9: Join forces

This Ten-Thousand-Year Ghost-Faced Demon Spider was as large as a millstone, its main body covered in a dark, metallic-lustered, ink-blue carapace, with eight spear-like long legs deeply embedded in the ground, supporting its massive frame.

The most terrifying part was its grotesque head—it had no eyes, only a huge mouth that constantly opened and closed, drooling foul-smelling saliva. Above the mouth was a pale, twisted pattern resembling a human face in agony, emanating a chilling aura that could drive one to madness—this was the origin of its 'Ghost-Faced' name.

One of its forelegs, like a giant scythe, still dripped with Liu Erlong's blood; it was the culprit behind that horrifying wound.

Facing a 'prey' on the verge of losing consciousness and combat effectiveness, it did not rush to kill but continuously sprayed sticky, purplish-glowing paralyzing venom webs from its abdomen, like a hunter toying with its prey, gradually constricting Liu Erlong's space for evasion.

The air gradually filled with nauseatingly sweet and bloody scents mixed with the paralyzing aroma of neurotoxins.

"Damn it, this old lady hasn't even tasted what a man is like yet, how can I just die here so senselessly!"

With an angry roar, the light of Liu Erlong's third spirit ring had just dimmed beneath her feet, and a full-force "Fire Dragon Roar" fire pillar immediately slammed into the devil spider's hard carapace, leaving only a scorched mark and thoroughly enraging this cunning hunter.

"Damn it, just a few seconds, let me gather some Soul Power, and this old lady will kill you, you rotten thing!"

Liu Erlong's fourth spirit ring—a deep black ten-thousand-year spirit ring—granted her a terrifying killing move: Scarlet Flame Dragon Tooth Strike!

However, activating this Spirit Ability required a brief moment of Soul Power concentration.

At this moment, the neurotoxin from her left arm's wound was spreading wildly, half of her body becoming numb and heavy, and her Soul Power circulation was incredibly sluggish.

Even more critically, a new, wider-ranging paralyzing venom web was silently descending upon her!

Nowhere to run!

"Ugh..."

Liu Erlong let out a suppressed groan of pain, forcefully twisting her numb body. The edge of the venom web grazed her exposed, honey-colored waist and abdomen, leaving a quickly reddened and numb mark.

Despair, like a cold viper, coiled around her heart—was she really going to become this beast's meal?

Die beneath this disgusting ghost face?!

Just at this critical moment, as the new venom web was about to completely envelop her, and the Ghost-Faced Demonic Spider raised its other deadly scythe-like long leg!

"Whoosh—!"

A heavy blow, mixed with a white medicinal liquid, struck the side and rear of the devil spider's pale ghost face without any warning!

This impact seemed to ignore physical obstruction, directly penetrating the Spirit Beast's relatively fragile spiritual core!

Combined with the potent medicinal liquid, it was adding insult to injury.

"Hiss-ga—!!!"

The massive body of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ghost-Faced Demon Spider suddenly stiffened!

The pale ghost face pattern violently twisted, letting out a silent shriek as if it had come alive.

The scythe-like long leg, raised high, paused mid-air, and the venom web about to be sprayed also halted!

Its eyeless mouth abruptly turned towards the source of the sound, emitting angry, confused hisses!

Liu Erlong's heart pounded!

This sudden interference gave her a moment to breathe.

She didn't even have time to think; her survival instinct made her squeeze out the last bit of Soul Power, rolling sideways in a desperate but full-effort tumble!

Rip!

The paralyzing venom web scraped past her back, corroding the ground with a sizzling sound.

Liu Erlong, still shaken, looked up.

Behind the devil spider, a small figure was nimbly dodging the spider's scythes like a monkey, fleeing in all directions.

"Little... Little brat?!"

Liu Erlong's expression was initially one of pleasant surprise, but upon seeing the person, her face stiffened.

The person who arrived was Mo Yuhan.

At this moment, his small face was taut, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's, constantly dodging.

"Don't stop! Run towards three o'clock! Quick!"

Mo Yuhan's tender yet incredibly calm voice pierced through the devil spider's chaotic hisses, clearly reaching Liu Erlong's ears.

