While Ling led the Crown Prince's hunting party astray, Xuefeng and the ladies continued pumping the Bloody Nightmare full of Spirit Qi, each attack pushing it further into the wall. After slaughtering every last newborn spider, she had no way of escaping their assault.
Slowly, the Nightmare's once-imposing movements deteriorated into sluggish, helpless spasms. Cracks spread along her chitinous exoskeleton like a grotesque mosaic, and sticky rivulets of black blood oozed from dozens of self-inflicted tears in her abdomen. Caught in a vice grip of ceaseless attacks, she could do nothing but wait for the end.
From a safe distance, Xuefeng received a telepathic update from Ling about the Crown Prince's arrival. It puzzled him—he'd never truly crossed paths with the man. Why is he trying to kill me? he wondered.
