Li Feng stepped forward. He stared at Meng Xuan who was lying comfortably in Xiao long embrace. Everything he did to hide the anger in his eyes was in vain.
"Team leader, your unscrupulous behavior won't help us kill more Abyssal Spiders," he said coldly.
"And since we all know the Abyssal Demonic Zone will soon evolve into an upper-tier zone, the geographical structures are changing. That makes the map in your hand worthless. At this point, we can only tread carefully."
His statement made the whole team tense up. They began exchanging uneasy, strained expressions. The confidence they had carried just moments before began to waver.
Meng Xuan praised Li Feng silently in his mind. Being cunning with his words has already ruined his image as the team leader.
They could only look to appoint a new, temporary leader—someone strong and capable enough to guide them through this dangerous demonic zone.
Meng Xuan slowly stood up and walked toward Li Feng.
He stifled a laugh before he spoke. "Brother Li Feng, you are free to act as the team's temporary leader. Since you are strong and capable, you are the right person for the position."
Li Feng was torn between surprise and disbelief. He'd heard of Meng Xuan's recent shamelessness and boldness. If he had insisted on remaining the team leader, it would have only given them more reason to pin every failure on him.
By now, he should be suspicious and wary of me,Lifeng thought thought, but why is he still acting otherwise?
"Master, you made the right decision here," Fiend monk continued softly. "If you had proven stubborn, he could have acted against you right now. But this way, he will be overly cautious, carefully weighing every move against you."
Meng Xuan slowly nodded. He, too, had considered that possibility.
"Master, don't be afraid. Your death is not in this demonic zone. Plus, you being exposed to greater danger gives a lot of belief and experience, which is the key to becoming stronger."
"It's irritating that you call me 'Master' every time," Li Feng sighed. "Just call me Meng Xuan."
"Yes boss!"
The sudden change in Meng Xuan's expression also affected Li Feng. He had the nagging feeling that there was more to Meng Xuan than met the eye.
The group set out again under Li Feng's instruction, moving in a northeast direction.
Li Feng, now the team leader, began proving himself worthy—while the weaker Meng Xuan, who couldn't protect himself, fell behind. The group faced less danger as the Abyssal Spiders were dispatched swiftly. Li Feng's cultivation art technique proved excellent for scouting, making everything a lot easier.
Different Abyssal Spiders lay strewn all about. Despite the constant skirmishes, they suffered only minor casualties, all thanks to their new temporary leader.
Even Meng Xuan himself was saved more than once by Li Feng from the Abyssal Spiders.
They picked their spoils of war. A girl was lucky enough to find the beast fragment of an Abyssal Spider.
Just as they were about to advance, the group suddenly came to a halt.
After walking nearly the length of a football pitch, the Abyssal Spider could no longer be seen again.
The absence of abyssal spiders could only mean one thing...
"I think we've entered the domain of a stronger abyssal spider," Meng Xuan said in a low voice. It wasn't loud, but the remaining team members still heard him. Panic instantly spread across their faces.
"W-we should use the return coin!" one of them stammered.
"Fool! If this really is the spider's domain, the dense energy here will block any escape method," a girl snapped, her voice sharp with frustration.
Tsk,Fiend monk clicked his tongue looking at the other team members through Meng Xuan.
"People always think danger won't reach them," he muttered. "They think they're a step ahead or behind it—but fear always catches up. That's the real weakness of humanity."
Suddenly, an eerie sound echoed—something was approaching, but no one could tell from where. The group froze, tense.
Then someone shouted, "Look up!"
The entire group raised their heads. Their eyes widened.
A massive web blanketed the sky above, stretching as far as they could see. And on that web stood a large abyssal spider. Its size rivaled a full-grown beast, each step making a strained creaking sound as though its legs might snap.
A team member turned to flee—but what followed next made everyone's blood run cold.
A huge ball of silk shot forward, spinning rapidly. Just as it neared the fleeing figure, it expanded mid-air, transforming into a circular blade woven from threads and lined with jagged edges.
It sliced through the air with terrifying force.
The fleeing team member collapsed, a sharp cry escaping him as he hit the ground, clutching his leg.
One of his companions, likely a close friend, cried out, " Tang Zhou,We can't escape this domain unless we defeat that spider!"
"That's impossible… only Lifeng—" another began, but stopped short as someone pointed in disbelief.
Lifeng had gone missing, his absence shocking the team.
"So this is where he was headed," Meng Xuan murmured.
"This spider must've absorbed something unusual," Fiend monk began, "Its strength has jumped beyond normal. It's forming a domain—something only much stronger beings should be able to do."
"It's has probably mutated," Fiend Monk added thoughtfully. "It's still not truly at the level to sustain this domain... but the energy in this place must have forced the change."
" Even if it has changed, it might still have weak spots. If all ten of you can work together—especially the one who uses the gravity art—you might stand a chance.
"Tsk, spitefully,the strongest here is the villain"
He turned his head back to the Abyssal Spider in the sky, which was suddenly undergoing a strange transformation.
Its body expanded rapidly, growing to two times its normal size.
Its belly opened up, and several different Abyssal Spiders began falling from above.
"Shit! What's going on?"
They landed on the ground with a thud, their eight legs piercing the white sand. They attacked immediately.
They were the same beasts they had encountered along the way.
The Abyssal Spider in the sky shrank back again—this time to the size of an elephant.
Then, in an instant, the Abyssal Spider vanished from the air.
Meng Xuan's instincts flared. He felt all the hairs on his body stand on end. Two red orb suddenly flashed in his vision.