Overlord of the Wilderness

The Red Meat Crown on the Hundred-foot Python’s head was formed from all of the Essence Blood in its body. When the Giant Python reached a certain stage of Cultivation, the Red Meat Crown would transform into a short, straight horn, and the python itself would become a Flood Dragon capable of soaring through the clouds.

A Flood Dragon’s horn had all sorts of wondrous uses, as did a Giant Python’s Red Meat Crown. The crown was formed from the python’s Essence Blood and contained Ancient Dragon Power. If Zhaang Ye could obtain this Red Meat Crown, he could condense a sliver of Ancient Dragon Power in a short amount of time and his strength would increase dramatically!

”This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! I have to get it!” Zhaang Ye stared unblinkingly at the Hundred-foot Python, observing its reaction.

”ROAR!!”

After its crown was severed, the Hundred-foot Python writhed in immense pain, thrashing wildly against the marsh. The other pythons in the swamp had already been stunned by the giant’s roar. Under the Hundred-foot Python’s rampage, these massive snakes were smashed to a pulp one by one, sending a rain of mud across a radius of several li.

Under the Giant Python’s great roar, the perennially misty sky over the Python Marsh actually cleared, revealing a bright, blazing sun.

Witnessing the Hundred-foot Python’s terrifying power, Zhaang Ye’s pupils couldn’t help but constrict. This creature’s strength was truly horrifying to the extreme. When it had fought that youth in dark clothes, it had clearly held a playful attitude and wasn’t using its full power at all. That was the only reason it had been injured by him.

If it had gone all out from the start, the youth in dark clothes likely couldn’t have even taken a single blow, let alone injure it.

While the Hundred-foot Python was in its frenzy, Zhaang Ye slowly sank beneath the marsh. He swam slowly, like a snake himself. Zhaang Ye didn’t dare to move too quickly. The Hundred-foot Python was incredibly powerful with sharp senses. Even in its current state of agony, its perception was still keen. If it discovered him, death would be the only outcome.

The fallen Red Meat Crown weighed dozens of pounds, and blood slowly trickled from the severed surface. This blood had a faint golden tint, and Zhaang Ye felt a faint Suppression from it before he even got close.

Without hesitation, Zhaang Ye gulped down the flowing blood in one go. He then drew his Heavy Saber, sliced off a five or six-pound chunk of flesh from the crown’s severed edge, and devoured it in a few bites. After finishing, he immediately sank back into the marsh and slipped away.

The entire Red Meat Crown weighed dozens of pounds, but Zhaang Ye didn’t dare to eat the whole thing at once. Even though the crown was severed, it still shared a flesh-and-blood connection with the Hundred-foot Python. If he devoured the entire thing, the Giant Python would sense it immediately, and he would surely be torn to shreds.

After sneaking more than fifty li away, Zhaang Ye emerged from the marsh. Just then, he heard an earth-shattering roar from behind him. The great roar was laced with a towering rage, and the bone-chilling killing intent mixed within it sent a shiver of fear through Zhaang Ye.

’It found out!’ Zhaang Ye recognized the fury and killing intent in the roar. His heart tightened, and he hurriedly executed his Body Technique to flee at top speed.

Only after dashing two or three hundred li away did Zhaang Ye breathe a small sigh of relief. ’Although that Giant Python is formidable, searching a two or three hundred-li radius of the marsh will still take it some time. That’s enough time for me to escape thousands of li away.’

His body began to heat up. A pure power slowly emerged within his Dantian and Meridians, faintly resonating with his Ancient Elephant Power. Under the impact of these two forces, the Dragon Elephant Skill showed faint signs of a breakthrough.

”Excellent!” Zhaang Ye knew the Snake Blood and Red Meat Crown he had consumed were finally taking effect. After circulating his Cultivation Technique, a look of joy appeared on his face. ’By refining this Snake Blood and flesh, I should be able to condense a sliver of Ancient Dragon Power! I need to find a place to refine them immediately!’

WHOOSH!

The Dragon Elephant Power within Zhaang Ye surged, and his speed increased. A faint mist began to form around his body—a phenomenon that only appeared when one was about to break the sound barrier.

Generally speaking, only a High Level Body Technique could allow one to break the sound barrier. It was already incredible that Zhaang Ye could achieve such speed with just the Cloud Stepping Technique.

Just as Zhaang Ye was about to see if he could break the sound barrier, three Martial Artists suddenly appeared before him. Each of these three possessed the strength of the Martial Arts Seventh Layer. The man in the lead had shoulder-length hair and wore green robes, and his aura was as immeasurable as the sea. This was none other than the Da Ling Kingdom’s True Hall Disciple, Lingruo Sea.

A short-haired, middle-aged man at the Early-stage Seventh Layer of the Martial Arts blocked Zhaang Ye’s path and shouted, ”Kid! What’s up ahead? What was that roar just now?”

Being suddenly stopped, Zhaang Ye felt a flash of annoyance. However, all three of these men were powerful experts, and Lingruo Sea was a Martial Artist rarely matched among his peers. Under normal circumstances, Zhaang Ye might have wanted to fight him. But right now, he just wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible and was in no mood for a battle.

