The Man Faced Demon Spider Mutant and the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Response

The Mixed Zone was nothing like the outer region. Unless their species was exceptionally powerful, century-old and thousand-year-old Soul Beasts had little hope of claiming territory there.

Jiang Yu followed Wu Lie through the Mixed Zone for two days. They saw more than a hundred kinds of Soul Beasts, but only a handful possessed the space attribute.

No wonder Mental Attribute and space-attribute Soul Masters had the hardest time finding suitable Spirit Rings. Soul Beasts with either of those powerful attributes were simply too rare.

They searched until the third day before Jiang Yu and Wu Lie finally struck gold.

It was a spider—an enormous one, with a body over two meters across and eight spear-like legs more than four meters long.

Its entire body gleamed silver. Its eight slender legs glinted like razor-sharp blades, and an invisible force sliced through vegetation before the legs even touched it.

On its underside was a terrifying human face woven from black markings. Eight tiny eyes gleamed with bloodlust.

Wu Lie told Jiang Yu what the Soul Beast was called.

Nightmare of small Soul Beasts. Devourer of life. A creature loathed by all Soul Beasts. A terrifying, evil killer. It had earned every one of those names.

That was right. It was the Man Faced Demon Spider, the species that had gone down fighting in the original story.

At the sight of them, the roughly fifteen-hundred-year-old Man Faced Demon Spider screeched and sprang forward on all eight legs. Jiang Yu saw only a flash of silver. In the next instant, every plant within twenty meters—and seemingly space itself—was sliced through, leaving a straight, pitch-black fissure.

Wu Lie stood in front of Jiang Yu. A pale mark appeared on his right arm, now covered in thick red dragon scales.

Nine Spirit Rings hovered around him: two yellow, two purple, and five black.

"Kid, this Man Faced Demon Spider is an exceptionally rare mutant. There isn't a trace of poison in its body. What it has instead is speed honed to the extreme and the power to cut through space in those eight legs. It's about fifteen hundred years old. If you're willing to try, I'll take it down for you."

A fifteen-hundred-year-old Man Faced Demon Spider mutant would have been more than enough for an ordinary Soul Master's third Spirit Ring.

But Jiang Yu might never find another Soul Beast this powerful and this suitable.

He hesitated for a moment, then said decisively, "Grandpa Wu, this is the one."

Wu Lie understood at once. With a savage grin, he launched himself forward like a flaming meteor, straight at the Man Faced Demon Spider—which had realized too late that it had picked a fight with someone far stronger.

Man Faced Demon Spider: Nope!!!

Four hours later, Jiang Yu slowly opened his eyes. A magnificent purple Spirit Ring settled into place, and a silver gleam flashed across the invisible Shadow Dragon Dagger. As its edge swept through the air, space itself trembled.

I did it! The bigger the risk, the greater the reward. Just two Spirit Rings gave my Martial Souls Light Purification Power and the power to cut through space. Even my Martial Soul Origin has grown more than three times as strong.

At this rate, my Space-Time Dragon bloodline might awaken before I even become a Soul Sage.

If I want that to happen sooner, I'll have to risk my life a few more times.

Jiang Yu felt like a college student from his previous life who could afford a plane ticket but bought a hard-seat train ticket instead. The journey was miserable, yet the moment he arrived and saw how much he had saved, he forgot all about the suffering.

Forgetting the pain as soon as the wound healed was hardly wise. But cultivation sometimes worked that way. Without trials that brought him to the brink of death, he would never rise above everyone else.

Jiang Yu feared death, but he dreaded mediocrity even more.

That was life. The more precious the prize, the higher its price.

After they returned to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Jiang Yu was questioned by the sect's leadership, led by Ning Yunxiu.

Some things could not be hidden, and there was no need to hide them. Jiang Yu told them that after adding Spirit Rings to both Martial Souls, he had sensed a mysterious power deep within himself. He had no idea what it was.

The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Grand Elder, a level-ninety-seven Mental Attribute Super Douluo, examined him inside and out with her Spiritual Power.

She concluded that a hidden power did indeed exist within Jiang Yu.

But she could not determine what it was. They would have to wait until Jiang Yu fully awakened it himself.

After the Strongest of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect left, the other five Titled Douluo departed one by one. Soon, only Ning Yunxiu and Jiang Yu remained in the vast Nine Treasure Hall.

Ning Yunxiu studied Jiang Yu thoughtfully.

She knew more than the others. Just before leaving, Illusion Douluo—the strongest member of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—had secretly sent her a message.

Illusion Douluo had said that although she could not see what power lay hidden within Jiang Yu, she was certain it was closely connected to dragons. If her guess was right, it was at least the bloodline or power of a true dragon.

She had also said that Jiang Yu's Spiritual Power was exceptionally strong and his Sea of Consciousness remarkably well developed. His mind was active and mature; they could not regard him as an ordinary six-year-old.

Ning Yunxiu trusted Illusion Douluo completely.

After all, Illusion Douluo was her grandmother's younger sister. Ning Yunxiu called her Second Grandmother, while Ning Tian called her Great-Grandmother.

Jiang Yu stood obediently before her with his head lowered. Ning Yunxiu stopped herself from dwelling on it.

Whatever power lay hidden inside him, and however sharp a mind he concealed beneath that obedient exterior, he was still only six years old.

The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had never harmed him. On the contrary, they had cared for him and nurtured him wholeheartedly. Ning Yunxiu trusted her judgment of character. Jiang Yu did not strike her as cold or ungrateful. As long as he was not, time could make anything possible.

At that thought, Ning Yunxiu smiled gently and said to Jiang Yu:

"Xiao Yu, your Soul Power reached level fifteen during this Soul Hunting trip, didn't it?"

"Yes, Sect Master," Jiang Yu replied respectfully.

"Sect Master? Have you forgotten what I told you? When we're alone, just call me Auntie Xiu."

Ning Yunxiu gave him a mock-reproachful look.

"Auntie Xiu..." Jiang Yu had the odd feeling that she looked at him differently, especially when her gaze fell on his face.

"Good. Remember that from now on." Ning Yunxiu nodded, pleased that he had changed how he addressed her. "Level fifteen before you're even six and a half, with two Spirit Rings absorbed above the usual limit. At the normal cultivation speed of someone with Innate Full Soul Power, you should become a Soul Grandmaster before you turn eight. That pace is unprecedented—and may never be matched."

"From now on, you'll study and cultivate alongside Xiao Tian and Xiao Feng. I'm sure the three of you will become good friends."

Jiang Yu understood her intention. She wanted him to form a bond with Ning Tian and Wu Feng while they were young, so they could support the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect together in the future.

That was what Jiang Yu had wanted too, so he agreed without hesitation.

Ning Yunxiu affectionately stroked Jiang Yu's head, her face full of smiles.