The giant spider brandished its massive forelimbs and lunged at Lin Yaoyao with a Speed so fast it whipped up a gust of wind. Lin Yaoyao reacted quickly, blocking with her Flying Sword in front of her. "Clang!" The Flying Sword collided with the giant spider's fangs, letting out a piercing metallic ring and sending sparks flying. The massive impact forced Lin Yaoyao back several steps, her palm numbing slightly, but her gaze remained steady without a hint of panic. Having missed its strike, the giant spider let out an angry hiss, its eight crimson eyes staring fixedly at Lin Yaoyao as if it wanted to tear her to shreds. The surrounding trees shook incessantly from the giant spider's violent movements, leaves fluttering down like dancing black butterflies in the dim light.
Seeing this, Shen Mo seized the opportunity. Her figure flickered as she circled behind the giant spider. She channeled spiritual power into her long sword, causing the blade to hum and flash with a cold light. Shen Mo leaped high and swung her long sword, slashing fiercely at the spider's hind leg joint. The long sword sliced through the spider's hard carapace, and green blood gushed out like a fountain, splashing onto the ground with a "sizzle" of corrosion. The surrounding vegetation withered instantly, emitting plumes of white smoke. The giant spider hissed in pain, its massive body shaking violently as it tried to turn and attack Shen Mo, but its movements became sluggish due to the injury to its hind leg.
Bai Li immediately condensed her spiritual power. Two fox tails swayed rapidly behind her, and under her precise control, the Nine-Tailed Fox Fire in her palm transformed into several fireballs. Carrying a scorching aura, they shot toward the giant spider's eyes like meteors. The fireballs struck the giant spider's eyes accurately with "thudding" sounds, and a scorched smell filled the air. The spider let out a shrill scream, frantically waving its long legs in an attempt to extinguish the flames on its body. Surrounding trees were snapped in half by its immense strength, making "crack-crack" sounds as they fell to the ground, kicking up clouds of dust and fallen leaves.
Lin Yaoyao and Shen Mo seized the chance to launch another attack. Lin Yaoyao manipulated her Flying Sword; the translucent white blade traced elegant arcs in the air like a spirit snake, nimbly avoiding the giant spider's wildly flailing limbs as she waited for an opening to strike its weakness. The Speed of the Flying Sword was extremely fast, like a bolt of lightning, leaving behind afterimages in the air. Finally, Lin Yaoyao found her chance and directed the Flying Sword to pierce the giant spider's abdomen. The Flying Sword punctured the hard belly and drove deep inside. The giant spider let out a piercing shriek, its movements becoming even more frenzied as its eight long legs flailed about, smashing the surrounding trees and boulders to pieces.
Meanwhile, Shen Mo took the opportunity to circle to the side of the giant spider. She infused her long sword with spiritual power, making the blade emit a dazzling light. She swung the long sword, continuously attacking the spider's leg joints. Each strike was accompanied by the crisp sound of breaking bone, and green blood spurted out like a fountain. The giant spider's eight long legs were gradually severed by Shen Mo, and its massive body crashed to the ground, struggling powerlessly while letting out low, mournful wails.
Burned by flames and attacked by the Flying Sword and long sword, the giant spider suffered immensely before finally collapsing, its life force extinguished. Its massive body began to burn, black flames roaring with a crackling sound as a scorched smell permeated the air. The giant spider's body gradually turned to ash, eventually dissipating into the air, leaving behind only a ground full of ash and some unburnt black residue.
The three cautiously approached the giant spider's corpse. Only after confirming it was completely dead did they relax. Lin Yaoyao retracted her Flying Sword, walked to Bai Li's side, and asked with concern, "Bai Li, are you alright?" The giant spider's attacks had been very fierce just now, and Lin Yaoyao had been worried that Bai Li might be injured.
Bai Li shook her head, her two fox tails swaying gently behind her. "I'm fine, Sister Yaoyao." As she spoke, her tails emitted a green light. The green light enveloped the wound on Lin Yaoyao's arm, and the injury healed rapidly at a pace visible to the naked eye. In a moment, it was restored to its original state, leaving not even a scar. This was a new authority Bai Li had obtained.
Like a nimble white snake, Bai Li gave a gentle flick of her tail to cast a miraculous Healing technique on herself. Her abrasions healed as quickly as flowers brushed by a spring breeze. She turned to look at Sister Shen Mo, her concerned gaze like the warm spring sun, and asked softly, "Sister Shen Mo, what about you? Are you injured?"
