Chapter 313: Success and Surprises – The Man-Faced Demon Spider
"You've been looking for me for so long. Now that you know I'm here, why hesitate?"
That gentle voice rang out again. Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo exchanged a glance and gave the signal to advance. Even if danger lay ahead, they had no choice but to confront it.
Pushing through the dense forest, the group was met with an awe-inspiring sight: a broad, tranquil lake, shining like a precious gem nestled in the heart of the Star Dou Forest. The vibrant life force surrounding the lake filled each of them with a sense of calm.
Sunlight glittered on the lake's surface, and there, by the shore, a colossal beast stood like a living mountain, its presence radiating an overwhelming aura of power and menace—the Titan Giant Ape.
On its shoulder stood a figure of remarkable beauty. Draped in a sheer white dress that flowed to her feet, her flawless features and cascading black hair lent her a goddess-like aura. Her serene beauty captivated everyone's attention, even drawing a quiet gasp from Dai Yao.
"No wonder she's the protagonist's love interest in the original story," Dai Yao thought with admiration. "She's only just a shade behind Zhuqing and Feng Wutong in terms of beauty."
Like a goddess of the forest, Xiao Wu stood tall on the Titan Giant Ape's shoulder, gazing down coldly at the Spirit Hall members below. Her expression held not the slightest hint of fear—until her eyes landed on Dai Yao. Her face immediately hardened, her teeth clenched as she hissed his name:
"Dai… Yao!"
If it hadn't been for Dai Yao, her identity wouldn't have been exposed, and she wouldn't have been forced to separate from her brother, Tang San. When he had stood by her side even after her identity was revealed, her heart had melted, making her resentment toward Dai Yao even more profound.
What she hadn't considered, however, was that she and her friends had nearly killed Dai Yao when they attacked him with the Zhuge Crossbow. His actions, in turn, were simply justified retaliation.
Though she had once considered having Er Ming kill Dai Yao, she knew her safety couldn't be guaranteed with only Da Ming to protect her.
"Consider yourself lucky," she muttered.
Her gaze shifted to the two titled Douluos from Spirit Hall. "You've all been looking for me for a long time. Let's settle this today."
As soon as she spoke, the Titan Giant Ape's lantern-like eyes flared, casting a fierce glow. Its immense aura stirred the lake's surface, sending waves lapping against the shore.
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo were forced to summon their martial spirits and release their nine soul rings just to withstand the pressure. Ghost Douluo called to his team, "Everyone, stay where you are!"
Without another word, the two Douluos exchanged a look. Their years of mutual understanding allowed them to act without speaking. A golden Chrysanthemum rose into the sky, its petals gleaming with a metallic sheen, serving as a formidable defense. Meanwhile, Ghost Douluo became a shadow, flashing toward Xiao Wu on the ape's shoulder.
The Titan Giant Ape's muddy eyes showed a flash of contempt. Just as in the original story, it activated its Gravity Domain, slowing Ghost Douluo's movements before landing a powerful punch that sent him flying.
Chrysanthemum Douluo, slightly slower than Ghost Douluo, was caught off guard by a blast of green light from the Azure Bull Python, which had risen from the lake. The beast's massive, serpent-like form emerged, with only a fraction of its body visible above the water, towering dozens of meters high.
It cast a deadly gaze over the Spirit Hall group, its massive eyes gleaming with open hostility.
"Second Brother, eliminate them all. Leave none alive!"
The Azure Bull Python's deep voice echoed as its invisible power field immobilized Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo. Even though both Douluos attempted to resist, they were rooted in place, as though trapped in quicksand.
"A domain?" Chrysanthemum Douluo gasped, realizing he was up against a creature even more terrifying than the Titan Giant Ape. Facing one Titan Giant Ape alone was daunting enough, but with the Azure Bull Python here, they were completely outmatched.
The ape leaped high into the air, its enormous frame casting a shadow as it prepared to crush them with a single blow.
"Our final move!" The two Douluos roared, colliding midair to activate their joint attack. The eighteen soul rings around them combined into a golden-silver vortex that stopped time itself. The two powerful spirit beasts were frozen in place, as if sealed within an unbreakable cage.
