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

Fang Chang slowly approached the fallen Golden Generation trio, his spider legs rising menacingly as a murderous glint flashed in his eyes.

Just as his leg was about to pierce Yan's throat, a chilling sensation spread across his back, as if he had been locked onto by an overwhelmingly powerful presence.

Undeterred, Fang Chang pressed forward, determined to strike down Yan.

Suddenly, a low, angry hum echoed through the dark forest. A small pebble, imbued with terrifying force, shot through the air as if defying time and space, striking Fang Chang's spider leg just before it hit Yan.

The impact rendered the leg completely numb, causing it to fall limply to the ground, grazing Yan's neck before collapsing.

Fang Chang glanced at his injured leg, shock rippling through his mind.

"That wasn't a soul skill—it was sheer power propelled by overwhelming soul force. Just how strong is this person?"

He dared not dwell on the implications. If that pebble had struck his head instead of his leg...

Without hesitation, Fang Chang turned and leaped into the nearby swamp. But the unseen predator wasn't finished. Three more pebbles shot toward him, and one pierced the water, blasting a fist-sized hole in his abdomen.

His HP plummeted, leaving him critically injured.

Struggling to contain his panic, Fang Chang burrowed deeper into the swamp, vanishing into its murky depths.

Seconds later, the air around the campsite distorted, and an elderly figure cloaked in black robes materialized as if emerging from the void.

The Titled Douluo cast a brief glance toward the swamp where Fang Chang had fled, then shifted his attention to the fallen Golden Generation trio. His focus lingered only on them, ignoring the lifeless bodies of the other Soul Kings and Soul Elders.

"Grandpa Ghost..."

Hu Liena, groaning as she regained consciousness, bowed her head respectfully, her usual pride giving way to humility.

The elder, known as Grandpa Ghost, replied with a curt nod, his raspy voice carrying the tone of a reprimand.

"A bit of suffering will do you good. You've grown too arrogant, unable to see the limits of your strength."

Hu Liena nodded weakly, her face a mix of shame and confusion. Her confidence, cultivated as a potential heir to the Spirit Hall's throne, had been thoroughly shattered in this mission.

Her eyes drifted to the bodies of the fallen Soul Elders and Soul Kings, and her heart grew heavy.

While they had gained valuable experience, the price paid for it was steep.

"The mutated Man-Faced Demon Spider..."

Recalling the fearsome soul beast, Hu Liena felt a newfound determination. For the first time, she yearned desperately for greater strength.

The Ghost Douluo, observing her introspection, allowed a rare, satisfied smile to cross his shadowed face.

His mission was to protect the trio, intervening only in life-threatening situations. Personally, he preferred seeing them endure setbacks like this—it was better for their growth.

Satisfied that the crisis had passed, his figure blurred and vanished into the shadows once more.

After a moment's rest, Hu Liena awakened Yan and Xie Yue. The three, battered and defeated, limped away from the swamp, retreating toward safer ground.

Meanwhile, Fang Chang crawled through the swamp's murky depths, enduring the searing pain of his abdominal wound. He avoided looking back or surfacing, determined to escape the terrifying predator who had wounded him.

After an indeterminate time, his strength waned, and dizziness clouded his thoughts. Finally, he stopped near the edge of the swamp to rest, his body half-submerged.

The enmity between Fang Chang and the Spirit Hall had reached its peak. In his mind, they now occupied a spot just beneath Tang San on his list of vendettas.

"Someday, I'll make them pay for this!"

However, his thoughts of retaliation were tempered by the memory of the black-robed elder. The mere thought of that being was enough to extinguish any immediate plans of revenge.

"Strength... I need more strength!" Fang Chang growled, his determination hardening.

He reopened the evolution panel, scanning the requirements for advancing to the Shadow Demon Spider:

Soul Power: 10,000 Years (Completed)

Evolution Points: 100,000 (Incomplete: Current 77,010)

Kill 10 Soul Elders or higher: (Completed)

Only one hurdle remained—evolution points.

"This is the simplest part," Fang Chang thought.

"If I rely on the system, the fastest way to grow stronger is through evolution. Once I become the Immortal Demon Spider Emperor, Tang San, Spirit Hall—all of them will bow to me!"

Determined, Fang Chang resumed his journey deeper into the swamp, intent on harvesting every resource he could.

Deep within the forest, a group of human soul masters clashed with several ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts.

The soul masters, though sustaining casualties, steadily maintained the upper hand under the leadership of an elderly figure.

The ground around them was littered with the bodies of high-level soul beasts, their lifeless forms a testament to the battle's brutality.

The elderly leader, though solemn, bore an expression of relief.

"The Pope's foresight was accurate," he murmured.

Rather than recklessly provoking the two apex predators in the forest's core, their mission was to eliminate the strong soul beasts in the outskirts—potential threats to the Spirit Hall's greater plans.

His gaze fell to the white-clothed object cradled in his arms.

"At least this is secured."

Meanwhile, on the forest's outskirts, the Soul Hunting Assembly pressed on despite the chaos caused by the mutated Man-Faced Demon Spider.

Young soul masters, eager to prove themselves, scoured the forest for prey, cutting down both high-level and low-level soul beasts alike.

From Whitewater City to the core region of the Star Dou Forest, the number of soul beasts dwindled sharply, leaving behind a clear path.

It was as if preparations were being made for something monumental.

Unaware of these events, Fang Chang's focus remained on survival. Blood seeped from his wounds, drawing the attention of the persistent Green Ghost Leeches once more.

This time, however, Fang Chang greeted them with a twisted smile.

He backed into a corner with walls of mud on either side, minimizing his exposure to the leeches. Deactivating his Toxic Mist skill, he allowed the leeches to swarm toward him, attracted by his blood.

When their numbers reached a critical mass, Fang Chang reactivated Toxic Mist and unleashed a Poison Web, poisoning and ensnaring the leeches.

As their lifeless bodies sank to the swamp floor, Fang Chang's seven remaining legs worked tirelessly to gather them, devouring each one with satisfaction.

His evolution points climbed steadily.