Chapter 380: A Night of Struggle

As He Lingchuan traveled, he observed that the more densely forested a mountain area was, the more sought after it became. Dense foliage could catch more Imperial Dew, allowing cultivators ample time and opportunity to collect it.

If the Imperial Dew fell directly onto water or soil, it would seep away, making it impossible to recover.

That's why even minor wild demons didn't bother to occupy his current location.

Leaving the city this time, he set a clear objective for himself: to discreetly collect as much Imperial Dew as possible.

He then climbed the tallest tree nearby, positioning himself on its highest branch, and declared, "This spot is perfect."

The metasequoia, towering twenty-two *zhang* high, noticeably out-topped the low hills behind it.

From its topmost branch, He Lingchuan could survey the entire small lake.

He was waiting for the right mountain breeze.

A short while later, his garments began to flutter, indicating the wind direction was favorable.

He Lingchuan took two Eyeball Spiders from his pocket and threw them high, one toward the north and the other toward the northeast, saying, "Go!"

Light as air, the two small creatures were instantly carried away by the strong gusts. However, they left behind two strands of silk, which remained securely wrapped around a thick tree fork behind He Lingchuan.

Zhu Erniang's silk was as fine as human hair yet tougher than refined steel.

He Lingchuan showed no haste, settling down to wait.

About fifteen minutes later, one of the silk strands twitched. This pulsation was distinctly different from a mere tremor caused by the wind. Having spent considerable time with Eyeball Spiders, He Lingchuan knew this meant one of them had reached its destination and was signaling by tugging the silk.

Soon, the other strand of silk also moved. This step proceeded unexpectedly smoothly, with both Eyeball Spiders completing their tasks: they had been carried by the wind across the lake, reaching the large trees on the far bank. Once positioned, they securely fastened their silk strands.

He Lingchuan then retrieved them, repeating the process in several other directions.

Approximately an hour later, the foundational grid lines of a colossal spider web were complete, stretching across a four-mu expanse of water with wide meshes.

The Eyeball Spiders could only accomplish this much; their small size prevented them from spinning any more silk.

Consequently, He Lingchuan took out the Cloud Brocade given by Zhu Erniang from his storage ring, unfolding and spreading it over the established grid.

He had extorted ten bolts of cloud brocade from Zhu Erniang back then, not anticipating they would come in handy so quickly.

While ordinary cotton or linen typically consisted of one or two layers, Zhu Erniang's brocade was different. This ancient great demon was always meticulous; each bolt was composed of at least seven layers, sometimes even ten when she was in a good mood.

After refining the auxiliary medicine at the inn, He Lingchuan temporarily hired over a dozen weavers to help him dismantle the brocade. They carefully separated all the multi-layered fabric into single sheets and then re-stitched them together. Given the time constraint, the needlework didn't need to be aesthetically pleasing, only sturdy.

If Zhu Erniang were to see her meticulously crafted work treated with such roughness, she would likely go berserk on the spot.

Even so, the ten bolts of unraveled brocade could not entirely cover the lake's surface, only most of its central area.

Nevertheless, He Lingchuan was quite satisfied.

For the first time, such a colossal spiderweb was suspended over Tri-Heart Lake.

He leaped onto the newly laid colossal brocade net, then crawled to its center and stood firm.

The entire net sagged naturally with a gentle curve, its lowest point being where he stood.

The Heart-Protecting Mirror, which had been observing his actions, exclaimed, "Wow, you've set up quite a grand scheme, kid!"

It now understood He Lingchuan's intention.

Having worked tirelessly until now, both Eyeball Spiders were utterly exhausted. They lay on the net, leisurely sucking on freshly caught pheasants as snacks.

He Lingchuan leaned back, half-sitting and half-reclining, as though lounging in a giant hammock; he appeared quite comfortable.

Yet his hands remained busy. He took out handful after handful of bamboo chopsticks and sharpened them with a small knife.

He had purchased these from two eateries next to the inn for a few coppers; the proprietors never imagined anyone would want such commonplace items.

By the time He Lingchuan finished sharpening all the chopsticks, the western sky was aglow with a myriad of rosy hues.

He then half-reclined on the expansive net suspended over the lake, simultaneously enjoying the beautiful sunset and his dinner.

Adjacent to the inn where the Stone Gate caravan was lodging stood a thirty-year-old smoked and braised specialty shop. Its signature dish was the very smoked and braised pig trotters He Lingchuan now held. Tearing open the dark skin revealed snowy white meat and tendon, fatty yet not greasy, tender yet firm. The smoky aroma was perfectly balanced, and it had a delightful chewiness.

His main course consisted of two large bowls of brown sugar rice cakes, accompanied by half a pot of delightfully sweet and sour green plum wine.

Feeling content after his meal, He Lingchuan patted his belly and stretched.

He needed to eat well, as he would be on high alert throughout the night.

As dusk settled, he addressed the Heart-Protecting Mirror, "Lend me your fiends for a moment."

"Certainly," it replied. What reason did it have to refuse?

He Lingchuan gave the mirror a flick, and three wisps of black smoke shot out from its surface, darting toward the nearby forest.

After sunset, three dark figures emerged from the forest and leaped onto the net, following the silken strands.

These were three large macaques, with greasy fur and blue faces, standing nearly as tall as an adult human. The mountain folk referred to them as *shanxiao*.

He Lingchuan did not rise to stop them. He could clearly see that the three fiends released by the Soul-Devouring Mirror had possessed the *shanxiao*.

He tossed his leftover food, including the pig bones, to them.

The *shanxiao* caught the food and gnawed on it with gusto, crunching loudly.

