Overlord of the Wilderness

The Dragon and Tiger Celestial Hand was truly worthy of being called a Top-Grade Combat Skill. The moment the Dragon Tiger Strike was unleashed, the very sky seemed to lose its color. Though the dragon and tiger were still dozens of feet away, Zhaang Ye felt an endless killing intent wash over him. Faced with such a dense murderous aura, he felt as if he had been plunged into an ice cellar.

’What a powerful Dragon and Tiger Celestial Hand! I never thought Xuli Long could execute such a formidable technique. It seems I’ve underestimated him!’ A chill ran through Zhaang Ye’s heart.

This Dragon Tiger Strike shot through the air with tyrannical might. The approaching dragon and tiger contained all manner of subtle Attack Techniques. The methods were so profound that even with Zhaang Ye’s Comprehension and keen eye, he couldn’t fully grasp them in an instant. In this situation, his ideal response would be to unleash his Dragon Elephant Power, meeting force with force to shatter the dragon and tiger.

The problem was that many Martial Artists were watching, including several Martial Arts Ninth-Layer Experts who possessed Spiritual Power. If Zhaang Ye used his Dragon Elephant Power, it would no longer be a secret, and the consequences would be difficult to predict.

’Should I use the Dragon Elephant Power or not?’

Zhaang Ye made his decision in an instant. He didn’t use the Dragon Elephant Power within his body. Instead, he channeled all his True Qi into his left hand, thinking, ’I’ll have to bet everything on this glove! It couldn’t even be broken by a Heavy Saber. I can only hope it can withstand the bombardment of True Qi!’

Zhaang Ye had put the glove on his left hand before leaving Python City. Now, facing Xuli Long’s tyrannical attack, an idea suddenly struck him. He would use the glove, combined with his own immense strength, to shatter Xuli Long’s attack head-on.

RUMBLE!

True Qi surged within Zhaang Ye’s left hand. It blazed with brilliant light, seeming to grow much larger out of thin air. His Spiritual Power locked onto the approaching dragon and tiger, and a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. Suddenly, his left hand made a move that stunned everyone—he reached out to crush it!

CRACKLE!

Zhaang Ye’s left hand shot out, plunging through the dense Qi Force and clamping down precisely on the dragon’s neck. Dragons are known for their unpredictability, and though this one was formed from True Qi, it too possessed infinite Transformations. Yet, in Zhaang Ye’s grasp, this ever-changing True Qi Dragon couldn’t transform at all; he had caught it in an instant.

BOOM!

With a vicious squeeze from Zhaang Ye, the True Qi Dragon let out a tremendous sound, as if thunder had just exploded in his hand. Amid the deafening roar, the incredibly powerful True Qi Dragon was crushed, dissipating into a fierce gale that swept out in every direction.

"Ah!" The onlooking Martial Artists gasped. Seeing Zhaang Ye crush a True Qi Dragon with his bare hand, their faces were masks of pure shock. Even Xuli Long’s face was filled with disbelief, his eyes wide with astonishment.

While the crowd stood shell-shocked, Zhaang Ye had no time to waste. After shattering the True Qi Dragon, he still had to deal with the incoming True Qi Tiger. His method for handling it was simple: a light slap with his left hand!

BOOM!

Zhaang Ye’s slap landed squarely on the True Qi Tiger. While the True Qi Dragon Xuli Long had sent was unpredictable, the True Qi Tiger contained immense force, a strike infused with all of Xuli Long’s True Qi. Yet, this tiger, containing the culmination of Xuli Long’s True Qi, was sent flying by Zhaang Ye’s gentle pat. It soared thousands of feet into the sky before exploding.

With one squeeze and one slap, Zhaang Ye had broken Xuli Long’s Dragon Tiger Strike. The onlooking Martial Artists were rendered speechless by his technique. Xuli Long was so stunned by Zhaang Ye’s methods that, for a moment, he failed to launch another attack.

After a long moment, the onlooking Martial Artists finally came to their senses.

"Heavens! Are my eyes deceiving me?" one Martial Artist groaned.

"To crush a dragon and a tiger with his bare palm and come out unscathed... How is that possible? How?"

"His Body Refining Technique is incredible! I can’t believe he just casually broke a Top-Grade Combat Skill!"

"Who is that? Has another young expert emerged from the Thirteen Countries of the Land Abandoned by God?"

"Heh, I recognize that young man! His name is Zhaang Ye. A while back, he challenged the young experts of Python City, defeating more than ten of them in a row and making a great name for himself. That’s right, Li Zhongtian, who was ranked ninth in the Da Ling Kingdom, was crippled by this very Zhaang Ye. His strength is truly no small matter!"

