Overlord of the Wilderness

The Zhaang Family’s Library Pavilion had a total of five floors. The 1st and 2nd Layers were normally open for Outer Disciples to peruse. The 3rd Layer was usually accessible only to Inner Sect Disciples and those at the Steward level. As for the 4th and 5th Layers, only True Disciples and Elder Level figures were permitted inside.

According to Zhaang Family regulations, after a disciple became an Inner Sect Disciple, they could enter the family’s Library Pavilion to select a Mid-Level Technique for their Cultivation. This was precisely why Zhaang Ye had come to the Library Pavilion after reaching the Martial Arts Fourth Layer and becoming an Inner Sect Disciple.

Upon arriving at the Library Pavilion, Zhaang Ye presented his identification plaque. An old man was there to verify identities. He glanced at Zhaang Ye, a hint of surprise flashing in his cloudy eyes, and said, ”Go on in. Remember, you can only select one Martial Arts Secret Manual. Once you’ve made your choice, copy down the contents; you cannot take the original with you. When you’re done, return to me, and I’ll arrange for someone to explain the Secret Manual to you.”

Zhaang Ye nodded, strode into the 3rd Layer of the Library Pavilion, and walked toward the bookshelf where the Footwork Techniques were placed. This shelf held a full hundred Mid-Level Body Techniques.

”Ghost Shadow Step, a Mid-Level Body Technique. When this Body Technique is cultivated to the Great Success Realm, one’s movements become as elusive as a ghostly shadow, making them impossible to track. It is most suitable for ambushes and assassinations...”

”Spirit Snake Step. Cultivating this Footwork Technique allows one’s entire body to move with the agility of a snake, turning freely. When facing an enemy, this technique can be used to confuse the opponent, making it suitable for skirmishing...”

”Clear Wind Shadowless Step. When this Footwork Technique is cultivated to the Great Success Realm, one’s body can float like a clear breeze, traversing ten thousand li without leaving a trace. It is most suitable for long-distance travel...”

Zhaang Ye walked between the bookshelves, his gaze sweeping quickly over the descriptions of each Martial Arts Secret Manual. When he saw ”Clear Wind Shadowless Step,” his pace faltered for a moment. ’I’ll keep this one in mind,’ he thought, before walking on.

Zhaang Ye had made up his mind before even entering the Library Pavilion. He wanted to find a Body Technique suitable for both long-distance travel and combat. The ”Clear Wind Shadowless Step,” when cultivated to the Great Success Realm, allowed one to travel ten thousand li in a day, but it wasn’t ideal for fighting, which fell a little short of his expectations. ’I’ll put ”Clear Wind Shadowless Step” on my list of candidates,’ he decided. ’If I can’t find anything better, I’ll have to choose it.’

After looking at another dozen or so Martial Arts Secret Manuals, one caught Zhaang Ye’s eye.

”Cloud Stepping Technique, a Mid-Level Stepping Technique. This technique excels at Borrowing Power to move. Cultivated to the Great Success Realm, one can use natural objects like blades of grass, leaves, and flowing water to travel at high speeds. Suitable for travel, forest combat, and aerial combat.”

Below this description was a note: This Body Technique involves the arts of Borrowing Power and Force-Dissipating Technique, making it quite difficult to practice. Those who lack patience or have low Comprehension should not attempt its Cultivation.

’Cloud Stepping Technique... a good Body Technique. This is the one.’ Zhaang Ye flipped through the contents and immediately made his decision. He took down the ”Cloud Stepping Technique” Secret Manual and went to the side to copy it.

This booklet wasn’t very thick, but the True Qi Operation Diagrams inside were exceptionally difficult to reproduce. It took Zhaang Ye a very long time to finish copying it.

After copying the Cultivation Technique, Zhaang Ye took his handwritten copy to the old man and said, ”I’ve chosen my technique. This is the one. Please arrange for someone to explain it to me.”

A Martial Arts Family like the Zhaang Family, with a thousand-year-old legacy, had a strict system for imparting Combat Skills. The Mid-Level and higher Martial Arts Secret Manuals in the Library Pavilion did not contain the complete techniques. Certain key and subtle points of the Cultivation Techniques were removed and stored elsewhere to prevent them from being leaked. When Zhaang Family disciples cultivated these techniques, they needed a specialized person to give them an explanation. Otherwise, no matter how high their Comprehension, they would find it difficult to succeed in their Cultivation.

In fact, all the Noble Families did this. Take the *Lingbo Triple Extremes* manual Zhaang Ye had obtained. It recorded three Mid-Level Combat Skills—Swordsmanship, a Body Technique, and a Footwork Technique—in great detail. But even with Zhaang Ye’s Comprehension, he had been unable to successfully cultivate the techniques from it after all this time. The reason was that *Lingbo Triple Extremes* had its key and profound points removed, so even though Zhaang Ye had the Secret Manual, he could only study it but never successfully practice it.

