Chapter 273: Tang Yin
In the heart of the Slaughter City, the news of another Killing God arriving with a young prodigy made the King of Slaughter's heart sink. If the young one was formidable enough to be escorted by a Killing God, he might become another "Hundred Matches Victor." This would mean more sacrifices of the city's fallen souls and another inevitable opening of Hell's Road for this trial.
"Of all the things to worry about… another Killing God," he muttered, feeling the weight of his own foreboding words.
The King of Slaughter couldn't afford to provoke these Killing Gods, beings powerful enough to reduce the city to rubble. Although the Slaughter City would again see bloodshed, he had no choice but to proceed. Luckily, Shura Emperor had already completed ninety-nine matches. They only needed to adjust the schedules so that the Hell Emissary and this newly arrived youth would not cross paths.
An icy voice spoke up beside him, tentative yet urgent. "My Lord, how should we manage these young ones brought in by the Killing Gods?"
The King of Slaughter replied in a low voice, "Schedule them normally, but make sure they don't meet. If they fall in the arena, their weakness alone is to blame, even a Killing God cannot argue with that."
"Yes, understood."
As Dai Yao moved through the streets of this corrupt city, his bloodlust simmered within him at the depravity displayed on every corner.
"Are you alright?" Hu Liena, ever observant, sensed the shift in his aura and inquired calmly.
Dai Yao paused, reigning in the storm of killing intent and replied, his eyes flashing beneath the mask, "The bloodlust within is becoming harder to control. You need to quicken your pace in the arena."
Hu Liena nodded, though she looked uncertain. "I understand, but the more matches I fight, the stronger this bloodlust grows, and my pace might even slow down rather than speed up."
Dai Yao sighed, frustration evident. "Very well. I've waited too long at ninety-nine matches. Do what you can."
Just then, a man with deep blue hair and a half-mask walked past them, accompanied by a young woman in a dark veil. His mask left his sharp jawline visible, hinting at a strikingly handsome face beneath.
Dai Yao's gaze snapped to the blue-haired man, his killing intent spilling over as he recognized him immediately: Tang San, now going by "Tang Yin." The aura of pure bloodlust radiating from Dai Yao sent the surrounding depraved souls fleeing in terror.
"Run! It's the Shura Emperor!"
"Of all the times to run into this guy, a victor of ninety-nine matches! Please don't let him take an interest in me!"
Noticing Dai Yao's reaction, Hu Liena shifted her gaze from the blue-haired man to Dai Yao, concerned. "Shura Emperor, what's wrong?"
Dai Yao took a few deep breaths, reining in his bloodlust and pulling his gaze away from Tang Yin. "It's nothing. I can hold the bloodlust off a while longer, but if you don't reach a hundred matches soon, I may have to enter Hell's Road alone."
The warning in his voice made Hu Liena tense. Realizing the gravity of the situation, she set her curiosity about the blue-haired man aside, focusing solely on her matches. By chance, this brief exchange prevented any contact between her and Tang San.
As the pair moved away, the veiled girl beside Tang Yin glanced in their direction, a hand clutching her chest in relief. "Finally, they're gone. Those two are terrifying."
Tang Yin also watched them leave, a strange sense of familiarity gnawing at him—an aura that reminded him of his nightmare, Dai Yao. The Shura Emperor's killing intent alone was so overwhelming it almost rivaled his own father's domain.
"Are they really that frightening?" Tang Yin asked his companion.
The veiled girl cast him a look as if he were clueless. "9528, if you weren't new here, I'd call you an idiot. Do you know who those two are?"
Tang Yin's curiosity stirred. "Who?"
"That man in the mask? That's the Shura Emperor. In just a year and a half, he's completed ninety-nine matches with a single spear, unmatched. He's Slaughter City's top contender."
"No one's ever been able to get close to him, let alone see his face. He's completed ninety-nine matches but hasn't taken on his hundredth. If we saw him today, I don't know whether to call that lucky or unlucky."
The veiled girl's expression twisted with terror, almost as if mentioning his name was a sin. With ninety-nine matches under his belt, the Shura Emperor held a rank in Slaughter City just below the King himself.
Noticing the mix of awe and fear in her eyes, Tang Yin was disgusted by the city's obsession with slaughter. It was a place of twisted admiration, filled with corrupted souls. He vowed that if he ever had the chance, he'd destroy this filthy city.
"The girl, on the other hand, is called the Hell Emissary. She's completed sixty-six matches in just a year, mercilessly defeating every opponent. Her achievements rank her in the top ten of Slaughter City," the girl explained.
Tang Yin acknowledged her words with a smile. The mention of Shura Emperor wielding a spear erased any suspicions he may have harbored. Although no one had seen his face, it was unlikely that the Shura Emperor was Dai Yao. After all, to have two martial spirits was extremely rare. How could Dai Yao, just like him, be blessed with such an incredible gift?
The girl's identity also seemed clear; Hu Liena must be here for training, just like him. She was probably driven by her defeat to Dai Yao and the Golden Generation's failure to surpass him. But all this was irrelevant to him. He only wanted to grow stronger in the arena. His mother's vengeance, Xiao Wu's, and his own—all required power to see through.
Especially Dai Yao. Since joining his father for training, he had heard little of him. Dai Yao had probably grown complacent in the comfort of the Spirit Hall.
Tang Yin clenched his fists, flames of hatred burning in his gaze as he thought, "Dai Yao, just you wait. Once I finish the Slaughter City trials and acquire a domain like my father's, my strength will skyrocket. I'll close the gap between us."
"When I become a Title Douluo and begin cultivating my second martial spirit, the Clear Sky Hammer, I'll bring you down along with the Spirit Hall!"
