Overlord of the Wilderness

”Excellent! Since you’re also willing to join forces, my friend, Zhaang Ye is as good as dead.” Ling Kongyun laughed heartily, then said, ”Since we all intend to cooperate, let’s discuss the details.”

Yangx Guyuan’s gaze flickered, and he said in a deep voice, ”You two can discuss it. By my estimation, at Zhaang Ye’s speed, he should have reached the Spider Forest by now. Inside that forest is a small Spatial Array, which should be able to hold him for a while. I want to take this opportunity to test his strength myself. I refuse to believe I am weaker than him.”

Yangx Guyuan was a genius among geniuses; no one in his generation could compete with him. His Nine Heavens and Ten Earths Heaven-Burning True Skill had already reached the Great Success Realm. No matter how impressive Zhaang Ye’s battle record was, he still wanted to fight him alone. This was a pride that came from deep within his heart, a disdain for joining forces with others.

Yangx Guyuan strode away.

A trace of regret flashed in Ling Kongyun’s eyes as he called out, ”Since Brother Yangx wishes to test Zhaang Ye’s strength alone, I wish you a swift victory in suppressing him! My offer to cooperate still stands. If you change your mind, you know where to find me!”

With that, Ling Kongyun turned to the long-robed youth with a sly grin. ”My friend, since we’re both interested in teaming up, we can discuss it now.

Right now, Zhaang Ye is desperately hunting Fierce Beasts and gathering Essence Stones. Let’s treat him like a fat sheep—let him fatten up before we slaughter him. When the time comes, not only will we eliminate a threat, but all the Essence Stones he has worked so hard to collect will be ours...”

The long-robed youth’s eyes lit up, and he slowly nodded.

...

In a vast, dense forest, Zhaang Ye moved forward cautiously.

This Little World was thousands of miles across and divided into three layers. With each layer one advanced, the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi within grew much richer. Where the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi was rich, all sorts of rare Medicinal Herbs and Essence Stones became more plentiful, but the various Fierce Beasts also grew increasingly formidable. Even Zhaang Ye didn’t dare to fly brazenly through the air.

SWISH SWISH SWISH!

Several fist-sized poisonous spiders suddenly shot out from the dense leaves, transforming into streaks of dark light as they lunged at Zhaang Ye. Each of these spiders, native to the deep forest, possessed strength comparable to an expert at the Early Stage of the Martial Arts Eighth Layer. Their silk and potent venom were incredibly difficult to deal with; even a master of the Martial Arts Ninth Layer would struggle to break free if entangled.

’So many poisonous spiders... Could there be some Celestial and Earthly Treasures up ahead?’ Zhaang Ye was secretly delighted. Without blinking, he casually swept his palm outward. Driven by his Dragon Elephant Power, his palm glowed with golden light. The supremely tyrannical Ancient Elephant Power erupted, instantly killing the spiders.

After killing the spiders, Zhaang Ye suddenly noticed two strange Medicinal Herbs growing on a small hill ahead. The two herbs were about three feet tall; one was crimson, the other aqua-green. They huddled together intimately, like a pair of lovers.

”The Yin Yang Harmony Grass!” Zhaang Ye recognized it at a glance, a look of delight instantly appearing on his face.

These two Medicinal Herbs, one yin and one yang, were intertwined—exactly like the legendary Yin Yang Harmony Grass. The Yin Yang Harmony Grass was a rarely seen herb and a primary ingredient for refining the Innate Golden Core. It was also one of the herbs the four Hall Masters of the Wei Kingdom True Hall had tasked Zhaang Ye with collecting.

Suppressing his excitement, Zhaang Ye slowly approached the Yin Yang Harmony Grass. It contained a rich concentration of Heaven and Earth Essence Qi, so it was highly likely that a Fierce Beast was guarding it nearby. For this reason, Zhaang Ye didn’t rush over recklessly but instead drew near with caution.

Sure enough, just as Zhaang Ye got within a few hundred feet of the Yin Yang Harmony Grass, dozens of poisonous spiders burst from the ground and lunged at him.

Zhaang Ye let out a low shout. Several Tornados suddenly materialized in the air, locking onto the dozens of poisonous spiders. Then, his body shot out like the wind. Arriving above the Yin Yang Harmony Grass, he swiftly drew a circle with his palm toward the ground, scooping up the herbs—soil and all—into his Small Space.

RUSTLE RUSTLE RUSTLE—

Just as Zhaang Ye stored the Yin Yang Harmony Grass in his Small Space, a rustling sound suddenly came from deep within the forest. Zhaang Ye looked up and saw thousands of poisonous spiders crawling rapidly over the ground and through the treetops. In an instant, the forest floor turned pitch black, and a foul, acrid stench quickly filled the air.

