Overlord of the Wilderness

The Heaven and Earth Essence descending from the void seemed truly endless. After Zhaang Ye advanced to the Mid-stage Second Layer of the True Dao, the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi from the void continued to pour into his Meridians, transforming into Celestial River Righteous Qi. The Celestial River Righteous Qi grew stronger, denser, and more concentrated, and Zhaang Ye’s Cultivation continued to climb!

Zhaang Ye was overjoyed. Just as he was about to charge toward the Late-stage Second Layer of the True Dao, he suddenly felt the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi thin out. His wildly rising Cultivation stagnated along with it.

”What a pity!”

Zhaang Ye knew his time was up and couldn’t help but feel a wave of regret. Just a few more minutes, and he could have smoothly advanced to the Late-stage Second Layer. But alas, the heavens hadn’t given him the chance.

Although there was some regret, what Zhaang Ye felt more was a pleasant surprise. After passing the Celestial Tribulation, his physical body had been broken down and reforged, becoming much more formidable. And as his body grew stronger, his power increased immensely. Zhaang Ye estimated that he could now contend with a True Dao First Layer expert relying on his Physical Body’s Power alone.

Zhaang Ye’s greatest gain from this Celestial Tribulation, however, was his Spiritual Power. Every Celestial Tribulation was a baptism for the spirit. After passing this one, Zhaang Ye’s Spiritual Sense expanded from a radius of one hundred li to one hundred and forty li. This was an ability that only experts at the Third Layer Peak of the True Dao possessed.

He took out a set of clothes and put them on. Zhaang Ye then sized up the Fire Spirit and discovered that its appearance had changed quite a bit. It looked like a person wreathed in flames. Although its features were indistinct, it definitely had a human-like form.

Its flames had turned a faint cyan. The aura it emitted was much more condensed, and wisps of destructive power emanated from the fire, making even Zhaang Ye, with his Mid-stage Second Layer Cultivation, feel a great sense of threat. Clearly, after passing its second Celestial Tribulation, the Fire Spirit’s power had increased significantly as well.

Zhaang Ye felt that the Fire Spirit’s faint cyan flames seemed somewhat familiar. He spoke up, ”Fire Spirit, your flames look quite extraordinary. Could this be the legendary Phoenix Fire?”

If water was the most powerful weapon of the Ancient Dragon Clan, then fire was the most powerful weapon of the Ancient Phoenix Clan. The Ancient Phoenix was born with the ability to control and cultivate fire. Some Phoenix Race experts could use their flames to turn the rocks within a ten-thousand-li radius into magma, boil away massive lakes, and even bring oceans to a roiling boil.

The Fire Spirit was formed from Phoenix Blood, inheriting the power of the Phoenix Race, including the ability to control fire. Therefore, Zhaang Ye naturally assumed that the flames on the Fire Spirit were the legendary Phoenix Fire.

After passing its second Celestial Tribulation, the Fire Spirit’s voice was no longer cold and robotic. It had become melodious and pleasing to the ear. It sounded like the cry of a phoenix, like a Celestial Sound drifting from the heavens, yet if one listened closely, it also resembled the clear, sweet voice of a little girl.

The Fire Spirit’s soft voice was heard, ”No. Phoenix Fire is one of the most powerful flames in the world. Only after I pass the third Celestial Tribulation will I have a chance to condense a wisp of Phoenix Fire. Although my current flames are far superior to the Mortal Fire of this world, they are still a great, great distance away from true Phoenix Fire.”

Zhaang Ye didn’t notice the change in the Fire Spirit’s voice at all. After hearing its explanation, he was both shocked and delighted.

He was delighted because if the Fire Spirit could condense Phoenix Fire, Zhaang Ye could borrow its power to easily remove impurities from medicinal herbs and refine high-quality Elixirs. Likewise, he could also use its power to remove impurities from metals and forge the most powerful True Artifacts.

He was shocked because the Fire Spirit still had a third Celestial Tribulation to face. Its tribulations grew more powerful each time, and Zhaang Ye had only barely managed to endure the second one. One could only imagine that the third would be far more powerful than the second. Even though Zhaang Ye’s strength was growing by the day, he couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy.

