Said We'd Meet on the Hell Road, Yet You Use Xiao Wu as Bait

Slaughter City, outer city.

The sky was forever that oppressive leaden gray, the air thick with a stench of blood and rust so pungent it was nauseating. There was no sunlight here, only slaughter and depravity.

Yu Tianyu, dressed in a high-quality, jet-black fitted outfit, walked slowly down the street. His refined temperament and handsome, almost ethereal face appeared starkly out of place in this den of sin, filled with twisted expressions, filth, and scars.

"Stop right there! Newcomer, hand over your spirit tool and anything of value!"

Three burly, thick-necked degenerates blocked his path. In Slaughter City, where Spirit Skills could not be used, a strong physique and ruthless close-combat skills were the capital for survival. To them, this "pretty boy" with his delicate skin looked like the perfect prey.

Yu Tianyu stopped, tilted his head slightly, and a playful arc tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"In this place, trash always likes to gather in piles."

"Who are you calling trash?! You're courting death!" The leader roared, swinging a heavy broadsword stained with dark red blood, aiming a strike directly at his head.

Yu Tianyu didn't even move. It wasn't until the blade was mere inches from his forehead that his right hand suddenly shot up.

"Clang!"

A crisp, explosive sound rang out. The strike, capable of splitting a boulder, was effortlessly caught between Yu Tianyu's two fingers.

The leader's pupils contracted sharply. He tried frantically to pull his blade back, only to find those two fingers were like iron pincers, immovable.

"Your strength isn't even enough for the pet that cleans my shoes."

Yu Tianyu said calmly, applying a slight pressure with his fingers.

"Snap!"

The refined iron broadsword shattered instantly, and Yu Tianyu followed through with a palm strike to the leader's chest.

There was no flash of spirit power, just the pure, destructive force of his physical body. Accompanied by the sickening sound of cracking bones, the leader flew backward like a cannonball, smashing into a crumbling wall dozens of meters away and dying on the spot.

The remaining two degenerates were terrified out of their wits, dropping their weapons and scrambling into the dark alleys.

Yu Tianyu didn't even glance at them. He leisurely pulled a pristine white silk handkerchief from his pocket, wiped his fingers, and discarded it on the ground.

"The rules here... really do suit me better."

He could feel the bloodline within him, known as Dragon Slayer Magic, cheering. Slaughter City forbade the Spirit Skills granted by Spirit Rings, but for someone like him who relied on physical durability, magic circuits, and the instincts of his own martial spirit to fight, the restrictions were practically zero.

Conversely, opponents who had lost their reliance on Spirit Skills were nothing more than lambs waiting for the slaughter before him.

Hell Slaughter Arena.

This was the heart of Slaughter City, and the ladder for countless people to either reach hell or become a god.

Tang San sat in a corner of the dim waiting room.

At this moment, he no longer possessed the gentle, scholarly aura he once had. He was shirtless, his lean, muscular frame covered in gruesome wounds—some scabbed over, others still oozing blood.

His gaze had become extremely cold, and his pupils constantly flickered with a blood-red light, the manifestation of materialized killing intent.

In the shadows behind him, Tang Hao's voice sounded hoarse: "San, this is your sixtieth match. The slaughter arena is not like the outside; everyone here is a vicious, depraved soul. Remember, do not give your opponent any chance to breathe, not even for a second."

"I know."

Tang San's voice was dry, as if he hadn't had water in a long time. He gripped the short sword in his hand, his nails digging into his palm once more. Whenever the pain flared, he would think of Xiao Wu, who had been taken away by Yu Tianyu.

That rabbit who wept in his arms might be suffering torture worse than death right now.

Such thoughts only fueled his killing intent, as if he wanted to swallow the entire arena whole.

"Next, let us welcome the sixth group of challengers to the stage!"

Amidst the announcer's frantic shouting, Tang San walked slowly toward the arena.

On the field, nine opponents were already in position, each with a fierce look in their eyes. In Slaughter City, if you want to survive, you must devour your opponents.

However, just as the match was about to begin, a commotion erupted at the entrance of the arena.

A slender figure pushed past the guards and, under the terrified gaze of the degenerates, leaped directly onto the stage.

