Beneath the Netherworld Demon Spider, a fist-sized, jet-black crystal, with what appeared to be a swirling river of stars within, was radiating an alluring energy— the Dark Night Star Soul Crystal!
"System, are you sure you want me to shout that in front of it?" Xiao Han looked at the Netherworld Demon Spider's hideous mandibles, his lips twitching slightly.
[Ding! Host, please trust the professionalism of this system! Fortune favors the bold, shame is the gamble for the future! Go for it!]
Xiao Han took a deep breath. Damn it, for the Chaos Realm-Breaking Pill and the Dragon Soul Intimidation Immunity, he'd risk it all!
He emerged from the shadows, hands on his hips, gathered his strength, and roared at the top of his lungs, "Hey! You fiend, quickly hand over your treasure, and I'll spare your life!"
The sound echoed through the valley, sounding unusually abrupt and... foolish.
The Netherworld Demon Spider's eight blood-red compound eyes stared intently at Xiao Han, initially stunned, as if it hadn't realized what this tiny human was doing.
Xiao Han's scalp tingled, but he still gritted his teeth and continued to roar, while secretly channeling his spiritual power, ready to make a move at any moment.
"... I'll spare your life!"
Ten seconds felt like an eternity.
As it roared the last word, the Netherworld Demon Spider seemed to finally understand that this was a blatant provocation. It let out a sharp, piercing screech, and the terrifying sound waves made Xiao Han's blood surge.
"Boom!"
The Netherworld Demon Spider raised its two enormous claws, covered in black carapace, and slammed them down at Xiao Han!
"Now!" A glint flashed in Xiao Han's eyes. He pushed the "A Step to the Ends of the Earth" technique to its limit, his figure turning into a blur as he narrowly avoided the attack. At the same time, he reached out to grab the Dark Night Star Soul Crystal!
"Puff!"
Crystal obtained!
"Hiss--!" The Netherworld Demon Spider was completely enraged, and the entire valley seemed to tremble under its fury. Countless jet-black spider silks shot out from its mouth like sharp arrows, blocking all of Xiao Han's escape routes. At the same time, a thick, dark green poisonous mist spread out.
"Not good!" Xiao Han sensed a fatal crisis. Without hesitation, he directly burned thirty percent of his vital energy!
His spatial perception, embodied in "A Step to the Ends of the Earth," reached its peak at this moment. His figure weaved through the dense spiderwebs and poisonous fog, as if dancing on a knife's edge. The Chaos Green Lotus cast a blue light, struggling to resist the corrosive effects of the poisonous fog.
"Pfft!"
A spider silk thread grazed his arm, spraying blood, and a sharp, numbing sensation instantly followed.
Xiao Han gritted his teeth, stuffed the Dark Night Star Soul Crystal into his pocket, and rushed towards the entrance of the secret realm without regard for anything else. Behind him, the Netherworld Demon Spider unleashed devastating attacks and deafening roars.
He could even feel the scorching, bloody wind blowing against the back of his neck; the shadow of death had never been so close.
After an unknown amount of time, when Xiao Han scrambled out of the broken stone gate, he was covered in blood, his clothes were tattered, his face was as pale as paper, and his left arm was swollen and black, clearly indicating that he had been poisoned.
"Cough cough..." He coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of black blood, but his eyes gleamed with the joy of surviving a disaster.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, on completing the mission! Reward: One [Chaos Realm-Breaking Pill], [Dragon Soul Intimidation Immunity] (Temporary) has been issued!]
[The host has been infected with the [Netherworld Demon Spider Poison]. The Chaos Green Lotus Martial Soul is working diligently to purify it, and it is expected to be cleared in three hours.]
Xiao Han collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. He looked at the [Chaos Realm-Breaking Pill] in his hand, feeling the profound information about the dragon soul's aura that had appeared in his mind. Although the process was extremely humiliating, even bordering on life-or-death, the price was worth it!
With these two trump cards, he finally had a fighting chance against Long Aotian in the semifinals!
Xiao Han, dragging his nearly broken bones, staggered back to his private courtyard and collapsed onto the futon in his cultivation room. The pursuit by the Netherworld Demon Spider had been too dangerous; if it weren't for the life force of the Chaos Green Lotus keeping him alive, he probably would have perished in that dilapidated secret realm.
