A Blessing in Disguise

Seeing her granddaughter with lowered eyes, her pretty face filled with disappointment, Chao Tianxiang could not help but sigh.

She comforted her, "Yiran, it's all right that we didn't catch that Phoenix-tail Cockscomb Snake. Perhaps your grandfather will find a soul beast even better suited to you."

As soon as she finished speaking, the grandmother and granddaughter heard a strangely rhythmic sound coming from afar.

The sound was not particularly loud. To ordinary soul beasts, it might have sounded like nothing more than an unusual birdcall.

However, when Chao Tianxiang and Meng Yiran heard it, their eyes lit up.

Chao Tianxiang smiled. "See? Your grandfather has sent a signal. He must have found a soul beast suitable for you. Let's go quickly."

Meng Yiran's expression also changed from her earlier dejection to excitement.

This peculiar sound was the signal used by the two of them to communicate with Meng Shu. Judging by the emotion conveyed through it, her grandfather had indeed made a discovery.

Chao Tianxiang grabbed Meng Yiran's arm with one hand, while a snake staff over three meters long appeared in her other hand. The snake eyes atop the staff shone brightly.

Six soul rings emerged and attached themselves to the snake-headed staff in Chao Tianxiang's hand, showing that she had pushed her Soul Emperor-level soul power to its limit.

Even while bringing along Meng Yiran, a sixteen-year-old girl, Chao Tianxiang's speed barely slowed as she raced toward the source of the sound.

The chance to capture a soul beast could vanish in an instant. If they delayed, her old man might make one careless mistake and let the soul beast he had found escape.

Wasn't the Phoenix-tail Cockscomb Snake they had failed to track earlier a perfect example?

Enhanced by a Soul Emperor's cultivation, the two rushed at tremendous speed toward Meng Yiran's grandfather, Duke Dragon Meng Shu.

Before long, they heard that strangely rhythmic sound again. Meng Shu was urging Chao Tianxiang and Meng Yiran to hurry.

Chao Tianxiang gritted her teeth, driving her soul power to its limit as her speed increased once more.

Not long after, an elderly man appeared within their sight.

The old man was in his seventies, with a head full of silver hair and a tall, sturdy build.

However, his body was currently wrapped in a layer of white, web-like material.

Two yellow, three purple, and three black soul rings—eight in total—circled and danced around him, flashing without pause. Clearly, he was operating his Soul Douluo-level soul power at full force.

Yet the webbing wrapped around him was unexpectedly tough.

Although it was gradually beginning to crack under Meng Shu's desperate struggle, the fact that it took a Soul Douluo such great effort to break free showed just how unimaginably resilient it was.

Chao Tianxiang and Meng Yiran were both shocked to see Meng Shu in such a state.

"Grandfather, what happened to you?"

Meng Yiran hurried forward two steps, arriving before Meng Shu.

Seeing his wife and granddaughter arrive, and seeing them witness him in such an embarrassing state, Meng Shu's old face reddened.

Chao Tianxiang and Meng Yiran struck together to help him. With all three working as one, the webbing binding Meng Shu was quickly torn apart.

Meng Shu looked at the white web remnants on the ground and let out a heavy snort.

He looked toward Chao Tianxiang and Meng Yiran, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness.

"I discovered the tracks of a thousand-year Man-Faced Demon Spider nearby. But when I sent you the signal, that Man-Faced Demon Spider discovered me as well."

"A Man-Faced Demon Spider?"

Upon hearing Meng Shu's words, Chao Tianxiang and Meng Yiran exchanged glances, both growing excited.

The Man-Faced Demon Spider was an exceptionally vicious and terrifying soul beast. It possessed a sturdy carapace and incredible speed. Its eight spider legs were tough and razor-sharp, and carried potent poison.

Beyond that, its most terrifying weapon was its web. The web directly spat out by a Man-Faced Demon Spider was not only resilient and highly adhesive, but also laced with horrifying neurotoxin.

With such terrifying abilities, the Man-Faced Demon Spider could be called a hunter of soul beasts at the same level. Even soul beasts with higher cultivation often dared not provoke it.

"The stronger the soul beast, the greater the enhancement provided by its soul ring, and the more powerful the soul skill it grants. The soul ring provided by a thousand-year Man-Faced Demon Spider is far more precious than that Phoenix-tail Cockscomb Snake we found."

Chao Tianxiang's voice was filled with excitement.

Meng Shu nodded. "More than that, the Phoenix-tail Cockscomb Snake is only noteworthy for its speed. If it became Yiran's soul ring, it would likely grant her a skill that enhanced her speed.

"But the Man-Faced Demon Spider's abilities are far greater. If she absorbs its soul ring, Yiran may very well obtain a skill with control or poison attributes."

The two spoke in tandem, explaining the value of the Man-Faced Demon Spider.

At the side, Meng Yiran was overjoyed as she hurriedly asked, "Grandfather, where is that Man-Faced Demon Spider?"

Meng Shu's expression stiffened, and he said awkwardly,

"That Man-Faced Demon Spider sensed my presence. Once it realized my cultivation far surpassed its own, it turned around and fled. While I pursued it, it sprayed its web at me.

"It can spit out its web three times a day, and its coverage range is enormous. I avoided the first two attempts, but the third time, I still fell for that beast's trick and had my pace delayed."

As he spoke, Meng Shu raised the dragon-headed staff in his hand and pointed in one direction. "That Man-Faced Demon Spider fled that way. At its speed, it should have gotten quite far by now, but if we chase with all our strength, we can still catch up."

Hearing this, Chao Tianxiang grew anxious. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's hurry after it!"

A Phoenix-tail Cockscomb Snake had already slipped through her fingers earlier. Now that they had discovered a soul beast even more suitable for her granddaughter, Chao Tianxiang naturally did not want to return empty-handed again.

"Good, let's go!" Meng Shu did not waste words. He slung his dragon-headed staff behind his back, then grabbed Chao Tianxiang and Meng Yiran respectively, using his abundant soul power to propel their bodies.

The three immediately pursued the Man-Faced Demon Spider. With Meng Shu's help, they moved far faster than when Chao Tianxiang had been rushing at full speed alone.

"Beast, let's see where you can run now!"

In an area where the trees were relatively sparse, the surroundings had been devastated as if by brute force. Flowers and grass were scattered everywhere, while trees had been snapped in half.

On the open ground lay a Man-Faced Demon Spider with several of its spider legs severed. It resembled an enormous gourd as it sprawled on the ground.

Purple-black blood continuously poured from the wounds on its body.

"Yiran, quickly absorb its soul ring."

Meng Shu turned to look at Meng Yiran, who had remained protected by Chao Tianxiang throughout the battle.

At this moment, the girl's hair was merely a little disheveled. She had not suffered any injuries.

Hearing her grandfather's words, she quickly stepped forward. Raising her snake staff, she was about to kill the Man-Faced Demon Spider on the ground.

However, just as she was about to unleash her soul skill, Meng Shu and Chao Tianxiang behind her suddenly changed expressions and immediately turned to look into the distance.

At almost the same instant, they sensed a fierce and surging aura rapidly charging toward them.

"This aura... a hundred-thousand-year soul beast!"

Meng Shu's voice was filled with panic and disbelief.