’Why are there so many of them?’ Zhaang Ye’s expression changed slightly as he shot up into the sky.

Although the individual spiders weren’t that powerful, thousands upon thousands of them together were unstoppable. Even Zhaang Ye’s only option was to flee for his life.

”Huh?”

Just as Zhaang Ye’s figure flew above the treetops, he felt his body hit something, and his momentum faltered. Looking closely, he saw that several strands of spider silk had appeared around him at some unknown point. The strands were thinner than a hair but incredibly tough. Even with his immense strength, Zhaang Ye’s movement was momentarily halted by them.

SWISH SWISH SWISH—

As Zhaang Ye slowed, the dense swarm of poisonous spiders rapidly closed in. They spat out strands of nearly invisible silk, viciously trying to entangle him. Dozens of millstone-sized spiders even appeared, sprouting two pairs of wings and screeching as they flew toward him.

Zhaang Ye thrust out both palms, and endless Tornados instantly swept across the sky. Although a great many poisonous spiders were lunging at him, most were not very strong. As soon as Zhaang Ye unleashed his Tornados, the vast majority were swept away, leaving only a few of the most formidable ones to continue their advance.

Each of the spiders unaffected by the Tornados had the strength of an Early-stage Ninth Layer expert. They had wings on their backs and continuously spat venom from their hideous mouths. They brandished strands of silk as thick as a little finger, weaving a dense net that shot into the sky and sealed off Zhaang Ye’s retreat.

Zhaang Ye’s expression remained unchanged as he chopped out with his hand as if it were a blade. With each chop, a sharp Sword Qi shot forth. These poisonous spiders, whose strength was comparable to a Martial Arts Ninth-Layer Expert, were sliced in half one by one in the blink of an eye.

SCREECH—

A poisonous spider as large as a water buffalo suddenly flew out of the sky. Its eyes were as big as fists, its claws like Sharp Swords, and its body was covered in a thick layer of pitch-black armor. The moment it came within a thousand feet of Zhaang Ye, he felt a brutal aura lock onto him from afar.

’Hmph, a Spider King!’ Zhaang Ye was slightly startled. This Spider King was the largest spider he had ever seen in his life. The creature was as large as a water buffalo, and judging by its aura, not even an expert at the Peak of Martial Arts Ninth Layer could guarantee victory against it. Being targeted by such a terrifying spider made even someone with Zhaang Ye’s strength frown.

’This Spider King has a thick layer of armor. To kill it, I have to strike first and gain the upper hand.’ With this thought, Zhaang Ye suddenly took a step forward, and his Dragon Elephant Power erupted.

Although the Suppression from the Ancient Dragon Power and Ancient Elephant Power was faint, it was still the power of a superior race. Sensing this Suppression, the Spider King’s movements paused for an instant.

In that briefest of pauses, Zhaang Ye executed the Cloud-Breaking Slash. He transformed into a great blade himself, tearing through the void as he slashed straight toward the Spider King.

CRACK!

Zhaang Ye’s body flashed past the Spider King’s back. A deep wound instantly appeared on its back, and a foul-smelling liquid gushed out. Any flora within dozens of yards that came into contact with the liquid’s vapor immediately blackened and withered on the spot.

However, the Spider King’s toughness was beyond Zhaang Ye’s expectations. As he slashed open its back, his body was struck by a strand of spider silk. The force sent him flying over a thousand feet away.

Zhaang Ye used his Power-Borrowing Technique to halt his momentum. Just as he was about to press his attack and finish off the Spider King in one fell swoop, he suddenly felt the space around him tremble. His vision was instantly filled with a vast expanse of white, and he could see nothing!

’An Array! I’ve fallen into an Array!’ Zhaang Ye reacted instantly, his expression changing. Although his strength surpassed even an expert at the Peak of Martial Arts Ninth Layer, his knowledge of Arrays was next to nothing. Now, trapped within this unknown Array, Zhaang Ye felt a profound sense of crisis.

Zhaang Ye calmed himself and began to silently probe the Array, trying to find a way out. But after a full day of trying, he couldn’t find a single clue. Instead, he encountered several dangerous situations. If not for his quick reflexes, the terrifying Array would have sliced him in two.

Despite the repeated dangers, Zhaang Ye actually began to feel more at ease. After a day of probing, he had figured out that this terrifying Array was a Spatial Array.

Back in the Ten Thousand Volcanoes, Zhaang Ye had once been trapped in a Spatial Array for a month, so he had some understanding of them. The power of this Array was clearly inferior to the one in the Ten Thousand Volcanoes. As long as he was careful, there was a chance he could break out.

HAHAHAHA!

Just as Zhaang Ye was silently analyzing the Array, a group of people arrived outside. One of them looked at the Array and let out a long, loud laugh. (To be continued...)