Mystery Solved

While Ling led the Crown Prince's hunting party astray, Xuefeng and the ladies continued pumping the Bloody Nightmare full of Spirit Qi, each attack pushing it further into the wall. After slaughtering every last newborn spider, she had no way of escaping their assault.

Slowly, the Nightmare's once-imposing movements deteriorated into sluggish, helpless spasms. Cracks spread along her chitinous exoskeleton like a grotesque mosaic, and sticky rivulets of black blood oozed from dozens of self-inflicted tears in her abdomen. Caught in a vice grip of ceaseless attacks, she could do nothing but wait for the end.

From a safe distance, Xuefeng received a telepathic update from Ling about the Crown Prince's arrival. It puzzled him—he'd never truly crossed paths with the man. Why is he trying to kill me? he wondered.

He's raving about you stealing his possession, Ling explained in his head, wry amusement lacing her tone. I'm guessing it's because of Princess Shan.

Xuefeng rolled his eyes. You can't steal a person. And the Princess isn't some ornament he can own, he muttered darkly. Besides, isn't that his sister…? Whatever, you can play with him as you see fit. He can rot in the forest for all I care.

He shoved the annoying thought aside and refocused on the spider pinned under Xiao Wen's relentless barrage. The Nightmare's body had already begun to swell, its swollen abdomen quivering from the overload of Spirit Qi.

"This must be her limit," Xiao Wen called out, voice hoarse with fatigue. Her brow shone with sweat, and her breath came in shallow gasps. She'd been fighting without pause for what felt like hours, but she pressed on—driven by a thirst for answers.

Shuddering, the spider tried one final, feeble swipe of its blade-like legs. Xiao Wen clenched her jaw and unleashed a final, desperate technique. Her sword ignited with golden flames and shattered into a thousand razor fragments, each hovering around her in a shimmering ring of light. Then she drove her Qi forward, and the fragments zipped through the air like glowing daggers, slicing at the Nightmare from every conceivable angle.

"Whoa," Xuefeng breathed. He let himself pause, watching in awe as each glittering shard slammed into the beast. The impact caused the creature's bulbous body to balloon grotesquely, until with a deafening crack, the Nightmare's torso detonated. Chunks of chitin and gore rained onto the rocky floor, splattering the surroundings with a fresh wave of foul-smelling fluid.

The swirling shards of Xiao Wen's sword reformed in her hand, reconnecting until her weapon was whole once more. She clutched it, shoulders heaving, and stared at the corpse with grim satisfaction.

I've seen that style before, Ling whispered to Xuefeng. It's a legendary art from the Xiao Family's master—he was famous even back when the Thunder Goddess lived in the Central Region. I'm sorry I can't teach you something on that level. My memories are limited to the techniques she personally mastered.

That's all right, Xuefeng replied, approaching the mangled corpse with Wuying at his side. We can't have everything dropped into our laps. Let's see what made this spider so special.

The aftermath was beyond macabre. The Nightmare lay ripped open from head to abdomen, its innards spread across the chamber like a grisly feast. Pools of dark, viscous blood filled the cracks in the rocky floor. Even after everything he'd witnessed in this world, Xuefeng couldn't help but wrinkle his nose in disgust.

Xiao Wen crouched near the carcass, her blade at the ready, and used the tip to lift what remained of the spider's thick carapace. Beneath that grotesque shell, a slick membrane protected the Nightmare's stomach—a fleshy mass that had miraculously survived the explosion. Sucking in a steadying breath, she sliced it open from top to bottom, careful not to thrust too deeply, in case something—or someone—lay inside.

At once, something tumbled out in a noisome rush of half-digested fluids, landing heavily on the ground with a wet splat. For a moment, Xuefeng's heart fluttered; it was a human figure—a young man, by the look of him, sprawled naked amidst the steaming gore.

He looked barely twenty, with fair skin and white hair that clung to his forehead in sticky strands. His face was exquisite, as though carved by a master sculptor: finely shaped eyebrows, a delicate nose, a softly angled chin. Even in this revolting context, it was obvious that he possessed a beauty most men could only envy.

Damn, Xuefeng thought, forcing down a stab of jealousy. He'd experienced his own transformation through Ling's nurturing Fate Qi, but this stranger's features were on a whole other level. Guess I'm not the only one with lucky genes around here.

