Yuan Jue chuckled softly, but did not respond to the Soul-Devouring Spider leader.
As the spiritual energy fire encircled and burned the Soul-Devouring Spider, Jin Ming, along with Ming Feng and Da Xiao Bao, also appeared from the side.
After throwing a mocking smile at the Soul-Devouring Spider leader, Jin Ming began his extermination of the spiders. Although the Soul-Devouring Spider leader couldn't understand human speech, it could read human facial expressions, so when Jin Ming mocked it, it couldn't help but go berserk.
Suddenly, the leader of the Soul-Devouring Spiders swelled to about three times the size of an adult Soul-Devouring Spider, standing out prominently among the swarm. However, in the eyes of Feng Fei and his companions, this size still couldn't be described as "enormous." After all, an adult Soul-Devouring Spider is only about the size of a fist. Even if it grew to three times the size of the other Soul-Devouring Spiders, it would still only be the size of three fists.
Although the size of the Soul-Devouring Spider Leader is the sum of its parts (one plus two equals three), its strength is not simply greater than three; the Soul-Devouring Spider Leader's strength is approximately five times its previous size. In other words, its current form is its complete form, the form in which its full power is unleashed.
"Human, I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget!"
The Soul-Devouring Spider leader was enraged. Although it didn't believe they were doomed, it couldn't bear the rage at the human who had gone back on his word. Even if it meant missing out on the benefits of the military spirit, it was determined to kill the human under its pincers.
However, the Soul-Devouring Spiders clearly underestimated Yuan Jue and his group's strength, and even more so, the preparations they had made. The jubilant flames burning around them were not so easily ignored. Therefore, the Soul-Devouring Spider leader lost the initiative in the first attack and was placed on the defensive.
After transforming, the Soul-Devouring Spider leader ordered the other Soul-Devouring Spiders to intensify their attack on the Military Soul and Feng Fei Yuanjue within the circle. Suddenly, it leaped up, attempting to jump from above the flames into the fire circle where Yuanjue and the others were. In the instant the Soul-Devouring Spider leader leaped, a calculating glint flashed in Yuanjue's eyes, and then a terrifying tongue of fire engulfed the leader, instantly burning him in flames. (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
Chapter 58 Returning to the City Lord's Mansion
Although these flames weren't powered by Feng Fei's special spiritual energy, they were still ignited by him. While not as terrifyingly destructive as the former, they still possessed considerable power. Ordinary Soul-Devouring Spiders were scrambling on the ground from the flames, and even the self-assured and powerful leader of the Soul-Devouring Spiders was burned until its scalp tingled. The leader of the Soul-Devouring Spiders had no choice but to retreat back into the swarm, glaring fiercely at Yuan Jue and Feng Fei.
When the Soul-Devouring Spider leader attacked, Feng Fei, Yuan Jue, and the Military Soul never stopped their attacks. The Military Soul had also learned from Feng Fei how to quickly eliminate the Soul-Devouring Spiders, so by the time the leader retreated, more than half of the spiders had been wiped out. A small group remained, either digesting or devouring the corpses of their companions; this group was no longer a significant threat.
At this moment, the leader of the Soul-Eating Spiders finally realized that its decline was irreversible, but breaking out of the ring of fire was not an easy task.
The Soul-Devouring Spider leader hissed violently, issuing commands that Feng Fei and the others couldn't understand. The Soul-Devouring Spiders, which had been advancing towards Feng Fei, Yuan Jue, and Jun Hun, immediately retreated, surrounding the leader. Then, to everyone's astonishment, the leader reverted to its original small body, allowing the other Soul-Devouring Spiders to envelop it, transforming it into a sphere composed of them.
"They're trying to sacrifice themselves to send the leader, the Soul-Eating Spider, out of the ring of fire!"
Feng Fei recalled a story about ants from his middle school textbook in his previous life. It described how, when an ant colony encountered a fire, it would surround the queen and other ants, forming a ball and rolling out of the flames. Although many ants on the outermost edge were burned to ashes, the queen and the rest survived, allowing their offspring to continue reproducing. The Soul-Devouring Spiders before Feng Fei and his companions were attempting to use this method to safely escort their leader out of the fire.
As soon as Feng Fei's voice reached Yuan Jue's ears, he knew it must be an extremely effective way to break through. But how could he let these Soul-Devouring Spiders escape?
At this moment, Yuan Jue's right hand suddenly lit up with a dark and deep light, and the faint suction force made people feel terrified.
Feng Fei's gaze was also drawn to it. The cluster of dark light slowly detached from Yuan Jue's hand, drifting towards the sphere composed of numerous Soul-Devouring Spiders. While its speed appeared extremely slow, it was actually incredibly swift. The instant it appeared, it landed on the sphere of Soul-Devouring Spiders.
