Overlord of the Wilderness

The Python Marsh was perpetually shrouded in rising vapor, gloomy and damp—a veritable paradise for pythons and all sorts of Fierce Beasts. Walking within, one could witness the constant life-and-death struggles between pythons and Fierce Beasts, and between pythons and humans.

Zhaang Ye pushed his Cloud Stepping Technique to its limits, venturing deeper and deeper. The farther he went into the Python Marsh, the more hostile the environment became, and the more terrifying the Fierce Beasts and pythons he encountered.

After traveling more than 30,000 li, the marsh had become a boundless ocean. Even with Zhaang Ye’s current Body Technique, it was difficult to find a foothold. And beneath this vast expanse of water, countless Giant Pythons, hundreds of feet long, lay silently in wait. A single misstep, and they would swallow a person whole.

WHOOSH!

Zhaang Ye sped across a stretch of swamp and glanced back into the distance.

Over ten li away, a gloomy aura was doggedly pursuing him.

When stationary, a Martial Artist could conceal their entire aura. But when executing a Body Technique at full speed, concealing one’s aura was impossible. Thus, Zhaang Ye could clearly sense his pursuer’s presence, and in turn, his pursuer could clearly sense his.

For the past two days, Zhaang Ye had been fleeing at top speed while this person trailed closely behind. The man was much faster than Zhaang Ye, and his power was far greater. Zhaang Ye had used every trick in the book, but he couldn’t shake him.

’The one chasing me so relentlessly must be that pitch-black young man! His strength is truly formidable; he’s at least at the Martial Arts Seventh Layer Late Stage. No wonder I couldn’t shake him, even after wracking my brain. But the deeper we go, the more pythons there are. Let’s see just how long you can keep following me!’ A cold smirk appeared on Zhaang Ye’s lips as he continued deeper into the Python Marsh.

After absorbing a sliver of Ancient Dragon Power, Zhaang Ye’s body now carried a faint trace of its aura. Upon sensing this aura, the vast majority of pythons would obediently remain hidden in the marsh, not daring to make a move.

Relying on this aura, Zhaang Ye could traverse the Python Marsh with significantly less risk. As long as he didn’t run into any pythons possessing the Ancient Giant Dragon Bloodline or any particularly powerful Giant Pythons, he had little to worry about.

It was because he had absorbed this sliver of Ancient Dragon Power that Zhaang Ye remained undaunted by his pursuer’s formidable strength.

SWOOSH!

After traveling several thousand more li, Zhaang Ye spotted several Giant Pythons, each dozens of feet long, lounging lazily in the shallows a few li away. An idea suddenly struck him. He abruptly halted his rapid advance, landing squarely on the back of a Giant Python that was over seventy feet long.

This seventy-plus-foot-long Giant Python was coiled silently in a shallow patch of the marsh. Zhaang Ye’s sudden landing startled it. It let out a HISS, its massive head striking at Zhaang Ye like lightning, intent on devouring him.

Zhaang Ye snorted, and the Ancient Dragon Power and Ancient Elephant Power within him erupted. The Ancient Dragon Power was the might of the Ancient Giant Dragons, while the Ancient Elephant Power was the might of the Ancient Elephant Clan. Both were dominant races in Ancient Times, and their power was imbued with an immense majesty. Sensing these two terrifying powers from ancient times, the Giant Python instantly became docile, its body freezing in place, too afraid to even twitch.

Zhaang Ye hid himself behind one of the Giant Python’s scales, concealing his entire aura. He then took out the Purple Great Bow he had yet to use, nocked an arrow, and waited silently.

A short while later, the pitch-black young man appeared in the distance. He ran faster than the speed of sound, crossing several li in the blink of an eye. Even the powerful Giant Pythons were unable to catch a glimpse of his figure.

It was precisely this speed, far exceeding that of sound, that allowed him to race through a marsh teeming with Giant Pythons. And it was this same speed that allowed him to stay relentlessly on Zhaang Ye’s tail, no matter how much Zhaang Ye wracked his brain to escape.

SWOOSH!

Just as the man in black was about to pass over the Giant Python, Zhaang Ye released the string of his Purple Great Bow. An arrow instantly tore through the air, shooting out abruptly.

Zhaang Ye had never practiced any Bow Technique and couldn’t perform any exquisite Arrow Technique, but his aim was solid. For this shot, he imbued the arrow with Rotating Power. The moment it left the bowstring, it began to spin rapidly. The spinning arrow flew with incredible speed, crossing a hundred feet of open air in an instant as it shot straight toward the man in black.

The man in black was indeed a formidable master. The instant Zhaang Ye released the bowstring and his aura leaked out, he was detected. The man swept out a pitch-black hand, and a terrifying force surged forth, colliding squarely with the arrow. With a loud BANG, he actually managed to swat Zhaang Ye’s arrow aside.

”Hm?”

