Chapter 254: Slaughter City, Qian Renchuan's Paradise
"Big Brother Hoto! Are you there? Big Brother Hoto!"
After a long journey, Oscar arrived at a massive three-meter-high rock. In his memory, it was here that he had encountered the poisoned and injured Hoto. He had used his detox sausage and recovery sausage to save him, and together they trained in the Extreme North.
"Did I misremember the time?"
Oscar looked around but found no trace of Hoto. He leaned against the rock and took some dry rations from his storage soul tool to eat.
Rustle rustle!
A sound came from the nearby bushes. Oscar tensed up, gripping his Zhuge Divine Crossbow. "Big Brother Hoto, is that you?"
A snow-white, furry paw emerged from the bushes, beckoning to him.
"Big Brother Hoto!"
Oscar smiled and ran toward it. That snow-white, furry paw could only belong to Hoto's Icefield Bear martial soul.
But when he was two meters away, his smile froze. What he saw in the bushes was not Hoto, but a true Icefield Bear soul beast, gazing at him with greed.
Bears are cunning among soul beasts, often mimicking human behavior to lure prey—beckoning included.
This bear, over three meters long and likely five meters tall when upright, was a ten-thousand-year soul beast.
Swish swish swish swish!
Oscar instantly drew two Zhuge Divine Crossbows, launching thirty-two bolts that pierced the bear's fur and embedded into its flesh. The beast was injured—but only enraged.
ROAR!
The bear's thunderous bellow sent surrounding frost flying. Oscar, knowing he couldn't win, quickly consumed a Fantasy Mushroom Sausage and took to the air.
Bears are smart—if they can't catch prey, they won't waste energy.
Oscar gained altitude, but his heart pounded with fear. Below him, soul beasts were emerging like bamboo shoots after the rain, all giving chase. The weakest among them were thousand-year beasts. Even the Mirror Image Beast he sought was among them.
But Oscar had no intention of hunting it now. Not only was his cultivation not yet bottlenecked, but he also lacked the strength to fight these monsters. He was fighting just to survive.
Boom boom boom boom!
The earth quaked. Trees toppled under the charge of soul beasts. "What the hell is going on? This isn't the Icebound Forest I remember!"
"I should have enough power left for eight more mushroom sausages... That should get me out. I need to investigate what's changed here."
Chirp chirp!
A bird call made him look up. A one-meter-long, snow-white bird dived at him—it looked like a Rock Thunder Bird.
AHHH!!
A flash of cold light, and three bone-deep gashes appeared across Oscar's face. Hot blood splattered before freezing solid.
Before he could react, a snow leopard bit into his calf. Blood sprayed; bone cracked. Oscar could no longer fly and fell, crashing into the snow.
Surrounded by beasts, his pupils dilated. With his last strength, he cried out:
"Hoto! Brother Hoto!! Someone save me! I'm a food-type soul master! I can help any team!"
AAAAAHHH!!
"Rongrong..."
After a series of blood-curdling screams, only a pool of blood, scraps of flesh, and torn clothes remained.
Oscar was torn to shreds, becoming food himself. In death, he fulfilled his calling—nourishing soul beasts. Truly touching. A worthy end for the number one food-type soul master.
Slaughter City
Qian Renchuan had now entered Slaughter City. He refused to drink the city's bloody cocktails known as Bloody Marys, no matter what. These drinks—made from human blood—were how residents got water, as Slaughter City had none. Spirit Hall supplied the food, and the toxins in the drinks helped cull its inhabitants faster.
Qian Renchuan, however, had stocked enough clean water in his storage soul tool.
"I am the Dread Knight Scott."
A black-armored rider charged him on horseback, murder in the air.
Qian gathered his inner power—but noticed something shocking: when his Blue Silver Grass martial soul appeared, no soul rings followed. It seemed all soul skills had been suppressed. Even the vines were significantly weakened.
Unshaken, he withdrew the vines and summoned his snowy-white wings. His right arm lit up with an earthy glow and formed a shield. A powerful aura surged out.
Scott's killing intent shattered, and his horse staggered.
"Titan Sky Cannon!"
Qian unleashed the ability of the Titan Giant Ape's right arm bone. A massive shockwave exploded, obliterating both rider and horse into dust.
"So this is the power of a hundred-thousand-year spirit bone. Even if Slaughter City suppresses soul rings and skills, soul bone abilities remain."
Then his violet-gold eyes widened. From Scott's remains, a stream of pure energy drifted over and merged into him.
With that, Qian's level rose—from 65.5 to 65.6. If he killed four more like Scott, he could reach level 66.
But that wouldn't be easy. The enforcers of Slaughter City were at least Soul Sages. Across the continent, there were fewer than two hundred such masters not tied to sects or empires.
Still, part of that energy strengthened his Two-Winged Angel martial soul. Just a bit—but he felt it.
"Is this why Father sent me here? To kill evil-doers and grow stronger? This place... is my paradise."
He walked forward, looking up at the violet moon and declared silently:
"Slaughter City, where soul skills are useless—here I come."
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