Suppressing the King of Slaughter

Feng Xiu glanced at her, his tone mild.

"Why are you here?"

The smile faded somewhat from Qian Renxue's face, and her spirits sank.

She fell silent for several breaths before speaking.

"A month ago, I returned to Spirit Hall. Bibi Dong was dead, and Grandfather told me you were the one who did it."

"He said you spared everyone else in Spirit Hall for my sake."

Feng Xiu said nothing, simply looking at her.

Qian Renxue bit her lip.

"Bibi Dong treated me badly. She never had a kind look for me, not once since I was little. But she was still my birth mother. I should hate you, but I can't bring myself to. Grandfather said Spirit Hall survived because you showed mercy."

"I thought it over. Perhaps you had your reasons."

Feng Xiu still said nothing, waiting quietly.

Qian Renxue took a deep breath and pushed her feelings down.

"I'm about to succeed to the position of Pope of Spirit Hall. So I came to Slaughter City to temper myself."

She glanced at Feng Xiu.

"I didn't expect to run into you here."

Feng Xiu nodded and asked no more.

Seeing how indifferent he was, Qian Renxue felt something she couldn't quite put into words, but she said nothing more either.

Just then, a squad of black-armored Enforcement Squad members rounded the corner into the alley. Their leader, a tall, thin man, stopped in front of them and cupped his fists.

"You two, the King of Slaughter requests your presence. Please come with us."

The corners of Feng Xiu's mouth rose slightly. "Looks like he can't wait any longer."

Qian Renxue frowned, leaned closer, and lowered her voice.

"The King of Slaughter? What does he want with us?"

Feng Xiu turned his head and glanced at her.

"You'll find out soon enough."

Qian Renxue wanted to ask something else, but Feng Xiu had already started following the Enforcement Squad.

She hesitated for a breath, then gritted her teeth and followed.

Feng Ling's strength was plain to see. What was she worrying for?

After the two left, the street fell quiet for two breaths before coming back to life.

"That kid got summoned by the King of Slaughter? First time I've seen the Enforcement Squad come out in person to invite someone."

"Invite? Looks more like an arrest to me. That guy's been here for days without fighting a single match in the arena, doing nothing but killing people. No way the King of Slaughter would put up with him until now."

"Serves him right for being so arrogant. Now there'll be a good show."

"I bet he won't come back."

"I bet he will. That guy's strength is downright uncanny. I saw him wipe out more than a dozen people with a wave of his hand."

"What's killing a dozen in an instant? See that blonde girl beside him? She killed that bunch of men in the tavern just now. Those two together are a pair of calamity stars."

The King of Slaughter's palace.

A massive bat head hung over the palace entrance. Two black iron doors were pulled open from within, and the Enforcement Squad led the two inside.

The great hall was dimly lit, with dark red torches burning all around.

A burly man lounged sideways in the main seat, two curved horns growing from his head. Beside him, a scantily clad maid was pouring him wine.

When he saw the two enter, he waved his hand. The Enforcement Squad and the maid withdrew, and the doors closed behind them.

The King of Slaughter rose from the main seat and paced over to Feng Xiu, looking him up and down.

"Little fellow, you're very special. This king actually can't sense any Soul Power in your body."

Feng Xiu ignored him, walked straight to the main seat, and plopped down.

The King of Slaughter froze for a moment, then threw back his head and laughed.

"Hahahahaha! Good! No one's ever had that kind of nerve. Little fellow, you want this king's seat so badly?"

Feng Xiu gave him a cold look.

"This emperor has no interest in listening to your nonsense. Since you've come to me of your own accord, this emperor won't keep playing with you."

His tone darkened. "Where is the Asura God Inheritance?"

The moment the words left his mouth, the pressure of a million Spiritual Power spread without warning.

The air in the entire hall sank, and more than half the torches went out. The King of Slaughter's knees buckled, and he was forced straight to the floor. Bracing himself with both hands, his face flushed crimson, he looked up at Feng Xiu, his eyes full of terror.

