Overlord of the Wilderness

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Zhaang Ye slowed down and looked toward the large bird. On its back, a woman in red stood against the wind, her hair fluttering in the gale.

Zhaang Ye was slightly taken aback when he saw the woman in red. It was Feng Tongming. She had been focused on her Cultivation at the Wei Kingdom True Hall, so he had no idea why she would be here.

While Zhaang Ye was still feeling surprised, Feng Tongming had already sped over to him. Looking at Zhaang Ye standing silently in the air, she giggled. ”I saw your silhouette from a distance and just knew it was you, Senior Brother Zhaang.”

Zhaang Ye chuckled. ”Junior Sister Feng, weren’t you busy with your Cultivation at the True Hall? What brings you out here?”

Feng Tongming brushed back her fluttering hair. ”I’ve had this faint feeling recently that I’m on the verge of a breakthrough. But after months in seclusion, I still couldn’t do it, so I had no choice but to come out for a walk. My Cultivation Technique is related to fire, so I was thinking of visiting the Ten Thousand Volcanoes. I’m hoping I can find the opportunity I need to break through there.”

Zhaang Ye understood.

After a few more words, Feng Tongming took out a Jade Pendant—with more than half of it missing—and tossed it to Zhaang Ye. ”Thank you so much for killing Jiang Ailiang. Because you killed him, I can finally be free. As thanks, I’ve decided to give this to you. I hope it helps.”

Zhaang Ye caught the broken Jade Pendant. ”What is this?”

Feng Tongming sighed. ”This Jade Pendant records an Artifact Refining Technique. I’ve heard it’s quite profound, but since I’m still a long way from the True Dao, I probably won’t be able to use it. So, I’m giving it to you, Senior Brother Zhaang. I hope you’ll be able to master the Artifact Refining Technique within it.”

Zhaang Ye infused his Spiritual Power into the Jade Pendant and found that it did indeed contain an Artifact Refining Technique. The technique was called the Minor Celestial Refining Technique. According to its introduction, if one could master this technique, they could even refine a living Little World.

Though the Minor Celestial Refining Technique was miraculous, it had a major weakness: it required Phoenix Fire to perform. Feng Tongming might have the bloodline of an Ancient Phoenix, but cultivating Phoenix Fire was an extremely difficult task. No wonder she said she had no use for it.

Zhaang Ye pondered for a moment, quickly memorized the Minor Celestial Refining Technique, and then handed the Jade Pendant back to Feng Tongming. ”The contents of this Jade Pendant are very useful. Thank you. To show my gratitude, I have something for you as well.”

As he spoke, Zhaang Ye took out a Jade Bottle and placed it in Feng Tongming’s hand. He then gave her a nod and executed his Thunderbolt Body Technique, speeding off toward the Wei Kingdom True Hall.

The Jade Bottle Zhaang Ye had given Feng Tongming contained the blood of a Green-eyed Golden Eagle. Since the eagle had perched on the Phoenix Tree for ages, its blood had become imbued with the aura of an Ancient Phoenix. This aura was incredibly useful to Feng Tongming; it could increase her chances of stepping into the True Dao.

This was his way of repaying her for the Jade Pendant.

Zhaang Ye had just returned to the True Hall when he was summoned by the Fourth Hall Master. He arrived at the base of the thousand-zhang-tall giant tree to find the Fourth Hall Master sitting cross-legged on a rock. Beside him were two boxes, one large and one small.

The Fourth Hall Master handed the two boxes to Zhaang Ye. ”The Sect Envoy will arrive in two days. For now, you should stay in the True Hall and focus on your Cultivation.”

Zhaang Ye paused, slightly taken aback. ”Master, I still need to make a trip to the Moon Country True Hall. Back in the Great Rong Kingdom, I told their Ninth Elder that I would come to his door and kill him within a year. I’m about to leave the Land of Divine Abandonment, and I want to use this last bit of time to go kill that old bastard.”

The Fourth Hall Master waved his hand dismissively. ”There’s no need. Your recent string of victories against Half-step True Dao Experts scared Fu Yibo, the Ninth Elder of the Moon Country True Hall, half to death. He spent every day terrified you would show up at his door. Two days ago, he suffered a qi deviation during his Cultivation. His Cultivation is completely ruined...”

Zhaang Ye was a little surprised. ”Since he’s already a cripple, let’s just let the matter drop. I can use these two days to cultivate anyway.”

Zhaang Ye returned to his valley with the two boxes and eagerly opened the larger one. Inside lay three unremarkable-looking metal fragments. They might have looked plain, but Zhaang Ye’s keen senses detected faint traces of an aura from Ancient Times emanating from them.

”Excellent!” With just a single glance, Zhaang Ye knew. The material of these three fragments was identical to that of his Mysterious Blade Tip. In other words, all three had broken off from the same blade!

Zhaang Ye took out the Mysterious Blade Tip and the other fragment he already had. The five pieces fit together perfectly, forming a simple Heavy Saber. The body of the blade had no inscriptions or Arrays, making it look completely ordinary. And yet, Zhaang Ye could clearly feel the terrifying waves of Ancient Sword Intent pulsing from it.

