With a neigh, the young cultivator pulled the reins, halting his galloping form.
Yet even so, the tumultuous aura emanating from him, along with the swirling saber qi around his body, still brought an inexplicable sense of oppression to Zhu Mo and the Blood Spider Ancestor.
"This young Taoist priest, where exactly has my Blood Spider Valley offended you to warrant such a massacre?"
After a moment of stunned silence, Valley Master Zhu Mo mustered his courage to step forward and question.
With the support of the Blood Spider Ancestor behind him, his confidence was significantly bolstered.
Xu Taiping paid no attention to Zhu Mo; instead, he dismounted and reached out to help the Sixth Princess down.
"Th-thank you, Taoist priest."
Even with her feet firmly on the ground, the Sixth Princess still felt as if she were floating in mid-air, everything seeming somewhat surreal.
This was Blood Spider Valley, one of the three great demonic lairs of the Black Vulture Nation, and we just stormed in?
She wanted to confirm with Xu Taiping whether this was all a dream.
"You haven't offended me."
After helping the Sixth Princess down, Xu Taiping finally turned to Zhu Mo, also glancing at the giant human-faced spider behind him.
"Since I haven't been offended, young Taoist priest, can we let this matter rest?"
Zhu Mo spoke in a negotiating tone.
Despite the presence of the Blood Spider Ancestor, he was well aware that if a fight broke out, not to mention the uncertain outcome for the Blood Spider Ancestor, the commotion caused by the battle between the two would be enough to destroy his Blood Spider Valley. Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, he did not wish to engage with the young Taoist priest.
The Blood Spider Ancestor raised no objections.
Clearly, it shared Zhu Mo's thoughts; after all, Blood Spider Valley was its lair, cultivated over many years, and naturally, it did not wish to see it destroyed.
"But you have offended her."
Xu Taiping turned to look at the Sixth Princess, who was still in a daze.
"Right?"
He asked the Sixth Princess.
"Ah?"
Caught off guard, the Sixth Princess was momentarily startled before she realized what was happening and nodded vigorously:
"Yes! Not only did your Blood Spider Valley relentlessly pursue me, but you also set traps in Mandala Villa, killing dozens of my guards. Such a blood feud must be repaid with blood!"
With Xu Taiping willing to back her, she saw no need to mince words with these people.
"Your Highness, the Sixth Princess, this was all a misunderstanding."
Zhu Mo managed a sheepish smile.
"A misunderstanding? If it weren't for the Taoist priest's rescue, I would have been like a lamb to the slaughter!"
The Sixth Princess grew increasingly indignant as she spoke.
"Hmph!"
Hearing this, the Blood Spider Ancestor suddenly let out a cold snort.
It clearly had no patience for such verbal sparring.
"If it weren't for the respect I have for this young Taoist priest, not even your father, the emperor, would dare to be so arrogant in my presence."
The Blood Demon Spider's eyes fixed on the Sixth Princess, its tone ominously low.
As it spoke, a murderous aura whipped up fierce winds, violently lashing against the Sixth Princess.
The Sixth Princess was not intimidated by the murderous aura, maintaining a defiant gaze against the Blood Spider Ancestor.
However, the fine beads of sweat on her forehead revealed that she was struggling just to withstand the Blood Spider Ancestor's murderous intent.
Seeing this, Xu Taiping gently patted the Sixth Princess's shoulder.
As casually as if brushing dust off her shoulder, he effortlessly swept away the Blood Spider Ancestor's murderous aura.
The Sixth Princess immediately cast a grateful look towards Xu Taiping.
But the Blood Spider Ancestor furrowed its brow.
Xu Taiping's cultivation level was beyond its expectations.
"Young Taoist priest, if you could do this old one a favor and leave now, I will owe you a favor in the future," the Blood Spider Ancestor said coldly, looking at Xu Taiping.
Though the content of its speech seemed to be a negotiation, the tone was still haughty.
Xu Taiping did not respond but quietly locked eyes with the Blood Spider Ancestor, and inwardly asked Fairy Lingyue, "Sister Lingyue, it's this one, right?"
"Correct. A Blood Demon Spider of this quality could fetch a good price even in other realms," Fairy Lingyue replied with a hint of excitement.
Seeing Fairy Lingyue's evaluation, Xu Taiping knew his trip was worthwhile.
If the Blood Spider Ancestor could hear their conversation, it would probably be furious enough to transform.
"Why wait for the future? Why not repay now?"
Xu Taiping's hand rested on the hilt of the Spring Tiger saber, looking up earnestly at the Blood Spider Ancestor.
With just that gesture, Zhu Mo and the Blood Spider Ancestor couldn't help but step back.
"Oh? Young Taoist priest, how do you propose my Blood Spider Valley repay you?" the Blood Spider Ancestor sneered, as wisps of blood mist began to rise around it.
Clearly, it was preparing for a fight.
Xu Taiping did not rush to answer but took out the drowsy little monkey Ping'an from his sleeve and handed it to the Sixth Princess.
"Taoist priest, this is?"
The Sixth Princess looked at the yawning monkey in her hand, then back at Xu Taiping with a puzzled expression.
"Take care of this sister for a moment," Xu Taiping flicked Ping'an's little forehead.
"Chichi…"
Ping'an covered its head with its hands, pouting slightly in discontent before leaping onto the Sixth Princess's head to continue sleeping.
The Sixth Princess was bewildered, standing still, not daring to move with the monkey atop her head.
"Young Taoist priest, my patience is limited," the Blood Spider Ancestor snorted coldly, seeing Xu Taiping ignoring it.
"If you truly wish to repay, then make a soul pact with me and become my spirit pet for three hundred years," Xu Taiping said very seriously, hand still on the hilt of his saber.
He felt no guilt in bullying such a harmful creature.
"You're courting death!"
Realizing the young Taoist priest was mocking it, the Blood Spider Ancestor flew into a rage.
A mass of blood-colored demonic qi exploded from around the Blood Spider Ancestor, and its mouth burst open, shooting out blood-colored spider silk like a rain of arrows towards Xu Taiping.
"Zing!"
Almost simultaneously, Xu Taiping drew the Spring Tiger saber and spun it like a full moon, creating hundreds of saber shadows that spread out in a circular motion, slicing through the spider silk like rain.
"Boom!"
But at the moment the spider silk shattered, the Blood Spider Ancestor leaped from its spot, its eight sharp and sturdy legs thrusting towards Xu Taiping at lightning speed.
To the Blood Spider Ancestor's horror, Xu Taiping's saber was not slower than its legs, blocking each attack with rapid strikes that were astonishingly fast.
"Boom!"
Finally, Xu Taiping found a flaw in the Blood Spider Ancestor, executing the Triple Kill Steel Severing technique, sending the massive body of the Blood Spider Ancestor flying backward.
However, the Blood Demon Spider's shell was extremely tough, and even Xu Taiping's Seven Kills Saber, which excelled at armor-breaking, failed to penetrate its shell.
Seeing that Xu Taiping's saber could not harm it, the Blood Spider Ancestor was overjoyed, first spitting out more than a dozen silk arrows at Xu Taiping, then a huge spider web to ensnare him.
This web, condensed from its primordial demonic blood and cultivated for decades, was nearly impossible to escape once ensnared.
But just as the Blood Spider Ancestor thought it would trap Xu Taiping, it saw him suddenly flick his thumb against his index finger.
"Bang!"
A burst of flame shot from Xu Taiping's fingertip, striking the spider web.
"Bang!"
With an explosive sound, the flame Xu Taiping flicked out suddenly burst, turning into a raging inferno that instantly burned the spider web to ashes.
Proofreader & Editor: Lotas