### **Chapter 93: Spider Mountain**
Based on the speed of the last journey, Wang Yu estimated the trip would take two months.
But that wasn't the case. Despite its larger size, it was much faster than Gu Zhengshun's bone skiff. Having such a means of transport was far better than that lousy Black Silk artifact.
He wanted one too.
In less than a month, Spider Mountain in Night Qiong Province was already in sight.
The smooth arrival finally allowed the constantly apprehensive Wang Yu to breathe a sigh of relief. Calculating the time, Wei Zhong should have emerged from seclusion by now. Who knew what was happening inside the sect?
Fortunately, he had run fast.
During this month of travel, Wang Yu was either cultivating or with Si Tu Hong, learning more about Spider Mountain.
The Ghost-Eye Spider was a Yin-attributed demonic beast with second-grade potential. Adults could reach the late first-grade stage, and the Spider Queens were almost always second-grade.
Each of those Ghost-Eye Caves housed a Spider Queen.
The Spiderheart Grass fields required the excrement and bodily fluids of the Ghost-Eye Spiders to accelerate growth. When they went on guard duty, they also needed to enter the Ghost-Eye Caves to collect the excrement.
This task was not only laborious but also dangerous.
The demand for bodily fluids primarily relied on hunting, usually done jointly with Five Yin Peak disciples—they took the eyes, Wang Yu's side extracted the fluids.
Although Spider Mountain was a breeding ground, the demonic beasts weren't livestock. They possessed intelligence and free will. Except for the Spider Queens controlled by the secret arts of the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect's sixth peak, [Ferocious Nether Peak],
the numerous offspring they produced existed in a semi-wild state, fiercely aggressive, their hostility no less than that of wild demonic beasts.
Otherwise, there wouldn't be a need for so many people at a single Spider Mountain.
They always had to leave some room for replenishment to avoid affecting production.
Wang Yu would undoubtedly team up with Si Tu Hong. It was good to develop默契 early, communicate more, and deepen their foundation of trust.
"Brother Wang, the Ghost Eyes of these spiders are truly good stuff. Not only are they useful for me, but they are also a treasure for the Coldblood Art you cultivate."
At the moment, the two were standing in a corner of the deck, looking into the distance at their approaching destination, chatting quietly. Cultivators like them were all over the deck.
Hearing this, Wang Yu immediately became interested.
"Oh? How so?"
Si Tu Hong spread his palm, a similarly cold spiritual power swirling into a small vortex. Faint roars of malicious ghosts could be heard within—his refined Natal Ghost Spirit, the [Chilling Wind Ghost].
It hadn't been long, but Si Tu Hong had almost reached the peak of the eighth layer of Qi Refining, not far from the ninth layer. His spiritual power had even condensed into a semi-liquid state.
His strength was not weak.
Compared to demonic beasts of the same level, human cultivators, aside from inferior physical bodies, held overwhelming advantages in other aspects. With any combat intelligence, victory was almost certain against beasts of the same realm.
Of course, the 'human cultivators' referred to here are specifically disciples of Nascent Soul sects; rogue cultivators don't count.
There are also powerful bloodlines among demonic beasts, which are also not considered常规.
The technique Si Tu Hong cultivated was called [Heavenly Yin Art], sharing the same attributes as Wang Yu's but focusing more on the Yin aspect, with Cold being secondary.
Wang Yu focused on the Cold attribute, with Yin being secondary.
"Besides alchemy and artifact refining, the Ghost Eyes of the Ghost-Eye Spiders are themselves superior treasure medicines for us cultivators of the Yin-Cold attribute. Consuming them can not only brighten the eyes but also assist in refining Yin-Cold spiritual energy."
"Used with a Spirit Gathering Formation, the medicinal effect is roughly equivalent to a first-grade mid-tier cultivation pill. Moreover, it can be taken together with cultivation-enhancing pills, with a limit of around ten."
"Similarly, the stronger the spider producing the Ghost Eye, the greater the effect. If it's from a second-grade Ghost-Eye Spider Queen, it can be very helpful even for Foundation Establishment cultivators."
