The tension in the air was palpable as Liu Erlong and I squared off, her fiery gaze locked on mine. My heart pounded, not with fear but with exhilaration. This was my chance to test the limits of my strength against a Spirit Saint.
Liu Erlong's voice was steady but carried an undeniable edge of confidence. "Let's see if your so-called great plans are backed by great power, kid."
Grandpa and Dugu Xin watched silently, their expressions full of anticipation.
Then, without a word, we both lunged forward. Liu Erlong struck first, unleashing a wave of searing flames that tore through the air toward me. I activated Spider Dash and dodged with blinding speed, circling her to strike from the side.
She anticipated my movement, swinging her fiery claws to intercept me. I countered with Venom Thread Bind, green threads shooting from the tips of my blades and wrapping around her. The venom began to corrode her defenses, but she reacted swiftly, burning through the threads.
"Impressive," she admitted, her voice laced with amusement. "But you'll need more than that."
"Gladly," I retorted, activating my sixth spirit ability, Devil Spider Summoning. With a surge of energy, I summoned a swarm of 200 cat-sized spiders. They scuttled toward her in a coordinated assault, their green bodies glowing ominously.
Liu Erlong's expression hardened as she unleashed a fiery explosion, incinerating the first wave of spiders. But for every spider she destroyed, another took its place, their numbers overwhelming even her powerful flames. Using the distraction, I closed the distance between us and struck with my lances, forcing her to go on the defensive.
She retaliated with a roar, her flames intensifying as she activated another spirit ability and a torrent of fire surged toward me, forcing me to activate Arachnid Shell. My defense doubled, and I braced myself against the heat, holding my ground even as the flames scorched the earth around me.
"Not bad," she said, smirking. "But can you keep up?"
"Try me," I replied, commanding ten larger spiders to emerge from the swarm. Each of them carried 10% of my strength, their movements precise and deadly. They flanked her from all sides, forcing her to divide her attention. For the first time, I saw a flicker of strain cross her face.
She unleashed another fiery blast, but the spiders adapted, dodging her attacks with uncanny precision. Meanwhile, I activated Spider-Sense, predicting her next move and positioning myself to strike when she least expected it.
Our clash continued, the clearing echoing with the sounds of fire and poison. Dugu Xin watched in awe as I seamlessly combined my abilities, using the spiders not just as attackers but as extensions of myself. My strategy was to wear her down, exploiting every opening and forcing her to expend more energy than she intended.
Finally, Liu Erlong's patience seemed to wear thin. She activated her seventh spirit ability, Fire Dragon's Avatar. Her body was enveloped in flames, transforming her into a blazing dragon. The sheer heat of her presence forced me to step back.
"Let's see how you handle this," she said, her voice resonating with power.
I didn't hesitate. Summoning my strongest option, I called forth two giant spiders with 100% of my full power, courtesy of my skull soul bone. The massive creatures towered over us, their green aura pulsating with toxic energy. Liu Erlong's eyes widened as the spiders lunged at her, their limbs crashing down with earth-shaking force.
The battle battled continued like before, blow after blow. She managed to injure the giant spiders, but not without sustaining damage herself. I could see the strain in her movements, her fiery aura flickering as her energy was draining out. Meanwhile, I had another trump card that she didn't seem to remember.
With a deep breath, I activated the Eight Spider Lances. The sharp, sinister limbs extended from my back, their green glow matching the aura of my summoned spider. Liu Erlong's eyes briefly widened in recognition, a flash of memory crossing her face. She hesitated, the image of those lances cutting through a robber's limbs a year ago clearly resurfacing in her mind.
Those few seconds of distraction were all I needed. I commanded the only giant spider left on the battlefield to pin her down, its limbs holding her in place as I closed in for the final strike. My lances glowed with venom as I aimed for her, stopping just inches from her throat.
"Yield," I said firmly, my voice steady despite my exhaustion.
Liu Erlong looked up at me, her fiery aura dissipating as she let out a resigned laugh. "Fine," she said, a hint of admiration in her tone. "You win, kid. I'll join your academy."
I stepped back, retracting my lances and helping her to her feet. The summoned spider disappeared, its energy returning to me as I took a deep breath, steadying myself. Dugu Xin approached us, his expression a mixture of pride and astonishment.
"You've grown," he said, placing a hand on my shoulder.
Before I could respond, a loud, angry voice echoed through the forest. "Who dares to cause such a commotion outside my clan?"
We turned toward the source of the voice, the atmosphere shifting once more. The man approaching us carried an aura of immense power that I had only experimented when observing Grandpa, before. It was clearly a Titled Douluo.