Thinking about this, Ye Han could not help but turn serious. He said in a deep voice,
"Everyone, be careful. I fear the Human-Faced Demon Spider inside is no simple beast."
"Understood!"
Tie Wu and the others nodded, secretly tightening their grips on their weapons.
"Let me take the lead. Don't fall behind when we go in."
At that moment, Tie Mu raised his torch and walked over, giving orders to the group.
However, after a moment of contemplation, Ye Han suddenly reached out to stop Tie Mu, who was about to enter the cave. A sharp light flashed in his eyes as he said,
"Wait..."
"This dark hole is the Human-Faced Demon Spider's lair. If we rush in, we’re unlikely to 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 one after another.
"That is indeed a good method."
Consequently, Tie Wu and the others hesitated for a moment before slowly retreating from the cave entrance.
Previously, many mercenary groups had recklessly charged inside, only to fall into the Human-Faced Demon Spider’s ambush, suffering heavy casualties.
But if they could find a way to lure it out, the situation might change.
But how to lure it out?
"I have an idea. Tie Lan, you and the others go find some firewood."
Tie Mu had a sudden flash of inspiration and shouted to a burly man behind him.
"You got it!"
Tie Lan and Tie Zhu turned and sprinted away, nimbly searching the surroundings and finding plenty of dry branches to pile up at the cave entrance.
*Puff!*
*Whoosh—*
Tie Mu threw his torch onto the dry wood, and the branches instantly burst into flames, billowing with thick smoke.
However, at this moment, Tie Mu took a vermilion pill from his robes and tossed it into the bonfire.
In an instant, the white smoke turned red and began to emit a pungent, foul-smelling odor.
"This smoke is toxic; cover your noses and mouths, and try to hold your breath."
Tie Mu stepped back a few paces and said to the group.
This pill was made with a special secret recipe designed specifically to drive away demonic beasts.
"Let's channel our Spiritual Power together and try to blow this smoke into the cave."
Ye Han also stepped back a few paces, and seeing the smoke drifting slowly inward, he immediately came up with a plan.
His sleeves billowed as formidable Spiritual Power surged from his palms, whipping up a fierce wind that carried the thick smoke into the cave.
Seeing this, Tie Mu and the others followed suit, channeling their own Spiritual Power through their palms.
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
Gusts of wind, generated by their Spiritual Power, blew the smoke deep into the cave.
"Boss, what are they doing?"
On the high rocks nearby, the members of the Lone Wolf Mercenary Group frowned.
"They want to use poisonous smoke to lure the beast out. Tie Mu is usually a blockhead; how did he get so smart this time?"
Lu Qingshan frowned, his face darkening.
For some reason, he had an ominous feeling.
...
As the red smoke poured into the cave, a deep, rumbling sound echoed from within.
*Whoosh—*
Suddenly, a violent gust of wind roared out from inside, scattering the burning firewood in every direction.
Tie Mu and the others quickly became alert, their internal Spiritual Power surging.
*ROAR!*
An earth-shaking, thunderous roar erupted, leaving their eardrums tingling.
At that moment, a massive black spider came charging out of the cave, clawing and snapping.
Ye Han dodged, his figure flashing away, and he hurriedly shouted to the brothers of the mercenary group,
"Back away, quickly!"
*Clack! Clack!*
The spider’s legs, as hard as steel, clicked as they moved, producing a harsh, grating sound against the rock.
*Hiss—*
Ye Han and the others looked up at the giant monster and could not help but gasp.
The black spider stood seven or eight meters tall with a bloated abdomen and red markings on its surface. Its eight slender legs stood like steel rods on the ground, covered in fine, toxin-tipped black bristles. Its pair of blood-red pupils glowed with a cold light, like lanterns.
Most terrifying of all, it possessed a human face and two venomous fangs protruding from its mouth.
"A Human-Faced Demon Spider?!"
Seeing the giant spider, the men of the Tiemu Mercenary Group instinctively raised their bone spears and retreated several paces, their faces filled with fear.
Ye Han’s expression sank, becoming extremely grave.
This was no mere Mid Spirit Sea Realm beast; it was half a step into the Spirit Soul Realm!
It was far more troublesome than the Liu Family's Elder Liu Shi. Demonic beasts were inherently stronger in both physical body and raw power than human cultivators.
Moreover, the previous barrages from the other mercenary groups had failed to cause it even the slightest injury.
However, Tie Mu’s Spiritual Power surged to its peak, and he raised his bone spear, shouting,
"Attack!"