After hearing Si Tu Hong's explanation, Wang Yu's eyes shone brightly. He had been worried about hitting the上限 in his cultivation speed and lacking other methods to accelerate it, and now he found another one.
However.
"Brother Si Tu, does spiritual root aptitude affect the efficacy of this item?"
"Uh... this..." Si Tu Hong was momentarily stunned.
"I've heard the effect of Ghost Eyes is relatively mild. We'll know for sure after trying it."
"True."
Their conversation wasn't long. The giant spirit boat was descending, and the full view of Spider Mountain came into sight.
The mountain wasn't very high, only about seventeen or eighteen hundred meters.
It was dotted with exactly twenty-one Ghost-Eye Caves. The rocks were jet black, with no soil or vegetation. Gray clumps formed by cobwebs were everywhere.
The terrain was somewhat similar to Profound Bone Mountain. At the foot of the mountain were vast spirit fields. In the center was a building complex resembling a farmhouse.
Stone houses were also scattered along the edges of the fields.
The soil in the fields emitted a faint stench, was brown-green in color, and had many entangled spider threads, like a thermal blanket made of straw.
Rows of Spiderheart Grass stood neatly, black-red in color, their leaves and stems shaped like spider legs. The top bore a red, tumor-like fruit—the source of the 'Spiderheart' name.
The giant spirit boat stopped at the edge of the fields. After all eight hundred-plus people disembarked one after another, the veiled woman finally put it away.
Wang Yu and Si Tu Hong stood at the back. After the Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed here completed the handover, only about three hundred people remained, who then boarded another spirit boat and left.
Thus, Spider Mountain was completely taken over by their group.
Advancing another thousand meters to the center of the fields, the disciples of Five Yin Peak and Coldblood Peak finally separated, and tasks were assigned one by one.
Wang Yu had experience tending spirit fields, so he was temporarily exempt from entering the spider caves. He was assigned two *mu* of land to care for the Spiderheart Grass inside.
His residence was a stone house nearby. He was also issued a booklet containing all the precautions.
The Five Yin Peak side had it more troublesome. They needed to go to the nearest city, [Heart-Erosion City], to fetch food for the Ghost-Eye Spiders.
They also had to request disciples from the Ferocious Nether Peak stationed in Heart-Erosion City to check the condition of the Spider Queens. It was much more troublesome than tending the fields. Everyone had tasks.
On Wang Yu's side, half the people tended the fields, while the other half were divided into three teams, entering the Ghost-Eye Caves once every seven days to collect excrement and bodily fluids from the Ghost-Eye Spiders.
The two groups would rotate yearly. It would be his turn to join the cave-entry team next year.
This allowed him time to adjust. It was quite relaxed.
A large second-grade mid-tier formation was set up here, linked to the underground spirit vein. The remaining spiritual energy supplied for cultivation wasn't much, and most of it was occupied by the two Foundation Establishment cultivators.
The spiritual energy environment was far inferior to that within the sect, but it was acceptable. Consuming some spirit stones could make up for daily cultivation. This was even less of an issue for Wang Yu, as his dependence on the environment was almost nil.
Even without a spirit vein, his cultivation would still rise steadily.
There wasn't much work here, the tasks were light, and there were no external dangers. It was most suitable for him to slowly accumulate and convert resources into strength. He could also practice alchemy occasionally to familiarize himself with the use of the Frigid Flame.
The Twelve Flame Spirit Seal Formula, Flame Exhalation Technique... and others.
Especially the Flood Dragon Strength. He had been placing this body refinement technique for about four months now and had just recently reached the Minor Achievement stage.
Each feedback from the placement slot provided him with blood essence power. This passive cultivation had already brought him to the third layer of body refinement.
Three "Dragon Sinews" had condensed within his body, and his physical strength had surged dramatically.
This power originated from within his muscles and bones. Every time he exerted force, one could see the bulging blue veins under his skin, fierce and thick, granting him formidable strength and vitality.
**(End of Chapter)**