At this moment, all the remaining Soul-Devouring Spiders had been wiped out. Therefore, upon witnessing this scene, everyone stopped what they were doing and waited anxiously for what would happen next.
However, what happened next was quite amusing. Unexpectedly, the seemingly powerful dark light, when it lightly landed on the Soul-Eating Spiders, merely scattered them back to the ground, posing no threat whatsoever. The Soul-Eating Spiders seemed surprised by this turn of events. After falling from the sphere, they aimlessly spun around a few times before climbing back onto their leader.
However, this time they were simply piling up, unable to huddle together like before. The Soul-Devouring Spider leader seemed unprepared for this situation, repeatedly urging his subordinates to quickly wrap themselves up and roll away. But to no avail.
A rather comical scene unfolded before Feng Feiyuan, Yuanjue, and the other six, along with Junhun: a group of bewildered Soul-Devouring Spiders kept climbing onto their leader, trying to huddle together, only to tumble and roll off again as soon as they got into position. They would either roll on their backs or spin around on the ground before climbing back up again.
Jin Ming couldn't help but laugh, covering her mouth and chuckling to herself.
Perhaps it was this scene that greatly reduced the pressure on everyone's hearts, and almost everyone relaxed their attention to the group of Soul-Eating Spiders.
However, Yuan Jue remained wary of the Soul-Devouring Spider, because he had already guessed the outcome when he unleashed this move, so the Soul-Devouring Spider's reactions did not cause him any emotional fluctuations.
Yuanjue coughed lightly when he felt that everyone was relaxed enough, waking them all up.
Tie Xue felt a sudden tightness in his chest, not expecting that Yuan Jue had relaxed to such an extent. Before he could even offer Yuan Jue a thank-you smile, he heard Yuan Jue say, "Hurry up and do it. Before these Soul-Devouring Spiders can react, kill them all."
Everyone nodded. They then unleashed their strongest attacks at the swarm of Soul-Devouring Spiders. Feng Fei went even further, relying on the medicinal liquid in his Heavenly Crystal Stone water pouch, and directly threw out a golden flame. It should be noted that this flame, even after being diluted with water, still had the effect of repelling the Soul-Devouring Spiders; therefore, the original flame was naturally even more powerful.
When Feng Fei unleashed his ultimate attack on the Soul-Devouring Spiders, the spiders burst into flames with a "bang," startling everyone.
While the Phoenix Flame was powerful, it shouldn't have possessed such explosive force. Therefore, it's highly likely related to the ball of dark light Yuan Jue had thrown earlier. However, seeing that Yuan Jue showed no intention of explaining, everyone refrained from asking.
After the intense burning, everything turned to ashes, which actually saved everyone a lot of trouble.
As all the Soul-Devouring Spiders turned to ashes with the flames, Iron Blood felt a sense of relief. Normally, encountering such a large swarm of Soul-Devouring Spiders would have been unthinkable; at best, they would have lost at least half their men, and at worst, they would have been wiped out. But now, something that could only be called a "miracle" had happened to him, leaving him with only a dazed feeling.
While Tie Xue was stunned, Ming Feng noticed a small black bead, about the size of a fingernail, in the ashes of the Soul-Devouring Spider. Without thinking, Ming Feng picked it up and prepared to give it to Feng Fei later.
Yuan Jue naturally noticed Ming Feng's actions, but only secretly praised Ming Feng's quick thinking.
"General Ironblood, I think we shouldn't stay here any longer. Are we waiting for other Soul-Devouring Spiders to appear?" Yuan Jue's slightly mocking words, tinged with a hint of coldness, rang in Ironblood's ears, instantly causing him to break out in a cold sweat.
Tie Xue instinctively wanted to invite Feng Feiyuan and the other six to return to the City Lord's Mansion with them, but then hesitated: In Fengye City, there was nowhere safe except the City Lord's Mansion. Leaving them behind in Fengye City would not only betray his conscience but also the City Lord's teachings. However, easily taking them back to the City Lord's Mansion might bring unnecessary trouble.
For a moment, Tie Xue couldn't think of any way to resolve this predicament.
Yuan Jue could also see Tie Xue's concerns. He pretended to be nonchalant and said, "As military spirits, you don't need rest, but you can't be on guard against the Soul-Devouring Spiders all the time. So there must be a place that can be considered safe..."
Yuan Jue's voice was extremely low, seemingly not intentionally meant for Tie Xue to hear, yet Tie Xue heard it clearly.
Tie Xue's face flushed red and then turned pale. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "We have an extremely safe place in the City Lord's Mansion. If you don't mind, then please come with us."
