Overlord of the Wilderness

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Zhaang Ye’s palm sliced through the air like a blade. Streaks of golden light shot out from his hand, carving massive gashes into the valley’s towering stone walls.

Zhaang Ye repeatedly tested the power of his Celestial River Righteous Qi, and a smile crept onto his face. Forged from the fusion of three Ancient Powers, its might far exceeded his expectations. With his current strength, defeating the Sect Envoy Shi Shuanglong would be a simple matter.

’Excellent! To think my strength has improved again in just three short months! I’ll continue soaking in the medicinal liquid to quickly consolidate my cultivation!’

Zhaang Ye’s heart filled with joy. He grabbed a wooden plank and said to the Lightning Golden Monkey, ”Monkey, I need to use this Bone-Burning, Vein-Refining, Qi-Nourishing Purple Spirit Liquid to consolidate my cultivation. Take this plank to the Patrol Disciples outside the valley and have them deliver a barrel of Bone-Burning, Vein-Refining, Qi-Nourishing Purple Spirit Liquid to me every day.”

In the afternoon, a disciple entered the valley carrying a large, steaming barrel of medicinal liquid. Zhaang Ye glanced at the newcomer, a flash of surprise in his eyes. ”Senior Brother Zhaang, it’s you!” he exclaimed happily.

It turned out the disciple carrying the medicinal liquid was none other than Zhaang Yijian, a genius of Cyan Mulberry City’s younger generation. After not seeing him for some time, Zhaang Yijian’s aura had grown much more profound, giving off an incredibly sharp feeling. His entire being was like an exceptionally keen sword, radiating an extremely dangerous presence.

Zhaang Yijian set the barrel of medicinal liquid on the ground and laughed heartily. ”It is I! For the past few years, I’ve been traveling the world with my master, only returning to the True Hall a few months ago. In that time, I managed to raise my cultivation to the Early Stage of the Martial Arts Eighth Layer. I thought my cultivation speed was pretty good, but it looks like the gap between you and me is only getting wider!”

Seeing Zhaang Yijian, Zhaang Ye felt a sense of warmth and familiarity. He chuckled and said, ”For you to raise your cultivation from the Martial Arts Fifth Layer to the Martial Arts Eighth Layer in just a few years is already quite impressive. Haha, with your Martial Arts Eighth Layer cultivation, you’d be considered an Elder Level figure if you returned to the clan!”

The two locked eyes and burst into laughter at the same time.

After chatting with Zhaang Yijian for a while, Zhaang Ye learned that the Grand Elder of the Wei Kingdom True Hall was also a Half-Step True Dao Expert, with his Innate True Qi already reaching ninety percent purity. The Grand Elder was a Sword Dao Grandmaster, and over the past few years, Zhaang Yijian had traveled with him throughout the Land of Divine Abandonment, diligently practicing his swordsmanship under the Grand Elder’s guidance.

The Grand Elder held a distinguished status and could mobilize a vast amount of the True Hall’s resources. His own cultivation had reached a level of true mastery. With the Grand Elder’s instruction and the aid of numerous resources, Zhaang Yijian’s cultivation speed was astonishingly fast. In just a few short years, he had reached the Early Stage of the Martial Arts Eighth Layer, and his swordsmanship had also greatly improved.

After they talked for a bit, Zhaang Yijian said to Zhaang Ye, ”Junior Brother Zhaang, I’ve never in my life witnessed the power of a Half-Step True Dao Expert. Your strength is comparable to one, and I would like to see it for myself.”

Zhaang Ye laughed. ”Alright. Draw your sword.”

Zhaang Yijian nodded slightly and drew a glittering long sword from his back, his aura steadily rising. When his presence reached its peak, his wrist twitched, and the long sword transformed into a streak of light nearly invisible to the naked eye, crossing several dozen feet to appear before Zhaang Ye’s chest.

Fast! Vicious!

The attack Zhaang Yijian unleashed was both fast and vicious. Moreover, its power was so perfectly contained that it produced no sound, making it a terrifying form of swordsmanship. Unfortunately for him, this sword met Zhaang Ye.

Without even looking, Zhaang Ye casually extended his middle finger.

DING!

Zhaang Yijian’s incomparably fast and ruthless sword strike was stopped cold by Zhaang Ye’s middle finger. Zhaang Yijian felt as if his long sword had struck a piece of Ten Thousand Years Profound Iron. A numbing sensation shot through his wrist, and he almost dropped his sword.

HISS!

Although Zhaang Yijian knew Zhaang Ye’s strength was formidable, he had never imagined that his proudest sword technique would be blocked so easily. He couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath of cold air.

The technique Zhaang Yijian had displayed was a wondrous form of swordsmanship. When one began practicing this Combat Skill, it consisted of a total of eighty-one moves, and the sword strikes were quite slow.

But as one’s comprehension of the Combat Skill deepened and their cultivation advanced, these eighty-one moves could be gradually simplified, becoming seventy-two moves, then sixty-three, fifty-four, forty-five, thirty-six, and twenty-seven, eventually reducing to eighteen, and finally nine. The speed of the sword strikes also became faster and faster.

After several years of cultivation with the Grand Elder, Zhaang Yijian had already cultivated this swordsmanship to the Great Success Realm, successfully condensing the eighty-one sword strikes into a single one of incredible power. But he had never imagined that this one strike, which he had painstakingly cultivated with his heart and soul, would be blocked by Zhaang Ye with a single finger.

Zhaang Yijian sheathed his long sword and sighed. ”I’m impressed. Truly impressed. To think that in just a few short years, Junior Brother’s strength has reached such a level. It’s nothing short of a miracle!”

