Piercing the Spider Demon's Throat

The Spider Demon seemed to sense that the wounds on its body were different from any it had sustained before. It bared its fangs and let out a wail, its hands constantly scratching at its injuries.

Not long after, Nohime and Akino also arrived at the open space, both startled to see Han Zhiqi enveloped in cold air.

Nohime had never seen Han Zhiqi looking like this before. Just a glance sent shivers down her spine, and the surrounding temperature dropped as if they had entered the depths of winter.

The Spider Demon finally realized that the prey before it was not easy to deal with. The cold air was seeping into its body through its wounds, and its already low body temperature was dropping further. The cold not only made it feel uncomfortable all over but also severely hampered its mobility.

"That girl is injured and unconscious. You two take her back to our destination and tend to her wounds. I'll hold off this Spider Demon."

"Thank you."

Akino was overjoyed and rushed to the stone, calling out "Yuka" twice.

Yuka opened her hazy eyes and tried to speak, but before she could utter a word, she fainted again. Her clothes were torn, and she was bleeding from numerous wounds.

"I... I'll stay and help you."

Nohime walked behind Han Zhiqi, her sword in hand. Her body temperature was already unusual, so the surrounding cold air didn't affect her much.

"No, you go protect those two. Tonight is the last night, the final night of the demon hunt. They will definitely be more frenzied than on the first night."

More frenzied than the first night?

Nohime finally realized the gravity of the situation. Han Zhiqi had known tonight would be dangerous, yet he hadn't stopped Yuka and the other two from staying. Why? Was it because of her?

Nohime felt a surge of emotion for no reason. She glanced at Han Zhiqi, who was enveloped in white mist, and said with concern, "Be careful yourself," before quickly walking over to Akino and Yuka. She snatched Yuka from Akino's grasp and slung her over her shoulder.

Akino hadn't expected this girl, who appeared even thinner than him, to be so strong. She carried Yuka, who weighed dozens of pounds, as if she were nothing.

Especially when Nohime lifted Yuka, her arm muscles bulged in an incredibly terrifying manner.

At this moment, Akino finally realized that these two were not on the same level as them. They were the ones truly participating in the Demon Slayer Corps assessment, while they were merely bringing food to the demons.

The two quickly descended the slope, while Han Zhiqi and the Spider Demon engaged in their second round of combat.

Suddenly, the Spider Demon shook its body, and to Han Zhiqi's stunned gaze, it began to molt.

A fissure appeared on the Spider Demon's back. First, its bald head emerged from beneath the skin, followed by its torso, and finally its two arms and six legs. As the old skin peeled away, so did the ice frozen on its surface.

The Spider Demon looked even more grotesque after molting. It seemed to have shrunk in size, its skin smooth and taut, exhibiting a yellowish-brown sheen under the moonlight.

Previously, its six legs seemed haphazardly attached to its torso, but now they were perfectly integrated. Its spine had become much more flexible, clearly indicating it was evolving through molting, each shedding making its body more perfect.

Without the freezing effect of the ice, its wounds were healing at a visible rate.

The Spider Demon let out a strange cry and attacked Han Zhiqi again.

This time, its speed was even faster, reaching him in the blink of an eye. Fortunately, Han Zhiqi was surrounded by a one-meter radius of cold air.

This distance was enough for Han Zhiqi to detect the Spider Demon's movements and react in time.

The Spider Demon moved rapidly, circling behind Han Zhiqi. Seizing an opportunity, it leaped up, aiming straight for Han Zhiqi's nape.

Although the Spider Demon wasn't particularly strong, its movement speed was very high, and it had now mastered its hunting techniques.

It first used its astonishing speed to close the distance to its prey, then leaped to twist the prey's neck. This allowed it to end battles in a very short time, and even prey stronger than itself could fall victim to its surprise attacks.

However, it had encountered Han Zhiqi.

Without turning his head, Han Zhiqi swung his Nichirin Blade horizontally. The blade, accompanied by a flurry of ice shards, accurately sliced towards its throat.

The ice shards collided with each other, making a "ding-ling" sound.

The Spider Demon shrieked and tilted its head back, pushing the Nichirin Blade away with its hands. It landed on the ground in a standing position, its feet rapidly retreating, quickly escaping the range of the cold air. It looked like a crayfish walking upright.

Having created distance, the Spider Demon looked at its palms. Two straight white lines, emanating cold air, were etched onto its palms.

Yes, there were only two ice lines; its palms were not cut open.

Although Han Zhiqi hadn't put much force into the strike, the moment it hit the Spider Demon's palms, he clearly felt as if he were cutting through metal.

After molting, the Spider Demon's speed had increased, and so had its defense.

The Spider Demon changed its attack direction several times, but it was unable to breach the one-meter radius around Han Zhiqi. Moreover, the surrounding cold air made it extremely uncomfortable, filling it with impatience and unwillingness.

It had always killed its previous prey with a single blow. On Mount Fujikasane, except for the one by the lake at the summit, who wasn't toyed with by it? Yet, it was being outmatched by this outsider.

The Spider Demon felt its status was being challenged.

It let out a few strange cries and, with all its might, began to spin rapidly around its prey, seemingly trying to disrupt Han Zhiqi's vision before launching an attack to snap his neck.

However, it didn't know that Han Zhiqi didn't rely on sight to detect its movements.

How could Han Zhiqi not understand the Spider Demon's attack intentions?

Since it was so eager to solidify its status, Han Zhiqi decided to give it an opportunity. He deliberately withdrew the cold air and his aura, feigning a surrender.

As expected, this rather unintelligent creature fell for it. Seeing Han Zhiqi turn his head, leaving an opening behind him, it quickly stabilized itself and lunged forward with all its might.

Once in mid-air, it would be difficult to dodge an attack.

"Ice Breathing, Fifth Style, Swift Ice Thorn."

Just as the Spider Demon excitedly thought it was about to succeed, a white light instantly pierced its throat, leaving it no time to react.

The sudden turn of events made it realize it had been tricked. Endless fear flashed in its eyes. It felt the blade slowly slicing through its throat.

Yes, the Nichirin Blade was indeed slicing through its throat.

The Spider Demon began to struggle frantically, emitting low, muffled screams. Its hands grabbed the Nichirin Blade, trying to pull itself away, while its six legs flailed wildly at Han Zhiqi.

Han Zhiqi slowly turned around, facing the grotesque Spider Demon. It had a human-like face but had evolved into this hideous form. Its flexible spine made it look increasingly like a crawling insect or reptile.