Chapter Seventy-Two: The Fated Eight Spider Spears

The soul ring of the Faced Demon Spider was unsuitable, so Dragon Lord and Serpent Lady did not linger, bidding their farewells and departing at once. Xiao Yu, seeing this, refrained from offering further assistance; with Meng Shu's capabilities, finding a third soul ring for Meng Yiran was hardly a challenge. Helping him capture a predetermined soul beast nearby was a trivial favor, but scouring the entire Star Dou Forest just for a millennium-level soul beast would seem rather forced. Such a gesture might not even win favor and could instead make Meng Shu feel it was an act, thus eroding the goodwill previously gained.

Once Meng Shu and his companions had moved out of sight, Xiao Yu approached the Faced Demon Spider that still clung to life. Channeling his soul power, he unleashed a blow that shattered the creature into fragments.

“Brother Xiao Yu, what are you doing?” Ye Lingling asked curiously. In the past, Xiao Yu would always release unsuitable soul beasts, never slaughtering them like this. Moreover, as a Soul Emperor, he had no need for a soul ring from a mere two-thousand-year-old beast.

“I just remembered that Elder Yang Invincible and Elder Dugu Bo are both quite interested in the mixed toxins of the Faced Demon Spider. I’ll collect some venom for them to study,” Xiao Yu replied with a gentle smile. It was a valid reason; both elders had mentioned this more than once. Now, collecting the venom provided him the opportunity to discover an external soul bone—if one appeared, it would make sense.

Xiao Yu took out several jade bottles from his Lucky Treasure Pouch, carefully using soul power to wrap and siphon the venom drop by drop into the containers. He dared not touch it directly.

While gathering the venom, he simultaneously probed the spider’s remains with his spiritual power, searching for the external soul bone.

Yet, no matter how thoroughly he scanned every piece, even the tiniest corners, he found no trace of a soul bone.

Where were the Eight Spider Spears?

Xiao Yu searched once more, confirming that there was absolutely no soul bone present in the Faced Demon Spider’s body.

Just as he suspected!

Lifting his gaze, Xiao Yu looked up at the starry sky, as if trying to pierce through the clouds to the heavens beyond.

God of Asura, Sea God—so it was all your design!

He had always felt it was too much of a coincidence: how could a mere two-thousand-year-old Faced Demon Spider produce an external soul bone whose effects rivaled those of a hundred-thousand-year soul bone, eventually evolving into part of a divine set? It seemed the Eight Spider Spears were Sea God’s cheat gift for Tang San—or perhaps, from the start, the Eight Spider Spears were fated to evolve into Sea God’s Eight Wings.

Although he failed to obtain the Eight Spider Spears, he at least confirmed one thing. It was not all misfortune for Xiao Yu; in the future, when confronting Tang San, he must be vigilant. Who knew if those two shameless ones might descend with divine projections to assist Tang San?

Some time later, Huihuo finished absorbing the hundred-thousand-year soul ring, and his soul power leapt directly from level ninety to ninety-two.

The two objectives of this journey were not both fulfilled, but the Eight Spider Spears were clearly destined to elude Xiao Yu. He had no further reason to linger in the Star Dou Forest; the Azure Bull Python might notice something amiss at any moment, making this place unsafe. After a brief tidying up, the group departed for Soto City.

As Xiao Yu and his companions left, roughly a hundred miles away, Tang San sat cross-legged, palm outstretched as his Blue Silver Grass martial soul quietly released, absorbing a purple millennium soul ring.

Not far ahead, a Faced Demon Spider’s corpse lay on the ground. Unlike the original tale, this spider had only about fifteen hundred years of cultivation, and Tang San was not alone. With the help of Zhao Wuji and other Shrek companions, Tang San had easily slain it.

Although its age was not excessive, the Faced Demon Spider remained a nightmare for small soul beasts, its ferocity and brutality innate. Tang San struggled greatly with its absorption, sweat covering his brow.

Xiao Wu watched Tang San with concern, murmuring, “Brother, you mustn't let anything happen!”

“Don’t worry, Xiao Wu!” As the saying goes, friendships are forged in adversity, and now with Xiao Yu as a common foe, the strongest bond among the Shrek Seven Devils was between Tang San and Xiao Wu, with Dai Mubai as their closest ally. He stepped up to Xiao Wu, encouraging her with laughter, “Xiao San’s talent is extraordinary, his will unmatched. The soul ring of a mere Faced Demon Spider cannot defeat him!”

Almost as if to prove his brother Dai Mubai right, the Blue Silver Grass in Tang San’s hand shone brightly. The once darkened grass emitted a faint purple glow—a sign of its fusion with the spider’s venom.

“This kid Tang San really is a genius. In less than half an hour, he has survived the shock of absorbing a millennium-grade Faced Demon Spider soul ring. Next is the transformation of his soul power; it won’t be long before he awakens!” Not having suffered Tang Hao’s harsh tutelage, Zhao Wuji regarded Tang San as a promising commoner, unaware of his true lineage. He marveled at the sight, his attitude toward Tang San shifting.

“Ah—”

Just as Xiao Wu breathed a sigh of relief, Tang San suddenly let out a cry of agony, startling her heart anew.

Tang San’s body convulsed; his clothes tore apart, and eight nearly three-meter-long spider legs sprouted from his back—the fate-bound Eight Spider Spears had finally emerged.

In the void, a blue figure drifted past, murmuring, “Tang San, I’ve given you the Sea God’s Eight Wings. Don’t let me down!”

At the same time as Tang San absorbed the soul ring and the Eight Spider Spears soul bone, another person was also acquiring her third soul ring in the Star Dou Forest: Meng Yiran.

For Meng Shu, a dignified Soul Douluo, finding a third soul ring for his granddaughter was no hard feat; he simply had not taken it seriously at first. After parting from Xiao Yu, he soon found a new target. With so many prior complications, this time, once he confirmed the soul beast’s age was suitable, he went all out. A Soul Douluo at over eighty levels, exerting his full power, left the millennium beast with no chance to struggle.

As Meng Yiran absorbed her soul ring, Serpent Lady Zhao Tianxiang walked beside Dragon Lord Meng Shu. Having supported each other for nearly fifty years, they understood each other’s thoughts without words.

Zhao Tianxiang spoke, “Are you thinking of that Xiao Yu from the Nine Star Hall?”

Meng Shu nodded. “That young man is impressive, and the Nine Star Hall’s foundation is formidable. You and I both know, given our age, we won’t be able to protect Yiran for much longer. Before we go, we must find her a good place.”

“But we’ve only met Xiao Yu once. It’s too soon to decide,” Zhao Tianxiang considered. “I heard the Nine Star Hall has established the Nine Star Academy under the name of their sect, and it enjoys a good reputation. Why not let Yiran enroll there, and observe further?”

Meng Shu thought for a moment, then nodded. “Very well, let her attend and see for herself.”