Before Ye Chuyang could finish speaking, an immense Vitality pressure that seemed to drain the color from heaven and earth suddenly erupted from the demon spider!
"You..."
Ye Chuyang immediately felt as if a bone were stuck in his throat, as though he'd forgotten how to breathe. His face flushed red, and he couldn't squeeze out a single word for quite a while.
As for the three male spiders, the pressure they bore was much less than what Ye Chuyang suffered, but they still couldn't stop trembling faintly.
Because Bai Zhi had been keeping its aura restrained all along, Ye Chuyang had no understanding of how terrifying it was. Now that it displayed just a sliver of its strength, Ye Chuyang nearly failed to stay on his feet.
"You have offended this seat, so this seat shall naturally collect some interest. Your three spiders are quite fine—they'll serve perfectly as my provisions." Bai Zhi transmitted coldly.
"As for any eggs... this seat must admit, human, you think very beautifully."
Sssssss.
Immediately, a great quantity of spider silk danced through the sky like long serpents, transforming into ribbon-like bands that effortlessly bound the three male spiders, encountering no resistance whatsoever. Or rather, under 'High-Tier Intimidation', those three were utterly incapable of offering any resistance.
The threads slowly dragged the three spiders toward the demon spider by the cliff edge like hunted prey, leaving a trail of drag marks on the ground.
"Meow wuu..."
Just then, the pink fox cried out, even flattening its long ears against its head into "airplane ears"—it was actually pleading for mercy.
Bai Zhi sneered. "I already guessed they were lured here by you. For Shining's sake, I can let you off, and let her personally discipline you when we get back. As for these three, consider them your and this brat's apology gift."
"Meow!"
The Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox's cries grew increasingly shrill and faint, even pressing its head against the ground, pitifully gazing at Bai Zhi.
"No, you can't!"
Ye Chuyang's face was as if congested with blood, filled with urgency. "They were nurtured through my blood and sweat... you cannot do that..."
Never in his dreams did he imagine that the female spider together with the Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox would possess such a terrifying aura.
A hint of mockery crept into Bai Zhi's voice: "Human boy, are you giving orders to this seat?"
"No... I am begging you, to spare my demon beasts." Ye Chuyang enunciated every word.
"But you won't even call me 'Your Excellency Bai Zhi'..."
"Your... Your Excellency Bai Zhi..."
For the sake of his spiders' survival, Ye Chuyang uttered in a deep voice, simultaneously dropping to one knee.
"Very well. For the sake of your Saintess, I shall let you off today." Bai Zhi snorted coldly.
It was currently on Jiuli Religion's territory. Although it had the support of Saintess Yang Shining, it was still unwise to stir up unnecessary trouble, especially when it could not exert its full combat strength.
As the spider silk threads silently broke one by one, the three enormous spiders regained their freedom in succession. At the same time, Bai Zhi withdrew its 'High-Tier Intimidation.'
"Thank you, Your Excellency Bai Zhi..."
Ye Chuyang breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, and was just about to express his gratitude when he witnessed a scene that made both his eyes bulge.
His three spiders,
actually,
crawled of their own accord toward Bai Zhi!
"..." Blue veins bulged on Ye Chuyang's forehead as his toes dug fiercely into the ground.
"..." Bai Zhi froze, sinking into silence, unsure how to react for the moment.
"..." Several black lines drooped down the pink fox's forehead.
Bai Huahua was stunned for a moment, then muttered to itself: "They didn't absorb big sister's 'Spirit Fluid' either... so how can they be so unafraid of death?"
"Come back!" Ye Chuyang roared.
Suffering humiliation for no reason today was one thing, but his three contracted demon beasts were still so disgracefully useless—with "beauty" right before them, they didn't even care about their lives. He truly had no idea who they took after...
Yet the three male spiders acted as if they hadn't heard Ye Chuyang's command at all.
The snow-white spider's mandibles opened and closed, exhaling mouthful after mouthful of frigid air—not to attack the demon spider, but to erect a massive block of ice crystal in front of it.
Snap, crack, crack...
Then its bladed legs swung rapidly. Through cutting and carving, the ice crystal was transformed into an ice sculpture of a spider.
And the sculpture's size and appearance were, unmistakably, ninety percent similar to the demon spider...
The orange-yellow one wasn't idle either. Under the gaze of the crowd... no, the assembled demons, its steps were light and graceful, occasionally spinning in circles, its eight limbs raising and swaying—as if dancing...
As for the spider whose back was as brilliant as gemstones, its entire body's spiritual power circulated and converged on its back. In an instant, the gem-like patterns on its back erupted in multicolored, dazzling radiance.
"..."
Ye Chuyang covered his face with his hand. His body, which had just straightened up, silently dropped back down to its knees.
The Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox narrowed both eyes, its mouth once again stretching to below its ears.
Bai Huahua's eyes lit up as it watched the male spiders put on their show with fascination.
The demon spider couldn't bear the sight, feeling the weariness in its soul consciousness worsen yet again. It almost wanted to jump into the bottomless depths behind it and leave this beautiful yet awkward world... the craftsmanship and dancing were one thing, but now there's a disco light ball too?
"Are you going to take them away or not?! Do you really want to die?" The demon spider's voice was frigid.
"Ah, yes yes yes!"
With a dark face, Ye Chuyang dragged the three spiders away and stuffed them into a ring, bearing an uncanny resemblance to a parent who had just caught their kid sneaking off to an internet cafe.
Still cursing under his breath.
Abruptly, he halted his steps, looked at Bai Zhi with an ingratiating smile, and asked: "May I ask, Your Excellency... what is your relationship with Shining?"
Hearing this, Bai Zhi's heart tightened slightly. It could hardly say that Yang Shining was its servant—if that got out, what would Jiuli Religion think? They'd surely come looking for trouble.
And moreover, the person before it was very likely indeed the Saint Son of Jiuli Religion.
"Won't you find out when you ask her yourself?" As for an explanation, Bai Zhi could not answer directly.
"Very well, Your Excellency Bai Zhi. I hope we may meet again..." Ye Chuyang said politely.
This was, of course, mere politeness. He never wanted to lay eyes on that terrifying female spider again!
But Bai Zhi showed no courtesy whatsoever, directly issuing a near-threat: "Do not let me see your three sons again. Otherwise, when they appear before you next time, they will be three dried-out husks."
"Tsss..."
Ye Chuyang's face paled, the image instantly forming in his mind. He felt threads of chill creep up from the soles of his feet.
Yet his three spider demon beasts, utterly oblivious to the danger, kept transmitting thoughts to him along the lines of "let me out, to complete the great harmony of life"...
Without saying another word, he left swiftly, his heart bitter with grievance. He resolved never to set foot on this Autumn Mountain again.
And if he absolutely had to come, he would certainly never let the three spiders out.