After passing through a dense forest, the group came upon a dark, damp stretch of swamp.
A rotten, fishy stench filled the air, and several dead old trees lay tilted in the muddy water.
A layer of green algae covered the water's surface. Occasionally, a few bubbles rose and burst with a pop, releasing the pungent smell of marsh gas.
Qian Renxue stopped, spread her Spiritual Power outward, then frowned. "The Man Faced Demon Spider's lair should be here, but it doesn't seem to be home."
She scanned the area and saw an enormous web hanging between the crowns of several dead trees in the center of the swamp.
Its strands were as thick as hemp rope, with a few bone fragments still stuck to them, but the center of the web was completely empty.
"It probably went out to hunt." Cheng Ran clicked his tongue. "But that's fine. Xiao Xue, take out that aromatic silk beauty..."
Following Cheng Ran's instructions, Qian Renxue took out the aromatic silk beauty, gently broke off half a petal, and placed it at the roots of a dead tree directly beneath the web.
The petal landed on the wet mud, giving off an elegant, subtle fragrance with a quality that put anyone who smelled it at ease.
"Back off and wait." Qian Renxue signaled for everyone to retreat behind a large tree twenty zhang away.
Roughly two cups of tea later, a rustling came from deep within the swamp, drawing closer.
Then a massive black shadow rapidly crawled out of the darkness.
Its eight long legs moved in an alternating rhythm, crossing the muddy water as though it were level ground. Its abdomen bulged, its entire body was iron-black, and an oily sheen gleamed across its back.
Most bizarre of all was the deathly