Overlord of the Wilderness

Generally speaking, a snake has four main methods of attack. The first is its poisonous mist and fangs. The second is its terrifying coiling strength. The third is its flexible, deadly tail, which can change direction to strike at any moment. The final method is its hard, thick scales.

Before Zhaang Ye and the other four could even get close to the Snake King, its attack was upon them.

The Snake King suddenly let out a PFFT, spewing a cloud of poisonous mist from its mouth. Perched high above, its toxic spray instantly diffused, blanketing the entire area in a dark, murky haze.

Horrified, Zhu Nulang threw two palm strikes into the air, blowing away some of the poison above his head, and yelled urgently, ”Quick! Attack now!”

Even without Zhu Nulang’s cry, the others were already rushing forward.

But at that moment, the Snake King attacked again.

The attack came from its tail. It made one very simple motion—a sweep!

At an incredible speed, it swept its tail toward the five of them at waist-level!

The small snakes, rocks, trees, and dirt on the ground were all sent hurtling toward the five of them in that single sweep. It was as if a single flick of its tail had split heaven and earth in two!

Pan Shi, who was at the very front, had no time to dodge. He could only take a long, deep breath. A golden light erupted from his entire body, making him look like a pillar forged from Gold. Facing the Snake King’s sweeping tail, he clenched his hands into fists and threw two punches.

Pan Shi was famous for his defense, but few knew his offense was just as formidable. As he threw the two punches, the powerful force of his fists felt tangible, making the eardrums of the others nearby buzz.

BOOM!

Pan Shi stumbled back more than ten steps and spat out a mouthful of blood. While this Snake King’s strength was not on par with an Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox, it was by no means trivial. Taking a direct hit, even someone with Pan Shi’s powerful Defense Technique was bound to be injured.

Pan Shi was wounded, but his strike was not insignificant. After taking two punches, the Snake King’s long body became unsteady and it actually tumbled to the ground, temporarily unable to counterattack.

Seizing the opportunity, Zhu Nulang took several steps forward, unleashing a flurry of palm strikes to suppress the Snake King’s head. Meanwhile, Zhaang Ye, Huaa Baida, and Lu Yuzhi instantly rushed to the Snake King’s body, their weapons hacking down crazily.

Huaa Baida’s saber flashed, delivering more than ten slashes in an instant.

Lu Yuzhi’s Long Sword swung out, transforming into a long rainbow as it struck at the Snake King’s body.

Zhaang Ye did not attack. His eyes were scanning the Snake King’s body.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! The thick layer of scales on the Snake King’s body actually repelled both of their weapons.

”It’s too tough!” The expressions of Huaa Baida, Lu Yuzhi, Zhu Nulang, and Pan Shi changed all at once.

By now, the beasts behind them were less than a hundred zhang away. At this distance, they would be upon them in just a few breaths. If they didn’t deal with the Snake King now, they were doomed!

The Snake King’s scales were so thick that even Huaa Baida couldn’t cut through them. Who could possibly break through its scales and slay the Snake King in just a few breaths?!

A crazed look appeared in the eyes of Huaa Baida and Lu Yuzhi as they began hacking desperately. Unfortunately, against the Snake King’s thick layer of scales, Huaa Baida’s prized fast saber was completely useless. And Lu Yuzhi’s most masterful, ingenious techniques also failed to pierce the scales.

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

Both Zhu Nulang and Pan Shi had witnessed Zhaang Ye’s power before. They pinned all their hopes on him.

As the two watched, Zhaang Ye raised the Thick-Backed Saber in his hand. It seemed to vanish into thin air, and in the next moment, a sharp glint of saber light flashed through the air, flying toward the Snake King.

This strike was aimed at the snake’s vital point.

Zhaang Ye hadn’t attacked earlier because he had been searching for this exact spot.

As Zhaang Ye swung his saber, Sword Qi burst forth, faintly extending to a length of eight inches. The Thick-Backed Saber, glowing with a sinister Sword Qi, suddenly transformed into an incredibly brilliant, fierce ray of light that viciously slashed at the Snake King’s vital point.

SHING! The saber flash vanished into the Snake King’s body as blood sprayed everywhere. The Snake King began to struggle frantically, its body twitching as it shot forward.

Before the disbelieving eyes of Zhu Nulang, Pan Shi, Huaa Baida, and Lu Yuzhi, the majestic Snake King’s front half shot forward, while its back half was left behind.

It turned out that, just a moment ago, Zhaang Ye had actually sliced the Snake King in two with a single strike!

Blood spewed from the severed snake’s body, splattering all over their faces and bodies. But no one paid it any mind. They were all lost in the memory of Zhaang Ye’s overwhelmingly powerful strike.

’What a terrifying, sharp Saber Technique!’

’Even the Snake King’s tough scales couldn’t block it!’

’If that strike came for them, who could guarantee they could block it?!’

The disbelief in the eyes of Zhu Nulang, Pan Shi, Huaa Baida, and Lu Yuzhi first turned to elation, and then to deep wariness.

