It was afternoon, and Yang Kai turned his direction towards Lingxiao Pavilion.
He had only taken a three-day leave, excluding the day he set out, and he needed to return by tomorrow morning to avoid punishment.
Time was ample. Yang Kai estimated that he was about a hundred miles from Lingxiao Pavilion, not too far, and he could reach there before nightfall.
Feeling elated and light-footed, he eagerly anticipated the enhancement the incense burner on the third page of the wordless black book would bring.
Barely halfway through his journey, Yang Kai suddenly heard angry roars and heart-wrenching screams not far away, mixed with a child's cries.
Pausing, he listened intently. Moments later, his expression changed, and he quickly ran towards the source of the noise.
He recognized the roar; it was from the hunter he had encountered the previous night, and the crying was from the boy.
The father and son must have encountered some trouble; otherwise, they wouldn't be so panicked. Having eaten their food, Yang Kai felt indebted and couldn't ignore them.
As he ran, the hunter's roars grew more desperate, while the boy's cries became faint.
Yang Kai's face grew heavy, a bad feeling gnawing at his heart.
When he reached the spot, the hunter's roars had ceased. Before him was a dark cave, surrounded by dense undergrowth and silver spiders. On the ground lay a small bow, the one the boy had held.
Without hesitation, Yang Kai dropped his belongings, widened his eyes, alert for any movement, and dashed into the cave.
The cave was dimly lit but visible enough.
Yang Kai was shocked to see the cave's walls and floor covered with thick, silver-white spider webs, crisscrossing and blocking his path.
The cave was damp and dark, with water dripping from the ceiling. Stepping inside felt slightly mushy.
Holding his breath, Yang Kai moved cautiously. After a few steps, he saw the hunter, almost entirely cocooned in spider silk, lying on the ground with only his face exposed.
Rushing forward, Yang Kai checked and found the hunter had fainted from shock but was otherwise unharmed. He pinched the man's philtrum, reviving him.
Upon seeing Yang Kai, the hunter urgently pleaded, "Save my child! He's been dragged inside, please save him!"
"Dragged inside?" Yang Kai was alarmed. He tried to untie the hunter but found the spider silk too tough to break quickly, so he dashed further into the cave.
The hunter shouted after him, "Be careful, it's a spider demon beast!"
Hearing "demon beast," Yang Kai's heart sank. Demon beasts were far more dangerous than ordinary animals; they were formidable predators.
The outer thirty miles of Heifeng Mountain was considered safe because there were no demon beasts. Yet, one had appeared here, which was unexpected.
Aware of the danger, Yang Kai advanced cautiously. After several dozen meters, he found the boy.
Like his father, the boy was tightly bound in spider silk, hanging from a giant web.
Beside him, a huge flower-patterned spider had its proboscis inserted into the boy's arm, drawing blood.
The cave floor was littered with bizarre white bones, evidence of the spider's numerous kills.
With no time to deliberate, Yang Kai charged forward, knowing any delay could be fatal.
The flower-patterned spider, engrossed in its meal, was caught off guard as Yang Kai's forceful tackle smashed it aside, freeing the boy who fell to the ground.
Infuriated, the spider lunged at Yang Kai, its eight hairy legs flailing, eyes fixed on him.
Before Yang Kai could get up, the spider pounced, pinning him down.
With a furious roar, Yang Kai struck its mouth, staggering it. Seizing the moment, he kicked it away and crouched, ready for another attack.
This brief exchange gave Yang Kai some confidence. The spider was a low-level demon beast, not beyond his capability.
Still, even a low-level demon beast was a formidable opponent.
The spider and Yang Kai sized each other up. The spider was patient, but Yang Kai was anxious. The boy was losing blood and showing signs of poisoning; he had to act quickly.
Suddenly, the spider spat a glowing thread from its mouth, aimed at Yang Kai.
Knowing the web's strength, Yang Kai rolled aside, narrowly avoiding it.
Ignoring his evasion, the spider continuously spat webs at one spot, quickly sealing the cave entrance and trapping him inside.
Determined, Yang Kai resolved to fight to the death. He launched himself at the spider, dodging its webs, and closed the distance.
Before he could strike, the spider raised a front leg, stabbing through his arm.
The pain made Yang Kai roar, but instead of fear, he felt a strange excitement and anticipation. His bones crackled, and warmth spread through his body.
Yang Kai's fierce determination ignited. He knew he had to kill the spider to survive and save the boy.