Chapter Thirty-Six: Explosion!

Bang! Bang!

The heavy blows against the rock echoed one after another. Fierce, overwhelming force battered the stone blocking the entrance. Shi Yan and Diyarang’s arms went numb, their faces filled with shock.

“Friends inside, let go! Otherwise, I won’t be polite!” At the mouth of the cave, a chilling voice called out coldly. “My martial soul can sense life marks within two hundred meters. I know there are three of you. We just want to come in for shelter. Please, make it convenient for us!”

“This cave is ours. Find your own way. Don’t bring disaster here.” Shi Yan’s face was grim, his energy wildly channeling into his arms. His muscles contracted, slowly shriveling, wisps of white mist curling around them.

“Hurry up and let us in! In a few minutes, the beasts will gather. Then, high-level monsters will surely appear. If you don’t want to die, let us in now!” a rough voice shouted urgently.

“Get lost! Our cave is too small. It can’t fit all of you!” Shi Yan’s expression was severe, his words sharp.

The cave where the three hid was small, able to hold six or seven people at most. With the rock blocking the entrance, only five could squeeze inside. Judging from the breathing outside, there were six people in the group; the cave simply could not contain them.

“Second brother, let’s break it open together!” The first cold voice spoke impatiently.

“Alright.”

Boom! Boom!

Two waves of explosive force struck the rock simultaneously, immense power bursting from within. Amid the deafening roar, the stone Shi Yan and Diyarang were holding up shattered into a dozen pieces.

Crack! Crack!

Chunks of rock fell to the ground, and the dim cave entrance was suddenly filled with light.

Three figures seized the opportunity to rush inside.

The leader was about thirty, clad in silver martial robes, his face icy, his demeanor arrogant. He glanced at Shi Yan and the other two, then sneered, “Only one master at the Human Rank dares block us? You overestimate yourselves!”

“Big brother, kill them now!” urged a burly young man. “Only six can stay in the cave, and they’re taking up space! Anuo and the others can’t get in!”

“You three, leave immediately, or I’ll kill you right now!” said the silver-robed leader coldly. “You’re no match for us! We have two Human Rank masters and four at the Innate Rank. Don’t make this difficult.”

At the entrance, the three newcomers stared coldly at Shi Yan and Diyarang, faint auras shimmering around them, ready to strike at any moment.

“Big brother, those two girls… tsk tsk!” The third, a slender youth, having adjusted to the cave’s gloom, finally noticed Diyarang and Mu Yudie, two rare beauties, and couldn’t help but call out lasciviously.

“Third brother, do you want the beauties or our brothers outside to survive?” the leader snorted.

The slender youth laughed awkwardly, quickly replying, “Don’t be angry, big brother, I was joking. Of course, I care about our brothers’ lives. Women—there are plenty everywhere, right? Haha, this time we got treasure from the Thunderwing Silver Wolf’s lair, we won’t lack women to enjoy, ha!”

“Are you still not leaving?” The leader’s face went cold, clearly ready to attack.

“Let’s fight!” Diyarang shouted angrily, raising her short sword, “Outside are monsters everywhere. Even if we leave, it’s a dead end!”

“Heh, you can run farther away. Better yet, draw the beasts away for us. That way we’ll be safe,” the burly youth laughed. “Otherwise, do you think you’ll survive?”

“Sister Lan, let’s go.” Shi Yan took a deep breath, calming himself. Before Diyarang could protest, he grabbed her. “Hurry, maybe we can escape this area.”

“No way…” Diyarang tried to say more, but Shi Yan dragged her out.

Mu Yudie had already stood, following closely behind Diyarang.

As she passed the slender youth, he reached out with a grin, trying to grope her. “Beautiful, forgive me. If we meet again, let’s get closer,” he said.

Mu Yudie’s eyes flashed coldly. She rushed out as fast as she could, but the slender fellow still managed to touch her waist, filling her with bitter resentment.

Outside, three other Innate Rank men were waiting impatiently.

