Chapter 15: Engaging in Battle
Everyone cried out in alarm, but they couldn't save Ye Ye's life.
What appeared before their eyes was a giant black and red devil spiderSpirit Beast!
Its carapace was predominantly dark red, covered with fine black thorns, as if it were clad in a ferocious armor.
The spider's main body was less than a meter in diameter, but its eight spider legs stretched out more than three meters like spears.
The most alarming part was its spider legs, all impaled into the tree trunk.
It withdrew its legs from Ye Ye's corpse; the blood-red tips were extremely sharp and reflected light like mirrors.
Not even a speck of blood stained them!
Eight scarlet eyes, like those of Gui Mei, were distributed on both sides of its body, with a small, inexplicable slit in the middle.
"Things are not looking good." With his Purple Demon Eye activated, Zhao Liuyun took in every detail.
Judging by its appearance, it wouldn't be easy to deal with.
What kind of Spirit Beast is this again?
"It's already targeted us, prepare for battle!" Tian Wenlong roared, and the anger from his team member's death ignited instantly.
Mercenaries prioritize their own lives and should have scattered and fled driven by the will to survive.
However, the forest was rugged and difficult to traverse; how could two legs be faster than eight?
There was no other option but to fight to the death, to make a desperate stand.
Zhao Liuyun's expression was solemn; his mind rapidly recalled the Spirit Beast illustrated guides and biographies he had read in the Library, but he couldn't find any matching records.
What was certain was that it wasn't poisonous.
There were no signs of poison on Ye Ye's fallen corpse.
Perceiving the energy level it emitted, it was roughly below seven hundred years.
"Non-poisonous, likely less than seven hundred years old. Its body is larger than its peers, and its spider legs are longer. Its combat power probably relies mainly on its sharp spider legs and that hard, ferocious carapace."
"If any of you recognize it, please share information."
Zhao Liuyun's lips moved rapidly as he articulated his judgment at an extremely fast pace.
"Since we're targeted, we can't escape. Fighting from a high position against a low one is difficult, so let's retreat and find a relatively open area."
As he spoke, he had already distributed antidotes to everyone.
Since this spider was non-poisonous, its resistance to toxins was likely not high, so perhaps poison could be used to subdue the enemy.
The team members silently took the pills and swallowed them, maintaining a battle-ready stance as they slowly retreated.
They couldn't expose their backs; with the speed of a devil spider Spirit Beast in the complex forest environment, showing even a slight flaw would be courting death.
"Ghost Eye devil spider!"
Tian Wenlong slowly exhaled, his eyes full of solemnity; he had identified the origin of this Spirit Beast.
"Liuyun was right, it is indeed non-poisonous."
"The Ghost Eye devil spider wanders in various places, rarely striking directly. It chooses a hunting ground and waits for its prey at ease."
"It loves to launch a fatal blow when its prey is weak, and its strongest weapons are those eight spear-like sharp spider legs."
Zhao Liuyun's heart tightened.
Unknowingly, they had walked into the Ghost Eye devil spider's hunting ground.
This cunning Spirit Beast, taking advantage of everyone's fatigue, had developed killing intent. Ye Ye, observing from the tree, happened to run into its sharp claws.
"It's already on the verge of extinction, how could we possibly encounter it?" Tian Wenlong spat, feeling utterly unlucky.
Despite being non-poisonous, the Ghost Eye devil spider was still a fierce predator and shouldn't appear in this Soul Hunting Forest.
Are the people from Spirit Hall who clear out Spirit Beasts eating shit?
The large spider with scarlet eyes slowly descended.
Everyone retreated step by step, their breaths held taut.
The devil spider seemed to grow impatient and suddenly leaped.
"It jumped down!"
Zhao Liuyun's pupils contracted sharply; he saw the eight spider legs suddenly bend, like springs coiled with power, instantly erupting with terrifying impact.
"Crack! Crack!"
Like a giant cannonball fired from a barrel, branches snapped and leaves shattered wherever the black and red devil spider passed, and tree branches as thick as bowls cracked and splintered like paper in the face of this brute force.
"Danger! Retreat quickly!" Tian Wenlong roared, his figure rapidly falling back.
They couldn't take it head-on!
Without his reminder, everyone had already retreated, each faster than the last.
Zhao Liuyun raised his hand and scattered a handful of poison powder. With light steps of Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, his figure floated backward like a falling leaf, instantly protecting everyone in front of him, just like Han Tianzun.
