Before the green wolf bandits appeared, the ordinary grey wolf bandits hadn't stopped their attacks. In fact, they'd grown even more ferocious, effectively drawing Tang San's trio's attention away from the green wolf bandits. In this chaotic environment, if not for the Blue Silver Domain, it truly would have been difficult to detect their presence.
Dai Mubai spun around abruptly and unleashed a White Tiger Blazing Light Wave straight ahead, meeting the green wolf bandit's ambush head-on.
Though far larger than an ordinary wolf bandit, the green wolf bandit was astonishingly agile. The instant it faced Dai Mubai's attack, it dropped its body low, and an ethereal shimmer of light appeared across its entire form. It seemed to press flat against the ground and slide forward like a phantom, slipping right beneath the White Tiger Blazing Light Wave.
By the time its body rose again, it had already arrived right in front of Dai Mubai. Its two front claws swept upward in a vicious uppercut, the razor-sharp black wolf claws trailing a crescent-shaped blade of cyan light a full meter wide—as though it intended to eviscerate Dai Mubai from bottom to top.
Tang San and Ma Hongjun had simultaneously come under attack as well. The green wolf bandit targeting Ma Hongjun abruptly accelerated, its entire body dissolving into a blur of cyan light as it charged straight at him. Its timing was impeccable—right when Ma Hongjun had just used his Phoenix Fire Wings to swat away two ordinary wolf bandits, leaving his body exposed. With no other choice, Ma Hongjun retracted both arms and pulled his wings back to shield his front, bracing to take the collision head-on.
Strangely enough, just as the green wolf bandit was about to slam into those Phoenix Fire Wings, it violated all natural law and froze in midair. Its massive wolf body arched backward like a bow drawn to full moon. Its two front claws came together above its head, and cyan light erupted, transforming into a two-meter-long crescent blade of light that slashed down at Ma Hongjun with devastating force.
The green wolf bandit attacking Tang San was the largest of the three, its body noticeably bigger than the other two green wolf bandits. Its eyes were entirely cyan. It pounced silently from behind—the first of the green wolf bandits to move, which was why Tang San had only had time to warn Dai Mubai but not Ma Hongjun.
Chilled cyan light radiated from its body during the full-speed charge, rendering it almost translucent. Its method of attack differed from the other two green wolf bandits—it didn't transform its claws into light blades. Instead, at a mere three meters from Tang San, it suddenly opened its mouth and spat out a ring of cyan light that latched directly onto Tang San's body.
The instant it moved, Tang San had already noticed it. But at that moment, the pressure directly in front of him was immense—more than ten wolf bandits were charging at him with reckless, frenzied abandon.
A cold glint flashed across Tang San's face. His hands clasped together before his chest, and in the instant before the attack from behind could reach him, he vanished into thin air. The ring of cyan light swept through the space where he'd just been, enveloping two wolf bandits instead. A layer of hazy cyan luminescence immediately enveloped both wolves, and then their entire bodies began convulsing violently as blood erupted from them—not just blood, but organs as well. They were clearly dead before they hit the ground. Those powerful bodies had been killed outright by the cyan light ring.
When Tang San reappeared, he materialized directly above that green wolf bandit's head. As the saying goes—courtesy demands reciprocal courtesy. Tang San swooped downward in silence, the Eight Spider Lances trailing a rich aura of blood as they thrust toward the green wolf bandit.
But the green wolf bandit reacted with terrifying speed. The moment Tang San thought the Eight Spider Lances had pierced through its body, he realized he'd only impaled an afterimage. Immediately, a tremendous force struck him from the side. Tang San was forced to retract the Eight Spider Lances and tumbled rapidly through the air. The violent impact sent a surge of qi and blood churning through his chest.
Only his extraordinarily resilient body, protected further by the Eight Spider Lances, had saved him. For any ordinary Soul Master, that blow alone would have cost at least half a life.
Tang San cursed his own carelessness. Even as his body tumbled, he once again executed Instant Transmission, dodging dozens of cyan wind blades that the green wolf bandit fired in a follow-up pursuit. He landed to one side. These wind blades from the green wolf bandit were nothing like those of ordinary wolf bandits.
The wind blades from ordinary wolf bandits were barely a foot wide and less than three inches thick. But the cyan wind blades fired by the green wolf bandit were over a foot thick alone, with a fan-shaped edge more than a meter wide. Their power was incomparable. Plants in their path were shredded to pieces, and the air shrieked with a series of piercing screams.
Tang San's situation was dire, but Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun were faring no better on the other two fronts. Dai Mubai had launched his White Tiger Blazing Light Wave, never imagining that his opponent could slide beneath it even after being locked on. At that very moment, he had just killed an ordinary wolf bandit with a palm strike, leaving his chest wide open.
Facing the opponent's upward-sweeping blade of light, he could only choose to block head-on. Both tiger palms, their claw blades gleaming, hammered downward in a fierce counterstrike that collided squarely with the green wolf bandit's attack.
