Overlord of the Wilderness

The Martial Dao was infinitely profound. The higher one’s Cultivation, the more problems one encountered during cultivation. Although Zhaang Ye’s Comprehension was outstanding, his experience was ultimately limited, and there were many cultivation difficulties he couldn’t solve. Now that he had such an opportunity, Zhaang Ye certainly wasn’t going to hold back. He began asking the Fourth Hall Master about every problem he had encountered, one by one.

The Fourth Hall Master lived up to his reputation as a True Dao Expert. No matter how difficult Zhaang Ye’s questions were, he answered them effortlessly, offering various suggestions that made everything click for Zhaang Ye.

The two continued their back-and-forth, and before they knew it, an entire day had passed.

After answering the final question, the Fourth Hall Master finally let out a sigh of relief. He had initially assumed that, given Zhaang Ye’s level of Cultivation, he wouldn’t have many questions. He never expected Zhaang Ye to fire off sixty or seventy questions in a row, each one impressively deep. A few of them even gave the Fourth Hall Master, despite his own profound Cultivation, a flash of new insight.

Seeing that Zhaang Ye had no more questions, the Fourth Hall Master tossed him a crystal-clear Jade Token that faintly exuded a trace of Suppression. He said, ”This Jade Token is proof of your affiliation with my Fourth Hall’s lineage. Carry it with you, and you’ll enjoy certain conveniences within the True Hall. As for what those conveniences are, you’ll find out in due time.”

When he heard that the Jade Token would grant him various conveniences in the True Hall, Zhaang Ye’s eyes lit up, and he hastily put it away.

After tossing Zhaang Ye the Jade Token, the Fourth Hall Master threw him a Jade Bottle as well, saying, ”Inside this bottle are three Bone Marrow Cleansing Pills. Your aptitude is very poor. These three Bone Marrow Cleansing Pills can raise your aptitude to the Fifth Grade, which should speed up your cultivation a bit.”

’Bone Marrow Cleansing Pills that can raise my aptitude to the Fifth Grade!’ Zhaang Ye was overjoyed. Not long ago, his aptitude had just been raised from Eighth Grade to Sixth Grade. If it was now raised from Sixth Grade to Fifth Grade, his cultivation speed would increase dramatically. He was confident it wouldn’t be long before he reached the Martial Arts Fifth Layer.

Zhaang Ye respectfully bowed to the Fourth Hall Master and said, ”Thank you, Master!”

Back in the Cyan Mulberry Zhaang Family, Zhaang Tianlong had mentioned that the cost to raise one’s aptitude increased tenfold for each grade. It had cost Zhaang Ye over three million taels of Gold just to raise his aptitude to the Sixth Grade. Raising it from the Sixth Grade to the Fifth Grade would require a staggering thirty million taels.

In other words, the three Bone Marrow Cleansing Pills the Fourth Hall Master had tossed him were worth thirty to forty million taels of Gold. For that alone, the Fourth Hall Master deserved Zhaang Ye’s heartfelt gratitude.

The Fourth Hall Master nodded slightly and tossed a Beast Hide Scroll to Zhaang Ye. ”This scroll contains a map of the surrounding terrain. The eighth valley marked within will be your new place for cultivation. There’s an Array outside the valley that you can open with your Jade Token. Alright, I’m preparing to enter secluded cultivation. I hope that in three years, you can reach the Martial Arts Sixth Layer.” As he spoke, the Fourth Hall Master flicked his sleeve. An irresistible force materialized from nothing, instantly ejecting Zhaang Ye from the small wooden cabin.

The small wooden cabin was hundreds of zhang above the ground. If an ordinary person were to fall from that height, they would be instantly splattered into a bloody pulp. But Zhaang Ye’s Cloud Stepping Technique had already reached Great Success, so he obviously wasn’t going to just fall. While in mid-air, he abruptly circulated his qi and executed the Cloud Traveling Step, his body floating down as lightly as a cloud before landing on the ground.

Once his feet were on solid ground, Zhaang Ye unrolled the Beast Hide Scroll. After a quick look, he headed straight for the eighth valley.

According to the Beast Hide Scroll, the eighth valley wasn’t far from the cabin, only a little over three hundred li away. Zhaang Ye traveled at top speed and soon arrived outside a valley shrouded in a hazy mist.

Outside the valley stood a stone stele. Zhaang Ye pressed his Jade Token against its surface. The entire valley instantly gave a slight tremor, and the mist within scattered.

Zhaang Ye put away his Jade Token and entered the valley. He found that although the valley wasn’t particularly large, the scenery within was breathtakingly beautiful. As he walked, he saw vibrant flowers of every shape and color, fruit trees heavy with ripe fruit, and patches of lush, verdant grass. A small river, several zhang wide, also ran through the valley, pooling in the center to form a lake several mu in size that was very pleasing to the eye.

After passing the small lake in the center of the valley, Zhaang Ye suddenly sensed that the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi up ahead was exceptionally dense. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickened his pace. After walking for another hundred-odd zhang, he saw a small, verdant tree growing atop a massive boulder.

The verdant tree was three to four zhang tall. Each leaf seemed to be wreathed in mist, making them difficult to see clearly. Above the tree’s crown hovered a faint layer of Heaven and Earth Essence Qi, which looked like a soft, pale cloud.

