Archfiend

Chapter 278: Tianzi Mountain and the Azure Snake’s Treasury (2)

Swoosh swoosh swoosh! Among the fifteen people, six of them immediately weaved hand seals. As their hand seals became faster and faster, the lower abdomen of their half-spider bodies began to progressively bulge. The other eight were casting the exact same magik art.

The tallest leading spider, Third Master, didn’t act. On the contrary, he glared daggers at Xu Yangyi who was hovering in the air like an eagle. He was different from the other man-spiders. He had four arms and each arm was clutching a magik artifact that was glimmering with crystalline treasure light.

“Keep on flying…” Third Master licked his lips, thirsting for blood. “Sooner or later, you’ll have to land… and spiders… are the best at hunting moths like you…”

“Puh! Puh! Puh!” As soft noises echoed out, the protruding balloonlike lower abdomens of the six man-spiders spurted out six white lights that lanced straight at Xu Yangyi who was in the air!

At the same time, the spider leader’s eyes narrowed. He stood up like a man, drawing his height up to no less than five meters! His belly swiftly expanded several times greater in size than everyone else's! The deathly white ornate patterns all over his stomach caused one’s skull to chill in the wake of each swell of his abdomen, as if they was alive. His black spinneret resembled a targeting device, capturing Xu Yangyi’s figure unflaggingly.

In Xu Yangyi’s eyes, a white fountain seemed to emerge below him and six waves of white light swiftly launched towards him. He clearly understood that this was all spider-demon silk. 

Nonetheless… there was no way for this onslaught of silk to assault him altogether. Instead, some blasts of silk were in front and some behind. The first piercing tendril was aimed at his left flank and the second was already directed towards his right.

“Trying to seal off my position, eh…” Qi poured into the talismans on left shoulder, and his wings flew with extreme speed, but he made no action whatsoever.

His gaze was searching, on the watch whether or not a fish had escaped the net. He wasn’t one with a fondness for murder, but it could be said that besides those who necessitated his personal touch, he hadn’t dyed his hands red with blood after his graduation. But tonight, beneath cold and pure splendor, the killing intent in his heart was on the brink of fullness. 

Still, Xu Yangyi didn’t move immediately. First, he wanted to study the combat methods of this berserk clan. As the contest over the heavenly paradise was on the verge of arrival, this would reap great benefits to him!

And second… was to test his blade!

He needed a clear explanation concerning his newest ace. Explanations such as how much power could he attain and how strong the residual effects were in a state of full power. This battle couldn’t have come at a more perfect timing. Today, he would have everyone from the Nalan Clan come to act as his whetstone!

Since the beginning, the thought of permitting them to leave with their lives had never once crossed his mind.

Swoosh! The first white fountain approached in an instant. Xu Yangyi’s gaze flashed, and his body gracefully turned in midair like a soaring falcon.

“Screech, screech!” At the same time he left, an ear-piercing shriek rang out ten-somewhat meters behind him. A bat that had no time to dodge had been unexpectedly hit by this blast of silk. To Xu Yangyi’s surprise… the spider silk was actually like hand! It forcefully captured the bat and pulled it back!

Meanwhile, the second white light quickly came launching forth in the direction he had intended in hovering. If he hadn’t tucked his feet, he would’ve been directly struck by the silver lance.

The light of his eyes faintly flashed and both of his wings flapped. Silent, he turned around again but another white fountain greeted him as he turned!

Whoosh! His expression was unexcited by great billows, and his wings flapped again.

Unexpectedly, he slowly flew up, reaching an altitude of a couple dozen meters. In the net of spraying spider silk, he used rolls and extremely slight movements to shuttle back and forth like a butterfly.

Third Master gazed deeply at Xu Yangyi, and his pupils transformed into compound eyes. After the third volley of spider silk jetted forth, an oscillation, visible to the naked eye, appeared in the air in front of him!

“Not attacking, huh…” Third Master blinked and immediately realized Xu Yangyi’s intentions. “You want to probe the Nalan Clan’s skills and capabilities?”

“In that case… I’ll force you to make a move!”

He suddenly drew a deep breath and his extraordinarily swollen abdomen swiftly deflated. Shh… An extremely soft noise followed the shriveling of his abdomen. Under the cover of night, it was hard to clearly see. A strand of black spider silk, with only the thickness of an arm, molded into a short black spear. With a speed that was around five or six times greater than the other blasts of silk, the dark lance pierced straight towards Xu Yangyi!

At this moment, Xu Yangyi was completely surrounding by white fountains! At the beginning, these spider threads were ordinary, but now they has split into two kinds! Black and nebulous, this flowing light was like a maggot in the heel, cutting straight at the back of his head! However… while it seemed that Xu Yangyi was constantly evading, a booming noise rang out in the next second. The black spear was actually gripped in Xu Yangyi’s left hand!

A burst of wild qi trembled violently in the demon slayer’s palm. His face was heavy like water, without the faintest sign of ease. After a brief moment, black qi rose up from the seams of his fingers. He then gently fluttered and looked down gravely at the tremendous spider silk formation.

Swoosh swoosh swoosh! Without pause, because the short spear had been eliminated, the gushing threads of spider silk had already partitioned into three sections! Xu Yangyi was now completely caged within white fountains!

“A magik prosthesis crafted by Grandmaster Gao?” In the night, Third Master’s face was unclear. Merely his abdomen swelled up again with dizzying speed. The personification of death, his spinneret aimed towards Xu Yangyi once more.

Yet no one had sensed moments ago… that the spiritual force of Xu Yangyi’s left hand suddenly quickened before he captured the short spear.

