Chapter Thirty: The City of Wilderness

Even with Max’s flying speed, it took a full three hours to cross this desolate expanse.

Deep beneath the barren land, a dense mass of dark demonic aura roiled and surged, barely revealing within it a skeleton seated cross-legged, black as ink, emitting a faint, precious glow.

Suddenly, the swirling demonic aura stalled and calmed. In an instant, it contracted and poured into every bone of the ink-black skeleton.

After absorbing the thick demonic energy, the skeleton underwent a marked change: the glow radiating from its bones grew intense, and two divine rays shot from its hollow eye sockets. A voice, domineering and resonant, echoed heavily in the depths of the earth.

“Seven thousand years have passed in the blink of an eye. I wonder if anyone still remembers me, Overlord Tian! I just sensed a powerful and unimaginable divine sense probing me—could it be that one of the immortal deities has awakened?”

Having spoken these shocking words, the skeleton fell silent once more, its precious glow fading as it sat quietly underground. In that confined space, threads of demonic energy from all directions seeped steadily toward the skeleton.

“How interesting. Who would have thought that in this godforsaken wasteland, an ancient demon would be hiding here? Yet his aura is so faint—he must have suffered a wound to his origin and is lying low to recover.”

A girl’s murmur flickered within Leng Tian’s body, but Leng Tian himself remained oblivious.

Once past the desolate land, Leng Tian finally saw a stretch of verdant earth. After flying for several more days, the outline of a massive city appeared on the horizon.

As he drew close, the city’s grandeur became apparent. Compared to it, the capital of the Skylark Kingdom was as a lamb to an elephant.

Gazing at the dark red city walls, more than thirty meters tall, Leng Tian could sense they were stained by the blood of countless battles. This time, he did not have Max avoid the city; instead, he landed right at its main gate.

The moment he touched down, Max flapped his wings and soared into the sky. Under the envious gaze of the soldiers atop the city wall, Leng Tian strolled leisurely into the city.

Upon entering, he noticed several pairs of eyes fixed on him. Looking back, he saw more than a dozen warriors in crude garments stitched from animal hides, all regarding him with open hostility.

Leng Tian wondered why these locals seemed so unfriendly toward an outsider like himself. Perhaps his arrival had been too conspicuous.

As he walked along the wide streets, he realized that everyone here exuded a savage aura—the kind that could only be accumulated from countless life-and-death struggles. Their clothing was unlike anything Leng Tian had seen; most wore rough, animal-hide garments and carried weapons at their sides, moving with caution and vigilance.

While Leng Tian was observing his surroundings, a commotion ahead caught his attention. On the street before him, several warriors had erupted into a brawl for reasons unknown, fighting with deadly intent.

He saw clearly: a young warrior was beset by three Heaven-ranked opponents and, after only a few exchanges, was slain on the spot. The three victors, utterly unconcerned, ransacked the young man’s corpse for money and belongings, laughing loudly as they walked away.

The onlookers expressed no disapproval; instead, they cheered and shouted in approval. As the three left, the crowd dispersed, laughing and chatting as if nothing had happened.

Leng Tian took all this in and sensed that this place was indeed different from anywhere else. Before long, a squad of soldiers arrived, dragged the young man’s corpse away, and cursed under their breath, “With skills like that, he dares to venture into Savage City? Doesn’t know his own limits.”

Once they were gone, Leng Tian stepped into a nearby tavern and found himself a table. His presence drew the attention of a group of drinkers.

He ordered a jug of wine and a plate of spirit beast meat, and quietly enjoyed the aromatic meal and wine. Just then, a boisterous, arrogant voice rang out, “Hey! Bring wine and meat, I’m starving!”

With a crash, a wall seemed to have sat down across from Leng Tian, and a foul stench assaulted his nostrils, nearly choking him.

Leng Tian spat out a mouthful of wine, spraying it directly onto the face of the newcomer. The tavern instantly fell silent. The coarse voice rang out again, this time brimming with anger, “You little brat, are you looking for death?” A giant fan-like hand swung toward Leng Tian’s cheek.

Leng Tian had already seen the man’s appearance and couldn’t help but admire him inwardly: “What a colossus of a man!” His face was covered in stubble, his bronze skin stretched over bulging, powerful muscles, and his stature was as imposing as a bear—at least twelve feet tall, with fierce, bell-like eyes blazing with fury.

He forced a bitter smile—so much for enjoying his wine. Seeing the giant’s hand coming at him, Leng Tian decided not to engage. In a flash, he appeared outside the door, clasped his fists, and said, “Please, calm yourself. I am merely passing through and meant no offense. I beg your forgiveness.”

