Overlord of the Wilderness

Zhaang Ye walked shoulder to shoulder with Wei Jingtian, Xuli Long, and Fang Caiying, heading for the Steward Hall. There was an unwritten rule when registering for the Newcomer King Selection Tournament: the strongest disciples registered first. Zhaang Ye was now an expert at the Martial Arts Ninth Layer, so he became part of the first group to register, alongside Wei Jingtian and the others.

Nearly all the True Hall Disciples fixed their gazes on Zhaang Ye. Their looks were a complex mixture of envy, awe, jealousy, shock, and disbelief. In the past, Zhaang Ye would have definitely felt some pressure under these stares. But ever since he had witnessed a battle between Ancient Strong Persons, he had unconsciously developed the mindset of an expert. His heart was as unshakeable as a boulder, and these gazes couldn’t affect him in the slightest.

After calmly entering the Steward Hall and registering, Zhaang Ye was about to leave when Xuli Long suddenly spoke slowly, "Junior Brother Zhaang, our two previous bouts ended without a clear winner. During the Newcomer King Selection Tournament three days from now, I will once again experience your brilliant techniques."

Having fought Zhaang Ye twice, Xuli Long found him more and more unfathomable. By now, his Top-Grade Combat Skill, Dragon and Tiger Celestial Hand, had already reached the Great Success Realm. The more formidable Zhaang Ye was, the greater Xuli Long’s interest in him became. After they came out from registering, he couldn’t help but issue a challenge to Zhaang Ye.

Zhaang Ye’s Cultivation had greatly advanced, and his combat prowess had risen to a level even he couldn’t fully grasp. Of course he wouldn’t fear Xuli Long. Without turning his head, he replied, "Fine! I also want to see just how powerful a Top-Grade Combat Skill cultivated to the Great Success Realm is. In three days, let’s have a good fight and see who’s stronger!"

Zhaang Ye spoke with soaring heroism, without a hint of fear. Hearing this, Wei Jingtian’s expression flickered, his eyes filling with intense fighting spirit. Even Fang Caiying, who usually disliked combat, had her eyes light up, her interest in Zhaang Ye’s strength piqued.

After replying to Xuli Long, Zhaang Ye strode toward his own valley. Having spent several years in Cultivation there, Zhaang Ye found himself missing the incredibly fast Lightning Golden Monkey and the Pseudo Spirit Tree. With some free time on his hands, he wanted to return to the valley for a short stay.

Fang Caiying’s valley wasn’t far from Zhaang Ye’s, and since both were disciples of the Fourth Hall Master, they headed toward the valleys together. Fang Caiying was quite curious about Zhaang Ye’s experiences over the past few years, asking a question or two from time to time. The two of them soon arrived outside their valleys.

As they were about to part ways, a pale cyan bird suddenly flew over and landed on Fang Caiying’s shoulder. Fang Caiying was slightly startled. "This Cyan Cloud Pigeon is Master’s messenger. For it to fly here now, Master must have something for us." As she spoke, she reached out and took the small piece of Beast Hide from the Cyan Cloud Pigeon’s beak.

After a glance at the Beast Hide, Fang Caiying said to Zhaang Ye, "Let’s go, Junior Brother Zhaang. Master has something for us and wants us to go over immediately."

Half an incense stick’s time later, Zhaang Ye and Fang Caiying arrived on a huge boulder outside the thousand-zhang-tall giant tree. Atop this boulder, the Fourth Hall Master of the Wei Kingdom True Hall was sitting cross-legged. Sensing their arrival, his gaze suddenly locked onto Zhaang Ye, and he exclaimed, "Excellent! I didn’t expect you to reach the Martial Arts Ninth Layer so quickly!"

Zhaang Ye bowed respectfully and said, "It was just a stroke of luck."