When Shi Yan and his companions emerged, their lascivious eyes swept over Diyarang and Mu Yudie before reluctantly entering the cave, clicking their tongues in admiration. “Big brother, I didn’t expect two beauties. Your martial soul is incredible! It sensed the cave from so far away. Without your soul, we wouldn’t have dared to seek treasure in the Thunderwing Silver Wolf’s lair.”

“Haha, we gained so much this time, even a spirit-level martial skill! When we return to the Divine Blessing Empire, we can trade that for everything we need. At that point, what kind of woman can’t we find?” the burly man inside laughed quietly.

“All thanks to big brother’s soul, able to detect life waves nearby. Amazing.”

The group of six forcibly seized Shi Yan’s cave, conversing in low voices.

“You three, best leave now. If you run, you may still escape. Otherwise, when the monsters gather, you’ll have no way out!” The leader’s cold voice sounded from within, unhurried. “If you linger at the entrance, don’t blame me for dealing with you directly.”

Under the bright moonlight, Shi Yan’s face was as cold as ice, his expression grim.

The howls of monsters echoed from all directions; the beasts clearly sensed humans nearby and were converging.

At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before they were surrounded.

Trying to escape now would only make them targets, and even if they drew the beasts elsewhere, they’d eventually fall prey.

Shi Yan understood—the leader inside hadn’t killed them only because he wanted them to flee, hoping they would attract the monsters’ attention and let his group hide safely in the cave.

“Ding Yan! Why not fight them? If we leave, the monsters will kill us anyway! If we run, we’ll die in vain and can’t even drag them down with us!” Diyarang glared at Shi Yan in fury.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, Shi Yan had told them his name was Ding Yan at their first meeting, though Diyarang and Mu Yudie rarely used it.

Now Diyarang’s pointed use of his name showed her deep dissatisfaction with his decision.

Mu Yudie’s face was pallid. “Rather than being devoured by monsters, better to be killed by the Dark Nether people. Sister Lan, let’s take our own lives here. Even in death, we’ll draw the monsters in.”

“Come here!” Shi Yan frowned, grabbing both Diyarang and Mu Yudie and pulling them into the corner of the cave entrance, keeping their bodies away from the opening.

“What are you doing?” Diyarang was furious. “Do you really plan to run?”

“Run? Am I so easy to push around?” Shi Yan sneered, his expression twisted as he suddenly drew an iron lump from his chest and showed it to the two women.

Diyarang and Mu Yudie were momentarily stunned; then, realizing what he meant, their expressions shifted. Smiling coldly, they quietly moved even farther from the entrance.

Shi Yan nodded, seeing the two women had found their positions. Suddenly, he darted swiftly toward the cave’s entrance.

As his figure appeared inside, he hurled the iron lump into the cave and quickly swept past the opening.

Boom!

A violent explosion erupted inside the cave. Razor-sharp blades shot through the space, dozens even flying out the entrance, shredding the bushes outside.

Terrible screams echoed from within.

“Second brother!”

“Fourth brother!”

“Sixth! Sixth, ah!”

“Big brother, I—I’ve been hit!”

…

Inside, cries of agony and rage resounded, the thick stench of blood wafting out.

Shi Yan waved to Diyarang, then stepped back into the cave.

Standing at the entrance, he looked coldly upon the carnage within, sneering, “Enjoying yourselves, gentlemen?”

Three bodies lay riddled with holes, blood pouring everywhere. The burly man was among them, his head pierced through.

Inside, only the leader, the slender youth, and a slightly plump man remained.

They survived because the others had shielded them; though wounded, the blades from the Star Thunder had not struck fatal points.

Their limbs were riddled with holes, and the leader’s abdomen bled profusely—he was seriously injured.

The cave was small; after the Star Thunder exploded, there was nowhere to hide. Had they not been shielded, none would have survived.

“I’ll skin you alive!” the leader roared, eyes bloodshot, consumed with hatred.

“So much vital energy,” Shi Yan breathed deeply, his expression one of pleasure.

As he spoke, his muscles contracted, his body slowly shriveling.

A cold, crazed, icy, and violent aura began to swirl from his body, forming a pale mist that enveloped him completely.

…