Overlord of the Wilderness

In the small courtyard.

The Heavy Saber in Zhaang Ye’s hands danced. Though it seemed he was in constant peril, teetering on the brink of death, he met Li Zhongtian’s attacks time and again. The formless, intangible sound waves were shattered by his Heavy Saber, and the entire courtyard was blasted by these terrifying sonic shockwaves, kicking up clouds of dust. Even some of the Martial Artists watching from a distance were injured.

The injuries caused by the sound waves were bizarre. Deep wounds would appear on some Martial Artists’ bodies out of nowhere, and they wouldn’t even realize they were hurt until blood started to flow. Others, caught unawares, had their hair completely sheared off by the sound waves without even knowing how it happened.

Still other Martial Artists merely felt a tremor in the air before blood began streaming from their ears, their internal organs damaged.

Li Zhongtian’s eerie method of attack left the onlooking Martial Artists utterly horrified. Those with lower Cultivation scrambled to retreat over a thousand feet back, putting great distance between themselves and the small courtyard.

”Brother Li, hurry up and beat him already!” Mei Zhihua had been watching the whole time, and she grew impatient seeing Zhaang Ye repeatedly block Li Zhongtian’s attacks.

Li Zhongtian nodded slightly and let out a soft cry, ”Seven-Tone Chain Explosion!”

As he spoke, he flicked the Eight-Tone Bamboo Flute in his hand, and seven invisible sound waves shot out.

As the seven sound waves flew out, they faintly formed an array. The seven different sounds collided with one another as they traveled through the air, producing an exquisitely pleasant melody, like the soft, alluring hum of a woman’s song. Even the Martial Artists watching from afar were mesmerized by that Celestial Sound.

Zhaang Ye heard the celestial hum as well. A chill went down his spine as he thought, ’The ninth-ranked expert of the Da Ling Kingdom’s Younger Generation truly lives up to his reputation! With such a marvelous sound Control Technique alone, he can overpower all of his peers!’

Li Zhongtian’s sound attacks moved much faster than the speed of sound. In other words, a person would be hit before they even heard anything. But now, Zhaang Ye could hear the sounds, yet the attack had not arrived. This meant Li Zhongtian’s ”Seven-Tone Chain Explosion” was no straightforward assault.

Rather, the seven sound waves Li Zhongtian had unleashed were lying in wait all around Zhaang Ye. If he couldn’t sense them, he would suffer grievously the moment they detonated.

At that moment, every Martial Artist fixed their gaze on Zhaang Ye, waiting to see how he would respond. Even the Ninth-Layer Experts, watching from over three thousand feet away, focused their full attention on him.

A cold smile played on the lips of the elder from the Da Ling Kingdom True Hall. Li Zhongtian’s ”Seven-Tone Chain Explosion” was a Sound Attack Technique passed down from the Ancient Phoenix Clan, and it was exquisitely refined. Li Zhongtian had used this very move to defeat countless young masters; even some experts at the Martial Arts Eighth Layer had suffered greatly at its hands.

Zhaang Ye’s strengths were his Saber Technique and raw power. But against something as formless and intangible as sound, both were useless, no matter how immense his power or how exquisite his technique.

’I hope Li Zhongtian’s attack injures Zhaang Ye’s Meridians and Dantian!’ A vicious glint appeared in the eyes of the elder from the Da Ling Kingdom True Hall. The Da Ling Kingdom True Hall and the Wei Kingdom True Hall had always been at odds. Naturally, the elder hoped Li Zhongtian would cripple Zhaang Ye’s Meridians and Dantian, destroying a genius the likes of which appeared only once in a millennium.

...

Zhaang Ye closed his eyes, his Heart Spirit growing perfectly tranquil as his keen senses monitored his surroundings. Though he hadn’t grasped the mysteries of Spiritual Power during his recent battles, he had cultivated a serene state of mind. Once he entered this state, his Sensing Power was greatly enhanced, allowing him to easily perceive every wisp of aura flowing around him.

After sensing for a moment, Zhaang Ye abruptly took a step forward. With a flash of his Heavy Saber, he delivered seven lightning-fast slashes. Seven powerful torrents of Sword Qi instantly crossed several yards, hacking viciously into the empty air.

”Oh?” Seeing Zhaang Ye’s seven slashes, the Ninth-Layer Experts watching from afar all muttered in surprise. As wielders of Spiritual Power, they could naturally see that his seven slashes were aimed precisely at the seven sound waves hidden in the air.

It was only because of their own profound Spiritual Power that they were able to perceive the hidden sound waves. But Zhaang Ye was merely at the Martial Arts Seventh Layer. How had he managed to find them?

The elder from the Da Ling Kingdom True Hall watched with a baffled expression.

The elder from the Wei Kingdom True Hall was equally perplexed.

Every one of the Martial Arts Ninth Layer experts was utterly confounded. They suddenly realized they could not fathom Zhaang Ye’s Saber Technique, nor could they fathom the young man himself.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The seven powerful torrents of Sword Qi struck the seven sound waves dead-on. As the Sword Qi and sound waves collided, a thunderous series of explosions erupted.

”Hm?” A flicker of surprise crossed Li Zhongtian’s face when he saw Zhaang Ye break his ”Seven Bursting Sounds.” His ”Seven-Tone Chain Explosion” had bested countless Martial Arts Eighth Layer experts, yet today, Zhaang Ye had unraveled it—and so effortlessly at that!

