NOVEL NEXT Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Schemes
"This is it," Bai Yu pointed to the dark entrance leading underground and turned around, introducing it respectfully.
Behind him, one of the so-called "Golden Generation" of the Spirit Hall stepped forward slightly, glancing at the entrance. His tone was low and commanding, "You go in first and check."
This person was Yan, clad in a red outfit with fiery red hair. As he spoke, an invisible wave of heat seemed to emanate from him.
"This..." Bai Yu hesitated, but when he saw Yan's gaze turn icy, he swallowed hard and forced himself to jump into the hole.
This was the very entrance they had discovered while chasing Fang Chang into the underground lair.
Earlier that day, Fang Chang had caused a bloody storm, single-handedly fending off over a hundred soul masters and killing nearly half of them.
The news had caused an uproar in the Spirit Hall. After all the effort they had spent organizing the Spirit Hunt event, this debacle was like a slap to their faces.
As a result, the Golden Generation—Yan, Xie Yue, and Hu Liena—were tasked to kill this mutated Man-Faced Demon Spider by the end of the day.
Bai Yu and Xue Wu, the only two people who had entered the spider's lair and lived to tell the tale, naturally became their guides.
The bottom of the hole was pitch black. Bai Yu carefully took out a fire starter and lit a pile of dry grass on the ground. After scanning the surroundings and confirming there was no danger, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's safe. Come down."
Hearing this, Yan turned and glanced at Hu Liena, her blonde hair glimmering faintly. His tone softened immediately, "Nana, I'll go down with Xie Yue first, and then you can come."
"Oh," Hu Liena nodded indifferently, her voice devoid of emotion.
Yan's protective behavior did little to endear her. Instead, it made her feel uncomfortable, as if being treated like a weakling.
She was naturally a proud and strong-willed girl, but Yan's constant indulgence in her presence only served to make her feel constrained.
Unaware of her thoughts, Yan turned back and jumped into the hole.
Xie Yue, smirking slightly, patted Hu Liena on the shoulder before following Yan down.
This wasn't the first time he had witnessed their awkward dynamic.
"You can come down now, Nana," Yan called from below.
Hu Liena frowned slightly but landed gracefully in the hole with a light jump, not even stirring the dust.
The remaining dozens of human spirit masters hesitated before following in small groups. However, Bai Yu had instructed Xue Wu to stay above ground.
Bai Yu used the torch he had prepared earlier to light the way. Once everyone was assembled, he pointed to the right side of the underground chamber. "Follow me. This way."
A dark corridor stretched out like the maw of a giant abyss.
The group moved cautiously through the passage, their footsteps muffled, each harboring their own thoughts.
"Nana, if we encounter the mutated Man-Faced Demon Spider, Xie Yue and I will engage it first, just like when we fought the Copper-Boned Rhinoceros," Yan broke the silence, unable to suppress his thoughts.
"Okay," Hu Liena replied absently, her eyes fixed on the ground as she walked. She didn't know how to respond to such statements anymore.
"Yan, Nana's strength is no less than ours. Stop worrying so much," Xie Yue intervened, hoping to dispel the awkward atmosphere between them.
"But she's... she's a girl, after all," Yan insisted, his tone earnest but oblivious to the sighs of exasperation from Xie Yue.
Meanwhile, in the lair's grand hall, Fang Chang stood abruptly, his eight eyes fixed on the direction from which the group was approaching.
Finally, they're here. He felt a sense of relief, as if a weight had been lifted, and even his breathing seemed smoother.
Earlier, worried that the human soul masters wouldn't find his lair, he had deliberately made his way back openly, ensuring they would spot him.
Hours had passed without a trace of them, but now his traps alerted him to their arrival.
The corridor fell silent again as Bai Yu led the group further into the depths, the flickering torchlight mirroring their growing tension.
Since the battle earlier, rumors about the mutated Man-Faced Demon Spider had grown increasingly exaggerated.
Some claimed it had reached the rank of a ten-thousand-year soul beast; others believed it was a cunning predator feigning weakness. Some even speculated that it could absorb the spirit power of other beasts to mutate further.
Such rumors only added to its mystique.
Now, this group was heading straight for its lair.
After an indeterminate amount of time, just as they were nearing the end of the corridor, faint rustling sounds came from ahead.
Yan darted forward, flames flaring around him, and dashed out of the corridor in an instant.
His sharp eyes caught a shadow disappearing into a wider passage in the underground hall.
"Beast! Let's see where you run!" he roared, his flames intensifying as he pursued the shadow at full speed.
Moments later, Xie Yue and Hu Liena emerged from the corridor, leading the others as they chased after Yan.
The shadow was, of course, Fang Chang. He was heading straight for the valley where he had previously encountered the Giant Demon Ape.
Damn it, why did they send these three?
A glance at their attire and aura was enough for Fang Chang to recognize the infamous Golden Generation from the Douluo Continent.
He cursed inwardly. The Spirit Hall clearly held him in high regard, sending such heavyweights after a "harmless little spider."
Now certain of their identities, Fang Chang sped up. Even Yan, despite his best efforts, couldn't close the gap.
After about ten minutes, Fang Chang was the first to emerge from the underground passage.
His larger frame, thanks to his evolution, had fortunately not blocked the passage, which he had widened earlier in preparation.
The moment he exited, Fang Chang activated his "Shadow Clone" skill, sending his clones in three different directions while concealing himself in the crown of a nearby spirit fruit tree.
Seconds later, Yan burst out of the passage. He paused, scanning the three spider clones as they fled.
He chose not to pursue immediately, instead observing the shadows as they faded into the distance.
Shortly after, Hu Liena and the others arrived, momentarily stunned by the sight of the valley.
The young soul masters who had tagged along were particularly drawn to the valley's abundant herbs and fruits.
Without hesitation, they began greedily uprooting the precious plants.
Suddenly, a thunderous roar shook the forest. Emerging from its den, the Giant Demon Ape glared at the intruders and let out another deafening bellow of warning.
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