The Wind Wolf King approached Li Taixing, its gaze shifting uneasily toward the rising number of spiders gathering below. If it could speak, it would surely be sighing at the sight.
Li Taixing, however, remained focused on the main target—the Spider Queen. He ignored the smaller spiders that crawled around her. With a swift motion, he produced a jar filled with kerosene and hurled it down into the basin.
One by one, countless kerosene jars rained down, bursting open as they hit the ground or splattered across the spiders. While this disturbed the spiders, it didn't seem to harm them much. Soon, the entire basin was soaked in kerosene, with the spiders unknowingly spreading the flammable liquid across their bodies as they scurried about.
The Wind Wolf King, puzzled by Li Taixing's actions, assumed that he had thrown these jars to kill the spiders. Yet after seeing no immediate results, the wolf was left speechless.
Even the Spider Queen, intrigued by the falling liquid, extended one of her spindly legs to catch a drop, tasting it curiously. The moment it hit her mouth, she spat it out in disgust and let out an angry roar toward Li Taixing, clearly displeased.
But Li Taixing wasn't fazed. He silently lit a torch and tossed it down into the basin. The Spider Queen, though initially startled by the flame, soon sneered. A single torch? She had faced worse. Fire was indeed her enemy, but this? This was nothing.
Until it wasn't.
Boom!
In an instant, the entire basin erupted into a sea of flames, igniting every corner and spider in its wake.
"Gurgle."
The Wind Wolf King was stunned. Watching the roaring flames below, it remembered how Li Taixing had once threatened to roast it over a fire. Now, seeing the massacre unfold, it fully believed him.
Crackle.
The flames devoured countless spiders. Even their desperate attempts to escape were futile—the fire was everywhere, leaving them no room for survival. Meanwhile, the Spider Queen, though not fully consumed by the fire thanks to her strength, was badly injured as flames licked at her body.
Infuriated, the Spider Queen let out a blood-curdling scream. With most of her brood incinerated, she turned her fury toward Li Taixing. In a fit of rage, she shot a thick web toward him, intending to trap him where he stood.
Li Taixing remained calm. With a flick of his wrist, his Blue Moon swords flew out, slicing through the sticky threads like butter. But he wasn't done. The swords reversed their course, carrying the severed webs back toward the Spider Queen.
Confused, the Spider Queen struggled as the webs tangled around her own body. In a cruel twist of fate, she found herself ensnared in her own trap.
"Hiss!"
Her shrieks echoed through the basin, frustration mounting as she wriggled helplessly.
The Wind Wolf King stood in awe. Its master's tactics were always so unpredictable, yet brilliant.
"Let's go," Li Taixing said, mounting the Wind Wolf King. "It's time to have a chat."
The wolf let out a gleeful howl as it bounded down toward the basin, Li Taixing on its back.
The flames had mostly died down, leaving behind the charred remains of countless spiders. The air was thick with the smell of roasted spider meat, a scent that made the Wind Wolf King's stomach growl. However, one look at the grotesque corpses made it lose its appetite.
Li Taixing dismounted and approached the Spider Queen, who was still trapped and smoldering from her earlier burns. "Spider Queen, my name is Li Taixing," he began, his voice calm but commanding. "I plan to take you as my pet. If you agree, give me your essence. If not, I don't mind fighting you again."
The Spider Queen, defiant to the end, spat venom at him.
Before it could reach him, the Wind Wolf King stepped in, sending a gust of wind that blew the venom right back at her.
Zizizi.
The Spider Queen screeched in pain as her own venom began to corrode her flesh. Combined with the burns from earlier, her body was quickly deteriorating.
Li Taixing watched her pitiful state and sighed. "I see you're still unwilling to hand over your essence."
He walked closer, changing his approach. "Think about it. If you die now, you'll have nothing. But there's a saying: 'It's better to live than to die.' Living gives you the chance to continue pursuing whatever it is you desire."
The Spider Queen glared at him, her eyes full of venomous hatred.
Li Taixing continued. "There's always someone stronger. You lost to me today because you're not as strong. That's nothing to be ashamed of. If you die now, it's over. But if you follow me, you'll have the chance to grow stronger, to fight again."
His words caused the Wind Wolf King to nod in agreement. After all, it too had been defeated by the Spider Queen in the past, only to now serve a new, stronger master.
"You can die here today, or live and serve me. The choice is yours," Li Taixing said, his voice steady but firm.
The Spider Queen, her upper body resembling that of a human woman, stared at him. She looked at her old rival, the Wind Wolf King, who was now obediently sitting by Li Taixing's side. It was clear that the wolf wouldn't allow her to harm him. Yet the idea of giving up her freedom was too much to bear.
She hissed, her eyes burning with defiance.
Li Taixing's expression darkened. "I've tried to be reasonable. But if you refuse, I'll just kill you and find another Spider Queen. You're not the only one out there."
Hearing this, the Spider Queen hesitated. She knew he was right—if he wanted, he could easily find another like her. Her pride was wavering.
Sensing her inner turmoil, Li Taixing softened his tone. "Don't worry, if you follow me, I won't treat you badly. The Wind Wolf King serves me, as do the Giant Bird Monster King, the Bear Spirit, and the Giant Crocodile King. You won't be alone."
To emphasize his point, Li Taixing summoned one clone of each of these mighty beasts. As they materialized before her, the Spider Queen's eyes widened in shock.
The sight of these formidable creatures, now subservient to this human, made her reconsider.