’What a fine saber. Truly a fine saber. It’s a shame that such an Ancient Heavy Saber was shattered by a single punch from some peerless expert.’ Zhaang Ye felt a pang of regret as he carefully sensed the Ancient Sword Intent on the fragments.

The material of this Ancient Heavy Saber was exceptionally rare. Even if he found all the Broken Blade fragments, it would be incredibly difficult for Zhaang Ye to reforge them into the original, indestructible weapon.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhaang Ye suddenly remembered the Minor Celestial Refining Technique he had just received from Feng Tongming. Recalling the miraculous feats described in its introduction, his heart stirred. ’After I leave the Land of Divine Abandonment, I must learn the Artifact Refining Technique. I’d like to see if I can use it to restore this Ancient Heavy Saber to its original form.’

Tearing his attention away from the Ancient Heavy Saber, Zhaang Ye opened the other box. This Jade Box contained an exquisitely crafted Jade Bottle. Inscribed on it were three vigorous words: ”Innate Golden Pill.”

Needless to say, the Jade Bottle contained the very thing countless Martial Artists dreamed of: the Innate Golden Pill.

Zhaang Ye picked up the Jade Bottle and uncorked it, and a faint, clean fragrance immediately wafted out.

The fragrance drifted through the pores of Zhaang Ye’s skin and deep into his body. An indescribable sense of comfort washed over him, making him feel as if he were about to ascend to immortality. He glanced into the bottle and saw two perfectly round, golden Elixirs glowing with a faint golden light, looking utterly mystical.

Zhaang Ye slowly put away the Innate Golden Pills, a look of satisfaction on his face. An Innate Golden Pill could gradually refine a Martial Artist’s Postnatal True Qi into Innate True Qi. With these two pills, his chances of advancing to the True Dao had increased by at least twenty percent.

「Two days later.」

An azure vessel, over twenty zhang long, suddenly broke through the heavy clouds and appeared in the sky above the Wei Kingdom True Hall. A cold voice boomed down from the Flying Vessel, ”The time to return to the Sect has come! Zhaang Ye of the Wei Kingdom True Hall, board the Guiding Flying Vessel at once. We will not wait!”

Zhaang Ye bowed to the Fourth Hall Master and then bid farewell to his three martial uncles. He then executed his Thunderbolt Body Technique, transforming into a streak of green light that shot up to the Guiding Flying Vessel.

Inside the Guiding Flying Vessel, four young men sat cross-legged. They were Yang Guyuan, Du Hong, Zhou Lihuo, and Yin Chenyun—the other top contenders from the Thirteen Countries’ tournament for new disciples. It had been some time since he had seen them, and their auras had grown considerably more profound. It was clear their Cultivation had improved.

When they saw Zhaang Ye enter the cabin, all four nodded to him. Zhaang Ye had taken first place in the Thirteen Countries’ tournament, and more recently, he had killed several Half-step True Dao Experts in a row. His immense power left them no choice but to be impressed.

The one piloting the Guiding Flying Vessel was a middle-aged man in gray robes with twin swords strapped to his back. The man’s cold face showed a flicker of surprise as he sensed the powerful aura emanating from Zhaang Ye. ”You’re Zhaang Ye? Very good. You’re truly worthy of being called a once-in-ten-thousand-year genius of the Land of Divine Abandonment, reaching the Peak of Martial Arts Ninth Layer at such a young age.”

Zhaang Ye bowed to the gray-robed man. ”You’re too kind. My meager abilities are nothing special in the outside world.”

The gray-robed man gave Zhaang Ye a deep look. ”Reaching the Peak of Martial Arts Ninth Layer at your age while remaining so level-headed... you are quite impressive. From what I know, there are people on the outside looking to cause you trouble. I hope you can maintain this same attitude when the time comes and deal with the situation as best you can.”

After saying this, the gray-robed man waved his hand, sending a stream of Innate True Qi into the vessel’s hull. Propelled by the Innate True Qi, the Guiding Flying Vessel immediately let out a low HUM and shot forward, transforming into an unbelievably fast streak of blue light.

Zhaang Ye sat cross-legged in the cabin, admiring the scenery outside the Guiding Flying Vessel while secretly mulling over the gray-robed man’s words. ’He was obviously giving me a warning,’ he thought, ’but who exactly is looking for trouble with me?’

Zhaang Ye pondered for a moment. ’The one looking for trouble is probably the Fourth Elder of the Green Cloud Sect. Well, no use overthinking it. As long as he doesn’t make a move himself, I have nothing to fear.’

With that thought, Zhaang Ye closed his eyes and silently began to refine the Celestial River Righteous Qi within his body.

After an unknown amount of time, the gray-robed man suddenly spoke up. ”The Land of Divine Abandonment is a massive Spatial Array. The Guiding Flying Vessel will shake violently as it breaks free. We’re about to leave the Land of Divine Abandonment, so hold on tight and don’t fall off.”

The words had barely left his mouth when Zhaang Ye heard a deafening CRACK, as if something had been pierced. In the wake of that earth-shattering sound, Zhaang Ye felt the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi suddenly grow denser, and a magnificent, wondrous world unfolded before his eyes. (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.)