Inside the Zhu Family Courtyard of Spider Silk Ridge, the Spider Sisters were directing their subordinates as they cleaned up the scattered corpses.
Looking at the piles of bones that had been gnawed completely clean, Second Sister Spider let out a weary sigh.
"Mother's appetite has been getting worse lately.
Ever since that incident, her condition has only continued to decline. Back then, consuming one demon every three months was enough to sustain her.
Now she needs to devour a demon's flesh and absorb its essence almost every month just to rest peacefully.
If this keeps going, where are we supposed to find enough powerful demons for Mother to consume? None of us daughters can leave Spider Silk Ridge either.
At this rate, I truly don't know what will happen to us. Do any of you have a solution?"
"A solution?"
Fourth Sister Spider let out a mocking laugh.
She sat lazily atop the roof tiles, basking beneath the sunlight with one leg crossed over the other. Turning toward her sisters, she sneered.
"Isn't there already one? Senior Martial Uncle has always wanted to marry us off to those scorpion demons.
Second Sister, if you're that desperate for an answer, why don't you marry into their family? Then we'd have access to another territory's demons for Mother to feed on. Problem solved."
Second Sister's expression darkened.
"Fourth Sister, this isn't something to joke about."
Her tone carried frustration as she continued.
"When Senior Martial Uncle arranged that banquet with the Scorpion family, he asked whether we were willing to marry into their household.
Even if your elder sisters disliked the idea, we still gave him face and answered tactfully.
But you? You humiliated them on the spot. You exposed every embarrassing thing about those four scorpions right in front of everyone.
You even tied your hair up and declared you would rather die than marry, saying you'd sooner marry an ancient Buddhist lamp instead.
You may have enjoyed yourself, but Mother paid the price for it afterward.
Senior Martial Uncle stopped helping us as much because the fathers of those four scorpions are important subordinates under him.
You only cared about your own freedom, but where exactly are we supposed to find freedom in this place?"
After speaking, Second Sister sighed heavily before walking toward the lesser demons working in the courtyard.
Stopping before them, she gave her orders.
"In the coming days, I'll visit the eldest of the Scorpion family personally and negotiate with them. Maybe they'll spare some spirits and demons for Mother.
As for the rest of you, head out immediately and capture humans or wandering spirits as backup offerings. We can't let Mother continue suffering.
Move quickly."
"Understood!"
The imps immediately bowed before leaving the courtyard cautiously, heading south toward Purple Cloud Mountain.
Watching them disappear into the distance, Fourth Sister turned her gaze back toward the sky.
Seeing this, Second Sister shook her head helplessly.
"You stare at the sun all day as though it'll somehow free us from Spider Silk Ridge.
Fourth Sister, you're not a child anymore. You should start acting more responsibly.
Even Fifth Sister is helping manage the household now, assisting Third Sister with weaving duties every day.
Yet you, an elder sister, contribute less than the youngest among us."
"Oh?"
Fourth Sister did not even turn around.
"Eldest Sister manages Mother. You handle the family finances. Third Sister and Fifth Sister handle weaving and spinning.
Compared to all of you, my only purpose seems to be getting married off for political gain.
If that's the case, whoever wants to marry can do it themselves. I won't."
"You didn't need to say it so directly!"
Second Sister rarely lost her composure, but now her voice rose sharply.
"You know exactly why Grand Senior Martial Uncle arranged that meeting. He valued the Scorpion family's venom techniques and wanted to secure them through marriage ties.
And despite everything, he still respected our opinions enough to let us choose for ourselves.
I know you didn't want to marry those crude fools, none of us did.
But look at how your sisters handled it, then compare it to what came out of your mouth."
As she spoke, Second Sister floated lightly onto the rooftop beside her.
"Eldest Sister used Mother as an excuse.
I only demanded enough money to fill our treasury. If they had offered enough, marrying over wouldn't have mattered.
Third Sister politely avoided them with poetry and riddles.
