Amid the Slaughter King's celebration, the surrounding crowd erupted into thunderous applause and cheers once more.
The Slaughter King raised his hand to quiet the rising cheers, then fixed his blood-red eyes on Xiao Yu and Hu Liena, speaking in an icy tone.
"Hell's Executioner, Hell's Messenger, you two have been the most outstanding performers in the City of Slaughter in recent years. Therefore, to honor your achievements.
I have decided to grant you an exception. You do not need to challenge the Hell Road. I will directly bestow upon you the title of Slaughter Gods. From now on, you may freely enter and leave the City of Slaughter without my permission.
Moreover, you will be allowed to use your spirit power, spirit rings, spirit skills, and spirit bone skills freely within the City of Slaughter without any restrictions. If you wish, you may even join me in managing the City of Slaughter, indulging in the ultimate decadence and corruption here!!"
Upon hearing the Slaughter King's words, Xiao Yu and Hu Liena, who had initially shown slight changes in expression, remained silent. However, the surrounding spectators erupted with envy, their gazes filled with longing as they looked at Xiao Yu and Hu Liena.
They could obtain the title of Slaughter Gods without even challenging the Hell Road?!
Why couldn't such good fortune happen to them?
After all, the conditions for passing the Hell Road were extremely difficult!
Over the years, there had been no shortage of strong individuals who achieved 100 consecutive victories, but most of them ended up dying on the Hell Road.
Since the Slaughter King had made such an exception, surely Hell's Executioner and Hell's Messenger would agree, right?
After all, such a great opportunity—why would they refuse?
Obtaining the title of Slaughter Gods without having to challenge the Hell Road was something countless people could only dream of!
However, after exchanging a glance, Xiao Yu and Hu Liena both chose to decline.
Xiao Yu stepped forward and spoke with unwavering determination.
"Apologies, Slaughter King. According to the rules, one can only become a Slaughter God by conquering the Hell Road. We have no need to take shortcuts to earn the title. We believe we are no weaker than any previous Slaughter Gods!
Therefore, please allow us to challenge the Hell Road. If we truly die on the Hell Road, we will have no regrets! Because it is our own choice!"
They had come here for the Slaughter Domain. If they didn't challenge the Hell Road, there would have been no point in coming to this godforsaken place in the first place.
Hearing Xiao Yu and Hu Liena's unassailable reasoning, the Slaughter King was momentarily at a loss for how to stop them.
They had made their stance clear. How could he forcibly change the rules in front of everyone?
Not to mention others, Bibi Dong would definitely come after him. Now was not the time to clash with Bibi Dong.
The time to clash would be when he was riding high on Bibi Dong.
Thus, the Slaughter King could only sigh inwardly.
Praying that they would fail the challenge.
Therefore, the Slaughter King said nothing more. After nodding slightly at Xiao Yu and Hu Liena, he released his overwhelming killing intent.
Terrifying killing intent quickly enveloped the entire Hell Killing Ground.
In no time, the previously excited spectators began to scream in agony.
They started frantically tearing at their own bodies and flesh.
Their bodies began to rupture and tear under their own hands.
Soon, as their bodies broke apart, streams of bright red blood began to flow onto the ground.
Then, slowly, the blood pooled onto the arena below.
As time passed, the blood beneath the arena continued to gather.
Xiao Yu and Hu Liena felt a wave of crimson spread before their eyes.
Their consciousness and mental energy were overwhelmed by the dense, blood-red mist floating in the air.
Hu Liena instinctively clung to Xiao Yu's arm, her expression filled with vigilance.
Soon, the two felt a sense of weightlessness, and the blood-red mist before their eyes gradually dissipated.
Finally, when their vision cleared, they found themselves no longer in the Hell Killing Ground but on a circular platform about five meters wide.
Beside the platform was a spiral staircase leading downward.
It seemed that was the path to leave this place.
Seeing the platform before them, Xiao Yu roughly guessed what lay ahead. They would need to follow this path, deal with the bats and the giant snake, and then leap over the blood pool of the City of Slaughter to escape.
After organizing his thoughts, Xiao Yu turned to Hu Liena, who was still tightly clinging to his arm, and asked softly.
"Nana, how are you feeling? Do you need to rest before we continue? I've noticed that the air here is filled with the toxins of Bloody Mary. Can you handle it?"
Hearing this, Hu Liena shook her head gently and chuckled.
"No need. I haven't expended much spirit power. Besides, with your light energy within me, I'm not afraid of the Bloody Mary toxins constantly permeating the air here!!"
Perhaps even Xiao Yu hadn't expected that the milk he had fed Hu Liena would have the effect of suppressing Bloody Mary.
Over the past year, Hu Liena had often overindulged, and as a result, her body had naturally developed a resistance to the toxins of Bloody Mary.
"Alright then. If you're fine, let's go. Once we clear this, we can leave... Ah, after a year here, we can finally leave this hellhole."
Xiao Yu took Hu Liena's hand and spoke casually.
Hearing Xiao Yu's excited words, Hu Liena's expression turned somber, devoid of any joy at the prospect of leaving.
For Hu Liena, although this place was disgusting and corrupt, and most people would find it unbearable to stay here.
Once they left, Xiao Yu would be leaving her too.
This was something Hu Liena couldn't bear.
For a moment, Hu Liena didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so she could only cling tightly to Xiao Yu, filled with reluctance.
Finally, she mustered the courage to plead with a blushing face.
"Xiao Yu, I... I can't bear to part with you. Please don't leave me, okay? If it comes to it, I'll go with you. As long as I can be with you, I'll even be your maid. When you're with Sister Erlong and the others, there must be times when you're tired, right? I can push you from behind. Please don't leave me, okay?"
Seeing Hu Liena's pleading expression, Xiao Yu sighed helplessly.
Although he had made it clear to Hu Liena from the beginning that this was just an agreement.
This was the real world, not a game or an anime.
Having lived with Hu Liena as a couple in the City of Slaughter for so long, he found it hard to simply walk away without a care!
Thus, Xiao Yu gently patted Hu Liena's head and smiled.
"Don't worry. Leaving doesn't mean we'll never see each other again. I'm still Qian Renxue's subordinate. I can enter the Spirit Hall anytime I want. When Qian Renxue ascends to power, I'll come for you."