Leng Tian had no desire for trouble—not out of fear, but because he didn’t want minor disputes interfering with his true purpose.

“Haha! Did you hear that, everyone? This brat’s words are hilarious. In Savage City, no one who offends me, Exploding Bear, leaves alive—and you won’t be the exception!”

Exploding Bear laughed loudly and stepped outside. Leng Tian frowned but quickly relaxed, clasped his fists again, and said, “I implore you to reconsider. My offense was unintentional, surely you need not press the matter.”

“There’s no need for reason here. In this place, the strong do as they please with the weak. Only those with the hardest fists get to speak. You have no grounds to bargain with me!”

Exploding Bear advanced upon Leng Tian, his iron fists like cauldrons swinging straight for him. “Hard fists, you say?” Leng Tian thought it amusing. Since the man showed no intention of backing down, he decided to teach him a lesson and assert himself—it wouldn’t do to let himself be bullied, even if he didn’t intend to stay.

Stepping forward, Leng Tian appeared before Exploding Bear. Since awakening the depths of his bloodline, Leng Tian’s physical speed had multiplied several times over. His right hand formed a palm, golden light flashing—seemingly slow, yet as fast as lightning—striking Exploding Bear’s massive chest.

Surprised by Leng Tian’s speed, Exploding Bear nonetheless puffed out his chest to meet the attack.

With a deafening crash, Exploding Bear’s towering figure flew backward like a meteor, smashing through several walls before landing on a heated brick bed in a back room. A palm-shaped depression marred his broad chest, blood streaming from his lips, staining his bristling beard crimson.

He could do nothing but groan, unable to move. That seemingly gentle palm had fractured his breastbone and shifted his internal organs with its hidden force. For such a titan to be so easily crippled by Leng Tian’s casual strike—he would need months to recover.

The watching warriors outside were dumbfounded. Exploding Bear’s strength was well-known; his raw physical power alone made him a terror even among Heaven-ranked fighters. How could this seemingly ordinary youth send him flying with a single blow?

With the matter settled, Leng Tian left the city under the fearful gaze of the warriors. He had no desire for further trouble and thought it best to leave before more complications arose.

In the crowd, one warrior watched Leng Tian go, a venomous look in his eyes, before turning and running into the city.

The tavern owner, trembling all over, stared at Exploding Bear’s twitching, bloodied form. Cursing his luck, he seemed to recall something dreadful. Face ashen, he hurried to the back rooms, called his son, and urged, “Pack up quickly—we must leave, as far and as fast as possible!” Father and son swiftly gathered their money and valuables and fled through a secret door.

The reason for their panic was simple: Exploding Bear’s crippling was no trivial matter. In Savage City, the death of an ordinary warrior caused no stir—death here was commonplace.

This was because Savage City occupied a unique position on the continent: a territory belonging to no empire, a lawless and bloody land. It bordered the continent’s greatest primeval wilderness, home to the largest number of spirit beasts. Warriors from all over gathered here to hone their skills by hunting demonic beasts; countless mercenary groups ventured deep into the wilds to capture spirit beast cubs, selling them elsewhere for high profits.

Thus, this place was rife with slaughter, and Savage City reigned supreme here. Its city lord was a mysterious figure, never seen by any, with four profound-realm subordinates running the city’s affairs.

Savage City’s existence was long-standing, its special status tacitly acknowledged by all powers on the continent. No one came here looking for trouble, nor did anyone provoke it without cause.

Every ten years, a beast tide erupted from the depths of the wilderness, driving all powers to send warriors to stem the invasion. Even itinerant cultivators and major mercenary groups would rush here to fight back the hordes of spirit beasts.

Savage City thus became a haven for resting warriors, as well as one of the main targets of beast tide attacks. Over thousands of years, the city walls had been stained dark red with blood, a testament to the carnage endured time and again.

Exploding Bear, crippled by Leng Tian’s palm, was the younger brother of Violent Dragon, one of the city’s four administrators. Among them, Violent Dragon was the most formidable—his cultivation at the peak of the profound realm, and he practiced an ancient, powerful body-tempering technique known as the Ninefold Berserker Transformation. By absorbing demonic energy to refine flesh and blood, each transformation brought him closer to a true demonic body—synonymous with overwhelming strength.

That day, Violent Dragon was seated cross-legged in his residence, toying with a jade token in his hands. “So, he has also acquired a Jade Celestial Decree, and has been tasked by the mysterious city lord to go to the Azure Sea Realm in the Ancient World to seek a primordial spirit treasure!” Deep in contemplation, Violent Dragon was interrupted when a warrior hurried in.