Stopping not far from the gate, Jin Baihu's eyes roamed around, inspecting the mess of spider webs that crisscrossed all over the arena.
More than half the field already got occupied by this quasi-cavern spider nest.
But facing such a sticky mess, Jin Baihu merely chuckled dismissively. "Still the same old trick year after year. It never gets old, huh? Shame you will never get the chance to finish it!"
Facing Jin Baihu's provocation, Qian Fusha didn't so much as flinch. No anger. No witty retort.
He simply abandoned the unfinished outer layer of the web structure, popped a spirit bean, and calmly scaled up the wall to retreat deeper into the finished part of his spidey hideout.
What's left was just a curtain of silk swaying like an invitation to the challenger.
Seeing this, the challenger laughed even more confidently.
"Begin!"
The signal boomed overhead like a gong shaking the heavens, but this time, neither side rushed up to clash with each other.
Instead, one disappeared to heaven knows where in his lair while the other made his way over to the bloody cocoon that was hanging off to the side.
Facing the dead warrior of his clan, Jin Baihu sneered. "Tch. Useless trash. Can't even trade your life for a single injury! But no matter. Even if you're dead, you can still contribute..."
A hand got placed on the cocoon...
Less than a breath later, the cocoon deflated like it lost whatever's inside and blood gushed out from all over, flowing into Jin Baihu's waiting mouth like converging rivers.
Gulp. Gulp. Gulp. "Hahhh…"
Jin Baihu felt his blood vitality reach its peak in a heartbeat, but the bloody grin still got wiped off his face.
"Bleh! As expected, the blood food grown outside really can't compare to the ones raised inside the clan. But no matter. With this much, I should be able to go wild this fight. Huhuhu..."
Jin Baihu cracked his neck back and forth while his gaze roamed around to search for his opponent. Too bad, there were webs all over and even his spiritual sense couldn't penetrate through the web maze to find his opponent.
But this problem didn't faze Jin Baihu.
Why bother wasting time playing hide-and-seek when he can just tear the whole maze down! Simple as that!
Jin Baihu grinned and his blood started boiling…
His bronze-colored skin started flushing red and even steam started hissing from his shoulders and spine.
Two fists punched together, setting them ablaze, and a maniac grin appeared on his face.
"Pests like you that likes to hide are the most annoying, but I want to see how long you can keep that up! AOWOOOOO!!!"
With a battlecry, he charged straight towards the web fortress like a battering ram and a single hammer from his blazing fists made the outer web wall sink inward!
Unfortunately, the web was much denser than Jin Baihu expected and it didn't break instantly.
But the flames from his fists still melted a hole right in the wall!
Jin Baihu seized that opening with both hands and his muscles bulged. "OPEN UP FOR ME!"
Thwip! Thwip-thwip! The dense web wall got ripped open like wet cloth, opening a gap big enough for a man to pass through!
The instant after, the spider's den welcomed its intruder with a special greeting!
Globs of web fired over! One stuck to his face with a wet slap while the others glued his feet in place!
His spiritual sense even detected the incoming follow-up barrage! He landed in a sticky situation from the start!
But Jin Baihu didn't have an ounce of fear!
One second he was standing, the next he was crouching!
A hand simply reached up to tear the web on his face off like it was just a paper mask while another reached for his feet to violently yank off all the web in one go like they were rubber bands!
This was the difference between a body-cultivator and a spell-orient cultivator! Absolute strength can tear through all obstacles!
Worse yet? Jin Baihu is a pure fire-attribute cultivator!
Once his face was free, nothing could stop the fire storm brewing in his mouth—FWOOOM!
Fire Style: Torching Blowing Technique!
Flames roared out and melted through all the web barrage shooting over!
Even some of the webbed pillars around him shriveled due to the heat!
But the heat came and went quickly.
Though torch blowing was a basic technique among fire cultivators, not everybody can master it to the same extent.
Clearly, Jin Baihu focused more on tempering his body rather than his spell techniques.
