Chapter 275: Begging You, Take Me Out of Here—I'll Give You Everything
Dai Yao and Hu Liena continued cautiously down Hell Road, each step tense with the pressure of lurking threats.
After a long stretch in oppressive silence, Hu Liena finally voiced her discomfort. "Shura Emperor, don't you feel the air getting hotter?"
"Yes," came the cold reply from beneath Dai Yao's mask. But in his mind, he thought, I've been counting on you losing control soon, so I can finally knock you out and unleash my full strength.
Unaware of his thoughts, Hu Liena's expression turned sour, her voice filled with frustration. "Shura Emperor, I know you're hard to deal with, but I'm still your teammate. If something's wrong, at least let me know!"
"Fine."
Dai Yao paused, glancing back at her and giving a curt nod, though a smirk was hidden beneath his mask. By now, Hu Liena's face was dripping with sweat, clearly struggling to control the overwhelming killing intent swelling inside her.
The Shura Emperor's impassive attitude was deeply unnerving. Was this really the same man who recruited me as his teammate? she thought. But with every step further into Hell Road, her own body felt close to snapping under the strain. Her ability to suppress the murderous intent within was slipping fast.
Choosing silence, Hu Liena clenched her teeth and followed him step by step, sensing the danger that loomed ahead. Despite Dai Yao's coldness, she had no choice but to trust him now, relying on him to guide her through Hell Road.
Moments later, Dai Yao stopped abruptly. Hu Liena, barely holding herself together, snapped back to alertness.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"I believe we're approaching the second trial," Dai Yao replied, his voice steady.
She moved up beside him and saw it—a massive, dark-red serpent slithering along the narrow path ahead. The creature had nine raised mounds along its back, each glowing with a vibrant, almost pulsating, red hue. At the sight of the monstrous creature, her pupils dilated.
The Ten-Headed Fiery Sun Serpent raised itself, unblinking eyes locked onto them. Its menacing presence pressed down heavily on her, making it difficult to breathe. Compared to this beast, the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King from earlier seemed almost insignificant.
Dai Yao felt the weight of this challenge. His God-Slaying Spear was powerful, but this beast wouldn't fall easily to a single blow.
Fine. If she hasn't lost control yet, I'll wait until she's at her breaking point, he thought, strategizing quickly.
Just then, the serpent gave a cry that sounded disturbingly like an infant's wail. Without further warning, it lunged, mouth wide, sending a torrent of blazing red flames cascading down Hell Road, which melted the stone as it advanced. A noxious red mist followed in its wake, adding a deadly poison to its fiery assault.
Hu Liena recoiled in horror. "What a terrifying creature!"
Dai Yao struck forward with his spear, cleaving through the flames, forcing the serpent to recoil, its instinct for self-preservation triggering as it evaded the blow by slipping into the depths below. But just as quickly, it wrapped itself around the road's foundation, blocking any escape route ahead.
"Damn it! It's cut off the path in front of us—are we trapped here now?" Hu Liena muttered, her voice laced with frustration.
"Back to back. Prepare for an assault from all sides," Dai Yao instructed, voice steady.
Though frustrated, Hu Liena moved into position, pressing her back to his, and they readied themselves. But there was no hint of romance in this closeness; they were on full alert, with nothing but survival on their minds.
In a flash, the serpent lunged from below, fangs bared, aiming straight for Hu Liena. Her heart pounded; she felt the killing intent within her slip its restraints, driving her into a frenzy. Her spirit energy surged, and she whipped her fox tail, its dense fur bristling, straight into the beast's head.
The impact echoed through Hell Road as the serpent withdrew, coiled below, preparing for another attack. But for the serpent, it had sustained no real damage.
"Shura Emperor, I… I can't hold on much longer!" Hu Liena said, her voice trembling as she struggled to maintain control.
Dai Yao glanced at her, his mind sharpening. Finally, she's reaching her limit.
At that moment, the serpent struck again, this time targeting Dai Yao. And just as it lunged, Hu Liena's restraint snapped, overtaken by the murderous energy inside her. With a wild cry, she drew her dagger, aiming directly at Dai Yao's back.
Unaware of the danger behind him, Dai Yao thrust his spear forward, forcing the serpent to retreat, but not before Hu Liena's dagger plunged into his back, piercing clean through.
The sudden scent of blood jolted her back to a momentary awareness. In horror, she watched as Dai Yao turned, the pain evident even through his masked gaze.
"Shura Emperor, I… I didn't mean to! I wasn't myself!" she stammered, her voice filled with panic.
The realization that she had attacked the very man she was relying on struck her like a hammer blow. She had become not only useless but an outright danger to him.
Images of her master, her comrades in Spirit Hall, and the hopes they had placed in her flashed before her eyes. She trembled, her heart on the verge of collapse.
With desperation in her voice, she cried, "Shura Emperor, please! Please, take me with you. I'll do anything!"
"I can't hold back the killing intent any longer. I'll only drag you down. Before I lose control again, knock me out."
"Please, take me out of here!" Hu Liena begged. Stripped of her reason, she no longer stood a chance of continuing on alone. Her only hope lay in the Shura Emperor's mercy, in him being willing to bring her out of this place. But deep down, she knew that beating the Ten-Headed Fiery Sun Serpent alone was nearly impossible—and bringing her along would make it even harder.
If the second trial was this difficult, she dreaded to imagine how monstrous the final challenge would be.
And then there was the Shura Emperor himself. His cold, merciless nature had cut through countless lives in the City of Slaughter. Could such a man ever be capable of compassion? Even if she revealed her identity to him, his reward for walking out of Hell Road—a killing god domain—would make him invaluable to any power. Her promise would hold little allure for him.