The Fourth Hall Master shook his head slightly. "There’s no such thing as luck in this world, and even less so on the Martial Dao. Without a heart dedicated to martial arts, without outstanding Comprehension, and without a will as firm as a boulder, you could never have entered the Martial Arts Ninth Layer, even with all sorts of opportunities. The fact that you have now reached the Martial Arts Ninth Layer proves that you are outstanding in all aspects, and your opportunities have been far greater than those of an ordinary person."

Fang Caiying was stunned. She had entered the True Hall in her teens and had been the Fourth Hall Master’s disciple for nearly thirty years, yet she had never seen her Master praise someone so highly.

Just then, the Fourth Hall Master spoke again slowly, "Zhaang Ye, although you have cultivated to the Martial Arts Ninth Layer, you shouldn’t have been at this level for more than three months, right?"

Zhaang Ye was secretly impressed. He replied, "This disciple entered the Martial Arts Ninth Layer two months ago."

During his seclusion in Python City, Zhaang Ye first spent three months slowly healing the wounds to his mind and body. Then, he focused all his energy on comprehending the mysteries of a slash and a punch. While he was comprehending, his Spiritual Power gradually increased, his Saber Technique gradually improved, and his Cultivation also rose day by day. Finally, two months ago, Zhaang Ye’s True Qi had accumulated to its peak, and he naturally broke through to the Martial Arts Ninth Layer.

The Fourth Hall Master nodded slightly. "Your Cultivation has reached the Martial Arts Ninth Layer, and your True Qi is both pure and immense. However, it still takes a period of adaptation to perfectly unleash one’s own power. Your current rivals, whether it’s Wei Jingtian or Xuli Long, reached the Martial Arts Ninth Layer long ago. Not only can they perfectly control their power, but they have also cultivated Top-Grade Combat Skills. Since you have only just reached the Martial Arts Ninth Layer, your chances of winning against them are probably not high. Now, spar with Cai Ying. Let me see your combat prowess, and then I can give you some pointers."

Zhaang Ye glanced at Fang Caiying and said with a wry smile, "Is that really necessary? I feel that I can already fully control my power."

Zhaang Ye was telling the absolute truth. He had comprehended the mysteries of Spiritual Power early on and had cultivated it, and his physical strength was also exceptionally powerful. Therefore, Zhaang Ye had long since adapted to the power of the Martial Arts Ninth Layer. With every move, he could release his full strength without the slightest awkwardness.

But the Fourth Hall Master simply didn’t believe him. He gestured slightly toward Fang Caiying. Fang Caiying understood his meaning and said with a grin, "Junior Brother Zhaang, let’s just spar a little. I also want to see how much your Saber Technique has progressed."

When Zhaang Ye had first entered the True Hall, his Cultivation was only at the Martial Arts Fourth Layer. In just a few short years, he had actually raised his Cultivation to the Martial Arts Ninth Layer. This left Fang Caiying shocked, but also feeling a little indignant. Even if the Fourth Hall Master hadn’t mentioned it, she would have sought out Zhaang Ye for a spar anyway. Now that the Fourth Hall Master had ordered her to test Zhaang Ye’s strength, it was an opportunity she certainly wouldn’t miss.

Seeing Fang Caiying’s eager expression, Zhaang Ye knew this fight was unavoidable. He didn’t say any more and simply said, "Seventh Senior Sister, please!"

Fang Caiying nodded slightly. "The Combat Skill I cultivate is a Finger Technique called ’Divine Intent Three Fingers.’ This Divine Intent Three Fingers includes three moves: Wishful Pointing, Casual Pointing, and Divine Finger. You already know the power of Wishful Pointing. What I’m about to use now is Casual Pointing."

As she spoke, Fang Caiying lightly extended a finger.

Fang Caiying’s finger strike was very casual, like a floating cloud in the sky being gently blown by the wind, drifting and transforming at will. It was also like the water in a small stream, flowing freely, casually changing its shape. From raising her hand to extending her finger, to the final point, everything was so casual, yet within that casualness, it seemed to subtly merge with heaven and earth. If Zhaang Ye were struck by this finger, his entire being would scatter like a cloud or splash apart like creek water.

