Chapter 48: Tang San’s Hands Tremble—Fatal Mistake!

Three students had run off, leaving the group, a rare event that would inevitably demand action from someone like Zhao Wuji. For him, failure wasn't an option—alive or dead, they had to be found.

But what they'd just witnessed from Zhuge Lan was shockingly intense!

—Zhao Wuji was almost certain that Zhuge Lan pursued the Titan Giant Ape with plans to kill it and claim its soul bone!

Adding to this, Zhuge Lan's unpredictable movement skills and probable survival tools meant he could handle himself. And with no flight-enhancing mushroom sausages from Oscar, chasing after them would likely just cause trouble.

"Let's stay put," Zhao Wuji finally ordered, "The recent commotion and the Titan Giant Ape's scent should deter high-level spirit beasts from coming near for a while. Once Zhuge Lan and Tang San return, we'll head back."

He didn't mention Xiao Wu; after all, she had been taken by the Titan Giant Ape itself.

Zhu Zhuqing silently sat down, her lips pressed together. Ning Rongrong sat beside her, reassuring herself as much as the others.

"They'll be alright!" Ning Rongrong insisted, "Zhuge Lan is smart and won't act impulsively. Besides, he's so powerful and might even have a title by now. And that giant cannon he summoned earlier—what a terrifying thing! It looked like a soul tool, but are there even soul tools that powerful?"

Her chatter revealed her unease. This was, after all, the Titan Giant Ape—able to challenge ten-thousand-year-old spirit beasts even in its first century and a nightmare at the hundred-thousand-year mark.

"Blame Xiao Wu!" Ma Hongjun suddenly snapped. "If she hadn't interfered, Brother Lan could have at least scared off that Titan Giant Ape, and we wouldn't be in this mess!"

The others remained silent, tacitly agreeing.

Meanwhile, Zhuge Lan, now down to just a pair of shorts, effortlessly trailed behind Tang San, using his spirit bone skill, "Distant Horizon," alongside his Spiral Nine Shadow Steps.

'This great Spiral Nine Shadow skill is a bit of a waste on this chase,' he thought.

Since Oscar hadn't absorbed the Phoenix-Tailed Cockscomb Snake, there were no flight mushrooms. Tang San was relying solely on his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, which wasn't particularly fast.

'I wonder if this slight change in events will lead him to encounter the Man-Faced Demon Spider.'

After a while, the mental connection he'd left with Zhu Zhuqing faded due to the distance. Zhuge Lan smirked; his plan was perfectly in motion.

That Tai'a Cannon from earlier? Pure illusion!

A genuine Level 9 Fixed Soul Cannon would cost a million emotion points per minute to operate. Considering the Titan Giant Ape wasn't actually going to harm them, there was no need to spend that.

Instead, he'd used his Spiritual Domain: Simulate skill. Although Zhuge Lan had never seen the real Tai'a Cannon, the system allowed him to create an ideal replica, costing only 1,000 emotion points for a convincing display.

As expected, Xiao Wu couldn't bear to watch it "get killed" and had stepped forward to protect it. This reaction was precisely what he'd predicted. With the assurance of her mysterious family and her bond with the Titan Giant Ape, she was sure to intervene.

Knowing Zhuge Lan possessed such a "trump card" and with no flight mushrooms from Oscar, Zhao Wuji would never chase after him—leaving Zhuge Lan free to follow Tang San.

The only remaining uncertainty was whether the Man-Faced Demon Spider would show up as planned. If it didn't, he'd have to call on the system for help.

Just as Zhuge Lan was musing, Tang San, now exhausted, paused to catch his breath, scanning his surroundings to determine his next move.

Above him lurked a massive, one-meter-wide black spider with eight spear-like legs, each three meters long and gleaming with black armor.

It was the Man-Faced Demon Spider!

Perfect. Zhuge Lan, knowing he could rely on "Distant Horizon" if things went south, grabbed some sunflower seeds, settling in to watch Tang San's "life-or-death battle."

Without his previous duel with Meng Yiran to trigger a breakthrough, Tang San remained at level 29, throwing everything he had into the fight. He unleashed his spirit skills, hidden weapons, the Clear Sky Hammer, and the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Technique.

In a desperate final move, he broke through to level 30 mid-fight, landing a blow that exposed the spider's underbelly.

"Click-click-click—" Zhuge's crossbow bolts glinted as they shot out, but they missed. Tang San's earlier hammer swing had thrown him off balance, causing him to shoot wide.

Despair flooded him. He'd fought with everything he had, only to miss with his best weapon.

With no energy left, he closed his eyes, resigning himself to death.

The Man-Faced Demon Spider shrieked and lunged, its legs about to pierce him.

Zhuge Lan sighed.

"Darn it. This kid can't even shoot straight." He grumbled, "Guess I'll have to play the hero."

"Beast! Come here!" he roared.

Tang San jolted, opening his eyes. The Man-Faced Demon Spider, now meters away, was yanked to the side, its legs gripping Zhuge Lan's Li Jing Sword, held in an inexplicable combination of control and forced displacement.

"Zzt-zzt—" Smoke curled from its searing legs.

Cooked through.

The spider, furious, extended its remaining legs to lunge at Zhuge Lan, who let go of his sword, donned his Thorny Armor, and activated all of its spirit rings.

With a series of thuds, the spider's legs were deflected, leaving it riddled with its own wounds.

Now for the real fun.

The Curse of Aversion activated, inflicting maladies—wasting sickness, gastroenteritis, dehydration. Each new condition made the spider visibly weaker until it suffered osteoporosis, causing one leg to snap.

Now's the moment!

Zhuge Lan used Spiral Nine Shadows, splitting into eight figures and reappearing behind the spider, then returning to Tang San without looking back.

"Crack, crack, crack—" The spider's remaining legs fractured, causing it to collapse in a ball on the ground, utterly helpless.

Zhuge Lan stood over the trembling Tang San, who stared, hands still shaking. With a flick of his hand, Zhuge Lan showered him in Holy Light Blessing.

"Ahhhh~~~" Tang San groaned involuntarily, embarrassed.

Finally standing, he gave Zhuge Lan a strained smile.

"You shouldn't have come."

Zhuge Lan rolled his eyes.

"Frankly, I don't like you," he said bluntly, "but anyone willing to chase after the Titan Giant Ape for Xiao Wu's sake has my respect."

"I came because I wanted to, got it?"

Tang San, unable to retort, maintained his weak smile.

"You've reached level 30 now, haven't you?" Zhuge Lan glanced at the Man-Faced Demon Spider. "That thing is 2,003 years old. With your cultivation method and strong physique, you should be able to absorb it."

"This way, you'll regain some of your spirit power. I'll walk with you to see if we find…"

Zhuge Lan trailed off, sighing. Everything was understood without needing words.

Tang San's face darkened. He understood all too well, but he still couldn't accept it.

Xiao Wu—

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