The members of the Tiemu Mercenary Group poured their Spiritual Power into their bone spears and hurled them at the Human-Faced Demon Spider like beams of light.
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
The bone spears struck like a rainstorm, yet the Human-Faced Demon Spider erupted with a purplish-gray aura, forming a protective barrier around itself.
*Clang! Clang! Clang—*
To their dismay, the bone spears were deflected instantly.
*BOOM!*
The Human-Faced Demon Spider’s two front limbs, acting like a pair of curved long knives, slashed through the air, carving out two sharp, shadowy arcs.
Tie Wu and the others turned pale, shielding themselves with Spiritual Power as they dove to the sides.
With a loud crash, a massive boulder was split in two and crumbled to the ground.
"Dragon Breath Technique!"
Ye Han took a deep breath, inhaling Spiritual Qi as if a True Dragon were breathing, and a low dragon's roar echoed from his Dantian.
*BOOM!*
Massive Spiritual Power poured into his Dantian, and his aura instantly rose from the Mid Spirit Sea Realm to the late stage.
*Whoosh!*
With a light, explosive leap, Ye Han transformed into a streak of afterimages and appeared before the Human-Faced Demon Spider in an instant.
"Great Sun Burning Heaven Palm!"
He drew a ball of raging flames into his palm, which transformed into a blazing sun, and slammed it down upon the demon spider.
*Whoosh!*
The blazing sun, burning with intense fire, whistled through the air, carrying a wave of heat.
However, the Human-Faced Demon Spider showed no fear. It raised one of its front limbs, which acted like a sharp scythe, and slashed down with a powerful gust of wind.
With a thunderous explosion, the ball of fire was extinguished into mere sparks by the spider's leg.
Caught in the violent rebound of Spiritual Power, Ye Han was forced back dozens of steps.
"So strong!"
The blood in his body churned, and he was secretly shocked.
The difficulty of this Human-Faced Demon Spider far exceeded his expectations!
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM—*
At this moment, the Human-Faced Demon Spider moved rapidly across the rocks on its six steel-like legs, while its two front limbs slashed at Ye Han incessantly.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
Ye Han dodged repeatedly, moving as nimbly as an ape.
The sharp spider legs moved like blade light, so fast that only afterimages remained.
With a thunderous crash, a massive ancient tree was sliced in half at the waist...
Not far away, Tie Mu and the others swallowed hard, their faces pale.
Chapter 35: Slaying
*CRASH!*
A loud sound echoed from behind. A scythe-like claw flashed by like lightning, and a thick, ancient tree collapsed, severed at the waist.
Ye Han glanced back, the corner of his mouth twitching as he felt a surge of astonishment.
The Human-Faced Demon Spider was in hot pursuit, its eight legs scraping against the rock with a harsh, metallic screech.
At this moment, it swung its giant scythe-like claws again, hacking down from behind.
Sensing the sudden gust of wind at his back, Ye Han took a deep breath, his Spiritual Power surging wildly and wrapping his body in a golden light.
His bronze-toned skin took on a hard, metallic sheen.
Clenching his fists, he let out a low internal shout, spun around, and threw a fierce punch.
*CLANG—*
His fist collided with the giant claw, erupting in a burst of brilliant light, the sound resembling a heavy hammer striking metal.
Under the force of the impact, Ye Han groaned and was sent flying back several meters, only managing to steady himself in mid-air with his arm tingling with numbness.
However, a deep dent had been hammered into the spider's giant claw!
*BOOM!*
Ye Han shook his slightly numb arm, took a deep breath, and launched himself forward once more.
His fists seemed to compress his Spiritual Power to the absolute limit; the moment he swung them, one could faintly hear the air being crushed by the force of his blows.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
Golden punches rained down like a storm, colliding with the sharp scythe-claws and sending showers of metallic sparks flying.
With every impact, Ye Han was forced back several meters by the recoil.
However, the spider's claws also let out low, groaning vibrations and developed new dents.
One could see just how barbaric his punching force was!
*Swish! Swish! Swish—*
Ye Han’s figure moved rapidly; his attacks were swift and his positioning constantly shifting.
He was sometimes on the spider’s back, sometimes under its belly, fighting in a near hand-to-hand style, his lightning-fast fists hammering every angle of the Human-Faced Demon Spider!
For a time, the man and the spider were locked in a chaotic battle, violent energy surging outward like a tide and shaking the entire valley.
Not far away, Tie Mu and the others, who were watching, couldn’t find an opening to intervene.
