Chapter 279: Hunting Spider Queen
At the entrance to the Hunting Demon Spider’s nest, an area several hundred meters in radius had already been flattened into open ground.
At this moment, after slaughtering hundreds upon thousands of Patrol Spiders and low-tier Ferocious Beast–level Hunting Demon Spiders, the blood-colored mist swirling around the giant serpent had evolved into an enormous crimson halo.
“Talent spell?”
Zhou Ming had been watching the giant serpent’s changes the entire time. After all, this was his first time fusing so many Ironthread Snakes into one entity; he naturally paid special attention to any transformations.
The giant serpent formed from countless Ironthread Snakes not only possessed strength close to that of a lord-level Ferocious Beast, but had also given birth to a talent spell that only high-tier Ferocious Beasts would possess.
Previously, when Zhou Ming controlled his Snake Swarm Fusion, aside from using the innate snake venom ability, most of its capabilities had been purely physical.
Now, the crimson halo enveloped the giant serpent. Once Patrol Spiders or low-tier Hunting Demon Spiders approached, their vitality was rapidly devoured as if leeched away.
For a time, an extremely dense scent of blood filled the air.
“Could this be related to changes brought about by the professional knowledge of the Crimson Apostle?”
Zhou Ming’s eyes flickered as a thought instantly rose in his mind.
The first time he had used wild Ironthread Snakes to perform the Sand Convergence Secret Technique and fuse the snake swarm had been against a member of the Dark Card Organization who had advanced into a Crimson Apostle.
Because he had been interested in the incomplete Crimson Apostle system, after obtaining partial professional knowledge of the Crimson Apostle, he had begun research in the direction of blood energy.
When he had entered Tamu World and had Aina record the changes in the petri dishes, that experiment had also involved this aspect.
This time, during the snake swarm fusion, Zhou Ming had carried out certain optimizations and applied part of his research results.
He had not expected it to produce such an unexpected change.
Just as Zhou Ming was secretly observing the giant serpent’s transformation, a Hunting Spider Queen over five meters in size slowly crawled out from the burrow entrance.
Compared to ordinary Hunting Demon Spiders, the Hunting Spider Queen’s abdomen was abnormally massive, occupying more than half of its body.
Facing the giant serpent under Zhou Ming’s control and the tragically slaughtered spider swarm, the Hunting Spider Queen was extremely enraged. The eight eyes on its head had already turned blood-red.
At the same time, the spider swarm ceased its meaningless attacks and immediately gathered around the Hunting Spider Queen.
In the next instant, Zhou Ming could clearly sense that the Shadow Energy Particles had become exceptionally active.
Through the vision of the Dark-gold Serpent Pupils, invisible threads connected the Hunting Spider Queen and the spider swarm into one unified whole.
When the activity of the Shadow Energy Particles reached its peak, the surrounding shadows seemed to come alive. The shadows on the ground broke through the limitations of two dimensions, transforming into black spikes that shot toward him.
The crimson halo around the giant serpent instantly bloomed with blood-colored light, rising from the ground to form a circular blood-red barrier.
Shockwaves roiled, explosions echoed through the sky, and the clouds shrouding Bewitching Gorge were torn open, allowing dazzling sunlight to finally shine into the mist-filled canyon.
In the face of the Hunting Spider Queen’s attack, Zhou Ming could clearly see the giant serpent’s halo barrier being eroded by the Shadow Energy Particles.
Black spots began appearing on the blood-red light curtain, like rust corroding steel.
“I didn’t expect that under the amplification of its race, the Hunting Spider Queen’s strength would also approach that of a lord-level Ferocious Beast.”
Feeling the violent energy fluctuations emanating from the barrier, a trace of surprise appeared on Zhou Ming’s face. He immediately understood why the Crimson Chamber of Commerce had yet to develop the Mysterious Black Crystal Stone mine here.
Without a Transcendent-level expert taking action, the Crimson Chamber of Commerce simply could not withstand the losses caused by the Hunting Spider Queen.
Since the Hunting Spider Queen had already made its move, Zhou Ming naturally would not stand idly by. With a lift of his hand, he cast the Phantom Snake Hands spell.
