Chapter 274: The Hell Road
At the entrance of the Hell Road, Dai Yao slowly regained consciousness. He reached for his mask, its cold touch giving him a sense of relief. Surveying his surroundings, he noted a circular platform with a seemingly endless path stretching before him. Beneath this path lay an immense abyss, glowing like magma.
"So, this is the Hell Road?" Dai Yao murmured to himself.
Although he had read about it in his past life and even seen it depicted in the anime, standing here in person stirred a profound unease in him.
He turned to see Hu Liena trembling, her body wracked by spasms. Moving to her side, he released a wave of icy killing intent, hoping to awaken her. Unlike Tang San in the original story, he didn't possess the Blue Silver Domain to help her regain her senses. Hu Liena would be a hindrance to him, as her presence prevented him from using his Holy White Tiger spirit.
With the shock of his cold aura, Hu Liena's eyes snapped open, a faint red gleam in her gaze. She leapt to her feet, instinctively assuming a defensive posture. In Slaughter City, trust was a luxury, even toward someone like the Shura Emperor. To her, he was simply an ally of convenience.
Her eyes swept over him, noting he was simply standing there without any sign of hostility. Realizing he had just been trying to wake her up, her gaze softened, and she managed a gruff, "Thanks."
She was startled by the hoarseness of her own voice. The deep voice beneath Dai Yao's mask responded, "No need. From here on, we'll have to trust each other, or I'd rather go through this alone—no need to worry about someone stabbing me in the back."
A hint of irritation flared in Hu Liena's eyes; he had no filter. But she knew he was right. Without mutual trust, the Hell Road would be impassable. She pushed aside her annoyance and approached the edge of the platform, peering into the blood-red chasm below.
She took a moment to tear strips from her clothing, knotting them into a seven-meter-long rope. Seeing her bare skin in the flickering light, Dai Yao's breath hitched involuntarily. Hu Liena was undeniably captivating, and he was a young man of blood and passion. Memories of his time with Dugu Yan arose, and the sight of Hu Liena's exposed skin only heightened his awareness.
But this was no time for reckless thoughts; he was here to fulfill his promise to protect her on behalf of Dugu Bo and Wuhun Hall. He had to suppress his impulses.
"I'll take the lead," he said firmly before Hu Liena could say anything.
Hu Liena chuckled, her eyes dancing with amusement as she watched the Shura Emperor's back. Who would have thought that the stoic Shura Emperor would reveal even a hint of nervousness?
"Tie yourself to me and follow my lead," he said, his tone commanding as they secured the rope between them.
Despite feeling slightly vexed, Hu Liena knew Dai Yao's strength outmatched hers, so she followed his pace as they set off along the Hell Road.
After a few hundred steps, the air grew stiflingly hot. Dai Yao noted the closeness of the blood pool below. He decided not to inform Hu Liena of the coming threat, hoping she'd soon succumb to the killing aura so he could activate his Holy White Tiger spirit more freely.
The temperature continued to climb as the first test approached. Dai Yao's keen hearing caught the flapping wings of approaching creatures, honed by his training under the waterfall with his eyes closed.
"We've got company," Hu Liena muttered, her tone tense.
"You're too slow. Get on my back, and I'll carry us forward."
Hu Liena blinked in surprise but quickly complied, pressing herself close as she secured the rope tightly. The warmth of her body against his tested Dai Yao's composure, but he managed to suppress his reaction.
"Hold on tight," he instructed, taking a deep breath before launching forward like a cannonball.
The rush of air left Hu Liena stunned. "Incredible strength and speed," she thought, marveling at his power. After absorbing his fifth spirit ring, Dai Yao's physical abilities had ascended to new heights, surpassing the capabilities he'd had in his Spirit Elder days, even without his spirit's power.
Behind them, a swarm of bats screeched in frustration, unable to keep up with his pace. Dai Yao knew they were enraged—they could clearly kill but were hopelessly outpaced.
The intense heat grew as the blood pool loomed closer. He stopped abruptly as he felt a strange shift in the air.
"Why'd we stop?" Hu Liena asked, releasing her hold on the rope.
"We're in for some trouble," Dai Yao replied grimly.
Turning to see what he was looking at, Hu Liena gasped. Before them, suspended beneath the narrow pathway, hung a massive creature, its dark gold form shimmering in the red light from below. Upon seeing them, it emitted a sharp screech and spread its colossal wings, each spanning ten meters.
The air seemed to ripple with the bat's movement, a testament to its terrifying power. With three heads and a wingspan that stirred the air with explosive force, it headed straight for them, exuding the unmistakable aura of a ten-thousand-year spirit beast.