"Big Brother, Brother Ye really is a human-shaped demonic beast; his strength is so savage, not at all inferior to that spider!"
Tie Wu gasped deeply, his gaze filled with disbelief.
One had to realize, this Human-Faced Demon Spider was a late-stage Spirit Sea Realm beast!
Tie Mu was already so shocked he couldn't speak, frozen like a statue.
As for the brothers of the Tiemu Mercenary Group, they gripped their fists tightly, their hearts filled with immense excitement.
If Ye Han could slay this Human-Faced Demon Spider, their Tiemu Mercenary Group would undoubtedly become famous, becoming the number one mercenary group!
*Whoosh!*
Ye Han moved like a wisp of smoke, and suddenly, his fist transformed into a palm.
Spiritual Power surged from his palm, compressing into blades of light that he swung down fiercely at the spider behind him.
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
The light blades spun out, striking the spider’s back.
To his surprise, the spider’s back was as hard as a lump of iron.
The blades shattered the instant they made contact.
"What a sturdy body!"
Ye Han was secretly shocked. He scanned the spider's body, looking for a weak point.
But the entire lump of iron was hard as steel—how could it be easily broken?
Suddenly, Ye Han’s gaze landed on the spider's pupils, and a plan formed in his mind. A flash passed through his eyes.
"I've got it!"
*Swish—*
His figure darted forward like an ape, and as he did, he grabbed two bone spears from the ground and shot toward the human-faced spider.
Seeing Ye Han attacking, the human-faced spider roared and swung its two scythe-claws down once again.
At the moment the claws slashed down, Ye Han flexibly tilted his body, dodging like a blurred shadow.
Just as the claws brushed past him, he thrust the bone spears in his hands toward the spider's eyes.
*BOOM!*
The two bone spears, encased in Spiritual Power, erupted with light, dragging a fierce wind as they pierced straight into the Human-Faced Demon Spider’s pupils.
*Puff—*
The two bone spears landed perfectly into the eyes, and two pools of viscous liquid sprayed into the air.
*ROAR—*
The Human-Faced Demon Spider instantly lost its sight, charging about blindly as if it had gone insane.
*THUD!* The massive body slammed into the cave wall, causing violent tremors and sending rocks tumbling down.
Ye Han drew a dagger from his waist, channeled all his Spiritual Power into it, and his eyes grew sharp.
He lunged toward the underside of the human-faced spider and stabbed down fiercely.
*Puff—*
A gruesome slit opened up as the spider's belly was gutted, and a large pool of purple liquid surged out.
The human-faced spider let out a painful roar and collapsed, its legs kicking into the air.
"Whew... finally done."
Ye Han threw the dagger aside, wiped the sweat from his brow, and let out a long, heavy breath, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over him.
"Brother Ye, are you alright?"
Tie Mu and the others rushed over, gasping as they looked at the fallen demon spider—filled with both wonder and shock.
"I'm fine, Brother Tie. You guys go ahead and clean it up. The Essence Core and the monster blood of this Human-Faced Demon Spider should be quite valuable."
Ye Han shook his head and said with a smile.
"Let us handle it!"
Tie Wu and the others, unable to wait any longer, swarmed forward and began to dismantle the Human-Faced Demon Spider.
Before long, only a bare skeleton remained of the giant spider body.
Crystal-clear beast bones and a glowing Essence Core lay on the ground, making the eyes of the mercenary brothers shine with greed.
They even removed the spider’s claws, intending to use them as material for forging weapons back home.
Seeing such a huge harvest, Tie Mu and the others couldn't stop smiling, their hearts overflowing with joy.
Ye Han had little interest in these treasures. Instead, he picked up a torch from the ground and said to Tie Mu and the others,
"It is said that where powerful demonic beasts reside, there is often a chance of finding rare treasures. Follow me into the cave to investigate."
Hearing this, Tie Wu and Tie Mu nodded.
"The rest of you guard the entrance. If you see any movement, come inside and report it."
With that, the two of them followed him into the cave.
...
"That damn kid, hateful! I’m going to explode with rage!"
On the high rock, seeing the Human-Faced Demon Spider being slain, Lu Qingshan’s face twisted in extreme ugliness.
*BANG!*
His palm smashed through the rock wall, leaving five claw marks behind.
They had spread the news to get other mercenary groups to wear the spider down in a war of attrition.
Who would have thought that the Tiemu Mercenary Group would actually clear out the Human-Faced Demon Spider’s lair!
It was like throwing a meat bun at a dog—in the end, the Tiemu Mercenary Group profited!
