Three Heroes Battle the Wolf Bandits, the Thunder Dragon's First Roar

Chen Yuan (Yu Yuanchen) pushed his speed to the limit, like a Thunder Falcon skimming the ground, relentlessly following the nauseating scent of blood and the scattered tracks through the air. Fury burned in his chest, yet the more enraged he became, the calmer his mind grew. Electric Field Perception spread at full force like invisible feelers, capturing every movement ahead.

After chasing for roughly twenty or thirty li, he sensed a relatively open Rocky Beach ahead, accompanied by deafening roars, the clash of weapons, and violent energy fluctuations.

He silently slipped behind a massive boulder and focused his gaze ahead.

The Rocky Beach was covered in a black mass of Wolf Bandits, nearly five hundred of them! Most of these monsters retained a half-human, half-wolf form. They stood over two meters tall, their bodies covered in tough blue-gray fur, fangs bared and claws gleaming coldly, their eyes filled with bloodlust and madness. They let out low growls as they surged endlessly toward the center of the battlefield like a tide.

These ordinary Wolf Bandits were each roughly as strong as a human Soul Grandmaster, but such an enormous gathering was enough to make any Soul Master's scalp tingle.

Amid the ordinary Wolf Bandits were more than twenty larger, far more powerful ones. Nearly three meters tall, with bulging muscles and sharper claws and fangs, they were surrounded by cyan wind-attributed Soul Power. They were Intermediate Wolf Bandits, each as strong as a Soul Ancestor!

But that was not the most troublesome part. At the rear of the Wolf Bandit horde, three especially massive and ferocious Wolf Bandit Leaders were roaring as they directed the pack's assault. Nearly four meters tall, they resembled three small mountains of flesh. Their bodies were covered in dark cyan fur, their granite-like muscles bulged in heavy slabs, their claws resembled short daggers, and foul-smelling saliva dripped from their mouths. The Soul Power Fluctuations they emitted had clearly reached the Soul Emperor level! Judging by how solidified they were, they were far from newly advanced Soul Emperors.

Three Soul Emperor-level Wolf Bandit Leaders, combined with hundreds of Wolf Bandits, formed an efficient killing machine capable of exhausting even a powerful Soul Sage to death!

And at that moment, the ones being besieged by this terrifying Wolf Bandit horde were two figures darting across the battlefield in dazzling flashes of light.

One of them was tall and upright, wielding an enormous black warhammer. Its ancient design gave it an austere air, and its hammerhead seemed to contain the weight of an entire world. Every swing brought a spine-chilling howl and overwhelming force. Each time his hammer fell, it carried the force of collapsing mountains, smashing charging Wolf Bandits and their weapons alike into pulp. Even Intermediate Wolf Bandits did not dare confront it head-on. Six Soul Rings rose and fell around him—two yellow, two purple, two black. He was unmistakably a level 62 Soul Emperor! With his heroic features, wild and unrestrained gaze, and that iconic Clear Sky Hammer, he was most likely Tang Chen, who was also out gaining experience.

The other appeared far more ethereal. Clad in plain white robes, with golden hair flying behind him and a face as handsome as a god's, he spread a pair of pristine white wings from his back, scattering feathers of holy light. He wielded a longsword burning with golden radiance. His swordsmanship was exquisite beyond compare, and every thrust carried a sacred aura that purified evil. The golden flames burned the Wolf Bandits until they howled miserably. He moved with incredible speed, leaving afterimages in the air. Often, he escaped before the Wolf Bandits could encircle him, leaving behind fatal sword wounds. Six Soul Rings likewise circled his body, in the same configuration as Tang Chen's, yet his Soul Power Fluctuations were even deeper, reaching level 64! He had to be Qian Daoliu, owner of the God-Tier Martial Soul, the Six-winged Angel!

Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu, two future powerhouses who would stand at the peak of the continent, were actually fighting the Wolf Bandit horde side by side here! Yu Yuanchen was rather surprised. He had not expected them to know each other so early.

The two were astonishingly powerful, and their coordination was quite seamless. Tang Chen led the assault, standing like a rock-solid fortress against the fiercest frontal attacks, his Clear Sky Hammer unstoppable. Qian Daoliu, meanwhile, took advantage of his speed and flight, moving about to strike and kill, purifying evil and sharing the pressure.

However, there were simply too many Wolf Bandits. Moreover, the three Wolf Bandit Leaders were exceptionally cunning. Rather than directly clashing with Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu, they continuously directed the pack in waves of battle and attrition, occasionally seizing opportunities to launch sneak attacks. Although Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu fought fiercely, both had already been wounded. Tang Chen's robes had been torn in several places, blood seeping through them. Some filth had also stained Qian Daoliu's wings, seemingly slowing him slightly. Their Soul Power consumption was immense. At this rate, even if they ultimately defeated the Wolf Bandits, they would inevitably pay a considerable price.

Chen Yuan watched it all and made his decision in an instant.

