Fortunately, the instant the spider swallowed Li Bufan, he activated Nine Yang Body Protection. Golden light formed a barrier around him, keeping the thick, foul-smelling digestive fluid at bay.
He felt the temperature rising rapidly. The dark green fluid held a fiercely corrosive power, and even through Nine Yang Body Protection, he could feel its heat and erosion steadily wearing down his True Essence.
The space inside the spider's belly was far larger than he had imagined, like an enormous cavern. Its walls were covered in writhing flesh membranes and tubes. Dark red fluid flowed through the tubes as they contracted and expanded in a steady rhythm, as though the entire space were breathing.
The next moment, the spider circulated its Demon Essence, intent on refining the "food" in its belly completely.
A vast surge of Demon Essence rushed toward him, battering Li Bufan's Nine Yang Body Protection like an invisible tidal wave. Within it lay exceptionally pure life force and devouring power.
Li Bufan could feel his True Essence draining at a visible rate. If this stalemate continued, even with his deep reserves, the only question was whether he died sooner or later.
But he did not panic.
As he activated Nine Yang Body Protection, he sent out his spiritual sense and began probing the secrets within the spider's body.
His spiritual sense pierced the viscous fluids and flesh membranes, and he soon discovered something strange.
The spider's body did not operate entirely on instinct like an ordinary Demon Beast's. Its energy followed an extremely orderly path.
As its Demon Essence flowed through its meridians and blood vessels, it followed a distinct route and rhythm, carrying the cadence of a human martial artist circulating a cultivation technique.
A glint flashed in Li Bufan's eyes.
*This spider was cultivating some