The dead of night was thick with green miasma, swirling ominously through the towering trees of the Ancient Mountain Range. Silhouettes dashed through the murky haze, their movements desperate, their faces carved with pure terror.
Among them were stone barbarians, their hairless, stone-like skin glistening with sweat, clutching their children as they ran. They did not scream. Fear had already stolen their voices, but their trembling bodies betrayed the horror they carried.
Then, a sound pierced the night—a scream, sharp and fleeting. A moment of agony. Then silence.
Those still running did not stop. They did not look back. But some of them wept, knowing exactly what that silence meant.
At the forefront, the leading stone barbarians crested a hill. Through the thick mist, they spotted a distant flicker of firelight, its glow barely visible by the Evil Lake.
They hesitated.
To bring danger upon another tribe was a grave sin. But survival demanded sacrifice.
With grim determination, they ran toward the light.
Behind them, dark shapes moved through the mist—spiderlings, their slender legs clicking against the forest floor as they pursued their prey with eerie precision.
And above them, perched in the shadows of a twisted tree, a figure watched in delight.
The eerie glow of the Evil Lake flickered behind him as Li Wen stood on the tree branch, his dark green eyes narrowing.
A rhythmic thud-thud-thud echoed through the night, footsteps pounding against the forest floor, frantic and desperate. He could hear ragged breathing, the sound of bodies pushing past thick underbrush, and then—a wave of terror, raw and suffocating, radiating from the figures running toward them.
Li Wen's gaze sharpened.
The green miasma thickened, swirling unnaturally, obscuring his vision. But then, his eyes gleamed with a dark green light, and instantly, the miasma peeled away from his sight, revealing the scene beyond.
Stone barbarians. Men, women, and children fleeing for their lives, their expressions twisted with fear.
And behind them—monsters.
A group of thirty-two figures, half-man, half-spider, their lower bodies thick and spindly like arachnids, while their upper halves resembled humans covered entirely in black paint. Clones. Each one bore the same face—empty, soulless, yet filled with malice.
Among them, two exuded a powerful aura—Source Realm cultivators. The rest, though weaker, still carried Enlightenment Realm strength, enough to overwhelm ordinary warriors.
Li Wen stood up, his voice ringing through the night.
"Enemy incoming!"
Shouts erupted below. The humans, startled from their rest, scrambled to their feet, hands reaching for their weapons.
"Who?"
"Where?"
"What's happening?"
Li Wen's voice cut through the confusion. "South! A group of twenty half-spiders—two in the Source Realm, the rest in the Enlightenment Realm!"
Tension crackled in the air. The barbarians were all Enlightenment Realm, strong enough to fend for themselves if not for the two Source Realm threats. The humans clenched their fists, realizing the gravity of the situation.
But Li Wen wasn't worried about the barbarians or even the battle itself.
His curiosity stirred.
His gaze lingered on the identical spider-men, their movements eerily synchronized, their features unnervingly alike.
Clones.
A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Interesting…"
Without another word, Li Wen leaped down, landing lightly in front of the group. The firelight flickered against his form, his long dark robe rippling with the night breeze.
He wasn't here to save them.
He wanted to see what these half-spiders were made of.
Under the night sky, the eerie green miasma coiled like a living thing, shifting and twisting around the barbarians as they ran.
Through the fog, Li Wen spotted them—and they spotted him.
The moment their gazes met, a flicker of relief crossed their faces. Even with death at their heels, the sheer aura emanating from Li Wen was enough to ignite hope in their hearts.
"Put the children behind and join us to fight," Li Wen commanded, his voice steady and unquestionable.
The barbarians did not hesitate.
With practiced efficiency, they ushered the children behind the humans, shielding them with their bodies before turning around to face their pursuers. Stone weapons were drawn, the sharp edges glinting under the dim moonlight.
And then—
The half-spiders emerged.
From within the shifting miasma, their grotesque forms crawled forward, unnaturally silent. The glow from the bonfire illuminated their inhuman limbs, their identical faces twisted into predatory grins.
Li Wen's eyes flickered with battle intent.
He moved first.
With a burst of demon energy, he lunged forward, his form shifting, both hands morphing into purple energy whips.
The charge began.
Behind him, the barbarians and humans roared, their war cries splitting the night as they rushed toward the enemy.
The battlefield erupted into chaos.
But Li Wen had only one focus.
The two Source Realm half-spiders.
He engaged them alone.
The night air was thick with tension, the distant hum of the miasma swirling at the edges of the battlefield. As the half-spiders charged forward, their dark spears gleaming with a faint purple glow, the warriors braced themselves.
A guttural battle cry erupted from the barbarians, their stone weapons raised high, while the humans, gripping their swords, spears, and shields, held their ground. The divine warriors—Fang Xin, Zhu Pan, and Zhou Yi—stood at the front, their weapons gleaming with golden energy, leading the charge.
With an ear-piercing screech, the half-spiders attacked.
Fang Xin sidestepped a thrusting spear, his long blade arcing downward, slicing into the chitinous leg of a half-spider. The creature hissed in pain, but another lunged at him from the side. With an expert pivot, he brought his sword across, meeting the creature's dark spear mid-air. A burst of golden light crackled upon impact, momentarily stunning the half-spider, allowing Fang Xin to drive his blade deep into its shoulder.
