Overlord of the Wilderness

Not long after the Martial Artists who had come to slay the Giant Python vanished, a dark cloud suddenly flew in from the swamp’s horizon.

This dark cloud spanned over half a mile, dense and cohesive. What was even more bizarre was its incredible speed; it crossed a thousand li in the blink of an eye.

BOOM!

When the dark cloud flew over the lake, it dispersed with a thunderous roar, revealing a massive python nearly a thousand feet long.

Ten feet for a snake, a hundred for a python, a thousand for a Flood Dragon, and ten thousand for a true dragon.

This massive python was nearly a thousand feet long, with a single black horn jutting from its head. It was clearly a Giant Python on the verge of evolving into a Flood Dragon.

REEEEE!

The Thousand-foot Python let out a low cry, and an immense Suppression burst forth, blanketing the area. The wild grass for miles around was flattened to the ground. The small insects in the swamp had long since fallen silent. The ten-mile radius was terrifyingly still.

KREEE!

The Thousand-foot Python landed abruptly beside the Hundred-foot Python. When it realized the other python was dead, it let out a roar that could shatter heaven and earth!

The power of this roar was beyond imagination. The sound alone blasted the swamp mud for miles in front of the Thousand-foot Python into the air. As for the nearby lake, the single roar blasted all the water out of its basin and sent it flying straight into the sky!

KREEE! KREEE! KREEE!

The Thousand-foot Python roared several times, its voice filled with infinite resentment and endless sorrow. After a few roars, a terrifying aura erupted from its body. A cold, ruthless, and almost tangible Spiritual Power suddenly swept out in all directions, searching for any sign of life within a several-hundred-mile radius.

After its Spiritual Power swept out, a flicker of doubt appeared in the Thousand-foot Python’s eyes, and it glanced toward the small lake. Seeing nothing amiss, its body shot into the air, transformed into a massive dark cloud, and drifted far away.

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE—

Only after the Thousand-foot Python had been gone for a while did the airborne mud and lake water finally fall back down, crashing to the ground with a thunderous roar.

A long while later, a figure shot out of the lake. It was none other than Zhaang Ye.

”BLECH! BLECH! BLECH!” Zhaang Ye’s head broke the surface, and he violently spat out three mouthfuls of blood, his heart pounding with horror.

A moment ago, Zhaang Ye had stealthily sliced off the Hundred-foot Python’s red crown, snatched the two Pseudo-True Artifacts along with it, and used his Water Control Technique to dive deep, burrowing a hundred feet beneath the swamp.

A hundred feet below the swamp, Zhaang Ye used the Water Control Technique again to create a ten-foot-wide pocket for himself. Once that was done, he swallowed the dozens of pounds of Python Meat Crown in one go.

Those who practiced Cultivation had great control over their bodies. After eating tens of pounds of the Python Meat Crown, Zhaang Ye’s stomach merely bulged a little; he felt no discomfort.

The space a hundred feet underground was extremely safe; not even a master of the Martial Arts Eighth Layer could search that deep. After eating the Python Meat Crown, Zhaang Ye confidently entered the ”Specializing in Qi to Achieve Softness” state of Cultivation and focused all his effort on refining it.

But Zhaang Ye never expected that just as he refined the first sliver of Ancient Dragon Power, several terrifying roars would echo from above the swamp. The horrifying bellows pierced through a hundred feet of mud, rattling Zhaang Ye so violently that he coughed up blood, instantly sustaining heavy injuries.

Not only was he grievously injured, but Zhaang Ye also felt an incredibly tyrannical Spiritual Power sweeping out in all directions. Fortunately, he had maintained his ”Specializing in Qi to Achieve Softness” state of Cultivation, making his presence like that of a rock buried in the swamp. Otherwise, even hiding over a hundred feet underground, he would not have escaped the Thousand-foot Python’s notice.

Even Zhaang Ye, who was always composed, couldn’t help but feel a wave of fear at the thought of how close a call that was. He floated on the lake’s surface, regulated his breathing, and then, with a deep exhale, returned to his spot a hundred feet underground to resume his Cultivation.

This lake had been the site of a brutal slaughter. It was tainted not only with the aura of the Hundred-foot Python but also with the auras of a thousand Martial Artists. Cultivating in a place with such a chaotic mixture of energies was, in fact, the safest option.

Besides, after he ate tens of pounds of the red crown, the aura within Zhaang Ye’s body was growing more and more potent. If he dared to venture out now, that other python would likely track his aura and find him instantly. He’d be dead for sure, even if he had ten thousand lives to spare.

’The most dangerous place is the safest place.’ Considering these two points, Zhaang Ye resolutely stayed behind to continue his Cultivation.

While the Martial Artists were busy killing the Hundred-foot Python, Zhaang Ye had used its blood to refine half a strand of Ancient Dragon Power. Now, after swallowing dozens of pounds of the meat crown, Zhaang Ye pushed through in one go, turning that half strand of Dragon Power into a complete one.

Now, Zhaang Ye had two strands of Ancient Dragon Power inside him.

