Leaving the Capital of Slaughter, a Welcoming Party

Giratina kept its primary attack range within two meters, its massive roar carrying the force of Thousand Jun as it slammed heavily into the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King.

The opponent's gargantuan figure was instantly hammered down by this strike.

Its body crashed hard onto the Hell Road, the boom echoing through the space.

This terrifying sonic attack even stunned the swarm of bats summoned by the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King; they fell one by one into the Magma Sea, instantly engulfed and reduced to charred husks by the flames.

Lin Chuan let out a long breath.

He did not slow his pace until a magnificent palace appeared before his eyes.

Surrounding the palace were several statues that resembled the King of Slaughter but possessed a more divine aura; the stone cages held in their right hands still burned with flames, illuminating the surroundings.

He had reached the end.

Lin Chuan stopped wasting time and, with a thought, recalled the leisurely Giratina back into his body.

Behind him, the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King struggled to its feet, its deep pupils filled with resentment and unwillingness, yet it could only watch in frustration.

For some reason.

Every time it chased those who trespassed into its territory to this point, it would encounter a resistance.

No matter how strong it became, that resistance never weakened.

It could never approach the palace.

It could only stop at a distance of three meters, watching from afar.

Having arrived here again, it already knew the outcome.

After casting one last look at Lin Chuan's silhouette as he entered the palace, it turned and flew away.

Lin Chuan did not see anything particularly novel upon entering the palace; the thick pillars on both sides were already covered in cracks, and the marble floor, engraved with intricate patterns, was blanketed in dust.

As he walked, he would occasionally step on brittle debris, causing it to crunch and snap.

Lin Chuan walked to the center of the palace, where some sort of inscription seemed to be carved.

The moment he stepped inside, the runes beneath his feet erupted with a dazzling red glow.

The blinding light forced Lin Chuan to instinctively close his eyes, the persistent crimson radiance masking his figure.

The array was continuously emitting energy, washing over his exhausted body.

There was no agonizing pain as he had imagined; a warm, soothing sensation crawled over his entire being.

It was as if his weary body were bathing in a hot spring, every pore radiating comfort.

Lin Chuan did not know when he had been teleported out.

It was the cool touch of the night breeze that finally roused him.

The scent of fresh grass and trees filled his nostrils, and his clothes, pressed against his skin, were dampened by the dew on the Blue Silver Grass leaves; only when the chill swept through his body did he suddenly open his eyes.

Gazing through the dense, interlacing branches at the profound darkness of the night sky, his racing heart finally calmed.

"Lin Chuan, you're back!"

In the desolate night, the girl's exclamation carried the joy and grievance of a long-awaited reunion, stirring the quiet evening.

Lin Chuan stood up, and only by the moonlight could he clearly see the person before him.

She was a girl with short, pale-gold hair, the tips layered and styled, paired with elf-like ears and a delicate, cold, and beautiful face.

Her skin was like snow, and she wore a blue-and-white tight-fitting cheongsam-style dress that outlined her exquisite figure; the playful expression on her charming face added a touch of girlishness to her alluring temperament.

Without waiting for Lin Chuan to greet her, the girl threw herself into his arms.

She restlessly rubbed her pretty cheek against the clothes on his chest.

He could only offer a helpless smile in response.

The next second, several more figures appeared in succession.

They were all familiar faces: Xie Yue and Yan, known as the Golden Generation of the Martial Soul Hall.

Just as he was wondering why his master hadn't appeared, an old, hoarse voice reached his ears at the perfect moment:

"You brat, I don't know what you've been practicing all this time, but you're still so careless even with me standing right next to you."

Lin Chuan hurriedly turned his head to look, only to see a thin, middle-aged man with a gaunt face appearing behind him.

Beside him stood another man with delicate, well-maintained skin and a feminine temperament—a man who possessed both the upright stature of a male and the soft, graceful movements of a woman.

If not for his distinct male features and Adam's apple, one would mistake him for a woman just by watching his every move.

The blonde man held no airs.

Upon seeing Lin Chuan, his face was full of joyful smiles as he stepped forward to observe him with concern.

Then, a slightly pained, feminine voice rang out:

"Little Chuan Chuan has lost weight. Did you suffer a lot of grievances in there? That hellhole is no place for anyone; one moment of carelessness and you could lose your life."

