Overlord of the Wilderness

AWOO! The Purple-haired Wild Boar also flew over.

The Green-eyed Golden Eagle was on its last breath. When it saw the Purple-haired Wild Boar and Zhaang Ye, a savage look flashed in its eyes. All its feathers stood on end as it prepared to launch a final strike. At that moment, the Purple-haired Wild Boar pounced without a sound. A casual swipe of its claw struck the Green-eyed Golden Eagle squarely on the head.

CRACK!

Struck by the Purple-haired Wild Boar, the Green-eyed Golden Eagle’s head immediately shattered, and it died on the spot.

After killing the Green-eyed Golden Eagle, the Purple-haired Wild Boar darted toward the Sharp-headed Mongoose, intending to devour it. Zhaang Ye held up a hand and said, ”If it weren’t for the Sharp-headed Mongoose, we probably would have died under the Green-eyed Golden Eagle’s talons. This mongoose saved our lives, in a way. Don’t eat it!”

With a light wave of his hand, Zhaang Ye sent the Sharp-headed Mongoose’s corpse flying into a pool of fiery red lava, where it vanished in the blink of an eye.

Having dealt with the mongoose, Zhaang Ye threw out two punches with a WHOOSH. The force of his fists formed two massive tornadoes, which instantly carved a pool out of the ground. Then, he struck the air with another punch, moving the Green-eyed Golden Eagle’s corpse to the edge of the pool and letting its blood flow into it.

Although the Green-eyed Golden Eagle had been half-cooked by the flames, it still had a lot of blood left. The eagle’s blood had a faint golden glow, like liquid fire. It contained dense Innate True Qi and traces of Ancient Phoenix Power. Even from dozens of yards away, one could feel a faint Suppression.

Sensing the Ancient Phoenix Power in the blood from afar, Zhaang Ye’s face lit up with joy. He said, ”Purple-haired Wild Boar, the meat of this Green-eyed Golden Eagle is yours. The blood is mine.”

The Purple-haired Wild Boar nodded.

Zhaang Ye entered the pool, letting the Green-eyed Golden Eagle’s blood soak his body. He then slowly began to circulate his Cultivation Technique, starting to absorb the Ancient Phoenix Power from the blood.

The Phoenix is one of the Divine Beasts of Ancient Times. The flames it produces can burn mountains and boil seas, possessing incredible power. Even more formidable, the Phoenix is also known as the Undying Phoenix. As long as a single trace of its aura remains, it can undergo Nirvana and be reborn, regaining its potent Life Power. With these two abilities, the Phoenix Race became the strongest race in the Wilderness, dominating its region.

The power that a Phoenix cultivates is Phoenix Power. Dragon Power is gentle and full of transformations like water, while Phoenix Power is domineering and active like fire, just like a fiercely burning flame. The moment Zhaang Ye circulated his Cultivation Technique, a strand of Ancient Phoenix Power surged into his body and rampaged wildly through his Meridians, nearly causing him to vomit blood.

Zhaang Ye endured the pain from the Ancient Phoenix Power and silently circulated his Ancient Dragon Power to refine the Ancient Phoenix Power in the blood. Ancient Dragon Power and Ancient Phoenix Power are a natural pair. Using Dragon Power to refine Phoenix Power was extremely efficient. In just one short day, Zhaang Ye had more than ten new strands of Ancient Phoenix Power inside him.

As the Ancient Phoenix Power entered Zhaang Ye’s body, it began to slowly temper his muscles, bones, and Meridians. One reason the Phoenix can be reborn through Nirvana is that it cultivates the incredibly profound Phoenix Power. This power is extremely domineering yet also contains vitality, allowing a Phoenix in Nirvana to regain its life. Tempering one’s body with Ancient Phoenix Power undoubtedly had immense benefits.

CRACKLE, CRACKLE!

Under the tempering of the Ancient Phoenix Power, crisp sounds echoed from within Zhaang Ye’s muscles, bones, and Meridians. Impurities lingering in his muscles, bones, and Meridians were purged by the Ancient Phoenix Power, and they became increasingly tough and flexible.

’Excellent!’ Zhaang Ye felt the changes in his body and couldn’t help but rejoice inwardly. ’The tougher my muscles, bones, and Meridians, the more True Qi they can withstand. After being tempered by the Ancient Phoenix Power, my Meridians should now be able to handle the True Qi of the Peak of Martial Arts Ninth Layer.’

’Since my Meridians can now handle the power of the Peak of Martial Arts Ninth Layer, then I will break through to the Peak of Martial Arts Ninth Layer! The Green-eyed Golden Eagle’s blood contains dense Innate True Qi. I will reach the peak and absorb all of it!’ A glint flashed in Zhaang Ye’s eyes, and the True Qi in his body began to circulate wildly.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!

As his Cultivation Technique circulated, the True Qi in Zhaang Ye’s body grew stronger and purer. The vast True Qi flowed through his body, emitting a roar like the ocean tide that made the blood in the pool tremble.

By the second day, Zhaang Ye performed Introspection and felt that the True Qi in his Meridians was as thick as a chopstick. This thick stream of True Qi was like a dragon, containing immense power and emitting terrifying roars as it circulated. With every One Cycle of circulation, the True Qi grew slightly stronger, seemingly without end.

On the third day, the True Qi had grown even stronger, becoming as thick as a thumb. As the thick True Qi circulated through his Meridians, Zhaang Ye felt a throbbing ache in them, as if his entire body was about to explode!