The corners of Shen Mo's mouth curled up into a faint smile, and she shook her head gently, like a flower swaying in the wind. "I am fine, Bai Li. Your Healing technique is truly superb." Although she hadn't been injured just now, the spiritual power within her had drained away like water from a broken dam. At this moment, she felt as if her body had been hollowed out, leaving her exhausted. She carefully took out a crystal-clear Medicinal Pill for replenishing spiritual power from her Storage Pouch, as if holding a rare treasure. Then, she slowly sat cross-legged and began to meditate to recover her seemingly depleted spiritual power.
Lin Yaoyao looked at Bai Li and Shen Mo, her heart filled with gratitude and warmth. The three of them had supported each other and fought together, finally defeating the powerful giant spider. She believed that as long as the three of them worked together, they could overcome any difficulty. "Let's keep moving forward," Lin Yaoyao said with a firm tone, looking ahead with eyes full of hope and confidence.
"Okay!" Bai Li and Shen Mo replied in unison, they too were full of expectations for the future.
The three continued to explore the trial Secret Realm, searching for spiritual items that could enhance Spirit Beast Bloodlines.
The three passed through a dense jungle where the light was dim and the tree shadows flickered. Bai Li looked around alertly, her fluffy white tails slightly raised as she occasionally sniffed the air. "It feels a bit strange here," Bai Li said softly, stopping her footsteps to look at Lin Yaoyao and Shen Mo. "There's a faint scent of blood in the air."
Lin Yaoyao and Shen Mo also stopped, carefully sensing the surrounding aura. Shen Mo drew her long sword, its blade glinting with a cold light. "Something is indeed off," Shen Mo said, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. "Let's be careful." Lin Yaoyao nodded, also gripping her Flying Sword, ready to respond to any sudden situation.
The surroundings were silent, save for the rustling of wind through the leaves. Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from a distance, getting closer and clearer. The three immediately heightened their vigilance, assuming a posture of Defense.
A man in tattered clothes came stumbling over. His face was pale, and he had multiple wounds on his body with blood constantly seeping out, staining his clothes red. Seeing Lin Yaoyao's group, he seemed to see hope, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.
"Help... save me..." the man cried out with his last ounce of strength before collapsing powerlessly to the ground.
"Ding! New mission issued: Save the man. Completion reward: Cultivation Base +200, Attributes +20. Failure penalty: None," Xiao Mai's voice rang out in Bai Li's mind.
Bai Li was delighted; this mission came at just the right time! Her two fluffy tails wagged excitedly, and she could hardly wait to rush forward to treat the Trial Participant. Lin Yaoyao immediately stepped forward, half-kneeling to check the Trial Participant's injuries. The Trial Participant's breathing was weak, his face deathly pale, and he had several wounds deep enough to see bone, dripping with blood. Clearly, his injuries were extremely severe, and he was already in critical condition. Lin Yaoyao's brows were tightly knit in worry as she turned to Bai Li and said, "Bai Li, quick! Use your Healing technique!"
"Okay, Sister Yaoyao!" Bai Li hurried to the Trial Participant's side, squatted down, and placed her two fluffy tails over his most serious wounds. The tips of her two tails emitted a soft green light, which flowed into the Trial Participant's body like a trickling stream, nourishing his wounds and repairing his Meridians. The Trial Participant's wounds healed rapidly at a visible rate, the bleeding gradually stopped, and his originally weak breathing slowly became steady. Bai Li's face gradually turned pale, and her two fox tails trembled slightly from the consumption of spiritual power, but she still gritted her teeth and persisted, continuously infusing spiritual power into the Trial Participant's body. Meanwhile, Shen Mo held her long sword, alertly observing the surroundings to prevent any other dangers from approaching. The surrounding woods were silent, with only the rustling of wind through the leaves and a few distant roars from unknown beasts. The air was filled with a faint scent of blood and a decaying aura, making one feel somewhat uneasy. Shen Mo's sharp gaze scanned the surrounding woods and bushes, not missing any suspicious movement. She pushed her spiritual power to its limit, ready at any moment to handle sudden situations and protect the safety of Lin Yaoyao and Bai Li.
