In truth, he himself didn't know what he had just done. Piercing the Human-faced Demon Spider's body with the Eight Spider Lances had been entirely a subconscious act committed while his mind was blank. Now, seeing that Xiao Wu was still alive, Tang San's heart came back to life as well. Only then did he take stock of his current situation.
The Human-faced Demon Spider beneath him was still trembling ceaselessly, powerful surges of energy flowing into his body through the Eight Spider Lances. What surprised Tang San was that after circulating through his body once, these violent, aggressive energies would flow back out through the lances and then condense along his spine. His vertebral column and the eight ribs to which the Eight Spider Lances were attached had become blazing hot, absorbing this energy like an abyss.
This was the first time Tang San had truly used the Eight Spider Lances' devouring ability, and the target of that devouring was none other than a Human-faced Demon Spider.
Normally, the Eight Spider Lances' devouring skill could only temporarily channel absorbed energy into one's body, and it would dissipate on its own after a short period. But this time, the target Tang San was devouring was the same species from which his Eight Spider Lances had originated — a Human-faced Demon Spider. The lances had produced a spontaneous reaction, or rather, a mutation of their very nature.
The energy siphoned from the Human-faced Demon Spider's body was being absorbed and converted by Tang San's external spirit bone, transforming it into his own energy. This was a fortunate coincidence — if Tang San's Soul Power hadn't already reached level forty, precisely meeting the conditions for external spirit bone evolution, the energy he was now absorbing from the Human-faced Demon Spider would not have flowed directly into the spirit bone.
External spirit bones were exceedingly rare, which meant that even the Great Master's research on them was limited. In truth, the evolution of an external spirit bone did not halt simply because of differences in Soul Rings. As long as a Soul Master absorbed a new Soul Ring, it would evolve alongside them. The conditions for evolution were the same as those for obtaining a new Soul Ring — the Soul Master's strength had to advance to the next tier.
With Tang San's Soul Power already at the full forty-level threshold, and the Eight Spider Lances having absorbed energy that was perfectly suited to them, there was no reason to hold back. At this moment, the Eight Spider Lances — originally three meters in length — had gradually extended to four meters. Rows of neat barbs had begun sprouting along each lance, identical to those on the six-thousand-year Human-faced Demon Spider beneath him. The difference was that Tang San's Eight Spider Lances now displayed the ghastly white hue of active devouring. Beneath that pallor, an interplay of red and white luminescence added a dazzling patterned layer across their surface.
As his consciousness cleared, Tang San quickly made a correct assessment of his body's condition. Having deduced the cause based on his state, he decided to continue absorbing without hesitation. The energy of a fellow Human-faced Demon Spider was of obvious benefit to the Eight Spider Lances. Though he didn't yet know exactly how that benefit would manifest, Tang San proactively circulated the Soul Power within his body to accelerate the absorption.
The Human-faced Demon Spider was immune to the lethal poison of its own kind, but Tang San's Eight Spider Lances carried more than just the Human-faced Demon Spider's toxin — they also bore the ice and fire poisons from two legendary spirit herbs.
The polar ice-and-fire forces generated by the Eight-Pointed Frost Crystal Grass and the Scarlet Perfection Grass were raging unchecked inside its body, compounded by the devastation the Dragon Flame had already inflicted. At this point, the Human-faced Demon Spider had not the slightest strength to resist. It could only submit to Tang San's absorption. Its life force was draining away with terrifying speed. The eight legs supporting its body were gradually going limp, and the entire creature was slowly collapsing against the ground. Its carapace was turning ashen white.
Xiao Wu carefully tucked the Yearning Heartbreak Red into her chest, letting out a long breath. A wave of lingering fear swept through her heart. If not for the Yearning Heartbreak Red, she would probably have been parted from Tang San forever.
Xiao Wu looked up at Liu Erlong. Suddenly, she felt a special maternal radiance emanating from this fierce woman they called the Bloody Cloth. The sensation was extraordinarily comforting, and combined with the exhaustion from her injuries, she couldn't help but lean her head against Liu Erlong's ample thigh.
"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm here now. No one — no person or anything else — will ever bully you again," Liu Erlong said softly.
The others all stared at Liu Erlong with undisguised surprise. Was this really the same Bloody Cloth who had just been radiating killing intent as though she intended to slaughter everything in sight?
"Teacher Erlong..." Xiao Wu's eyes glistened with gratitude, carrying an almost childlike vulnerability. In that moment, she thought of her mother — hadn't her mother often looked at her with just such a gaze? But her mother was gone.
"Xiao Wu, would you like to become my direct disciple?" Liu Erlong asked gently.