"If I could use my spirit abilities, this thing would be no match for me," Hu Liena growled, glaring at the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King as it charged forward.
As they advanced along Hell Road, Hu Liena grew increasingly frustrated. She, the top talent of the Golden Generation, felt useless with Dai Yao handling every threat so effortlessly.
"Hold steady!" Dai Yao, cloaked in black, shouted, breaking her concentration. He charged forward, leaping into the air above the narrow path to meet the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King. In one swift motion, his spear flashed three times, each strike aimed precisely at one of the beast's three heads. The destructive force of his God-Slaying Spear instantly obliterated each skull.
The terrifying bat, once a formidable enemy, was now a lifeless corpse plummeting into the abyss below. Hu Liena, who had just been considering how to approach the creature, stood stunned, eyes wide in awe.
"Incredible! Such flawless spear technique!" she murmured, her admiration clear. Dai Yao's attack had been so powerful it felt as if nothing in the world could stop his spear.
Under the guidance of Snake Lance Douluo, Dai Yao's spear skills had already reached a formidable level. But after two and a half years in Slaughter City and a hundred brutal battles, his skills had transcended further, fueled by an unwavering determination.
In his heart, Dai Yao knew he'd reached a new peak: a relentless resolve, an unbreakable courage to face any foe. There was likely no one in the world who could match his mastery with the spear.
However, the immense force he used caused him to lose his balance midair, and he began to plummet into the abyss. Hu Liena, alarmed, finally understood his earlier command to "Hold steady!" Reacting instantly, she tightened the rope around her waist, pulling him back to solid ground just in time.
As Dai Yao landed safely beside her, a rare warmth spread through Hu Liena's heart. She realized that he must have trusted her completely to launch himself so recklessly against the bat king, relying on her to pull him back from certain death if needed.
In a place as dangerous as Hell Road, where betrayal was common, his trust touched her deeply. This intense environment, filled with life-or-death situations, stirred emotions that went beyond rational thought. She found herself captivated by this enigmatic Shura Emperor.
Gazing at him with a newfound softness in her eyes, she gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and spoke warmly, "I didn't realize you trusted me so much, Shura Emperor…"
His voice, cold and unfeeling, echoed from beneath his mask: "Only because you're intelligent enough to realize you need me alive to survive Hell Road."
Hu Liena's heart faltered as his blunt words shattered her moment of sentiment. She thought bitterly, Insensitive idiot! Total blockhead.
No sooner had they dealt with the bat king than a swarm of smaller bats, enraged by their leader's death, closed in on them. Scowling, Hu Liena declared, "Let me handle this!"
A fiery red fox tail materialized from her lower back, extending to nearly three meters. Bristling with sharp, spiked fur, her tail became a lethal weapon. With each swing, the bats fell like raindrops, splattering blood across her fur as it took on a crimson hue.
Dai Yao kept stabbing nearby bats with his spear, observing Hu Liena's movements closely. As she swung her tail repeatedly, her spirit power depleted rapidly, and the red in her eyes grew deeper. Sensing her growing instability, he held back, allowing her to exhaust herself and lose control, hoping she'd pass out.
After a while, the bats finally retreated, leaving Hu Liena panting, her face flushed with exertion. The intense killing intent began to seep from her, her spirit barely keeping it in check.
"Thanks to you, we took down that bat king before things got out of hand," Hu Liena managed between breaths. She shuddered as she recalled how terrifying the creature had been.
"But why did you aim for all three heads at once?" She turned to him, her eyes puzzled as they met his masked face. The movement caused her chest to press against her barely-there clothing, drawing his attention momentarily before he turned away to keep his focus.
Dai Yao replied, his voice steady, "I once read in an ancient text that a Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King must be struck in all three heads simultaneously to prevent regeneration."
Ah, the infamous "ancient texts" trope, he mused. It felt cliché, but it was effective.
Hu Liena's expression shifted to surprise and relief. "Lucky you knew that! Otherwise, we'd have been in serious trouble."
The brief reprieve after the swarm's retreat allowed Hu Liena to relax, yet the looming danger of Hell Road still weighed heavily on her mind. She wondered if they would survive the next two trials.
Looking away from the path ahead, she asked softly, "Shura Emperor, if death is almost certain, can't you at least let me see your face once?"
"No," he replied, his tone as cold as ever.
His blunt response snapped her out of her melancholy, and she muttered under her breath, "What a wooden block."
"Since you have enough energy to worry about that," he replied, "you're clearly ready to move on." Without waiting for her response, he resumed walking, pulling her along by the rope.
Unable to do anything but follow, Hu Liena muttered a reluctant agreement as they resumed their journey. They hadn't gone far before a long, dark red serpent emerged, blocking their path.
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