Chapter Thirty-Seven: The White-Browed High-Legged Spider (2)

The few people behind this matter were quite interested; they simply wanted to know who was so fearless. Even if Mo Han didn’t mind, if the elders of the Mo family found out, the outcome would be very different. Although the Mo family rarely interfered with Mo Han, they would never allow anyone to bully or exploit him. They bore grudges and protected their own fiercely, so no one could easily oppress a member of the Mo family.

The only reason the Mo family agreed to Mo Han’s journey to the northwest was because of the Gu family; had it been anyone else, the Mo family would never have allowed him to leave. All the answers were laid out in the open—everyone knew, but someone always wanted to test their luck.

“Han, who do you think is behind this? Is it aimed at you or at Ninth Master?” There weren’t many families daring enough to offend both the Mo and Gu families. Who could it possibly be? The three of them couldn’t pinpoint which family it was, since none of the likely candidates should have made a move at this time. Yet, they couldn’t help but suspect them, for they were the only ones with the power to strike at both families. Everything seemed calm on the surface, but privately, each faction stood alone.

Mo Han did not wish to dwell too much on the issue. If this was indeed directed at him, he would soon know who dared attempt such a thing.

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll handle it. Right now, focus on what needs to be done,” Chu Xingran said, frowning, worried that those people might target Gu Zhiheng. The three of them together would be safe from danger, but Gu Zhiheng was alone and naive to the complexities of human nature. If anything happened to him, all their efforts would be in vain; his safety was always paramount.

They were now risking everything to help him collect those things, hoping the matter would be resolved quickly so everyone could breathe easier. If it ever came to that, they might even risk their lives to protect him.

At 3:40 in the afternoon, the three arrived in Yan City.

The weather was oppressively hot, waves of heat surging in like they had entered a giant steam basket. Two neighboring cities, yet the difference in temperature was staggering—almost unbearable.

Chen Yuan stepped out of the car and felt she might dry up like a worm in this heat. She wondered how Mo Han endured it, and Chu Xingran’s expression was equally blank.

Something was off about the two of them. Did they not feel the heat? “Aren’t you two hot? I feel like I’m about to shrivel up; this is unbearable.” Clearly, they had cultivated for hundreds of years—worldly temperatures shouldn’t bother them. Why couldn’t she stand the weather here? Was something different about this place?

“It’s hotter than elsewhere, but it’s a different kind of heat. Something isn’t right here,” Mo Han said, noting that as he neared the city, he sensed something suppressing him. Yet, once inside, the sensation vanished. Perhaps it was only at the city’s edge, or maybe he was overthinking. But his intuition was always sharp; he rarely made mistakes.

They wandered the city in confusion, but found nothing amiss. The city was eerily quiet, as if it were empty—a chilling sensation. Yet the presence of pedestrians contradicted their suspicions; they couldn’t pinpoint the problem, leaving them troubled.

They searched for traces of the white-browed long-legged spider but found none, not even a hint. It was supposed to be peak feeding time—how could there not be a single spider?

Chen Yuan asked Mo Han, puzzled, “Everyone here looks lifeless, and yet they’re out shopping in this heat—this isn’t normal!” Ordinary people would be indoors or hiding from the sun, but these people were all on the streets, braving nearly forty-degree temperatures.

“It’s strange. They seem as if they’re being controlled, lacking any independent thought,” Mo Han replied. “They’re no longer themselves—a crowd of walking corpses.”

Chu Xingran agreed. The situation seemed to be escalating; trouble was imminent. Their own affairs were still unresolved, yet now this.

The trouble caused by the Gu family centuries ago had never been settled. It was hard to say whether their legacy was immortal fame or infamous disgrace. Even Ye Zheng had not escaped—no matter how much those left behind tried, it was futile.

If Yan City had truly fallen under the control of the white-browed long-legged spider, the three of them would be powerless to stop its decline. The ability to control human bodies proved that the city’s spider was no ordinary creature.

Its cultivation was certainly more than a century or two—at least five hundred years, perhaps more. Only a creature of that age could manipulate humans while leaving them unchanged.

“Mo Han, watch out! Behind you—someone’s attacking!” Chen Yuan shouted, pulling Chu Xingran aside.

The previously tranquil city suddenly erupted into chaos; everyone turned mad, attacking one another indiscriminately. As the attackers were all residents, Mo Han and his companions couldn’t bring themselves to harm them—so the situation quickly became difficult.

“Knock them out first! We can’t just kill them all,” Chu Xingran said, deftly stunning several attackers before moving to defend Chen Yuan, doing her best to avoid unnecessary harm to innocent victims.

“Well, well, Mo family coward—I can’t believe you actually came!” The voice was thin and grating, harsh to the ear. “I thought a single message wouldn’t lure you in, but you’re more foolish than I expected.” The sound was like a broken gong, so unpleasant that all three frowned.

None of them recognized the newcomer, nor could they tell if it was human or spirit. The figure exuded a damp, oppressive aura, saturated with the scent of earth and dust.

“You still dare to help the Gu family after all the trouble they caused? If you want to hunt us, forget it!” Righteousness and rebellion—what standards did they use to measure such things?

Ye Zheng died at the hands of the Gu family, yet so many foolish souls sided with the Gu family. Why not use this opportunity to bide their time and grow stronger? Only by becoming powerful could they wipe out the Gu family and eliminate future threats.

Why did the Mo, Bai, Liu, and Earth Dragon clans all side with the Gu family? Why did so many medium-sized families support their own enemies?

If the Gu family hadn’t recruited so many Taoists and monks to storm Misty Brow Mountain, Ye Zheng would not have had to sacrifice himself for the stability of the Three Realms.

Why should Ye Zheng pay with his life for the chaos of the world?