"Who are you? This match is already full!" the announcer shrieked.

The newcomer elegantly adjusted his cuffs, looked up, and revealed a smile that Tang San would never forget for the rest of his life.

"Rules? Those are made for the weak."

Yu Tianyu looked at Tang San, a hint of mockery in his eyes. "Brother San, long time no see. I didn't expect to run into you here. Seeing you look like a 'stray dog scavenging for food' is truly an eye-opener."

Tang San's body trembled violently the moment he saw Yu Tianyu.

It was a mix of extreme hatred and a deep-seated, subconscious fear.

"Yu! Tian! Yu!"

A beast-like roar erupted from Tang San's throat, and the short sword in his hand hummed from his violent shaking.

"Calm down, San!" Tang Hao stood up abruptly from the stands, his eyes filled with shock. He hadn't noticed when Yu Tianyu had entered the city, let alone expected this devil to brazenly barge into the Hell Slaughter Arena.

Yu Tianyu ignored Tang Hao's glare entirely. He scanned the nine challengers who were baring their fangs and sighed helplessly: "Forget it, there are too many people in the way. If we're going to catch up, I have to clear the field first."

"Arrogant! Kill him!"

Seeing this, the nine thugs abandoned their encirclement of Tang San and attacked Yu Tianyu in unison.

Yu Tianyu curled his lip, his figure vanishing in an instant.

"Too slow."

His voice seemed to emanate from every direction. Immediately following it was a dense succession of bone-crushing sounds and dull thuds.

In Tang San's field of vision, he could only see a black afterimage weaving through the crowd. Without using any Spirit Skill, without any flashy light or shadow, Yu Tianyu relied solely on his extreme speed and fists and kicks that carried the weight of ten thousand jun to crush these nine experts—each capable of surviving dozens of matches here—as if they were mere flies.

A mere ten seconds.

On the arena, apart from Yu Tianyu and Tang San, there were no survivors left.

Blood pooled like a stream, soaking the soles of Yu Tianyu's boots, yet his black attire remained spotless.

"Now, it's quiet."

Yu Tianyu walked toward Tang San step by step, each footfall landing heavily on Tang San's heart.

"You... what exactly did you do to Xiao Wu?" Tang San roared the question out.

Yu Tianyu stopped five paces away from Tang San, looking at his eyes, which had turned ferocious from blood congestion, and smiled faintly: "Her? She is my favorite plaything right now. You know, Brother San, she kept calling your name at first, but after I fed her those few bottles of 'special' potions, she crawls over like an obedient kitten the moment she sees me now, licking my fingers with her tongue."

"You animal! I'm going to kill you!!"

Tang San collapsed.

No matter how firm his mental state was, hearing his beloved being humiliated in such a way caused that final string of reason to snap completely.

Ignoring the disparity in their strength, the short sword in his hand erupted with a shrill whistle. He unleashed the hidden weapon technique Meteor Chasing the Moon with the blade, pouring all his spirit power into his arms as he charged at Yu Tianyu.

"Tsk, is this the only level of killing intent you have?"

Yu Tianyu's gaze turned cold. His right hand shot out, precisely gripping the short sword that was thrusting toward his throat.

"Snap!"

The short sword was crushed into powder instantly.

Yu Tianyu followed up with a side kick, slamming heavily into Tang San's abdomen.

"Bang!"

Tang San was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing violently into the iron fence at the edge of the arena. The iron bars buckled inward, and Tang San spat out a large mouthful of blood, which even contained fragments of his internal organs.

"San!" Tang Hao was about to rush onto the stage, but he was tightly surrounded by several Slaughter City enforcers. Here, the King of Slaughter was the absolute ruler, and Yu Tianyu seemed to have reached some sort of tacit understanding with him.

Yu Tianyu walked slowly to Tang San, looking down at this former "pride of heaven."

He extended his foot, stepped on Tang San's blood-stained face, and twisted it hard.

"This is the expression you should have. Despair, pain, helplessness."

Yu Tianyu leaned close to Tang San and lowered his voice: "You thought you could beat me by cultivating here? Actually, I brought her to Slaughter City. She's in that attic in the inner city. If you can win these one hundred matches and open the Hell Road, perhaps... I might let you see her one last time through the window."

