Hu Liena's Charm! Bibi Dong's Recruitment!

"I taught myself."

Zhu Zhuqing picked up another piece and held it out to Dugu Yan.

"Want one?"

Dugu Yan watched her for a moment, then reached out and took it.

She took a small bite.

"It really is too sweet."

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Tang Feng.

"He said it was just right."

"He says everything is acceptable."

Dugu Yan held the remaining sweet cake to Tang Feng's lips.

"Eat it."

Tang Feng looked at the sweet cake with a corner missing.

"You're not eating it anymore?"

"Too sweet."

He lowered his head and bit into the cake.

Dugu Yan's fingertips brushed the corner of his lips.

She did not pull her hand back immediately.

"Once we reach Slaughter City, you can't eat anything others give you."

"I know."

"Not even if Hu Liena gives it to you."

"Why?"

"Her Martial Soul is the Demon Fox."

Dugu Yan wiped the cake crumbs from her fingertips with a handkerchief.

"Who knows whether she might put something else in it."

Zhu Zhuqing tied the bundle back up.

"Hu Liena won't harm him."

Dugu Yan turned her head.

"How do you know?"

"She still needs Tang Feng to bring her out."

Zhu Zhuqing placed the bundle on Tang Feng's lap.

"Still, you really can't eat things others give you."

Tang Feng nodded.

"I'll remember."

The carriage arrived at the city gates.

The three of them got down together.

Spirit City lay in the distance.

As Tang Feng prepared to leave, Dugu Yan suddenly grabbed his collar.

"Lower your head."

"What for?"

"Just lower it first."

Tang Feng bent down slightly.

She leaned close to the side of his face.

Her warm lips lingered briefly at the corner of his mouth.

Dugu Yan stepped back into place, a faint blush coloring the side of her ears.

"This is your reward in advance."

Tang Feng looked at her.

"I haven't entered Slaughter City yet."

"That's why it's in advance."

"Will there be more after I come back?"

Dugu Yan lifted her chin.

"That depends on how you perform."

Zhu Zhuqing stood on the other side.

She did not speak.

Tang Feng turned to look at her.

After meeting his gaze for a moment, Zhu Zhuqing also stepped forward.

She placed a hand on Tang Feng's shoulder and lightly touched the other corner of his lips.

"This one too."

Dugu Yan looked at her.

"You learned quickly."

"I've done it before."

Zhu Zhuqing withdrew her hand.

"This time is only a farewell."

Both women looked at Tang Feng at once.

Tang Feng raised a hand and touched both corners of his mouth.

"The positions are different."

Dugu Yan narrowed her eyes.

"You still want to compare them?"

"Just confirming."

Zhu Zhuqing gave him a push forward.

"You should go."

Tang Feng boarded the carriage again.

The wheels slowly began to turn.

Dugu Yan stood outside the city gates, her emerald-green hair blown behind her by the wind.

Zhu Zhuqing stood beside her, the hem of her black dress swaying gently.

Tang Feng watched the two women through the carriage window.

He did not look away until the gates of Heaven Dou City gradually receded into the distance.

The seven-day appointment.

He was not late.

Outside Spirit City.

Hu Liena stood at the end of the long street.

She wore a dark red, form-fitting combat outfit.

The top clung to her slender waist, with a black belt fastened at her side.

Below, she wore a short skirt and long boots suited for movement, while her dark red hair was tied in a high ponytail.

A short sword hung at her waist.

Tang Feng stepped down from the carriage.

Hu Liena raised her eyes to look at him.

"You came."

"Mm."

"I wore red."

"I see that."

She took two steps toward him.

"Does it look good?"

Tang Feng looked from her combat outfit to her boots.

"It's suitable for moving around."

Hu Liena did not look away.

"I asked whether it looks good."

"It does."

The expression on her face relaxed.

"That answer was fairly quick."

Tang Feng took out the scroll Bibi Dong had given him.

"The entrance is three days' journey from Spirit City."

"Teacher has already arranged a carriage."

Hu Liena pointed to the other side.

A black carriage stood by the roadside.

There was no Spirit Hall emblem on its exterior.

"Only the two of us."

"What about the driver?"

"He'll only take us to outside the town."

She headed toward the carriage first.

As she passed Tang Feng, her dark red ponytail brushed his shoulder.

"How long are you planning to keep standing there?"

Tang Feng followed.

The two entered the carriage.

The carriage left Spirit City.

Hu Liena took out a map and spread it across the small table between them.

"The entrance is beneath this tavern."

"After entering, the guide will take us to the inner city."

"To obtain Divine Slaughter's Domain, we need to win one hundred matches in the Hell Slaughter Arena."

Tang Feng looked at the map.

"Ten people in every match."

"Only one can survive in the end."

Hu Liena's finger landed on the inner city area.

"Teacher told me to follow your arrangements."

"Then we'll enter separately."

She immediately raised her head.

"Why?"

"Only one person can survive in the same match."

"I know."

"So we can't register together."

