Chapter 2288 — Why They Vanished, Part Two
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 3
Only, more and more of the spider clansmen were being scorched by the flames. The Heaven-Rank Spider's head was splitting with worry! Without the Heaven-Snaring Net, the Spider Clan was certainly no match for the Fire Lion Clan. If it were allowed to keep burning like this, the Spider Clan would likely be wiped out this very day!
The timing could hardly have been worse—or, rather, all too well! At ordinary times, the Spider Clan would never have brought out its full strength and allowed itself to be driven into a corner. Near their nest, all they had to do when an enemy attacked was hide away in their caves, and that would be the end of it.
After all, the mouths of the caves bore ancient prohibitions, which the Fire Lion Clan could never break through. And the spiders who went out to gather spirit herbs all carried the Heaven-Snaring Net. If trouble struck, they would cast the great net, trap the fire lion, and flee with the natural treasures!
Of course, there were times when this failed too. The Heaven-Snaring Net was not easily made: several spiders had to weave it together, and it required certain rare natural treasures unique to the Spider Clan. So when they had no Heaven-Snaring Net, they could only trust to luck—and stood a good chance of being struck by a fire lion's flame breath or a Fire-Stream Divine Pellet, after which their natural treasures would be seized!
Yet no matter which side came off the worse, there was never any real danger to life. Today, however, the situation was entirely different—the Fire Lion Clan meant to wipe them out to the last one!
"Wait a moment..." The Heaven-Rank Spider wanted to call the Great Fire Lion to a halt and speak to it of Wei Zhao. After all, Wei Zhao was a benefactor to them both, and perhaps that would make the Fire Lion Clan stay its hand!
But the Heaven-Rank Spider's words had no effect whatsoever. The Great Fire Lion paid it no heed at all, breathing flame without pause, while the Little Fire Lion and the Mother Fire Lion struck out left and right with their claws, helping to batter the Spider Clan's clansmen...
Before their eyes, there was no road left behind them; this place was a ledge upon a cliff, and the ledge was not large. Behind the ledge lay a cave, and within that cave was the teleportation formation left by the Heaven-Rank Spider's contracted master!
Beyond the formation, the cave offered no way out. The Heaven-Rank Spider had no choice—pressed by the Great Fire Lion's clan, it could only lead its people back and further back. Only when all of them were crowded inside the cave did it realize: was this not like catching a turtle in a jar?
If the Great Fire Lion truly blocked the cave's mouth, they were finished. As long as it kept breathing flame, the Spider Clan inside the cave would not live to see this day end!
What was to be done? The Heaven-Rank Spider racked its mind for a way. The Great Fire Lion was clearly in a true fury—otherwise it would not press them so relentlessly!
Yet there was one thing the Heaven-Rank Spider could not understand. Was it merely over a single strain of their own special spirit herb? By reason, it should be easy for the Great Fire Lion to obtain compensation: come here, burn a few spider clansmen, and then take the occasion to demand other spirit herbs in recompense—a bargain that could only profit, never lose.
But what had come over it today? By the look of things, the Great Fire Lion and its family had not come to make threats—they truly meant to exterminate them! Otherwise, they would never press on step by step, leaving not the slightest room!
The Heaven-Rank Spider lamented inwardly. The Spider Clan was not skilled in attack, and now even the Heaven-Snaring Net with which they defended themselves was not in their hands. Truly, it was driven to utter despair...