"Whoosh—!"

Then, turning around, another stream of medicinal liquid sprayed towards the other side of the devil spider!

This was poison he had obtained from Little Fairy Doctor, Bone Corrosion Vine, mixed with some paralyzing powder. The scent emitted by this highly toxic plant could greatly paralyze the Spirit Beast's sensory nerves.

"Hiss-ga!" The devil spider's attention was once again disrupted, its ghost face twisting madly.

Liu Erlong didn't hesitate. She endured the paralysis and intense pain in half of her body, biting her tongue to stay conscious, and, following Mo Yuhan's guidance, stumbled and ran wildly towards the three o'clock direction.

This was a shallow stream bank covered with large, slippery cobblestones.

Every step pulled at her wound; sweat mixed with blood flowed on her honey-colored skin. Beneath her torn leather armor, the taut muscles of her firm waist and slender legs tensed and relaxed during the extreme sprint, full of a wild yet desperate strength and beauty.

Mo Yuhan, after confirming Liu Erlong had reached a safe distance, acted as a rear guard, moving quickly through the tree branches like a forest elf, constantly interfering with the devil spider using medicinal powder to buy Liu Erlong time.

The Ghost-Faced Demonic Spider was thoroughly enraged by Mo Yuhan. It abandoned its playful torment, its eight long legs moving with terrifying pressure and afishy wind, like an out-of-control steel war chariot, crushing bushes and chasing the two, moving much faster than them.

Just as the devil spider's sharp scythe-like long leg was about to reach Liu Erlong's back.

Mo Yuhan said without hesitation, "Jump! Dive into the water!"

Liu Erlong used her last bit of strength, leaping forward and plunging into the cold stream water of the shallow bank!

Almost simultaneously, the Ghost-Faced Demonic Spider's massive body rushed to the edge of the shallow bank! However, as soon as its sharp long legs stepped onto those large, slippery, moss-covered cobblestones—

"Splat—!"

The immense inertia combined with the slippery stones caused this behemoth to instantly lose its balance! Its eight long legs comically slipped and splayed on the cobblestones.

Its massive main body crashed sideways, heavily slamming into the shallow water, splashing up huge amounts of water!

The terrifying ghost face was also awkwardly submerged in the water.

"Now! Hit its abdomen! The joint connections!"

Mo Yuhan's voice carried a hint of urgency.

Liu Erlong, who had just struggled to stand up from the water, her eyes blazing with the fierce light of a desperate counterattack, recklessly urged her remaining Soul Power. The deep black ten-thousand-year spirit ring on her body erupted with dazzling light!

"Fourth Spirit Ability! Scarlet Flame Dragon Tooth Strike!! Die, you bastard!!!"

Her entire right arm was instantly covered in magma-red dragon scales, and her fist condensed into a gigantic, hideous dragon tooth burning with incandescent flames!

With the fury of burning everything and unwillingness, Liu Erlong, like an arrow released from a bow, fiercely punched the soft devil spider abdomen joint connections that were exposed due to its sideways fall!

Boom—!!!

Incandescent flames, accompanied by the horrifying sounds of carapace shattering and flesh charring, exploded violently. The Ghost-Faced Demonic Spider let out an earth-shattering shriek, its massive body, struck by this blow that contained Liu Erlong's last strength, was directly sent tumbling in the water, its abdominal carapace shattered, revealing its charred internal organs.

However, this ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast's vitality was extremely tenacious; this blow did not completely kill it. It struggled frantically, trying to turn over, its mouth emitting resentful hisses.

"Go!"

Mo Yuhan had already emerged from the water and grabbed Liu Erlong's uninjured arm. His small hand was cold, but his strength was surprisingly great.

Liu Erlong was completely drained by the toxins and Soul Power overdraft, her vision periodically blacking out. She was practically dragged by Mo Yuhan, stumbling out of the shallow bank and plunging into the denser, darker jungle on the opposite side.

Behind them came the terrifying sounds of the Ghost-Faced Demonic Spider frantically destroying the stream bank and its resentful hisses, but it was clear that its cumbersome body could not catch up to the two desperately fleeing figures in the complex forest terrain.