I quickly pulled Ali to the side, wondering if we'd be discovered.
Suddenly, the snowdrift in front of us exploded.
We were sent flying by an unknown force.
Barely managing to stand, I realized by the moonlight.
A giant white monster stood before us.
This monster was three meters tall and entirely white.
It had several blood-red eyes, as large as bowls.
On each side, it had four long legs like sharp swords.
It was round and plump, like a giant ball.
It was entirely a huge white spider.
I had been wondering if "Wanxue Spider" was just a codename, but it was real.
It seemed to have seen us and let out a roar.
The roar immediately stirred up a violent gale.
The strong wind swept the residual snow back and forth across the mountaintop.
So, the strange winds at night were caused by it.
The Wanxue Spider suddenly turned, looked at Ali, and spat out a stream of thick spider silk.
Fortunately, Ali dodged it in time. Seeing his plan fail, he shuffled his eight legs.
With an acceleration, he charged forward, attempting to crush Ali.
I watched from the side, trembling with fear, thinking I couldn't just stand by and let Ali be harmed.
Suddenly, I remembered the Qianhu Sword we bought from the weapon shop.
I drew my long sword and shouted at the Wanxue Spider, "Monster, I'm here!"
It heard my voice, turned its head, and saw me.
With an angry roar, it charged towards me.
However, I didn't know how to wield a sword, and the result was being chased all over the place by the Wanxue Spider.
In my panic, I flung the sword away, shouting without thinking.
"Help! Help!"
Ali got up from the snow and watched the Wanxue Spider frantically chase me.
The intense running kicked up a lot of snow.
By the light of the snow, Ali spotted the Qianhu Sword lying in the distance.
He then dashed over, picked up the Qianhu Sword, and recited an incantation at its blade.
The sword seemed to be activated and flew into mid-air.
Ali shouted, "Ten thousand swords, emerge!"
Instantly, the sword split into countless blades.
He shouted again, "Slay gods and demons, kill!"
Then, thousands of swords, like a torrential downpour, flew out.
They pierced the Wanxue Spider, one after another.
The Wanxue Spider let out a wail of pain and fell to the ground.
Only then was I able to escape, and I hurried to Ali's side.
I looked at the fallen Wanxue Spider in fear and asked, "Is it dead?"
Ali replied, "Not yet."
As we spoke, the Wanxue Spider shakily stood up.
It shook its body vigorously, dislodging the Qianhu Swords.
The wounds inflicted by the Qianhu Swords also began to heal.
Ali beckoned the Qianhu Sword back, and the Wanxue Spider regained its vigor.
Its blood-red eyes stared intently at us.
Then it let out a deafening roar and spat out thousands of spider silks at us.
Ali quickly swung his sword in front, forming a protective shield that blocked the silks.
The Wanxue Spider was not giving up. It leaped into the air, bared its sharp claws, and lunged at us.
Ali, quick as lightning, grabbed me and we hastily jumped aside.
The Wanxue Spider landed on the snow, kicking up a large amount of snow.
Before Ali and I could catch our breath.
It spat spider silks at us again amidst the swirling snow.
Ali quickly pushed me away, and he himself used the momentum to fly to the side.
Seeing that we were still alive, the Wanxue Spider became enraged.
It decided to use its ultimate skill, "Howling Wind."
It opened its mouth wide, sucked in the surrounding air, and then roared.
Instantly, a strong gale swept across the entire mountaintop, and snow filled the air.
Ali and I were almost blown away, but fortunately, Ali quickly plunged his sword into the snow and held me fast.
My body swayed in the wind.
Ali reminded me.
"Mu Ye, be careful. It's going to get serious now. I can't protect you all the time, so find a place to hide yourself later."
I knew I couldn't be a burden to Ali at this moment, so I could only try to save myself.
I agreed, "Okay, don't worry, I'll find a good place to hide."
"Good."
At this moment, the fierce wind stopped, and Ali and I fell back to the ground from mid-air.
Before we could find a place to hide, the Wanxue Spider let out a piercing shriek.
The scream was so loud it seemed to pierce through mountains and ears, making us dizzy.
I quickly covered my ears, but I was still affected, and a wave of nausea washed over me.
I felt dizzy and disoriented, and I staggered and fell to the ground.
Ali was also suffering from the piercing sound, his head aching.
He clutched his head and shook it violently, swaying and seeing Mu Ye fall beside him.
He reached out and called softly, "Mu Ye, Mu Ye."
However, it had no effect. He had no choice but to fling out the Qianhu Sword and shout.
"Kill the Wanxue Spider!"
The Qianhu Sword immediately flew out, automatically attacking the Wanxue Spider.
However, the Wanxue Spider's "Howling Wind" was not just for show.
The Qianhu Sword was repelled by the immense sound and couldn't get close.