Blood-colored serpent shadows continuously extended their bodies. Their fangs, radiating bloodline aura, bit into the nearly collapsing barrier, dispersing the black spots at a visible speed.
“Chi—”
Compared to other high-tier Ferocious Beasts, the Hunting Spider Queen possessed decent intelligence. It immediately noticed Zhou Ming atop the giant serpent’s head and instantly understood who was behind the assault on the nest.
With a sharp screech, its eight eyes emitted a faint glow. An invisible mental storm erupted, causing the air to explode with cracking sounds.
Zhou Ming instantly felt stabbing pain in his mind. His consciousness grew sluggish, and he lost most of his control over the giant serpent beneath him.
“Not good—it even possesses a mental attack talent.”
Zhou Ming’s expression changed. He instantly entered Serpentfolk Form and regained control of the giant serpent through the Dark-gold Crown.
At the same time, the Throne Power of the Dark-gold Serpent Pupils began to erupt. The invisible air twisted under the terrifying aura.
But even this was not enough to defeat the Hunting Spider Queen.
With the amplification of thousands upon thousands of its kin, Zhou Ming did not hold the upper hand in terms of spiritual consciousness. After all, the number of Ironthread Snakes spiritually linked to him was fewer than the Hunting Spider swarm.
And this was already after the spider swarm had suffered heavy losses. Otherwise, Zhou Ming would certainly have suffered a hidden setback this time.
Even so, he already felt tremendous pressure. Beads of cold sweat the size of beans rolled down his forehead, and veins bulged at his temples.
Facing the situation, Zhou Ming was not without countermeasures.
“Platinum Cross, amplify.”
“Snake Devour.”
Without the slightest hesitation, Zhou Ming immediately activated the Platinum Cross. His spiritual power instantly increased by several degrees, and he at once mobilized the Snake Devour power of the Dark-gold Serpent Pupils.
As the mysterious patterns around the iris of the Dark-gold Serpent Pupils rotated, Zhou Ming’s spiritual power transformed into countless black serpents that shot toward the Hunting Spider Queen.
“Chi—”
A sound like a wail rang out. The Hunting Spider Queen instantly became somewhat listless, and its eight eyes lost their former vitality.
Without further delay, Zhou Ming drove the giant serpent to immediately launch a counterattack, clearing out the spider swarm clustered around the Hunting Spider Queen.
The Hunting Spider Queen’s amplification came from its race. Naturally, the spider swarm had to be eliminated quickly.
Seeing the giant serpent resume its slaughter, the Hunting Spider Queen immediately ordered the high-tier Hunting Demon Spiders to resist. Only high-tier Hunting Demon Spiders could withstand the life-devouring ability of the crimson halo.
Upon receiving the command, the high-tier Hunting Demon Spiders moved like assassins traveling through shadows. In flashes, they appeared around the giant serpent, swinging their sharp limbs.
With the blessing of Shadow Energy Particles, even the giant serpent’s scales could not completely ignore their attacks.
This time, Zhou Ming did not continue to stand aside. He immediately used his methods to assist the giant serpent in dealing with the Hunting Demon Spiders’ assault—after all, the side effect of the Platinum Cross was about to manifest.
“Blood Descendant Secret Technique · Phantom Snake Hands.”
“Blood Descendant Secret Technique · Snake Tide Poison Miasma.”
Dense black serpent shadows surged like a tide, attacking the spider swarm. Blood-colored serpent shadows that extended their bodies strangled the high-tier Hunting Demon Spiders.
Meanwhile, the giant serpent charged recklessly, using its massive body to crush the Hunting Demon Spiders around it.
Seeing its race continually slaughtered, the severely weakened Hunting Spider Queen once again gathered its power and mobilized the Shadow Energy Particles. Unfortunately, it could no longer reverse the fate of extermination.
Both relied on the power of their race, yet the Hunting Spider Queen’s method ultimately could not compare to Zhou Ming’s. With each Hunting Demon Spider’s death, the Hunting Spider Queen’s strength weakened further.
Unless it could form its spider swarm into a battle formation like the Foreign Races.
In less than half an hour, the Hunting Demon Spiders and their queen—once tyrants of Bewitching Gorge—were all slain by Zhou Ming.