With the help of these two strands of Ancient Dragon Power, Zhaang Ye’s refinement speed was incredibly fast.

On the first day, Zhaang Ye refined a third strand of Ancient Dragon Power.

On the second day, Zhaang Ye refined a fourth strand of Ancient Dragon Power.

On the third day, Zhaang Ye refined a fifth and sixth strand of Ancient Dragon Power.

At this point, the Ancient Dragon Power and Ancient Elephant Power in his body had reached a state of equilibrium. He could now attempt to break through to the 6th Layer of the Dragon Elephant Skill.

However, he had consumed far too much of the Python Meat Crown. Zhaang Ye had no time to attempt a breakthrough to the 6th Layer of the Dragon Elephant Skill; he had to continue refining the Ancient Dragon Power within him.

After four more days of refinement, Zhaang Ye finally processed the last of the Ancient Dragon Power. By then, he had a total of ten strands of Ancient Dragon Power within his body. These ten strands circulated ceaselessly, continuously tempering his physical form.

The wondrous effects of Ancient Dragon Power were in no way inferior to those of Ancient Elephant Power. Under its constant tempering, Zhaang Ye’s body grew even stronger. The most noticeable change was his physical power; Zhaang Ye could feel that his strength had clearly increased.

’Excellent! I have more than enough Ancient Dragon Power in my body now. I can break through to the 6th Layer of the Dragon Elephant Skill!’ After tempering his body with the Ancient Dragon Power, Zhaang Ye once again began his assault on the 6th Layer of the Dragon Elephant Skill.

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE...

Ancient Dragon Power and Ancient Elephant Power circulated slowly through Zhaang Ye’s body. Both forces contained infinite might, and as they moved within him, they were like great rivers carving through the earth, emitting a low rumble like muffled thunder.

The Ancient Dragon Power and Ancient Elephant Power were both forces that refused to yield. Neither would submit to the other, and they clashed and collided ceaselessly within Zhaang Ye’s body. Yet, under the influence of his wondrous Cultivation Technique, the two powers began to miraculously combine, steadily fusing into one.

The sound of the two forces colliding and fusing grew louder and louder, and Zhaang Ye’s body began to tremble violently.

As he trembled, all kinds of impurities were forced out of his body by the two powers. The black, grimy residue oozed out, covering him from head to toe.

BOOM! With a final, resounding crash, the Ancient Dragon Power and Ancient Elephant Power in Zhaang Ye’s body finally merged into a single, brand-new force. This new power possessed both the overbearing might of the Ancient Elephant Power and the fluid agility of the Ancient Dragon Power, making it exceptionally wondrous.

This new power was the true Dragon Elephant Power.

Before, when Zhaang Ye practiced the Dragon Elephant Skill, he had in fact only been cultivating the Ancient Elephant Power. Now, with the addition of Ancient Dragon Power, his Dragon Elephant Skill finally lived up to its name, possessing the power of the dragon and the Power of the Elephant.

Zhaang Ye silently appraised the power within him, a hint of joy in his eyes. ’This new power not only obeys my every command, but it also remedies the flaw of the Ancient Elephant Power—its overbearing might that lacked agility. Using this true Dragon Elephant Power to execute my Saber Technique, my Mountain-Breaking Slash will be even more perfect, even more terrifying.’

After successfully fusing the two Ancient Powers, Zhaang Ye discovered four strands of Ancient Dragon Power remained. These four strands circulated within him, occasionally leaking a trace of the unique Suppression characteristic of an Ancient Giant Dragon. If masters of the Martial Arts Eighth Layer or Martial Arts Ninth Layer were to see him, they would recognize the Ancient Dragon Power in his body at a glance.

’It seems I’ll have to Seal these four strands of Ancient Dragon Power for now. Otherwise, they’ll bring me nothing but trouble. But sealing the Dragon Power can wait. The most important thing now is to temper my body with the Dragon Elephant Power and truly enter the 6th Layer of the Dragon Elephant Skill!’ Zhaang Ye thought, beginning to circulate the Dragon Elephant Power within him to temper his body.

The 1st and 2nd Layers of the Dragon Elephant Skill cultivated the skin, the 3rd and 4th Layers cultivated the flesh, and the 5th Layer cultivated the bones. What Zhaang Ye had to do now was use the Dragon Elephant Power to temper every bone in his body, completing the 5th Layer of the Dragon Elephant Skill and entering the 6th Layer.

The Dragon Elephant Power circulated endlessly within Zhaang Ye, beginning the tempering process.

TING TING TING TING TING—

Zhaang Ye’s bones began to emit the sound of clashing metal. The ringing started at his head and slowly moved downward. After ringing eighty-one times, it reached his feet.

TING!

With that final, clear ring, the Dragon Elephant Power flowed through Zhaang Ye’s bones like water. The ability for Dragon Elephant Power to flow within the bone marrow itself meant that he had completed the skeletal tempering. His bones were now harder than iron and tougher than steel!

’I’ve finally completed the tempering of my bones and entered the 6th Layer of the Dragon Elephant Skill!’ Zhaang Ye opened his eyes, a faint smile on his lips. (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.)