserably...’

Fearing Zhaang Ye might refuse, Granny Mei fixed her gaze on him after agreeing to be the witness and cackled, ”Zhaang Ye, someone wants to challenge you. Do you dare to accept their challenge?”

Zhaang Ye’s mind was far more mature than his peers; how could he fail to see through Granny Mei’s simple goading? He sneered inwardly and said casually, ”If you want a challenge, then bring it. I’m busy. I don’t have time to trade barbs with you.”

Ever since cultivating his Dragon Elephant Skill to the 5th Layer, Zhaang Ye had lost all interest in opponents at the Martial Arts Fourth Layer. In his eyes, this challenge was a complete joke.

However, Zhaang Ye knew he couldn’t simply refuse. If he didn’t accept the challenge, these people would assume he was weak and afraid of them.

’Right now, there’s only one way to intimidate these Inner Sect Disciples: fight. Beat them. Beat them so brutally they’ll be too afraid to ever try again. That way, no one will dare provoke me anymore.’

The slender young man sneered. ”Such a sharp tongue! Zhaang Ye, I, Zhaang Cang, challenge you now. Let’s see just how many moves you can last against me!”

As he spoke, he began to walk toward Zhaang Ye, one deliberate step at a time. This Zhaang Cang was a battle-hardened veteran who excelled at overwhelming opponents with his presence. By approaching slowly and deliberately, he was trying to build psychological pressure on Zhaang Ye, looking for an opportunity to defeat him in a single blow.

Granny Mei’s eyes gleamed as she stared intently at Zhaang Ye and Zhaang Cang. She was waiting for Zhaang Cang to make his move, viciously defeat Zhaang Ye, and grind his dignity into the dust, which would finally allow her to vent her frustration.

(Thank you to Gu Tianpei, Meng Meng Beast, LikesMini, and Second Young Master Xie for your generous tips. Thank you to all my readers for the Recommendation Tickets. This Chapter is late again. Sigh...)