Nearby, Zhu Pan fought with sheer ferocity, his great axe cleaving through the mist, barely missing the twisting bodies of his foes. One half-spider lunged at him from above, its spear aimed for his throat, but he twisted and blocked with the handle of his axe, the force vibrating through his arms. A second half-spider rushed in, and he swung his axe low, the weapon glowing gold, severing one of its many legs.
Zhou Yi, nimble and precise, weaved between the attacks of the enemy. Twin daggers flashing, he found openings in their defense, slicing into joints and weak points. A half-spider's dark spear thrust toward his stomach, forcing him to flip backward just as Zhu Pan smashed his axe into the enemy's exposed side, sending the creature crashing onto the ground.
Yet, despite their skill, the half-spiders were relentless. The three warriors were soon surrounded, cutting down one foe only for two more to take its place.
The five guards fought in a tight formation, shields raised, their spears darting forward with precision. They fought near Wei Xuan and Wei Hong, always keeping an eye on them while engaging the enemy.
A half-spider lunged, its purple-gleaming spear slicing downward, but one of the guards intercepted, his shield flaring with white energy as he absorbed the impact. The moment the enemy's attack faltered, he drove his spear through its abdomen, twisting before yanking it out.
Another guard let out a shout of pain as a half-spider's spear found his shoulder, but Wei Hong was already moving, his sword slicing through the enemy's arm, forcing it to retreat. He helped the injured guard back, but they had no time to breathe—more enemies were upon them.
Wei Xuan's sword clashed against the spears of two half-spiders at once, his eyes calm but focused. He stepped forward, bringing his sword down in a sharp arc. Golden light flared, and one of the creatures reeled backward, its weapon shattered. But the other used this chance to attack, its spear piercing into Wei Xuan's side, drawing a deep wound. He gritted his teeth, retaliating with a powerful slash that sent the creature skidding back.
The guards formed a protective circle, defending one another, but the half-spiders' attacks were relentless, forcing them to retreat step by step.
The stone barbarians fought with raw strength, their stone weapons flashing with brown energy as they clashed with the enemy. One of the warriors swung his massive stone hammer, shattering the exoskeleton of a half-spider in a single strike. But before he could react, another enemy leaped onto him, biting into his shoulder, drawing a pained roar from him.
Another barbarian wielded dual stone blades, moving swiftly as he dodged a spear thrust, countering with a vicious slice across a half-spider's throat, its black blood spilling onto the dirt. He did not celebrate—another enemy was already lunging at him, forcing him back into the fray.
Though powerful, the barbarians were at a disadvantage. Their weapons, while strong, were not as refined as the humans', and against the relentless waves of half-spiders, they, too, began to tire.
For every half-spider slain, another took its place. The warriors bled, their injuries mounting. Their breathing grew ragged, but none backed down.
Amidst the chaos, the humans and barbarians constantly glanced toward Li Wen.
His battle with the two Source Realm half-spiders raged on, a spectacle of purple demon energy whips clashing against the powerful dark spears. They knew—whoever won that fight would decide the outcome of the battle.
But they could not afford to be distracted.
A half-spider leaped at Zhu Pan's exposed side, but before it could strike, a guard threw his spear, the weapon piercing straight through the creature's chest.
At the same moment, Fang Xin, despite his exhaustion, let out a roar, his blade glowing with golden energy, and severed the head of a half-spider in one clean stroke.
Wei Hong, gripping his bleeding side, still fought beside Wei Xuan, the two brothers covering each other's blind spots, refusing to fall.
Yet, despite their efforts, only three half-spiders had been slain.
The rest still stood, pressing forward.
And the warriors knew—the battle was far from over.
High above on the hill, the teenage Arachnid clapped her hands together, her eerie laughter echoing in the night air. Her glowing eyes reflected the chaos below as the humans and barbarians struggled against her spiderling slaves.
"Woah! They actually killed three of my slaves!" she chirped, tilting her head in amusement. "Should I send more?"
She tapped a clawed finger against her chin, considering the idea before shaking her head. "Not now. No, no, no. When they think they're going to win… then I'll give them a nice surprise!"
A crazed smile stretched across her face as she jumped in excitement, her eight spindly legs lifting her off the ground in a twisted dance of joy.
"But for now, I can heal them," she whispered, her voice dripping with wicked delight.
From her body, dark wisps of energy slithered through the air like living shadows, drifting toward the battlefield. The black tendrils sank into the wounded half-spiders, their wounds sealing instantly as newfound strength flooded their limbs. Their shrieks, once filled with pain, turned into hissing laughter as their bodies pulsed with renewed power.
Li Wen, who had been pressing his advantage against the two source-realm half-spiders, suddenly felt an ominous shift in the air. His purple energy whips had torn deep gashes into their bodies, and victory had seemed inevitable—until now.
Dark wisps coiled into his opponents, their shredded bodies rapidly mending before his eyes. But it wasn't just healing.
Their speed doubled in an instant. One moment, they had been on the defensive, barely keeping up with his relentless attacks. The next, they lunged forward, their spears coated in an eerie glow, striking with a newfound ferocity.
Li Wen's gaze flicked toward the hilltop. His eyes locked onto the teenage Arachnid girl, who grinned down at him, her legs twitching in anticipation.
"So you're the one pulling the strings," he muttered, tightening his grip on his whips.
From the moment the battle started, Li Wen had held back, using only a fraction of his strength. He had refrained from using the plague rule, relying instead on raw combat ability. There had been no need for his true power against such mechanical, mindless foes. But he had known—known that something lurked in the shadows, waiting. The moment those dark wisps of energy mended the half-spiders, he had found his answer.