The Man-Faced Demon Spider before her was pitch-black, its body encased in a glossy obsidian-like carapace. Grayish-white fur sprouted from its back, and its eight spear-like claws dug deep into the ground. Its small head bore eight glowing eyes, shining like tiny lightbulbs. The spider's face was grotesque, with white patterns on its abdomen forming a sinister human-like visage.
"Roar!"
Spotting Qian Renxue, the spider let out a piercing cry, unleashing a powerful soul beast aura. Judging by its presence, this Man-Faced Demon Spider was at least 5,000 years old.
Man-Faced Demon Spiders were notorious for their bloodthirsty nature and rampant killing, earning them disdain from both soul beasts and humans. Often hunted by stronger beasts before reaching maturity, a millennial Man-Faced Demon Spider was rare, and a 5,000-year-old one was virtually unheard of in the Star Dou Forest. Yet here it was, facing Qian Renxue.
As the young heiress of the Angel Clan, Qian Renxue excelled from a young age, well-versed in soul beast compendiums. Identifying soul beasts was second nature to her. She knew the strengths and terrors of the Man-Faced Demon Spider.
The beast glared at her with malevolent greed, its massive maw opening wide. This human looked delectable—devouring her would be worth more than several soul beasts. Unaware of Qin Feng's soul beast meeting the previous day, it didn't recognize Qian Renxue or know she was under his protection. Even if it had, its murderous nature might not have spared her.
Qin Feng, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, was as infamous as it was. If he could dominate the forest through devouring, why couldn't the Man-Faced Demon Spider surpass him by doing the same? Its logic was simple: if a tiger could rise to power, so could a spider.
With a shrill screech, its eight eyes glowed ruby-red. Opening its dark maw, it launched a ferocious attack. A barrage of white webbing shot from its mouth like spears, hurtling toward Qian Renxue. The webbing was incredibly sticky, ten times stronger than ordinary spider silk.
Man-Faced Demon Spiders were among the deadliest soul beasts, their combat prowess terrifying. A 5,000-year-old specimen could easily handle 10,000-year-old beasts, equivalent to a human Soul Emperor. Facing such a formidable foe, Qian Renxue assessed her strengths and weaknesses.
Her advantage was her Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul—a versatile, hexagonal warrior capable of ranged magic, close combat, flight, high recovery, and strong defense. Reckless fighting wasn't her style; leveraging her strengths was the key. The sky was her domain, where her combat power doubled.
Qian Renxue decisively activated her Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul and took flight to gain distance. Her eyes flashed with golden light, and a pair of radiant golden wings sprouted from her back. With a light push off the ground, she dodged the spider's webbing like a feather, soaring into the air.
But she overlooked one critical detail: this was a forest, surrounded by towering trees, not her ideal battlefield. Her sky advantage was nullified, her wings more hindrance than help.
Summoning her angel wings, she shot upward, only to crash headfirst into a thick tree branch. Bang! The unprotected impact left her head throbbing and vision spinning. She plummeted back to the ground.
Seeing her flight capability, the spider acted swiftly, unwilling to let her escape. It sprayed webbing into the sky, weaving a massive net among the trees to trap her. If she tried flying again, the inescapable web would ensnare her, stripping her of her aerial advantage.
In moments, the spider had crafted a vast net across the forest canopy. Qian Renxue rubbed her aching head, cursing her carelessness. Hearing the hiss of webbing, she looked up to see the spider's trap. Her escape route was cut off. To survive, she had to defeat the beast.
Her gaze sharpened, her body trembling as soul power surged. Holy angelic energy gathered in her fists. With a tap of her foot, she transformed into a streak of golden light, charging at the spider.
"First Soul Skill: Angel Assault!"
Her clear voice rang out as she unleashed blazing energy, her fists glowing with radiant gold as they struck. The holy attribute countered evil, her light purifying darkness. The spider recoiled instinctively, repelled by her angelic power.
Its two front claws, like massive cleavers, slashed at her in a cross. The spider underestimated her, assuming a four-ring Soul Ancestor was no match. But as they clashed, it was shocked to find this golden-haired girl far stronger than an ordinary Soul Ancestor. Her golden soul power burned its energy, restraining it.
Clang!
The spider staggered back, its six rear claws leaving deep gouges in the ground. Its front claws tingled from the impact, their fur singed by golden flames. To Qian Renxue's surprise, she held the upper hand in their first clash.
Is the Man-Faced Demon Spider this weak? she wondered. I, a Soul Ancestor, forced it back?