All in all, Zhaang Ye had obtained four or five Martial Arts Secret Manuals, including *Lingbo Triple Extremes*, *Seven Seas and Heaven Swords*, *Little Luo Sword Technique*, and *Little Luo Step Method*. Among them, *Lingbo Triple Extremes* and *Little Luo Step Method* were both Mid-Level Stepping Techniques. If these manuals could be cultivated, Zhaang Ye would have started long ago.

But then again, a Mid-Level Martial Arts Secret Manual was a Mid-Level Martial Arts Secret Manual, after all. Even a ”castrated” version with the key points removed still had great reference value. If manuals like *Lingbo Triple Extremes*, *Seven Seas and Heaven Swords*, *Little Luo Sword Technique*, and *Little Luo Step Method* were taken to an underground marketplace, they could still fetch a good price.

The old man took Zhaang Ye’s handwritten copy, glanced at it, and said with mild surprise, ”Another one choosing the Cloud Stepping Technique. Alright, since you’ve chosen this Footwork Technique, take this booklet to the Inheritance Pavilion and find Instructor Elder Zhaang Zheng. He will explain its profound mysteries to you.”

Zhaang Ye nodded, said his thanks, and turned to leave for the Inheritance Pavilion.

Striding into the Inheritance Pavilion, Zhaang Ye presented his identification plaque and stated his purpose. He was quickly led to a large hall within the pavilion. Zhaang Ye glanced from the doorway and saw a skinny old man sitting cross-legged at the far end of the hall. The old man looked like he was at death’s door, but the faint yet terrifying aura emanating from him told Zhaang Ye that this elder possessed extremely frightening strength.

Below the old man, Zhaang Ye saw two familiar faces. One was Zhu Nulang, and the other was Zhaang Tianming. Like Zhaang Ye, both of them were holding a handwritten Cultivation Technique. Apparently, they had also just come from the Library Pavilion after choosing a technique and were here at the Inheritance Pavilion to listen to the Instructor Elder’s explanation.

Seeing the two of them sitting there together, Zhaang Ye found it secretly amusing. ’Both of them have lost to me before,’ he thought. ’They’re my defeated opponents. Seeing them sitting together like this is just... odd.’

Just then, Zhu Nulang and Zhaang Tianming also spotted Zhaang Ye. When they saw him, fury flared up in them. But when they sensed the aura of the Martial Arts Fourth Layer on him, their anger suddenly vanished, replaced by utter shock. Their eyes went wide, their mouths hung open, and they could only point at Zhaang Ye, speechless.

Zhaang Ye ignored the two of them, bowed to the cross-legged elder, and said, ”Inner Sect Disciple Zhaang Ye pays his respects to the Instructor Elder.”

The elder opened his eyes slightly, nodded at Zhaang Ye, and said, ”Mm, good. Another Outer Disciple has advanced to the Martial Arts Fourth Layer and become an Inner Sect Disciple. What kind of Martial Arts Secret Manual did you choose?”

Zhaang Ye said respectfully, ”This disciple chose the Mid-Level Body Technique, Cloud Stepping Technique. I ask the Elder to please provide an explanation.”

Before the Instructor Elder could speak, Zhu Nulang and Zhaang Tianming shot to their feet and blurted out, ”Cloud Stepping Technique? Why did you choose the Cloud Stepping Technique too?”

Zhaang Ye found their reaction strange. He glanced at the handwritten manuals in their hands and saw that the technique they had copied was also, surprisingly, the Cloud Stepping Technique. Realization dawned on Zhaang Ye. ’No wonder the old man at the Library Pavilion said, ”Another one choosing the Cloud Stepping Technique” when I was leaving. So, two people had already chosen this Footwork Technique before me. How interesting.’

”Hmph!”

Just then, the Instructor Elder let out a displeased snort. The terrifying sound pierced straight into the hearts of Zhaang Tianming and Zhu Nulang, causing both of their faces to turn pale.

Zhaang Tianming and Zhu Nulang knew that their outburst had displeased the Instructor Elder. They immediately sat back down, adopting a solemn and dignified appearance.

The Instructor Elder then said slowly, ”Since all three of you have chosen the Cloud Stepping Technique, I will explain it to you all at once. Remember, I will only go over the material twice. Afterward, you will each have one opportunity to ask a question about anything you don’t understand. Once the instruction is over, if you have any further questions, you can go to the Enlightenment Tower.”

Having said this, the Instructor Elder began his explanation.

(A note of thanks to ”Black Loneliness” for the update ticket. Unfortunately, I’ve been too busy lately to use it, my apologies. Thanks to Meng Meng Beast. And thank you to all the readers who recommend this book. I’ll take some time tonight to ’cultivate’ a solution for the issue with the protagonist’s age.)