As she remembered the rare moment when he had seemed flustered by their close contact, she realized that the only thing she might have to offer the Shura Emperor was… herself.
"Shura Emperor, if you get me out of here, I'll give you anything you want. Even if you want my body, I'll…" Hu Liena's voice was tinged with both desperation and resolve.
There were reasons enough: she had promised Bibi Dong she would return safely, and after years of facing the darkest sides of the City of Slaughter, she had grown to trust the Shura Emperor. In fact, she didn't entirely dislike the idea of surrendering herself to him. Furthermore, it was a threefold gain for her: she would fulfill her promise, secure a killing god's loyalty for Spirit Hall, and honor her gratitude.
But before she could finish her plea, a swift strike hit the back of her neck. Her vision blurred into blackness.
Dai Yao withdrew his hand after delivering the strike, but the wound on his abdomen where Hu Liena's dagger had pierced through throbbed painfully. The dagger had jagged edges, and extracting it without further injury was impossible.
Gritting his teeth, he focused his soul power to snap off the protruding blade on either side of his body before carefully removing it. Muttering to himself, he groaned, "Damn, that girl didn't hold back at all!"
"Blue Lotus, restore me!" he commanded.
In his mental landscape, the Chaotic Blue Lotus swayed and emitted a gentle green glow. As the energy flowed into his body, the wound on his abdomen began to close rapidly.
Having read the original story, Dai Yao had known that Hu Liena, in her irrational state, would likely attack him. He could have dodged, but he'd chosen to let her land the hit. It was part of his calculated plan—a future contingency.
Sure, Bibi Dong didn't want his identity revealed, and Hu Liena might never learn who her Hell Road companion truly was. But plans could go astray. One day, he might have no choice but to reveal himself. By setting up this scenario, he could later leverage Hu Liena's kindness and forgiveness if it became necessary.
He looked down at her unconscious form sprawled at his feet. In her vulnerability, her alluring features were highlighted even more. With a low, deliberate voice, he murmured, "Hu Liena, let's hope this identity of mine never has to come to light."
The risk of discovery would mean a total rupture with Bibi Dong—an outcome Dai Yao preferred to avoid. The consequences were simply too dangerous. And yet, the entanglement between them due to the Rakshasa god's inheritance made it impossible to ignore the need for a backup plan.
If Bibi Dong ever lost her influence, Hu Liena would be Spirit Hall's future leader. Earning her goodwill now could give him an edge in the face of Bibi Dong's wrath down the line.
As for her offering her body as payment, Dai Yao dismissed the notion without much thought.
Reaching down, he wrapped an arm around her waist, lifting her from the ground. Gazing at the sneering Ten-Headed Fiery Sun Serpent nearby, he sighed.
"Oh, you foolish creature," he muttered, "choosing Hell's path when you could have stayed in Heaven. So eager to hand me your inner core? I'll accept it."
As his Divine Spear dissipated, a powerful, domineering aura began to radiate from him. Instantly, Dai Yao's muscles tensed, his stature expanded, and the golden symbol of the word "King" glowed on his forehead.
"Holy White Tiger, possess me!" he roared, transforming into a force of unstoppable power.
"It's been two and a half years since I've used this spirit," he thought, feeling the exhilarating strength course through him.
But that wasn't all—eight wings sprouted from his back, beating steadily as he hovered in midair. Before him, three sharp claws extended from his left hand, their deadly sheen sending waves of terror through the Ten-Headed Fiery Sun Serpent.
It raised its massive head, adopting a defensive stance, its slitted eyes flashing with animal cunning. Inwardly, the serpent seemed to wonder why this human hadn't used this formidable power earlier. Was he mocking me?
Seeing the serpent's hesitation, Dai Yao sneered. Pouring his soul power into his left hand, he activated his left claw bone from the Darkgold Dreadclaw Bear. The resulting white glow crackled with deadly energy, making the serpent shriek in alarm. Suddenly, the nine mounds on its back ruptured, releasing streams of golden-red liquid into the air, which formed into a single inner core, hurtling toward Dai Yao.
Knowing that it had no way to escape this flying opponent, the serpent gambled everything on this one desperate attack.
"External Spirit Bone Ability—Sky-Splitting Claw! Die!" Dai Yao bellowed, slashing his left hand forward.
A beam of crescent-shaped white light shot forward, illuminating Hell Road as it cleaved through the inner core, splitting it in two. Gold-red droplets began to reform the core, but the energy was weakened; the terrifying power it once held was gone.
Not only had the Sky-Splitting Claw severed the core, but it also snapped the serpent's life force tethered to it.
Sensing the futility, the serpent tried to turn and flee. But the white light was far too fast, slicing down through its body in a single stroke. The massive beast was split in half, tumbling into the bloody depths below.
One move—that was all it had taken to bring down a creature that had reigned here for tens of thousands of years.
Dai Yao grabbed the blood-red core, weighing it in his hand as he contemplated the heat and power radiating from it.
"This core is useless to me, and Phoenix's own martial spirit reached its peak with the Red Lotus. For her, this core is neither necessary nor entirely disposable."
With a resigned sigh, he pocketed the core as a keepsake, just in case it ever comes in handy.
Without delay, he gathered Hu Liena in his arms, carrying her in a princess hold as he soared along Hell Road with his wings.
With her unconscious, there was no need to hide his true abilities, and he could freely use both his martial spirit and spirit bones. The rest of Hell Road felt more like a scenic tour.
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