The identities of these two were far from ordinary. If he could forge a good connection here, it might prove greatly beneficial in the future. More importantly, these Wolf Bandits had slaughtered innocents and deserved death! Whether for public justice or personal reasons, he could not simply stand by.

Since he had decided to act, there was no point concealing his Martial Soul and Soul Rings against such a force. Doing so would only invite suspicion. As for the true mysteries of Bloodline Power and "Thunder God Power," he only needed to use them carefully.

With that thought, Chen Yuan stopped hiding. He took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the boulder!

"Roar—!"

Accompanied by a deep, majestic Dragon Roar, dazzling blue-purple lightning suddenly erupted from his body! The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul possessed him! His frame grew slightly taller, his muscles becoming smoother and more powerful. His right arm was instantly covered in deep blue dragon scales, his five fingers transformed into claws, and wisps of purple Electric Snakes slithered through the gaps in the scales. Even more strikingly, five Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet and spiraled upward!

Yellow! Purple! Purple! Black! Black!

This Soul Ring Configuration surpassed the optimal ratio, especially the fourth and fifth Deep Black Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings, which instantly drew every gaze on the battlefield!

That vast, pure Dragon Might and thunderous aura even temporarily suppressed the bloodthirsty frenzy of the Wolf Bandit horde!

Tang Chen sent several Wolf Bandits flying with one hammer strike, then stole a glance at him. Surprise flashed in his eyes. "Good heavens! What family's monster is this? His fourth Soul Ring is already ten thousand years old? And he has two of them?"

Qian Daoliu swept aside a sneak attack with his sword, surprise also appearing in his golden eyes. "Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon? Someone from the Yu Family of the Heaven Dou Empire? Such talent is unheard of!"

The three Wolf Bandit Leaders let out wary roars. From this newly appeared human, they sensed a faint suppression in terms of superior bloodline, stronger even than what they sensed from the other two!

Chen Yuan wasted no words. His first and Third Soul Rings lit up at once.

"Wrath of Thunder! Thunder Dragon Claw!"

With Wrath of Thunder's one-hundred-percent attack boost, a gigantic Thunder Dragon Claw formed with overwhelming force! But this Dragon Claw was completely different from before! No longer a pure azure, it was blue tinged with purple. The arcs of lightning dancing at its tips carried a heart-pounding sense of penetration and destruction. This was the power of a lightning attribute infinitely close to Ultimate Thunder after fusing with the Purple Lightning Dragon Soul Ring!

"Boom!"

The enormous Purple Lightning Thunder Claw descended like a thundercloud, slamming directly into the densest part of the Wolf Bandit horde!

"Awooo—!"

Miserable howls instantly rang out! More than a dozen ordinary Wolf Bandits were reduced to charred husks beneath the claw, while dozens more were struck by the scattered lightning. Their bodies convulsed as they collapsed, instantly losing their ability to fight! The power of a single strike was terrifying!

But it was not over! Chen Yuan moved like lightning and charged straight into the pack. He did not use the continuously draining Purple Lightning Domain. Instead, he quietly fused Thunder God Power into his Soul Skills and physical attacks, using it purely as an incredibly potent enhancement.

His speed suddenly surged. Like a ghost, he weaved through the Wolf Bandits. His dragon-transformed right arm struck with claw and fist alike, every attack carrying condensed purple-gold lightning. He carefully controlled it, making the color appear to be merely a Soul Skill effect. Ordinary Wolf Bandits died at a touch, while even Intermediate Wolf Bandits could not withstand a single blow! Wherever he passed, he cut through the horde like a hot knife through butter, forcibly tearing open a path!

"What powerful lightning! What tyrannical strength!" Fighting spirit blazed in Tang Chen's eyes as he shouted, "Brother, you came at the perfect time! Let's slaughter these beasts together!"

The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand shone brilliantly as his Fifth Soul Ring lit up. "Fifth Soul Skill, Earthquake Mountain!" The giant hammer crashed down with a shockwave, shattering the bones and tendons of several Intermediate Wolf Bandits trying to encircle Chen Yuan.

Qian Daoliu also let out a clear cry. With a beat of his wings, countless golden feathers shot toward the rear of the Wolf Bandit horde like sharp arrows, providing covering fire and easing the frontal pressure. At the same time, his voice clearly reached Chen Yuan's ears. "Friend, watch out for those three leaders. They are very cunning!"

The three of them established a preliminary rhythm in an instant. Tang Chen stood at the forefront and bore the main pressure. With extreme attack power and speed, Chen Yuan cut through the wolf pack, expanding their gains. Qian Daoliu controlled the entire field, offering distant support while purifying and weakening the enemy.

With Chen Yuan, this fresh fighting force, joining them—especially since his tyrannical thunder attacks noticeably countered the Wolf Bandits—the tide of battle turned at once!

Seeing the situation turn against them, the three Wolf Bandit Leaders could no longer hold back. They simultaneously released violent roars and transformed into three dark cyan blurs, each pouncing toward one of the three men! They had realized that unless they eliminated these three powerful humans, no number of Wolf Bandits would be anything but cannon fodder.

