Chapter 44: The Cave

While Fang Chang was busy eliminating the two Spirit Hall Soul Elders, elsewhere, the Golden Generation trio had engaged the Ten Thousand-Year Earth Pit Demon Spider in a fierce battle.

Strangely enough, the Earth Pit Demon Spider seemed to ignore Xie Yue and Hu Liena, focusing all its attacks on Yan.

From the moment Yan activated his Blazing Flame Domain, the spider's gaze had become almost obsessive, relentlessly pursuing him with bites and strikes. Its behavior was eerily similar to that of a scorned lover encountering an ex.

Yan was internally groaning. This was a powerful ten-thousand-year soul beast, and he was merely a Soul Elder.

Were it not for his top-tier martial soul and the vast resources of Spirit Hall supporting his cultivation, he would have been overwhelmed long ago.

Even so, he could barely hold on. Old wounds from his earlier fight with the Giant Demon Ape began to flare up, and new injuries only worsened his condition.

Meanwhile, back in the valley, Fang Chang had returned after defeating the two Soul Elders, his sights now set on the Purple Flame Owl Beast.

Species: Purple Flame Owl Beast (Devourable)

Soul Power: 7,300 years 

HP: 2,953/3,300 

Strength: 600 

Attack: 599 

Defense: 538 

Speed: 701

Its HP had decreased slightly due to its earlier scuffle with Old Seven. The beast was perched on the cliff wall, resting but keeping its sharp eyes fixed on the surrounding forest, wary of the humans returning.

Fang Chang observed from a distance, formulating his plan. He circled back to a high slope he had previously scouted.

The slope was nearly level with the cliff and was only about 30 meters away—within range of his Leap skill.

Fang Chang waited for the perfect moment. As the owl beast turned its head, he suddenly sprang into action. His Leap skill launched him across the valley, propelling him toward the cliff wall.

Simultaneously, Fang Chang spat out two meticulously prepared poison webs. One was aimed directly at the owl beast's current position, while the other targeted the area slightly behind it.

The sudden attack startled the owl beast. Instinctively, it flapped its wings and retreated, only to fall straight into Fang Chang's second web.

In that brief moment of entanglement, the first web snared its powerful legs.

Caught between two webs, the Purple Flame Owl Beast lost its ability to move and tumbled from the cliff, kicking up a cloud of dust as it crashed to the ground.

Fang Chang landed gracefully on the cliff ledge previously occupied by the owl beast. He glanced toward the cave behind it, a glimmer of excitement flashing in his many eyes.

Without hesitation, he leaped down to where the struggling owl beast lay. His legs impaled the creature, and he began injecting it with paralyzing venom.

The Purple Flame Owl Beast thrashed violently, spewing bursts of purple flames in a desperate bid to free itself. However, the flames had little effect on the venomous webs.

Strictly speaking, the webs were an extension of Fang Chang's body. Thanks to his fire resistance skill, the flames were essentially useless against them.

Realizing this, the owl beast panicked even more. Its wings flapped with all their might, and its legs kicked frantically as it attempted to tear through the webs by sheer force.

Unfortunately for the owl beast, Fang Chang's soul power was nearly on par with its own, and his webs—enhanced through multiple evolutions—were far too strong to be torn apart so easily.

As the venom took effect, the beast's struggles weakened. Eventually, its wings fell limp, and it lay motionless, completely subdued.

Standing over the incapacitated owl beast, Fang Chang wasted no time. He opened his jaws wide and tore off a large piece of its tender flesh.

Before long, the Purple Flame Owl Beast became yet another unfortunate prey consumed by Fang Chang.

As he devoured the last piece of meat, a long-awaited system notification appeared in Fang Chang's mind:

"You have devoured the Purple Flame Owl Beast and acquired the additional skill: Purple Flame."

Skill: Purple Flame

Description: Launches a fireball imbued with purple flames at the target, dealing ranged damage and applying a burning effect.

Finally! An additional skill!

It had been so long since he last gained one that Fang Chang had started to doubt the system's functionality. After devouring both the Giant Demon Ape and the Four-Eyed Golden Horn Snake without triggering any new skills, he had assumed the system had stopped working.

But now, Purple Flame was a much-needed addition, filling the gap in his long-range attack capabilities.

"If I'd had this skill earlier, taking down that archer Soul Elder wouldn't have been nearly as troublesome. I could've just fought him head-on!"

Having consumed the owl beast, Fang Chang climbed back up to the cliff and squeezed into the narrow cave behind the ledge.

His increased soul power had caused his body to grow even larger, making it difficult for him to fit into smaller spaces.

"If only I had a skill to adjust my size at will. That would be so convenient," Fang Chang lamented.

The cave's interior was surprisingly spacious, providing Fang Chang with some relief. He scanned the area and soon noticed three pristine bird eggs near the entrance.

These were undoubtedly the reason the Purple Flame Owl Beast had guarded the cave so fiercely.

Curious, Fang Chang approached the eggs and tapped their shells with his legs. The crisp sound only heightened his appetite.

Having already devoured the parent, he decided the eggs should follow.

"The world of Douluo is too cruel. Letting them reincarnate into another world sooner could be considered a mercy," Fang Chang thought as he consumed the eggs.

With the eggs gone, his attention shifted to another corner of the cave.

There, he found the skeleton of a human seated cross-legged.

The remains had clearly been there for a long time, as the clothes had long since decayed. The bones were yellowed, covered in black fungal streaks and patches of moss.

Despite their condition, the skeleton showed no signs of being eaten by insects or disturbed by the owl beast. Even Fang Chang's legs, which could pierce most materials, barely scratched the surface.

"This must've been someone extraordinary," Fang Chang mused.

Carefully, he toppled the skeleton and pried open its clenched hands, searching for valuables.

"In stories, this is usually when a treasure appears, right?"

Unfortunately, after a thorough search, all Fang Chang found were two seemingly ordinary items.

Item: A black sheet of paper

Effect: ???

Restriction: Human-only

Item: A ring

Effect: ???

Restriction: Human-only

"Again?! Why is it always human-only treasures?" Fang Chang felt a wave of exasperation.

It seemed fate had a sense of irony, constantly presenting him with treasures he couldn't use.

"Maybe the heavens have something planned for me…" he muttered, reluctantly storing the items.