Upon hearing this, Yuan Jue was naturally overjoyed, but his face remained unchanged. He secretly warned Jin Ming and the others not to reveal their true feelings.
Tie Xue instructed the other military spirits to take care of the three military spirits that had not regained their sentience. Then, he led Feng Feiyuan and the other six slowly toward the city lord's mansion.
They weren't far from the city lord's mansion, but Ironblood and his group were unlucky. They hadn't encountered a single Soul-Devouring Spider when they went out to search for the military spirits, but on their return with three, they encountered a swarm of them, not far from the city lord's residence. If they died there, they would never rest in peace. However… they were no longer human.
The journey to the city lord's mansion went smoothly, and soon Feng Fei saw the magnificent city lord's mansion that he had seen in the restaurant come into view.
Looking directly at the City Lord's Mansion up close, one could feel its imposing and awe-inspiring presence even more acutely than from afar. However, this imposing aura was not directed at the common people who looked up to the City Lord's Mansion. Rather, it was directed at those petty scoundrels and ruffians who disregarded the laws and military discipline of Fengye City. This power could directly intimidate their hearts and make them submit forever.
As they slowly approached the City Lord's Mansion, Feng Fei sensed a very subtle fluctuation of spiritual energy. She tried to grasp it, but couldn't quite grasp it, which only fueled her intense itch to break through the veil of spiritual energy and study it more closely. However, she knew that if she did so, it would be a blatant provocation against the City Lord's Mansion, and their next objective would be difficult to achieve.
Forcibly suppressing her curiosity, Feng Fei lowered her head and tightly gripped Yuan Jue's sleeve as they walked towards the City Lord's Mansion.
Yuan Jue also sensed Feng Fei's unusual behavior. After giving him a reassuring look, he took Feng Fei's hand and slowly walked forward.
Feng Fei's heart immediately calmed down, and the curiosity in his heart gradually subsided. However, Feng Fei still kept his eyes wide open, observing the surrounding situation. It wasn't out of curiosity, but only because he was concerned about their future if the negotiations failed and turned into enmity.
At this moment, the gate of the city lord's mansion was tightly closed. Tie Xue led them to the gate, and without making any move, the heavy gate slowly opened inward, revealing the dark corridor inside.
In the shadows inside the gate, Feng Fei clearly saw two military spirits standing guard. After a moment of surprise upon seeing them, one of the military spirits quickly left.
He must have gone to deliver the message. Feng Fei thought to himself.
"This is the City Lord's Mansion, but I'm afraid I don't have enough authority to lead you all this way." With that, Tie Xue led the rest of the military spirits inside.
Jin Ming, who had a bad temper, stopped Tie Xue abruptly, and said sarcastically with a crooked mouth, "What? We rescued you military souls, and this is the reward you're talking about? And a hefty one at that? Who knows if you'll just close the door after you go in?"
Tie Xue's expression was somewhat unpleasant. He was never the kind of person to break his promises, which was why he brought Feng Feiyuan and the others here. However, he was also not one to disobey the city lord's orders, so he had no choice but to bring them here as well.
Just as Tie Xue was about to explain, someone walked out of the city lord's mansion.
"Rare indeed! The City Lord's Mansion is actually welcoming guests; it was our oversight." (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it on Qidian (). Your support is my greatest motivation.)
Chapter 59 Lord of Fengye City
It's a bit late, but I still wish everyone a Merry Christmas! By the way, New Year's Day is almost here too!
——————————I am a gorgeous dividing line————————————
Upon hearing the voice of the newcomer, Tie Xue instinctively tensed up and stood ramrod straight. Previously, Tie Xue was a man of impeccable military bearing, yet he didn't exude that austere air. However, upon hearing the newcomer's voice, he involuntarily released that austere quality.
This shouldn't be fear, but rather a heartfelt admiration and respect for the person who came.
Thinking of this, Feng Fei couldn't help but stare intently. He saw that the person was dressed in a blue scholar's robe, with a jade hairpin holding his long, black hair back. A gentle smile graced his refined face, so tender it seemed to overflow with affection. His complexion was radiant; if he still possessed a human form, this person would surely be a stunningly handsome man.
Yuan Jue also looked at the newcomer. To be precise, he was no longer human, but he was an extraordinary person who could become a kind of military spirit.
"Esteemed guests," the man said with a smile to Feng Fei and his companions, first introducing himself: "I am a scholar named Zhao Zifei. You have all kindly called me 'Mr. Zhao'."
Upon hearing this, Yuan Jue nodded to Zhao Zifei, introduced Feng Fei and the others to him, and then fell silent.
Zhao Zifei ordered Tie Xue to lead the other military spirits away, and Tie Xue naturally agreed without hesitation. As they passed Yuan Jue, Tie Xue couldn't help but transmit his voice to Yuan Jue, saying, "Mr. Zhao is the strategist of our City Lord's Mansion. You must not neglect or underestimate him."