Without exception, all four of them had become wary of Zhaang Ye.

Zhaang Ye caught their expressions and couldn’t help but shake his head slightly. He shouted, ”Go!”

Without waiting for their reaction, Zhaang Ye immediately turned and bolted forward.

For that last strike, he had first used Gentle Wind Slash, which then evolved into Reverse Flow Slash. Gentle Wind Slash and Reverse Flow Slash were originally part of the same Saber Technique. By using Gentle Wind Slash first, he built up power, which greatly increased the might of the subsequent Reverse Flow Slash, allowing him to sever the Snake King in two with a single blow.

However, after his battle with Huaa Baida, Zhaang Ye was already at less than seventy percent of his True Qi. Now, after executing that Reverse Flow Slash, he had used up another twenty percent. With only fifty percent of his normal True Qi remaining, his combat power was greatly diminished. Under these circumstances, Zhaang Ye had no time to stand around and dither with these four.

Hearing Zhaang Ye’s shout, Zhu Nulang, Pan Shi, Huaa Baida, and Lu Yuzhi quickly followed.

Fierce Wind Leopards—slain!

Iron-skinned Black Pigs—slain!

Silver-haired Giant Lions—slain!

The five of them ran wildly, killing whatever they encountered. They had no idea how many beasts they had killed. Every one of them was covered in blood, and every one of them was injured.

Pan Shi was the most seriously injured. Although his Defense Technique was formidable, his entire body glowed golden when he used it, and the beasts immediately swarmed him upon seeing the light. After fighting his way through, Pan Shi’s thigh and arm had been gashed open several times, revealing the bone beneath.

Zhu Nulang was also badly hurt. His specialty was Palm Technique, and he had no weapon. When facing the beasts, he could only fight bare-handed. The consequence of fighting bare-handed was that his body and arms were covered in more than a dozen wounds, bleeding nonstop.

Huaa Baida and Lu Yuzhi had weapons. Although they were also injured, their wounds were minor and not serious.

Of the five, the one with the lightest external injuries was, conversely, Zhaang Ye. Zhaang Ye had once lived on the outskirts of the Barbaric Beast Forest for a long time, and in his spare time from Cultivation, he had carefully observed all kinds of beasts, so he had a better understanding of their habits. Relying on this knowledge, Zhaang Ye successfully avoided many of the beasts’ fatal attacks, becoming the least injured of the five.

Finally, the number of beasts behind them began to dwindle. After running for another dozen or so moments, they looked ahead and saw a flat, open plain with no beasts in sight!

’We finally escaped the beasts!’

’We finally made it out of the beast stampede alive!’

The five of them stopped, a look of relief for having survived a calamity in their eyes.

The five of them sat down on the spot, each taking out an Elixir. Just as they were about to put them in their mouths to use the Power of Elixir to quickly recover their True Qi, a loud and majestic cry suddenly echoed from the distant horizon:

”GEGE!”

Hearing this cry, Zhaang Ye, Zhu Nulang, Huaa Baida, Pan Shi, and Lu Yuzhi all leaped to their feet with a start. Zhu Nulang, being the most knowledgeable, said with horror, ”That sound... it’s a Mid-level Fierce Beast! That cry is so majestic, so focused and solid. From that, you can tell its power is even greater than an ordinary Mid-level Fierce Beast!”

Low-level Fierce Beasts like the Iron-Armored Long-Horned Ox and the Snake King were already so difficult to deal with. A Mid-level Fierce Beast is tens, even hundreds of times stronger. If we run into one, it’s certain death.

When Huaa Baida, Pan Shi, and Lu Yuzhi heard Zhu Nulang mention a Mid-level Fierce Beast, their faces paled. The three of them said in unison, ”Let’s go!”

After shouting, the three of them immediately used their Body Techniques and fled like the wind. At almost the same time, Zhu Nulang also took off. The four of them fled in such a hurry that they didn’t even notice Zhaang Ye hadn’t followed.

Zhaang Ye did not leave with the four of them. He had long sensed a faint trace of hostility from Zhu Nulang. And now, Huaa Baida, Pan Shi, and Lu Yuzhi had also grown wary of him.

’Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together.’ Traveling with a group of people who were hostile toward him was, in itself, a dangerous thing. Therefore, Zhaang Ye preferred to stay behind alone.

Of course, there was another reason he stayed. He wanted to see an old friend.

This ”old friend” had probably become very powerful, but Zhaang Ye still had that half Blade Tip in his pocket. With this half Blade Tip, Zhaang Ye wasn’t the least bit worried about his own safety.

What’s more, Zhaang Ye believed that this old friend would not harm him.

A faint smile appeared on Zhaang Ye’s face. He suddenly opened his mouth and let out a clear cry.

”GEGE! GEGE!”

Just as Zhaang Ye’s clear cry faded, several majestic calls immediately came from the distant horizon, as if in response to him.