Then, the Wanxue Spider exhaled slightly, and a gust of wind blew the Qianhu Sword back to Ali's side.
Only then did the screaming stop abruptly.
He felt a wave of nausea surge within him.
He knelt on the ground dejectedly, clutching his chest and gasping for breath.
I thought the Wanxue Spider would seize the opportunity to attack, but it did not.
It remained in place, as if waiting for something.
Indeed, after a short while, a strong wind inexplicably began to blow across the snow.
The wind was comparable to a Category 7 typhoon, capable of destroying everything around it.
Only the Wanxue Spider stood firm like a statue, unaffected by the wind.
Ali pulled out a few strands of his hair and flicked them onto me.
They instantly transformed into thick ropes, binding me and securing me firmly into the snow.
He himself grabbed the Qianhu Sword, swaying precariously in the wind.
At this moment, the surrounding snow slopes also began to collapse due to the strong winds.
Suddenly, it felt as if I were witnessing colossal waves crashing down.
The Wanxue Spider saw that Ali was at the end of his strength and no longer a threat.
Instead, it looked at me, all wrapped up like a dumpling, and thought of me as food prepared for it.
So, it seized the opportunity, leaped up, and lunged at me.
At this moment of life and death, Ali leaped forward and shielded me.
He was pierced through the chest by the Wanxue Spider's attack.
I heard the commotion and opened my eyes slightly, only to witness this horrific scene.
"Ali!"
I cried out in terror, unable to believe it was real.
Seeing that I was awake, Ali manipulated the ropes and flung me away.
At this point, he had overexerted himself and lost consciousness due to exhaustion.
The restraints on me also gradually loosened as he fainted.
The Wanxue Spider lifted Ali and hurled him towards me.
I was hit by Ali and rolled away with him.
My lip was split, and a trace of blood flowed from my mouth.
However, I ignored the pain and turned to look at Ali, who lay motionless not far away.
I crawled to his side with difficulty and saw the blood gushing from his chest, dyeing his clothes crimson.
His already pale face had become even more ghastly.
I held him in my arms, trying to stop the bleeding.
But the flowing blood, like a stream, also stained me red.
Helplessly, I tried to comfort myself and him, saying,
"Ali, Ali, you'll be alright, you'll definitely be alright."
Yet, the tears that had been welling up in my eyes could not be held back.
They fell onto his bloodless face.
The Wanxue Spider roared at the sky, as if celebrating its victory.
I looked at the Qianhu Sword in Ali's hand, silently wiped away my tears.
Picking up the sword, I intended to perish with it.
Suddenly, a dark shadow shot out from the wind.
Like a falling meteor, it delivered a powerful kick, sending the Wanxue Spider tumbling to the ground.
Then, it hoisted Ali onto its shoulder, pulled me along, and leaped down the mountain.
After reaching the foot of the mountain, it finally let me go.
At this point, I saw a bright firelight in the distance.
It led us towards it.
As we walked into the firelight, the flickering flames illuminated the face of the person before me.
Only then did I see clearly that this person was the Zhang Tianshi whom Ali and I had been searching for so desperately.
He laid Ali down gently to the side and examined his injuries.
Bright red blood soaked his entire upper garment.
Amidst the crimson, a patch of dark blood clot was visible.
That was where the Wanxue Spider had pierced his left chest.
Looking at Ali's severely injured state, I was overwhelmed with grief.
I squatted to the side, covering my face with my hands, weeping silently.
Even so, I couldn't hide the tears that flowed.
Seeing my sorrow and distress, Zhang Tianshi felt a pang of sympathy.
He took out a handkerchief from his embrace and handed it to me, saying,
"It's not good for a young lady to cry too much."
I didn't reach out to take it, continuing to weep.
He sighed and tucked the handkerchief into my hand.
"He's not dead yet. Do you want to save him?"
Ali wasn't dead!
That one sentence pulled me back from the abyss of despair.
I felt as if I had found a savior, and with tear-streaked eyes, I looked at Zhang Tianshi and pleaded with him,
"Is it true? That's wonderful, that's wonderful! Tianshi, I know you can save him. Please, save him, you must save him."
Seeing my pitiful state, Zhang Tianshi's heart ached involuntarily.
In a daze, he saw his sister again, who had once pleaded with him with the same look in her eyes.
However, he himself did not have the power to cure the Wanxue Spider's poison.
He could only tell me the truth.
"His injuries are not serious, he's just been poisoned by the Wanxue Spider. This poison is extremely potent and cannot be easily cured by ordinary medicine. I can only temporarily seal his vital meridians. To save him, we must take him to find the Myriad Poison Ancestor, Physician Luo."
I asked eagerly, "Where is Physician Luo?"
"He lives on Thousand Herbs Peak to the north. There is a long stone staircase leading directly to the summit. When you reach the top, you will see a thatched hut; that's where he lives."