’Can Zhaang Ye actually see the formless, intangible sound waves? I refuse to believe it!’ In his shock, Li Zhongtian shook his Bamboo Flute and once again unleashed the ”Seven-Tone Chain Explosion.”

With his eyes still tightly shut, Zhaang Ye’s Heavy Saber lashed out seven more times. Amidst seven deafening roars, Li Zhongtian’s ”Seven-Tone Chain Explosion” was dismantled yet again.

If breaking the ”Seven-Tone Chain Explosion” the first time could be called a fluke, then doing it a second time was definitely not. In other words, Zhaang Ye had broken it fair and square with his own skill!

For a moment, the onlooking Martial Artists’ jaws dropped in astonishment.

”Incredible! That was Li Zhongtian’s signature technique, the Seven-Tone Chain Explosion, wasn’t it? To think Zhaang Ye actually broke it!”

”It was! That move has defeated several Martial Arts Eighth Layer experts. I never thought Zhaang Ye would be able to break it! It seems there’s more to Zhaang Ye than meets the eye!”

”Yeah. He broke the Seven-Tone Chain Explosion with his eyes closed! That kind of skill is just astounding! No wonder he dared to challenge all the young experts in Python City!”

”Exactly. I never expected Zhaang Ye to be so formidable. It’s hard to say who will win this fight now. Let’s just hope Li Zhongtian doesn’t suffer an upset...”

Seeing Zhaang Ye break the Seven-Tone Chain Explosion twice in a row, the crowd of Martial Artists erupted into a flurry of discussion. When their words reached the courtyard, Mei Zhihua became very displeased.

In Mei Zhihua’s eyes, Li Zhongtian was unquestionably the strongest. Hearing the Martial Artists suggest he might suffer an upset, she immediately urged, ”Brother Li, show him your true power and crush him!”

Li Zhongtian had previously boasted that he would finish Zhaang Ye within ten moves. Zhaang Ye had now withstood a full eight; if Li Zhongtian couldn’t defeat him in the remaining two, he would lose a great deal of face. Hearing Mei Zhihua’s urging, he nodded slightly and said with confidence, ”He will absolutely be unable to take this final move. Just watch.”

”Nine-Tone Chain Explosion!” Li Zhongtian cried out, abruptly flicking his Bamboo Flute upwards.

With that motion, a cacophony of sounds instantly filled the courtyard: the roar of thunder, the chirping of birds, the buzzing of insects, the crash of waves on a shore, the howl of mountain winds...

As the myriad sounds washed over him, Zhaang Ye felt as though lightning was crashing down from the sky and the very ground beneath him was trembling violently. He felt like a man caught in a monstrous ocean wave, finding it difficult to even keep his footing.

’What a powerful Nine-Tone Chain Explosion!’ Zhaang Ye’s eyes snapped open, a flicker of excitement in them.

The Nine-Tone Chain Explosion could conjure all sorts of sounds that could both bewilder the mind and conceal the true attack. If Zhaang Ye couldn’t distinguish the real attacks from the cacophony, his fate would be exceptionally grim!

Recognizing how formidable this technique was, Zhaang Ye decisively chose to meet offense with offense.

His body gave a slight shudder, and countless Tornados instantly appeared in the courtyard. They sprouted like wild grass in spring, one after another, until they filled the entire space.

Several even appeared right next to Li Zhongtian.

”Heavens, it’s this move again...” Zhaang Ye had previously used this very method to brute-force his way through the Cold Sword King’s invisibility, forcing him out into the open. Now he was using it again, leaving the onlooking Martial Artists speechless.

’This kid’s techniques are simple yet practical. It makes him far stronger than his peers who practice dozens of different Combat Skills.’ From over three thousand feet away, the elder from the Wei Kingdom True Hall nodded slightly.

The value of a Combat Skill lies in its mastery, not in its quantity. Zhaang Ye clearly understood this principle. His Saber Technique and other methods were remarkably simple, yet it was with these simple techniques that he repeatedly defeated powerful enemies—a truly astonishing feat.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH—

Zhaang Ye’s aura was linked to the Tornados; they were his eyes, his ears, his nose. Through these countless Tornados, combined with his own keen perception, Zhaang Ye immediately sensed the killing intent hidden in the air. His Heavy Saber swept out abruptly, unleashing a thunderous roar.

He shattered the sound of crashing waves.

He shattered the sound of birdsong.

He shattered the sound of a dragon’s roar.

He shattered the sound of the earthquake.

...

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!—

Li Zhongtian’s Nine-Tone Chain Explosion secretly contained eighty-one different lethal variations. But before he even had a chance to unleash them, Zhaang Ye dismantled them one by one.

”Ah—!” Mei Zhihua was stunned speechless by Zhaang Ye’s methods, the color draining from her pretty face. The distant Martial Artists also gasped in astonishment at his clean and decisive counter.

VWOOM!

Having dismantled every dangerous sound, Zhaang Ye flicked his Heavy Saber, and a Tornado descended from the sky, locking firmly onto Li Zhongtian.

After unleashing the Tornados twice in a row, Zhaang Ye had already used up sixty percent of his True Qi. He now planned to launch a swift counterattack and take down Li Zhongtian in one fell swoop. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for Recommendation Tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)