"The fire burning inside the cave will force the Seven Poison Demon Spider out. Although the flames will injure it to some extent, they won't be enough to kill it."
Long Qianming stared fixedly at the distant cave, where white smoke drifted out and waves of heat surged forth, full of confidence in the trap he had laid.
As early as three months ago, after discovering traces of this Seven Poison Demon Spider, he had begun preparing to hunt it. He had deliberately used World-Burning Purifying Fire, a mutated form of his Second Soul Skill, to turn this cave into a place filled with combustible dark Qi.
For dark-attribute Soul Beasts, such a place was undoubtedly a natural refuge for nesting and shelter. A month ago, relying on its poison, the Seven Poison Demon Spider had killed all the many dark-attribute Soul Beasts coveting the place and claimed it for itself.
Now, as the spider's cries grew louder and the tremors became increasingly frequent, a hideous, blackish-purple spider roughly three meters tall came scurrying out of the cave in panic, its eight legs desperately propelling it forward.
A somewhat thin layer of black flames covered its body. No matter what methods it used, however, it could not extinguish these black flames. They clung to its body like glue, subjecting it to endless burning.
"Something's wrong with the flames on this Seven Poison Demon Spider. It actually can't put them out?"
Bibi Dong watched the inextinguishable black flames in astonishment. Just then, Long Qianming hurriedly reminded her from beside her,
"Dong'er, hurry and trap it with your Third Soul Skill."
"All right."
Bibi Dong immediately unleashed her control-type Third Soul Skill, Death Spider Web Restraint. A web carrying potent purple poison swiftly bound the Seven Poison Demon Spider.
Since it was daytime, all of the Seven Poison Demon Spider's attributes had dropped significantly. It struggled incessantly in its bonds, but still could not break free of the Spider Web Restraint.
However, the undying black fire on its body continued burning, melting the web laden with potent purple poison at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"Dong'er, finish it off now."
Just as Long Qianming took out the Level 3 Soul Guidance Ray, Bibi Dong charged forward and leaped into the air.
"First Soul Skill, Spider Blade."
Bibi Dong somersaulted in midair, releasing several purple blades from her legs. By the time the Seven Poison Demon Spider broke free of the Spider Web Restraint and prepared to attack, it was already too late. The blades struck its eight spider legs with precision.
Slash, slash-
Four spider legs were severed, and the Seven Poison Demon Spider let out a miserable shriek. Its body was now maimed, its mobility severely restricted. It glared furiously at the two humans in the distance.
Pfft, pfft-
Two webs carrying potent blackish-purple poison shot toward them. It then dragged its mangled body away into the distance.
"Trying to run? Not a single Soul Beast has ever escaped successfully in front of me."
The Soul Guidance Ray worn on Long Qianming's forearm rapidly gathered Soul Power, and a blue beam of energy shot toward the Seven Poison Demon Spider.
Boom-
Two of the Seven Poison Spider's hind legs were blasted clean off, and a hole was blown open at the end of its abdomen, spilling a large quantity of purple fluid. The Seven Poison Demon Spider collapsed to the ground, wailing in despair as its signs of life rapidly faded.
"Dong'er, deliver the killing blow."
"First Soul Skill, Spider Blade."
Two purple blades flew toward the Seven Poison Demon Spider lying helpless on the ground and sliced through its pedicel. Its cephalothorax separated from its abdomen, and it died.
Before long, a Purple Soul Ring emerged. Long Qianming immediately dragged the corpse toward the Hundred-Year Soul Beast area, speaking as he ran,
"Dong'er, to be safe, let's go into the Hundred-Year Soul Beast area to absorb the Soul Ring."
"All right, I'll do as you say. I'll scout out the best route back."
Bibi Dong quickly ran ahead and leaped into the trees, constantly checking the nearby Soul Beasts to ensure absolute safety along their route.
Fortunately, they made it through without mishap despite the scares. In just half an hour, they reached one of Long Qianming's cave bases.
"Dong'er, this is the temporary base I stayed in while hunting Soul Beasts before. It's absolutely safe here. Absorb it without worry. I'll stand guard beside you."
"All right."
Bibi Dong was deeply moved. After steadying her breathing, she sat cross-legged, drew the Soul Ring into her body, and began absorbing it.
However, while Long Qianming waited, his years of Soul Hunting experience soon alerted him to an approaching intruder.
Was it a Soul Beast or a human?
Long Qianming quickly ran out of the cave and climbed a nearby tree with dense foliage. Holding Dragon Whisker Needles in his left hand and wearing the Soul Guidance Ray on his right, he closely watched the situation below.
As time passed, just two minutes later, a man and a woman appeared, walking toward the cave. The man had long blackish-green hair and wore green robes; the woman had beautiful blue hair and lovely eyes that were worried yet ethereal.
"Brother Xin, it's all my fault for insisting on coming to this damned place to hunt an Emerald Anaconda for its Soul Ring. Otherwise, you wouldn't have ended up like this."
The blue-haired woman spoke worriedly as she supported the poisoned Dugu Xin.
Tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks, making her look utterly pitiful.
"No, Qing'er, this is a problem with our family's inherited Martial Soul. It isn't your fault. I just didn't expect that I would already..."
Dugu Xin was about to explain clearly, but unexpectedly, the poison inside him began to spread. His body faltered, and he nearly fell. Several green strands of poison-like substance had already extended to the very top of his neck, only a hair's breadth from poisoning his brain.
At this critical moment, a violent commotion erupted not far behind them. Five Mandala Snakes shot toward them like arrows loosed from a bow, the oldest already approaching 1,500 years.
"Qing'er, go on ahead. I'll deal with them."
Seeing this, Su Qing'er firmly supported Dugu Xin, her tears falling even more frequently.
"Brother Xin, if we die, we'll die together. I'll never abandon you. There's a cave up ahead. We can use the cave to our advantage and kill them."
"No, that's too dangerous-"
Dugu Xin no longer had the strength to speak, and even his expression began to grow unfocused.
However, just as they neared the cave entrance,
Boom-
With a deafening blast, the Level 3 Soul Guidance Ray pierced the 1,500-year-old Mandala Snake's head and killed it. A Dragon Pattern Spear plunged point-first into the vital spot seven inches below the head of another Mandala Snake, this one over eight hundred years old.
Seeing that things had turned against them, the remaining three Mandala Snakes, each no more than four hundred years old, swiftly fled.
Long Qianming then quickly jumped down and pulled the Dragon Pattern Spear from the corpse, his Soul Guidance Ray already primed to fire.
"Who are you two? Don't you know this is my territory? Hurry up and leave."
The woman stepped directly in front of Dugu Xin and pleaded,
"Soul Master, we didn't know this was your territory, but my loved one has been gravely poisoned and urgently needs a quiet place to recover. Please help us for the sake of being fellow Soul Masters."
The woman warily watched Long Qianming, whose cultivation was only at the Soul Grandmaster level, without the slightest intention of attacking him. To think that she, a powerful Soul Elder, had actually failed to detect a Soul Grandmaster's presence.
Moreover, the moment he struck, he had killed a 1,500-year-old Mandala Snake.