Chapter 20: Blood-Drawn Tide, Desperate Breakout (Part 1)
Several more days passed in the Savage Beast Hills amidst blood and slaughter. Yu Yuanchen, Tang Chen, and Qian Daoliu had long since grown accustomed to the omnipresent danger and madness. Their coordination still couldn't be called exquisite, yet it became increasingly efficient and lethal, like three divine weapons of vastly different styles being honed on the grindstone of the wilderness, radiating an ever-more terrifying chill.
This afternoon, the three had just experienced a fierce battle. Their opponent was a 'Thorned Land Dragon' with a cultivation level nearing thirty thousand years. This Soul Beast not only possessed staggering defense, but the bone spurs covering its body could also fire spikes laced with poison and paralysis effects, making it extremely difficult to handle. After nearly an hour of bitter fighting, the three finally found an opportunity: Qian Daoliu used the Angelic Sacred Sword to distract it, Tang Chen delivered a 'Sky Breaker' strike to its relatively fragile abdomen, and Yu Yuanchen took the chance to pierce its eye socket with a Thunder Dragon Claw, ending the behemoth's life.
As the battle ended, all three were somewhat exhausted. Tang Chen leaned on his Clear Sky Hammer, his chest heaving violently; a poisonous spike had grazed his shoulder, and though he had promptly used his power to force out the toxin, a dark bruise remained. Qian Daoliu's pure white wings had been struck by the Land Dragon's tail sweep, causing several white feathers to drift down, and his body was stained with dust and dark red dragon blood. Yu Yuanchen felt a faint ache in the Meridians of his right arm from over-activating the Thunder Dragon Claw. To create the opening for the final blow, he had endured a direct charge from the Land Dragon; his chest felt tight, and his blood was churning. The massive corpse of the Thorned Land Dragon lay in the messy woodland, its flowing dragon blood soaking the soil, the thick scent of blood spreading through the surroundings like something tangible.
"This big guy really had some kick!" Tang Chen panted, looking at the massive corpse of the Thorned Land Dragon with lingering fear. The thick scent of blood felt physical as it permeated the valley.
Qian Daoliu's brow furrowed slightly; he keenly felt that something was wrong with the atmosphere. The restless sense of unease in the air seemed to suddenly intensify at this moment. "The scent of blood here is too heavy; we shouldn't stay long. We must leave as soon as possible."
Yu Yuanchen's electric field perception was already fully deployed, and his expression turned solemn: "The situation is bad. Many... many Soul Beasts are being drawn here. They're moving fast, and... the numbers are staggering!"
In his perception, countless chaotic and violent Auras were converging toward the valley from all directions. These Auras varied in strength, ranging from thousand-year to ten-thousand-year levels, but they all carried the same madness triggered by the scent of blood!
"Move!" Yu Yuanchen barked. Without hesitation, he chose a direction that was relatively open and favorable for a breakout, the way they had come.
Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu also realized the severity of the problem and immediately followed.
However, they were still half a step too late.
Just as they rushed out of the valley, their hearts sank at the sight before them.
In the previously calm hills ahead, dust was now billowing! Dozens of Soul Beasts of various forms were charging from all directions with bloodshot eyes and roars! There were massive Mountain-Shaking Rhinos like heavy tanks, swift Sabertooth Terror-Cats with bared fangs, and Wind-Cleaving Eagles circling in the sky with shrill cries... Their target was clear: the three humans radiating the thick scent of blood!
And this was only what was within sight! In Yu Yuanchen's perception, even more Soul Beasts were joining this frenzied feast further away!
"Damn it! It's a beast tide! A small-scale beast tide!" Tang Chen swore with a dark expression. Their slaughter in the Savage Beast Hills during this period had already accumulated a great deal of hostility and unrest among the Soul Beasts. Now, the scent of blood from the death of a powerful beast like the Thorned Land Dragon was like a spark, completely igniting the madness of this region and forming this small-scale but lethal beast tide!
"We can't get trapped! Break through!" Qian Daoliu made a split-second decision. The six wings on his back suddenly unfurled as a holy Aura erupted, attempting to use powerful pressure to intimidate and clear a path.
