Ambush

Northwest of South Capital lay an endless stretch of the Great Mountains, home to many Demon Beasts.

But the mountains also held rare natural treasures.

“This way.” Wu Xiaokai checked their direction after he and Ye Qiu left the city and entered the Great Mountains, then shot forward at astonishing speed.

Ye Qiu immediately followed. Wu Xiaokai's Movement Technique was unusual: despite his towering frame, he moved with incredible grace.

As Ye Qiu chased after him, he asked inwardly, Brother Snake, do you know any good Movement Techniques?

The Great Serpent said, "Yes!"

Ye Qiu said, Brother Snake, you're the best!

The Great Serpent rarely refused him. As long as a request seemed reasonable, it granted whatever he asked.

The Great Serpent said, "Mainly because you're too weak right now. I'm getting anxious."

There wasn't much time!

Before Ye Qiu could ask more, information appeared in his mind, followed by an image seared into his memory.

The image made everything clearer. Paired with the technique's mysteries, it would help him grasp it faster.

Dragon Soaring Body!

A Heaven Tier technique!

Ye Qiu's eyes lit up. Heaven Tier techniques were the highest grade below Divine Abilities, and their value was staggering.

Movement Techniques in particular were even more precious than ordinary techniques!

The Great Serpent said, "This is only the beginning. Once your Cultivation Level breaks through to Law Gathering, I'll teach you a Divine Ability—a seriously badass one!"

Ye Qiu was delighted.

He sped up to keep pace with Wu Xiaokai and began imitating the movements in the image.

Brother Snake had said that Cultivation required ideas of one's own—in other words, cultivating one's own style.

Taken further, that meant one's own path!

But at the start, the quickest way to get a foot in the door was imitation.

First imitate, then bring forth the new from the old!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

Ye Qiu already had a keen mind. With the Great Serpent's explanation of the technique's mysteries and the image to guide him, he picked up the movements quickly.

His speed surged. His body wove forward, carrying him straight past Wu Xiaokai.

Wu Xiaokai was stunned. For a long stretch, Ye Qiu had been behind him.

He had even deliberately held back to avoid leaving Ye Qiu too far behind.

How had Ye Qiu suddenly gotten faster?

He immediately picked up speed, but as he accelerated, Ye Qiu moved even faster.

Wu Xiaokai's eyes widened. "Brother Ye, what Movement Technique is that?"

"Heaven Tier," Ye Qiu said.

"Mine is Heaven Tier too," Wu Xiaokai said, "but it's nowhere near as profound as yours!"

Ye Qiu smiled. Of course it isn't. Brother Snake gave me this technique, and one look tells you he has quite a background!

He was once bullied by a whole pack of female dragons!

Whether that's true or not, judging by the way Brother Snake carries himself, he's definitely no small fry.

Odds are, he came from the vast Upper Realm!

The two moved swiftly over mountains and ridges until they entered a Mountain Valley. Beyond it lay a Gorge.

Outside the Gorge's entrance,

Ye Qiu peered into its depths. It was dark and deep, and he sensed a faint danger within.

Wu Xiaokai's expression turned grave. "Brother Ye, the Great Spider is in there."

"At Mystic Mastery Peak?" Ye Qiu asked.

Wu Xiaokai nodded.

"Good. If we join forces, we have a strong chance!"

Wu Xiaokai nodded again, then pulled out a White Bone Club as thick as a thigh.

One end was thick, the other thin. Wu Xiaokai gripped the thin end.

It looked like a huge cudgel!

There was no telling what bone it had been made from, but its surface gleamed, and it clearly wasn't ordinary.

Ye Qiu drew his Broad Saber as well. But his strength had grown again, and the blade felt lighter than ever.

Once they got back, he had to find a better saber—or have one forged.

Together, they entered the Gorge, where the light was dim.

They advanced more than three thousand meters.

Wu Xiaokai's expression grew tense. Ye Qiu, too, sensed the immense aura of a Demon Beast.

They slowed down and went another few hundred meters. Then they saw...

A huge spiderweb blocked their path, nearly sealing off the entire Gorge.

Several Demon Beasts were trapped in it: a massive Black Bull, an enormous Green Wolf, and a beast that looked half lion, half tiger.

Those three stood out the most.

There were several others, large and small.

Some were already dead. Others still struggled in the web, but none could break free.

Behind the web stood a small tree a little over a meter tall, bearing bright red fruit.

They were no bigger than dates.

But they glowed like jade.

One glance was enough to know they were extraordinary!

"The Great Spider isn't here!" Wu Xiaokai looked over, his eyes lighting up.

He had discovered this place yesterday. At the time, the Great Spider had been hanging on the web.

He had fought it for ages, but he couldn't beat it and had been injured.

If he hadn't grown up in the mountains and learned how to handle Demon Beasts, he might have died yesterday.

"Brother Ye, you're a lucky charm! You came along, and the Great Spider isn't even home!"

Wu Xiaokai was overjoyed. Not having to fight was best. The Great Spider was hard to beat, and it could spit silk that was especially difficult to deal with.

"Be careful," Ye Qiu said. "Demon Beasts have sharp senses. It might be hiding nearby."

Spider-type Demon Beasts were masters at waiting for prey to come to them.

Wu Xiaokai sensed the area, then said, "Don't worry. I grew up in these mountains. I'm extremely sensitive to Demon Beast auras, and I'm certain the Great Spider isn't here... Come on, let's pick those fruits. They're Demon Blood Fruit, and they work wonders for Body Cultivators like us!"

Demon Blood Fruit!

Nourished by Demon Beast blood as it grew, it had absorbed the Blood Qi of countless beasts. Its energy was exceptionally violent.

Ordinary cultivators could hardly eat it as it was. They needed an alchemist to refine it into Pills.

But Body Cultivators wanted that violent energy. They used it to temper their bones and flesh and strengthen their blood vitality.

The two cautiously moved forward, ducked beneath the web, and reached the little tree.

They worked quickly, picking all dozen or so fruits from its branches.

Then they took down the web and collected every Demon Beast caught in it, dead or alive.

These Demon Beasts were all fairly high-level!

With that done, they raced toward the Gorge's exit. Wu Xiaokai was grinning like a madman the whole way.

It had been too easy!

Ye Qiu, however, stayed alert to everything around him. Until they were truly safe, he couldn't let down his guard.

Besides, it had been so easy that something felt... wrong.

At the Gorge's exit, that uneasy feeling finally showed its true face.

A gigantic creature over three meters tall, with eight thick legs and a riot of colors, stood in their path.

The spider had a face that looked remarkably human.

A Human-faced Demon Spider!

But that wasn't what mattered. What mattered was that several young cultivators sat atop the spider.

They were watching Ye Qiu with amused expressions...