A thunderous boom erupted. The green wolf bandit was blasted backward, but Dai Mubai was far from unscathed. He staggered back, and the wind blade trailing the cyan light had already sliced open the skin on his chest. Although the White Tiger Protective Barrier and the White Tiger Diamond Shield had helped absorb the attack, the piercing energy had still invaded his meridians, and the searing pain plus the rampaging energy forced him to drive it out with all his soul power.
He clearly judged that this green wolf bandit's strength, while perhaps inferior to his own, was roughly comparable to what he'd had at the fiftieth level. The key issue was that he didn't understand the opponent's abilities, and there were still numerous ordinary wolf bandits surrounding them. This was likely going to turn into a grueling fight.
On the other side, Ma Hongjun's situation was equally grim. The green wolf bandit attacking him displayed even more terrifying offensive power. Amid ear-piercing friction sounds, Fatty's Phoenix Wings Ascending Heaven were slashed nearly in half. Although his Phoenix Fire had also seared onto the opponent's arm, the piercing energy had invaded his body as well, sending agonizing pain through both arms as though they were about to snap.
The ambush by the three green wolf bandits had undoubtedly succeeded. Even though Tang San and Dai Mubai had detected the attack, they'd still sustained minor injuries, while Ma Hongjun's wounds were considerably more serious.
The green wolf bandit whose fur had caught the Phoenix Fire moved with startling speed, its claws flashing as it sliced away the burning patches of its own fur. Its blood, remarkably, was cyan.
The three green wolf bandits had no intention of letting Tang San's trio off the hook. By now, the remaining ordinary wolf bandits had formed a circle, but they no longer charged recklessly as before—instead they mostly postured and made occasional sneak attacks. The three green wolf bandits, however, pressed their full assault against Tang San and his companions.
Dai Mubai had always been the type to grow stronger against stronger foes. Having been successfully ambushed sent him into a fury. He let out a thunderous roar, "Dammit! You think I'm some sickly housecat just because the tiger doesn't bare his claws?!" Golden light erupted across his entire body as he charged headlong at the green wolf bandit. Both tiger claws blazed with golden light, each claw blade projecting a foot-long beam of radiance.
Yet the green wolf bandit showed no fear, its speed incomparably swift as it tangled with Dai Mubai. In terms of raw strength, Dai Mubai was firmly superior. But after the earlier expenditure, his soul power had dipped. Moreover, with so many ordinary wolf bandits watching like tigers, he had to hold some reserves in reserve. This narrowed the gap between them considerably.
Still, even so, Dai Mubai's formidable strength was beyond what this green wolf bandit could match. After several brutal exchanges, the green wolf bandit had been forced back repeatedly by his tiger claws, deep wounds carved across its body.
But what frustrated Dai Mubai was that this green wolf bandit was absurdly slippery. Multiple times, just when he thought he was about to tear it open, the creature's body would flicker with that phantom shimmer, absorbing most of the impact—and it had even dodged one of his attacks outright.
Ma Hongjun was in a far less aggressive position than Dai Mubai. The earlier blow had dealt him heavy damage—his internal organs were shaken, and both arms bore deep, mangled wounds. Although he'd once again deployed Phoenix Wings Ascending Heaven to fight on, he was driven backward relentlessly under the opponent's rapid attacks.
Ma Hongjun's explosive power was unquestionably immense, but at this moment he was completely suppressed by the opponent's speed, looking perilously close to defeat.
The green wolf bandit attacking Tang San was the most powerful of all the wolf bandits. Its massive frame, if measured by soul power alone, was not the slightest bit inferior to Tang San's. Its speed was extraordinarily fast, and its phasing ability was far more refined than the other two green wolf bandits'. Though it still couldn't compare to Tang San's Void ability, it was sufficient to dodge most attacks.
Seeing Ma Hongjun's situation growing desperate, Tang San knew he couldn't afford to delay any longer. He had to end this fight quickly. This green wolf bandit was strong, but he still didn't truly consider it a threat. Compared to the powerful Soul Masters he'd faced before, what was this kind of cruel creature?
His body flashed through the air, once again employing Instant Transmission. This time, he positioned himself as far from the green wolf bandit as possible. Here, he displayed the prowess befitting the soul of the Shrek Seven Devils. The spot where he appeared was precisely at the center between Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai's respective battles—equidistant from both.
The fourth Soul Ring blazed to life. Black light surged forward as the ten-thousand-year soul skill, Blue Silver Prison, activated.
Under the effect of the Blue Silver Domain, every skill of the Blue Silver Emperor received the fullest possible amplification. In a flash of light, the opponents in front of both Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai were simultaneously trapped within enormous Blue Silver Prisons. Though they possessed that phasing ability, it was insufficient to pass through such barriers. What's more, for added certainty, Tang San simultaneously activated the evolved skill of the Slaughter God Domain—Slaughter God's Rush.
A deep, primal terror pierced through the cold aura, striking both green wolf bandits at the level of the soul, causing their bodies to seize for a moment. There was now even less chance of them escaping the Blue Silver Prison's restraint.
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun had coordinated with Tang San more times than they could count. The moment Tang San appeared between them, they'd already begun charging their attacks. Seeing their opponents struggling within the Blue Silver Prisons, hammering away at the unyielding Blue Silver Emperor vines, both men launched their most devastating strikes simultaneously.
