Clouds and mist wreathed the landscape. Immortal peaks loomed and vanished. White cranes called out, and monkeys clambered up cliffs.
Amidst the verdant, winding mountain ranges, one towering peak—Autumn Mountain—towered far above all other peaks. Unlike the others, which were ever-green, this mountain was crimson and gold, its scenery gorgeous, with red leaves dyeing the entire forest.
Deep within Autumn Mountain lay a secluded valley cut off from the mortal world, hidden among the wild forests. Clusters of rock stood tall, the mountain spring water ran clear, butterflies danced through the air, and birdsong and floral fragrance could be heard everywhere.
Deep and secluded, within this valley stood a resplendent, elegant mansion built into the mountainside. Golden roofs, layered eaves, rows of vermillion pillars. Outside the mansion were clusters of bamboo groves. Inside were leisurely courtyards. Opposite it lay a stretch of emerald-green lake.
By the lakeshore stood a graceful, beautiful woman in a long aqua-green dress, staring blankly at the lake's surface.
"Holy Maiden, it seems that esteemed one has awakened."
A young woman dressed in a plain white cross-collared ruqun approached from behind and said.
Yang Shining's jade-like face instantly blossomed with delight. She turned around and nodded slightly. "Without my order, no one is to enter."
"Yes." The ruqun-clad maiden responded.
Immediately, Yang Shining quickened her pace and entered the mansion.
In a short while, she passed through a garden path, a long corridor, and crossed through a hexagonal courtyard gate, arriving at an elegant, spacious courtyard.
Within the courtyard, a stone vat held water. The vat's surface was carved with all manner of strange and wondrous beasts. Through the water's surface, one could see water lilies and goldfish. Beside the stone vat was a small pavilion, laid out with the zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting—just like the abode of an ancient sage or recluse.
She stopped before a room decorated with natural wood.
She drew a deep breath but did not choose to knock.
Because the door and walls were covered with invisible spider silk.
Her eyes flickered with nervousness as she called out in a soft, delicate voice:
"Lord Bai Zhi?"
The next moment, a female voice as pleasant as a clear spring stream came from within the room:
"Mhm."
"Phew~"
Yang Shining let out a breath of relief and said joyfully:
"You've finally awakened. Is there anything you need me to do?"
"How long have I slept this time?" the voice inside the room asked.
"Ah, it's been three days," Yang Shining replied.
Hearing this, ripples of emotion stirred in the heart of the one inside the room.
To think I'd been unconscious for so long again...
Within the spacious, comfortable room steeped in ancient charm, the fragrance of medicinal herbs permeated the air.
In the dim depths of the room was a soft couch. Upon this couch lay a massive spider nearly two meters in body length, its entire body pitch black and covered in blue-violet patterns, with a crescent moon Sigil atop its head.
Ever since it had used the "Web of the World" to perform a spatial leap and arrived at the "Jiuli Grotto-Heaven" provided by Yang Shining, it had barely settled in and exchanged a few words with Yang Shining before that mysterious energy within its body had been exhausted and its self-awareness had sunk into slumber.
The "Web of the World" could not only perform spatial leaps, but also unrestrictedly read the memories and thoughts of living beings, and within an extremely short time, complete information exchange with the targets whose thoughts it read.
But the origin of this divine ability was completely unknown to the demon spider, nor did it understand how it had comprehended and utilized it at the time.
Although it had been incredibly formidable then, afterward it was left in a state of total bewilderment about the whole thing.
In short, on that day atop the rear mountain, the demon spider had obtained the location of the Jiuli Grotto-Heaven with a mere thought and reached an agreement with Yang Shining.
The Jiuli Grotto-Heaven, the very foundation of the Jiuli Sect, was an independent space apart from the mortal world, hidden deep in the wilderness mountains of Yongle City in Lan Province, separated from Yongan City by over a thousand kilometers. It was extremely suitable for the demon spider to evade humanity's hostility and war and recuperate in peace.
Upon arriving at the Jiuli Grotto-Heaven, its first slumber had lasted a full four days.
Four days later, it hazily awoke. It forced its chaotic consciousness to stay alert, spun a layer of spider webs around the house, and called Yang Shining over for a few words before sinking into slumber once again.
This second slumber was slightly shorter, only three days.
Now, after a full seven days of deep sleep, the demon spider's body was basically unharmed. But the exhaustion of its soul still lingered, leaving it dazed and muddled.
Indeed, that bitter battle seven days ago—though the demon spider's body had been completely repaired on the surface, and it had even received help from "Wang Miaoyin," successfully repelling the enemy and leaving—
In truth, both its spiritual energy and soul consciousness had suffered tremendous depletion, which was why it had been overcome by mountainous drowsiness upon arriving at the Jiuli Grotto-Heaven.
With each cycle of slumber and awakening, the demon spider felt itself growing increasingly out of tune with the world, drifting further and further from that past "self."
That day, wielding that mysterious power and unfurling the "Web of the World," it had also grasped the full story of many things.
Among the numerous human targets, it had focused on reading the memories and thoughts of the unconscious Chen Zhang.
So, in the eyes of the authorities, its severed limb had been discovered, and it was already "dead." Its legal death had already been established.
The authorities had also locked onto its location through that anonymous email...
It was precisely because of this that the demon spider began to re-recognize itself.
Whether it was Bai Jie or Bai Zhi—what it was called didn't matter that much to it.
The meaning of a name came more from those who knew and acknowledged it.
The past "Bai Jie" was dead in every sense. The current self lived as "Bai Zhi." Then in the future, it would continue to live on under the name "Bai Zhi"...
The Bai Zhi in the eyes of Bai Huahua, Lin Binbin, Long Ge, Yang Shining, and Wang Miaoyin—also the Bai Zhi in the eyes of Long Bingheng, Gui Yu, and the others...
The most important thing right now was still to survive. Then, afterward—shapeshifting. To live with dignity.
And among the obstacles—the existences threatening its life—besides the human authorities, there was also that eerie purple light...
Based on the "Web of the World," Bai Zhi clearly understood that the brand the eerie purple light had left in the depths of its consciousness had been refined away, but the eerie purple light still lurked within its body, as if fallen into an eternal slumber.
Thinking of this, a thought stirred.
Familiar information data surfaced...
[Name]: Bai Zhi
[Title]: Demon Spider Bai Zhi, Night Goddess Nyx
[Race]: Deep Crimson Eerie Moon (Eldritch / Demonic-Evil Body)
[Vitality]: 699
[Skills]:
Calamity Rain Mist Lv.3, Demon Web Blood Sacrifice Lv.3, Bewitching Threads Lv.3, Eternal Night's Descent Lv.7, Dark Summon Lv.7, Darkest Hour Lv.9, High-Speed Regeneration Lv.9, Ten Thousand Binding Threads Lv.10, Spider Sense Lv.10, Advanced Intimidation Lv.12 (MAX), Invisibility Camouflage Lv.12 (MAX), Mutated Venom Lv.12 (MAX), Egg Laying Lv.12 (MAX), Bite Lv.12 (MAX)
[Talents]:
Death Blight, Flexible Blade Conversion, Poison-Refining Gu, Spirit-Devouring Body, Lightning Control, Night Affinity, Mystic Forbidden Domain (Awakening)
[Satiety]: 36%
[Body Length]: Leg span 175cm