The Tiemu Mercenary Group stood outside the cave entrance, looking alert. As they gazed into the darkness, they caught a faint, dangerous scent.
"There is still wet blood on the ground; it seems a fierce battle took place here not long ago," Ye Han said, casting a glance at a patch of blood on the gravel outside the cave entrance. He frowned and lowered his voice, suspecting that the group that had arrived before them was likely the Black Wind Mercenary Group.
With this thought, Ye Han's expression grew more somber. He said in a low voice, "Everyone, be careful. The Human-Faced Demon Spider inside is likely no simple creature."
"Understood!" Tiemu and the others nodded, gripping their weapons tightly.
"Let me take the lead. Don't fall behind when we go in," Tiemu said, holding up a torch and giving the order.
However, Ye Han paused for a moment before suddenly reaching out to stop Tiemu from entering. His eyes flashed with a sharp light. "Wait..."
"This cave is the Human-Faced Demon Spider's lair. If we barge in, we might not gain the upper hand. It would be better to find a way to lure it out."
Hearing this, the brothers of the Tiemu Mercenary Group exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. "That is a sound plan."
Tiemu and the others retreated slowly from the entrance. Many mercenary groups had charged in recklessly before, only to fall into the spider’s ambush and suffer heavy casualties. If they could lure it out, the situation might change.
But how could they lure it out?
"I have an idea. Tielan, go find some firewood," Tiemu said, a sudden spark of inspiration hitting him as he shouted to a burly man behind him.
"You got it!" Tielan and Tiezhu ran off, quickly searching the surroundings and gathering enough dry branches to pile up at the entrance.
*Puff!*
*Whoosh—*
Tiemu tossed his torch onto the pile, and the branches ignited instantly, sending thick smoke billowing into the cave. Then, Tiemu pulled a vermilion pill from his pocket and threw it into the fire.
In an instant, the white smoke turned red and emitted a pungent, foul-smelling odor.
"This smoke is toxic. Cover your mouths and noses, and hold your breath as much as possible," Tiemu said, stepping back. This pill was made from a special secret recipe designed specifically to drive away demonic beasts.
"Let's channel our spiritual power together to push this smoke deeper into the cave," Ye Han suggested, stepping back as well. Seeing the smoke creeping inward, he saw his chance.
His sleeves billowed as he unleashed a surge of powerful spiritual energy from his palms, creating a violent gust of wind that carried the thick smoke into the depths of the cave. The others from the Tiemu Mercenary Group followed suit, channeling their own spiritual energy.
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!*
Gusts of wind, driven by their spiritual power, forced the smoke deep inside.
"Boss, what are they doing?" The members of the Lone Wolf Mercenary Group, perched on a high rock, frowned.
"Trying to use toxic smoke to lure out the beast? Tiemu has always been as stubborn as a mule; how has he become so clever all of a sudden?" Lu Qingshan frowned, his face darkening. For some reason, he had an ominous feeling.
***
As the red smoke surged into the cave, a deep, rumbling sound echoed from within.
*Whoosh—*
Suddenly, a violent gust of wind blasted out from the cave, scattering the firewood everywhere. Tiemu and his men immediately became alert, their spiritual energy surging within them.
*Roar!*
A thunderous, enraged roar followed, ringing in their ears. A massive black spider charged out of the cave, its claws flailing.
Ye Han dodged with a sudden burst of speed and shouted to the brothers, "Back away!"
*Clack! Clack!*
The spider’s legs, as hard as steel, scrambled against the rocks, producing a piercing, grating sound.
*Hiss—*
Ye Han and the others gasped when they saw the monster. The black spider was seven or eight meters tall, its abdomen bloated and marked with red patterns. Its eight spindly legs stood like steel pillars, covered in fine, needle-like black hairs. Its blood-red eyes shone like lanterns, emitting a cold, chilling light. Most terrifying of all, it had a human-like face and two protruding fangs.
"Human-Faced Demon Spider?!"
Seeing the giant spider, the Tiemu mercenaries instinctively raised their bone spears and backed away, their faces full of fear. Ye Han’s expression grew grave—this Human-Faced Demon Spider was no longer at the Mid Spirit Sea Realm; it had one foot in the Spirit Soul Realm! It was far more troublesome than the Liu family’s Elder Liu Shi, as demonic beasts possessed far greater physical strength than human warriors. Furthermore, the previous mercenaries' attacks had not caused it any damage at all.
However, Tiemu’s spiritual energy exploded outward, and he raised his bone spear, shouting, "Attack!"
The members of the Tiemu Mercenary Group poured their spiritual power into their bone spears, throwing them like streaks of light toward the spider.
*Boom, boom, boom!*
The spears rained down, but the Human-Faced Demon Spider exuded a purplish-gray aura that formed a protective shield around its body. The spears were deflected instantly.