But you? You insulted both Grand Senior Martial Uncle and the Scorpion family to their faces."
Fourth Sister remained silent.
Second Sister continued.
"You asked whether they expected us to pay dowries just to marry their sons.
Then you mocked them, saying if those so called heroes had any real ability, they should earn their own wealth instead of scheming through marriage.
Do you know how humiliating that was?
After that day, the scorpions completely cut ties with our family."
Her expression became increasingly bitter.
"We're trapped in this mountain, unable to leave Spider Silk Ridge.
Those scorpions were the only strong neighbors willing to associate with us.
Mother is still alive now, so we can avoid marriage for the time being.
But once she's gone, what then?
If we're lucky, maybe we'll still have the chance to marry.
If not, we may end up captured by the hidden force behind the formation outside, refined into pills like livestock.
We don't have many peaceful days left.
Why must every sentence from you stab like a blade?
Fourth Sister, your tongue is more poisonous than anything in Spider Silk Ridge itself.
I truly wonder what kind of man could ever tolerate you."
"Second Sister."
Fourth Sister suddenly interrupted her.
She tilted her face toward the sunlight, hiding the faint warmth rising on her cheeks.
"Even if a real hero existed, why would he ever come to a miserable place like Spider Silk Ridge?
And even if we found the perfect man, none of us can leave this mountain.
What great man would willingly marry into our family and live here forever?
Honestly, Second Sister, you should tie your hair up too and swear to marry an ancient lamp like I did.
At least then those four disgusting scorpions would stop staring at me all the time."
"But without the Scorpion family's support, life here will only become harder for us..."
Before Second Sister could finish speaking, three thunderous impacts suddenly echoed through the courtyard.
Thump!
Thump!
Thump!
The entire Zhu Family Courtyard shook violently.
Even Mother's room deep within the estate trembled from the force.
Second Sister immediately rose to her feet.
Fourth Sister's expression sharpened as she stood as well.
Then, from beyond the front gate, a lazy and carefree male voice rang out loudly.
"Old Sister, open the door! Your handsome little brother from the Neighborhood Office is here to deliver warmth and care!"
The voice carried clear amusement.
"I heard Old Sister became a widow at six hundred and eighty years old, so I brought you a man to keep you company!
Sure, the guy's stubborn, rough looking, and covered in spikes, but men like that usually have hidden talent.
Besides, aren't you a spider? The man I brought happens to be a pig too!
Hurry up and open the gate. I still need to make it back in time for the banquet, hahaha!"
The moment the word "banquet" echoed through the courtyard, the lantern spirits hanging around the estate immediately began shrieking.
"Great joy! Great joy! Great joy! Grea..."
Before the words finished, one of the lantern demons suddenly shot across the sky like a cannonball.
Wrapped inside a violent hurricane, it flew past Fourth Sister and Second Sister so quickly they barely reacted.
Boom!
The lantern spirit smashed straight through a distant mountain peak, blasting a massive hole clean through it.
Rocks collapsed across the mountainside.
Dust clouds rose into the air.
Fourth Sister inhaled sharply.
Beside her, Second Sister tightened her grip on her handkerchief.
"Well, Fourth Sister," she muttered nervously, "looks like your wish came true. A real hero really did come knocking."
Her eyes shifted toward the courtyard gate.
"Though judging from his attitude, this hero clearly came with bad intentions.
And he even dared to mention that pig in front of Mother."
Second Sister glanced sideways at Fourth Sister with a faint smile.
"What happened? Don't you like rebellious men? Why don't you come with me to the front courtyard and take a look?"
"Enough talking."
Fourth Sister jumped down from the rooftop immediately.
"If someone came all the way here to cause trouble, then the worst outcome is death."
She brushed dust from her sleeves before speaking again.
"But don't worry, Second Sister.
If we truly end up dying today, I'll make sure I die before you do.
At least then you'll get your wish and watch me go first."
===
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