Overlord of the Wilderness

The Hundred-zhang Giant Python’s massive body smashed down from the sky, sinking deep into the swamp.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH! The experts from Python City, the Da Ling Kingdom’s True Hall, and the Great Cheng Kingdom’s True Hall landed on the Hundred-zhang Giant Python’s body. The Loose Cultivators and Martial Arts Seventh Layer experts could only stand far off to the side.

”Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!” an Eighth Layer expert from Python City exclaimed, looking down at the Hundred-zhang Giant Python beneath his feet. He then said, ”Python City contributed the most to slaying this Giant Python. We’ll take thirty jin of the meat crown and thirty zhang of the snake’s body.”

The other experts from Python City all nodded in agreement. They had lost over thirty Martial Arts Seventh Layer experts in this battle and needed a substantial reward to compensate for their losses.

At this moment, the expert from the Da Ling Kingdom’s True Hall frowned. ”That’s not a fair distribution, is it? The essence of this Hundred-zhang Giant Python is its Red Meat Crown. The entire crown only weighs fifty or sixty jin, yet your Python City wants to take thirty jin right off the bat. That’s going too far. Besides, I was the one who personally dealt the killing blow. The Da Ling Kingdom’s True Hall should logically get a larger share.”

The expert from the Great Cheng Kingdom’s True Hall also nodded slightly. ”Brother Ling is absolutely right. This Hundred-zhang Giant Python was slain by us from the True Halls, so we should receive the largest share.”

Although this was Python City’s territory, the experts from the Da Ling and Great Cheng Kingdoms’ True Halls had the backing of their respective organizations. They had no reason to fear Python City, so their tone was exceptionally firm.

The expert from the Da Ling Kingdom’s True Hall gave a dry laugh. ”How about we divide it like this? The Da Ling Kingdom’s True Hall and the Great Cheng Kingdom’s True Hall will each take twenty-five jin of the meat crown. We’ll also each take thirty zhang of the python’s body. Python City can divide what’s left.”

The Python City experts were immediately dissatisfied upon hearing this proposal. The Giant Python’s meat crown was only a little over sixty jin. If the two True Halls each took twenty-five jin, they would be left with just over ten jin. After losing so many experts, if they returned with only ten-odd jin of the meat crown, their two City Lords would curse them to death!

”There is no way Python City can accept this distribution method,” a Python City expert said with a frown. ”We lost so many people. We must be compensated for it...”

The True Halls of the Da Ling and Great Cheng Kingdoms had experts as numerous as the clouds, including several True Dao Experts. But Python City was also filled with experts, and their two City Lords were powerful Half-step True Dao experts. A Half-step True Dao expert could already use some True Dao abilities, and even a True Dao Expert had to take them seriously.

It was precisely because they had the backing of their two City Lords that Python City dared to bargain with the two True Halls.

After a round of negotiations, the three factions finally decided to each take twenty jin of the meat crown and thirty zhang of the python’s body. The remaining portion of the meat crown would go to another Martial Arts Eighth Layer expert, a Loose Cultivator. The last small section of the python’s body would be divided among the other Loose Cultivators.

Although more than half of the Loose Cultivators present had died, four or five hundred still remained. There was no shortage of experts among them, and it would be completely unreasonable to give them nothing at all.

Having settled the distribution, the several Martial Arts Eighth Layer experts walked over to the head of the Hundred-zhang Giant Python.

The Hundred-zhang Giant Python’s meat crown was where all its Essence Blood was concentrated. It was the most valuable part of the entire python, so naturally, they would divide the most valuable item first.

RUMBLE!

With the experts exerting their strength in unison, the Giant Python, over one hundred zhang long, was abruptly hauled out of the swamp and placed on a patch of marshy grass nearby.

This Giant Python was a full one hundred and twenty-something zhang long. Its scales shimmered with a deep, dark light, a clear sign of their quality.

The blood flowing from the Giant Python’s body had a faint golden sheen, an incredibly rare treasure for Martial Artists. If a Martial Artist below the Martial Arts Eighth Layer could soak and cultivate in this Snake Blood, their Cultivation would rise by a Small Tier in a short amount of time. Furthermore, after soaking in this blood, their body would carry a trace of the Giant Python’s aura, and they would never have to fear venomous snakes again.

The crowd of experts clicked their tongues in admiration as they stared at the Hundred-zhang Giant Python.

”Ah—”

Suddenly, a Martial Arts Eighth Layer expert pointed at the Giant Python’s head and cried out in alarm. He stared intently at the top of its head, his eyes filled with utter disbelief.

”Hm?”

Seeing the Martial Arts Eighth Layer expert’s reaction, everyone focused their gazes on the Giant Python’s head. One look was enough to leave every Martial Artist on the scene dumbfounded.

A meat crown weighing several dozen jin was supposed to be growing on this python’s head. But now, that meat crown had vanished into thin air. The top of the python’s head was completely bare, and a huge gash, like a gaping mouth, seemed to be mocking them!

”AHHH—”

The expert from the Da Ling Kingdom’s True Hall let out a long, sharp cry. He glared at the gash on the python’s head, his gaze sweeping over everyone present like a Sharp Sword as he roared, ”Who did this?”

