Bamboo God's First Trial: Reviving the Man Faced Demon Spiders

"Helping you is simple. Let me think first about what you'll need to give in return..."

Feng Yan fell into thought. His goal was to arrange for Tang San to transform, making a series of preparations for Dai Zhongxian to create the Three Absolute Spider Arts in the future.

But since he was already here, how could he not give Little Scumbag a proper working-over?

Tang San didn't dare disturb him. He simply waited, bent low in silence.

Feng Yan seemed to have some idea. He sprang to his feet, a glint flashing in his eyes.

Three visits... Three visits! Since there were three... why not try a little Three Visits to the Bamboo Hut?

With that thought, Feng Yan sat down again, cleared his throat, and said, "This god has made up his mind."

"Senior Bamboo God, please speak," Tang San said cautiously, his heart taut.

Feng Yan drawled, "Not just anyone can enter this bamboo grove of mine."

"Since you were able to find this place, it means fate brought you here. But fate is fate, and rules are rules."

Feng Yan paused. His gaze swept over Tang San's enormous spider body once more, then lingered on the small opening beneath it. A mischievous smile appeared in his eyes.

"How about this!"

"This god will give you three trials. If you can pass them all within three days, I will lend you my aid."

As soon as he finished speaking, Feng Yan promptly fell silent, adding in his heart, If you don't pass... then you can spend every day and night waiting to be trained.

Hehehehehe...

When Feng Yan suddenly fell silent, Tang San grew even more uneasy.

These three trials had to be difficult!

Could he really complete them in his current spider body?

Tang San thought of the madwoman who was asleep at that very moment.

But if he couldn't complete them, he would return to those dark, sunless days...

Every day, that madwoman would hang him up with spider silk and whip him again and again, until tens of thousands of lashes had landed.

Pain!

So much pain!

Humiliation!

So damn humiliating!

After every whipping, that madwoman would say in that bizarre, satisfied tone, "Little Scumbag, you're getting harder and harder to beat. What if I can't satisfy you in the future? What should I do?"

It seemed that as time went on, the madwoman had grown unsatisfied with just whipping him... She wanted to try other tricks, too...

No! He couldn't fail!

I, Tang San, absolutely will not accept failure!

With that thought, Tang San took a deep breath and said respectfully, "Senior Bamboo God, please give me the trials. No matter how difficult they are, I, Tang San, will face them alone!"

Looking at Tang San's grim, death-defying expression, Feng Yan laughed to himself. On the surface, he remained inscrutable. "The First Trial isn't difficult, really, and there's no danger. It all depends on whether you're willing."

Hearing this, Tang San secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Feng Yan fought back his laughter and said, "Since you've reincarnated as the last Man Faced Spider Emperor in the Star Dou Great Forest, you must take responsibility for your race..."

"Listen up, Tang San!"

Tang San instinctively stood at attention.

"The Bamboo God's Third Trial, First Trial: Spring of the Man Faced Demon Spider..."

"Trial-taker Tang San, as the last emperor of the Man Faced Demon Spider race, you must gather all the Man Faced Demon Spiders in the Star Dou Great Forest..."

"Then lead by example and choose one Man Faced Demon Spider to mate with, bringing the atmosphere of spring to life and allowing the Man Faced Demon Spider race to flourish once more!"

Tang San shuddered all over and nearly collapsed. His voice brimmed with disbelief.

"Se-Senior Bamboo God... What did you say? You want me to mate with a Man Faced Demon Spider?!"

Feng Yan nodded to show that he meant it, then said nothing more.

At that, Tang San felt as if the sky had fallen. Although he now had the body of a female spider, his soul was still that of a human man.

The mere thought of mating with a real Man Faced Demon Spider made his scalp crawl.

Tang San hurriedly said, "Senior Bamboo God! This... This is absolutely impossible! Though I have a spider's body now, I'm still human in essence. Humans and spiders are different species. I can't do this!"

"What a joke! Why can't you?"

This time, Feng Yan's tone was no longer courteous. "You want me to help suppress the original owner of this body so you can enjoy the body of this hundred-thousand-year-old Man Faced Spider Emperor all to yourself!"

"But you won't even accept the responsibilities of a Man Faced Spider Emperor! You only want to behave like a scoundrel, taking advantage without doing your part!"

Feng Yan's words left Tang San speechless. His face flushed red without him realizing it.

Feng Yan's tone grew sterner. "Do you know why this hundred-thousand-year-old Man Faced Spider Emperor is the last Spider Emperor in the Star Dou Great Forest?"

"Because ten thousand years ago, the Sea God, Buddha Tang, slaughtered Man Faced Demon Spiders on a massive scale for his own selfish desires, using the secret arts of your Tang Sect. He nearly wiped out the entire Man Faced Demon Spider race..."

"As a member of the Tang Sect, Tang San, you've taken her body. Aren't you ashamed?"

"Buddha Tang again!" Uncontainable fury burst from Tang San's eyes. In his heart, he wished he could cut down that beast who had stolen the Tang Sect's secret arts on the spot!

No!

Killing him outright would be too good for him!

He had to subject Buddha Tang to the Tang Sect's most vicious punishments, then grant him the most agonizing death!

Seeing that the bait had been taken, Feng Yan threw in another handful of chum. "Why do you think the soul inside you is so mad? Her obsession with reviving her race and taking revenge hasn't faded. Of course she wants to take back control!"

"If you fulfill that obsession for her, most of her resentment will dissipate. Then I can help suppress her. I can't promise to resolve everything completely, but at the very least, you'll be able to fight her to a draw."

"What if you refuse?"

Feng Yan gave a cold laugh and continued, "Then just wait for her to wake up."

Tang San's heart was in turmoil. It was true that he had taken someone else's body and didn't want to shoulder her responsibilities.

He didn't want to, either. After all, how was he any different from that beast who had stolen the Tang Sect's secret arts but refused to uphold the Tang Sect's ways?

But...

"Senior."

Tang San's voice was unbearably hoarse. "I... I really can't do it."

Looking at him, Feng Yan let out a long sigh, his tone softening a little. "So be it. This god won't force you to decide right away."

Tang San raised his head. Hope filled all eight of his eyes.

"This First Trial lasts three days. For those three days, I'll temporarily suppress her consciousness for you."

As he spoke, Feng Yan pointed a finger. Golden divine power surged into Tang San's body.

Tang San felt a warm force spread from his spider's head throughout his entire body.

The madwoman's consciousness inside him furrowed its brow slightly in her sleep, but in the end, she didn't wake.

"This divine power can keep her asleep for three days."

Feng Yan withdrew his finger, then suddenly changed the subject. "However... I'll give you a preliminary task first."

"Go gather the surviving Man Faced Demon Spiders in the Star Dou Great Forest and bring them to this bamboo grove. You can think about the rest afterward..."

Tang San's heart tightened. He knew this was Senior Bamboo God's last chance for him.

"Senior, what about gathering the Man Faced Demon Spiders?"

Feng Yan said nonchalantly, "Go take care of it now."

At that, Tang San felt as if he'd been granted a new lease on life. He nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes! I'll get right on it! I'll do a beautiful job!"