Quickly weighing the pros and cons, Zhaang Ye decided it was best to avoid conflict. He said coolly, ”There’s a terrifying Giant Python up ahead. The roar you heard came from it. If you’re strong enough, you can go take a look.”

”A Giant Python? How can a Giant Python roar like that?” the short-haired man sneered. ”Kid, you seem to have come from that direction, so you should know what happened. Spill it, and don’t make us get rough.”

The Python Marsh was home to many Giant Pythons, but ordinary ones couldn’t roar. Only a Giant Python possessing the Ancient Giant Dragon Bloodline could produce such a sound. And pythons with that bloodline were extremely rare. One might not encounter a single one even after spending a hundred years in the Python Marsh. It was no wonder this Martial Artist didn’t believe Zhaang Ye’s words.

The Dragon Elephant Power in Zhaang Ye’s body was surging, and he just wanted to find a place to cultivate as soon as possible. Coupled with his eagerness to leave this dangerous place before the Hundred-foot Python found him, he had no desire to waste words with these Martial Artists. He said in a low voice, ”I’ve told you the situation up ahead. Whether you believe it or not is your business. Now, if you’ll excuse me!”

As he spoke, Zhaang Ye’s figure flashed, bypassing the short-haired man as he prepared to leave.

”You think you can just leave before you’ve explained things clearly?” The short-haired man suddenly blocked Zhaang Ye’s path again, chuckling sinisterly. ”Kid, you’re not getting away from me!”

Zhaang Ye’s expression turned cold. ”Get out of the way!”

The short-haired man let out a strange laugh, crossing his arms. ”A little kid at the Martial Arts Fifth Layer is ordering me to get out of the way! Boy, have you lost your mind? Huh?”

A flicker of killing intent flashed in Zhaang Ye’s heart; he wished he could just kill this man on the spot. But he knew his opponent was too powerful. He had no chance of winning if a fight broke out. Besides, the commotion from a battle would immediately attract the attention of the Hundred-foot Python. He had consumed its Snake Blood and crown, and its scent lingered on him. If the Hundred-foot Python locked onto him, it would be a near-certain death.

Zhaang Ye buried his killing intent deep down and said slowly, ”Perhaps I wasn’t clear earlier. Let me add one more thing. That Giant Python is a hundred zhang long and has a Red Meat Crown on its head. Alright, that’s all I have to say. I’m leaving!”

Zhaang Ye revealed the existence of the Hundred-foot Python for two reasons. First, he wanted to distract the three men so he could slip away. Second, he hoped they would go fight the python to the death, giving him a chance to safely escape the marshland.

A Hundred-foot Python was immensely useful to a Martial Artist; Zhaang Ye didn’t believe they wouldn’t be tempted.

Sure enough, as soon as Zhaang Ye shared this information, the short-haired man froze, no longer trying to block his path.

”It can roar, it’s a hundred zhang long, and it has a Red Meat Crown... C-could it be a Giant Python with the bloodline of the Ancient Dragon Clan? Yes, yes, that must be it! Only a Giant Python with the bloodline of the Ancient Dragon Clan could grow to be a hundred zhang long!” The short-haired man’s eyes lit up, a hint of greed flashing within them as he began to tremble with excitement.

Lingruo Sea was also excited, his fists trembling slightly. ”A Giant Python with the bloodline of the Ancient Dragon Clan... Excellent, excellent!”

As an Inner Hall Disciple of the True Hall, Lingruo Sea had always been incredibly arrogant, proclaiming himself undefeated among his generation. Ever since leaving the Da Ling Kingdom True Hall, he had traveled around challenging young experts everywhere.

This time, upon arriving in Python City, Lingruo Sea’s penchant for challenging others had flared up again. He had ambitiously challenged the Rakshasa King, one of the four great young experts of Python City, hoping to make a name for himself. He never expected the Rakshasa King’s strength to be so extraordinarily formidable. Even with his power, Lingruo Sea had been beaten so badly that he’d coughed up blood and was humiliatingly defeated.

After his defeat, Lingruo Sea knew his strength was still insufficient. So, he came to the Python Marsh to try his luck and search for a fortunate encounter. He hadn’t expected that shortly after entering, he would learn from Zhaang Ye that there was a Giant Python with the bloodline of the Ancient Dragon Clan within the marsh.

A Giant Python with the bloodline of the Ancient Dragon Clan was a huge temptation for any Martial Artist. If a Martial Artist could slay such a beast, drink its blood, and refine its Red Meat Crown, their Cultivation would surely rise to the next level. Furthermore, the python’s bones and Snake Hide were also exceptionally valuable, easily selling for ten or twenty thousand Essence Stones!

While Lingruo Sea and the short-haired man were stunned, the other Martial Arts Seventh Layer expert was not. Seeing Zhaang Ye leaving, he shouted, ”Kid, stop! Get back here and give me the details!”