But who were Yang Wudi and Yun Yibai?
One of them feared not even the Spirit Hall—why would he fear the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan? The other had both status and talent; even if he were discovered, so what?
That said, when Yang Wudi and Yun Yibai arrived at Thunderclap Gorge, they still chose not to enter through the main entrance.
Thunderclap Gorge—true to its name—was a land of rampaging thunder. In the sky above, lightning crackled incessantly, like nature's wildest, most untamed roar. Bolts of lightning as thick as tree trunks tore across the heavens like divine blades wielded by wrathful gods, violently striking into the gorge below with deafening booms. Sometimes, a bolt would hit a rock face, instantly pulverizing it into dust. The resulting storm of ash and sparks formed a terrifying apocalyptic scene.
Yang Wudi looked up at the dark clouds gathered over the gorge and the rolling thunder and said, "In all my years, this is the first time I've encountered such a hostile environment."
But the very next moment, he turned to Yun Yibai with a teasing glint in his eyes and said, "Kid, this is your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's ancestral ground. Don't you feel even a little tempted? With your talent, it's only a matter of time before you seize control of the entire clan."
"Honestly, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan gathers over eighty percent of the continent's lightning-type soul masters."
"That's no small force. It's one of the main reasons why, even with only Yu Yuanzhen as their sole Title Douluo, the clan can still maintain its status among the Three Upper Sects."
"Senior Yang, you jest," Yun Yibai replied with a calm smile. "Rather than what you suggest, I believe turning our Wuji Academy from an obscure school into a power that rivals—or even surpasses—the Three Upper Sects is a far more challenging and meaningful goal. That's the kind of challenge I find interesting."
Yang Wudi's eyes gleamed with admiration as he laughed heartily. "Hahahaha! Well said! Ambitious, I like it! In that case, let's not waste time here. Let's get this over with and head back early."
Harnessing his strength as a Soul Douluo, Yang Wudi carried Yun Yibai through a treacherous part of Thunderclap Gorge. Though dangerous to most, it posed no real threat to them.
Inside the gorge, the danger was even more palpable. Lightning frequently struck the ground. Weaker soul masters wouldn't dare venture in alone.
"The outer area won't have what you're looking for," Yang Wudi said. "Let's head straight to the middle zone and above."
"Mm."
When the two reached the mid-level area of the gorge, they encountered their first Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.
Not far ahead, a massive creature lay resting on a rocky outcrop. Its enormous body was covered in lightning-charged scales. Its eyes glowed like two blazing orbs of thunder, cold and merciless.
It was a Tri-Horned Thunder Crocodile, a land-dwelling soul beast of the crocodilian type, but fully adapted to life on land.
"Hm?" For some unknown reason, Yun Yibai's lightning-type soul power suddenly began circulating on its own.
The Thunder Crocodile seemed to sense their presence. It let out an earth-shaking roar and suddenly lunged forward with astonishing speed. Yun Yibai and Yang Wudi reacted instantly, flashing away just in time to evade the strike.
"Kid, be careful," Yang Wudi said with a grin, clearly enjoying the spectacle. "I don't know exactly what kind of soul beast this is, but it looks like a crocodile—and those types aren't known for being gentle."
"You like fighting soul beasts, right? Well, this one should be a worthy match for you."
With Yang Wudi watching his back, Yun Yibai wasn't too worried about his safety—only about being ambushed by other beasts. As for whether this Thunder Crocodile could actually threaten his life... that was still uncertain.
Yun Yibai's Martial Soul was already in effect—his arms had transformed into razor-sharp dragon claws, glowing faintly with blue light—an exclusive trait of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul. Since obtaining his third soul ring, signs of dragonification had gradually appeared. He had chosen to transform his arms first, boosting both his defense and offensive power.
Other members of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon bloodline often chose to dragonify their limbs—particularly the claws and wings.
But Yun Yibai lacked no agility—what he pursued was raw power.
Just then, the Tri-Horned Thunder Crocodile let out another thunderous roar and pounced again—only to hit nothing but air.
Missing its target, the creature grew even more furious. Roaring, it began gathering thunder energy at its gaping jaws, forming a sphere of lightning.
Though it could charge lightning fast, Yun Yibai was faster. If it were a roar-off, he wasn't going to lose. He took the same stance—
Thunder Dragon Roar—activate!
A beam of lightning shot out, directly interrupting the Thunder Crocodile's attack. The thunderous energy exploded near its mouth.
"Tsk tsk... looks like this one's no smarter than any other Ten-Thousand-Year soul beast."
The blast's resulting smoke cloud gave Yun Yibai the perfect cover. He launched a direct assault using his dragonified arms and the physical prowess of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul.
"ROAR!" The crocodile bellowed, clearing the black smoke with sheer force. Its thick skin and muscular build had protected it from serious harm—its own lightning affinity also helped reduce the damage it took.
What followed was a straightforward battle. Yun Yibai used a technique known as "inch force"—a method developed through repeated practice, allowing his strikes to bypass surface resistance and impact the internal organs directly.
In past fights, Yun Yibai had mostly relied on raw punches, and he had developed solid technique when it came to controlling the force of his blows.
"What happened just now with your soul power?" Yang Wudi asked. The reason their presence had been exposed was due to Yun Yibai's lightning-type energy leaking out unexpectedly.
"I'm not exactly sure myself," Yun Yibai admitted.
"But..." He gazed toward the deeper part of Thunderclap Gorge, where the clouds had turned pitch black.
"Something's happening over there. I can feel it. That surge of lightning soul power earlier—I think it's connected to whatever is going on in that direction."
Yang Wudi narrowed his eyes. "You're being cryptic."
"But you're right. Something about that place feels... off." His brows furrowed as he also looked toward the inky-black clouds deep within the gorge.
"This kind of celestial shift—either it's a natural phenomenon or the work of a soul beast," Yang Wudi muttered, unable to determine which it was.
"In Thunderclap Gorge, changes like this in the sky aren't all that rare."
"Shall we go check it out? Who knows—we might stumble upon something unexpected."