Chapter Forty-Four: The Doll-Faced Girl

"Damn it, do they really think I'm so easy to bully?"
Xiao Wenzi, furious, unleashed his Swift Demon Technique to evade the spider silk, then retaliated with a sharp sweep of his wing blades.
The mid-level first-tier spider, comparable to a fifth-level Qi Refining cultivator, proved troublesome—especially its silk, which was incredibly tough. Often, Xiao Wenzi had to slash several times with his wing blades before he could sever it.
Fortunately, his small, agile body and the advantage of the Swift Demon Technique allowed him to dodge before the silk could entangle him.
The hiss of slashing filled the dense forest as strands of spider silk were cut and fell to the ground, but more of them stretched across the branches, gradually weaving a massive web.
Luckily, the Flower-Back Spider wasn't high in rank, and its supply of silk wasn't endless. Meanwhile, Xiao Wenzi could instantly recover with Demon Spirit Dew.
The two tangled for quite some time before he finally began to gain the upper hand.
Suddenly, as the spider's jaws opened and closed, a cloud of poisonous mist spewed forth.
Knowing his opponent was no pushover, Xiao Wenzi no longer held back. Demon spirit power surged into his wings, augmenting the Swift Demon Technique, and his speed soared. He easily avoided the poisonous mist, flying right over the spider's head.
After circling midair and turning his body, Xiao Wenzi unleashed a flurry of wing blade strikes at the spider's back before it could turn around.
Splattering sounds followed.
The spider wasn't a hard-shelled creature; its body wasn't as tough as a cultivator's. Even Lu Ping, a fifth-level cultivator, couldn't withstand the wing blades—this spider stood no chance.
Its abdomen was pierced, green blood splattered, and after a few unwilling screeches, the spider with its belly split open finally collapsed.
Such newly evolved demon insects had no crystal cores or demon pills. After finishing the spider, Xiao Wenzi once again fell into deep contemplation.
Should he press on? He had only ventured a little over a hundred miles, and he couldn't be certain that there were no immortal sects or nests of venomous beasts deeper within the Misty Swamp.
Turning back now would be easy, but where else would he find low-level cultivators of the third tier? More importantly, it was warmer here than outside, and perhaps winter would be easier to endure.
But to continue forward was fraught with unknown dangers. If the depths really were crawling with high-level venomous demon beasts, wouldn't he be walking right into a trap?
A faint buzzing sound filled the air.

While Xiao Wenzi hesitated, unsure how to proceed, the mist ahead suddenly churned and parted to either side, forming a passage several yards wide.
Two graceful figures walked atop their swords, chatting and laughing as they flew toward him overhead.
They were high-level cultivators, and the jade talismans they held clearly allowed them to manipulate the mist—could these be legendary formation talismans?
Some hidden immortal sects liked to set up illusions and concealment arrays around their borders. Perhaps this mist was a type of illusion array unknown to him.
Xiao Wenzi was startled and quickly suppressed his aura, seeking refuge among the dead leaves on the ground, hoping to escape notice. But at such close range, how could he avoid the cultivators' spiritual senses? All his efforts were in vain.
"Eh, Senior Sister Hong, look—the mosquito managed to kill a spider so much bigger than itself. Isn't that interesting?"
The girl in green, her face still childlike and beautiful, already possessed a formidable cultivation at the tenth level of Qi Refining. She easily spotted the fleeing Xiao Wenzi and the dead spider, and couldn't help but exclaim.
"Indeed. Mutated mosquitoes are rare—who knows, perhaps it's some ancient exotic species. If you're interested, Junior Sister Xin, why not capture it and raise it as a spirit pet?"
The older woman, already at the threshold of Foundation Establishment, smiled as she replied, her tone lightly teasing. Clearly, she had no desire to keep a blood-sucking mosquito as a pet.
After all, even as cultivators, girls preferred cute little animals like snow foxes, hamsters, or songbirds.
Moreover, Xiao Wenzi, knowing escape was impossible, dared not reveal his Wind Technique. His flight was ordinary at best. To call him an ancient exotic species was merely a jest.
To his surprise, the doll-faced girl did not object. Instead, she solemnly said, "Yes, that's exactly my intention. Senior Sister, please help me."
"This... very well."
Senior Sister Hong hadn't expected this outcome. She was momentarily taken aback, then broke into a wry smile and nodded.
As she spoke, she flicked her finger, and a water-blue curtain of light appeared before Xiao Wenzi, rebounding his body as he tried to charge forward.
"Damn it, what now? Am I really going to become that girl's spirit pet?"
Xiao Wenzi heard every word of their conversation. Now, with the two women casting spells from several yards away, and unable to resist, his mood plummeted.
He couldn't fight, couldn't flee, and couldn't use the costly Red Heart to perform his Golden Cicada Escape to trick them—if he revived while they were still present and his system was exposed, he'd be in even greater danger.

As Xiao Wenzi anxiously fluttered his wings, preparing to flee in another direction, Senior Sister Hong and the doll-faced girl named Xin had already flown closer.
Senior Sister Hong flicked her finger again, sending ripples through the air. Another light curtain, about a foot wide, appeared in front of Xiao Wenzi. He crashed into it and bounced back—there was simply no escape.
"Junior Sister Xin, this little mosquito's demon power is limited. I've already trapped him. You can go ahead and seal him."
After her spell, Senior Sister Hong had gauged the mosquito demon's level. She smiled and spoke to the doll-faced girl beside her.
With a soft hum, the girl nodded, raised her delicate jade hand, and began casting a spell. Strands of spiritual power flowed from her fingertips, forming a net-like cover that enveloped Xiao Wenzi.
Then, the threads tightened like ropes and finally sunk into his body, vanishing.
In an instant, Xiao Wenzi felt his cultivation sealed. He couldn't even fly normally, let alone retaliate with his wing blade technique. His body drifted downward.
Fortunately, the doll-faced girl made a gesture, and he floated gently into her hand.
Her skin was smooth and delicate, carrying a faint maidenly fragrance.
Though his cultivation was sealed, Xiao Wenzi's senses remained. Were his circumstances not so dire, such close contact with a beautiful girl would have set his imagination running wild.
Just then, the girl patted her waist pouch, took out a wooden box, opened the lid, and gently placed Xiao Wenzi inside.
Click—the lid closed, plunging everything into darkness. Only Senior Sister Hong's laughing voice drifted in: "Come, Junior Sister Xin, the master's task is urgent. When you have time, you can slowly perform the ritual to make it recognize you..."
The voice stopped abruptly, the box clearly stowed away. Xiao Wenzi could no longer hear their conversation.