*Bang, bang, bang—*
The spider’s two front limbs acted like curved blades, slicing through the air with sharp, lethal shadows. The mercenaries' expressions changed, and they used their spiritual energy to dodge to either side. A massive boulder was cleaved in two, crashing down in a heap.
"Dragon Absorption Art!" Ye Han took a deep breath, inhaling spiritual energy like a True Dragon, a low draconic roar emanating from his dantian.
*Boom!*
A massive surge of spiritual energy flooded his dantian, lifting his aura from the Mid Spirit Sea Realm to the Late Spirit Sea Realm. In a flash, he turned into a blur, appearing directly in front of the Human-Faced Demon Spider.
"Great Sun Burning Heaven Palm!"
He pulled a roaring flame from his palm, forming it into a scorching sun that he slammed down onto the spider. The fireball carried a wave of heat as it whistled through the air.
However, the Human-Faced Demon Spider was unfazed. It raised one of its front limbs, which acted like a sharp sickle, and slashed through the air. With a loud bang, the fireball was extinguished into a shower of sparks. The resulting shockwave sent Ye Han reeling back dozens of steps.
"So strong!" he thought, feeling the blood in his body churn. The difficulty of this fight far exceeded his expectations.
*Boom, boom, boom—*
The spider moved quickly on its six steel-like legs, its front limbs continuously slashing at Ye Han. He dodged repeatedly, as agile as a monkey. The sharp legs were like a flash of blades, moving so fast that only afterimages remained. A massive, ancient tree nearby was sliced in half.
Not far away, Tiemu and his men swallowed hard, their faces pale.
***
**Chapter 35: The Kill**
*Boom!*
A deafening crash echoed behind him as a lightning-fast sickle-claw slashed down, cutting a thick, ancient tree in half. Ye Han glanced back, his mouth twitching in shock.
The Human-Faced Demon Spider was in hot pursuit, its eight legs scraping against the rocks with a piercing, metallic clatter. Once again, it swung its massive, sickle-like claws from behind.
Sensing the incoming gust of wind, Ye Han took a deep breath, his spiritual energy surging out to coat his body in a golden light. His bronzed skin took on a metallic, impenetrable sheen. He clenched his fists, gave a low shout, and spun around, throwing a fierce punch.
*Clang—*
The collision between his fist and the giant claw erupted in a flash of light, sounding like a hammer striking metal. The impact sent Ye Han sliding back several meters, his arm numb. However, the spider’s claw now bore a deep dent from his strike.
*Boom!*
Ye Han shook his numbing arm, inhaled deeply, and launched himself forward once more. He compressed his spiritual energy to the limit, his fists moving with such speed that the air seemed to shriek as it was crushed.
*Clang, clang, clang!*
Golden punches rained down like a storm. Each collision sent Ye Han reeling back, but every time, the spider’s claws groaned and gathered more dents. His raw physical power was terrifying.
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—*
Ye Han’s figure moved rapidly, his attacks fierce and his positioning constantly shifting. He moved from the spider’s back to its belly, engaging in a brutal, lightning-fast melee. For a time, the man and the spider were locked in a chaotic battle, the violent energy waves shaking the entire valley.
Tiemu and his men, watching from a distance, were unable to intervene.
"Big brother, Brother Ye is like a human monster! His strength is so savage, not losing out to that spider at all!" Tiewu gasped, his eyes filled with disbelief. This was a Late Spirit Sea Realm beast!
Tiemu was so shocked he couldn't speak, frozen like a statue. The other brothers gripped their fists, their hearts racing with excitement. If Ye Han could hunt down this Human-Faced Demon Spider, their group would become famous and undoubtedly rise to be the top mercenary group!
*Whoosh!*
Ye Han shifted like a wisp of smoke, his fists suddenly changing into palms. He compressed his spiritual energy into blades of light and slashed down at the spider.
*Boom, boom, boom!*
The blades rotated and struck the spider’s back, but the beast’s shell was as hard as iron; the blades shattered on impact.
"What tough skin!" Ye Han thought. He scanned the spider’s body, looking for a weak point. But the creature was armored everywhere. How could he break through?
Suddenly, his eyes landed on the spider's eyes. A plan formed.
*Whoosh—*
He darted forward like a monkey, grabbing two bone spears from the ground and shooting toward the spider. As he approached, the spider roared and swung its claws down. Just as the claws passed by, Ye Han flexed his body, dodging like a shadow.
At that split second, he hurled the bone spears directly at the spider’s eyes.
*Boom!*
The spears, wrapped in spiritual energy, whistled through the air and pierced into the spider's eyes. Two jets of viscous fluid sprayed into the air.
*Roar—*
The Human-Faced Demon Spider lost its sight and began rampaging blindly. It slammed into the cliffside with a massive *thud*, causing rocks to cascade down.
Ye Han pulled a dagger from his waist, channeled all his remaining spiritual energy into it, and fixed his eyes on the target. He leaped at the spider’s belly and stabbed downward with all his might.
