Mortal: I really didn't want to be reborn as Zi Ling!

Han Li remained silent for a few moments, then solemnly cupped his hands towards Zi Ling.

"Miss Ziling is not only beautiful, but also kind-hearted. I truly admire her."

He meant it sincerely.

Back then at the Demon Suppression Platform, he personally witnessed Zi Ling's attitude towards Wen Qiang—coldness, disapproval, and even disgust.

She didn't say a single kind word to Wen Qiang from beginning to end, and she didn't even look back at him once until the teleportation array was activated.

But now, she has taken Wen Qiang's daughter with her, not only taking good care of her, but also ensuring that her cultivation has not suffered.

Moreover, judging from their interaction just now, they didn't seem like mistress and servant at all; they were more like sisters.

A person could go to such lengths towards the daughter of their enemy—

Han Li's opinion of Zi Ling rose even higher.

"Brother Han, you flatter me."

Zi Ling shook her head, her tone as calm as ever: "I really don't like the way Wen Qiang does things. In order to take revenge, he didn't hesitate to destroy the great formation and release the Thunder Roc, causing the deaths of countless innocent people. Even now, I still can't agree with that."

She turned around, raised her hand to form a hand seal, and a beam of spiritual light entered the stone gate.

"But children are innocent. Siyue, how old was she back then? She was skin and bones, huddled in the corner crying incessantly. I don't consider myself a good person, but I can still lend a hand within my means."

The restrictions on the stone door disappeared instantly, and the heavy stone door slowly slid open.

A foul, fishy smell wafted from the insect breeding room.

Zi Ling stepped aside to clear the doorway and gestured for Han Li to enter.

"We've arrived. These two mischievous fellows have been waiting impatiently."

Before she finished speaking, two white figures darted out from the depths of the insect breeding room.

It was so fast that it almost left a trail of afterimages in the air.

Han Li instinctively wanted to dodge, but when he sensed a familiar presence, his movements faltered.

Two soft "plop" sounds.

Two fist-sized, snow-white spiders landed steadily on Han Li's left and right shoulders.

The two little creatures were as white as jade, with faint blood-red patterns emanating from the depths of their carapaces. Their eight slender spider legs clung tightly to Han Li's robes, and their bright black eyes stared unblinkingly at Han Li's face, emitting a series of delicate and cheerful hisses.

One of them extended its front claw and cautiously touched Han Li's earlobe, as if confirming something.

The other one was even more direct, burying its entire head into Han Li's neck, its spider legs clinging to his collar and refusing to let go.

Zi Ling leaned against the door frame, arms crossed, watching the scene before her.

Seven years have passed.

These two little ones, all they ever do is throw tantrums and cause trouble; they never give her a kind look.

But as soon as she saw Han Li, she pounced on him like a swallow returning to its nest, her clingy behavior making her teeth ache.

"Two ungrateful brats!"

Zi Ling said sourly, "I've raised you for seven years for nothing. You ate my food and drank my water. If it weren't for me, would you even have seen your master?"

Upon hearing her words, the blood jade spider perched on Han Li's left shoulder immediately turned its head.

It stuck out its tongue at Zi Ling.

The other one on the right was even worse—it simply stuck out its rear end and laid a snow-white spider web right in front of Zi Ling's face.

Zi Ling was prepared and casually placed a pale purple spiritual light in front of her.

Seeing that its attack had missed, the little spider became unhappy.

It stuck out its rear end again, its belly slightly bulging, ready to fire again.

Zi Ling's face instantly darkened.

She reached into the spirit beast pouch at her waist with one hand, and a dark golden light flashed.

The golden-backed mantis, about half a person's height, appeared in the brood chamber.

Its dark golden carapace gleamed with a cold metallic luster under the spiritual light, its two scythe-like forelimbs were slightly open, and the reflections of two blood jade spiders were seen in its compound eyes.

It let out a low hiss, its mouthparts opening and closing slightly, emitting an aura that instilled instinctive fear in all insects.

The blood jade spider, which was about to spin its silk, shuddered and scurried behind Han Li's head. The other one burrowed directly into Han Li's collar, leaving only half of its rear end sticking out and trembling.

There was a moment of silence.

The two little spiders seemed to finally realize—wait a minute, we have our owner backing us up now!

They peeked their little heads out from behind Han Li, first cautiously glancing at the Golden-backed Demon Mantis to make sure it wouldn't dare to act recklessly in front of Han Li, and then—

They all stuck out their tongues at Zi Ling and the Golden-backed Mantis.

He looked incredibly smug.

The golden-backed mantis flew into a rage, raising its two forelegs high with a piercing metallic scraping sound, and took a step forward—

"Alright."

Zi Ling raised her hand and pressed down on the head of the Golden-backed Demon Mantis.

She looked at the two little spiders hiding behind Han Li and making faces at her, feeling both annoyed and amused.

"You two, don't get too cocky."

Zi Ling's lips curled up slightly, revealing a meaningful smile.

"I will also hold your master accountable for what happened earlier."

Zi Ling raised her eyes, her gaze passing over the two blood jade spiders and landing on Han Li's face.

"If his compensation doesn't satisfy me—"

At her signal, the golden-backed mantis let out another low hiss, its scythe-like forelegs slicing through the air with a cold light.

The smugness of the two blood jade spiders vanished instantly.

They turned their heads, their eight dark little eyes looking pitifully at Han Li, and let out a pitiful hiss.

They looked like two children who had made a mistake and were begging an adult for help.

Han Li looked at the scene before him and awkwardly rubbed his nose.

He had been quite pleased when the two little creatures were being affectionate with him earlier—after all, they were spirit insects fed with his life essence, and their affection for him after seven years apart was truly rare.

But in the blink of an eye, they've gotten themselves into such a big mess.

He glanced at the pitiful Blood Jade Spider clinging to his collar, then at the Purple Spirit Girl opposite him with a half-smile, and then at the Golden-backed Demon Mantis behind her, which was eyeing him menacingly.

To be honest, his main purpose in visiting today was to inquire about the medicinal herbs he brought from Tiannan.

Although spirit insects also have feelings, they are ultimately just external objects. If they cannot be redeemed, he wouldn't feel too heartbroken.

But now—

He looked down at the two little ones shivering on his shoulder.

They were staring at him with their big, dark eyes, like two puppies about to be abandoned.

Han Li sighed inwardly.

That's enough.

"I wonder what kind of reward Miss Ziling desires?"

Han Li raised his head, his tone sincere yet helpless: "As long as it is within my capabilities, I will not hesitate to help."

Upon hearing this, the two blood jade spiders instantly gained confidence.

They jumped out from behind Han Li, climbed back onto his shoulder, bared their fangs and claws at Zi Ling and the Golden-backed Mantis, flailed their spider legs, and hissed incessantly.

The way it looked was as if it was saying, "Did you hear that?"

My owner is going to stand up for us!

Let's see if you dare feed us bugs again!

The golden-backed mantis was so angry that its carapace trembled.

Zi Ling glanced at the Blood Jade Spider, who was giving her an easy assist, without saying a word, and then laughed.

That's exactly what she was waiting for.

-

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