Facing the incoming water arrows, Fang Chang instantly activated his "Blade Armor" skill, using his body to directly withstand the attack from the Sea Spider.
The water arrows struck Fang Chang, exploding into a flurry of bubbles, but ultimately failed to cause him any harm. After several evolutions, Fang Chang's defensive attributes had already reached a level comparable to top-tier soul beasts like the Titan Giant Ape. Combined with the 50% boost from his "Blade Armor" skill, it was nearly impossible for any soul beast under 100,000 years to break through his defenses.
Seeing that her attack had no effect, the Sea Spider was visibly stunned. Her red eyes glowed even brighter as more water arrows materialized out of thin air, all aimed at Fang Chang.
Meanwhile, Fang Chang was gradually adapting to fighting underwater. Fortunately, his usual combat style was already quite passive—or rather, shameless. This time, he simply stacked all his usual buffs: "Blade Armor," "Harden," "Poison Mist," and so on. The only skill he didn't use was "Fire Armor," as it was largely ineffective underwater.
The water arrows splashed against Fang Chang's body, but just like before, they had no effect. However, the Sea Spider refused to accept this. While continuing to unleash more water arrows, she lifted four of her ten-meter-long legs high into the air and then slammed them down on Fang Chang with tremendous force.
The impact stirred up several meters of sediment from the ocean floor, and Fang Chang's body was forcefully driven into the mud. Yet, moments later, he sprang back up, lively as ever, and even raised one of his front legs at the Sea Spider as if to say, "Come at me!"
This gesture was considered provocative and mocking among spiders, and Fang Chang was finally able to use it for the first time. The Sea Spider was furious. At first glance, this outsider spider seemed slightly weaker than her, yet she couldn't do anything to him. This was the power of a late-game tank. In the early stages, when their stats and skills weren't fully developed, you might still be able to chip away at their health. But by the late game, if you couldn't defeat them, you simply couldn't. You could only watch as they moved around you freely, completely out of your reach.
Perhaps realizing that she couldn't deal with Fang Chang today, or perhaps because she had other urgent matters to attend to, the Sea Spider shot him a fierce glare with her crimson eyes, then straightened up and continued on her original path.
Fang Chang tilted his head, puzzled. Why was she running away? Don't run! He quickly gave chase. Today, this Sea Spider had severely wounded his pride by acting so arrogantly toward him. Of course, he had to catch up and crush her!
Naturally, the Sea Spider couldn't hear Fang Chang's thoughts. She continued walking ahead, while Fang Chang followed behind. Normally, Fang Chang's speed was several times faster than hers, but now, hindered by the water resistance and the thick mud on the ocean floor, he struggled to keep up.
The Sea Spider's ten-meter-long legs gave her a clear advantage. The nearly meter-thick mud posed no obstacle to her, and her slender, short body faced minimal water resistance, allowing her to move almost effortlessly. Moreover, her leg length was a significant advantage. If both spiders took steps of the same length, her stride would cover six to seven times the distance of Fang Chang's. For Fang Chang to catch up, he would have to move his legs six to seven times faster.
Thus, a bizarre scene unfolded: the Sea Spider strolled leisurely ahead, while Fang Chang's eight legs moved like clockwork, desperately trying to keep up.
After chasing for about three or four miles, Fang Chang suddenly remembered his "Flexible Stretch" ability. He immediately activated it, enlarging his body tenfold. His body now stretched over sixty meters long, with legs reaching fifty meters. The water here was deeper, about thirty meters, but Fang Chang still managed to burst through the surface, catching a glimpse of the dimly lit sky.
The Sea Spider, hearing the commotion behind her, turned to look. What she saw nearly scared her soul out of her body—eight massive, pillar-like legs that could crush her in an instant! Following the legs upward, she saw a colossal shadow darkening the sky, covering a vast expanse of the ocean.
Before she could react, the eight legs began to move. Each step caused a minor earthquake in the water, sending the Sea Spider scrambling forward in panic.
"Boom!" Fang Chang's leg came down, churning up mud and creating waves that sent the Sea Spider flying half a meter away. Before she could regain her footing, another leg came crashing down.
The Sea Spider was on the verge of tears. How had she provoked such a monster? It was even more terrifying than that thing! But there was no turning back now. She could only desperately dodge Fang Chang's legs while continuing to flee.
A glint of determination flashed in her eyes. Perhaps this monstrous spider behind her could deal with that thing. Even if it didn't work out, she would at least drag one of them down with her!
The chase continued, but the dynamic between the two spiders had shifted dramatically. The once calm and arrogant Sea Spider was now in a state of panic, fleeing for her life in a random direction. Meanwhile, Fang Chang, who had struggled to keep up earlier, now moved with ease, lazily taking a few steps now and then to keep the Sea Spider running.
As they moved further from the shore, the Sea Spider suddenly slowed down. Fang Chang noticed something unusual in the water ahead and quickly shrank back to his original size, activating his "Stealth" skill.
By now, the sky had brightened, and sunlight filtered through the water, improving visibility. Fang Chang used the light to get a clearer view of what lay ahead.
In the direction the Sea Spider was heading, a massive bubble encased a giant shipwreck that had been submerged for who knows how long. Around the shipwreck gathered one to two hundred Sea Spiders, all weaker than the one he was chasing, with the strongest being only around 20,000 years in cultivation.
Outside the bubble, a group of colorful, strange creatures continuously attacked it. The bubble trembled under their assault, and the Sea Spiders inside looked on in despair.
Seeing this, the Sea Spider grew even more anxious. She completely failed to notice that the monstrous spider behind her had disappeared and hurried toward the shipwreck.