The dragon and tiger Xuli Long had just unleashed were, in essence, two extremely condensed True Qi Balls. This highly concentrated True Qi was sharper than a sword and more dangerous than a thunderbolt. Even a great expert of the Martial Arts Ninth Layer would never dare plunge their hand into such a True Qi Ball. Yet Zhaang Ye had done just that, reaching in to crush and swat away the dragon and tiger without suffering the slightest injury. The display was simply too stunning!

"It seems I misjudged you. You must be Zhaang Ye, the eighth disciple Under the Four Hall Masters of the True Hall, correct?" By now, Xuli Long had overheard the crowd’s discussion and learned Zhaang Ye’s name. He looked at Zhaang Ye intently and said slowly, "Zhaang Ye, the Wei Kingdom’s New King Selection Tournament is in ten months. I will settle the score with you then!"

The Dragon Tiger Strike was Xuli Long’s ultimate move. Unleashed with a Pseudo-True Artifact, even a Late-stage Martial Arts Ninth Layer expert would have a hard time dealing with it directly. Since even the Dragon Tiger Strike couldn’t defeat Zhaang Ye, Xuli Long realized that Zhaang Ye’s strength was likely greater than his own. If the fight continued, he would probably lose. Thus, he threw out a few words to save face.

Zhaang Ye smiled faintly. "In ten months, I will be ready for your lesson."

Xuli Long’s expression was incredibly grim. With a snort, he abruptly shot into the air and flew toward the peak of Ping Mountain.

Seeing Xuli Long leave, the crowd quickly dispersed, discussing Zhaang Ye’s display as they went. Although the fight had been brief, Zhaang Ye’s performance had shocked even the experts of the older generation. Some were already comparing him to the twenty greatest prodigies of the Younger Generation.

Each of the twenty young prodigies of the Land of Divine Abandonment had forged their reputation through combat. For Zhaang Ye to be compared to them after just one short battle meant he had made a name for himself in a single fight.

After the Martial Artists left, Zhaang Ye also began to slowly make his way toward the peak of Ping Mountain. As he flew, he replayed the fight in his mind, a thrill of excitement coursing through him.

Zhaang Ye had slain quite a few Martial Arts Ninth-Layer Experts recently. However, he had always taken advantage of their carelessness, relying on the power of his Long Whip to land the killing blow. Figures like Ling Wuliang, the Divine Strategy Double Eagles, and Lu Junjie had all been careless and were killed by a single lash from his whip, never getting a chance to display their true fighting ability. The only one he had killed through sheer strength was Mei Yuntian, who had already been gravely injured and couldn’t even use ten percent of his power. Otherwise, a hundred Zhaang Yes wouldn’t have been enough for Mei Yuntian to kill.

This battle with Xuli Long was a true reflection of his own strength. He hadn’t used his Long Whip or his Dragon Elephant Power, relying purely on his own abilities and the glove to break Xuli Long’s Combat Skill. It gave Zhaang Ye a much deeper understanding of his own power, and he couldn’t help but feel excited.

’Killing opponents with the Long Whip is satisfying, but it’s not my own strength,’ he thought. ’Contending with talented experts from all walks of life using my own power... that gives a much greater sense of accomplishment.’

The summit of Ping Mountain was a vast, open platform. It spanned several thousand feet in circumference and was as flat as a mirror. When Zhaang Ye arrived, he discovered the massive summit was already densely packed with people. Some Martial Artists, completely shrouded in black cloaks, had their wares laid out before them, waiting for customers. Many more were slowly moving through the crowd, browsing for items they needed.

Zhaang Ye noticed that one could find almost anything at the Ping Mountain Black Market. All sorts of Elixirs, weapons, and herbs were laid out on the ground in a dazzling display. Beyond that, people were selling mining rights, various Pseudo Spirit Beasts, and Fierce Beast Materials. What surprised Zhaang Ye most was that there were even servants for sale. These servants all had Cultivation at the Martial Arts Sixth Layer or Seventh Layer and stood with vacant eyes, waiting for customers to choose them.

Zhaang Ye took a lap around the summit, browsing casually for a while before slowly making his way toward a cave at the center of the peak.

This cave served as the VIP hall for the Ping Mountain Black Market. The items displayed inside were all rare masterpieces, and only Late-stage Martial Arts Ninth-Layer Experts were qualified to enter.

Zhaang Ye was not a Martial Arts Ninth-Layer Expert, but he held a VIP invitation, so he was also qualified to enter. The expert checking invitations outside the hall was slightly surprised to see Zhaang Ye holding one. After verifying the invitation, however, he didn’t ask any further questions. He handed Zhaang Ye a black cloak and said, "This cloak is made of a special material that can block a Martial Artist’s Spiritual Power. Once you put it on, you won’t have to worry about being recognized and can trade for what you need with peace of mind."

Zhaang Ye nodded, draped the cloak over himself, and strode into the VIP hall. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for Recommendation Tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)