douluo dalu: Dark Phoenix

Chapter 14: The Web of Death

The forest air hung thick and humid, the scent of damp earth and moss pressing against their senses as they made their way out of the Titan Wolf's den.

Xiao Wu was still pale, leaning heavily against Tang San as they walked, her usual vitality dampened, though her eyes held silent gratitude.

The group moved cautiously, hyper-aware of every rustling leaf, every distant howl.

They thought the danger was behind them.

It wasn't.

---

A Fragile Calm

They stopped by a clear stream, taking a much-needed break after the harrowing rescue.

Tang San gently set Xiao Wu down, offering her water while Ning Rongrong's Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda glimmered softly, sending waves of restorative energy through the group.

"She needs rest," Grandmaster said, his tone soft but firm. "We'll camp here for the night."

The others nodded, exhausted but relieved to finally have a moment of peace.

But Ayanokoji…

He wasn't at ease.

He sat slightly apart from the group, golden Spirit Eyes scanning the forest, catching every flicker of movement.

He felt it.

Something was watching.

And it wasn't a Titan Wolf.

---

The First Threads

The warning came not in sound, but in sensation — a faint tingling in the air, like static before a storm.

Ayanokoji stood up slowly, his gaze narrowing.

"Something's wrong," he said quietly.

Tang San, ever sensitive to danger, felt it too — a strange, sticky sensation in the air, subtle but undeniable.

"Blue Silver Grass," Tang San whispered, activating his martial spirit.

Thin vines shot out, probing the surrounding foliage… and stopped.

Something was blocking them.

Something… unnatural.

---

The Ambush

A faint rustling.

A sudden stillness.

And then…

The web.

Thick, glistening strands of silver-white silk shot from the darkness, moving with terrifying speed, ensnaring branches, trees, and earth alike.

"Spider!" Zhu Zhuqing shouted, her sharp instincts kicking in as she leapt back, avoiding the sticky strands.

But it wasn't just any spider.

It was the Man-Faced Demon Spider.

A predator feared by even the most seasoned spirit masters.

---

The Hunter Appears

It emerged from the darkness like a nightmare — eight thick legs, each tipped with dagger-like claws, its massive black body covered in jagged spines.

But the most terrifying part was its face.

Human-like.

Cold.

Expressionless.

A mockery of life.

Its eight crimson eyes gleamed with a malevolent intelligence, locking onto them with predatory hunger.

"Man-Faced Demon Spider…" Grandmaster whispered, his voice grim. "We have to kill it… or it'll kill us."

There was no retreat.

---

The Battle Begins

The spider moved with terrifying speed, its legs a blur as it shot toward them, more webs flying out, aiming to trap and isolate.

Tang San's Blue Silver Grass lashed out, forming a defensive barrier, but the spider's sheer strength began tearing through the vines, inch by inch.

"White Tiger Vajra Transformation!" Dai Mubai roared, his muscles bulging as he charged forward, claws gleaming.

He struck hard, slashing across the spider's armored body — but the exoskeleton was like steel, barely scratched.

The spider hissed, its fangs dripping with venom.

"Behind you!" Zhu Zhuqing warned, her agile body flickering in and out of the shadows as she tried to flank the beast.

The spider spun with unnatural grace, blocking her assault, forcing her back with a violent sweep of its legs.

---

A Deadly Intelligence

Ayanokoji watched.

Analyzed.

Every movement.

Every pattern.

This wasn't a random predator.

The Man-Faced Demon Spider was calculating.

It was driving them apart.

Creating openings.

Isolating a target.

And he knew who it was hunting.

---

The Prey

"Xiao Wu!" Tang San shouted, realizing too late.

The spider's crimson eyes fixed on her, sensing her weakened state, the perfect prey.

It lunged, its fangs glistening with venom, faster than anyone could react.

But Ayanokoji…

Moved.

---

The Strike

In a heartbeat, he crossed the distance, intercepting the spider with cold, lethal precision.

"Shadow Serpent's Prediction!"

Time seemed to slow as his third spirit ability activated, allowing him to read the spider's movements before they happened.

He evaded the fangs by a hair's breadth, his palm slamming into the spider's side with a surge of dark phoenix energy.

The impact sent the beast skidding backward, hissing in rage.

But it wasn't finished.

And Ayanokoji knew it.

---

Tang San's Resolve

"Go!" Ayanokoji commanded, his voice sharp. "Take Xiao Wu and run!"

"No," Tang San said firmly, stepping forward, Blue Silver Grass surging to life once more.

"She's my responsibility. I'll end this."

There was a fire in Tang San's eyes — a determination that went beyond reason.

Ayanokoji saw it.

And he understood.

So he nodded once… and let him fight.

---

The Killing Blow

The Man-Faced Demon Spider lunged again, faster, angrier, its webs flying out in every direction.

But Tang San was ready.

"Blue Silver Prison!"

His vines shot out, forming a dome around the spider, trapping it within layers of enchanted grass.

The beast thrashed violently, but the prison held… just long enough.

"Hidden Weapons Technique: Dragon Beard Needles!"

Tang San's hands moved in a blur, dozens of thin, deadly needles shooting toward the spider's eyes, striking with pinpoint accuracy.

The spider screamed, a horrible, inhuman sound…

And collapsed.

Dead.

---

The Soul Ring… and More

The forest was silent again.

The Man-Faced Demon Spider's massive corpse lay still, its spirit ring — a deep, blood-red glow — rising slowly above it.

Tang San approached, his body trembling with exhaustion and adrenaline.

"This ring… it's perfect," Grandmaster said quietly.

"But… there's something else," Ayanokoji murmured, his sharp eyes catching a faint glimmer near the spider's body.

Something… unusual.

---

The External Soul Bone

As the spirit ring floated above the corpse, a second light began to emerge — a deep, dark purple glow, slowly taking form.

A crystalline bone.

"The External Soul Bone…" Grandmaster whispered, awe-struck.

A rare treasure, born only from powerful spirit beasts.

"I…" Tang San hesitated, overwhelmed by the sheer fortune of the moment.

"You earned it," Ayanokoji said simply, his voice calm but certain.

Tang San nodded… and began absorbing the spirit ring.

---

A New Strength… and a New Shadow

As Tang San meditated, the soul ring's energy flowing into him, Xiao Wu sat beside him, watching over him with quiet, protective resolve.

Ayanokoji stood at the edge of the clearing, his golden eyes scanning the forest…

Still watchful.

Still calculating.

Because even in victory…

He knew the darkness of Star Dou Forest was far from gone.