As a control system Spirit Master with weak frontal combat power, he should naturally stay behind the attack system Spirit Masters and cast skills.
The Ghost Eye devil spider landed, running head-on into the poisonous smoke created by the poison powder.
Tian Wenlong, as a Spirit Elder and the strongest in the Mercenary Group, unhesitatingly stood at the very front.
First Spirit Ability, Rock Armor!
Second Spirit Ability, Earth Guard Shield!
Rock Armor caused a rock armor to appear on his body, a white spirit ring Spirit Ability, its defense was barely better than nothing.
The second was an earth element shield, possessing the hard and heavy characteristics of earth, with both energy and physical defense.
"Haa—!"
The devil spider let out a piercing shriek, its scarlet eyes bursting with a captivating blood-red light, and its body instantly doubled in size!
A violent aura rushed forward like a gale.
Its eight legs moved in unison, its steps like lightning, charging straight towards everyone. Wherever it passed, rocks cracked, and killing intent was fierce.
"It can even enhance itself!" Zhao Liuyun's heart trembled.
The tank, Wu Qianming, said in a deep voice, "Even so, we have to hold it off."
He stood shoulder to shoulder with Tian Wenlong, like two iron walls blocking the way.
First Spirit Ability, Fur Shield, growing thick and dense long fur all over the body with decent defensive power.
A white spirit ring Spirit Ability, not much could be expected from it.
Second Spirit Ability, Indestructible Vajra, which could make the body, including hair, as hard as steel.
Combined with the First Spirit Ability, Fur Shield, it could resist physical attacks even better than Tian Wenlong's Earth Guard Shield.
The Ghost Eye devil spider came with a fierce momentum, almost within reach in the blink of an eye.
"Because we're tired, you dare to fight all heroes alone?"
"Don't underestimate us!"
Tian Wenlong roared again, activating his Third Spirit Ability.
A thick yellow halo condensed on his fist.
Third Spirit Ability, Mountain Shaking Fist, containing the earth attribute's earthquake power.
The yellow light carried a powerful shock force, specifically designed to strike Spirit Beasts with high carapace and scale defense.
Wu Xu, the savage with the Red-Haired Gorilla Spirit, also charged forward in large strides.
First Spirit Ability, Blood Boil, reduces pain and enhances strength.
Also a white spirit ring, a self-enhancement Spirit Ability, better than Rock Armor and Fur Shield, but only marginally better.
Low-level Spirit Masters don't have a grand future; it's better to Focuson immediate combat power.
Most just killed a somewhat suitable Spirit Beast and absorbed it, resulting in messy Spirit Abilities, though this was actually considered good.
Second Spirit Ability, Tiger Demon Transformation, muscles swell, eyes turn into tiger eyes, and black and yellow tiger demon stripes appear on the skin.
It lasts for ten minutes and can significantly enhance defense and attack power, but its drawback is that it increases bestiality and reduces rationality.
However, with danger ahead, it was either life or death, so Wu Xucouldn't care less.
"Kill!"
The three advanced together, while the two agile attack types and Fang Rui, who was between agile attack and strong attack, were all preparing to strike.
As soon as the attack system tore open a gap, they would launch a lightning-fast surprise attack.
Zhao Liuyun was also waiting, waiting for the right moment to release his Spirit Ability.
The moment everyone engaged, "Stop Conflict!"
His only yellow spirit ring suddenly lit up, and a pale purple light shot towards the Ghost Eye devil spider.
Zhao Liuyun had exerted his full mental force to condense it, extending the Spirit Ability's release distance to twenty meters.
The timing of the release was predicted to be the instant after the beast and humans collided.
However, the earth-shattering collision sound they expected did not come.
Everyone's united attack missed without any warning!
The Ghost Eye devil spider's body violently swayed like a reflection on water.
"A solid illusion indistinguishable from reality! This is bad!"
It wasn't an amplification Spirit Ability, but a solid illusion that could deceive the eyes!
Zhao Liuyun's heart clenched instantly, and Brainstorm immediately activated, his thoughts racing like lightning.
Where was its true body hidden?
The spider legs stepped on the hard rock, making a loud sound that was very close!
But Uncle Tian and the others missed their attack, their moves spent, leaving them completely exposed.
"Sister Qiaoqiao, quickly get in front! The illusion is in the back!" Zhao Liuyun commanded rapidly.
He had already approached like a ghost, his mental force rapidly spreading out.