The Nightmare paused in her meal when she sensed movement behind her—a fresh wave of cultivators surging in for another desperate assault. With a hiss like steam escaping a furnace, she let the mangled corpse tumble from her fangs. Blood trickled from the ruined body, splattering over the uneven ground in dark rivulets. The stench of copper and decay thickened the air.
A collective roar went up from the scattered cultivators who, only moments before, had been fleeing in terror. Their fear now mingled with fury at seeing one of their own devoured before their eyes. Driven by desperation, they launched themselves toward the gigantic spider. Some brandished half-broken blades, others conjured Spirit Arts that crackled with faint energy. Anyone still standing was in a frenzy, hearts pounding like war drums.
