Chapter 64: Chapter Sixty-Four: Battle Against the Giant White Spider

The two spirit swords, Ice Stream and Breaking Cloud, darted and slashed through the spider swarm, their cold light blazing, their victories splendid; wherever they passed, the limbs of the soul‑devouring white spiders flew like rain, and the foul blue‑green blood spattered everywhere, making people retch.

Hiding far away, Luo Changfeng began to worry again: "Junior sister, do these little spiders count toward our kill tally? Sect Leader Luo said they divide by demon beast numbers, but he didn't say whether these count. Also, with all this flesh and blood flying, can we tell which sword—Breaking Cloud or Ice Stream—did the killing? If we get the numbers wrong, what then? … Or… should you let Fantian out too? It would add another bit of strength."

The sect masters observing before the spirit mirror all turned their gaze to Ling Xiao at once; Ling Xiao calmly took a sip of tea, but inside he was thinking of making Luo Changfeng copy the sect rules eight hundred times—so embarrassing!

Why do you keep thinking of Fantian? Shi Ran rose and spoke righteously: "Senior brother, why do you always think of Fantian? When you run into trouble you want to rely on him; when something happens you should try to solve it yourself!" She hadn't finished speaking when her foot slipped violently, her vision spinning: "Don't shake, you're making my eyes swim!"

Still half‑squatting, Luo Changfeng, who had been drawing a vertical line on the rock, spread his hands innocently: "Heaven and earth as my witness, I haven't moved a finger~"

What is that? What is moving!

A chill shot up her heart; Shi Ran whipped her head back, her pupils contracting sharply, and she stumbled back in fright—finally realizing why the ground was shaking!

Not far off, a pure‑white giant spider so huge it made one breathless, its eight thick legs as wide as temple beams and columns, rolled toward them to crush them!

Its massive body was as sturdy as a small hill, covered entirely in a pallid, hard carapace that gleamed with the light of death; its mouthparts opened and closed, interlocking ghastly fangs flashing with cold light.

Shi Ran suddenly realized in despair that even her height was less than a single fang of that white giant spider's maw; if it caught her, she wouldn't even be soul‑devoured—there wouldn't be a bone fragment left!

"What are you staring at? Run!" Luo Changfeng's shout was filled with unprecedented terror; he grabbed Shi Ran's arm and sprinted for his life. Ice Stream and Breaking Cloud sensed their master's danger, turned into streams of light and kept close, guarding the two of them.

As for why they didn't fly on their swords at this critical moment—well, probably because the blades of the two spirit swords were smeared with foul spider blood and bits of entrails, leaving nowhere to set them down!

The several sect masters in the observation room shook their heads in disagreement, stroked their beards, then kept watching Ling Xiao; Ling Xiao continued to sip tea calmly, wishing he could grow two extra hands to tie the two of them to the spirit swords!

However, how could two legs outrun eight? Especially since this giant white spider was obviously enraged—not only was its speed astonishing, but even more terrifying was that it could spit silk!

Shi Ran only felt a fierce wind howl above her head; two stark‑white threads, as thick as a child's arm, fell like heavenly punishment, striking true!

Shi Ran didn't even have time to react before her body was tightly bound by a cold, slick rope; the immense force almost choked her, the silk unusually tough and reeking of a nauseating odor, and in the blink of an eye she was trussed up tight as a zongzi awaiting slaughter.

Fortunately, the giant white spider seemed intent on personally teaching these two reckless bugs a lesson; instead of wrapping them in an airtight cocoon, it deliberately left their heads and feet exposed, as if Wei Xinxiang were savoring the prey's terror at the brink of death.

As the white death god, mountain‑sized, drew nearer, each step made the earth tremble and a foul wind blew in their faces.

Ice Stream and Breaking Cloud anxiously darted around the two, their blades flickering with cold light as they frantically hacked at the seemingly weak silk; yet, though the spirit swords usually cut iron like mud, striking the silk only produced a puff‑puff sound, a few sparks, and the silk didn't budge—its toughness far exceeded imagination.

Seeing no hope of rescue, Luo Changfeng felt a shadow of death fall over him as the giant white spider glared hungrily; he began to settle his affairs, speaking rapidly like a barrage of cannon fire: "Junior sister, it looks like we're destined to die here today! Together we'll have company on the road to the Yellow Springs. I ate your spirit fruit, but you also snatched Ah Xue's spirit sword—let's wipe the slate clean of past grievances. If in your next life you come back to be my junior sister, I, your senior brother, promise to stand by you saddle‑to‑saddle, to go through fire and water for you; whatever you say, I'll do…"

Shi Ran's head ached from the noise; she shouted loudly, "Fantian!" A fierce cry pierced the clouds, a dragon's roar echoed in response, as if answering her.

A huge black shadow tore through the night like lightning, bearing an overwhelming pressure as it descended from the sky—it was the black dragon Fantian. Its dragon jaws gaped wide, and a torrent of water several zhang in diameter, like the Milky Way pouring backward, surged down with immeasurable force, smashing precisely into the giant white spider lunging at them.

With a thunderous boom, the invincible giant white spider was slammed flat by that terrifying water force—its carapace cracked, its eight massive legs flailed helplessly on the ground, scraping with a screech, and it lost the ability to attack for a moment.

The world fell silent for an instant.

Even Luo Changfeng fell silent, watching the giant spider reel and hiss from the water's impact, then gazing up at the majestic Fantian circling above, he embarrassedly explained: "That… I was just talking nonsense…"

"In your next life, eh, senior brother!" Shi Ran, trussed up like a silkworm pup, laughed and cut him off: "You said it yourself—saddle to saddle, through fire and water; as long as I speak, you'll obey me!"

Since Fantian appeared, the several great sect masters in the observation room all rose to their feet, saying, "This… this dragon… could it not be the one from the Burial Dragon Abyss…?"

"Looks like it!" Luo Zitan gripped the Eighteen Jade Pearls in her hand and said, "If that dragon had suffered heavenly punishment, how could it be here?"

"It was summoned by Ling Xiao's disciple!" The sect master of the Heavenly Void Sect recalled, turned to look for Ling Xiao, and found him still sipping tea: "Oh dear, my Ling Sect Master, what on earth is going on?"

Ling Xiao sighed, inwardly regretting a thousand times that he had come along as well; it looked like he'd have to say a lot this time!

"Come on, say something!" Several sect masters surrounded Ling Xiao, but he wouldn't put down his tea cup: "Nothing else—just acknowledging the master."

The debate in the observation room continued, but Shi Ran's predicament here remained unresolved.

Though the great white spider was suppressed by Fantian, it still let out an angry hiss, its eight compound eyes locked tight on the two bound by silk; killing intent coalesced into substance, and the silk constricting them grew ever tighter. Shi Ran's thoughts raced—she was about to call out White Little Red—when a blade of icy silver light flashed even faster than she could.

The Silver Soul Sword tore through the air, bringing a piercing chill as it halted precisely before Luo Changfeng; both looked up, and in the distance, Qi Chengshuang, clad in battle gear, was swiftly forming seals with both hands, spiritual energy swirling around him as a breeze lifted his hair—yet he remained unmoving, his gaze locked on Luo Changfeng: "Senior brother, I've come to save you!"