Chapter 84: I Know Someone

"Stop crying. A 100,000-year-old soul beast crying like this?"

Ye Hao released the restraints from the Death Spider Emperor. Thanks to the unique restorative power of the Death God's Heart, the spider's injuries were instantly healed.

"And why can't I cry?" the Death Spider Emperor retorted with a tearful tone. "Who says I'm not a kid at heart?"

"Fine, fine," Ye Hao said with mock exasperation, shrugging. "Alright, I'll let you go—but only if you promise not to mess with me again."

The Death Spider Emperor seemed to hesitate, then grumbled, "Fine. Just… let me go already!"

Ye Hao tapped his chin as if considering. Then he put on a helpless expression and said, "Here's the thing—I don't really know how to control this thing. You saw it for yourself earlier. The cube just acted on its own. Oh, and here's a little secret…"

He leaned closer, lowering his voice dramatically.

"This thing? It's got… moods. You might want to keep your behavior in check. If not, well, let's just say you wouldn't want to experience what comes next."

The Death Spider Emperor shuddered violently, recalling the relentless lightning strikes.

"How about this," Ye Hao suggested with a sly grin. "Why don't you stick with me?"

"Stick with you?" the Death Spider Emperor scoffed, voice dripping with disdain. "I'd rather die tha—"

Before it could finish, six purple chains suddenly emerged from the Death God's Heart, glowing ominously. The Death Spider Emperor froze, the memory of its prior torment still fresh in its mind.

"I… I'll follow you," it finally muttered, utterly defeated.

Satisfied, Ye Hao exhaled in relief. However, he remained vigilant. A 100,000-year-old soul beast was equivalent in power to a human Titled Douluo. While the Death God's Heart had the spider under control, he wasn't willing to take any chances.

To ensure safety, he reabsorbed the Death God's Heart back into his brow.

"You'll come to be grateful for this decision," Ye Hao said, grinning smugly.

"Grateful? Why would I be grateful?" the Death Spider Emperor retorted in his mind, its tone heavy with resentment. As a mighty 100,000-year-old soul beast, it was still struggling to process the humiliation of being captured.

"Because…" Ye Hao replied with a mischievous chuckle. "Because I know someone."

"Someone? What does that mean?"

"Someone extraordinary," Ye Hao teased, clearly enjoying the suspense.

"And who might this extraordinary person be?"

Ye Hao paused for dramatic effect. "She's a woman."

"A woman?" The Death Spider Emperor snorted disdainfully. "I've encountered plenty of human women before. Most of them died writhing in agony from my venom."

"Ah, but this one is special," Ye Hao said, his grin widening.

"How special?"

"She has the same martial soul as me: the Death Spider Emperor," Ye Hao explained. "And there's something else…"

The Death Spider Emperor's curiosity was piqued. "What else?"

"She killed a Death Spider Emperor."

The spider froze. "That's it? Well, she wouldn't have been able to do it if she'd faced me! If you know her, why don't you take me to her? Let's see what she's made of!"

Ye Hao chuckled darkly. "You sure about that? I forgot to mention—her victim was also a 100,000-year-old Death Spider Emperor."

The Death Spider Emperor fell silent.

Ye Hao smirked triumphantly as he reabsorbed the Death God's Heart into his brow. Then, he resumed his journey deeper into the forest.

As the sun dipped low on the horizon, the forest was bathed in a fiery red hue.

In the very heart of the Sunset Forest, Ye Hao wiped sweat from his face and surveyed his surroundings. Before him stretched a lush, verdant clearing—completely empty.

"Seriously?!" Ye Hao groaned, collapsing against a nearby tree.

After a day spent traversing nearly every corner of the Sunset Forest, he was utterly exhausted and starving.

Though he had located the legendary Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he hadn't entered its perimeter. He knew he still had three months before the Shrek group arrived in Heaven Dou City. There would be plenty of opportunities to explore it later.

For now, his priority was figuring out why the mysterious voice had summoned him here.

"You know this place?" Ye Hao suddenly asked aloud, sensing the Death Spider Emperor stir in his mind.

"Of course I do," the spider replied, its tone uneasy. "I've lived in the Sunset Forest for years. This is the central area, and almost no soul beasts dare to come here. We should leave—this place is dangerous."

"Doesn't seem all that scary to me," Ye Hao quipped as he got to his feet, striding toward the clearing's center. After standing there for a moment, he added with a sneer, "Whoever called me here is probably just messing with me. What a waste of time!"

Just as he was about to leave, Ye Hao froze mid-step.

The air around him began to distort violently, and the once-empty clearing transformed before his eyes.

Suddenly, a grand yet crumbling structure materialized in the clearing.

The ground bore the marks of time, scarred and desolate. In front of him loomed the remnants of a majestic hall, its scale rivaling that of the Spirit Hall's Papal Palace. Standing before it, Ye Hao felt insignificantly small.

"Is this… real?" he murmured, swallowing hard. His mouth felt dry.

Meanwhile, the Death Spider Emperor was trembling uncontrollably in his mind.

Ye Hao noticed the spider's distress and smirked. "So… scared now, huh?"

"Don't go in there!" the spider blurted. "This place is far more dangerous than you realize! We should leave. Right now."

Ye Hao scoffed. "I came all this way. Not going in would be rude."

He strode toward the hall's ancient doors, ready to push them open. But before he could lay a hand on them, the doors creaked loudly, groaning as they slowly swung inward.

Behind the doors, thick layers of ash obscured whatever lay inside.

"You're really going in there?" the Death Spider Emperor asked again, its voice shaking.

"Obviously," Ye Hao replied with a grin. "What, you scared?"

"..."

"Based on my 100,000 years of experience, this place is seriously bad news. We should just—"

"Relax," Ye Hao interrupted. "If something happens, we're in this together. If I die, you're coming with me. We'll keep each other company on the road to the afterlife."

The Death Spider Emperor: "..."

At that moment, a pair of blood-red eyes glowed faintly from within the hall.

Ye Hao froze, his breath catching in his throat.