Overlord of the Wilderness

For a thousand zhang around the small courtyard, everything fell silent in an instant.

After a long moment, a Martial Artist muttered, ”He’s crazy. This kid has to be crazy...”

”Yeah, you’re right. He’s definitely crazy, daring to challenge a great expert of the Martial Arts Ninth Layer...”

”A great expert of the Martial Arts Ninth Layer has True Qi of the utmost purity and perception of the utmost sharpness. This Zhaang Ye fellow is too arrogant. To challenge a Ninth-Layer Expert... he truly doesn’t know the vastness of heaven and earth.”

Wei Jiu’s Book was also stunned. He thought to himself, ’This young fellow, Zhaang Ye... has he lost his mind? Could it be that his head got muddled after his moment of enlightenment was interrupted?’

...

Although Zhaang Ye had displayed formidable strength in the previous battle, not a single person was optimistic about his chances.

Experts of the Martial Arts Ninth Layer possess a mysterious and profound power: Spiritual Power. With this profound power, they can easily see through an opponent’s weaknesses. Any given Ninth-Layer Expert’s combat strength far surpassed that of an Eighth-Layer Expert.

A single great expert at the Early Stage of Martial Arts Ninth Layer could defeat ten experts at the Eighth Layer Peak. Zhaang Ye was still a long way from even reaching the Martial Arts Eighth Layer. To challenge a Ninth-Layer Expert under these circumstances made everyone suspect that he had gone mad!

”Ahahahaha!”

Hearing that Zhaang Ye was actually challenging him, Ling Wuliang laughed out of sheer fury. He was a distinguished Martial Arts Ninth-Layer Expert, imposing and widely renowned. What young expert didn’t treat him with the utmost respect?

To think Zhaang Ye would now dare to challenge him! Being challenged by a junior left Ling Wuliang feeling incredibly displeased; he even felt a sense of humiliation.

Ling Wuliang stared at Zhaang Ye and said slowly, ”Good. Good. Good! To think that I, Ling Wuliang, would see the day I’m challenged by a junior! Since you wish to challenge me, then I will be waiting for you in six months!”

The chilling killing intent in Ling Wuliang’s voice could be felt even by the Martial Artists far from the courtyard. They knew that Ling Wuliang now truly intended to kill Zhaang Ye.

Zhaang Ye completely ignored Ling Wuliang’s killing intent. He nodded toward him and said, ”Since Senior has agreed, then in six months, I will come calling with my saber to witness your ultimate techniques.”

Ling Wuliang sneered, but offered no reply. With a flicker of his body, he vanished from the courtyard.

Ling Wuliang’s departure brought this stage of Zhaang Ye’s challenge to a close. The spectating Martial Artists began to disperse, excitedly discussing the day’s events.

Once all the other Martial Artists had gone, Wei Jiu’s Book shook his head at Zhaang Ye. ”Nephew Zhaang, you were reckless this time. The strength of a Martial Arts Ninth-Layer Expert is beyond your imagination. With your current power, I’m afraid you won’t even be able to withstand a single one of Elder Ling’s moves...”

Beside him, Wei Dajin and Fang Shian nodded in unison. While they admired Zhaang Ye’s audacity, they held no hope for his success. In their eyes, this challenge was doomed to start with a roar and end with a whimper, a miserable failure.

Zhaang Ye gave a faint smile and said calmly, ”I still have six months. In that time, my Cultivation can improve considerably, and so can my Saber Technique. I am confident about this battle.”

Wei Jiu’s Book shook his head. ”Nephew Zhaang, you may be a Martial Dao genius, but you see Cultivation as far too simple. The further one progresses on the Martial Dao, the more difficult it becomes. Your current Cultivation is at the Early-stage Seventh Layer. To reach the Mid-stage Seventh Layer in just six months would already be an incredible achievement.

”Ling Wuliang’s Cultivation has already reached the Early-stage Ninth Layer. To cultivate to a level where you could contend with him, even with your natural talent and Comprehension, would take over twenty years. Therefore, Nephew Zhaang, you should cancel this challenge. It will be a loss of face, but that is far better than suffering a crushing defeat at Elder Ling’s hands.”

In the thirteen kingdoms of the Land of Divine Abandonment, there have been a few exceptionally brilliant geniuses who cultivated to the Martial Arts Ninth Layer by the time they were in their twenties or thirties, rivaling the experts of the older generation. However, such individuals are geniuses seen only once in a thousand, or even three thousand, years. Furthermore, they need an endless supply of Essence Stones and Elixirs to reach the Martial Arts Ninth Layer before the age of forty.

In the eyes of Wei Jiu’s Book, while Zhaang Ye was a rare genius, he was still far inferior to those legendary figures. Thus, he simply could not believe that Zhaang Ye could rapidly advance his Cultivation in such a short time, like one of those once-in-a-millennium prodigies.

It was precisely because he believed Zhaang Ye had no chance at all that Wei Jiu’s Book advised him to cancel the challenge and avoid future humiliation.

Zhaang Ye shook his head. His challenge to Ling Wuliang was no mere impulse; it had been carefully considered. He had his own plans. His focus was now on seizing victory. Cancel the challenge? The thought had never even crossed his mind.

Seeing Zhaang Ye’s refusal, Wei Jiu’s Book sighed inwardly. ’A newborn calf fears no tiger! Ah, well. His status is special, so even if Ling Wuliang had ten times the nerve, he wouldn’t dare take his life. If he wants to go through with this challenge, then so be it. A few setbacks and trials are not a bad thing for a young man. I just need to report this matter truthfully to the True Hall.’

