"Retreat?"
Looking at the clearing that had regained its brightness, Chen Jiuge was still sowhat puzzled. Although they had set up so defenses, they weren't particularly effective. Was there really a need to retreat without even engaging?
"Those little things have withdrawn, but the bigger trouble is coming!" Jialouluo rubbed his wrist, his whole body tense.
"Thud thud thud"
The sound of sharp weapons piercing the ground echoed as a colossal spider, at least three stories high, appeared before them.
"Humans, your strength has gained my recognition!"
"Hah, we need your recognition? Please!" Bai Li spat disdainfully.
Earlier, creatures had appeared in Bai Li's area as well. However, Bai Li's strength was not as impressive as Jialouluo's, and he reacted a bit slower. An indigenous person was seriously injured; though not dead, it was a really embarrassing situation!
"Of course you do. If you were weak, you'd end up as food like those people before, hidden away by !"
The giant spider slightly shifted its body, revealing nurous white cocoons. These hanging cocoons were all human-shaped, clearly what the giant spider referred to as the "people before"!
"The Eye of the Yellow Spring is about to open. The Nine Dragon Tribe gathered you as cannon fodder. Since you're all dood to die, you might as well leave so as my food so that I don't have to aid the enemy!"
"Leave half of your people, and I'll let you pass!"
"Or we can have a little contest. Recently, the Three Lives Tribe went through, and they gave a thousand people. Your strength isn't as great, so asking for half is fair, no?"
"The Three Lives Tribe?" Chen Jiuge was startled but then argued disbelief: "Impossible, given the strength of the Three Lives Tribe, you cannot be their match!"
"Right, I can't beat them. But this is my territory. If I don't want you to pass, you can forget about leaving!"
The giant spider emitted a peculiar laugh, and darkness once again enveloped Chen Jiuge and the others. Unlike before, this ti it was complete darkness; aside from themselves, they couldn't see anything around them.
"Can't you see? This is my power!"
"Using such an ability, I suppose you can't move either, right?" Jialouluo chuckled softly.
"So what? I have many children!"
As light returned, countless spiders erged from the forest surrounding the clearing. The number of spiders was far beyond what they had estimated before!
The number already visible exceeded the previous amount, and there was the clear rustling of more small spiders making their way over!
"What if I offer other flesh as a substitute?" Seeing this scene, Chen Jiuge realized there was probably no safe way to pass this obstacle. Even the more powerful Three Lives Tribe had left behind a thousand people, so his group might have to pay a similar price!
"Other? I'll need to examine the goods first!" The giant spider nodded.
"Woosh"
A sturdy calf appeared in front of the giant spider: "Have a look!"
"Crunch crunch"
Gulping down the calf in one bite, the giant spider smacked its mouth, a peculiar expression appearing on its face: "The nutrition is average, but the taste is very... very..."
It wanted to say delicious, but it was just okay. To say average, it carried a special sensation, completely different from the prey tasted before.
"Alright, but if it's these, I want two thousand!"
"I'm not jacking up the price; its nutrition isn't as good as you humans!"
"Fine, two thousand then. You guarantee our safe passage out and won't attack us!" Chen Jiuge, tired of haggling, agreed, having an entire small world's worth of resources. A re two thousand Spiritual Beasts was nothing!
"Of course, I pride myself on my integrity."
One hand exchanging goods for the other, the giant spider was surprisingly honest, personally escorting Chen Jiuge and the others out of the Black Forest.
During the escort, it gobbled up several hundred Spiritual Beasts from Chen Jiuge, none of which counted against the two thousand, making Chen Jiuge feel it was just freeloading!
"Burp, we're here. Walk another mile forward, and you'll be off my turf."
"Human, I like you very much. I hope we et again next ti, and I can treat you to my treasured delicacies!" The giant spider lingered, reluctant to part. Such a great buffet, gone just like that.
"There'll be a chance!"
"Hey, human, the Eye of the Yellow Spring is very dangerous. The Nine Dragon Tribe people will definitely not hold it. Make sure you survive!"
"Thanks, I will!"
......
"This should be the last hurdle, right?"
Looking up at the pitch-black dense forest ahead, Chen Jiuge expressed so sentint: "This journey feels like Tang Seng retrieving the scriptures. But unlike him, we are actually cannon fodder!"
"Sure, cannon fodder, but who is this Tang Seng?" Bai Li curiously asked.
"Tang Seng, a very remarkable person!"
"Remarkable person?" Chen Jiuge did not answer, rely chuckled, and proceeded towards the forest ahead.
Though Chen Jiuge and the others had been traversing through the mountains and forests, the forest before them was different. The trees were all black; the trunks, branches, and leaves, all were black!
Moreover, the shapes of these trees were strange, twisted into various forms, rendering the forest like the gaping maw of a giant beast.
"Caw caw caw"
"Crows?" As soon as Chen Jiuge stepped into the Black Forest, he heard the indistinct call of crows.
"Crows, huh? That's not very auspicious!" ng Ze suddenly spoke.
"You believe that too?" Chen Jiuge glanced at ng Ze, sowhat surprised.
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