Translator: CinderTL
"Fellow Daoist Jiang Chao, my cultivation is weak. Could you make an exception and let someone else scout ahead?" Song Wen pleaded, his face etched with desperation.
"No," the white-haired old man replied impassively, his expression as cold as ice. "Do you think you can freeload on the rewards? If you don't scout properly, don't blame me for being ruthless."
The white-haired old man had long been displeased with Song Wen's previous behavior. He had only tolerated it because of the current situation. He wouldn't easily grant Song Wen's request.
"Very well," Song Wen conceded, his cultivation inferior to the others. With a hint of resentment, he slowly flew toward the cliff where the spider nest was located. The other three followed about twenty yards behind him.
As they approached the cliff, Song Wen grew increasingly cautious. The other three were equally vigilant, constantly scanning their surroundings for any sign of danger.
Fortunately, the unique fragrance of the bewitching heart fragrance, which could easily alert the yin spiders, didn't appear. They stopped two miles from the nest, fearing that getting too close would arouse the yin spiders' suspicion.
By this time, the swarm of poison bees that had filled the sky had vanished without a trace.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang Chao, what should we do next?" Song Wen asked.
The white-haired old man replied, "Naturally, we must venture deep into the yin spider nest to search for the Nine Deaths Grass."
"Are we just going to charge straight into the yin spider nest like this?" Song Wen asked, somewhat incredulously.
The white-haired old man frowned slightly, assuming Song Wen was afraid of dying and unwilling to scout ahead. He retorted coldly, "Do you have a better plan?"
Song Wen said, "Why don't we lure out the spider swarm and the spider king, eliminate them, and then enter the nest?"
The white-haired old man fell silent, momentarily speechless. Song Wen's plan was indeed much safer than recklessly charging into the spider nest.
The scholar, Shu Sheng, chimed in, "Fellow Daoist Jiang Chao, let's follow Fellow Daoist Ai's suggestion."
The white-haired old man pondered for a moment before nodding. Then he turned to Song Wen and said, "You go lure out the yin spiders."
"Me again?" Song Wen protested.
The white-haired old man barked, "Of course, it's you."
As he spoke, a chilling aura of killing intent emanated from the white-haired old man.
"I'll go," Song Wen said, quickly recognizing the situation.
With a wave of his hand, a Fourth-Tier Peak Corpse Puppet appeared before him.
Song Wen sent the Corpse Puppet ahead to scout the path, then followed behind it.
The white-haired old man and his two companions weren't surprised by Song Wen's summons. They had sensed the aura of a corpse cultivator on him long ago.
Instead of waiting at the original spot, the three continued forward, stopping about a hundred feet from the beehive. Only Song Wen and the Corpse Puppet pressed on toward the nest on the cliff.
"Fellow Daoist Kong Jin, where did you find that Nine Deaths Grass earlier?" the white-haired old man asked the scholar beside him through mental communication.
The scholar raised his hand and pointed at the cliff. "There."
Following the scholar's finger, the white-haired old man saw a cave about ten feet above the ground, its entrance roughly the size of a human waist.
He sent his Divine Sense into the cave and, after penetrating several yards, discovered a milky-white Spirit Grass in a corner—the Nine Deaths Grass, though it was only about fifty years old.
As they spoke, Song Wen had already stopped fifty feet from the cliff.
He noticed yin spiders emerging from some of the caves on the cliff face, their heads peeking out from the entrances. They looked alert, as if on guard, or perhaps simply resting.
These yin spiders seemed to have caught the scent of Song Wen and the Corpse Puppet, too. They straightened up and scanned their surroundings.
"Roar!"
Suddenly, the Corpse Puppet lunged forward, unleashing its Corpse Qi without restraint.
The billowing Corpse Qi transformed into dozens of black giant pythons that surged toward the cliff.
Many yin spiders that had dared to show their faces were caught off guard. They were swept away by the corpse pythons and instantly shattered.
In a mere second or two, hundreds of yin spiders were slaughtered. Only a few quick ones managed to retreat back into the depths of their caves.
Suddenly, a yin spider towering over ten feet tall emerged from a massive cave.
With a powerful leap, it soared into the air and pounced toward the Corpse Puppet.
While airborne, the yin spider flicked its tail, unleashing a ten-yard-wide web that descended like a net over the Corpse Puppet.
The Corpse Puppet condensed its surrounding Corpse Qi into a hundred-yard-long giant python, which charged toward the web.
Under the impact of the corpse python, the spiderweb was instantly torn to shreds.
However, the corpse python was also sliced by the web, collapsing into fragments.
Puff puff puff...
A series of sharp whistling sounds suddenly erupted from above.
Several large nets descended from the sky, enveloping the area where Song Wen and the Corpse Puppet stood.
Without warning, six more yin spiders, each towering over ten feet tall, launched an attack on Song Wen and the Corpse Puppet.
Without a second thought, Song Wen turned and fled.
The Corpse Puppet followed close behind, simultaneously channeling its Corpse Qi to defend against the nets.
In an instant, Song Wen had flown dozens of yards, reaching the front of the white-haired elder and the other two.
"Trash! To be chased into such a desperate retreat by a few Fourth-Tier yin spiders!"
The white-haired elder's expression darkened as he cursed.
Though displeased with Song Wen's actions, his own response was swift.
The azure flag he had summoned earlier fluttered gently, and several massive wind blades materialized.
He was about to command the wind blades to attack the Fourth-Tier yin spiders when the ground beneath him suddenly churned violently, as if some colossal creature were about to erupt from the earth.
Seeing this, all four of them took to the air, soaring skyward.
At the same time, the white-haired elder, the dwarf, and Shu Sheng unleashed their attacks toward the swelling ground below.
The white-haired elder waved his flag, causing the already-formed wind blades to change direction and slash toward the earth.
The dwarf activated his blue pearl, summoning a transparent stream of water that shot out like a spear.
Shu Sheng wielded a three-foot-long sword, its blade radiating cold light like moonlight, aiming straight for the ground.
Their attacks struck the rocky ground, which crumbled instantly like tofu.
Clang, clang, clang...
A series of metallic clashes echoed through the air.
The wind blades shattered.
The water spear dispersed.
The sword flew back.
A black shield, as unyielding as stone, burst from the ground.
The three attacks landed on the shield, achieving nothing.
The next moment, the shield fully emerged, revealing its true form to the four cultivators.
It wasn't a shield at all, but a giant spider, over twenty feet in size.
The shield-like structure was a protective barrier formed by the giant spider, condensing the surrounding poisonous mist.
"A Fifth-Tier Mid-Stage Yin Spider King!" The white-haired elder's expression grew serious.
The Yin Spider King held the advantage of its home turf and had numerous Yin Spiders at its command, making it a formidable opponent.
Just then, several spiderwebs, each ten yards wide, shot toward the four cultivators.
These were attacks from the Fourth-Tier Yin Spiders.
"Ai Kun, go clear out those low-level Yin Spiders."
"Jiang Wo, Shu Sheng, use your full strength. Kill this spider king!"
The white-haired elder issued his orders with an authoritative tone.
None of the three cultivators objected, immediately carrying out his commands.
(End of the Chapter)
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