Xiao Wu nodded without the slightest hesitation. "I would. Teacher." She was nothing if not quick-witted — even as she spoke, she moved to kneel and perform the formal disciple's bow.
Liu Erlong lifted Xiao Wu from the ground and cradled her against her chest. "I don't need all those formal ceremonies. Xiao Wu, I've never married, and I have no family. I don't want you to call me Teacher. If you don't mind, I'd like to hear you call me Mom."
Hearing Liu Erlong say this, Flandre standing nearby turned his head away, his heart aching. The Great Master's gaze, however, had gone distant and unfocused as he stared at her, a hundred emotions churning inside him. His lips moved as though he wanted to say something, but not a single word came out.
Xiao Wu was equally stunned. Looking into Liu Erlong's eyes brimming with hope, the redness that had already been building in her beautiful eyes gave way to a thick mist of tears. With a sob, she burst into crying and threw her arms tightly around Liu Erlong. "Mom... Mom..."
Mom. Those two words meant everything in Xiao Wu's heart. Her mother had left her nearly eight years ago. How desperately she had wanted to call out those words! Now, not only had Liu Erlong found the feeling of motherhood through her, but Xiao Wu had also found solace in Liu Erlong's maternal love. Emotions surged through her all at once, and her true feelings poured forth freely.
Liu Erlong gently stroked Xiao Wu's long scorpion braid, a faint smile on her glamorous face — yet tears were sliding down her cheeks without restraint.
She loved the Great Master, but he had never dared accept that forbidden love. All these years, Liu Erlong's heart had always been empty. Now, in this moment, it felt as though she had finally found something to anchor it — anchored in this girl she had just claimed as her daughter. For an instant, even the shadow of the Great Master in her heart seemed to waver. As she felt the genuine emotion radiating from Xiao Wu, Liu Erlong silently swore that she would protect this girl even if it cost her own life.
"Erlong, congratulations," Flandre said, struggling to suppress his own turbulent emotions, his face breaking into a warm smile.
Liu Erlong looked at Flandre, her eyes soft and unfocused. "Boss Lan, I have a daughter. Do you know that? I have a daughter."
"Yes, I know. From now on, you'll never be lonely again. You have a daughter." Hearing Liu Erlong's words, the tears Flandre had been holding back finally broke free. Had he not loved Liu Erlong too? For her sake, he could remain unmarried for life. For the sake of Liu Erlong's happiness with the Great Master, he could bury his love deep in his heart. And yet, he had never once seen the woman he loved living a happy life. Could he blame the Great Master? No — if anyone was to blame, it was the cruel hand of fate.
In this moment, he could feel Liu Erlong's joy to the depths of his soul. How could he not share in her happiness?
The others came forward one by one to offer their congratulations. Only the Great Master stood rooted to the spot, unable to move even a single step. Watching Liu Erlong, his heart ached with a pain he could barely endure. He knew he owed her far, far too much. But between the two of them, things had tangled into an inescapable knot — no matter what, it could never be undone. He was happy that Liu Erlong had found a daughter, but at the same time, how could he not grieve over what he and Liu Erlong had become? How he wanted to take her into his arms and pour out his love for her! But he couldn't. The shadow of blood relation, that dark cloud, still hung perpetually between them.
Tang San finally completed the devouring process. A faint aura began to emanate from the six-thousand-year Human-faced Demon Spider's body. If he wished, he could now absorb its Soul Ring.
But at this moment, Tang San had absolutely no desire to absorb a Soul Ring. He retracted the Eight Spider Lances and practically sprinted over to Xiao Wu and Liu Erlong in two or three bounding strides.
"Xiao Wu... Xiao Wu..." There were no tears in Tang San's eyes, but his voice sounded as though it were breaking apart. What kind of emotion could twist a person's voice like that?
Xiao Wu lifted her head from Liu Erlong's embrace. Seeing Tang San so close, her tears flowed even more freely.
Liu Erlong let out a soft sigh, released her embrace, and gently guided Xiao Wu toward Tang San.
Despite the crowd of people around them — and even the several Soul Beasts outside still eyeing them with predatory interest — Tang San couldn't care about any of it. He threw open his arms and buried Xiao Wu's delicate body deep within his embrace. He said nothing about being sorry, but his teeth had already bitten through his own lip. How could he not regret giving the Elegant Long Purple Cassia to Xiao Wu? If not for that, Xiao Wu would never have been ambushed. For his sake, this was not the first time Xiao Wu had been hurt. Tang San hated himself — hated that he had failed to protect Xiao Wu.
(End of chapter)