Douluo Dalu: Starting Evolution as the Man-Faced Demon Spider

The next morning, Fang Chang awoke from his slumber to see a black, squishy mass drifting past his eyes.

Startled, his senses immediately sharpened, banishing the remnants of sleep as he focused on the object.

It was a dark green soft-bodied creature about the size of a child's head, long and flat, moving through the water by alternately folding and stretching its body.

Species: Green Ghost Leech

Soul Power: 330 years

HP: 250/250

Strength: 61

Attack: 73

Defense: 55

Speed: 21

Relieved, Fang Chang sighed. At first, he thought it might be some tactic from the Spirit Hall soul masters, but it turned out to be just a tiny leech.

As the leech passed by, another one appeared, then a third, and a fourth…

Within the narrow confines of his hideout, there were now more than a dozen of these small soul beasts.

Their soul power ranged from a mere 300 years to nearly 1,000 years. Individually, they posed little threat, but collectively, they were among the most infamous creatures in the Star Dou Forest.

Known as Bloodsucking Demons, Green Ghost Leeches were notorious for their overwhelming numbers and persistence. Once they locked onto a target, they would swarm relentlessly, latching onto their prey to drain its blood.

Killing them only worsened the situation, as the scent of their blood, mixed with the victim's, would attract even more leeches.

Ultimately, their prey would be drained dry, left as nothing but a bloodless husk.

There were even accounts of a human Titled Douluo accidentally venturing into a Green Ghost Leech hive, meeting their demise under the relentless assault of tens of thousands of these creatures.

Fang Chang held his breath, remaining perfectly still in "Concealment", allowing the leeches to drift past him. Their presence was chilling, and he dared not make a single misstep.

His first thought was to blame the Blackwater Crocodile he had eaten last night; its blood had likely lured these creatures here.

On the shore, the Spirit Hall soul masters remained oblivious to the changes occurring beneath the murky water. From above, the swamp appeared calm, with hardly a ripple to be seen.

"Everyone up," Yan called, knocking on the tents to wake his companions.

Once assembled, the group stood in front of Hu Liena and her team, awaiting instructions.

"We have to go back into the water," Hu Liena announced.

The soul masters groaned collectively.

It wasn't just that the task was unpleasant and dangerous—one of their companions had nearly died last night after simply stepping too close to the swamp. Now they were being ordered back in?

Sensing their hesitation, Hu Liena retrieved a cloth bag from her pocket. Infusing it with soul power, the bag emitted a brilliant light, revealing a cache of treasures: rare herbs, weapons, and soul tools.

The Spirit Hall soul masters' eyes widened in disbelief.

While they, too, belonged to Spirit Hall, their status was far below that of the three prodigies before them. As such, their access to resources was limited.

The items laid out by Hu Liena—mere pocket change to her—were treasures they could only dream of acquiring, even with years of service.

"Anyone who can capture that mutated Man-Faced Demon Spider will claim all of this, along with additional rewards from Spirit Hall. I guarantee they will be worth more than these," Hu Liena added, stoking their greed.

The soul masters exchanged glances, torn between the allure of the rewards and the dangers lurking in the swamp.

"You go first," Hu Liena suddenly said, pointing at Yan.

"What?" Yan froze. This wasn't part of the plan!

His heart raced. If he went into the swamp, there was no guarantee he wouldn't encounter another Blackwater Crocodile or worse. Even if he survived, he could end up bedridden for months.

But refusing in front of everyone? That would ruin his chances with Hu Liena forever.

"Well?" Hu Liena's tone grew impatient as she stepped closer to the water's edge. "If you're not willing, I'll go."

Yan gulped audibly, his body moving before his brain could catch up. "I'll go! I'll go! No need for you to risk it!"

With that, he leaped into the muddy water, activating his Flame Lord martial soul. The surrounding water hissed and bubbled as the temperature rose.

Hu Liena hid a smirk behind her hand. Everything was going exactly as she had planned.

Yan cautiously moved through the water, muscles tense and ready to react. After several minutes without incident, he relaxed slightly and signaled to the others onshore.

The remaining soul masters, emboldened by his apparent safety, began entering the water one after another.

Hidden in his underwater tunnel, Fang Chang listened to the commotion above. A wave of excitement washed over him, tinged with mockery.

He could feel the Green Ghost Leeches redirecting their attention toward the new intruders, drawn to the unfamiliar scents.

Taking advantage of their distraction, Fang Chang seized an opportunity. As one of the leeches drifted close, he lunged forward, snapping it up in a single bite.

"Successfully devoured Green Ghost Leech. Gained additional skill: 'Blood Drain LV1.'"

Blood Drain LV1: Absorbs a portion of the opponent's HP (equivalent to 1% of user's max HP) upon attack.

"This… this is a godsend!"

Fang Chang was ecstatic. Previously, he could only rely on Regeneration LV4, which would have taken a week to fully restore his HP. With this new skill, recovery would be exponentially faster.

Encouraged, he struck again, using Blood Drain before finishing his prey with Devour.

"HP +33."

"Successfully devoured Green Ghost Leech. Blood Drain LV1 upgraded to Blood Drain LV2."

Blood Drain LV2: Absorbs a portion of the opponent's HP (equivalent to 2% of user's max HP) upon attack.

"HP +66."

"HP +66."

"HP +99."

Fang Chang gleefully consumed leech after leech.

Once he had cleared out most of the Green Ghost Leeches in his immediate area, he emerged from his hideout and began following the remaining leeches, attacking them one by one.

Onshore, one of the soul masters suddenly screamed.

He raised his arm, revealing a dark green creature latched onto it. Its once-flat body had swelled grotesquely, resembling a bloated balloon stuck to his skin.

The flesh beneath it visibly withered, the blood drained away.

"It's Green Ghost Leeches! Get back to shore!"

Panic spread through the group as they scrambled to escape the water.