Zhaang Ye said in a low voice, ”Fire Spirit, you’ve passed the second Celestial Tribulation now. Try to sense it carefully—when will the third one arrive? How powerful will it be?”

Having endured the second Celestial Tribulation, the Fire Spirit had awakened more of its Phoenix heritage. It sensed carefully for a moment, then suddenly, with a WHOOSH, it shot into the sky. The raging flames erupting from its body burned the air within a hundred-zhang radius a fiery red.

Seeing the Fire Spirit’s reaction, Zhaang Ye had a bad feeling. Just as he was about to ask what was wrong, he heard the Fire Spirit say in a trembling voice, ”Master, the, the third Celestial Tribulation... will arrive in one year. And this time, its power will be ten times that of the second!”

”What? Ten times?”

Zhaang Ye exclaimed, ”Fire Spirit, are you sure? How can the third Celestial Tribulation be so terrifying?”

The second Celestial Tribulation was already comparable to three full-powered strikes from an expert at the Third Layer Peak of the True Dao. If its power increased tenfold, that would be equivalent to three strikes from an expert at the Late Stage of True Dao Fourth Layer. Faced with such a terrifying attack, Zhaang Ye had no confidence at all!

The Fire Spirit said in distress, ”My intuition tells me that the third Celestial Tribulation’s power will be exactly that great! Master, we have to go into seclusion and cultivate immediately. We have to frantically raise our strength!”

Zhaang Ye quickly calmed down and nodded. ”In the Barbaric Beast Mountain Range, I obtained a total of over three hundred fifty Barbaric Beast Cores. These cores should be enough for us to cultivate for some time. We’ll immediately find a remote place and go into seclusion for ten months. After that, we’ll figure something out, see if we can find some Treasure Armor to help resist the Celestial Tribulation.”

The Fire Spirit nodded fiercely. ”Fortunately, we have a large number of Barbaric Beast Cores. With them, you should be able to cultivate to the True Dao Third Layer within a year, Master. I should also be able to increase my power several times over. If we join forces to resist the third Celestial Tribulation, we’ll have at least a twenty to thirty percent chance.”

In the Barbaric Beast Mountain Range, Zhaang Ye had first killed several dozen Barbaric Beasts on his own, obtaining over fifty Barbaric Beast Cores. Then, he joined forces with the Fourth Hall Master and killed over five hundred more. When they divided the cores, the Fourth Hall Master believed Zhaang Ye had contributed more, so Zhaang Ye received over three hundred of them. In total, Zhaang Ye had obtained more than three hundred and fifty cores.

An Inner Core from a Lower-Rank Barbaric Beast was equivalent to fifty thousand Essence Stones. By this calculation, the Barbaric Beast Cores Zhaang Ye possessed were equivalent to seventeen million, five hundred thousand Low-grade Essence Stones. This many cores was enough for Zhaang Ye to cultivate to the Third Layer Peak of the True Dao, or even the True Dao Fourth Layer.

Zhaang Ye took a long, deep breath and was about to set off. Suddenly, the Fire Spirit spoke up in alarm, ”Master, those four old men are catching up to us. What should we do?”

After passing his second Celestial Tribulation, Zhaang Ye’s Spiritual Sense had become even more powerful, able to perceive any movement within a one-hundred-and-forty-li radius. The moment the Fire Spirit’s voice fell, Zhaang Ye immediately sensed four familiar, powerful auras closing in on him from the north, south, east, and west, forming an encirclement!

These four were none other than the Great Hall Master of the Great Marsh True Hall, Helian Changtian; the Great Hall Master of the Great Rong Country True Hall, Chu Fangyuan; the Great Hall Master of the Da Ling Kingdom True Hall, Ling Dahuang; and the Great Hall Master of the Moon Country True Hall, Fu Yuguang.