The Wolf Bandit Leader charging Tang Chen directly entered a state similar to a Martial Soul Avatar. Its body swelled further, and its claws shone with a fierce light that seemed capable of tearing open space itself. It collided head-on with the Clear Sky Hammer, producing a deafening clash of metal.

The leader charging Qian Daoliu opened its mouth and spewed out an erosive storm breath, attempting to resist the Angel Holy Light.

The one pouncing on Chen Yuan was clearly the fastest of the three leaders. Its form blurred as its claws stabbed straight for Chen Yuan's back from a vicious, tricky angle.

"Just what I wanted!" Purple lightning flashed in Chen Yuan's eyes. Without dodging, he spun and struck with his dragon-transformed right arm. "Thunder Dragon Claw!" He did not fully unleash Bloodline Power, but the Thunder Dragon Claw infused with Thunder God Power was already far stronger than an ordinary Soul Skill!

"Clang!"

Claw collided with claw, producing a shrill grinding sound! Purple-gold lightning and dark cyan Soul Power clashed violently!

The Wolf Bandit Leader felt an irresistible force surge into it. The numbness and tearing pain spreading from its claws made it roar in agony as it staggered backward, its eyes filled with horror. It could not understand why a Soul King's physical strength and control over thunder could be so terrifying!

Chen Yuan pressed his advantage without mercy. His movement technique unfolded as he followed like a shadow, his Thunder Dragon Claw raining down upon the Wolf Bandit Leader in a storm of attacks. His blows were not only powerful and fast; they also carried a unique Rupture effect. With every collision, subtle thunderous shockwaves penetrated the enemy's body, damaging its muscles and bones. Its surface was split by scale-patterned wounds that carried a numbing sensation!

Although this Wolf Bandit Leader possessed Soul Emperor-level Soul Power, Chen Yuan's refined yet violent attacks forced it steadily backward. It could only defend and had no chance to retaliate!

On the other side, Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu had each suppressed their opponents as well. Tang Chen's Clear Sky Hammer was massive and heavy, smashing his opponent until it coughed blood without end. Qian Daoliu's Angel Sacred Sword purified the dark breath, its sword light blazing like a rainbow as it left charred sword marks across his opponent's body.

Seeing their leaders suppressed, the Wolf Bandit horde's assault immediately descended into chaos.

Seizing the opportunity, Chen Yuan shouted to Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu, "You two, clear out the small fry first!"

Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu immediately understood. Tang Chen forced his opponent back with a fierce attack, then raised the Clear Sky Hammer high as his Third Soul Ring lit up. "Third Soul Skill, Whirlwind Dance!" The giant hammer charged into the Wolf Bandit horde with a terrifying cyclone, like a meat grinder.

Qian Daoliu folded his wings together, and his Fifth Soul Ring shone brilliantly. "Fifth Soul Skill, Holy Light Judgment!" A highly condensed golden beam filled with sacred purification power swept through the densest part of the Wolf Bandit horde like divine punishment. Wherever it passed, Wolf Bandits melted away like snow and ice.

Chen Yuan was even more straightforward. Temporarily abandoning the Wolf Bandit Leader he had been fighting, he moved through the pack like a swimming dragon at extreme speed. His Second Soul Skill, Thunderous Might, unleashed thousands of lightning bolts that numbed every Wolf Bandit around him. Then he drove his Dragon Claw forward, forming claw light more than three feet long. Every swipe cleared out a small area.

Under the three men's joint extermination, the number of Wolf Bandits rapidly dwindled at a rate visible to the naked eye. Ordinary Wolf Bandits and Intermediate Wolf Bandits simply could not withstand the combined assault of these three peerless geniuses, falling in droves.

The three Wolf Bandit Leaders let out anxious, furious roars. They wanted to stop them, but their respective opponents held them firmly in place.

In less than the time it took to burn an incense stick, nearly five hundred Wolf Bandits had been slaughtered. Aside from a few quick-witted ones that fled into the mountains and forests, almost none remained! The vast Rocky Beach was littered with Wolf Bandit corpses, and the air was thick with the mixed stench of burnt flesh and blood.

Now, only the three battered, panting Wolf Bandit Leaders remained.

The three men formed a triangle, surrounding the three Wolf Bandit Leaders at the center.

Tang Chen wiped the blood from his face and grinned, his fighting spirit soaring. "That was satisfying! I never expected to meet two experts like you in this wilderness! Let's finish these three beast leaders first, then have a proper chat!"

Qian Daoliu nodded slightly. A trace of appreciation shone in his golden eyes as he looked at Chen Yuan. "The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan truly lives up to its reputation. What is your name, sir?"

Chen Yuan dispelled his Dragon Transformation, though his Soul Rings continued to rise and fall around him. He answered calmly, "Yu Yuanchen." He did not conceal it. His Martial Soul and Soul Rings had already been exposed, so hiding his name would serve no purpose.

After stating his name, he fixed his gaze on the three Wolf Bandit Leaders at the end of their rope, a dangerous glint appearing in his eyes.