After Ma Xiaotao and Zhang Lexuan finished their conversation, Zhang Lexuan left first, heading into the Star Dou Forest to search for traces of Huo Yuhao.
Ma Xiaotao, meanwhile, approached Yan Shaozhe and explained the situation to him in detail. To ensure safety, Yan Shaozhe ultimately decided to consult Xuan Zi directly.
"Xiaotao, don't worry. Yuhao isn't foolish, and Elder Xuan has already rushed over. If things go south, a super Douluo like him will step in. It's absolutely foolproof."
"I know…" Ma Xiaotao replied, though her concern lingered.
Later, while waiting anxiously in Huo Yuhao's dormitory, Ma Xiaotao encountered Wang Dong, who had come looking for Huo Yuhao.
After sharing information, the two quickly hit it off and decided to head to the Star Dou Forest together.
According to Wang Dong, she and Huo Yuhao possessed a martial soul fusion skill, and she felt a vague sense of guidance that allowed her to determine Huo Yuhao's general direction.
Ma Xiaotao didn't question the authenticity of Wang Dong's words. Instead, she used this as an opportunity to follow her own instincts. She was determined to find Huo Yuhao, even if it meant risking everything. Staying idle in the dormitory was not an option.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, Ma Xiaotao found herself face-to-face with an extremely ferocious spider-type soul beast.
Its massive body spanned over five meters in diameter, with eight spear-like legs stretching nearly ten meters long.
The creature's glossy black exoskeleton shimmered ominously, and its slender legs pierced the ground silently with each step, showcasing their razor-sharp precision.
The spider's eight legs moved at blinding speeds, creating a series of afterimages.
On its lower abdomen, white lines contrasted sharply against its black body, forming the shape of a grotesque human face complete with all facial features.
However, its real eyes were hidden beneath this "face," glowing faintly with a malicious purple light.
This was the Man-faced Demon Spider, a notorious and brutal predator in the soul beast world. Known as the "evil killer," it was the nightmare of smaller spirit beasts and a life-devouring menace feared by all.
As one of the pinnacle poisonous attribute soul beasts, even a ten-thousand-year-level Man-faced Demon Spider could instill terror in the hearts of Soul Saint-level experts.
In the Star Dou Forest, even spirit beasts with thirty or forty thousand years of cultivation would think twice before provoking this venomous creature.
Not only was it incredibly fast and powerful, but its eight legs were also equipped with devastating penetrating power and deadly poison, leaving it with virtually no weaknesses. The most terrifying aspect, however, was its web.
The Man-faced Demon Spider's silk was not only incredibly sticky and tough but also laced with a potent neurotoxin.
As a new student at Shrek Academy, Wang Dong's knowledge of soul beasts was limited. Still, she could tell that this Man-faced Demon Spider was at least ten thousand years old, making it a formidable opponent capable of rivaling Soul Saint-level powerhouses.
After reaching the ten-thousand-year level, this spider gained a special stealth skill that allowed it to conceal its body, aura, and even shield itself from mental detection. This ability made its initial web attack nearly impossible to evade.
Wang Dong had already witnessed the spider's horror firsthand. If not for Ma Xiaotao's quick reflexes, she might have been reduced to nothing more than a lifeless husk by now.
Ma Xiaotao's Phoenix Roar Airstrike, her fourth soul skill, was originally a two-stage attack.
The first stage unleashed a disorienting shockwave, followed by the devastating Phoenix Magma Rush, which erupted like a volcanic explosion.
As a genius of the inner court, Ma Xiaotao had modified the skill to release the second stage instantly, bypassing the usual delay and maximizing its destructive potential.
The piercing cry of a phoenix echoed through the forest as Ma Xiaotao's fiery flames tore through the spider's webs. "Wang Dong, get out of here now!" she shouted.
Wang Dong, possessed by the Light Butterfly Goddess, quickly retreated from the battlefield.
Though she didn't understand why a ten-thousand-year Man-faced Demon Spider had appeared in the outer regions of the Star Dou Forest, she instinctively sent out a distress signal.
A ball of red light shot from her hand, soaring hundreds of meters into the air before exploding into countless golden-red sparks that scattered across the sky.
This was the Shrek Academy inner court's emergency signal, given to her by Ma Xiaotao earlier. She hadn't expected to use it so soon.
"I wonder if Senior Sister Xiaotao can handle this Man-faced Demon Spider on her own…" Wang Dong thought anxiously.
Meanwhile, the Man-faced Demon Spider was in a state of frustration.
The recent appearance of a powerful, ferocious aura had driven most spirit beasts into hiding or forced them to flee the area.
With prey becoming scarce, the spider had been forced to leave its usual hunting grounds and venture into the outer regions to hibernate. While resting, it suddenly sensed a repulsive light aura and, guided by instinct, decided to attack.
Using its innate skill, Spider Web Binding, the spider launched a sneak attack. In its mind, the all-conquering web would trap its prey, and the paralyzing neurotoxin would render them helpless.
Once ensnared, a single strike from its venomous legs would be enough to deliver a fatal dose of corrosive poison.
As an "evil killer," the Man-faced Demon Spider had used this method to devour countless soul beasts and soul masters who had ventured too deep into the Star Dou Forest.
The taste of human flesh, especially when the soul power hadn't completely dissipated, was far more delicious than that of spirit beasts.
But this time, the spider's plan backfired. Its attack had hit a wall—literally and figuratively.
Wang Dong's worries, however, were unnecessary. As a student of Shrek Academy, Ma Xiaotao not only possessed immense strength but also exceptional control over her soul skills.
Many of the techniques she used were closely guarded secrets of the academy, taught only to inner court disciples who had signed confidentiality agreements.
Thanks to Huo Yuhao's influence, Ma Xiaotao could now fight without the burden of her evil fire, allowing her to unleash the full power of her level 64 Soul Emperor cultivation and compete with Soul Saints.
The Man-faced Demon Spider before her had a cultivation base of only twenty thousand years at most, and its abilities were heavily countered by her phoenix flames.
Ma Xiaotao was confident she could defeat it step by step. However, she couldn't shake her growing concern.
"I don't know what's been happening lately, but the Star Dou Forest has become far more dangerous than before. I should have brought more people with me," she thought. "Damn this Man-faced Demon Spider. We need to end this quickly!"
With that, Ma Xiaotao unleashed two powerful soul skills and charged at the spider.
"Boom!"
A terrifying explosion erupted at the point of impact, sending a towering column of golden-red flames over ten meters high. The Man-faced Demon Spider reacted swiftly, leaping into the air to avoid most of the blast. It immediately adjusted its trajectory and lunged at Ma Xiaotao.
With a swift flap of her wings, Ma Xiaotao took to the air again. Her fifth soul ring lit up instantly.
"Even if the Eight Spider Lance drops, Huo Yuhao definitely won't absorb it," she muttered under her breath.
…
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