"However, that is on the condition that you survive."

Yu Tianyu straightened his body and looked at Tang San, who was on the verge of losing consciousness, with a cruel smile: "For the next thirty matches, I will be scheduled before you every single time. I will let you watch with your own eyes how I take away every bit of 'nourishment' you crave. I will let you know that the farthest distance in this world is not life and death, but you thinking hope is right in front of you, only for me to crush it under my foot."

After saying this, Yu Tianyu turned and walked away with a flourish, leaving behind a floor of mangled flesh and a Tang San who had completely fallen into the abyss.

Heaven Dou Empire, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan residence.

In a luxurious bedroom called the "Cage," candlelight flickered.

Xiao Wu sat by the window, looking at the pitch-black night outside. The golden gauze dress on her body was as thin as cicada wings, rising and falling slightly with the night breeze, accentuating her increasingly thin yet pathologically beautiful frame.

Around her neck, the collar representing humiliation shone with a cold metallic luster under the candlelight.

The door opened, but it was not Yu Tianyu who entered.

It was Hu Liena.

At this moment, compared to her time at the Spirit Master tournament, Hu Liena possessed an added allure, though her eyes held a near-fanatical worship of Yu Tianyu.

She carried a plate of exquisite desserts, placed it on the table, and looked at Xiao Wu's hollow eyes with a cold sneer: "Still waiting for your Brother San? Don't indulge in wishful thinking. Brother Yu has already gone to Slaughter City. He told me that your Brother San is living there like a stray dog, and to stay alive, he doesn't even hesitate to scavenge for food in trash heaps."

Xiao Wu's fingers trembled. She turned her head and stared fixedly at Hu Liena: "You're lying to me... Brother San wouldn't do that."

"Lying to you?" Hu Liena walked up to Xiao Wu and reached out to lift her chin. "Are you even worth me lying to? Brother Yu was right; the way you look now is truly pitiful. It's a pity your heart hasn't completely died yet. But it will soon. When Brother Yu personally severs the last bit of Tang San's dignity at the exit of the Hell Road, you will be begging to stay by his side."

"Get... get out!" Xiao Wu roared with a hoarse voice.

Hu Liena was not annoyed; instead, she giggled, the sound echoing in the room and sounding particularly grating.

"Enjoy your final bit of pride. In Brother Yu's eyes, you are nothing more than a beautiful pet, while I am his companion."

Half a month later, Slaughter City inner city.

Tang San finished a bloody battle.

His body was nearly withered, he had lost a significant amount of weight, and his skin had taken on an eerie, bruised purple hue. This was the sequela of overdrawing his physical strength and spirit power, as well as the nervous breakdown caused by long-term verbal torment from Yu Tianyu.

For the past half month, Yu Tianyu had truly fulfilled his promise.

Every single match, Yu Tianyu took the stage before Tang San. Yu Tianyu would resolve the battles in the bloodiest, most violent, yet most elegant way possible, then sit in the stands, sipping Bloody Mary, watching Tang San struggle below as if he were watching a play.

Whenever Tang San was about to win, Yu Tianyu would sweep a gaze of mockery over him.

This was even more unbearable than being killed outright.

Tang San walked along the streets of the inner city, and the fallen ones around him scattered as he approached. He was now known to the people here as "Asura," but he knew that the youth called the "Dragon Slayer" was the true Devil King.

"Cough... cough cough."

Tang San leaned against a wall, coughing violently.

Suddenly, a faint, ethereal fragrance drifted by on the breeze.

This scent... it was Xiao Wu!

It was the unique scent that belonged to Xiao Wu, a mixture of sunshine and fresh grass!

Tang San lifted his head frantically, searching for the source of the fragrance.

On a tall tower not far away, in front of a massive floor-to-ceiling window, a figure sat vaguely visible.

Even though it was far away and the light was dim, Tang San would never mistake that scorpion braid that reached down to her waist.

"Xiao Wu!!!"

Tang San let out a harrowing cry, rushing toward the tower regardless of the consequences.

However, the moment he reached the base of the tower, a golden barrier manifested out of thin air.

"Boom!"

A powerful rebounding force sent Tang San flying, causing him to crash heavily onto the ground.

