Overlord of the Wilderness

”Hm? What’s this?” After killing the white-haired middle-aged man, Zhaang Ye searched the body. The search yielded over a dozen Essence Stones, two bottles of Elixirs, and a rather exquisite Beast Hide.

When unrolled, the Beast Hide was a full ten feet square. It was covered in densely packed, winding lines that looked like a map. In the center, dozens of regions were marked out with thick lines, accompanied by dense and quite detailed annotations.

After searching the Beast Hide for a moment, Zhaang Ye found a line of four small words: ”Python Marsh Topographical Map.”

’What was this guy so desperate to do here in Python Marsh?’ Zhaang Ye wondered. After a moment’s thought, he put the huge map away.

Python Marsh was fraught with danger. With this map, traveling through it would be much easier for Zhaang Ye. Besides, the map might hold some secrets, so it was definitely a good idea to keep it.

After disposing of the bodies of the white-haired man and Lingruo Sea, Zhaang Ye altered his appearance, then activated his Body Technique and headed for Python City.

...

Atop a vast and majestic mountain peak, an eagle-eyed youth sat quietly in a pavilion. His eyes were slightly open, and two orbs of light faintly swirled within them. The light in his right eye was pitch-black, while the light in his left was a sheet of silver-white.

A middle-aged man with the air of a steward walked slowly up the mountain, stopping just outside the pavilion.

As if sensing his arrival, the eagle-eyed youth spoke slowly, ”What is it?”

The steward-like man said respectfully, ”Young Master, there is a matter to report. Two years ago, you instructed us to keep an eye on Python Marsh, did you not? A situation has indeed arisen there.”

The eagle-eyed youth nodded slightly. ”Very good. Continue.”

The steward-like man said, ”According to our sources, a Hundred-foot Python appeared in Python Marsh not long ago. This python possessed the bloodline of the Ancient Dragon Clan and was hunted down by numerous Martial Artists, who killed it on the spot. But after the Hundred-foot Python was killed, a Thousand-foot Python appeared. This one was just a hair’s breadth away from transforming into a Flood Dragon...”

”Good, good!” The eagle-eyed youth’s eyes snapped open, the black and silver orbs of light flaring brightly. He stood up and paced a few steps within the pavilion before speaking slowly, ”You may go. Continue to keep me informed of any news regarding Python Marsh! By the way, has there been any word from Lingruo Sea or Old Nine?”

The steward-like man shook his head. ”There has been no news from either of them for the time being.”

The eagle-eyed youth waved a hand dismissively. ”You are dismissed! Have our people in Python City keep an eye out for them. The moment there’s any news, send it to me immediately!”

After the steward had departed, the eagle-eyed youth suddenly threw his head back and laughed. When he finished, he muttered to himself, ”The core of Python Marsh has the densest draconic aura, which is most beneficial for a Giant Python’s cultivation. Pythons with dragon bloodlines generally don’t leave the core region unless some great change has occurred there.

Now, a Hundred Foot Python has actively left the core, and even a Thousand-foot Python has emerged. This is proof enough that something happened in the core of Python Marsh, forcing that Hundred-foot Python to flee.

Decades ago, my master used his Inference Technique and various other sources to deduce that a great secret lies in the core of Python Marsh. The unusual activity of this Hundred Foot Python and the Thousand-foot Python is proof that my master’s calculations were correct. And I, Ling Kongyun, will find my opportunity in this Python Marsh! I will break through to the Late-stage Martial Arts Ninth Layer in one fell swoop, reach the Peak of Martial Arts Ninth Layer, and ascend to the True Dao!”

After speaking a few more excited words, a thought suddenly struck Ling Kongyun. With a slight movement of his right hand, nine gleaming yellow Copper Coins abruptly appeared in mid-air.

WHOOSH!

Ling Kongyun pressed a palm toward the empty air, and the nine yellow Copper Coins immediately began to dance. Their flight was clearly not random; they moved along an exceedingly profound trajectory, forming a new combination with each transformation.

VMMMM! The nine Copper Coins finally came to a halt in mid-air.

Staring at the nine coins suspended in mid-air, Ling Kongyun’s expression changed abruptly. After a long moment, he said through gritted teeth, ”I sent Lingruo Sea to deliver a gift to Xuli Qiqi. To think that Lingruo Sea is actually dead! Who was so bold as to slay him!”

A chilling aura erupted from Ling Kongyun. He took two steps in the pavilion, a sinister and ruthless glint in his eyes. ”No matter who you are, I will hunt you down!”

As he spoke, he pinched his fingers together and performed another calculation. When the inference was complete, a look of confusion appeared on Ling Kongyun’s face. ”Strange! The divination shows that Lingruo Sea was killed by two Ancient Powers. One is unpredictable and mysterious—clearly Ancient Dragon Power. The other is exceptionally tyrannical, seemingly the Elephant Power of the Ancient Elephant Clan. How is this possible? The Ancient Dragon Clan and the Ancient Elephant Clan vanished into the river of history long ago. How could they reappear?”