"You?! The Demon God Emperor from the rumors?!"

The King of Slaughter panted heavily.

"No wonder this king couldn't detect any Soul Power in your body!"

Feng Xiu gave a cold snort and reached out, grasping at the air. The King of Slaughter's neck was seized as though by an invisible hand, and he was lifted from the floor, his toes half a foot off the ground and his face turning purple.

"This emperor asked you about the Asura God Inheritance."

Cold sweat streamed down the King of Slaughter's forehead. He opened his mouth twice, but stubbornly held his tongue.

Feng Xiu looked at him for two breaths, the corners of his mouth rising slightly. With a flick of his hand, he sent the King of Slaughter flying into the wall. The king slid down and crumpled to the floor, coughing for quite some time.

"Since you won't speak, this emperor will have to find it himself."

Feng Xiu stood, his robes sweeping out as he flew into the air with Qian Renxue.

Qian Renxue followed behind him. Before she could even process what was happening, she had already floated up above the palace.

The Soul Masters below saw people fly out of the King of Slaughter's palace and assumed they had been granted some privilege. They craned their necks and pointed.

The next second, Feng Xiu raised a hand and pressed it toward the sky. Countless dark purple rifts split open in midair, and a dense rain of meteors crashed out of them, trailing purple light as they fell toward every corner of Slaughter City.

The entire city erupted into chaos in an instant.

People fled wildly through the streets and alleys, screams rising from every direction.

Some were struck by meteors and killed on the spot. Others scrambled into alleys on all fours, only to be trampled underfoot by the people behind them.

"Where's the King of Slaughter?! Why isn't he coming out to deal with this?!"

"This man's a devil! Help!"

"Run! Get out of the city!"

Qian Renxue hovered in the air, looking down at the carnage below. Her brows were tightly knit, her lips pressed together, and her hands clenched inside her sleeves, but she said nothing to dissuade him.

She silently repeated to herself twice: These people are all guilty of monstrous crimes. They deserve to die.

An incense stick's time later.

Nearly all of Slaughter City had been destroyed. More than half its buildings had collapsed, and craters covered the streets.

Inside the Slaughter Arena, blood stained the ground red.

It flowed along the cracks and gathered into a formation.

A large section of the ground collapsed with a rumble, revealing a pitch-black passage below.

Feng Xiu didn't hesitate. He seized Qian Renxue by the wrist and descended into the opening.

"Hold your breath," he said.

Qian Renxue had no time to ask questions. She pressed her lips shut and plunged into the darkness after him.

When the two landed, they found themselves standing on a narrow bridge, its surface only about a zhang wide.

There were no railings on either side. Churning magma lay beneath the bridge, its dark red light flickering across the entire cavern.

Qian Renxue glanced down, her throat tightening. She instinctively edged half a step closer to Feng Xiu.

"It's all magma down there."

Feng Xiu didn't respond. Holding her by the wrist, he walked forward.

They had only gone a dozen or so steps when the bats hanging upside down from the cavern ceiling burst into a frenzy. Three black bats, each half the height of a person, swooped down, their shrieks piercing enough to make eardrums ache.

Qian Renxue was just raising her hand to meet them when Feng Xiu casually swept his free hand upward. A thread of dark purple light shot out and twisted in midair, shredding the bat to pieces before it could finish its cry.

After they had walked for some time, a Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent sprang from the magma pool beside the bridge and lunged at them, its enormous, bloody maw gaping wide.

Without even looking or breaking stride, Feng Xiu flicked a fingertip. A streak of purple light pierced its head, and the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent fell limply back into the magma, sending sparks flying.

Qian Renxue followed behind him. At first she remained on edge, looking around in every direction, but after they had covered a short part of the way, she relaxed completely. With this man here, any demons or monsters might as well be offering themselves up for free.

Feng Xiu ignored her and walked faster and faster. In the latter half of the journey, he was practically dragging her along at a run.

Qian Renxue stumbled as he pulled her, muttering, "Slow down... Feng Ling..."