Hu Liena leaned back against her seat.

"I mean besides the matches."

"We'll live together."

"What about training?"

"Together."

"What about eating?"

"Together."

Her fingertips paused at the edge of the map.

"You agreed that quickly?"

"That makes it easier to protect you."

Hu Liena looked at him for a while.

"Only protection?"

"We also need to coordinate."

"I knew it."

She put away the map and returned it to her Storage Soul Tool.

"You're still wearing the jade pendant at your waist."

Tang Feng lowered his head.

The emerald-green jade pendant rested against the black fabric.

"Mm."

"Dugu Yan made you wear it?"

"She gave it to me."

Hu Liena held out her hand.

Just as her fingertips were about to touch the jade pendant, Tang Feng caught her wrist.

She looked at where their hands touched.

"Can't I even touch it?"

"She asked me to keep it safe."

"I'm not going to take it."

Hu Liena did not pull her hand back.

"I just want to look at it."

Tang Feng released her wrist.

She lowered her head and lifted the jade pendant.

Its emerald-green surface gave off a soft glow inside the carriage.

"A token of the Dugu Family."

"The fact that she gave this to you means she no longer sees you as just her captain."

"She said it was for protection."

Hu Liena raised her eyes.

"You believe that?"

"The jade pendant has no offensive power."

"That's not what I was asking."

She set the pendant down.

"Forget it."

The carriage traveled for an entire day.

After night fell, the two stopped at an inn along the road.

Only one room remained.

Hu Liena stood before the counter.

"Only one?"

The innkeeper nodded.

"Many Spirit Masters have been passing through lately."

"The other rooms are already full."

Hu Liena turned to Tang Feng.

"What do we do?"

"Stay in one room."

The innkeeper placed a key on the counter.

Hu Liena picked it up.

"You're not going to ask whether I'm willing?"

"If you aren't, I'll sleep in the carriage."

"Who said I wasn't willing?"

She headed up the stairs.

Her short dark red skirt swayed lightly with every step.

"Keep up."

There was only one bed in the room.

Tang Feng shut the doors and windows, then checked the water and food in the room.

Hu Liena sat on the edge of the bed and raised a hand to undo her high ponytail.

Her long dark red hair spilled down.

She rolled her shoulders.

"My hair's been tied up all day. It was too tight."

Tang Feng poured a cup of water.

"There's no problem."

Hu Liena accepted the cup.

"You checked that carefully?"

"After entering that town, don't drink anything carelessly."

"I'll listen to you."

She took a sip and handed the cup back to Tang Feng.

"Want some?"

"There are cups."

"There's nothing wrong with this one."

Hu Liena brought the rim of the cup to his lips.

"Or do you mind that I drank from it?"

Tang Feng lowered his head and took a sip.

Her fingers remained wrapped around the cup.

The distance between them narrowed with it.

Hu Liena looked at the rim he had touched.

"Now we've drunk from the same cup."

"Mm."

"Is that all you know how to say?"

"We can keep drinking."

Tang Feng pushed the cup back in front of her.

Hu Liena pressed her lips together.

She took another sip.

"That'll do."

That night.

Tang Feng sat by the bed, meditating.

Hu Liena changed out of her combat clothes and put on a loose dark red robe.

The hem fell to her knees, revealing a stretch of slender calf.

Barefoot, she walked over to Tang Feng.

"Are you planning to sit there all night?"

"Mm."

"We still have to travel tomorrow."

"Meditation can restore Soul Power."

Hu Liena looked down at him.

"I can't sleep alone."

"Why?"

"People keep walking around next door."

"The door is locked."

"I know."

She reached out and grabbed Tang Feng's arm.

"You sleep on the outside."

Tang Feng looked toward the bed.

"Didn't you say you didn't want to stay in one room with me?"

"When did I say that?"

Hu Liena pulled him to his feet.

"Hurry up."

The two lay down side by side.

The bed was narrower than the ones at the academy.

Hu Liena turned onto her side to face Tang Feng.

Her long dark red hair spread over the pillow, its ends brushing against the back of his hand.

"After we enter Slaughter City, will it be like this too?"

"Like what?"

"Sleeping together."

"If there's only one bed."

Hu Liena raised her hand, her fingertips lightly touching his sleeve.

"What if there are two?"

"You sleep in one."

"And you?"

"The other one."

She watched him for a moment.

"You really keep things clear."

Tang Feng closed his eyes.

Hu Liena did not sleep.

Her fingers traveled along his sleeve until they rested beside his wrist.

"Tang Feng."

"Mm?"

"You promised Teacher that you'd bring me out alive."

"I remember."

"What if only one of us can make it out?"

"That won't happen."

"What if it does?"

Tang Feng opened his eyes.

"I'll get you out."

Hu Liena's fingertips stilled.

"What about you?"

"I'll find another way."

"Can't you just say we'll get out together?"

"We'll get out together."

She was finally satisfied.

Hu Liena moved a little closer, resting her forehead against Tang Feng's shoulder.