"Boss, what do we do now? Are we just going to let them get away with it for nothing?"
The members of the Lone Wolf Mercenary Group were livid, feeling deeply unreconciled.
"What else can we do? That kid’s strength is so formidable, do you think we can handle him?"
Lu Qingshan glared fiercely at his subordinates, the fire in his eyes nearly turning tangible.
However, he was secretly shocked as well; he never expected Ye Han, at such a young age, to possess the strength to kill a Human-Faced Demon Spider.
He had truly misjudged him!
"Let's go!"
Lu Qingshan flicked his robes and stormed away in a rage.
Behind him, Lu Xue watched the cave entrance below, biting her lip.
Her expression shifted—regret, unwillingness, anger, and desolation.
If not for her sharp-tongued attitude, if Ye Han had joined the Lone Wolf Mercenary Group, then this Human-Faced Demon Spider might have been theirs...
Chapter 36: Spirit Soul Ganoderma
Inside the pitch-black cave, Ye Han, Tie Mu, and Tie Wu held torches, carefully making their way through the passage.
Under the firelight, the cold, dark cave floor was covered in damp, withered leaves that felt soft underfoot.
From time to time, the sound of cold wind echoed in their ears, adding to the eerie atmosphere.
Ye Han walked at the very front, the light in his hand flickering slightly.
His eyes, like the starry sky in the dark night, keenly observed the surroundings.
Meanwhile, the three of them secretly kept their Spiritual Power circulating.
After walking for a few minutes, a massive object seemed to block their path ahead.
"What is this?"
The three of them stopped. Tie Wu shone his torch forward, and a pile of giant skeletons appeared before their eyes.
These skeletons were enormous, snow-white, and terrifying.
The three exchanged glances and hurried forward to examine the remains.
Ye Han picked up a bone to weigh it; it seemed to be the leg bone of a demonic beast, over two meters long and weighing hundreds of pounds—heavy and dense.
"These remains are at least from a Mid Spirit Sea Realm demonic beast; perhaps it was taken as food by the Human-Faced Demon Spider."
Surprise flickered in Ye Han's eyes as he spoke in a deep voice.
*Hiss—*
"Taken as food? No wonder this spider was so ferocious."
Tie Wu and Tie Mu gasped, secretly shocked.
A Spirit Sea Realm demonic beast was considered quite powerful, yet even it had been reduced to the Human-Faced Demon Spider's rations.
The two searched through the pile of white bones but found nothing of value, so they tossed the bone fragment aside and continued deeper.
The cave was damp and carried an indescribable stench. Aside from the giant beast skeleton, there were countless smaller piles of bones everywhere.
There were even countless human remains.
"These are the men of the Black Wind Mercenary Group."
At this moment, Tie Wu leaned down and picked up a black token next to a skeleton.
The token bore the characters for "Black Wind."
Just then, Ye Han raised his torch higher, having suddenly sensed something, and sniffed the air.
"Brother Ye, what is it?"
Tie Mu saw Ye Han’s strange expression and asked in confusion.
"There really are precious treasures in this cave. Didn't you smell that?"
The corner of Ye Han’s mouth curled up, his expression delighted.
"Smell? Aside from the damp, moldy air and the stench of decay, what other smell is there?"
Tie Mu and Tie Wu looked at each other, shaking their heads in confusion.
They sniffed at the surrounding air, but smelled nothing.
As an alchemist, Ye Han had an extremely keen sense of smell for rare natural treasures, especially medicinal herbs.
"Follow me."
With that, Ye Han quickly grabbed his torch and began searching through the intricate tunnels.
Before long, they entered a narrow grotto and came to a stop.
*Hum!*
Inside the grotto, a purple glow permeated the surroundings.
Their eyes looked ahead, and they saw a medicinal herb rooted in the soil not far away.
It was clearly a crystal-clear purple ganoderma.
"This is... Spirit Soul Ganoderma?!"
Ye Han’s eyes erupted with a sharp light, his voice filled with excitement.
"Spirit Soul Ganoderma?"
Beside him, Tie Wu and Tie Mu were filled with confusion.
Although they knew this ganoderma was undoubtedly a treasure, they were unaware of its effects.
"Brother Ye, what is a Spirit Soul Ganoderma?"
Tie Wu couldn't help but ask.
Ye Han slowly calmed his mind before turning to Tie Wu and Tie Mu, speaking in a deep voice,
"It is a special medicinal herb capable of enhancing the power of the Spirit Soul. It is extremely rare and is considered a priceless treasure of the Spirit Soul."