Several days later.
The town outside Slaughter City.
At the tavern by the entrance to Slaughter City, the air was thick and foul. All the decor was black. Although it was daytime outside, stepping inside brought a sense of cold and darkness.
At that moment, roughly thirty percent of the tavern's seats were occupied, and the place was a noisy mess.
"Fuck! My big brother was killed here a month ago," a burly man cursed inside the tavern. "I'd better not find out who did it, or I'll hack him into eight pieces!"
"Heh."
Someone beside him sneered disdainfully. "I heard some brat forced his way into Slaughter City a month ago and killed everyone in the tavern while he was at it. He even had a Titled Douluo with him. Are you sure he wouldn't kill you too if you ran into him?"
"Bullshit! You dare look down on me?" The burly man slapped the table and stood up. "A Titled Douluo ain't shit! Even if he stood right in front of me, I wouldn't so much as blink. Believe me, I'll chop off your fucking head!"
"Anyone can talk big. You think I'm scared of you?" The man he had provoked had a fiery temper too, and the two looked ready to fight.
Just as their bows were drawn and swords unsheathed-
Two waves of pressure powerful enough to burst their blood vessels descended from above, silencing the entire tavern almost instantly.
Granted, everyone who made it here was a vicious criminal.
But even the most vicious villain feared death.
Besides, these people had not even managed to enter Slaughter City.
Only Slaughter City was truly a place without rules. The people in the tavern might have looked savage and ruthless, but they were merely borrowing Slaughter City's fearsome reputation to indulge in some big talk and scare newcomers. At the very least, however loudly they shouted, they would not actually come to blows.
As the pressure descended, two figures approached through the air.
Walking through the air! Titled Douluo!
In an instant, the entire town outside Slaughter City fell silent.
It could even have been called terrifyingly silent.
A falling needle could have been heard.
In this world where strength reigned supreme, Titled Douluo were nothing short of nightmares to ordinary Soul Masters.
Especially when two had arrived at once. The burly man who had just boasted that he would not even blink had lost all his bluster. Aside from frantically swallowing in fear, all he could do was tremble on weak legs.
That was... Bibi Dong, the Pope of Spirit Hall!
Someone recognized Bibi Dong and also noticed Huo Yuhao beside her. Why did that young man look somewhat like the Spirit Transferring Hall Master described in rumors from the outside world?
No way!
Were they going to enter Slaughter City?
At that moment, the whole town erupted. The Pope of Spirit Hall and the Spirit Transferring Hall Master had arrived at Slaughter City, and everyone felt an inexplicable weight pressing down on them.
Had something happened in Slaughter City?
"Go on in, Yuhao. The entrance is inside."
Bibi Dong pointed into the tavern, her gaze turning faintly cold as it swept over a black-clad attendant behind the counter. "Open the passage..."
Sure enough.
Bibi Dong's intimidation worked remarkably well.
After all, she was one of the world's two Slaughter Gods. Who did not know Bibi Dong?
Seeing a Slaughter God arrive in person, the previously indifferent attendant's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly pressed a button beneath the counter. With a rumble, the passage to Slaughter City opened.
At the sight of the underground passage winding downward, Huo Yuhao nodded to Bibi Dong, then leaped down without hesitation.
The journey went smoothly.
Following the passage through the blood mist surrounding Slaughter City, Huo Yuhao finally reached the legendary black city whose very name struck terror into people's hearts.
Strangely, Huo Yuhao encountered no resistance. It seemed Bibi Dong had spoken to the King of Slaughter beforehand.
Upon passing through the gates, he was greeted by a world of blue and purple. The lamps hanging along both sides of the streets cast only dim blue and purple light. There were plenty of people here, most dressed in shabby clothes, their eyes carrying varying degrees of brutality and numbness.
As he entered the main city-
Huo Yuhao was met by his own Black Veil Guide, who registered a private stone house for him before leading him toward the Hell Slaughter Arena.
"Hehe... another tempting pretty boy has come to Slaughter City."
"Such tender skin. A Bloody Mary made from him would definitely be fresh."
"Making a Bloody Mary would be such a waste. Once his twenty-four hours are up, I've got to enjoy him first."
"Pervert..."
"..."
As Huo Yuhao walked along the street, he drew the attention of quite a few killers. But with the Black Veil Guide accompanying him, they did not dare do anything to him yet.
Filth, bloodshed, and violence filled the streets. Of course, there were also people struggling to survive in the cracks.
Although Slaughter City restricted the use of Soul Skills, it could not restrict spiritual power. Huo Yuhao's spiritual power had already locked onto those loose-tongued fellows and marked them.
They had better pray they could survive the next twenty-four hours.
He had just entered the vicinity of the Hell Slaughter Arena.
Just then, a sudden commotion broke out in the street.
"Shit, it's the Hell Messenger! Looks like she's fighting that terrifying guy who won twelve matches in a row after only being here a month!"
"Tsk, tsk. The Slaughter Envoy is so fucking sexy. I'd want a taste of her even if it killed me..."
"Idiot, do you really want to die? That's the Hell Messenger! This is the inner city. Even if you don't enter the Hell Slaughter Arena, she can still cut your head off!"
Not far from Huo Yuhao, two fallen men were speaking in hushed voices. When one revealed his true nature and started spouting nonsense, the other hurriedly grabbed him and berated him under his breath.
"Wh-what are you looking at, pretty boy..." Sensing Huo Yuhao's gaze, the fallen man's face turned slightly pale. Terror filled his expression as he hastily fled the inner city.
"The Slaughter Envoy? Hu Liena?"
Huo Yuhao looked up with a slight frown. Sure enough, he could faintly make out two familiar figures through gaps in the crowd.
Tang San?!
Indeed.
Who else could the man sparring with Hu Liena have been but Tang San? However, Tang San seemed to have already awakened his Blue Silver Emperor bloodline, changing his appearance. Hu Liena did not recognize him at all.
Why were those two fighting?
Boom!
Just then, Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer slammed into Hu Liena's chest. Her face went pale, and she was forced backward.
"Clear Sky Hammer! Thanks for the match!"
Tang San squared his shoulders and withdrew his hammer, not even glancing at Hu Liena. "You're no match for me. You'd better pray we don't meet in the Hell Slaughter Arena, or else..."
Before he could finish, a streak of brilliant golden light shot through the crowd, heading straight for Tang San's face.
Not good.
Danger struck in an instant, and Tang San instinctively swung his Clear Sky Hammer to intercept it.
BOOM!!!
An even more deafening blast rang out. The Clear Sky Hammer shattered the instant it touched the white light, and Tang San involuntarily spewed a mouthful of blood.
Who?!
All the watching killers were stunned.
Even Hu Liena, who was still flying backward, was stunned. Just then, she felt a gentle force around her waist, and someone caught her.
"Huo Yuhao!"
"It's you!"
Hu Liena and Tang San cried out in shock almost simultaneously, staring dumbfounded as Huo Yuhao stepped before the crowd.
One was excited.
The other was terrified.
Huo Yuhao recalled the Golden Dragon Spear and looked indifferently at Tang San. "Get lost!"
Before you continue