*Puff—*
A jagged tear opened in the spider’s belly, and a massive pool of purple liquid surged out. The monster let out a final, pained roar and collapsed to the ground, its legs twitching in the air.
"Whew... finally done." Ye Han tossed the dagger aside, wiped the sweat from his brow, and let out a long breath, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over him.
"Brother Ye, are you alright?" Tiemu and the others rushed over, gasping as they looked at the fallen spider. They were both amazed and shocked.
"I'm fine, Brother Tiemu. You guys take care of the cleanup. The spirit core and the demonic blood of this spider should be worth quite a bit," Ye Han said with a smile.
"Let us handle it!" The brothers rushed forward, eager to dismantle the spider. Before long, nothing was left but a skeleton. The crystal-clear beast bones and the glowing spirit core left the men eyes-wide with greed. Even the spider's claws were removed, destined to be fashioned into weapons.
Seeing such a massive haul, Tiemu and his men couldn't stop smiling. Ye Han, however, had little interest in the treasure. He picked up a torch and looked at the others. "It is said that where powerful beasts dwell, there is a chance for rare treasures to grow. Come with me into the cave to investigate."
Tiewu and Tiemu nodded. "The rest of you stay outside and keep watch. If there’s any movement, come inside to report it."
With that, the three of them entered the cave.
***
"That damned brat! I’m furious!" High up on the giant rock, seeing the spider killed, Lu Qingshan’s face twisted in rage.
*Bang!*
He slammed his hand into the cliffside, leaving five deep claw marks. They had leaked the information, hoping that other mercenary groups would wear the spider down in a war of attrition. Never did he expect that the Tiemu Mercenary Group would actually clear out the lair! It was like feeding a dog a meat bun—the Tiemu group had reaped all the rewards.
"Boss, what do we do now? Are we just going to let them take it all for free?" his subordinates asked, their faces livid with resentment.
"What else can we do? That kid’s strength is so fierce—can we even handle him?" Lu Qingshan glared at them, his eyes burning with anger. Internally, he was shocked. He hadn't expected someone as young as Ye Han to have the power to kill the spider. He had truly underestimated him.
"Let's go!" Lu Qingshan flicked his sleeve and stormed off. Behind him, Lu Xue stared at the cave entrance, biting her lip. Her expression shifted through regret, unwillingness, anger, and gloom. If not for her acerbic remarks, Ye Han might have joined the Lone Wolf Mercenary Group, and that spider would have been theirs...
***
**Chapter 36: Spirit Soul Fungus**
In the pitch-black cave, Ye Han, Tiemu, and Tiewu held their torches, moving cautiously through the passage. The torchlight revealed a cold, damp floor covered in rotting leaves that felt soft underfoot. Eerie winds howled, creating a chilling atmosphere.
Ye Han led the way, his eyes sharp as he observed their surroundings. The three of them kept their spiritual energy flowing, ready for anything. After a few minutes, a massive object blocked their path.
"What is this?"
The three stopped. Tiewu shone his torch forward, revealing a massive pile of bones, white and startling. They exchanged glances and stepped closer to examine them. Ye Han picked up one of the bones—a leg bone, over two meters long and weighing hundreds of pounds.
"This skeleton belongs to at least a Mid Spirit Sea Realm beast. It was likely eaten by the Human-Faced Demon Spider," Ye Han said, his voice solemn.
*Hiss—*
"Eaten? No wonder that spider was so ferocious," Tiewu and Tiemu gasped, shocked. Even a Spirit Sea Realm beast was just food for that monster.
They searched the bone pile but found nothing of value. Further inside, the cave was damp and smelled of decay. Beyond the giant bones, there were countless piles of smaller bones—and even human skeletons.
"This is the Black Wind Mercenary Group," Tiewu said, picking up a black token from beside a pile of remains. The token was inscribed with the characters "Black Wind."
Suddenly, Ye Han raised his torch, his nose twitching.
"Brother Ye, what is it?" Tiemu asked, seeing Ye Han's strange expression.
"There really is a treasure in this cave. Can’t you smell it?" Ye Han’s lips curled into a smile of delight.
"Smell? Aside from the damp mold and the stench of decay, what else is there?" Tiemu and Tiewu looked at each other, shaking their heads in confusion. They sniffed the air, but couldn't detect anything.
As an alchemist, Ye Han had an exceptionally keen sense of smell for rare medicinal herbs.
"Follow me."
Ye Han led them through the labyrinthine tunnels. Moments later, they stopped in a narrow chamber.
*Hum!*
The cave was bathed in a purple glow. A few meters ahead, a plant was rooted in the soil. It was a crystal-clear, purple mushroom.
"This is... Spirit Soul Fungus?!" Ye Han’s eyes flared, his voice trembling with excitement.
"Spirit Soul Fungus?"