The experts from Python City and the Great Cheng Kingdom’s True Hall also unleashed their auras, locking down on everyone present. Their eyes burned with extreme fury.

They had toiled, expended immense energy, and lost a large number of people, all for the sake of obtaining the Hundred-zhang Giant Python’s meat crown. They never imagined that before they could even lay a hand on it, the crown would be stolen right from under their noses!

To steal the Hundred-zhang Giant Python’s meat crown from under the noses of so many Martial Arts Eighth Layer experts was a slap in the face! It was a blatant provocation!

No expert could tolerate such a provocation!

”Notify the people on the perimeter! Lock down a hundred-li radius and search everyone!” a Python City expert said viciously. ”When we find this person, I’m going to slice him into a thousand pieces, inch by inch! I’ll execute his entire clan! The men will die by a thousand cuts, and the women will be whores for the rest of their lives!”

Following the command, the members of the three major factions immediately began a detailed search of the hundred-li radius. The few Martial Arts Eighth Layer experts didn’t remain idle either; they soared into the air, searching inch by inch above the lake.

After searching for a while, the expression of the expert from the Da Ling Kingdom’s True Hall suddenly changed. He exclaimed, ”My Blood-Colored Cloud-Piercing Arrow is gone too! Someone took my Blood-Colored Cloud-Piercing Arrow!”

At that moment, the expression of the expert from the Great Cheng Kingdom’s True Hall also changed. He said in a low voice, ”My Void-breaking Small Sword is also missing! It seems this person was hiding beneath the lake while we were fighting. As soon as the Hundred-zhang Giant Python was killed, he made his move. Not only did he cut away the Python Meat Crown, but he also took the Blood-Colored Cloud-Piercing Arrow and the Void-breaking Small Sword!”

The two True Hall experts looked at each other and simultaneously unleashed their Secret Skills, conducting an all-out search of the hundred-li area.

...

「Two hours later.」

All the Martial Arts Eighth Layer experts had gathered next to the Giant Python. Their faces were grim, and the terrifying killing intent radiating from their bodies made the Martial Artists dozens of zhang away tremble in fear.

In the past two hours, they had meticulously searched every inch of the hundred-li radius. They had even taken turns bombarding the lake before them. But even so, they had found nothing. The Python Meat Crown, weighing several dozen jin, and the two Pseudo-True Artifacts had simply vanished into thin air!

The expert from the Great Cheng Kingdom’s True Hall gazed into the lake and suddenly asked, ”Do you think it’s possible the culprit is hiding beneath this lake?”

The other Martial Arts Eighth Layer experts were slightly taken aback. Then, a Python City expert shook his head. ”That should be impossible! This lake is only a few li in circumference. We just bombarded it with powerful attacks. If he were hiding in there, he would have been killed by us already.”

The expert from the Great Cheng Kingdom’s True Hall said slowly, ”Not necessarily! Our Palm Power is formidable, but it can only kill things within thirty zhang of the surface. If this person dived to a depth of forty zhang, we would be helpless against him.”

The expert from the Da Ling True Hall frowned. ”That should be impossible. At a depth of over forty zhang, the lake belongs to the pythons. Even a Martial Arts Eighth Layer expert would be courting death by diving down there. The person who took the Python Meat Crown would never dive down there just to get himself killed.”

The expert from the Great Cheng Kingdom’s True Hall said slowly, ”Pythons are terrifying, but they have things they fear. The Python Meat Crown this person took carries a faint trace of the Ancient Dragon Clan’s Suppression. With that in hand, no python, no matter how powerful, would dare to approach.”

Hearing this, the eyes of the Martial Arts Eighth Layer experts lit up. A Python City expert said in a low voice, ”That’s actually possible! How about this: let’s just drain the lake and conduct a thorough search of the lakebed!”

The other Martial Arts Eighth Layer experts all nodded slightly. One of them began to say, ”Alright, let’s search one more time...”

RRRROOOOAR!

Before the expert could finish his sentence, a cry suddenly echoed from the horizon.

This cry was extremely similar to that of the Hundred-zhang Giant Python. The difference was that the majesty contained within this cry was far, far greater. The distant, low roar shook the hearts of everyone present. Their very souls trembled under its power, and they felt an overwhelming urge to fall to their knees!

”This...” A Martial Arts Eighth Layer expert’s face turned deathly pale. He said in horror, ”Another python with the Ancient Giant Dragon Bloodline! I’m afraid this one is on the verge of cultivating into a Flood Dragon!”

Another Martial Artist said in terror, ”The Hundred-zhang Giant Python’s cries before it died were strange. Thinking back now, it must have been calling another Giant Python!”

”This Giant Python’s power is comparable to a True Dao Expert! I’m no match for such a terrifying python. I’m leaving!” A Python City expert abruptly executed a Body Technique and vanished without a trace.

The remaining experts were no slower. They also desperately used their Body Techniques to flee far away from the lake. The Loose Cultivators, realizing the imminent danger, also executed their Body Techniques and fled as if on wings.

In just the blink of an eye, all the Martial Artists around the lake had vanished completely. No one paid any mind to the slain Hundred-zhang Giant Python. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with Recommendation Tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)