A murderous glint flashed in Zhaang Ye’s eyes as he said coldly, ”I’ve already escaped the Land of Divine Abandonment, yet these four old coots are still tailing me. Do they think I’m an easy target? Fire Spirit, get ready. We’ll join forces and kill these four old bastards!”

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The moment Zhaang Ye’s voice fell, four figures appeared from four directions. Each figure guarded one direction, strictly preventing Zhaang Ye’s escape.

The first to arrive was a man with a white beard and white hair—Ling Kongyun’s master, the Great Hall Master of the Da Ling Kingdom True Hall, Ling Dahuang. Ling Dahuang looked at Zhaang Ye, who stood quietly on a rock, a smug look on his face. He sneered, ”Zhaang Ye, did you really think you could escape my pursuit with just your Body Technique? You’re far too naive!”

An old man in a brocade robe flew close at this time. He stared viciously at Zhaang Ye, like the Big Gray Wolf eyeing a little lamb, and laughed heartily. ”Brother Ling, your Inference Technique is truly unrivaled! I, Fu Yuguang, am thoroughly impressed! HAHAHAHA! Without your Inference Technique, this brat Zhaang Ye would have probably run off somewhere to enjoy himself, and we’d never have found him.”

Hearing Fu Yuguang’s words, understanding dawned on Zhaang Ye. He thought, ’No wonder they were able to find me here. It was because of an Inference Technique! Though such techniques are a minor path, unable to grant one immense power or eternal life, when used well, they can have unpredictable, almost supernatural effects. It’s perfectly suited for tracking.’

At that moment, a lean, middle-aged man flew over from the horizon. This was none other than Chu Yuxiang’s master, the Great Hall Master of the Great Rong Country True Hall, Chu Fangyuan. Chu Fangyuan’s gaze was fixed on Zhaang Ye from afar, his body radiating a surging killing intent. He said coldly, ”Zhaang Ye, today, I will personally slaughter you to avenge my disciple!”

The killing intent radiating from Chu Fangyuan was so palpable it was almost tangible. A normal person facing such terrifying killing intent would likely have their knees buckle on the spot. But after passing his second Celestial Tribulation, Zhaang Ye’s Spiritual Power had surpassed even Chu Fangyuan’s. To Zhaang Ye, Chu Fangyuan’s killing intent was no more than a gentle breeze on his face.

WHOOSH!

Another old man in gray robes flew over from the horizon. The aura on this person was even stronger than that of Fu Yuguang, Ling Dahuang, and Chu Fangyuan. This was Helian Bi Bi’s master, the Great Hall Master of the Great Marsh True Hall, Helian Changtian.

Helian Changtian’s strength was a cut above the other three Hall Masters. From a distance, he sensed something unusual about Zhaang Ye’s aura. He stared intently at Zhaang Ye and said in astonishment, ”Zhaang Ye, you’ve actually advanced to the Mid-stage Second Layer of the True Dao!”

”Mid-stage Second Layer of the True Dao!”

Fu Yuguang, Ling Dahuang, and Chu Fangyuan were all shocked. The three of them flew closer at full speed and discovered that Zhaang Ye’s aura was indeed at the Mid-stage Second Layer—and he wasn’t far from the Late-stage Second Layer!

’This kid is only in his thirties, right? And he’s already cultivated to the Mid-stage Second Layer of the True Dao! A person like this absolutely cannot be allowed to live. He must be killed!’

This thought simultaneously arose in the minds of the four Great Hall Masters.

”HAHAHAHA! You’re scared! In that case, I’ll hurry up and send you on your way, so you don’t have to live in fear every day!” Zhaang Ye laughed, and his entire body suddenly vanished.

Seeing Zhaang Ye suddenly disappear, Helian Changtian was greatly shaken and shouted in alarm, ”Realm! That’s the Wind Realm! Everyone, be careful!”

Helian Changtian’s warning was quick, but Zhaang Ye’s Body Technique was quicker. While Helian Changtian’s voice was still echoing in the air, Zhaang Ye had already crossed several li and appeared right above Ling Dahuang’s head! (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian.com to vote for Recommendation Tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)