”This is...” Zhaang Ye was both shocked and overjoyed. ’A Pseudo Spirit Tree! Heh, while this Pseudo Spirit Tree can’t compare to Master’s, it’s still pretty good! With a tree like this, my cultivation speed will increase by quite a lot!’

Trees capable of gathering Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi are known as Spirit Trees. Trees like this one, which can only gather Heaven and Earth Essence Qi, are called Pseudo Spirit Trees. The Heaven and Earth Essence Qi gathered by a Pseudo Spirit Tree is exceptionally pure and ideal for cultivation. Back at the small wooden cabin, Zhaang Ye’s progress with every Cultivation Technique had advanced by leaps and bounds, all thanks to the Pseudo Spirit Tree there.

Zhaang Ye quickened his pace toward the tree. When he was still more than ten zhang away from the Pseudo Spirit Tree, he suddenly heard a soft SQUEAK. A faint streak of golden light, accompanied by a sharp whistle of wind, shot toward him.

The streak of golden light was unbelievably fast, arriving before Zhaang Ye in less than the blink of an eye. He could sense that not only was it fast, but it also concealed a terrifying power—a force even he didn’t dare to block head-on. With no other choice, Zhaang Ye executed the Cloud Traveling Step, rolling on the ground and coming to a stop several zhang away.

SQUEAK SQUEAK!

The streak of golden light landed on the ground and let out two soft squeaks. Zhaang Ye focused his eyes and saw that the creature that had attacked him was a dazzling golden monkey. It had long arms, and its fur shone like pure gold. It chittered angrily, waving one arm at Zhaang Ye as if to shoo him away.

’It’s trying to drive me away?’ Zhaang Ye couldn’t help but laugh. He said, ”Little guy, as of today, this valley is my territory. You’re the one who has to leave.”

The golden monkey seemed to understand his words. It shrieked in anger, and with no discernible movement, it abruptly transformed back into a streak of golden light and shot toward Zhaang Ye again.

Zhaang Ye was ready this time. Seeing the golden monkey attack again, the Heavy Saber on his back was suddenly in his hand, and he slashed at the streak of golden light.

After cultivating his Dragon Elephant Skill to the Mid-stage Fifth Layer, Zhaang Ye’s speed with the saber had increased once more. When he slashed, it was like a streak of black light tearing through the void. The Heavy Saber, weighing six hundred and ninety-eight jin, felt as light as a feather in his hands.

BOOM!

The streak of golden light crashed squarely against Zhaang Ye’s Heavy Saber. He felt an immense force, like a collapsing mountain, slam into him. The impact sent a violent tremor through his entire body, knocking him back four or five zhang.

’This monkey is incredible!’ Zhaang Ye steadied himself, shocked.

Just as his Heavy Saber was about to connect, the golden monkey had extended its paw and slapped viciously at the blade. The monkey looked like it weighed no more than thirty or forty jin, yet the force of its slap exceeded ten thousand jin. That single blow had been enough to force even someone like Zhaang Ye to retreat continuously.

SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK! Seeing Zhaang Ye knocked back, the golden monkey chittered triumphantly, looking utterly smug.

’I refuse to believe I can’t even beat a monkey!’ Seeing the creature’s smug expression, Zhaang Ye grew determined. He raised his Heavy Saber, executed his Reverse Flow Slash, and charged straight at the monkey.

SWOOSH!

Just as Zhaang Ye’s Heavy Saber was about to land, the golden monkey abruptly vanished. Before Zhaang Ye could even register his surprise, it had already appeared behind him and launched a lightning-fast assault.

’Such incredible speed!’ Zhaang Ye thought in alarm, his body suddenly twisting like a whirlwind to evade the attack. But the golden monkey’s speed was truly astounding. He had barely dodged the first assault when it launched a second. Its two long arms were like terrifying iron bars, and even with his strength, Zhaang Ye found himself unable to shake its pursuit!

’What terrifying speed! This monkey is moving at nearly the speed of sound!’ Zhaang Ye was alarmed. Despite continuously using his Body Technique, he was still on the defensive. Not only was the monkey’s speed approaching that of sound, but its strikes also held immense power. Even with his Heavy Saber, Zhaang Ye couldn’t gain an advantage in a head-on clash.

After exchanging several hundred blows with the golden monkey, Zhaang Ye knew he wouldn’t be able to defeat it anytime soon. He suddenly executed a Mountain-Breaking Slash to force the monkey back slightly, then turned and exited the valley.

When he got outside the valley, Zhaang Ye suddenly froze. Standing there was a woman in a purple robe—none other than the Fourth Hall Master’s seventh disciple, Fang Caiying.

Zhaang Ye had now taken the Fourth Hall Master as his master, which meant Fang Caiying was technically his senior sister.

*Ahem.* Being forced out of the valley by a monkey was rather embarrassing for Zhaang Ye. After a light cough, he bowed to Fang Caiying and said, ”Zhaang Ye greets Seventh Senior Sister.”

Fang Caiying sized him up with curiosity. ”So you’re the new disciple Master accepted! What’s this? Did a golden monkey chase you out?”

Zhaang Ye gave a wry smile. ”That’s about right.”

Fang Caiying chuckled. ”You encountered that monkey and came out uninjured? Your strength is pretty decent. No wonder Master decided to take you as his disciple.”

Zhaang Ye paused, slightly taken aback. ”Senior Sister, what’s the story with that monkey?” (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with Recommendation Tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)