The ghostly voice of Ghost Douluo resonated with urgency from within the cage. "This barrier won't hold for long! Capture the rabbit and retreat!"
Everyone hesitated in shock before springing into action, moving to grab Xiao Wu. But Tang San acted first.
Only Dai Yao had been able to keep a tight grip on his shoulder, preventing him from moving. If he tried to fight back, it would surely mean his death. Just as he began to despair, Dai Yao's grip unexpectedly loosened.
Tang San's brow creased. Why would Dai Yao release him at such a critical moment? But there was no time to ponder. Xiao Wu was in mortal danger, and he had to save her.
Seizing the chance, Tang San unleashed two Soul-Chasing Poison Bullets, scattering a cloud of toxic needles that downed five Spirit Hall Soul Saints in seconds.
Dai Yao put on a dramatic display of horror, his eyes widening as he shouted, "Tang Yin! What are you doing?"
Ignoring him, Tang San unleashed his fourth spirit ability, entangling everyone in a binding cage of Blue Silver Emperor vines. In the ensuing chaos, he continued firing a barrage of hidden weapons to obscure his movements, while surging toward Xiao Wu.
A Blue Silver Emperor vine streaked out from his hand, wrapping securely around her waist.
"Xiao Wu, let's go!" he shouted.
Stunned for a moment, Xiao Wu's face broke into a radiant smile as she recognized him, allowing him to pull her close.
As they ascended into the sky, Tang San turned his gaze back toward Dai Yao, his eyes filled with contempt.
"Dai Yao, sly as you are, you never would've guessed that I am Tang San!"
Dai Yao had spent the last two days acting like a brother, and it had utterly disgusted Tang San. Now, at last, he could reveal his true identity and savor the look of shock on Dai Yao's face.
Dai Yao's stunned expression did indeed flash across Tang San's face, filling him with a sense of satisfaction. But just before he turned away, he caught a peculiar smile forming on Dai Yao's lips, a knowing, almost amused expression that made Tang San's skin crawl.
For an instant, every hair on his body stood on end. He couldn't explain it, but he suddenly felt like he had fallen into a trap, sinking deeper the more he struggled.
"Third Brother, with you here, I'm not afraid of anything," Xiao Wu whispered warmly, gazing at Tang San's face with the gentle adoration of someone finally reunited after five years. Noticing the anxiety on his face, she assumed it was from the pressure of the enemies behind them, pushing him to his limits.
Tang San forced a faint smile, quelling his unease as he raced forward.
"Tang San!" Hu Liena spat his name, seething as she watched him flee. "He played us like fools! After him!"
Before Hu Liena could finish, everyone was already chasing them, their fury boiling over. In mere moments, nearly seven comrades had fallen to Tang San's cunning ambush. The group longed to tear him to pieces.
Dai Yao kept pace with his White Tiger Eight Wings, easily catching up with the Golden Generation. Seeing Dai Yao's tense expression, Hu Liena remembered his seemingly close bond with Tang San over the past two days. Trying to comfort him, she said, "Dai Yao, don't let it get to you. Tang San is nothing but a petty trickster. We'll make him pay dearly for deceiving us!"
With a cold, unyielding expression, Dai Yao replied, "Don't worry, Nana. I'll make sure he understands pain."
He took a brief glance back at the seven fallen comrades lying lifeless on the ground, sighing inwardly. Their deaths, though tragic, were necessary for his plan, and he had already accepted the cost. Slowly, Dai Yao was transforming, adopting a colder, more calculating nature where he would sacrifice others without hesitation if it served his goals.
"I'll go on ahead." Dai Yao unfurled his eight wings, increasing his speed and moving past the others in a flash. Soon, he saw Tang San ahead, surrounded by a group of Spirit Saints, fighting with the agility and precision of a warrior born for battle.
Despite being outnumbered and severely outmatched, Tang San navigated each attack with uncanny precision, using calculated risks to take down opponents with higher spirit power. His coordination with Xiao Wu was seamless. Even after five years apart, they fought as one, responding instantly to each other's movements and blocking numerous attacks.