Just as Fang Caiying’s fair, slender finger was about to reach Zhaang Ye, he finally moved. He formed a Hand Blade with one hand and slashed out.

After witnessing that heaven-shaking battle within the broken Blade Tip, Zhaang Ye was left with a particularly deep impression of the slash that broke through the clouds from ten thousand li away. Relying on his powerful Comprehension, Zhaang Ye finally created a new Saber Technique in ten months. He named this new Saber Technique "Cloud-Breaking Slash," taking its meaning from the concept of breaking through clouds from ten thousand li away to slay an enemy.

The moment Zhaang Ye slashed out, the Fourth Hall Master, who had been sitting on the boulder with his eyes half-closed, suddenly snapped them wide open. He felt that Zhaang Ye’s slash was like a ray of sunlight suddenly bursting through the clouds—abruptly appearing yet omnipresent, carrying with it a profoundly mysterious Realm. With the Fourth Hall Master’s insight, he actually couldn’t see through the mysteries of this slash for a moment, let alone determine its grade. This left him astonished.

Fang Caiying’s finger was like the wind and clouds, like water and mist, making it impossible to grasp. But even against such an elusive Finger Technique, Zhaang Ye’s "Cloud-Breaking Slash" was actually able to lock onto it firmly. Fang Caiying felt that no matter how she transformed her move, she could not evade Zhaang Ye’s slash!

’If I can’t evade it, then I’ll just meet it head-on! I refuse to believe Junior Brother Zhaang’s True Qi is deeper and purer than mine!’ A glint flashed in Fang Caiying’s eyes. Her ethereal finger condensed slightly and tapped precisely onto Zhaang Ye’s Hand Blade.

PFFT!

Fang Caiying felt a surge of incredibly pure and vigorous True Qi transmit from Zhaang Ye’s palm. Even with her Cultivation at the Martial Arts Ninth Layer, she was unable to completely neutralize the True Qi. She only felt a tremor in her finger, and her whole body was forced back two or three steps before she could regain her footing.

"Didn’t you just advance to the Martial Arts Ninth Layer? How is your True Qi so pure and vigorous!" Fang Caiying stared at Zhaang Ye as if he were a monster. Although it had only been a brief clash, Fang Caiying had been at a complete disadvantage. She was not only unable to overpower Zhaang Ye in terms of Combat Skill, but she couldn’t even overpower him with her True Qi. This was simply unbelievable to Fang Caiying.

"Let’s go again!" After her shock, Fang Caiying was immediately indignant. She unleashed "Divine Intent Three Fingers" with her full power and attacked Zhaang Ye. Fang Caiying’s "Divine Intent Three Fingers" was like a clear spring flowing over stones, like a white cloud emerging from a mountain cave, as she launched attack after attack at Zhaang Ye. But to her astonishment, Zhaang Ye repeatedly used a single move, "Cloud-Breaking Slash," to block every one of her full-powered attacks. No matter how she varied her moves, she couldn’t do anything to him!

By now, the Fourth Hall Master’s eyes were wide open. He watched Zhaang Ye’s move with a mixture of shock and delight, murmuring, "This Saber Technique of Zhaang Ye’s... although it seems to contain infinite mysteries, it looks a bit unpracticed. ’Could it be that he created this move himself? No, that can’t be right. How could he possibly create such a Saber Technique? Although its power isn’t immense yet, its Realm and mysteries far surpass that of a Top-Grade Combat Skill. With Zhaang Ye’s Cultivation, how could he possibly create such a Saber Technique?’"

After watching a while longer, the Fourth Hall Master sighed softly and thought, ’Zhaang Ye’s strength is even greater than I expected. It seems Cai Ying won’t be able to draw out his true power. Zhaang Ye’s Saber Technique is both domineering and profound. Perhaps I should let Xiong Li test his true strength...’ Seeing how exceptionally domineering and profound Zhaang Ye’s Saber Technique was, even the Fourth Hall Master became extremely interested in him, eager to see what the full extent of his true strength was. (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.)

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