"I'll go find him now."
Saying this, I prepared to get up and search for Physician Luo.
Zhang Tianshi quickly stopped me and said,
"He is seriously injured and cannot be moved for now. After I treat his wounds, we'll set off tomorrow."
I nodded in agreement.
He suddenly became curious and asked,
"Weren't you in Beishen Capital? How did you end up here?"
Wiping my tears, I explained to him.
"Zi Ye sent me to find you. He said you had a way to send me home."
"Back to the human world?"
"Yes."
"But in this situation, I'm afraid I can't help you temporarily. In the next few days, Nanhai City will be convening a grand council of righteous individuals from all regions. I must go to Nanhai City to attend the meeting. When he has recovered, bring him to Nanhai City to find me."
"Okay."
Zhang Tianshi sighed helplessly, tore open Ali's clothes.
He carefully made a small incision on Ali's chest with a knife, allowing the stagnant poison to slowly drain out.
Then, he unbuckled his wine gourd, poured some into his hand, and gently patted it onto the wound.
After that, he tore off a corner of his own robe and bandaged the wound for him.
Zhang Tianshi said, "With this, I can only temporarily prevent the poison in his body from spreading. To completely detoxify him, we still need to find Physician Luo."
"Okay, I'll take him tomorrow."
After Zhang Tianshi finished, he excused himself and walked to another spot.
I slowly moved to Ali's side, resting his head on my lap.
I stroked his head.
Zhang Tianshi stood in the distance, silently watching everything.
He smiled slightly, "She really resembles my little sister a bit."
After a long while, he slowly walked back and sat by the campfire.
He took a drink from his wine gourd and offered it to me, saying,
"Have a drink. It will make you feel better."
I nodded slightly, took the gourd, and took a large gulp.
The fiery alcohol immediately rushed to my tongue and head.
It burned my throat.
I asked curiously, "Tianshi, what kind of wine is this? It's so strong!"
Zhang Tianshi laughed heartily.
"Hahaha, this is some wine I 'borrowed' from a village down the mountain. It's called 'Fire Burning Wine.' How about it, tastes good, right?"
I stuck out my tongue, my expression pained, "It's awful, both spicy and bitter."
"This is good wine, it nourishes the heart and lungs."
"You can have it yourself."
Saying this, I returned the wine to him.
Zhang Tianshi took the wine gourd and took another large swig, laughing.
"It seems you're not suited for drinking, but you can keep me company and chat."
I looked at Zhang Tianshi and asked him,
"Tianshi, why are you here in Wanxue Mountain? Is it just to eliminate evil?"
Zhang Tianshi shook his head.
"Not really, I was just bored and wanted to come and play. If I had known you were looking for me, I would have stopped and waited for you."
I sighed helplessly.
"Alas, fate is so peculiar. Missing when we should meet, meeting when we should miss, it's all destiny."
Zhang Tianshi burst into laughter.
"Hahaha, I've heard that humans only live for a hundred years. Looking at you, you don't seem very old. You haven't truly experienced the vicissitudes of life yet."
He was right. These small missed opportunities of mine were nothing compared to gods and demons who had lived for thousands of years. This seemed insignificant. However, the inner reflections would still remind me: if you can grasp it, don't let it slip away.
I lowered my head to look at Ali, my eyes filled with melancholy.
The lingering anxiety in my heart slowly subsided.
Zhang Tianshi teased,
"What a pity. If you were from another realm, I would definitely arrange a marriage for you."
My cheeks, which had just faded to red, flushed again. I stared at him blankly.
Zhang Tianshi continued,
"I can see that this young man is a good boy. If he were to start a family, he would be capable of fulfilling the responsibilities of a husband."
Hearing his words, I couldn't help but imagine.
The scene of myself and Ali walking down the aisle.
He, dressed in a black formal suit, and I, in a white wedding dress, holding a bouquet of flowers.
Ali holding my hand, walking into the church under the gaze of friends and family.
Zhang Tianshi, Zi Yu, and Zi Ye were seated in the white pews.
And a crowd of cat-like creatures dressed in modern attire.
The officiant, in a solemn yet romantic atmosphere, asked,
"Liu Mu Ye, do you take..."
Before the officiant could finish, I interrupted him, "I do, I do."
The officiant smiled with satisfaction and looked at Ali, asking him,
"Ali, do you take Miss Mu Ye as your wife?"
Ali, with a joyous expression, uttered the words I had been longing to hear.
"I do."
"Good, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may exchange rings."
Under the expectant gazes of everyone, Ali and I exchanged rings and then embraced.
At that moment, the entire church erupted in warm applause.
Delicate flowers drifted down from the ceiling.
Ali and I shared a passionate kiss amidst the falling blossoms.