After confirming the man's condition had stabilized, Bai Li retracted her tails and let out a long sigh of relief, some color returning to her face. She turned to Lin Yaoyao, her voice tinged with exhaustion. "Sister Yaoyao, his injuries have stabilized; he's no longer in mortal danger." Bai Li's spiritual power consumption was heavy, and her two fox tails drooped somewhat weakly, but seeing that the Trial Participant was out of danger, her heart was filled with relief.
Looking at Bai Li's slightly pale little face, Lin Yaoyao said heart-wrenchingly, "You've worked hard, Bai Li." She reached out to stroke Bai Li's head and said softly, "Take a rest first and recover your spiritual power."
Bai Li nodded, sat down cross-legged, and began to meditate to recover her spiritual power. Lin Yaoyao walked to the Trial Participant's side and asked softly, "Fellow Daoist, are you alright? Can you tell me what happened?"
The Trial Participant slowly opened his eyes, his gaze somewhat dazed. He looked at Lin Yaoyao and then at the surroundings, seemingly not yet realizing what had happened. He struggled to sit up, and seeing this, Lin Yaoyao quickly reached out to support him, letting him lean against a tree.
"I... I encountered a Yao Beast..." the man said weakly, his voice carrying a hint of terror. "A very powerful Yao Beast..." He coughed twice, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. Lin Yaoyao quickly took out a healing Medicinal Pill from her Storage Ring and handed it to him. "Take this Medicinal Pill first."
The man took the Medicinal Pill, gave Lin Yaoyao a grateful look, and then swallowed it. The pill melted upon entering his mouth, turning into a warm current that flowed through his entire body, making him feel a bit better.
"Thank you..." the Trial Participant said gratefully. He took a deep breath, calmed his emotions, and continued, "I was originally entering the Secret Realm for training with several fellow disciples. Unexpectedly, in the depths of the Secret Realm, we encountered an extremely powerful Yao Beast. My fellow disciples were all... all killed. I was the only one who managed to escape by luck..." As he spoke, a flash of sorrow and fear crossed his eyes, and his body trembled slightly, as if he were remembering that harrowing scene again.
"What did that Yao Beast look like?" Shen Mo walked to the Trial Participant's side and asked in a serious tone, her brow furrowed with gravity and a sense of vigilance rising in her heart. "Where in the Secret Realm is it located?" She had to clarify the situation of this Yao Beast as soon as possible to take appropriate measures and protect the safety of Lin Yaoyao and Bai Li. The trial Secret Realm was full of dangers; they had to remain vigilant at all times to survive in this world full of unknowns.
The Trial Participant tried hard to recall, his brow tightly furrowed and his eyes full of fear. "That Yao Beast was pitch black all over and massive in size, like a small mountain. It had sharp fangs and claws, its Speed was extremely fast, and it possessed immense strength..." He paused and continued, "It... it could also breathe fire..." As he spoke, his body couldn't help but tremble, as if he had returned to that thrilling and terrifying scene.
"Breathe fire?" Shen Mo's expression changed. She had once seen a record of such a Yao Beast in an ancient book. This Yao Beast was called the "Black Flame Demonic Tiger." It was powerful, incredibly ferocious, and one of the most dangerous Yao Beasts in the trial Secret Realm. "Where in the Secret Realm is it located?" she pressed urgently, an ominous premonition rising in her heart.
The man pointed toward the depths of the Secret Realm. "It's... it's in that valley deep within the Secret Realm..." His voice was weak, and after speaking, he coughed violently again, with more blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
"We need to find a safe place for him to rest," Lin Yaoyao said to Shen Mo, her eyes carrying a hint of worry. Although the Trial Participant's condition had stabilized, he had lost too much blood and his body was very weak; he needed to replenish his nutrition and rest as soon as possible to fully recover. Furthermore, the Secret Realm was fraught with peril, and new dangers could appear at any time. They couldn't stay here for long.
Shen Mo nodded in agreement. "I just found a cave nearby; the environment is relatively safe." She pointed to a cave not far behind her. "Let's take him there to rest first."
Lin Yaoyao and Shen Mo helped the man up together, while Bai Li scouted ahead, staying alert to their surroundings as the four of them headed toward the cave. The cave was located deep within a dense jungle, its entrance hidden by thick vines and bushes; it would be hard to find without a careful search. The space inside the cave wasn't large, the ground was dry, and the air circulated well, making it a fairly ideal resting place. Lin Yaoyao and Shen Mo helped the Trial Participant to the back of the cave, letting him lean against the stone wall to rest. Bai Li then set up a simple warning Formation around the cave for early detection and Defense.