Overlord of the Wilderness

After a night on the summit, the three descended the great mountain the next day to continue their journey. Three days later, they finally arrived at a small village nestled among the mountains.

This small village, named ”Deserted Mountain Collection,” seemed to have several hundred households, but when they entered, the three discovered the village was filled with ruins and completely deserted.

What was most shocking were the massive footprints among the ruins. Zhu Nulang took one look and said, ”These are the tracks of that Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox! For some reason, it came to this village. No wonder everyone here fled!”

Zhaang Ye had lived for a time on the outskirts of the Barbaric Beast Forest and was quite familiar with the traits of Fierce Beasts. He examined the footprints closely and said, ”These tracks are still fresh, made about two days ago. In two days, the Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox couldn’t have gone far. If we follow its tracks, we can catch up to it.”

The three followed the Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox’s tracks for two straight days. On the third day, they finally heard a strange, bellowing roar.

Zhu Nulang had dealt with this ox before. Hearing the roar, he exclaimed with delight, ”Ha! That’s it! I recognized its roar immediately!”

The three picked up their pace, flying over a small hill. Zhaang Ye looked up and saw, about a li ahead, a massive monster over two zhang tall and three to four zhang long, standing before a cave, roaring at the sky.

The monster’s eyes were larger than fists. Its entire body was pitch-black, as if clad in a thick layer of iron armor. What caught Zhaang Ye’s eye the most were its two long horns. They had a metallic sheen, were as thick as a man’s thigh, and curved straight outwards. Even from a distance, Zhaang Ye could sense the sharpness of their tips.

Zhaang Ye’s gaze was sharp. After a glance at the ox, he suddenly noticed something odd. Pointing at its rear, he said, ”Look, why does it have a wound on its rump?”

Zhu Nulang and Pan Shi looked closely and saw that there was indeed a wound about three chi long on the ox’s rear. From the looks of it, however, the injury wasn’t serious.

”This ox probably ran into another expert. Don’t overthink it. Let’s go! As planned, we kill it!” With a wave of Zhu Nulang’s hand, the three shot out like arrows, instantly arriving near the Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox.

”Go!”

Following a look from Zhu Nulang, three shadows suddenly flashed out, pouncing straight toward the Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox.

”ROAR!”

The Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox’s senses were extremely sharp. It detected the three of them the moment they appeared. Its eyes turned blood-red. Lowering its head and letting out a great roar, it didn’t flee. Instead, it charged to meet them!

The movement of the Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox was enough to make the earth crack and mountains crumble as the ground shook. Zhaang Ye felt the normally solid ground ripple like waves, nearly making him lose his footing.

Zhu Nulang shouted, ”Be careful! Watch out for its nose and horns!”

Before his words had even faded, there was a loud PFFT! The Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox suddenly shot a cloud of watery mist from its nostrils. The mist instantly enveloped an area dozens of zhang wide, and Zhaang Ye’s vision was completely obscured.

’What a beast! I can’t believe it has this kind of trick!’ Zhaang Ye’s figure flashed as he dodged to the side. Meanwhile, Zhu Nulang, who was ahead of him, slapped his palms together and executed the Anger Wave Palm. The sound of crashing waves suddenly erupted, and two fierce gales shot forth, blowing all the mist away.

RUMBLE— The Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox charged barbarically out of the mist. The momentum was like a thousand chariots rolling across the land. The long horns on its head emanated a sinister glow that was exceptionally eye-catching, even in the mist.

Almost at the same instant the Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox appeared, Zhu Nulang moved, abruptly landing on the ox’s back. His palms struck out several times with a WHOOSH, each strike landing on the beast’s back. Zhu Nulang was famous for his Anger Wave Palm. When he used this technique, its power was immense, capable of shattering a table-sized boulder with a light pat. But when such powerful Palm Power struck the Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox, it couldn’t even break its hide!