Far from being alarmed, Zhaang Ye was delighted. He thought, ’Now’s the time! I must purge the impurities from this True Qi, refine it until it’s utterly pure, transform it from Post-natal to Innate, and condense the first strand of Innate True Qi in my body to break through to the Peak of Martial Arts Ninth Layer!’

Zhaang Ye circulated his Cultivation Technique, and his Dantian acted like a furnace, slowly refining the impurities in his True Qi. As the impurities were refined, his True Qi became more condensed, purer, and stronger!

Refining the impurities from True Qi required a long time. Fortunately, the True Qi in his body had already been made extremely pure through refinement by the Dragon Elephant Power. Thus, Zhaang Ye only needed one day to refine away more than half of the impurities. The True Qi circulating within him was now clear and powerful.

As the impurities were refined away, the True Qi in his body gradually grew thinner. The thumb-sized True Qi shrank to the size of a chopstick, and then from a chopstick to the size of a grass stalk.

BOOM! When sixty percent of the impurities in his True Qi had been refined, a tremendous roar echoed through Zhaang Ye’s Meridians. A strand of lively, vibrant, and unfathomably profound True Qi appeared in his Dantian. This strand of profound True Qi was minuscule, yet it contained immense, endless, and self-sustaining power!

Innate True Qi!

Zhaang Ye had finally transformed the Post-natal into the Innate, cultivated his first strand of Innate True Qi, and entered the Peak of Martial Arts Ninth Layer.

Zhaang Ye slowly opened his eyes and muttered to himself, ”I’ve finally reached the Peak of Martial Arts Ninth Layer! There are still five days left before the three-month deadline. In these five days, I’ll use the might of the Ancient Phoenix Power to try and break through to the Late Stage of Sixth Level of the Dragon Elephant Skill. If I can reach the Late Stage of Sixth Level of the Dragon Elephant Skill, I’ll have the power to protect myself even against a Half-step True Dao expert.”

Zhaang Ye closed his eyes and continued his Cultivation.

「...」

「Outside the Little World.」

The fifty-two Hall Masters from the Land of Divine Abandonment arrived one after another at the base of the cliff and sat down cross-legged. All fifty-two Hall Masters were True Dao Experts. Though they sat perfectly still, streams of pure Innate True Qi shot into the sky, throwing the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi into chaos.

Just then, someone chuckled and said, ”Everyone, there are only five days left in the Thirteen Countries Rookie King Tournament. I wonder who the top three will be this time?”

An old man with a long, flowing beard spoke arrogantly, ”I don’t know who will be second and third, but first place will definitely go to my disciple, Yangx Guyuan. His Nine Heavens Ten Earths Burning Celestial True Force has already reached the Great Success Realm, making him unrivaled among the Younger Generation. In this Thirteen Countries Rookie King Tournament, first place can only be his.”

This long-bearded old man was none other than Yangx Guyuan’s master, the Great Hall Master of the Great Peace True Hall, Yangx Poshan.

The moment Yangx Poshan finished speaking, an old man in gray robes spoke up. ”Heh, Elder Yangx, Yangx Guyuan may be strong, but in the Little World, strength alone doesn’t guarantee first place. My Great Marsh True Hall’s Helian Bi Bi is nearly his equal in power. Perhaps first place will fall into the hands of my Great Marsh True Hall.”

The speaker was Helian Bi Bi’s master, the Great Hall Master of the Great Marsh True Hall, Helian Changtian.

At this, a lean, middle-aged man chuckled. ”Brother Helian is right. The Little World is full of Fierce Beasts and hidden traps. Yangx Guyuan is powerful, but others still have a chance. My disciple, Chu Yuxiang, has cultivated his Arrow Skill to the point of Mastery. He has a very good chance of taking first place…”

This lean, middle-aged man was Chu Yuxiang’s master, the Great Hall Master of the Great Rong True Hall, Chu Fangyuan.

Yangx Poshan had immense confidence in his disciple, but Helian Changtian and Chu Fangyuan were just as confident in theirs, and none would back down.

Someone else laughed and said, ”Among the Younger Generation, Yangx Guyuan, Helian Bi Bi, Ling Kongyun, Zhaang Ye, and Chu Yuxiang are the strongest. The top three will certainly come from their ranks. As for the specific rankings, that’s hard to say.”

”Zhaang Ye’s rise has been incredibly fast,” a True Dao Expert remarked with a sigh. ”Yangx Guyuan, Helian Bi Bi, Ling Kongyun, and Chu Yuxiang have been famous for over a decade. For Zhaang Ye to suddenly appear and become a top expert of the Younger Generation is nothing short of a miracle. In this Rookie King Tournament, will Zhaang Ye create another miracle and take first place?”

Hearing Zhaang Ye’s name, the expressions of the several experts from the Da Ling Kingdom True Hall changed, and a faint killing intent flickered in their eyes. Ever since they learned that Ling Kongyun had died at Zhaang Ye’s hands, the Hall Masters of the Da Ling Kingdom True Hall had hated him to the bone. They wished they could enter the Little World immediately and beat Zhaang Ye to a pulp.

In contrast to the Hall Masters from the Da Ling Kingdom True Hall, those from the Wei Kingdom True Hall smirked proudly at the mention of Zhaang Ye’s name. Over the past two years, Zhaang Ye’s Cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds, quickly making him a top expert of the Younger Generation and bringing great honor to the Hall Masters.

Just then, a voice snickered, ”Zhaang Ye taking first place? How is that possible?”(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian.com to vote with Recommendation Tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)