The alarm of danger rang loud in Meng Xuan's head. All his six senses screamed for him to escape.
He quickly dodged. If not for Fiend Monk's timely warning, this might've been the end. His head would've been cleaved clean by the web-blade of the Abyssal Spider.
Thankfully, Xiao Long was by his side, always alert. She blocked the next attack from the spider without hesitation.
The metallic wall Xiao Long had created was instantly torn through, producing a sharp screeching sound.
A large, needle-like leg of the spider flashed in the dim light and lunged toward them. At the same time, Xiao Long transformed the white sand on the ground into a barrier of metal essence.
"Let's fight this beast together," Meng Xuan said, eyes cold with resolve.
Xiao Long nodded slowly.
The second metal barrier was cut through again.
Meng Xuan dashed forward, Xiao Long supporting him. He managed to dodge most of the attack as he closed in on the Abyssal Spider.
His swordplay shifted—unfamiliar, almost instinctual. He displayed different attacking styles even he didn't know he possessed.
The short sword in his hand moved in a blur, keeping up with the spider's barrage. Xiao Long defended for him while he focused solely on striking.
A certain someone once told me… one could achieve the impossible when facing true death.
He hadn't understood it—until now. But in this life-threatening moment, he could relate.
There was once a story on Earth:
A teenager, chased by three dangerous dogs, managed to escape by jumping a wall three times his height. The boy himself had no idea how he did it—but he lived.
The same was happening to Meng Xuan. He moved with great agility, executing skills he had never practiced before—just to survive.
The spider's attacks became more ferocious, more violent. Xiao Long's attacks turned futile. Their stamina was depleting rapidly.
Meng Xuan was even worse off—he had no Holy Force,he was only fighting base on the martial arts he learned from the academy and also from fiend monk.
"There is a technique I can use," Fiend Monk spoke up before Meng Xuan could continue. "It could force the Abyssal Spider into submission… but—"
He paused. "There is a price to be paid."
Shifting his attention to find more words created an opening.
The Abyssal Spider struck.
Its leg tore through the air toward Meng Xuan's head. The barrier Xiao Long created began to flicker—her energy already depleted.
The aura of death descended on him.
Is this how I die?
But like a miracle, the spider's leg stopped—mere inches above his head.
The spider lowered its leg, backing off, lowering its body.
"Can you turn the spider upside down?" he whispered, not taking his eyes off the monster.
"Sure," she nodded, eyes narrowed with resolve.
She reached for the rope, her fingers glowing faintly. With a whisper of energy, her transformation ability activated. The coarse rope shimmered and twisted unnaturally, reshaping itself midair. It coiled around the eighth leg of the abyssal spider like a serpent obeying its master.
Then — a sudden snap of tension.
The transformed rope pulled, and the massive spider let out a screech as its enormous body was flipped upside down, slamming onto the ground with a thunderous crash that shook the cave floor.
"Everyone! Now! Attack the abyssal spider!" Meng Xuan's voice rang out like thunder.
The team, momentarily stunned, turned with renewed determination. The lesser spiders scattered, sensing the shift in battle. The hunters charged forward, converging on the main threat.
Meng Xuan sprinted ahead, leaping onto the spider's exposed underside. He drove his short sword down, aiming for the belly. The blade struck — but only a dull metallic clang echoed. His force wasn't enough.
Ji Baixi, the team's healer, rushed to his side.
"I have a technique," she said quickly. "A temporary power-up. It'll amplify your strength fivefold — but once it fades, you'll suffer the rebound."
Meng Xuan looked at her, then at the still-flailing spider. He gave a nod.
....
He exhaled slowly, planting his feet as Ji Baixi placed a glowing palm on his back. Her energy surged through him — wild and overwhelming. His muscles tightened, veins pushing against his skin, and heat pulsed in his chest as power surged within him.
The spider, meanwhile, began to stir — its shrill screech pierced the air. Its legs flailed, scraping against the rocky ground like a toppled beast desperate to rise.
Meng Xuan didn't hesitate.
With his body surging with unnatural strength, he gripped the short sword and thrust it deep into the soft spot of the spider's belly. The blade pierced deeper this time, inch by inch, cutting through the creature's thick hide.
He remembered Li Feng's earlier clash — the spider's belly was its weak point.
The rest of the team joined in, their weapons raining down strikes upon the creature's exposed frame. The transformation Xiao Long used had altered the terrain too — the ground beneath the spider had softened into a slick, shifting mass, trapping it further.
...
Finally, Meng Xuan let out a fierce cry and drove the sword in with all his might. The spider convulsed.
Then came silence.
A moment later, the abyssal spider let out a low groan and collapsed — motionless.
A ripple of relief passed through the group.
"We did it!" Xiao Long shouted, her voice trembling with joy.
"Yes," Meng Xuan managed to say with a faint smile. "The abyssal spider is dead."
He staggered, trying to stay upright — but the aftershock of the buff hit him hard. His strength gave out, and he slumped forward, unconscious, as Xiao Long rushed to catch him.
He was already suffering from the backlash of using several times the actual force of his strength. Blood oozed out of his severed arteries, the essence of life gradually leaving his body.
"Don't worry. Since you're literally a demon, you must have some self-healing abilities," the fiend monk reassured the nearly dying meng xuan.
Xiao Long gazed at the meng xuan with teary eyes. She looked around, only to find Ji Baixi missing.
"Xiao Long, don't worry. I'll be fine. Let all of us use the returning coin. I'm sure they will heal us back at the academy," he said, his voice faint.
The six remaining team members gathered around the meng xuan.
The man whose leg had been amputated was being carried by another guy,the blood has been stopped. They all looked at the magician in a new light—after all, he was the one who killed the master-rank Abyssal Spider.
Maybe the Abyssal Spider had just taken its final breath because a red orb slowly floated out from its body. It shot forward, straight toward the meng xuan.
"A master-rank Abyssal Spider beast fragment!" someone shouted in a surprised tone.
The red orb, after coming in contact with the meng xuan's body, slowly disappeared. A small spider tattoo appeared on his right arm.
The final killer of a demonic beast would naturally gain its beast fragment.
The team now looked at the meng xuan with jealousy. Having a master-rank demonic beast fragment meant he could face even a master-rank cultivator.
Wasn't he too lucky? Though it was a one-time use, it was overpowered. It was simply too much for someone like the meng xuan—someone with no holy force.
They immediately packed their spoils of war without further hesitation.
They were about to use the returning coin when they heard a cold voice.