However, these Soul Beasts, dominated by bloodlust and madness, only hesitated for a moment against the holy pressure of the Angel Martial Soul before erupting into an even more ferocious charge! The Soul Beasts of the Savage Beast Hills seemed to have an extremely high resistance to this type of Spiritual-level intimidation!
"Roar!"
A ten-thousand-year Mountain-Shaking Rhino lowered its head, charging first like a moving hill! Its thick rhino horn shimmered with earthy yellow light, and wherever it passed, the ground cracked with a terrifying Aura!
"Leave it to me!"
Tang Chen roared, knowing he couldn't retreat now! He met it head-on, his fifth Soul Ring lighting up once more. The Clear Sky Hammer, carrying the force of 'Mountain Quake', smashed toward the Mountain-Shaking Rhino's head without any frills!
Boom—!
It was like two great mountains colliding! The terrifying explosion made eardrums ache! Tang Chen's body shook violently as he stumbled back three steps, the webbing between his thumb and forefinger splitting as blood flowed down the hammer's handle. Meanwhile, the Mountain-Shaking Rhino's head was smashed bloody, its charge coming to a dead stop as it let out a pained lowing.
But with this delay, even more Soul Beasts had surged forward!
"Watch the left!" Yu Yuanchen's voice rang out. His figure was like lightning as his dragonified right arm swept across, sending out a condensed purple lightning arc like a whip, striking three thousand-year Sabertooth Terror-Cats trying to ambush Tang Chen's flank and sending them flying with broken bones.
Simultaneously, he struck out with his left palm, a thunderous palm print blasting into the sky, blowing feathers off two diving Wind-Cleaving Eagles and sending them spiraling down.
Qian Daoliu was like golden lightning, weaving through the edges of the beast swarm. Every swing of his Angelic Sacred Sword brought a spray of blood, precisely cutting the Soul Beasts' joints, eyes, and other vital points. He didn't clash head-on with the strength-type beasts; instead, he used his speed advantage to constantly weaken the swarm's offensive, easing the pressure on Yu Yuanchen and Tang Chen.
The three fought while retreating, trying to tear open a gap.
However, the horror of a beast tide lay in its endless numbers and fearlessness. As one fell, two or three immediately took its place! They completely ignored casualties, their eyes filled only with the instinct to kill and devour.
"This can't go on! Soul Power is being consumed too fast!" Tang Chen panted after smashing a ten-thousand-year Iron-Backed Gray Wolf away. His Soul Power was nearly forty percent depleted.
Qian Daoliu's condition was slightly better, but the frequent high-speed movement and precision attacks were also a massive burden on his Spiritual Power and Soul Power.
Yu Yuanchen, relying on the efficient use of Soul Power from the 'Thunder God Power' and the faint recovery effect of his Purple-Gold Scale, was in the best state, but he knew this was only temporary. In his electric field perception, even more Soul Beasts were still surging over, including several exceptionally powerful Auras—likely beings with cultivation exceeding thirty thousand years!
"We must find a Breakthrough! Or... find terrain favorable for defense!" Yu Yuanchen's brain worked rapidly, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings.
To the left was a steep cliff, difficult to climb and easy to get trapped against; to the right was a dense forest of poisonous miasma with an eerie Aura, and the risk of rushing in blindly was too great; behind them was the valley they had come from, which was a dead end.
Only the path ahead, though the beast tide was surging there, had relatively open terrain. If they could just push through this most densely packed area, there might be a glimmer of hope!
"Charge forward! Don't stop!" Yu Yuanchen shouted sternly. At the same time, his first and third Soul Rings flashed again, and a massive purple lightning claw slammed out, clearing a path by sending several Soul Beasts flying and temporarily opening a gap.
"Go!" Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu didn't hesitate, immediately following close behind. The three of them were like a sharp arrowhead, stabbing deep into the beast tide!
The desperate breakout had officially begun! Ahead were countless frenzied claws and fangs, and behind were more and more pursuers gathering.