"Brother San, didn't I tell you? It's not time for us to meet yet."

Yu Tianyu's voice drifted down from the top of the tower. He appeared at the window, holding a wine glass, one hand resting casually on Xiao Wu's shoulder.

Tang San saw Xiao Wu's delicate body tremble, yet she did not resist, instead leaning submissively into Yu Tianyu's embrace.

"No... no! Xiao Wu! Look closely, it's me! I'm Brother San!"

Tang San's eyes were split with rage; he tried to crawl up, only to find his legs too weak to muster any strength.

The figure at the window did not respond; only Yu Tianyu's laughter, filled with mockery, echoed through the night sky.

"Look, Brother San, she has already chosen the stronger one."

Yu Tianyu lowered his head, kissing Xiao Wu lightly on the ear, then looked down at Tang San below, his eyes filled with a playful glint.

"Want her back? Then come to the Hell Road. Tomorrow is the one-hundredth match. I have prepared a final surprise for you at the entrance to hell."

That night, Tang San sat beneath the tower for the entire night.

His tears had long since dried; what flowed out now was blood.

Hatred, jealousy, unwillingness, and despair—all negative emotions erupted completely in this moment.

He no longer thought about his sect, nor did he think about the future; only one thought remained in his mind:

Become stronger, kill Yu Tianyu, and take Xiao Wu back. Even if it meant destroying the entire world, he would not hesitate!

The next day.

The Slaughter Arena was packed to capacity.

The King of Slaughter descended in person.

"Congratulations to you both for achieving the feat of one hundred consecutive victories. Now, open the Hell Road!"

Following the roar of the King of Slaughter, a massive magic circle formed in the center of the arena, and thick blood converged into a red pillar of light that shot straight into the sky.

Yu Tianyu jumped in first, his movements composed.

Tang San followed closely behind, his eyes as cold as iron.

The Hell Road.

This was a place filled with all kinds of terrifying creatures and deadly traps, and even more so, a labyrinth that could stir up the deepest desires and fears within one's heart.

Above a river of magma, a narrow stone bridge wound its way into the depths of the darkness.

Tang San sprinted along the stone bridge, feeling that Yu Tianyu was just ahead.

However, when he reached the first open platform, he stopped.

There were no monsters there, nor were there any traps.

There was only Yu Tianyu, sitting on a stone pedestal, toying with two Spirit Rings in his hands.

One was a deep, profound black Spirit Ring, and the other was a deep red Spirit Ring that emitted an eerie glow.

Hundred-thousand-year Spirit Rings!

"Brother San, you're too slow."

Yu Tianyu stood up, and the killing intent around him surged instantly, actually overpowering the Asura killing intent that Tang San had worked so hard to condense.

"Guess whose these two Spirit Rings are?"

Yu Tianyu tilted his head, revealing a smile that was incredibly sunny, yet one that drove Tang San to absolute madness.

"This is the 'surprise' I prepared for you. Actually... Xiao Wu isn't here at all; what you saw last night was merely an illusion I created on a whim. But this, this is a genuine gift."

Yu Tianyu tossed the red Spirit Ring into the air and caught it again.

"To push you to the peak of madness, I've decided that at the end of the Hell Road, right before your eyes, I will turn your 'little rabbit'... completely into my Spirit Ring. Tell me, wouldn't that be a beautiful sight?"

"AAAAAAHHHH!! Yu Tianyu!! I'll kill you!!!"

Tang San's sanity shattered completely.

Even if it meant overdrawing the last shred of his life, even if it meant detonating his own soul, he would drag this devil before him down to hell together.

Inside the Hell Road, blood-colored thunder exploded.

The Eight Spider Lances behind Tang San grew frantically, turning pitch-black and gleaming, making him look like an evil spider crawling out from the depths of hell.

As for Yu Tianyu, he walked slowly into the darkness, his voice drifting back faintly.

"Run, Brother San. Run in despair. When you cross this road and see that sunlight, you will realize that it is only the beginning of your hell."

This game of chess was never equal from the very start.

Tang San was struggling, while Yu Tianyu was looking down from above.

The funeral bell of Slaughter City was tolling for Tang San.