Chapter Seventy-Four: Fierce Battle with the Demon Spider

Indeed, that was exactly the case—or rather, the Jade-Eyed Demon Spider had never intended to dodge in the first place. When the blade was less than three feet from the spider, its two hind legs suddenly exerted tremendous force, lifting its body upright, while the other six legs, covered in green fur, lashed out toward Xu Youyi and his sword.

Seeing that the demon spider was intent on a direct confrontation, Xu Youyi let out a thunderous shout, channeling all his spiritual energy into his sword, which immediately emitted a deafening dragon’s roar. At this moment, Xu Youyi dared not hold back in the slightest, even though he would be left unable to fight after this one strike.

For, in truth, real contests between true masters were not as people imagined—they did not necessarily last three days and nights, nor did they require endless exchanges of blades to determine who was superior. Often, the outcome was decided in a single move, victory or death determined in an instant. Xu Youyi was not afraid of losing his combat ability, as he still had two companions to rely on.

Clashing sounds rang out repeatedly, sparks bursting forth where sword met claw. In the briefest of moments, man and spider exchanged countless blows. Suddenly, the clamor ceased. The demon spider’s six long legs pressed against Xu Youyi’s sword, which was now chipped in countless places, while the spider’s legs bore only ashen marks.

One could not help but marvel at the monstrous durability of a spiritual beast’s body. Yet it seemed Xu Youyi’s strength still surpassed the spider’s, for though his sword was caught, he relentlessly pressed forward, forcing the demon spider to slide backward across the ground.

In that fleeting moment, Simeng Ling and Le Hongyi also sprang into action, one from the left and one from the right, their swords sweeping through the air toward the spider’s twin eyes. Clearly, they understood that the creature’s true power lay in its gaze.

Their cooperation was nearly flawless. Had their opponent been anything but the Jade-Eyed Demon Spider, victory would already have been theirs.

Perched overhead, Lin Xiaobao watched their assault and shook his head. He understood the demon spider’s nature far more deeply than the other three.

As expected, a green light flashed in the demon spider’s eyes. The three felt a jolt in their spirits. Fortunately, having anticipated this, they had prepared beforehand: as the battle began, they had pressed their upper and lower teeth against their tongues. Now, as the spider unleashed its soul-capturing gaze, all three bit down hard, maintaining their clarity of mind. Though they still felt a wave of dizziness, they only needed to hold out for one more breath to subdue the demon spider.

Just then, the spider emitted another piercing screech. The green fur on its six long legs, which gripped the sword, abruptly bristled, shooting out like a volley of arrows.

Impossible! None of them had expected that the green fur on the demon spider’s legs could launch an attack. Xu Youyi, being closest, was especially caught off guard.

His sword was held fast, making movement impossible. Yet Xu Youyi was decisive—seeing no way to evade, he immediately released his sword and leapt upward. With a cry of pain, he was sent hurtling backward.

In that desperate moment, Xu Youyi managed to avoid a fatal wound, but his feet were struck by several of those arrow-like green hairs. He felt his legs go numb and quickly called upon his spiritual power to seal the blood flow in his feet, while retrieving several pills from his storage pouch to swallow.

Meanwhile, as the demon spider attacked, Simeng Ling and Le Hongyi, startled by the rain of green projectiles, shifted from offense to defense. Midair, they retreated with unnatural speed, all the while slashing their swords to weave a dense net of steel around themselves.

“Senior brother, are you alright?” They landed at Xu Youyi’s sides. They had seen his predicament, but in that sudden onslaught, they were hard-pressed just to defend themselves.

“This beast’s venom is potent—my spiritual energy can barely contain it!” Xu Youyi replied, immediately crossing his legs and focusing his energy. Though it was dangerous in his condition, if he did not suppress the spider’s poison, his life would be forfeit. He could only place his trust in his junior brother and sister now, for their situation could hardly be worse.

The Jade-Eyed Demon Spider, too, lay flat on the ground, clearly exhausted by its recent assault. From his perch in the trees, Lin Xiaobao watched Simeng Ling and Le Hongyi stand motionless, wishing he could reach down and slap some sense into them. The green fur on the demon spider was the source of its poison—its last attack, though devastating, had drained it severely. At this moment, even a ninth-rank innate warrior could have finished it off.

Alas, the opportunity slipped past. As the two hesitated, a sharp screech echoed from the nearby forest. In less than a breath, an even larger Jade-Eyed Demon Spider emerged, glancing at its fallen companion and emitting several strange animal cries. The injured spider backed into the woods.

The newcomer fixed its gaze on Simeng Ling and Le Hongyi, its eyes blazing with fury.

Without hesitation, the newly arrived spider transformed its rage into action.

With a powerful kick, it charged straight at the two. Its sheer size made it impossible to tell whether it targeted Simeng Ling or Le Hongyi specifically.

Halfway there, the spider suddenly leapt into the air, opening its mouth to unleash a cascade of webbing that threatened to engulf all three.

“Junior sister, dodge quickly!”

Already aware of the web’s dangers, Le Hongyi shouted, thrusting a palm toward Xu Youyi. In the same instant, he flashed aside, narrowly escaping the web’s range. Using a tree as leverage, he spun through the air and unleashed a flurry of sword shadows at the demon spider.

“Junior sister, take senior brother and retreat—I’ll cover you!”

The entire sequence unfolded in a flash. Le Hongyi’s rescue and counterattack flowed seamlessly together, perfectly displaying the strength of a first-stage spiritual path cultivator, even in dire peril.

The trio’s coordination was evident—Simeng Ling’s evasive movement brought her precisely to where Xu Youyi had landed, as if foreseeing Le Hongyi’s intentions from the start. She now shielded Xu Youyi, but the thought of leaving him behind filled her with reluctance.

“We live together, or die together!” Simeng Ling shouted. “Hold it off for a moment!”

As she spoke, the sword in her hand began to spin in erratic patterns, drawing spiritual energy from all around into her body. Clearly, she was preparing a formidable attack.