Xie Zhaolin's eyes suddenly went cold as she sensed through the contract link that the three worker bees had lost contact while scouting a nearby stone forest. She immediately recalled the other workers and commanded the queen to dispatch three elite bees to investigate.
Buzz—
The larger worker bees flapped their wings and flew out, quickly returning information: the stone forest seemed calm on the surface, but scattered across the ground were the remains of several beasts, including the prey of a large spider.
"Shisha Spider?" Xie Zhaolin squinted.
This second-rank apex beast specialized in camouflage, often lying in wait between stone pillars with its webs. But for three worker bees to vanish instantly, it probably wasn't alone.
Her gaze darkened as she weighed the risks.
The stone forest was dangerous, but it was the fastest route to the dwelling. She flipped out a dark red pill, its surface veined with blood patterns, giving off a tempting metallic sweetness.
A Shaxue Pill.
It had a deadly allure to spider-type beasts. She handed it to one of the worker bees, signaling it to roll carefully toward the forest's edge.
Meanwhile, she led the swarm quietly to the other side of the forest, the Dark Shadow Mirror floating before her. Its surface shimmered with ghostly light, ready to respond to any sudden threat.
Rustle…
A faint scraping sound came from the stone forest. A Shisha Spider, the size of a basin, slowly crawled out, its eight compound eyes fixed on the Shaxue Pill, its mandibles opening and closing.
Just as its forelegs were about to touch the pill—
Boom!
Xie Zhaolin detonated a strand of black qi hidden in the bead.
The shockwave flipped the spider over, exposing the vulnerable segments of its abdomen. She quickly formed hand seals, shooting three black qi arrows into its weak points with deadly precision.
"Hiss—"
The Shisha Spider shrieked in pain, thrashing as it tried to escape back into the forest.
Xie Zhaolin wouldn't give it the chance.
She rapidly activated the Dark Shadow Mirror, sending three streaks of blue light into its compound eyes. At the same time, a flash of light appeared between her brows as a divine mind spike stabbed into the spider's consciousness.
Instantly, its eight long legs convulsed violently. She activated the mirror again, and the blue light flared, trapping the spider in place.
Yet the spider was clearly stronger than the queen bee. Even severely injured, its ferocity hadn't waned. Its abdomen bulged oddly, and it suddenly spat a web glowing with ghostly green light—coated in corrosive venom—straight at Xie Zhaolin's face!
Buzz—
Before she could react, the queen led the worker swarm in a coordinated attack. Dozens of strikes shredded the venomous web midair. The Shisha Spider, frustrated, began biting its own legs, spraying dark green blood in a desperate attempt to break free.
Xie Zhaolin's gaze turned icy. This beast had limited intelligence; mere intimidation wouldn't tame it, and forcibly contracting it would be pointless.
She didn't hesitate. Her divine sense pierced directly into its mind.
The fragile mental barrier shattered instantly. Its compound eyes dulled, and its eight legs collapsed weakly. She pulled out a specially designed spirit beast bag, sealing the unconscious Shisha Spider inside. This bag not only restrained the beast but preserved its life—perfect for puppet crafting.
"An unexpected gain."
She hefted the heavy bag, a cold smile curling her lips. With this method, she could probably tame all the Shisha Spiders in the forest, forging a puppet army!
Just as she prepared to move on, the queen suddenly sent an urgent warning.
Danger!
Xie Zhaolin's expression darkened as she scanned with her divine sense. Deep in the forest lurked an even larger spider—a queen!
A third-rank beast!
Equivalent to a Golden Core-level human cultivator!
Her pupils constricted. The Dark Shadow Mirror retracted into her palm. Without hesitation, she formed hand seals and chanted an incantation. Black qi surged around her, and she became a shadow as she retreated rapidly.
"Move!"
At her command, the swarm scattered to cover her. She weaved skillfully through the forest, dodging bones and webs with every step. Behind her, the queen's furious shrieks shook the entire forest. Xie Zhaolin didn't look back, pulling out a silver-tinged Speed Talisman from her storage bag.
Swift!
The talisman ignited, blurring her form into the surrounding black mist. The queen's raging presence swept past, failing to lock onto her. Three breaths later, she appeared two li away in a mountain hollow, back against a cliff, slowly catching her breath.
The queen landed silently on her shoulder, antennae trembling, transmitting information from behind.
"Lost her?" A faint smile crossed her lips. The queen was enraged, but she wouldn't leave her territory over a mere minion.
Xie Zhaolin didn't act immediately. She closed her eyes and cultivated for half an hour, fully recovering before reviewing the terrain information from the queen.
"Since the stone forest is impassable…" She reconstructed the surrounding terrain in her mind using the queen's feedback.
Three li north of the forest was a poisonous swamp. Southeast lay a steep cliff, and southwest looked strangely familiar—she must have passed there in her previous life when visiting the Blackwater Abyss.
"This way we can go around." She opened her eyes, a glint of determination shining.
But she didn't rush. Venturing in recklessly now would be suicide. First, she needed to grow stronger. The Blackwater Abyss was full of heavenly and earthly treasures rich in baleful qi.
"Queen, are there any spirit herbs nearby southwest?"
The queen flapped gently, sending a message through the contract.
"A cold pool?"
Xie Zhaolin raised an eyebrow. The message told her the area was full of icy energy, with several rare spirit plants growing nearby.
"Could it be Xuanyin Grass?"
Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. This herb only grew in extremely yin areas and was prime material for crafting yin-type pills. Even if she couldn't refine it into pills, directly absorbing it would significantly boost her strength.
"Let's check it out."
With a thought, the queen sent out several workers to scout ahead. Xie Zhaolin followed cautiously, using the black mist for cover, moving southwest.
Half an hour later, a small cold pool appeared before her.
The water was deep, its surface covered with thin ice. Nothing grew around it except three black Xuan Yin Grass plants, their leaves dotted with tiny ice crystals.
She carefully probed with her divine sense, ensuring no danger before stepping forward.
Just as she was about to harvest, the queen let out an urgent buzz. Xie Zhaolin leapt back instantly, landing three zhang away.
Clatter—