"Iron-blooded".
Zhao Zifei's voice came calmly, but it made Tie Xue's body tense up. He then blushed and cautiously glanced at Zhao Zifei, seeing that his expression showed no resentment. Only then did he secretly breathe a sigh of relief, no longer looking at Yuan Jue and the others, and led his team of more than ten people and the three military spirits they had found into the city lord's mansion.
"Haha, I have been negligent in my hospitality. Please follow me. Although some things from my past life are no longer usable, some interesting things have appeared in Fengye City since the collapse of the Heavenly Court. Please do not refuse." Zhao Zifei said with a smile to Yuan Jue and the others after Tie Xue and his group disappeared into the deep paths of the City Lord's Mansion.
Feng Fei, Yuan Jue, and the other four exchanged glances. Feng Fei noticed the suppressed joy in Yuan Jue's eyes, and a sense of excitement welled up within him as well.
Before long, Feng Fei and his six companions arrived at a flower hall with Zhao Zifei.
Looking around, one could vaguely see what it looked like before the collapse of the sky. Despite cleaning efforts, the faint black mist that permeated Fengye City still corroded and damaged the furniture and objects, yet it didn't diminish the grandeur and spaciousness of this flower hall. This strange awkwardness was harmoniously reconciled under such a peculiar force. One couldn't help but admire the wonders of nature.
Feng Fei sat on the round chair, carefully observing her surroundings. Zhao Zifei also kept an eye on Feng Fei and her group of six. Although he felt that Yuan Jue was the leader among them, he still paid great attention to Feng Fei, the only woman in their group.
Anyone familiar with the Fengye City Lord's Mansion knows that you should never underestimate any woman.
Thinking of this, Zhao Zifei suddenly smiled and said to Feng Fei, "Miss Feng Fei, what are your thoughts on this flower hall in our City Lord's Mansion?"
Feng Fei's face showed a slight surprise. He hadn't expected Zhao Zifei to speak to him first, and on such an unrelated topic no less.
Without a second thought, Feng Fei directly expressed his feelings: "This flower hall seems to have been recently renovated. But you can still see its former grandeur. I'm not just praising it, but I imagine there used to be a potted clivia here, and a painting of a thousand troops over there." Feng Fei stood up and walked to a round platform on the right side of the entrance, gently brushing away the dust, and then pointed to a screen with only a wooden frame placed at the very back.
Zhao Zifei showed no reaction to Feng Fei's words and actions, simply smiling and nodding before turning to Yuan Jue and asking, "May I ask what brings Mr. Yuan Jue to our Fengye City?"
Yuan Jue seemed surprised that Zhao Zifei, after suffering the devastation of Fengye City and even becoming a military spirit, still maintained a businesslike demeanor towards them. A dark glint flashed in his eyes, but his face remained gentle. In Feng Fei's eyes, Yuan Jue's expression was almost identical to Zhao Zifei's, yet she still sensed the turbulent undercurrents within it.
"I wonder what the interesting thing Mr. Zhao mentioned earlier is about?" Yuan Jue avoided answering, which was not unexpected.
Zhao Zifei's expression remained unchanged. With a soft exclamation, two military officers entered the room carrying tea.
"Ah, some habits are just hard to break. In my previous life, I was most fond of this. I thought I would have to give it up after becoming a ghost, but who knew that I would find some unique shrubs, or you could say tea trees, in this ghost town of Fengye City. I just wanted to give it a try, but I never expected that I would fall in love with this tea instantly. You should give it a try." As he spoke, Zhao Zifei slowly sipped the tea in his cup.
Da Bao and Xiao Bao kept their distance from all water sources, only drinking when they were unbearably thirsty. So, the tea, placed in front of them, was quickly pushed away. Jin Ming glanced at Da Bao and Xiao Bao, then at the tea, wondering: Could the ghosts be using physical objects?
Feng Fei and Ming Feng remained seated, both instinctively feeling that the tea was not a good thing.
Yuan Jue showed no surprise, and without a word, he brought the teacup to his lips. Yuan Jue's movements were very slow, as if he was savoring the unique aroma of the tea, or as if he was waiting for something.
"Zifei..."
A deep and resonant voice suddenly rang in everyone's ears. Feng Fei and the others immediately gripped the weapons at their waists or in their sleeves with vigilance. Yuan Jue paused in his movements, then naturally put his teacup aside and calmly looked at Zhao Zifei, whose expression had suddenly changed drastically.
Zhao Zifei's face turned pale, then red, then black, finally settling into a livid color. He let out a soft snort. The teacup tapped against the wooden table with a crisp sound.