Turning to the veiled girl, he said, "Sign me up for the next match."
One year later, in the Hell Arena...
The final opponent fell before Hu Liena's blade, and she raised her short sword high, releasing a wave of violent, murderous intent.
She had achieved one hundred matches.
She had finally completed her promise to the Shura Emperor; now, they could face the Hell Road together. More importantly, only the Hell Road separated her from reuniting with her teacher. Excitement was plain on her face.
In the deathly silence that followed, her name had become a forbidden word within the Slaughter Arena—no one dared to speak it. Completing a hundred matches was a supreme achievement in Slaughter City, marking her as an untouchable.
"Congratulations, beautiful Hell Emissary," came a low, sharp voice reverberating around her. Instantly, her nearly solidified killing intent was pressed back into her body by the force of the voice, turning her face pale.
The heavy, oppressive atmosphere shifted to a frenzy as the King of Slaughter arrived.
"King of Slaughter! King of Slaughter…" The fallen souls cried out in a fevered chant, refusing to quiet.
The crimson figure raised a hand, silencing the crowd. He fixed his hawk-like gaze on the masked man standing alongside Hu Liena, saying in a deep voice, "Shura Emperor, step forward."
At the mention of the Shura Emperor, everyone fell silent as if someone had gripped their throats. Some even held their breath in terror. The name "Shura Emperor" was synonymous with death; simply hearing it invoked paralyzing fear.
Long ago, the Shura Emperor had won ninety-nine matches, becoming a legend in Slaughter City. He only returned recently, after Hu Liena, the Hell Emissary, had achieved over ninety matches, to complete his final match. When he appeared in the arena, other competitors, ignorant of who they faced, despaired. Some daring ones even rallied a group to try and fight him together.
But that day, the Shura Emperor had released only his killing intent; it paralyzed his nine opponents with sheer terror. He had dispatched them as easily as slaughtering chickens, and the memory of that horrifying scene lingered in the minds of all who witnessed it.
Hearing his name called, Dai Yao leaped down into the arena, joining Hu Liena, and they regarded the King of Slaughter together.
The King of Slaughter was a fearsome sight: a pale face, blood-red eyes, cloaked in a voluminous crimson mantle, defying gravity as he floated above the ground.
"So this is Tang Chen, once a Peak Douluo of the Nine-Nine Rank, who passed the eighth Shura God Trial and was one of the two legendary forces of the spirit master realm," Dai Yao thought, studying him. "Even after being taken over by the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King, his strength is terrifying."
Reflecting, Dai Yao mused, "Unlike Tang San, I have no intention of destroying Slaughter City with the Swan Kiss herb. Let Tang Chen remain a prisoner of the Bat King's control, and let Slaughter City be his final grave."
The King of Slaughter's mere presence had whipped the crowd back into a frenzy of shouts and cheers. Sensing Dai Yao's peculiar gaze, the King of Slaughter looked down, studying him carefully before speaking.
"Congratulations, Shura Emperor and Hell Emissary, on your hundred-match victories. The Hell Road trial, however, is exceptionally dangerous. I suggest you wait for another who can complete one hundred matches so that you may undertake the journey together."
The crowd understood his implication immediately. The most likely candidate to join them was none other than the Hell King, another rising star nearing his own hundred-match record.
Hu Liena shot Dai Yao an inquisitive look, clearly open to waiting. In her mind, any additional help on Hell Road was worth considering. Even if the Hell King was from the Clear Sky Clan, she was willing to put aside grievances until after leaving Slaughter City.
Dai Yao, however, sighed internally. Hu Liena, though brave enough to take on Slaughter City's trials, lacked the heart of a true warrior, unwilling to face Hell Road on her own. But he would never undertake the Hell Road with Tang San. The risk of losing control and killing Tang San was too great—and without him, Dai Yao would have no way to claim Xiao Wu's spirit ring.
Moreover, his killing intent was already at a breaking point; he had to enter Hell Road soon.
"Thank you for the offer, King of Slaughter, but I cannot delay any longer. I must enter Hell Road immediately."
Hearing this, Hu Liena understood his determination. After a hundred matches, her own killing intent was on the verge of collapse; she, too, could wait no longer.
"A shame," the King of Slaughter sighed. "In that case, I will open Hell Road."
His plan to make them wait for the Hell King's hundredth victory, thus only opening Hell Road once, had failed. He was aware that the Hell King was close to his own hundred-match goal, but another opening of Hell Road would devastate Slaughter City, which would be nearly empty afterward.
"Hell Road will be a fitting journey for you two. Should you survive and emerge as new Killing Gods, I hope you will extend my regards to your elders."
The King of Slaughter highly doubted that even together, they would survive Hell Road. With a tone of mocking irony, he concluded, "If you do survive, that is."
As he finished, a red mist spread across the arena, a cold and malevolent force filling the air in an instant.
The fallen ones' faces glazed over, then contorted in a frenzy as they clawed at their skin in manic ecstasy. Skin began to rot, internal organs melted, and the arena turned into a macabre blood feast.
Though Dai Yao had anticipated the grim spectacle of Hell Road's opening, the reality was nearly overwhelming. His own killing intent surged uncontrollably, pushing him close to the edge.
He scanned the surrounding stands, searching wildly for Tang San. If the boy died in this blood sacrifice, it would be poetic justice. But Tang San's figure was nowhere to be found—clearly, the King of Slaughter had the sense not to risk enraging Tang Hao by allowing his son to perish.
"Good luck on Hell Road," the King of Slaughter's voice echoed around them, sharp and low.
The blood-red bat emblem on the floor blazed, disorienting their senses. The ground vanished beneath them, and they fell, swallowed by the bloody abyss…
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