Hidden Intervention

After some time, the leader rose to his feet and shouted to them, "We've rested long enough. Everyone, get yourselves ready. We'll continue onward in five minutes."

Five minutes later, the group continued forward. Before long, small-scale Magical Beast attacks came one after another. Most were First-Order Magical Beasts, with the occasional Second-Order Magical Beast attacking. Xiao Yao only offered a little help when Second-Order Magical Beasts appeared. After all, his task was merely to protect Xiao Yi Xian, so no one had anything to say about it.

After several attacks by Magical Beasts, they finally drove them back at the cost of light injuries to more than a dozen mercenaries.

Just then, Xiao Yao sensed numerous Magical Beast auras approaching from not far away. He shouted, "Everyone, be careful! A large group of Magical Beasts is coming this way."

The mercenaries' faces were filled with terror. At Xiao Yao's warning, everyone turned their gazes toward the direction he pointed.

Ten wolf-type Magical Beasts slowly emerged from the grass. Their eyes were cold and savage, and a nauseating stench wafted from their bodies.

These wolf-type Magical Beasts were enormous, with powerful muscles. Every step they took was exceptionally heavy, as though the earth itself were trembling.

Behind those wolf-type Magical Beasts followed a Fifth Rank Magical Beast, the Heavenly Thunder Wolf. Beside it were a Third-Order Greenwood Wolf and a Third-Order Wind Demon Wolf, all walking toward them.

The Heavenly Thunder Wolf was the largest of them all. Its eyes flickered with an eerie blue light, as though they contained endless lightning power.

The Greenwood Wolf and Wind Demon Wolf respectively radiated dense auras of vegetation and wind elements. Their appearance made the already oppressive atmosphere even more tense.

A Fifth Rank Magical Beast, the Heavenly Thunder Wolf, followed closely behind, along with a Third-Order Greenwood Wolf and a Third-Order Wind Demon Wolf.

The moment the mercenaries saw these Magical Beasts, their faces turned pale, and their bodies began trembling uncontrollably.

Some of the more timid people even closed their eyes, not daring to look any longer. Their hearts were filled with fear and despair, as if they could already see their doom.

Seeing their terrified expressions, Xiao Yao could not help feeling helpless. He knew that this group could not even handle those two Third-Order Magical Beasts. It looked like he would have to secretly intervene himself.

At that moment, the leader of the wolf pack, the Heavenly Thunder Wolf, stepped forward. It stared at the humans with its profound eyes and spoke, "I am the Heavenly Thunder Wolf. Ahead lies our territory. Leave at once. Any who step inside shall die!"

Its voice was like rolling thunder, echoing through the silent forest. Every word carried a force that shook the heart.

The Heavenly Thunder Wolf's gaze was deep and icy, as though it could see through all falsehood.

Its body was tall and majestic, radiating intense lightning power like an overlord of heaven and earth.

The mercenary leader stepped forward. Looking at the fiercely imposing Heavenly Thunder Wolf before him, he took a deep breath to calm himself before saying, "Honored Lord Heavenly Thunder Wolf, I remember this place not being your territory before. Had we known, we would not have come this way. We have no intention of trespassing upon your territory; we are merely passing through on our way elsewhere. Could you allow us to pass?"

It seems this was caused by the tribulation I underwent here before. Looking at this lightning-attributed wolf king, it must have come here recently to claim this place and seek the opportunity I left behind, Xiao Yao thought.

As Xiao Yao was pondering this, the Heavenly Thunder Wolf saw that they refused to leave and let out a howl toward the sky. "Humans, do you wish to wage war against us?"

The mercenary leader took a deep breath, puffed out his chest, and stepped forward. He said to the Heavenly Thunder Wolf, "If you insist on this, we will not sit still and await death."

This leader is pretty brave. As expected, he has the pride of a strong man, Xiao Yao sighed inwardly.

Xiao Yi Xian stood beside Xiao Yao as well, tightly gripping the poison powder she had refined, ready to attack at any moment.

Her gaze was firm and resolute, as though she had already prepared herself for a fight to the death.

Upon hearing the leader's words, the Heavenly Thunder Wolf curled its lips into a cold sneer.

It looked disdainfully at the weak humans before it and said, "Hmph. You ant-like humans dare act arrogantly before me? Today, I will show you true power. Go, my people. Let them witness the might of Magical Beasts!"

They each unleashed their combat techniques and martial skills, raising their weapons to fight the First-Order demon wolves.

Their figures swiftly crossed through the air as sword lights intertwined with wolf claws, forming streaks of dazzling brilliance.

Although the mercenaries fought with all their strength, the wolf pack under the Heavenly Thunder Wolf was simply too ferocious.

They launched relentless, violent attacks, forcing the mercenaries back step by step.

The Magical Beasts roared, baring their fangs as though they wished to devour everything whole.

Seeing this, Xiao Yao could only act himself. He quietly activated the Soul Force within his body. Just as they were about to collapse from exhaustion, Xiao Yao suddenly opened his eyes, and a powerful surge of Soul Force erupted from within him, instantly enveloping the entire battlefield.

That power was as fierce as a violent storm, impossible to resist.

The Magical Beasts were immediately crushed to the ground by that force, their bodies frozen in place and unable to move. Even the Heavenly Thunder Wolf was suppressed. After all, Xiao Yao's Soul Force was primarily focused on suppressing the Dou Wang-level Heavenly Thunder Wolf. They seemed to be pinned down by an invisible force, unable to move.

At that moment, the Heavenly Thunder Wolf felt a terrifying Soul Force suppressing it. As the leader of these Magical Beasts, it too felt pressure unlike anything it had ever experienced.

It tried to break free from the force's restraints, but no matter how it struggled, it could not move even an inch.

Its eyes flickered with unwillingness and fury, but above all, fear of that power.

It hurriedly shouted toward the sky, "Which senior is here? How have we offended you? I beg Senior to spare our lives."

"Scram. Any who do not flee within ten breaths shall die."

That aged voice came from the sky, shocking everyone present.

At that moment, everyone looked toward the sky. Only one person noticed Xiao Yao's lips moving as he muttered under his breath.

After hearing those words, the Heavenly Thunder Wolf could only grit its teeth and helplessly shout to the Magical Beasts ahead, "Retreat! All of you, leave this place!" After it spoke, the Heavenly Thunder Wolf's voice rolled through the forest like thunder, making everyone present tremble in fear.

The Magical Beasts that had still been fighting stopped upon hearing the Heavenly Thunder Wolf's order and slowly followed it away from the area.

Standing to one side, Xiao Yao silently withdrew his Soul Force and quietly watched everything unfold.

Xiao Yao's face remained expressionless. When he turned his head, he saw Xiao Yi Xian staring at him. He touched his face and asked in confusion, "Xiao Yi Xian, why have you been staring at me? There's nothing dirty on my face."

Xiao Yi Xian gave him a mysterious smile but did not answer. Instead, she walked forward to bandage the injured mercenaries' wounds.

Seeing Xiao Yi Xian's mysterious smile, Xiao Yao thought inwardly, Could she have discovered that I was the mysterious person? How did she find out? How strange.