Overlord of the Wilderness

The power of the square-faced youth and the sallow-faced youth far surpassed that of the other boys. The moment they appeared, a tyrannical aura washed over the crowd, causing every one of them to pale as their hearts pounded in their chests.

With the sudden appearance of two individuals of profound and unfathomable power at the gathering point, all the boys shifted their attention away from the fight. Zhaang Ye and the two he was fighting also lost the will to continue and separately fell back.

Zhaang Yang glared at Zhaang Ye and said, ”Brat, you really got to show off today. Remember me—I’m Zhaang Yang. Once we get to the Cyan Mulberry Main Family, I’ll show you what a true master looks like.”

Seeing the guy’s arrogant display, Zhaang Ye laughed to himself. He gave a slight, disdainful sneer, the corner of his mouth curling up. The gesture made Zhaang Yang jump up and down in fury. If the two masters—the square-faced and sallow-faced youths—hadn’t been there, he would have rushed over and beaten Zhaang Ye to a pulp.

Zhaang Ye couldn’t be bothered with the little twerp. He turned his gaze to the two newcomers and noticed a camphor leaf emblem on their clothing. It suddenly dawned on him. ’It seems these two were sent by the main family to escort us,’ he thought.

As expected, the square-faced youth began to speak, his voice slow and deliberate. ”You’ve probably noticed the camphor leaf emblem on our clothes. That’s right—we’re from the Cyan Mulberry City Zhaang Family.”

Hearing that the two were from the main family, the spirits of all the boys in attendance lifted at once.

The Zhaang Family’s main family was far more powerful than any of the Branches, possessing countless Martial Arts Secret Manuals for Cultivation. If one performed well, one might even be granted a Mid-Level Martial Arts Secret Manual, allowing them to advance even further on the Martial Dao.

Just then, the sallow-faced youth spoke up. ”We are all from the Zhaang Family’s main family. But we didn’t come here to escort you. We came to supervise you.”

”Supervise?” The boys were all confused.

”Heh, allow me to explain.” The square-faced youth’s eyes swept across the crowd. ”You are all elites from your respective Branches. Compared to your peers there, you are the most outstanding. However, as far as we’re concerned, you can’t be called ’outstanding’ at all. The Cyan Mulberry Main Family has plenty of boys just like you.”

None of the boys spoke. They knew the square-faced youth was telling the truth.

The Cyan Mulberry Main Family was immensely powerful, with a vast number of industries under its control. More industries meant greater income, which naturally meant more Cultivation Resources. Some with outstanding talent were carefully nurtured from the moment they were born; their starting point was far higher than that of these boys. Even those with mediocre aptitude could enjoy considerable benefits. Under such circumstances, it was easy to understand why the Cyan Mulberry Main Family had masters as numerous as the clouds.

The square-faced youth continued, ”Our Cyan Mulberry Main Family has masters as numerous as the clouds; we have no need for trash or garbage! To find the most outstanding among you, we will be conducting a small test before you can enter the main family. We will be your guides and supervisors for this test. Do you understand?”

”Understood!” the boys shouted in unison.

”Good. Now, follow me.” With that, the square-faced youth and the sallow-faced youth leaped into the air, leading the boys toward a remote mountain range.

The main family’s tests were kept strictly secret from the Branches. Zhaang Ye had no idea what kind of test the two youths were leading him to, but boldness comes from skill. He didn’t dwell on it and simply followed the two without a word.

The two youths used a Body Technique, moving at a pace that was neither fast nor slow. They led the boys on a rapid journey for two full days, finally arriving at the foot of a towering mountain. Zhaang Ye looked up and saw a massive, pitch-black cave entrance at the base of the mountain, gaping like the maw of some monstrous beast.

The sallow-faced youth stopped before the dark opening. Pointing at it, he asked, ”Do you see this cave entrance?”

”We see it!” the boys answered in unison.

”Good. Now, I’ll explain the test. It’s very simple. You just have to enter this mine and walk straight until you reach the very end. Anyone who can make it through the mine within twelve hours will automatically become an Outer Disciple of our Cyan Mulberry Zhaang Family. If you can’t make it out, then when you get to the Cyan Mulberry Zhaang Family, you can either start as a servant or be sent back to your home family. Understand?”

”Understood!” the boys chorused. Someone muttered, ”I was wondering what kind of test it would be. I can’t believe they just want us to walk through a mine. That’s way too easy.”

”Yeah. This really is a bit too simple.”

”Heh, my Body Technique is pretty good. If nothing else, I can definitely get a good ranking in this test.”

A buzz of discussion erupted among the boys. Beside Zhaang Ye, Zhaang Yang burst out laughing. ”Haha! My skills are all in my legs. When it comes to traveling, I’m second to none. First place in this test is already mine.”

Hearing Zhaang Yang’s confident voice, the other boys looked on with envy, secretly regretting that they hadn’t put more effort into their own Body Techniques.

Zhaang Ye remained silent. He had a nagging feeling that this test wouldn’t be as easy as it sounded.

Just then, the two youths produced a handful of incense sticks. ”These are called Lighting Incense,” one said. ”When lit, one stick can provide continuous light for an hour, which is perfect for use inside the cave. Come forward, take one stick each, and then enter the cave.”

Each of the boys came forward to take an incense stick before rushing toward the mine all at once. The entrance was huge, more than wide enough for all of them to enter at the same time, and they quickly vanished into the darkness.

Watching the boys enter the cave in high spirits, the square-faced youth let out a wry chuckle. ”Kids will be kids. So unbelievably naive. They don’t even stop to think: if the test were that easy, why would we have bothered to travel for two grueling days just to bring them here?”

The sallow-faced youth also laughed. ”They wouldn’t be so excited if they knew this ancient mine is a full one hundred li long. Heh, over one hundred li of silent darkness... I bet more than a few of these little guys will end up crying their eyes out, screaming for their mothers to take them home.”

The two of them burst out laughing together. The square-faced youth said, ”Anyone who can get through this ancient mine in one go within three hours must have incredible mental fortitude. I hope someone in this batch can manage it.”

The sallow-faced youth asked, ”Who are you betting on in this batch?”

The square-faced youth pondered for a moment. ”The one I have the highest hopes for is a boy from the Three Rivers Town Zhaang Family named Zhaang Que. The kid grew up living with wolves, so he’s very familiar with dark environments. After him, there’s Zhaang Dahong. That one is bloodthirsty and carries a hostile air. People like that often have breakthroughs in adverse situations.”

The sallow-faced youth chuckled. ”I’m also betting on Zhaang Que. But there’s someone else I’m keeping an eye on: Zhaang Ye. That kid has a calm and steady temperament. He should perform well inside the cave.”

The square-faced youth smiled. ”Then let’s just wait and see. Heh.”