Human-Faced Spider

Pei Ling, guided by his rough memory of the way he came, escaped the nest and was about to catch his breath when he suddenly felt the small mountain behind him tremble. Immediately, a shrill cry echoed!

Before he could react, his chest felt like it had been slammed by a giant boulder, leaving him dizzy and with a metallic taste in his throat.

What the hell!

The Human-Faced Spider is back!?

Pei Ling didn't have time to think and quickly shouted, "Miss Wu Liu! I have mastered the [Blood Snail Evasion Technique], please come out and see me!"

The surroundings were silent, and after a while, there was still no movement.

Wu Liu is really not here?

Pei Ling's heart sank. No longer pinning his hopes on the ghost, he vaguely identified a direction and fled towards Luoshan City.

Damn it, this is a Foundation Establishment stage demon beast that even City Lord Duanmu, who is also at the Foundation Establishment stage, wouldn't dare to confront head-on. Besides Luoshan City, he couldn't think of any other safe place right now.

He had only fled a short distance when he heard continuous tremors from behind him, accompanied by the furious shrieks of the demon beast. Pei Ling, amidst his escape, stole a glance back and saw that more than half of the small mountain where the spider's nest was located had been blown open. A spider, about the size of a room, emerged from the nest.

The spider was entirely pale white, with a lifelike human face on its abdomen. The corners of the mouth of the human face were naturally curved upwards, as if smiling. It looked both ferocious and bizarre.

Its limbs were still stained with the flesh and blood of some unknown demon beast, clearly having just returned from a hunt, only to be met with the devastating news of its offspring's complete annihilation.

Currently filled with rage, it scanned its surroundings, detected Pei Ling's rapidly receding tracks, and sensed the residual scent in the nest. It let out another shrill cry, its four pairs of legs moved, tearing through the grass and trees blocking its path, and it chased madly.

Seeing this, Pei Ling's soul nearly flew out of his body. He desperately urged the Blood Snail Evasion Technique, trying to put more and more distance between himself and the Human-Faced Spider.

Fortunately, this evasion technique was created by Fairy Li and cultivated through the System. Pei Ling had already escaped for a while, and the distance between them was visibly increasing again. Even though the Human-Faced Spider charged wildly and even spat out webs in its fury, it could only rage impotently, watching his retreating figure shrink into a small black dot.

"The Blood Snail Evasion Technique is so powerful!" Pei Ling secretly sighed in relief, realizing the Human-Faced Spider was far slower than him. He couldn't help but yearn, "I wonder if Fairy Li has other cultivation technique trials for me after I finish learning this one?"

He wished he could have a dozen of these powerful, free cultivation techniques.

After a brief moment of anticipation, Pei Ling shifted his thoughts to how he would explain himself to City Lord Duanmu once he reached Luoshan City.

After all, City Lord Duanmu was also unwilling to provoke this Human-Faced Spider...

"Anyway, although the Foundation Establishment stage Human-Faced Spider has gained some intelligence, it still can't speak," Pei Ling quickly thought. "I'll just say it came over and provoked me."

As for why... he was just a new Outer Sect disciple of the Chongming Sect at the fourth level of Qi Cultivation.

What ill intentions could he possibly have?

Even if he did, who would believe he had the ability to provoke a Foundation Establishment stage Human-Faced Spider?!

Thinking this, Pei Ling's heart relaxed, and a heavy burden was lifted.

However, his relief was short-lived. His expression changed drastically as he realized a cruel reality: he was running out of spiritual power!

Although the Blood Snail Evasion Technique was incredibly fast, its spiritual power consumption was also surprisingly high.

Pei Ling had been so focused on escaping that he hadn't noticed. In just this short time, his spiritual power had been depleted by half. If this continued, let alone escaping into Luoshan City, he would likely be caught by the Human-Faced Spider before even leaving the mountain forest at the foot of Luo Mountain.

"Damn it..." Pei Ling's face turned ashen. After a moment's thought, he suddenly changed direction and headed back towards the canyon where he had been trapped!

What is taken must be returned!

The reason he had provoked the Human-Faced Spider was ultimately due to Chen Huan and the others forcing his hand.

Since that was the case, how could he let them stay out of it?

If he didn't have enough spiritual power to return to Luoshan City, then he would make Chen Huan and the others buy him the time he needed!

As Pei Ling sprinted towards the canyon, several miles outside, in a specially cleared open space, complex array patterns were drawn with cinnabar and human blood. In the center of the clearing stood a Soul Summoning Banner.

At first glance, this Soul Summoning Banner looked no different from those used in funerals in the market. However, on the banner, more than a dozen souls were struggling hysterically, their faces contorted with venomous resentment: "Chen Huan! May you die a horrible death!"

"Huang Xian, I treated you like a brother, and you betrayed me like this! You will surely face retribution sooner or later!"

"Mei'er... Mei'er... why won't you look at me? You were the one who said you loved me first, yet you turned around and tricked me into a trap, killed me, and then took my cultivation, essence blood, and soul to refine a talisman artifact for Chen Huan. You... you did this to me, don't you feel even a shred of guilt?!"

"Zhang Zhongqin! You beast! If I hadn't saved you back then, you would have died long ago! And you repay kindness with enmity!!! Beast! Beast!!"

"Vile servant Xiao Tasha! I am your own cousin, yet you harmed me for Chen Huan. May you die a horrible death!! Even after death, when you meet your parents and elders, how will you explain yourself?!"

"Sister, stop struggling." On a makeshift earthen altar, Xiao Tasha stood on the Big Dipper formation, and after completing a series of hand seals, she bit her tongue and spat out a mouthful of heart blood. The array patterns on the ground lit up, emitting a faint blood-red light.

Her face was pale, with a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth, but her expression was one of great excitement.

She first playfully replied to the ghost on the banner, "You dedicated yourself to the Great Dao, but your talent was dull. Now that you are in the Soul Summoning Banner, when Senior Brother Chen's cultivation advances and he achieves the Great Dao, you will also ascend. Isn't that fulfilling your wish? Why curse me? You should be thanking me."

She then ignored the ghost's curses and turned to Chen Huan, her beautiful eyes sparkling. She smiled and said, "Senior Brother Chen, I have not failed you. The Mother Array is finally complete! All that's left is to wait until midnight."

Chen Huan, Huang Xian, Zhang Zhongqin, and Chen Mei, standing in specific positions, each held a faintly glowing talisman. Bloodstains were visible on their wrists, and their faces were pale, their breathing rapid. Especially Chen Mei, whose cultivation was the lowest, her legs weakened upon hearing this, and she directly knelt on the ground.

Looking up at the talisman floating before her, a hint of fear and lingering dread appeared in her eyes. "It's a good thing we made it through. Although Senior Sister Xiao's method of borrowing talismans to establish an array can be used across realms, the consumption of spiritual power and essence blood is truly immense."

She felt like she was being drained dry!

"Junior Sister Xiao, we owe you a great debt this time." Chen Huan, being the strongest, was still spirited despite being greatly weakened. He ignored his sister and stepped forward to help Xiao Tasha. After some solicitous inquiries, he then said to Chen Mei, "Go and see how Pei Ling is doing below."

Chen Mei, not yet recovered, was somewhat displeased. "Him? He can't get out, what else could he be doing?"

As she spoke, she summoned a Tracking Bee from her sleeve. However, the Tracking Bee showed no intention of flying into the canyon; instead, it flew south without hesitation!