Beast Arena, Human-Faced Demon Spider

After discussing the handover arrangements, Huo Yuhao carefully taught Fang Yu all his techniques for grilling and marinating fish. Fang Yu held a notebook and diligently wrote down every word Huo Yuhao said.

After confirming everything several times,

En Zuo led Huo Yuhao away from the vendor area, preparing to head to Monster Academy early for simulated soul beast combat training. This was also the second stage of the entrance examination a month later.

...Beast Arena

The more participants entered the Beast Arena, the stronger and more numerous the soul beasts they faced would be. As long as they survived for one minute under the soul beasts' attacks, they would receive a score. Causing additional damage to the soul beasts could earn bonus points.

The entire new student entrance assessment followed Shrek Academy's model and consisted of ten parts. Each part was worth up to ten points, with six being a passing score and sixty points required to pass overall.

Multiple people could take the assessment together, but the second stage, the Beast Arena, tested their coordination. That was why En Zuo had brought Huo Yuhao here for early training.

The two passed through layer upon layer of corridors and entered a hall. A refined-looking teacher wearing glasses was already waiting there.

When he saw them arrive, he adjusted his glasses and said warmly, "I am Shen Qiu, the teacher leading this practical training. Dean En Ci assigned me to ensure your personal safety. Wait here for a moment; the training will begin shortly. Anything that happens afterward is normal, so please do not panic."

En Zuo nodded slightly and gave Shen Qiu a gentle smile. "Thank you for the reminder, Teacher. Sorry for the trouble."

"Do you need time to recover your soul power?" En Zuo turned to Huo Yuhao and explained, "Recovering to your best condition now, relaxing your mindset, and facing the assessment calmly would be a good choice."

Huo Yuhao shook his head at En Zuo, indicating that he did not need it. He tightened his grip on the White Tiger Dagger. "Brother En Zuo, let Teacher begin."

"I'm ready."

Seeing Huo Yuhao's slightly trembling hand, En Zuo could not help but laugh. He had not expected the future God of Emotions to show such a side of himself.

En Zuo did not expose Huo Yuhao.

En Zuo gave Shen Qiu a slight nod, indicating that the two were ready to face the challenge.

The next instant, dusk fell. Thick night enveloped the entire hall, and all light was swallowed by darkness.

Their vision abruptly vanished.

"Second Soul Skill, Fire Element Control."

A bright flame ignited in En Zuo's palm, dispersing the dim surroundings. Demon Ding excitedly beat its wings. To it, the night was home ground.

Huo Yuhao uneasily moved closer to En Zuo. His martial soul, Spirit Eyes, had already been summoned. He placed his Spirit Detection Sharing soul skill on En Zuo, rendering every disturbance within thirty meters clearly visible.

Thoughts churned in En Zuo's mind.

In the future, Spirit Detection would be able to cover tens of thousands of meters. It was an incredibly terrifying support soul skill.

Combined with the Ice Empress Scorpion and the Necromantic Holy Mage God, one man becoming an army was no joke at all.

Refocusing, En Zuo saw that the hall had already changed. Pale silver threads intertwined across the floor, outlining a magnificent pattern.

Then...

Bang! It suddenly exploded, turning into starlight that vanished into the darkness.

The two had completely left the hall. Beneath their shared Spirit Detection, the scenery around them changed at high speed.

When they came back to their senses, they were standing in a circular arena. The light slowly brightened, revealing their surroundings.

Deafening cheers rang out all around them. Concealed beneath those cheers was the rustling, unnatural sound of jointed limbs scraping across the ground.

The two looked toward the sound. No introduction was needed; the name of this soul beast instinctively surfaced in their minds.

...Human-Faced Demon Spider

It was named for the white markings on its lower abdomen, which resembled a twisted human face. Two thousand years ago, it had been a notorious evil soul beast—the king of spiders, an object loathed by all soul beasts, a terrifyingly evil slaughterer.

Huo Yuhao's face turned pale. Though it was not as naturally pallid as En Zuo's, he had visibly lost another shade of color. Judging from the Human-Faced Demon Spider's size...

It had at least four thousand years of cultivation.

How many Wind Baboons would that equal in a solo kill?

"Don't panic, Yuhao." En Zuo calmly stepped in front of Huo Yuhao. The three black soul rings circling his body pulsed rhythmically. "You are a support-type soul master. For now, you only need to back me up. This practical training is meant more to train your ability to respond to danger."

"That is the most valuable experience."

As he spoke, En Zuo's gaze sharpened like a hawk's, locking onto the Human-Faced Demon Spider. His fighting spirit surged. "A four-thousand-year Human-Faced Demon Spider? It is worth killing."

The eyes beneath the Human-Faced Demon Spider's abdomen flickered. It raised one of its slender limbs, like a sharpened steel bar, and swung it straight at En Zuo.

The instant it came crashing down, En Zuo moved. He gripped the Crystal Staff as his third soul ring revolved around him, radiating a soul-stealing ghostly glow.

"Third Soul Skill, Earth Element Control."

"Hell Spike."

Beneath En Zuo's feet, the earth rose. Spikes of rock suddenly surged from underground, and sharp stone pillars rapidly spread outward.

The Human-Faced Demon Spider kept retreating, trying to evade the soul skill.

But it was all in vain.

The next moment, a sharp rock thrust violently up from beneath its abdomen, launching the Human-Faced Demon Spider into the air.

Its abdomen was the Human-Faced Demon Spider's weakest point. More than half its body was pierced through, and foul blood splattered everywhere. It struggled frantically, its eight sharp limbs flailing wildly as it shattered the rocks one by one.

The scattered stones sizzled as they were corroded by its purplish-black blood, leaving the surroundings in a complete mess.

The Human-Faced Demon Spider was in terrible condition, with a large section of rock still lodged inside its body.

Blood sprayed across the ground from its wounds. The four remaining bloodthirsty eyes on its abdomen glared fixedly at En Zuo. It wanted to tear him apart alive.

Its abdomen trembled slightly as spider silk fused together, forming an enormous web that was about to envelop En Zuo.

But its body suddenly froze.

It was Huo Yuhao.

At the crucial moment, a spiritual strike hit the Human-Faced Demon Spider, interrupting its attempt to cast the web.

Huo Yuhao leaned off to the side, a few beads of cold sweat appearing on his face. That strike had nearly exhausted all his spiritual power. His sea of spirit was now completely dry.

With his current spiritual realm, trying to interfere with a soul beast nearing four thousand years of cultivation was still far too difficult.

"It is merely lingering on its last breath." En Zuo coldly watched the Human-Faced Demon Spider. At some point, the Demon Ding on his shoulder had flown into the air and let out a provocative hiss at it.

En Zuo spread his fingers, then suddenly clenched them as he shouted, "Demon Ding, Dark Assault."

"Finish it in one move."

Dark energy so dense it was alarming gathered around Demon Ding. Thick drops of dark energy dripped from its tiny claws as a terrifying dark claw formed in its grasp. The chilling aura made the Human-Faced Demon Spider sense death.

It helplessly tried to retreat, but its body, struck by the spiritual attack, could no longer obey its commands.

It could only watch helplessly as the demon, carrying terrifying might, rapidly closed in on it.