White Tiger Meteor Rain descended from the sky, threading through the gaps in the Blue Silver Emperor to converge on the green wolf bandit in a concentrated barrage. Ma Hongjun had been holding in a belly full of rage. He'd been building power during his retreat, waiting for the chance to deliver a fatal blow—only the opponent's sheer speed had forced him to keep defending, since an ineffective attack would invite a devastating counter. Now, with the green wolf bandit successfully restrained by Tang San's Blue Silver Prison, what was there to hesitate about? He struck even faster than Dai Mubai. His blood-soaked right arm slammed toward the ground beneath the Blue Silver Emperor.
His right arm, reinforced by the soul bone, was far tougher than his left and hadn't been injured too severely. The fourth soul skill—Phoenix Ascending Strike—erupted. When the distorted light and trembling earth appeared beneath the green wolf bandit's feet, its fate was sealed.
By now, the surrounding ordinary wolf bandits had clearly sensed something was wrong and surged frantically toward Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Tang San, attempting to interrupt their attacks.
But if Tang San had begun his assault, how could he possibly give them that chance?
Hummm— At that moment, the Blue Silver Domain displayed its most perfect form as the variant skill of Blue Silver Prison, Blue Silver Spine Formation, was released.
Countless Blue Silver Grass stalks that had been lying in wait pierced upward, transforming into sharp spikes that rocketed skyward. Though wolf bandits' bodies were extraordinarily tough, under the piercing assault of this ten-thousand-year soul skill—especially over such a wide area—they had absolutely no way to dodge.
Although the Blue Silver Spine Formation wasn't powerful enough to truly kill them, the wolf bandits suffered numerous injuries—feet pierced through, vulnerable body parts skewered. With this single strike, Tang San had injured nearly every ordinary wolf bandit and plunged them into a dazed state. Of course, seven or eight particularly unlucky wolf bandits had been directly pierced through their few weak points—groin among them—by the Blue Silver Spines. Though they weren't dead yet, the pain they endured was worse than death itself.
Tang San's attack had come without warning—everything unfolded too fast. By the time the most powerful green wolf bandit realized something was wrong, the other two green wolf bandits were already under attack from Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun.
"Awoo—" The most powerful green wolf bandit threw back its head and unleashed a furious howl. Rather than rushing to aid its companions, it charged straight toward Tang San. Its entire body radiated that phantom shimmer, trailing long streaks of light behind it.
Though Tang San was in the midst of casting skills, he certainly hadn't forgotten about his own opponent. From the very instant he'd begun casting, he'd decided to eliminate all three of these powerful wolf bandits in one decisive push. Take them out, and today's battle would be over.
Therefore, even as he unleashed the fourth soul skill twice in succession, his gaze remained locked on that strongest green wolf bandit. Seeing it charging straight at him, Tang San's eyes instantly turned a crystalline blue.
Purple-gold light erupted like a physical force—Purple Demon Extreme Divine Light activated.
Though the green giant wolf's phasing ability could deflect most physical attacks, Tang San's Purple Demon Extreme Divine Light was a purely spiritual attack. How could it possibly dodge? No matter how fast it was, it couldn't outrun light. In its fury, the green giant wolf had charged in a straight line, meaning its massive body collided squarely with the divine light.
A thunderous explosion rocked the air as the green giant wolf let out a shrill, wretched howl. But it wasn't killed by the Purple Demon Extreme Divine Light. Its body was extraordinarily resilient, and it actually possessed remarkably powerful spiritual energy as well. Under the bombardment of the divine light, though blood sprayed from its mouth and nose and its entire body went rigid for a brief moment, its muscles simultaneously began to swell with frenzied, explosive growth—eerily similar to a soul skill Tang San had encountered before: Berserk Bloodlust.
He couldn't afford to give this creature any more time. A sharp, lethal gleam shone in Tang San's eyes. This green wolf bandit was already this powerful in its normal state—if its Berserk Bloodlust fully activated, the three of them would have trouble escaping alive today. Though they'd regained the upper hand, all three were simultaneously burning through massive amounts of soul power to maintain it. If they didn't finish the enemy in one decisive blow, they would have to face the consequences of severe soul power depletion.
Tang San's hands began to move, wielding his arms like extensions. Both hands, turned jade-colored in unison, swept from his waist in a blur, trailing crystalline light with every pass. In that instant, no one could follow the motion of his arms and hands. It was as though a thousand arms had sprouted from his body—both sides filled with overlapping afterimages of limbs.
Brilliant light cascaded from Tang San's body. Pointed, barbed, bladed, edged, curved, arc-shaped, conical, needle-like—countless Hidden Weapons exploded from his form as though detonating from within his very skin, scattering in every direction.
Some flew straight, some at angles, some in sweeping arcs, some colliding with each other. In virtually a single heartbeat, the space before Tang San bloomed like an extravagant flower as the myriad Hidden Weapons unfurled amid a chorus of clinking and clashing.
Every Hidden Weapon seemed to have eyes of its own, weaving effortlessly through the plants of the forest. Each one trailed a faint white contrail behind it, their dazzling radiance illuminating the entire forest.