This was the Ketu-Rahu Sword’s unsheathing indicator… If he continued to imbue spiritual force towards his left arm… then that sword which broke through Old Man Di’s protective qi would dawn once again. Nevertheless, Xu Yangyi canceled this flow.

His face was serene, yet he had already become utterly serious in his heart.

Different… 

Concerning the noble clans, he attached them with sufficient regard. However, it now seemed that this regard still wasn’t enough!

In Danxia Temple, he had slain Nangong Xiaoran, fought Ling Xiaozi, and battled Sister Nine. They… were different from the Nalan Clan, true apex clans! The power of the Five Great Demon Clans and Humanity’s top three lineages! Their strength was only beyond the Nalan Clan’s!

He had run the gauntlet through these foes in battle, claiming total victory. To say he was absent of a sliver of arrogance was impossible. Such an impressive achievement was indeed enough for him to be proud of. However, the Nalan Clan’s current show caused his sliver of arrogance to burn away into flying ash, instead replaced by terrible solemnity.

“Compared with my past opponents… they’re completely different!” Xu Yangyi seemed to be calmly strolling, but in truth… each shake of his wings now brought forth sparks. This was the sign of the Starfire divine ability in his wings. “It’s not a difference of divine abilities, but a difference in battle tactics! This cultivation world… really is shockingly amazing.”

At his flank, a thread of spider silk jetted forth. Outsiders couldn’t see, but Xu Yangyi understood very well. In this prison of spider silk, the shooting speed and strength of these threads had unwittingly became one and a half times faster than before! The quantity of icy lances was also triple!

“The first thread was their operating signal. Its objective… was to get me to move! Beating the grass to scare out the snake.” Xu Yangyi finally took action, and his left arm brought forth a lingering white ray that was several meters long! Amidst the white light, a dragon’s cry flashed and forcibly slashed towards a blast of silk. But surprisingly… the silk was left uncut!

The soft could subdue the strong. While the firmness of this spider was inferior to the God Ming Clan, its suppleness was even better!

“Next, the rest of the silk is going to blockade my moving position slowly but surely… to force me into the best position or reveal an opening…” His slash had not severed. Xu Yangyi’s gaze slightly flickered, and he turned his hand behind his back to grab the source of the spider silk below, pulling upwards with all of his might!

However, it wouldn’t budge!

In that instant the spider silk was grabbed, the man-spider swiftly pushed his body downwards, lying down like a crab on the spider web! His eight legs and the web were inseparable from the other! Xu Yangyi wanting to forcibly lift him up was the same as wanting to hoist up this kilometer-wide spider web!

Xu Yangyi was quick to come to a decision and immediately cut the silk. Both his wings shook and he flew again.

“The one who can really kill or injure me is that largest man-spider. He’s the operation leader this time… They’re different from those lineages. The Nalan Clan… is just like a spider weaving a web. Pull one hair and the entire body moves. Their individual attack potential isn’t strong, but they’re squeezing down on my breathing room until my spiritual force is exhausted… They’re not afraid of an opponent that can fly whatsoever.”

Swoosh swoosh swoosh! At this moment, each silk thread unexpectedly split into four sections! Below, they formed an all-encompassing web that rushed above!

“Using defense as attack. If I fall in, it’ll be endless torment. Like an Australian birdeater spider, they’re nibbling away at the opponent’s survival room little by little. The more people there are, the greater its power.”

Fact were telling him that the Nalan Clan… absolutely were not amateurs. They were much more troublesome than he imagined!

But… he would end things here.

“Life Sacrification, Ten Cardinals Red Lotus.” He said softly, and both of his wings suddenly ignited with golden-white flame. Two roaring fire dragons flew out. At the same time, the leading man-spider’s gaze shrunk. His large belly sprayed itself empty once more! Yet this time, his attack was a hand of spider silk that was radiating cold light! In the air, the hand divided into two and steadily welcomed the Ten Cardinals Red Lotus!

HISS!!!! In the sky, white mist ascended and cloaked the earth and sky. The hymn of ice and fire formed a continuous steam. After several seconds, both attacks completely faded away. The tremendous spider web had also vanished together with them.

In the end, the sky was clear and deserted for the first time. Xu Yangyi stood in the air and finally said, “This formation… what’s its name?”

“The Nalan Clan’s Hundred Gu Grand Formation.” Third Master stepped forward and laughed coldly, “Fellow Daoist Xu, are you satisfied?”

Xu Yangyi nodded. “Warm water can boil a frog. Although the time it takes is long, it is the most dependable method.”

 Mortal danger rested all around. Just like a spider web, if one thread was bumped into, what welcomed was the bounce of the entire net. Moreover… Xu Yangyi had a premonition that this style of continued waste wasn’t his opponent’s objective. Within the spider web, this foe… certainly had a move to deliver a fatal and deadly blow!

“Make your move.” Xu Yangyi’s left arm extended straight out. Presently, that which should’ve been seen had all been witnessed. The night was long and dreams many; he already held the notion of certain victory.

Since the beginning, he hadn’t placed these people in his eyes. He was cautious of the entire Nalan Clan, not these ten-odd cultivators in front of him. He was unaware of the opposing party’s divine abilities and battle tactics, and these man-spiders furthermore didn’t know about the Ketu-Rahu Sword that he had given everything to create!

They also didn’t know… that this sword could break through the protective qi of a half-step Core Formation cultivator!

The spider web’s toughness was adequate, but lone absolute strength could fell infinite skill and strategy! Since the dawn of time, it was only heard that moths tangled in a spider’s web were devoured. Never had a man fell to their doom by such a construct!

“Otherwise, you won’t have a chance.”

Just as Xu Yangyi’s voice fell, the first node on his arm had already started shining. All his bodily qi was bereft of any further reservation, madly surging towards his left arm!