Although he couldn’t break the Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox’s hide, Zhu Nulang’s few palm strikes were still effective. The immense Palm Power made the giant ox stagger, and its charge slowed instantly. Seizing the opportunity, Pan Shi gave a great shout, pushed off the ground, and his body suddenly flew up—landing on one of the ox’s forelegs to throw a punch!

BOOM!

Pan Shi’s fists were as hard as iron, and this punch was thrown with all his might, its power ferocious to the extreme. When this punch slammed into the Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox’s leg, even with a hide as tough as its, its speed was greatly affected. Its forward momentum slowed once again.

After landing the punch, Pan Shi’s body was sent flying backward by the Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox’s immense momentum. He spat out a mouthful of blood in mid-air and shouted, ”Quick! Finish it!”

At this moment, after delivering several palm strikes with all his strength, Zhu Nulang was temporarily unable to begin Replenishing Qi. And Pan Shi, having been thrown by the ox, was temporarily unable to fight. The only one left who could kill the ox was Zhaang Ye.

Both Zhu Nulang and Pan Shi turned their gazes to Zhaang Ye.

Zhaang Ye was already prepared. Even before Pan Shi cried out, his body shot forward. Driven by his True Qi, the Thick-Backed Saber in his hand hissed, and a seven-inch-long stream of Sword Qi erupted from the Blade Tip.

”Kill!”

Zhaang Ye performed the Reverse Flow Slash, striking out with his saber.

This was a strike delivered with all of Zhaang Ye’s heart and soul.

A brilliant flash of light from the saber flared up, then vanished in an instant. Though it was just a brief flash, its power to ignore all obstacles and tear through the sky was deeply engraved in the hearts of Zhu Nulang and Pan Shi.

CLANG!

After striking, Zhaang Ye immediately withdrew his saber and retreated, falling back over ten zhang.

Zhu Nulang and Pan Shi stopped and looked on, only to see the imposing Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox suddenly freeze, its blood-red eyes staring intently ahead.

’Could it be that Zhaang Ye’s strike didn’t even break its skin?’ Zhu Nulang and Pan Shi grew tense. ’When dealing with this kind of Fierce Beast, you have to kill it in one strike. If you can’t, it will go berserk and become even harder to handle.’

Under their nervous gazes, a line of fresh blood suddenly appeared on the Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox’s neck. The line of blood grew wider and flowed faster, eventually GUSHING down like a small river.

THUD! The Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox’s massive body finally collapsed before their eyes.

Zhu Nulang and Pan Shi let out a long sigh of relief. They walked forward and saw a wound two chi deep that Zhaang Ye had carved into the Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox’s neck. The wound had not only sliced through the ox’s tough Leather Armor but had also severed several bones, nearly cutting halfway through its neck. With a wound this severe, it was no wonder the Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox had died helplessly, without even a struggle.

Staring at the wound, a look of horror appeared in the eyes of both Zhu Nulang and Pan Shi. The Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox’s Leather Armor was incredibly tough; ordinary swords and sabers couldn’t even scratch its hide. Yet Zhaang Ye, with just a single strike, had created such a fatal wound on its neck. Such terrifying Attack Power was truly astonishing.

Zhu Nulang stood up and looked at Zhaang Ye, a strange light flashing in his eyes. He praised, ”Younger Brother Zhaang, what a powerful saber technique!”

Zhu Nulang had already witnessed Zhaang Ye’s Reverse Flow Slash several days ago when he had tested him. But even having seen it once, Zhu Nulang was still greatly astonished by the power of the technique.

Pan Shi also nodded and said, ”A single, fatal strike. Younger Brother Zhaang, your saber is incredibly domineering!”

Zhaang Ye smiled faintly and said, ”Your palm and fist techniques are even more formidable! If it weren’t for you two, I never would have had the chance to strike.”

The three looked at each other and burst into laughter.

(Thank you to Brother Meng Meng Beast for the reward, and thank you to all my brothers for the Recommendation Tickets!)