"Sigh, it's a relief you came out safely."

Standing before him was the renowned Titled Douluo, Chrysanthemum Douluo, Chrysanthemum Pass, whose real name was Yue Guan.

Most people had simply grown accustomed to calling him Elder Chrysanthemum, which eventually led to the nickname, Chrysanthemum Pass.

Yan, moved by the sentiment, stepped forward with reddened eyes to embrace Lin Chuan.

He began asking about how Lin Chuan had been faring.

Surrounded by the group, Lin Chuan had no choice but to answer their questions one by one, sharing his experiences from within.

It was a normal reunion, until he asked how they knew he was here and how they had pinpointed the exact time.

After hearing what Ghost Douluo had to say, the joy Lin Chuan felt at their reunion instantly vanished.

Damn it, he thought, I forgot about Bibi Dong. Thankfully, I didn't reveal anything in the Capital of Slaughter, but I'll have to be careful from now on.

However, it was clear that the secret of his detached martial soul had been half-exposed.

But fortunately, he had previously claimed his martial soul was a unique one.

He hoped Bibi Dong wouldn't be so obsessive as to send him away for research.

Otherwise, he would really have to find a way to run.

Throughout the reunion, Hu Liena remained at the center of attention.

With her arms wrapped around Lin Chuan's slender, powerful waist, she lifted her head from his chest and interjected:

"What is it like in there? Teacher said it was very dangerous and wouldn't let me go in with you back then."

As she spoke, she pouted, looking quite aggrieved.

When he first learned that Hu Liena wanted to accompany him inside, Lin Chuan had refused.

At the time, Hu Liena had only just reached the thirty-fourth level as a Soul Elder.

Without rich combat experience, hidden cards, or sufficient strength, entering the Hell Slaughter Arena would have been a death sentence.

Thus, he gave Hu Liena another stern warning, telling her to abandon any thoughts of entering the Capital of Slaughter until she reached the level of a Soul Emperor.

Listening to Lin Chuan's reprimand, Hu Liena turned her head away, puffed up with indignation.

Nevertheless, she still gave him her word.

Seeing the young girl's infatuation, Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo exchanged glances and shook their heads with silent sighs.

Ever since Lin Chuan had entered the Capital of Slaughter, Hu Liena had been so worried she could neither eat nor sleep.

She thought of him constantly, missing him at every turn.

Just as the joyous reunion was about to change in tone, Ghost Douluo spoke up at the right moment:

"Xiao Chuan, I see you've been a Soul Emperor for quite some time now, haven't you?"

Chrysanthemum Douluo was also aware of this.

Though surprised, he felt it wasn't the right time to bring it up during the initial excitement, as it might ruin the atmosphere.

Moreover, he and Ghost Douluo had watched Lin Chuan grow up since he was six, and they knew just how monstrous his talent was.

When Lin Chuan first entered the Capital of Slaughter, he was already a level fifty-eight Soul King.

His first soul ring was over five hundred years old, the second over eight hundred, the third five thousand, the fourth eight thousand, and the fifth over thirty thousand years.

While it appeared to be a standard yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black configuration, the age of the rings was far higher than the average.

This was thanks to the one hundred Gold Soul Coin monthly stipend he received after joining Martial Soul Hall.

He had long ago secretly purchased Whale Rubber to consume.

High-age Whale Rubber was somewhat rare on the continent, so the highest age Lin Chuan had managed to consume at the time was just over twenty thousand years.

It had significantly improved his physique, giving him a qualitative leap by his third soul ring.

Xie Yue, standing to the side, was inwardly astonished, but he maintained a calm expression on the surface, refusing to show any unsightly reaction.

Only Yan opened his mouth wide in disbelief, staring at Lin Chuan as if looking at a monster.

A Soul Emperor under sixteen years old—he was likely the only one on the entire continent!

Hu Liena's eyes were filled with adoration as she watched the faint smile on Lin Chuan's lips.

Hearing that he was already a Soul Emperor at such a young age only made her feel even prouder.

"Ahem!"

Ghost Douluo coughed twice, breaking the awkward atmosphere once more, and said:

"Yue Guan, take Xie Yue and the others back first. I will take Xiao Chuan to obtain a suitable soul ring."