Chapter 1422: A Powerful Aid

A strong wind blew through, causing the grass and trees to rustle and the sea of trees to undulate. The wind swirled within the mountain hollow, whistling as it turned. The forest at night was pitch black, looking exactly like a turbulent sea.

The vines and creepers beneath the cliff were as numerous as human hair. The flea-crickets had to kick their hind legs every few steps to avoid getting snagged. The guards used both hands and feet, and before they knew it, their heads and bodies were covered in thick spiderwebs.

Another hundred paces in, there was a funnel-shaped mountain hollow ahead. It was sheltered from the wind but not the rain, known as "Wild Boar Den."

A soldier at the back of the line grabbed a vine to jump onto a large rock, habitually throwing the vine back for the person behind him. As a result, the wild vine swung over and swung back, slapping him on the back.

Why didn't anyone catch it?

He subconsciously looked back and down—

The path they had come from was empty. Where had the people gone?

That wasn't right. There had clearly been three teammates walking behind him just a moment ago. How had they vanished in the blink of an eye?

He shouted his teammates' names, but the only answer was the rustling of grass and trees.

His hair stood on end. Just as he was about to scream a warning, his nape suddenly went numb, as if something had stung him.

It didn't hurt, but he lost all feeling from the neck down, and he couldn't even open his mouth.

The trees ahead were ridiculously dense. The guards at the very front of the line had to take out their machetes to clear a path.

As they hacked away, the blades grew heavier and heavier. Every swing felt like cutting through mud, and they could barely stir it anymore.

The guards pulled their blades back to look. Whoa, what thick spiderwebs! Three layers inside and three layers outside, almost wrapping the blade faces into clubs.

Someone suddenly came from the back and reported to Qi Yunsheng, "Village Master, the few people at the rear of the line are gone!"

"When?" Qi Yunsheng's heart sank. "How many?"

"Within forty breaths, four!" The entire team was divided into five squads, six people per squad, checking the headcount at regular intervals. These people had just disappeared.

"Gather at Wild Boar Den..." Before Qi Yunsheng could finish his instruction, he heard a *whoosh*. The guard at the very front clearing the path was suddenly dragged into the jungle by something.

He let out a loud "Ah!" The group could hear his voice coming from across the forest, but it was getting further and further away.

So fast. The thing that dragged him away moved so fast!

"Quick, quick, enter Wild Boar Den and prepare for battle!" There wasn't even a path here, making it hard to gather and fight. Qi Yunsheng had no choice but to urge everyone forward while throwing out a few cloth dolls. Upon hitting the ground, they transformed into fierce beasts like tigers and leopards.

He then pulled a white jade ruler from his bosom; this was his personal magic treasure.

A rustling sound suddenly erupted all around, as if some creatures were moving through the grass and sand, and there were many of them!

Soon, several soldiers began to scream, waving their weapons to fight something.

Things were emerging from the forest, and they could even shoot hidden weapons.

Qi Yunsheng took a closer look—they were actually spiders.

Seven or eight spiders, larger than small ponies, were of various colors, but their movements were absurdly agile, whether climbing mountains, jumping over rocks, or attacking humans.

Several of them spat out large amounts of spider silk; even with the soldiers' Yuan power protecting them, it was hard to cut them all. Others ran fast and jumped fast, able to pounce on people like fierce tigers.

Bao Xin had just finished off one spider when Fu Wending, two zhang away, suddenly roared at him, "Watch out abov—"

But it was too late. Before he could even finish the first word, the giant rock directly above Bao Xin suddenly moved, "snatching" him up with a *tseng*.

This movement was ten times faster than a dragonfly skimming the water. Before Fu Wending could even see clearly, Bao Xin was pinned tightly by the giant pincer-like front legs, rolling rapidly and being wrapped in two thick layers of white netting.

This was truly unexpected. With enemies interfering both in front and behind, how could he have paid attention to the giant rock that hadn't moved at all? Bao Xin only then realized what was happening, but he was wrapped tightly. Despite having a full set of divine abilities, he couldn't even lift his hand. He struggled instinctively, and venomous fangs thicker than a bowl rim plunged into his nape! Bao Xin's screams echoed over the mountain forest.

After just one bite, the attacker threw him aside and lunged straight for Qi Yunsheng! Only then did everyone see clearly: it wasn't a giant rock at all, but a spider demon the size of a wooden hut, covered from head to toe in bristle-like spikes! A hideous monster that should only appear in nightmares was blocking their path. Its sheer size made one feel despair at a single glance.

"You finally came!" The spider demon could even speak human language, sounding somewhat aggrieved. "I waited for so long, I even got hungry!"

"Fire arrows!" Qi Yunsheng ordered immediately, and as the spider demon pounced on its next prey, he threw out the red ring once more.

Drawing a Circle as a Prison.

The red ring landed at the spider demon's feet, casting an invisible barrier to cover it, just like how he had dealt with the pill bug and porcupine earlier. In fact, without him needing to order it, the soldiers fired arrows at the giant spider one after another.

Zhu Xiuer was covered in spikes, which in itself was an excellent defense. The enemy's arrows could hardly pierce its shell. Occasionally, a few would stick in, just looking like it had grown a few more spikes.

It tried to break through, and sure enough, it slammed into the air wall.

Earlier, "Drawing a Circle as a Prison" had trapped the pill bug and porcupine for over half a quarter of an hour. The spider demon was about the same size, so Qi Yunsheng hoped this divine ability would succeed a second time.

However, the two confinements were actually slightly different: the pill bug and porcupine were trapped on flat ground, while the giant spider demon was standing on a large protruding granite rock! It slammed into it the first time, failing to break the divine ability's barrier, and muttered, "Interesting!"

Afterward, it slammed into it three more times, each time with more force than the last.

The mountain body was connected; Qi Yunsheng could feel a violent tremor beneath his feet. This giant spider's strength was much greater than the porcupine's!

At this moment, Qi Yunsheng's cloth puppet also charged forward, while light flickered from his own hands and body as he activated several magic treasures all at once! With a final collision, Lady Zhu produced a crisp "Crack!" sound.

Since the divine ability "Drawing a Circle as a Prison" restricted it, it simply dug up the "ground" along with it!

The giant protruding granite rock beneath its feet, after standing tall on the mountain peak for ten million years, finally rolled down the cliff with a rumble.

It even took two soldiers who couldn't dodge in time along with it.

Such savage demon power made Qi Yunsheng's brow twitch violently.

Since he had chosen this path, he had prepared to fight the Great Emperor Jiuyou, but why had this thing come?

It was impossible for a great demon to suddenly appear within Mang Continent, so was this giant spider also a subordinate of the Great Emperor Jiuyou?

His heart sank.

Bao Xin had received his true teachings and was fully prepared; even against the Great Emperor Jiuyou, he could at least trade several blows. As long as he could entangle the opponent, Qi Yunsheng could arrive to rescue him, and with master and disciple fighting together, they might not necessarily be at a disadvantage.

Who would have thought Bao Xin would be taken down by the opponent in a single encounter! With such a powerful aid, why hadn't it appeared earlier? Why didn't the Great Emperor Jiuyou use this giant spider to deal with Xue Zongwu? It had ended up causing him such a massive miscalculation!

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 1423 =====