Although the man in black had blocked the arrow, he let out a soft sound of surprise. The Rotating Power contained within Zhaang Ye’s arrow had been so formidable that even with his strength as a Martial Arts Seventh Layer Late Stage cultivator, he hadn’t been able to completely neutralize it.

SWOOSH!

Just as the man in black was reeling in surprise, Zhaang Ye’s second arrow arrived.

Again, it was propelled by rotation, and again, it was as fast as lightning. Though it lacked any formal Arrow Skill, its lightning speed combined with the immense force of its rotation created devastating killing power.

A glint flashed in the man’s eyes. He swept his hand out again, and a surge of powerful Qi Force knocked Zhaang Ye’s arrow aside.

After blocking two of Zhaang Ye’s arrows in succession, the man’s speed was greatly affected, and his figure faltered for a moment in mid-air.

In that slight pause, the Giant Pythons below the man in black found their opening. Two Giant Pythons, each over sixty feet long, suddenly shot up from the marsh. Amidst a sky full of water spray, they opened their gaping maws and lunged at the dark figure!

These Giant Pythons had lived in the Python Marsh for many years. Their senses were exceptionally sharp, and their hunting instincts were outstanding. As long as the man in black maintained his supersonic speed, they could do nothing to him. But now, after Zhaang Ye’s two arrows, his speed had dropped, immediately drawing the pythons’ attack.

HISS!

The pythons’ bodies were enormous, but their attack speed was nothing to scoff at. The two terrifying pythons now converged on him like a pair of massive scissors snapping shut. Before their heads even arrived, their chilling auras had already locked onto the man in black!

Each of these two Giant Pythons was equivalent to a Sixth Layer Peak Martial Artist. Faced with their all-out assault, no matter how powerful the man in black was, he had no choice but to halt his advance.

BANG! BANG!

The man in black made a pressing motion with his palm, and two condensed, unwavering streams of Qi Force shot from his hand. Accompanied by a RUMBLING sound, these two streams of Qi Force blasted directly into the Giant Pythons’ open mouths.

BOOM! BOOM!

The technique the man in black had just used was an ability unique to Martial Arts Seventh Layer masters—Binding Qi into Thunder. The two streams of Qi Force he had unleashed were highly condensed True Qi, making them astonishingly powerful. The two Giant Pythons were blasted by the man, their mouths blown to bits, and they fell struggling from the sky.

The man in black had dispatched the two Giant Pythons with a mere wave of his hand, but now, even more Giant Pythons had locked onto him.

HISSSSS!

This time, four Giant Pythons leaped from the marsh, drool dripping from the corners of their mouths and their thigh-thick tongues flicking as they shot toward the man in black.

The weakest of these four pythons was comparable to a Sixth Layer Peak Martial Artist. The strongest among them was over seventy feet long, its scales several feet wide, and it shimmered with an eerie black luster, like metal. Its strength was already on par with a Mid-stage Seventh Layer master!

A smile touched Zhaang Ye’s face as he watched the man in black being swarmed by the Giant Pythons. His goal with the two arrows had been to slow the man down and expose him to the pythons’ attacks. It seemed his plan had worked perfectly. Under assault from so many pythons, no matter how powerful he was, he would be too preoccupied to continue his pursuit for the time being.

’Heh, let me add to your troubles!’ Zhaang Ye gritted his teeth, took out two more arrows, nocked them on his Purple Great Bow, and fired at the man in black.

The man in black had just killed two more pythons, but Zhaang Ye’s arrows had already reached him. With no other choice, he had to act once again to strike them down.

And in that brief moment, a RUSTLING sound filled the marsh for several li around. Countless pythons were converging, all heading for the man in black in the air.

HISSSSS!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The terrible cries of the Giant Pythons and the explosive sounds of Powerful Qi rang out one after another. Despite being a Martial Arts Seventh Layer Late Stage cultivator with various strange abilities of his own, the man in black was in a sorry state under the assault of so many Giant Pythons.

Zhaang Ye had originally planned to just leave, but seeing the man in black’s predicament, his eyes lit up. He knew this was the perfect opportunity to eliminate this formidable opponent.

Zhaang Ye nocked an arrow on his bowstring, locking his sights on the man in black from afar. The moment the man revealed the slightest opening, the arrow in his hand would fly, killing this terrifying adversary.

HISSSSSSS—

By now, more than a dozen Giant Pythons were besieging the man in black. Among them were three pythons over seventy feet long, with strength comparable to Mid-stage Seventh Layer masters. Although the man was powerful, he couldn’t stay airborne indefinitely. Under the siege of so many Giant Pythons, his situation had become precarious, and he could be devoured by the snakes at any moment!

Zhaang Ye was overjoyed, preparing to seize the opportunity and kill the man with a single shot.

Suddenly, a low cry echoed through the air. The sound was filled with majesty and nobility, as if a king were slowly approaching... (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for Recommendation Tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)