"Not bad, Tang San," Dai Yao thought, watching Tang San's incredible skill under pressure. "Even though I've robbed him of so many opportunities, he still finds a way to survive."
He had expected Tang San to encounter the Man-Faced Demon Spider as in the original story, but fate placed the creature directly in Dai Yao's path instead. Across the webs in front of him, a huge black-and-white creature waited, its abdomen bearing a face-like pattern. Its massive size suggested it was at least 30,000 years old.
"So you chose to come after me instead of Tang San?" Dai Yao smirked. "You must be drawn to my White Tiger Eight Wings."
In a flash, Dai Yao understood why the spider had approached him—his White Tiger Eight Wings, though taking the form of wings, had originated from the essence of the spider's limbs. This primal connection had drawn it to him.
Originally, Dai Yao worried that Tang San might be too weakened by his battle to enact the self-sacrificial technique needed to achieve Xiao Wu's final, meaningful scene. But now, with this creature's appearance, he had an excuse to abstain from directly attacking Tang San.
"It's as if my wishes were answered," he thought with a smirk. "You've walked right into my hands. Very well, beast—since you're so eager to die, I'll grant you a quick death!"
With that thought, five soul rings emerged, glowing with power. His third and fifth soul rings flared brightly, distorting the air around him with an overwhelming aura. At that moment, Hu Liena and the others caught up, their eyes widening as they saw Dai Yao facing off against a 30,000-year-old Man-Faced Demon Spider.
They started to approach, but Dai Yao stopped them with a loud command. "Go after Tang San! Don't worry about me. I can handle this creature."
Hu Liena hesitated, then recalled Dai Yao's feats—this was the man who single-handedly bested the young generation of the Clear Sky Sect. How could he need their help?
Nodding briefly at Dai Yao, they sped off in pursuit of Tang San. As they disappeared into the forest, Dai Yao's aura expanded, sending waves of energy rolling outward, scattering dried leaves in all directions. The Man-Faced Demon Spider, sensing his deadly intent, drew back, its eight legs bending, as if preparing to flee.
"Running? Too late!" Dai Yao sneered. "You're the perfect scapegoat for my plan."
With a flick of his wrist, three gleaming claws extended from his left hand. Raw energy surged through his arm, coalescing into his most powerful single-target attack: Rending Claw.
A blinding white arc tore through the air, as swift and deadly as a falling blade. The spider's compound eyes reflected a primal terror, but it had no time to react. Just as it took a step back, the Rending Claw sliced through its abdomen, cleaving the creature in two.
A sickening hiss filled the air as its hardened shell cracked open, spilling out greenish blood that bubbled upon contact with the ground, corroding the earth beneath it. The Man-Faced Demon Spider's severed legs twitched, moving feebly before falling still in death.
Dai Yao approached the corpse, regarding it with a wry smile. "You should be grateful," he muttered. "At least I spared you the slow agony you'd have suffered under Tang San. I guess I'm not such a bad guy after all."
Suddenly, a burning sensation surged from his White Tiger Eight Wings, filling him with an instinctive understanding: his wings were craving the energy of the spider.
"Interesting," he mused, noting the hunger in his wings. "In the original story, Tang San's Eight Spider Lances absorbed the essences of countless powerful spirit beasts to reach godhood. So it seems that even after being altered by the Primal Chaos Lotus, my wings still crave the essence of this creature."
Without hesitation, he allowed his wings to do as they pleased. Each wing extended a sharp tip, piercing into the spider's carcass. Immediately, a surge of heat coursed through him, and his long-stalled spirit power seemed to inch forward, though he stopped short of breaking through to a higher level.
Yet Dai Yao knew that once he acquired a new spirit ring, his power would exceed everyone's expectations. As the spider's essence was drained, the wings emitted a faint silver glow, signaling their evolution.
"It seems," he reflected, "that if I were to pursue this method to hasten the wings' evolution, I'd be seen as a Dark Spirit Master by others."
A quiet laugh escaped him. Dai Yao had no reservations about drawing power from unconventional means, though he had no desire to kill wantonly. True strength lay not just in the power itself, but in the discipline to wield it with restraint.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Canserbero10