With them standing guard, He Lingchuan clasped his hands behind his head, closed his eyes, and rested.

The lightweight spider web swayed gently with the night breeze, like a cradle, and he quickly drifted into a light slumber.

Time slowly passed. The mountain lake, bathed in bright moonlight, lay serene beneath the night sky. Forest birds occasionally chirped and squabbled, but the quiet soon returned.

The wind rose, then subsided.

After an unknown period, a profound silence suddenly fell over the surroundings, like the calm before a storm.

He Lingchuan sensed something, suddenly opened his eyes, and sat upright. It was here.

Rain began to fall from the sky, starting as scattered drops, then gradually thickening into a steady drizzle.

He Lingchuan extended his hand, and a single raindrop landed perfectly in his palm. It was pale blue, slightly viscous, and possessed an otherworldly fragrance that stirred passion deep within his soul.

This time, the forecast from Lingxu City was impeccably accurate—the Imperial Dew had arrived!

He Lingchuan pressed his tongue against his palate, focused his gaze inward, and suppressed the greed rising within him. He extended his spiritual awareness, maintaining strict vigilance.

Just like last time, the creatures in the forest grew agitated, and even the lake below began to churn.

This time, the Imperial Dew fell more densely, and its fragrance was naturally richer, potent enough to drive creatures lacking sentience into a frenzy.

While other creatures frantically collected the Imperial Dew, He Lingchuan remained unhurried; he simply needed to stand still.

The Imperial Dew rain, being liquid, naturally flowed along the spider silk when it landed on the brocade. It would converge from all directions, eventually collecting at the lowest point—directly beneath He Lingchuan's feet.

He had hung a bucket there, which was now steadily collecting the dew.

Having experienced an Imperial Dew outbreak once in reality and once in a dream, He Lingchuan had begun to understand the mechanics. To acquire a greater share of the Imperial Dew, there were only two key principles: maximize the collection area and minimize the collection time.

This explains why the major powers in Fuxin City and the official authorities of Panlong City in the dream realm sought to occupy the suburban mountains and wilds—it was all about covering a larger area.

They also needed to collect the dew within the shortest possible time. After all, this substance would burrow into the earth and disappear the moment it touched the ground.

By dawn, it would also vaporize and dissipate.

By weaving such an expansive net, He Lingchuan effectively claimed the Imperial Dew from over half the lake's surface without needing to collect it by hand. While the area covered was not as vast as that secured by the nobles of Fufeng City, his method boasted superior efficiency and practicality.

Spiders typically collected dew this way, a phenomenon He Lingchuan had observed frequently in the Demon Nest Marsh. A few days prior, he had a flash of inspiration, leading him to devise this funnel-shaped automatic collector.

The Heart-Protecting Mirror sighed with envy. "Alas, I have neither hands nor feet, so I cannot claim a share."

He Lingchuan saw through its pretense at a glance. "Guard me diligently," he said, "and there might be something in it for you."

The mirror vibrated in response. "Truly?"

"Have I ever lied to you?"

Had he not? The mirror didn't have time to ponder, for He Lingchuan said in a grave voice, "Heads up, the bandits are here." With that, he casually pulled out a Nuo opera mask and placed it over his face.

For now, he wished to remain anonymous.

In fact, the fish in the lake were also drawn by the Imperial Dew on the spider web, constantly leaping from the water. Unfortunately, none possessed the potential to "leap through the dragon gate." He Lingchuan only then realized that the fish in this lake were surprisingly large; the longest one exceeded seven feet, covered in black, armored scales, with two long whiskers at the corners of its mouth.

The fish in the water were easy enough to handle since they couldn't get onto the net. However, airborne raiders were also beginning to arrive.

First came dozens of flying creatures. Regardless of their eyesight, they swooped straight onto the net, attempting to lick the Imperial Dew from the silk strands.

He Lingchuan, who had spent over an hour sharpening bamboo chopsticks, now used them as throwing darts, launching them one by one.

His aim was already quite precise, and these creatures, lacking any significant dodging ability, were hit with every throw.

The *shanxiao* controlled by the three fiends also joined the fray, simultaneously retrieving the chopsticks and returning them to He Lingchuan for reuse.

He Lingchuan ordered them to toss the bird carcasses into the nearby forest or onto the ground. With Imperial Dew clinging to their feathers, these bodies quickly became new targets for other birds and beasts to squabble over, thus diverting pressure from the spiderweb.

As for smaller creatures like moths, butterflies, and ants, they were simply too tiny for He Lingchuan to address; he knew the situation couldn't be perfectly managed.

It was fortunate that Zhu Erniang had removed the stickiness from the Cloud Brocade; otherwise, all these creatures would have been ensnared and unable to escape.

The bucket suspended beneath the spiderweb quickly filled to half its capacity.

The harvest from this single hour alone was roughly five to six times greater than his entire collection from the previous night. Although the Imperial Dew rainfall was heavier this time, the crucial factor was his effective collection method.

Any flying creatures attempting to raid the bucket were swiftly dealt with by him, plummeting into the lake with pained squawks.

He even indulged in the luxury of taking a small amount of Imperial Dew and directly applying it to the cracks on the Heart-Protecting Mirror.

This was truly "spreading the benefits around."

The mirror let out a peculiar cry, filled with delight.

The Imperial Dew in the bucket was very viscous, and the cracks on the mirror's surface, once inflicted by the Floating Life Blade, now visibly and slowly began to seal.

He Lingchuan had no time to spare a second glance at it. He was too preoccupied himself; there were simply too many raiders, and two fists couldn't contend with four hands.