"I'll remember those words."

The next day.

The two continued their journey.

On the evening of the third day.

The black carriage stopped outside a small town.

There were few pedestrians on the streets.

Most of the passing Spirit Masters wore dark clothes and carried weapons at their waists.

Tang Feng and Hu Liena entered the town.

At the end of the road.

A tavern hung a dark red wooden sign.

Hu Liena's hand settled on her short sword.

"This is the place."

Tang Feng pushed open the wooden door.

Every gaze in the tavern fell upon them at once.

More than a dozen Spirit Masters sat around the tables.

Dark red liquid sat before them.

The air was thick with the smell of alcohol and blood.

The person behind the counter looked at the two of them.

"Outsiders aren't welcome here."

Tang Feng walked to the counter.

"We're going to Slaughter City."

Several bursts of mockery sounded through the tavern.

A burly man stood up.

A long scar crossed his face, and he carried a heavy-backed saber in his hand.

"Two more fools here to die."

Hu Liena drew her short sword.

"He's mine."

Tang Feng did not stop her.

The burly man charged forward with his saber raised.

Hu Liena sidestepped the blade.

Her short sword swept past his wrist.

Blood splattered onto the wooden table.

Just as the burly man turned, the short sword was already pressed to his neck.

Hu Liena stepped forward.

The blade slashed across.

The burly man collapsed to the ground.

The tavern fell silent at once.

She flicked the blood from her blade and returned to Tang Feng's side.

"I didn't hold you back."

"Your movements were a little slow."

Hu Liena turned to look at him.

"I just killed someone."

"That's why you need to correct it promptly."

"I'll correct it after we get inside."

The person behind the counter activated a mechanism.

The ground slowly split apart.

A pitch-black passage appeared before them.

Tang Feng jumped down first.

Hu Liena followed closely behind.

Their bodies continued to fall.

Dark Blue Vines shot from Tang Feng's palm and wrapped around the stone walls of the passage.

Their descent swiftly slowed.

He extended his other hand.

Hu Liena grabbed his wrist.

Tang Feng pulled her to his side.

The two of them climbed down the vines and landed on the ground.

Ahead lay a narrow stone path.

Dark red flames burned along both walls.

Hu Liena was still holding Tang Feng's hand.

"We've already landed."

"I know."

"Then why aren't you letting go?"

She stepped closer.

"You said I couldn't leave your range."

Tang Feng did not ask again.

The two of them proceeded along the stone path.

Heavy hoofbeats came from ahead.

A knight in black armor blocked the middle of the road.

"Defeat me, and you will earn the right to enter Slaughter City."

He raised his lance.

The warhorse shattered the ground beneath its hooves and charged straight at them.

Spirit Rings could not be unleashed.

Soul Power could still circulate.

Tang Feng raised his left hand.

The Destruction Blue Silver Emperor burst from the cracks in the stone.

Dark Blue Vines wrapped around the warhorse's front legs.

The warhorse lost its balance.

The black-armored knight leaped from the horse's back, his lance thrusting straight toward Tang Feng's chest.

Hu Liena darted out from the side.

Her short sword knocked aside the lance tip.

Tang Feng stepped forward and pressed his five fingers against the shaft.

Vines rapidly grew along the lance.

The black-armored knight's arms were tightly bound.

Hu Liena's short sword stopped before his throat.

"We won."

The black-armored knight did not resist further.

He took out two black plaques.

"9527."

"9528."

"These are your numbers."

Tang Feng accepted 9527.

Hu Liena took the other one.

"Why are you ahead of me?"

"He gave it to me first."

"Next time, I want to be ahead."

"Fine."

Inner City.

Dark red moonlight shrouded the streets.

Bloodstains could be seen everywhere along the road.

The fighting had never stopped.

Screams occasionally rang out from deep within the alleys.

A woman in black gauze approached them.

"For twelve hours, you will be protected by the rules of Slaughter City."

"After twelve hours, your lives are your own responsibility."

Hu Liena looked at Tang Feng.

"Let's find a place to stay first."

"Mm."

The two of them did not linger in the outer city.

After entering the inner city, the woman in black gauze led them to a stone building.

There were two beds in the room.

Hu Liena glanced at them.

"There are two this time."

Tang Feng walked to the window.

After checking the surroundings, he used vines to seal the edges of the doors and windows.

"If anyone approaches from outside, I'll know."

Hu Liena sat on the bed to the left.

"Which one are you sleeping in?"

"The right one."

"That's too far away."

"Only two steps."

She took off her boots and walked barefoot across the floor to the right side.

Then Hu Liena sat directly on the edge of Tang Feng's bed.

"Now it's closer."

"Your bed is over there."

"I know."

She lifted her legs and leaned against the headboard.

"I'm just sitting here for a while."

Tang Feng took out a map.

"Tomorrow, I'll take part in the first match."

"Who goes first?"

"Me."

"No."

Hu Liena immediately sat upright.

"You already got the number ahead of mine."

"I should go first in the match too."