Although Fang Chang was aware that the Douluo Continent had its own language and script, as a spider, he didn't understand the written language of this world. However, he found the spoken language to be similar to that of his previous life, which was a relief.
Even if he could understand this world's writing, he would still choose to use Chinese.
In his past life as an unremarkable web novel author, Fang Chang had an abiding love for Chinese characters. Upon discovering his golden-finger abilities after arriving in this world, he set a small goal for himself:
One day, everyone in this world will speak Chinese and write in Chinese!
Satisfied with the words "Star Dou Great Lair" scrawled on the central platform of his new lair, Fang Chang dusted his legs clean and began exploring his underground stronghold.
The Fire Ants' lair was surprisingly well-designed. Although it looked like a chaotic labyrinth at first glance, closer inspection revealed a brilliant structure.
Central Hall: The largest room, with the most entrances and exits, was previously the residence of the Fire Ant Queen.
Storage Rooms: The first outer ring consisted of rooms used for storage. Here, Fang Chang found various resources left behind by the Fire Ants, including low-grade spirit fruits, broken soul beast limbs, and even the bones of human soul masters. Each storage room connected directly to the central hall.
Outer Rooms: The second ring was more dispersed, with some rooms directly connected to the central hall, while others required navigating through several chambers. These rooms formed a protective barrier around the central hall, strategically positioned near areas rich in food and frequented by other soul beasts.
Satisfied with his understanding of the lair's layout, Fang Chang ventured outside.
The grudge against the Giant Demon Ape and his desire for the Soul-Rising Grass weighed heavily on his mind. But first, he needed to grow stronger, and that meant finding food—especially soul beasts with dragon bloodlines.
In the world of soul beasts, bloodline superiority was absolute.
Even a soul beast with high spirit power could be vastly outmatched by one with a superior bloodline.
Take Xiao Wu, for example. As a Soft Bone Rabbit, her natural abilities were far inferior to beasts like Da Ming and Er Ming, despite all of them being 100,000-year soul beasts. Xiao Wu could barely fight the weakest Titled Douluo, while the Sky Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape could rival even the strongest.
The Giant Demon Ape had an ancient feral bloodline, giving it unparalleled strength despite its relatively low spirit power compared to Fang Chang.
But Fang Chang had a unique advantage: Evolution.
If one evolution isn't enough to win, then I'll evolve again!
To avoid encountering the Giant Demon Ape, Fang Chang headed in the opposite direction. By sheer coincidence, this path led him closer to the Star Dou Forest's outer edges and toward the human city of Clearwater City.
Meanwhile, at the forest's outskirts, an old man and a young girl slowly made their way into the trees.
The elderly man, hunched and leaning on a cane, respectfully handed a toll fee to the guards at the entrance, then led the girl, who looked no older than ten, into the forest.
"Lin'er," the old man asked indulgently, patting her head. "Have you decided what kind of soul beast you want for your first spirit ring?"
The little girl didn't hesitate. "I want a Man-Faced Demon Spider!"
The old man choked on his breath. "A Man-Faced Demon Spider? Can we… maybe pick something else?"
The girl puffed out her cheeks in defiance.
"No way! The teacher said Man-Faced Demon Spiders are perfect for me! They're wicked beasts that bully weaker soul beasts and even eat cute little bunnies!"
The old man looked troubled.
Had he been thirty or forty years younger, he might have been able to deal with a weaker Man-Faced Demon Spider. But now…
"Daddy, don't you love me anymore? Is it because you have another daughter? Waaaah!"
The girl burst into tears, causing the old man to panic and relent with a sigh.
"Let's hope we don't run into one…" the old man muttered to himself. His plan was to find a weaker soul beast that resembled a Man-Faced Demon Spider and trick his daughter into believing it was the real thing.
The old man's name was Tang Liu.
Despite sharing the surname Tang, he was nothing like Tang San.
He didn't have a ten-thousand-year spirit beast mother or a Titled Douluo father. His martial soul, though also a hammer, was just a regular blacksmith's hammer, and his innate spirit power was only level two.
After decades of cultivation, Tang Liu had barely reached level 19. Even so, in a world dominated by soul masters, his modest achievements allowed him to live a decent life.
The little girl by his side, Tang Lin'er, was his daughter from his eighteenth wife, born when he was eighty years old.
As his youngest child, Tang Lin'er was the apple of his eye.
Her martial soul, unlike his hammer or her mother's iron pot, was a lowly ground spider, much like their doorman, Old Wang's.
Despite her unimpressive lineage, Tang Lin'er reached level ten at just ten years old. Delighted, Tang Liu brought her to the Star Dou Forest to help her obtain her first spirit ring.
Tang Lin'er, oblivious to the world's dangers, firmly believed her father was the strongest in the world. After all, he was a level 19 soul master, two levels higher than her teacher!
Surely, a Man-Faced Demon Spider was no match for her invincible father.
Tang Liu, however, felt a pang of guilt.
When she grows older, she'll understand… he thought. She'll know how naïve her words were and appreciate my intentions.
Unbeknownst to them, Fang Chang had just finished devouring a 3,000-year-old Phoenix-Tail Crest Serpent and was heading in their direction.