With that thought, Wei Jiu’s Book dropped the subject. He changed topics, saying, ”Nephew Zhaang, you still have six months until the challenge. You should use this time to properly improve your strength. Our Wei Kingdom True Hall has many shops and properties here in Python City. For these next six months, we can arrange a quiet courtyard for you so you can focus on your Cultivation without any outside interference.”

Zhaang Ye nodded. ”Then I’ll have to trouble Uncle Wei with the arrangements. By the way, there is one more thing I need your help with, Uncle Wei. I hope you can lend me a hand.”

Slightly taken aback, Wei Jiu’s Book asked, ”What is it?”

Zhaang Ye gave a mysterious smile and gestured with the captive Mei Zhihua. ”I’d like to go with you, Uncle, to retrieve some things.”

...

In the central district of Python City stood a rather magnificent estate. The estate was surrounded by plum blossom trees, which were in full bloom, lending an air of simple elegance to the thousand-zhang area around it.

This magnificent estate was the Mei Family’s residence in Python City, the Mei Mansion. At this moment, the family’s Patriarch, Mei Zhenmei, was sitting quietly in a meditation chamber, his brow deeply furrowed.

A thousand years ago, an Elder Ancestor of the Mei Family used his extraordinary talent to create the Linghan Sword Skill, becoming unrivaled throughout a vast region spanning millions of li. Relying on this swordsmanship, the Mei Family slowly grew in power. By the present day, they had become one of the four great families of the Wei Kingdom, with industries spread throughout the land and four Martial Arts Ninth-Layer Experts under their command.

Mei Zhenmei had once believed that under his leadership, the Mei Family would achieve unprecedented power. He dreamed they might even produce a Daoist Master Realm expert, allowing them to truly step beyond the Wei Kingdom and into the wider world. But just as his ambitions were soaring, disaster struck the Mei Family—two of their Elders, along with Mei Yuntian, had all vanished at once!

The two family Elders and Mei Yuntian were all great experts of the Martial Arts Ninth Layer; their status was extraordinary. Mei Yuntian, in particular, was the family’s designated successor. Their simultaneous disappearance was nothing short of a devastating blow to the Mei Family.

Over the past while, Mei Zhenmei had been working to suppress the news while dispatching a large number of people to investigate their whereabouts. But after all this time, he had found no trace of the three, causing him so much worry that his hair was turning white.

Just as Mei Zhenmei was lost in his worries, a powerful aura suddenly washed in from outside. The aura was completely unfamiliar; it clearly did not belong to an expert of the Mei Family.

”Who goes there!” Mei Zhenmei bellowed, appearing outside in a flash of lightning. He saw a man in green robes, holding a woman, and staring at him coldly.

Mei Zhenmei’s expression changed slightly as he glanced at the woman in the man’s grasp. He then fixed his gaze on the green-robed man and said in a grave voice, ”Who are you? What is your purpose in barging into my Mei Mansion in broad daylight?”

The man in green was none other than Zhaang Ye. He smiled faintly. ”My name is Zhaang Ye. I’m sure you’ve heard of me.”

”Zhaang Ye?” Mei Zhenmei’s pupils shrank. He had been so busy searching for the two Elders and Mei Yuntian that he had paid little attention to outside events. But even so, he knew Zhaang Ye’s famous name. The man had not only challenged all the young experts in Python City but had also arranged a duel with Ling Wuliang in six months’ time. It would have been hard *not* to know of him.

”So, you are Zhaang Ye, the eighth disciple of the Fourth Hall Master.” Mei Zhenmei took a deep breath. ”May I ask what business brings you to my Mei Mansion?”

Zhaang Ye smiled faintly and gestured to the captive Mei Zhihua, saying nonchalantly, ”It’s nothing, really. I just came to ’borrow’ some Essence Stones and Elixirs from Patriarch Mei.”

Zhaang Ye’s words seemed to come out of nowhere, but Mei Zhenmei’s heart sank. This Mei Zhihua was indeed one of his own. It was clear she had attacked Zhaang Ye, and now he had come to the Mei Family’s doorstep to settle the score.

Then, Zhaang Ye continued in a leisurely tone, ”It seems I’m quite fated to cross paths with your Mei Family. When I first arrived in Python City, a man named Master Mei Qi took a liking to my Purple Great Bow. Later, before I entered the Python Marsh, he pursued me on a Five-Colored Long-Tailed Pigeon, trying to take my life. If my luck hadn’t been so good, I’m afraid I would have already fallen at the hands of your Mei Family...”

Mei Zhenmei’s heart sank deeper and deeper. The attempt on Zhaang Ye’s life had been Mei Yuntian’s doing; he himself had been unaware. But regardless of his ignorance, the fact remained that the Mei Family had tried to kill Zhaang Ye.

Hunting a True Hall Disciple!

At the thought of the consequences, Mei Zhenmei’s scalp went numb with fear. The authority of the True Hall was inviolable. If the True Hall learned that members of his Mei Family had tried to hunt down Zhaang Ye, his entire family could be annihilated.

Mei Zhenmei lived up to his title as Patriarch. Though terrified, his mind remained clear. He recalled Zhaang Ye’s words and thought, ’It seems this Zhaang Ye doesn’t intend to wipe out my Mei Family, but rather to extort us for Essence Stones and Elixirs. Even though I know it’s extortion, I have no choice but to endure it. I can only hope he will be merciful...’