Zhaang Ye smiled, about to offer a few polite words, when he heard Zhaang Yijian speak again. ”Zhaang Ye, I came to find you this time not only to catch up, but also because I have some news for you.”

Seeing the grave expression on Zhaang Yijian’s face, Zhaang Ye’s heart skipped a beat. ”What is it? Go ahead and tell me.”

Zhaang Yijian nodded and pointed a finger at the barrel of Bone-Burning, Vein-Refining, Qi-Nourishing Purple Spirit Liquid. He said slowly, ”This news is related to the Bone-Burning, Vein-Refining, Qi-Nourishing Purple Spirit Liquid. Junior Brother Zhaang, do you know what ingredients are used to concoct it?”

Zhaang Ye nodded slightly. ”Of course I know. The Bone-Burning, Vein-Refining, Qi-Nourishing Purple Spirit Liquid is concocted from 10,800 precious medicinal ingredients. When a Martial Artist cultivates in it, they can rapidly consolidate their cultivation.

Furthermore, the Bone-Burning, Vein-Refining, Qi-Nourishing Purple Spirit Liquid can also further strengthen the body and meridians, which is beneficial for future cultivation. Because the ingredients required for its concoction are so numerous and precious, only Martial Artists who have reached the Half-step True Dao and have made great contributions to the Wei Kingdom True Hall are qualified to use this Bone-Burning, Vein-Refining, Qi-Nourishing Purple Spirit Liquid...”

Zhaang Yijian nodded. ”Exactly! This Bone-Burning, Vein-Refining, Qi-Nourishing Purple Spirit Liquid is extremely precious. The Wei Kingdom True Hall’s inventory of ingredients is only enough to create forty or fifty barrels of it. Zhaang Ye, over the past month, you’ve used dozens of barrels of precious medicinal liquids for your cultivation, and now you’re using the Bone-Burning, Vein-Refining, Qi-Nourishing Purple Spirit Liquid. This has caused some dissatisfaction...”

Zhaang Ye’s brow furrowed slightly. ”Who is dissatisfied with me?”

Zhaang Yijian said, ”Have you heard of the Four Great Disciples?”

Zhaang Ye shook his head. ”I really haven’t.”

Zhaang Yijian gave a wry smile. ”It seems Junior Brother Zhaang truly is single-mindedly focused on cultivation, paying no attention to outside affairs. The so-called Four Great Disciples are the head disciples of our True Hall’s four Hall Masters. The Great Hall Master’s great disciple is named Tang Zhi, the Second Hall Master’s great disciple is named Shen Lingyun, the Third Hall Master’s great disciple is named Wei Feifan, and the Fourth Hall Master’s great disciple, your very own Head Brother, is named Wei Biyun.

Tang Zhi, Shen Lingyun, Wei Feifan, and Wei Biyun are the Four Great Disciples of our Wei Kingdom True Hall. They entered the Sect a very long time ago and have cultivated to the point where their cultivation has reached the Half-step True Dao. Among them, the strongest, Tang Zhi, is said to have already reached sixty percent purity with his Innate True Qi, making him even more powerful than some Elders.”

Zhaang Ye’s expression shifted slightly. He had never imagined that there were so many Half-Step True Dao Experts within the Wei Kingdom True Hall. A thought flickered in his mind, and he asked, ”Senior Brother Zhaang, are these four dissatisfied with me?”

Zhaang Yijian nodded. ”That’s right. The Four Great Disciples broke through to the Half-step True Dao several years ago and are in need of the Bone-Burning, Vein-Refining, Qi-Nourishing Purple Spirit Liquid to consolidate their cultivation. The supply is limited; every barrel used is one less that remains. If you use this Bone-Burning, Vein-Refining, Qi-Nourishing Purple Spirit Liquid every day, I’m afraid it won’t be long before it’s all gone, and there will be none left for them...”

Zhaang Ye understood now. He said slowly, ”I have the Great Hall Master’s promise that I can use the True Hall’s resources without limit during this time. Right now, I need the Bone-Burning, Vein-Refining, Qi-Nourishing Purple Spirit Liquid to consolidate my cultivation. No matter how dissatisfied Tang Zhi, Shen Lingyun, Wei Feifan, and Wei Biyun are, I must continue to use it.”

Zhaang Yijian offered a reminder, ”Junior Brother Zhaang, although you have the Great Hall Master’s promise to use the True Hall’s resources as you please, those four are your peers, and their strength is immense. If they come to challenge you, it will be a lot of trouble. I heard that the chief of the Great Disciples, Tang Zhi, has already publicly declared that he’s going to teach you a lesson.”

Zhaang Ye smiled, just about to speak, when he suddenly felt the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi outside the valley fall into turmoil. The array sealing the valley had been broken.

Zhaang Ye’s brow creased deeply, and a flash of anger appeared in his eyes. The array outside the valley was like a front door. For someone to break it without a word was tantamount to kicking down the door to his home. No matter how good Zhaang Ye’s self-control was, he couldn’t help but seethe with anger at such an act.

”HAHAHAHAHA!”

Just as Zhaang Ye was about to fly over and see who was so audacious, a long laugh echoed from outside the valley. Following the laughter, a clear voice rang out: ”Junior Brother Zhaang Ye, Tang Zhi has come to visit on a matter of importance. Please come out and meet me!”

Zhaang Ye’s heart stirred. He said, ”Tang Zhi? Is that the chief of the Great Disciples?”

Zhaang Yijian smiled bitterly. ”It’s him! I can’t believe he found you so quickly!”

Zhaang Ye gave a cold laugh. ”Let’s go. We’ll go meet this chief of the Great Disciples!” As he spoke, his figure abruptly transformed into a streak of cyan light, shooting toward the valley entrance.

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(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.)