Chapter 16: A Riot of Demons, Part 9

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A moonless night, with wind whispering through darkness—a night for banishing demons and subduing monsters.

The three of them hid in the empty house of a hunter, quietly watching the moon climb above the treetops through the window.

Although Shen Xiao had agreed to Shi Xianyu’s plan, now that the moment had come, he felt uncertain. He asked once more, “Are you sure you heard correctly? That creature kept calling for a child?”

“Yes, every time it comes,” Shi Xianyu replied, nodding earnestly before turning to him, “Brother Shen, could it be that the spider once had a brood of spiderlings, but the villagers accidentally killed them? Later, the spider cultivated itself into a demon, unable to forget its old grievance, and now seeks vengeance upon the villagers?”

Shen Xiao hesitated. “That…”

Thinking her reasoning quite logical, Shi Xianyu continued her analysis: “So it didn’t eat those villagers, but raised them as if they were its spiderlings. But since villagers aren’t spiders and can’t eat poisonous bugs, they grew weak over time and died. The spider demon then had to return to the village for new children to bring back to its lair.”

She struck her palm with her fist, convinced. “I think that’s almost certainly what happened!”

Shen Xiao was silent.

Lin Yuan nodded from the side. “Yes.”

Unable to keep quiet any longer, Shen Xiao explained, “Spiders don’t feed their young. The mother spider doesn’t care for her spiderlings; sometimes she even eats them to regain strength. Little Fish, your idea of an old grudge doesn’t hold up.”

Shi Xianyu was momentarily stunned. “Then maybe the spider demon is different from normal spiders? Perhaps it’s more protective?”

Shen Xiao pressed his forehead, sighing. “Let’s focus on luring the spider here first. Night has fallen.”

Shi Xianyu’s cheeks warmed, and she glanced at him, then at Lin Yuan. “Ahem… Shall I start calling now?”

Both Shen Xiao and Lin Yuan nodded.

Shi Xianyu cleared her throat and began to call out, “Mother… cough, wrong, let me try again. Ma~~ Mother~~~~”

After a few calls, she paused and turned to Shen Xiao. “Brother Shen, you said monsters can imitate human appearance. If the spider demon had seen Wan Ji’s mother, it would look like her. But what if the person it saw was a man?”

In all his years of cultivation, Shen Xiao had never faced such a peculiar question.

“I suppose it would look like a man,” he replied, complicated emotions crossing his face.

“So the spider demon might not be female, right? It just happened to mimic a woman’s face, but it could actually be a male spider?” Shi Xianyu asked. “Brother Shen, do you know how to tell male and female spiders apart?”

“…No,” Shen Xiao admitted.

Shi Xianyu thought for a moment. For the sake of accuracy, it wouldn’t do to call only for mother—she ought to try father as well.

“Mother~~~ Father~~~~ Ma~~~~~ Dad~~~~~”

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Shen Xiao was silent.

Lin Yuan was silent.

…

Shi Xianyu called out with utmost sincerity, truly hoping to draw the spider closer and help the villagers rid themselves of the monster.

She deliberately strained her voice, calling with the sharp, delicate tone of a small child, alternating between mother and father, over and over again. If one didn’t listen closely, her tender voice could easily be mistaken for that of a seven- or eight-year-old child.

At last, after countless repetitions, she heard a distant response—

“Child! …My child! Child…”

“The spider demon is coming!” Shi Xianyu urgently informed Shen Xiao and Lin Yuan.

Shen Xiao’s brow furrowed, his voice low and steady. “I know. I hear it too.”

It was the first time he’d heard the spider demon’s voice; before, it had only been inhuman growls and screeches. But tonight, for some reason, the spider truly spoke, crying out for its child in a woman’s voice!

Could it be, as Shi Xianyu guessed, that this spider demon bore some terrible grievance?

Shen Xiao drew his sword. Its cold gleam flashed, and the azure feathers at its hilt trembled. He stared intently out the window, his eyes deep and solemn.

No matter what injustice it suffered… it had already committed unforgivable crimes. Tonight, it must die!

“It’s coming!” Shen Xiao whispered, holding his sword before him. “Once it enters, we’ll set the fire and escape through the back door, trapping it inside!”

Crash!

A spider leg, bristling with black hair, suddenly pierced the window!

Shi Xianyu nearly screamed in fright! Sensing her fear, Lin Yuan immediately swept her into his arms and dashed out the back door!

Shen Xiao retreated quickly as well, igniting talismans in all four corners of the house. The tung oil, firewood, and dry straw burst into roaring flames!

He leapt outside, chanting incantations, preparing to burn the spider demon alive—when suddenly, something felt wrong!

He vaulted onto the roof and realized his timing was off. He’d set the fire too soon! The spider demon had not fully entered, and, smelling smoke, was now backing out of the house!

Shen Xiao cursed inwardly.

He had to force the spider back inside, or it would have a chance to spray silk, making it much harder to deal with!

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But his anxiety lasted only a moment, for the spider demon began to smash against the doors and windows with reckless abandon. Even as the house burned, it kept calling for its child and charged inside!

Taking advantage of this heaven-sent opportunity, Shen Xiao activated the array—he had long ago woven a net of traps throughout the house and its surroundings. Now that the spider demon was inside, escape was impossible.

Flames leapt from the doors and windows, devouring everything in their path. As Shen Xiao continued chanting outside, the fire only grew fiercer. Even after the prepared firewood was consumed, the flames showed no sign of fading.

Gradually, all sound and struggle within the house ceased.

Only the crackle of burning and destruction remained.

Shen Xiao dared not relax for a moment. He sat cross-legged at a safe distance from the blaze, continuing his incantations.

He remained there all night.

Shi Xianyu and Lin Yuan kept watch behind him. As dawn approached, villagers began to appear in the distance, peeking anxiously toward the hunter’s house, gathering together, their eyes fixed on the Daoist in the midst of his spell.

The fire burned on for a long time…

By mid-morning, Shen Xiao looked increasingly pale, sweat beading on his brow. Such prolonged exertion of spiritual power was exhausting.

By now, all the villagers had gathered, waiting for the outcome.

At last, Shen Xiao began to withdraw his qi.

The flames visibly shrank and faded, revealing the scorched ruins beneath.

The abandoned hunter’s house was no longer recognizable as a dwelling; everything inside had been reduced to ash, leaving only four broken walls. Within those walls lay the charred remains of the spider.

At last, Shen Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, a faint smile of satisfaction lighting his face.

Slowly, the villagers approached, one after another, until the ruins were surrounded.

Everyone gazed silently at the monster’s corpse. After a while, a wave of triumphant cheers broke out!

All rushed forward to kneel and bow before Shen Xiao, their gratitude overflowing.

“Thank you, Master Shen! Thank you!”