Melee Chaos I

"Enough talk! Come and die! Hahaha..." Hu Qianya of the Wolf Mountain Seven Bandits shouted arrogantly, raising his Wolf Fang Flute martial soul.

"Fight! Blazing Gold Wolf!" As the leader, Lang Bashan took the lead and swiftly summoned his martial soul—the Blazing Gold Wolf. A layer of scarlet-gold wolf fur immediately covered his body, blazing with crimson flames. More than half his body transformed into a wolf's. His hands became wolf claws, his feet wolf paws, and his head a wolf's head. When he opened his wolfish jaws, rows of sharp, bloodthirsty fangs were revealed, a horrifying sight. Lang Bashan still stood upright on two legs, with five soul rings floating behind him. However, it was not an optimal configuration: white, yellow, yellow, purple, purple.

"Big Brother, don't leave me behind! Hahaha... Fight! Ice Silver Wolf!" The second brother, Lang Bahai, refused to fall behind and immediately summoned his martial soul—the Ice Silver Wolf. Like Lang Bashan, Lang Bahai also transformed into a wolfman. His body was likewise covered in wolf fur, but waves of cold air radiated from it, and its color was blue-silver. The five soul rings floating behind Lang Bahai were configured exactly like Lang Bashan's.

As soon as the Lang brothers summoned their martial souls, they charged into the Boulder Mercenary Group's formation.

"Prepare for combat mode! Do not act rashly! Stay sharp, all of you! We still have to go back and drink together! Come out, Azure Wind Mad Lion!" As the Boulder Mercenary Group's third-in-command and the highest-level person present, Shi Zhenhe naturally stepped forward to block the Lang brothers. He transformed into a lion-type beastman, covered in blue-green lion fur. His hands became lion claws, his feet became lion paws, and even his head became a mane-covered lion's head, looking exceptionally imposing. Five soul rings floated behind him, colored yellow, yellow, yellow, purple, purple—slightly superior to the Lang brothers' configuration.

Boom...

Shi Zhenhe's lion claws collided with the Lang brothers' wolf claws, and all three of them were sent flying backward. Just like that, the three became locked in battle.

"You two big brothers are really impatient, leaving your little brother behind like this. Come on, which one of you is coming up to die? Hahaha... Tremble! Soul Splitting Wolf Fang Flute!" Hu Qianya of the Wolf Mountain Seven Bandits swung his Soul Splitting Wolf Fang Flute martial soul and charged forward. The four soul rings behind him also gleamed brightly—white, yellow, yellow, yellow—likewise not an optimal configuration.

"Let this vanguard of the Boulder Mercenary Group have a taste of you! Remember my name, Zhou Wangchao. Because the one killing you will be me—Zhou Wangchao! Take my axe! Soul Reaping Golden Axe!" A burly man in green battle armor, emblazoned with the Boulder insignia, shouted. Four soul rings appeared behind him, arranged in the optimal configuration.

"Oh! So you're the Boulder Mercenary Group's fourth-in-command. Hahaha... Once I kill you, what a huge loss that'll be for the Boulder Mercenary Group! Die! Take my First Soul Skill—Explosive Shockwave!" Hu Qianya said excitedly.

"Let's see who loses their life first! Take this! First Soul Skill, Thousand Jin Falling Kill!" Zhou Wangchao refused to be outdone, swinging his axe toward Hu Qianya.

Boom...

Another huge bang rang out as Hu Qianya and Zhou Wangchao also became locked in battle.

"Fourth Brother, don't just stand there! Put some strength into it!" At that moment, Lang Bahai shouted at Han Shigu.

"Second Brother, don't rush me. I'm coming. Come out, Scroll of Teachings!" Han Shigu immediately summoned his martial soul, a bamboo scroll. Four soul rings in a non-optimal configuration appeared behind him. Once his martial soul emerged, he immediately said, "The Master said: Strength is for battle. Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, protect me!"

Han Shigu used his First Soul Skill, and the Lang brothers' strength immediately increased. Shi Zhenhe was suddenly struck into a flustered state.

"Received!" the Chen brothers shouted in unison. "Come out, Earth Stone Shield!"

Chen Yaojin, Chen Yaoyin, and Chen Yaotong all possessed the Earth Stone Shield martial soul. The three were brothers, just like the Lang brothers. The Chen brothers specialized in defense and were defensive-type soul masters. During battle, they generally protected Han Shigu, the support-type soul master.

"Gao Zifeng, buff us immediately. Also, Bai Feiyu and Bai Feiling, immediately harass the Wolf Mountain Seven Bandits' support soul master." After regaining his composure, Shi Zhenhe immediately issued orders to his subordinates.

"Come out, Crystal Staff! Crystal Goddess, grant them strength." Upon receiving the order, Gao Zifeng, dressed in yellow robes, immediately enhanced Shi Zhenhe and Zhou Wangchao. Their strength instantly increased to a certain degree.

"The Master said: Strength is for battle." Seeing Gao Zifeng enhance Zhou Wangchao's strength, Han Shigu did not dare neglect Hu Qianya either.

"Come out, White Lightning Eagle Falcon!" Bai Feiyu and Bai Feiling did not dare slack off. If they let down their guard for even a moment, it would be their own lives and their teammates' lives that were lost. Once their martial souls were summoned, the two transformed into birdmen. Their hands became feathered wings, their feet turned into sharp eagle talons, and feathers grew over their bodies as well.

"First Soul Skill, White Lightning Flying Feather Strike." The Bai brothers activated their First Soul Skill simultaneously. The feathers on their bodies became incomparably sharp one by one. The two shot into the sky and streaked through the air. In an instant, sharp feathers viciously flew toward Han Shigu.

"First Soul Skill, Earth Stone Firm Shield." The Chen brothers used their First Soul Skill at the same time, guarding Han Shigu so tightly that not even water could pass through.

Boom...

All the sharp feathers struck the Chen brothers' Earth Stone Shields, causing no harm to Han Shigu.

"The Master said: Qi is for defense." Afraid of death, Han Shigu immediately enhanced the Chen brothers.

"Right! Keep it up. Use the least strength possible to harass the enemy." After seeing the Bai brothers' harassment, Shi Zhenhe focused on dealing with the Lang brothers.

"Brother Jiang! This is really incredible!" Hu Haoran had never watched soul masters fight from such close range. His blood was practically boiling, and his entire body itched to join the fight.

"This is just child's play! If you went to watch inside the Soul Arena, the battles there would be more than a hundred times fiercer than this! It's just a little expensive." Jiang Jiayao spoke leisurely.

"Brother Jiang, when are you planning to make a move?"

"Wait a little longer. We'll act when that Boulder Mercenary Group third-in-command can't hold on any longer. I don't want to waste so much effort. But from what I can see, Shi Zhenhe should be about to lose."

"Why? He looks pretty formidable to me."

"No. Shi Zhenhe must have suffered internal injuries when he fought that White Jade Mad Lion earlier. Otherwise, his footing would never be so unsteady. He's a strong attack-type beast soul master, so his steps should be extremely solid, because power comes from the earth. Soul masters above level seventy are exceptions. Look, compared with mine, don't his steps seem much more unsteady?"

"Brother Jiang, I never noticed until you mentioned it. Looks like Shi Zhenhe is about to lose." Hu Haoran said regretfully.