Trembling, he pulled out several healing pills from his storage ring, disregarding their grade, and stuffed them into his mouth. He then activated the "Creation-Heaven-Penetrating Art" in conjunction with the purifying power of the Chaos Green Lotus to begin dissolving the remaining spider venom in his body and repairing his injuries.
"Cough cough... I almost became a spider snack." Xiao Han thought with a wry smile.
Just then, the system's cheeky voice rang out in my mind again: [Ding! Host, in view of your heroic death in the Seventh Secret Realm and your successful performance of toying with Martial Master Realm Ninth Level beast, this system is deeply moved (mainly amused by you), and hereby super-doubles the mission rewards!]
Xiao Han was stunned. Such a good thing?
The original rewards [Chaos Realm-Breaking Pill] and [Dragon Soul Intimidation Immunity] have been automatically revoked. A brand-new upgraded reward package is now being issued. Please check it!
[Reward 1: Martial Soul Origin Awakening (Temporary)]
[Effect: The host's two SSS+ Martial Souls (Chaos Green Lotus and Eternal Night Monarch) will be temporarily elevated to an indescribably higher unknown rank after activation, and the Martial Soul Awakening level will receive an incredible and significant boost. Duration: 30 minutes. Friendly reminder: The power is too overwhelming, please be careful not to overpower yourself, dear~]
[Reward 2: Perfect Enlightenment of Cultivation Techniques and Martial Arts Skills (Tempor
[Effect: The host can designate a cultivation technique or martial art they have already mastered, temporarily elevating it to its theoretically perfect state upon activation. Understanding and application of that technique/martial art will reach its peak. Duration: One hour. Note: This is a trial card; it will expire afterward. The final interpretation rights belong to this system.]
Xiao Han's breath hitched, and his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets!
Martial Soul Origin Awakening!
Temporarily promoted to an indescribable, unknown, higher rank!
What kind of godlike operation is this? His current dual SSS+ Martial Souls, the Chaos Green Lotus and the Eternal Night Monarch, are already enough to overwhelm a generation of geniuses. If he were to go even higher... Xiao Han's mind went blank. The scene was too beautiful. He dared not think about it too much, for fear that he would go crazy with joy first!
And that perfect enlightenment of martial arts techniques and skills!
By selecting a specific cultivation technique or martial art, one can directly reach the theoretically perfect level!
What does that mean?
This means that the Annihilation Divine Fist moves he has been dreaming of, the more profound sword intent chapters in the "Green Lotus Sword Song", or even the unpredictable spatial mysteries of "Close to A Step to the Ends of the Earth", could all be completely mastered, integrated, and made into his own within just one hour!
"System! My dear system! You... you've really delivered a lifeline this time, no, you've practically sent a raging fire in the snow!" Xiao Han's voice trembled with excitement, and he almost jumped up from the prayer mat to kowtow to the system.
Either of these two rewards would be enough to make him laugh in his dreams for days. Now, two incredibly powerful temporary advantages have been delivered to his doorstep, practically a super trump card tailor-made for his upcoming semi-final match against Long Aotian!
He pinched his thigh hard, the sharp pain instantly bringing him to his senses, and he forcibly suppressed the overwhelming joy that was about to burst forth from his heart.
Time is running out.
With the semifinals approaching, he doesn't have much time left to waste.
The most urgent task is to recover from the injuries as quickly as possible and get myself back to an unprecedented peak. At the same time, we must carefully consider the best time to use these two temporary divine skills and how to maximize their combined effects.
In the blink of an eye, under his conscious urging, the Chaos Green Lotus Martial Soul suddenly erupted with a more concentrated and pure life force than before.
The emerald green light, like flowing water with substance, gently enveloped his entire body. Wherever it passed, the torn flesh wounds began to writhe and heal at an astonishing speed, and the numbness and burning pain that had penetrated deep into his bones also subsided rapidly.
The poison of the Netherworld Demon Spider within his body, under the illumination of the Azure Lotus Holy Light, was purified and dispelled little by little, like ice and snow meeting the blazing sun, until it vanished completely.
At the same time, the Eternal Night King Martial Soul deep within his sea of consciousness also emitted wisps of icy, profound shadow power.
This power did not participate in the healing process, but rather acted like the calmest ancient well, helping him quickly eliminate distracting thoughts, concentrate his mind, and immerse himself in a deep state of cultivation, maximizing his absorption of the elixir's power and restoring his energy.