"So that explains it," Xiao Wen muttered. "The spider really did swallow him whole."

Wuying tilted her head. "We should help him, right?"

Xuefeng nodded, glancing at the pale figure with a mix of curiosity and concern. Ling, can you tell if he's still alive?

He's weak, obviously—malnourished and dehydrated—but stable, Ling reported. A quick dose of my Fate Qi should get him on his feet. But be warned: I sense the Fate Fragment within him. It's the one we suspected—Perfect Defense. I doubt you want to claim it yourself. That ability is… best described as cursed.

I've no desire to add that problem to my life, Xuefeng replied firmly. Still, I won't abandon him to die.

He was about to speak, only to realize Xiao Wen and Wuying were glaring at the man's crotch with identical expressions of pity. Xuefeng caught a glimpse and nearly choked—he couldn't deny that this stranger's manhood was somewhat unimpressive. The ladies evidently shared that opinion.

"Xuefeng's is bigger," Xiao Wen commented bluntly, stifling a giggle. Wuying's cheeks glowed with triumph at the memory of his body, though she said nothing.

Xuefeng buried his face in his free hand. "Seriously? That's what's on your minds right now?"

Xiao Wen shrugged, her lips curving into a mischievous grin. "What? You are well-endowed. Why shouldn't we appreciate that fact?"

Wuying gave a small cough, gripping Xuefeng's arm. "He's mine," she said, voice defensive.

"Oh? So you've already gone that far with him?" Xiao Wen teased, a playful glint in her eye. "And here I thought you were still warming up."

"Yes, we did it." The words tumbled out before Wuying realized it, and her face flamed at Xiao Wen's delighted laughter.

Xuefeng heaved a dramatic sigh. "All right, enough. Let's revive the poor guy," he muttered, kneeling beside the unconscious youth. Resting a hand on the man's chest, he reached out to Ling. A soothing flow of Fate Qi drifted from Xuefeng's palm, bathing the limp body in gentle, golden light. Wuying and Xiao Wen watched in silence, their earlier banter forgotten.

Within moments, the stranger's eyelids fluttered. His chest rose and fell, drawing in a sharp gasp of air. Suddenly, he jerked upright with a cough, eyes darting around the gore-strewn cave. White crystals embedded in the ceiling reflected the carnage below—thousands of spider corpses, their twisted limbs stiff in death. Then his gaze snagged on Xiao Wen, and his expression shifted to one of star-struck awe.

"Heaven? Am I in heaven?" he whispered. "Angels. No… so much more beautiful than angels. A goddess, perhaps." His voice wavered, brimming with gratitude and disbelief as he bowed toward Xiao Wen. "Thank you for allowing me the privilege of seeing such beauty. I—"

"Ugh, lunatic," Xiao Wen muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes. She spun on her heel, done with the flattery. Before the man could grovel further, she strode away, heading toward the cave's exit.

"Goddess, wait!" He scrambled to his feet, oblivious to the stringy remains still clinging to his skin. "Don't leave me!"

Wuying squeaked and turned her face away. Xuefeng clamped a hand over her eyes, shielding her from the sight of the man stumbling around in the nude. "You don't need to see this," he said.

She gave a slight giggle. "Thanks for that."

A resounding thud came from deeper in the cavern. Turning, they saw the white-haired man sailing across the air, courtesy of a punishing strike from Xiao Wen. He crashed back to the ground with a gasp, sprawled out in a fresh puddle of spider gore.

"That's enough from him," Xiao Wen declared flatly. "We saved his life. He can do the rest on his own. Time to leave." She paused only to snatch up the Spirit Artifact that had coalesced above the Nightmare's ruined carcass, pressing it firmly into Wuying's hands. "It's Blood-type," Xiao Wen said. "Far more useful for you."

"Thank you," Wuying murmured, hugging the artifact to her chest.

The trio wasted no time departing, stepping over the bodies of crushed spiders. Above them, the crystals in the ceiling still glimmered, casting an otherworldly glow that bathed the carnage in pale light.

"Wait for me!" the stranger called after them, his voice cracking with desperation. A moment later, a note of panic seeped into his words. "And… wh–why am I naked?!"