But even this level of spell was enough to break through the ambush, and once the intruder broke into the spider's nest, nothing could stop him from taking it apart!
Blazing fists tore through the crisscrossing webs blocking his way and feet wreathed in flames melted a trail through the webby terrain!
As for the webs shooting over?
With spiritual sense and a strong enough body to match it, wanting to trap Jin Baihu again was a delusion!
Even hiding became a luxury!
"Huhuhu... I see you~ Spider freak, let's see where you run now!"
Back in the private box above, everybody could get a glimpse of what's happening inside the cavern through the gaps in the web netting that stretched over the battlefield.
Watching Jin Baihu bulldozing through the webs toward his brother and tearing the web lair apart, Qian Bage frowned.
"Ouu... it's that bloody meathead from the main lineage again. How annoying, ou. Even Lao Si struggles to deal with him when he's in this blood-burning state."
Bubai narrowed his eyes. "A secret art that burns blood for power?"
"Ou." Qian Bage nodded. "Though this power explosion art requires a blood-path cultivator to possess a strong physique to practice, its effect are almost like the Blood Sage Explosion pill. I'm afraid…"
"Lao Er's simple webs won't be able to stop him, ou."
Oh Merlin's bloody socks. Another forbidden power-overdrafting technique. These Sun Furnace Sect disciples were truly… crazy!
But the effects were obvious. That steaming body-builder was tearing through everything like a madman!
"Should we be worried?" Bubai can't help but glance over, just to notice that his buddy's face showed no worries at all.
Qian Bage blinked then returned a cheeky grin.
"Ou~ Brother Bai, no need to fret. Don't think spinning webs is all that Lao Er can do. You know, Lao Er's only half a step away from late-stage. Once Lao Er shows his real skills, ouhehehe…"
Now that got Bubai's full attention.
That's right! In game terms: if Qi-refinement realm was all about unlocking new skills, then foundation building was upgrading those skills and reaching mid-stage was like unlocking an ult!
And this Qian Fusha is at the peak of foundation realm mid-stage!
This most likely meant he should've mastered his ultimately unique aura to some extent!
Merlin above, wonder what that'll be like!
Bubai really hoped to see something interesting, just to acquire more intel to add to the contingency plans he was building.
Alas, the battle right now still seemed to still be stuck in the classic simmering stage...
One destroyed and chased, while the other interrupted and evaded.
On the surface, it looked like spider-man was no match for the blood-burner, but once it dragged on...
Everybody can see who had the advantage in this war-of-attrition.
Who's burning more fuel? That was easy to tell.
Besides, that blood explosion state is ultimately temporary. That was obvious to all.
Once that furnace runs out of fuel… well, there's no need to explain what happens next.
That's probably why that Qian Fusha cleverly dragged it out rather than fight head-on.
Poor Jin Baihu. Even after so long, that hot-headed fella still can't touch the other's sleeve.
The elaborate web setup was not all for nothing. They still did their job to slow down the man.
But a mid-stage is still a mid-stage. Some people tend to let arrogance get to their head and forget that. But others won't. Never underestimate others!
As a mid-stage from the blood-drenched main lineage, how can Jin Baihu not have any trump cards to make up for his bloody weaknesses!
Just when the man finally got near enough to close combat range once again, talismans suddenly got thrown out—boom, BOOM, BOOM!!!
Explosions smoked up the spider's nest!
At that close of a range, that was clearly a "wound yourself to drag the enemy down" tactic!
But for elite foundation builders at this realm, this level of explosion was a distraction at most.
But in battles between elites, a single distraction was all an elite needs!
When the smoke finally peeled away, everybody saw a bloody-red chain cuffed onto Qian Fusha's wrist!
Jin Baihu's plan succeeded! He held onto the other end of the short chain with the bloodthirsty grin of a hunter who finally landed the hook.
"Huhuhu… not so slippery now, are you? What a shame earlier. Now, let's finally have some fun, shall we?"