Ling Kongyun paced back and forth in the pavilion, continuously analyzing the strange divination. He had been exceptionally gifted since childhood, with his greatest talent lying in the Calculation Dao. Ever since he mastered it, very few things had been able to confuse him; even his master praised his Inference Technique endlessly. But this bizarre result left him deeply bewildered.

After analyzing for some time, Ling Kongyun couldn’t make any headway. He snorted in frustration and gave up, muttering to himself, ”That girl, Xuli Qiqi, cultivates the Nine Heavens Soft Water Technique. Water can nourish all things. If I could obtain just a breath of her True Qi, my Inference Technique would become far more agile and perceptive. I’d be able to deduce the killer even in a situation like this.”

After a moment of contemplation, Ling Kongyun began another inference.

The divination results quickly appeared in the air.

Looking at the results in the air, Ling Kongyun’s face instantly turned grim, and an unsettling light flickered in his eyes. ”Even Old Nine is dead! Five years ago, I sent him into Python Marsh to draw a map, and it was just about to be completed. To think he would be murdered at a time like this! The map I’ve waited five long years for has also fallen into someone else’s hands!”

The chill in Ling Kongyun’s eyes nearly froze the entire pavilion. The light surrounding him flared brightly as his fingers moved in a profound and mysterious pattern, beginning yet another inference.

”This... this is impossible!” When the calculation was finished, Ling Kongyun couldn’t help but cry out in a low voice. He had discovered that Old Nine’s cause of death was identical to Lingruo Sea’s—both were killed by Ancient Dragon Power and Ancient Elephant Power!

’Ancient Dragon Power and Ancient Elephant Power! Did a dragon and an Ancient Mammoth run off to Python Marsh to kill people?’ Ling Kongyun felt like he was going insane.

Ling Kongyun slammed his fist on the stone table and muttered, ”There’s something strange about both of these incidents. It looks like I’ll have to ask my master for help! Master has already entered the True Dao Realm and can borrow the Power of Heaven and Earth. With his skill in the Inference Technique, deducing the identity of a murderer should be no difficult task for him!”

Ling Kongyun’s figure flickered, and in the blink of an eye, he arrived at the base of another mountain peak.

This peak was even taller and more massive; looking up, it was impossible to see the summit, only the swirling white clouds that shrouded it. Green trees and red flowers dotted the mountainside. More wondrous still, a waterfall gushed forth from between the clouds, as if the Celestial River from the nine heavens above had flowed to this very spot, transforming into a thousand-zhang-high cascade.

Taking a deep breath, Ling Kongyun called out toward the peak, ”Master, this disciple has a matter to ask of you. I hope that you can find a moment in your busy schedule to resolve my confusion.”

Ling Kongyun’s voice had barely faded when an extremely authoritative voice drifted down from the peak. ”Speak.”

Hearing the voice, Ling Kongyun’s face filled with reverence. He said, ”Master, ever since you deduced that there was a secret deep within Python Marsh, this disciple sent Old Nine to map the marsh’s depths in order to understand the situation and seize the initiative. Unexpectedly, Old Nine, who went to draw the map, has met with a fatal mishap. The map he spent five years creating has also vanished.

Furthermore, two months ago, this disciple sent Inner Hall Disciple Lingruo Sea to Python City to deliver a gift to Xuli Qiqi. Unexpectedly, Lingruo Sea has also met with a fatal mishap.

Both of them have met with misfortune, but with my current abilities, I am truly unable to deduce the identity of their killer. I implore you, Master, to take action and find this murderer...”

There was a long silence from the peak before the voice finally spoke again. ”The powers that killed these two men were Ancient Dragon Power and Ancient Elephant Power. From the divination, it appears that a single person possessing both Ancient Dragon Power and Ancient Elephant Power killed them.”

”Possessing both Ancient Dragon Power and Ancient Elephant Power?” Ling Kongyun exclaimed. ”Those two Ancient Races vanished into the river of time long ago. How could their power have been preserved? And who could possibly acquire both of these powers at the same time?”

The voice from the peak snorted. ”The Ancient Races were immensely powerful; they wouldn’t just vanish so easily! As for why that person possesses two Ancient Powers, that is something even I, your master, do not know. You will have to investigate it yourself. I estimate his personal strength is equivalent to a Martial Arts Eighth Layer expert, but his potential is limitless, and he could grow stronger at any moment. On a side note, your fortune has been poor recently. Do not descend the mountain rashly. Remember this well. I am returning to my seclusion...”

’Poor fortune?’ Ling Kongyun’s expression faltered slightly. However, he quickly composed himself and said respectfully, ”Thank you for your guidance, Master. I will remember your teachings well.”

Returning to his own peak, Ling Kongyun shouted to the outside, ”Someone, attend me!”

At Ling Kongyun’s shout, the steward-like middle-aged man walked in briskly and said with deep respect, ”Young Master, what are your orders?”

A cold, murderous light glinted in Ling Kongyun’s eyes as he spoke slowly, ”The True Hall has a few experts in Python City, does it not? Relay my command. Have them search for someone...”(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with Recommendation Tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)