The Fisherman of Slaughter City

Deep in the Star Luo Sea.

Lin Yuan's fishing rod bent sharply. The pull was not strong, but it was heavy.

He lifted the rod and reeled in a palm-sized black iron token. A blood-red character for "slaughter" was carved into it.

Ma Hongjun leaned over. "What the heck is that? A scrap of iron?"

The system chimed:

[Ding! Obtained a Slaughter City Entry Token. Slaughter City: a trial ground established by the Elder Asura God. The host may enter to train. Warning: there is no leaving Slaughter City except through Hell Road.]

Lin Yuan turned the token over in his hands. "Slaughter City?"

Xiao Ruoxue came closer for a look, and her expression changed. "You're going there?"

"You know about it?"

"The headmaster of East City Academy said Slaughter City was forbidden ground in the Soul Master World. Nine out of ten people who go in never come out." Xiao Ruoxue stared at the token in his hand. "He said the Soul Masters inside were all lunatics."

Lin Yuan put the token away. "I'm going."

Shui Bing'er stepped in front of him. "It's too dangerous."

"My Martial Soul needs rare Soul Beasts. I've fished every stretch of water on the continent, but there's a river in Slaughter City called the Yellow Springs River. There's something in it."

Xiao Ruoxue frowned. "How do you know?"

"I just do."

Both women fell silent.

Lin Yuan looked at them. "Go back to the academy and wait for me. One year at most."

Xiao Ruoxue bit her lip. "I'm coming with you."

"Slaughter City won't let two people enter together."

Xiao Ruoxue froze. "How do you know?"

Lin Yuan gave the token a shake. "It says so."

A line of small characters really was carved on the back: "One person, one token."

Shui Bing'er caught Xiao Ruoxue by the sleeve. "Let him go. He dared to stop a Titled Douluo's line. Slaughter City won't stop him."

Xiao Ruoxue glanced at Shui Bing'er and, for the first time, did not argue.

Lin Yuan rested his fishing rod on his shoulder and walked a few steps before looking back at them.

"One year. I'll find you at Skywater Academy."

Shui Bing'er nodded. "You said it."

"A fisherman keeps his word."

He left.

Slaughter City.

An underground city that never saw the light of day.

Its entrance was a descending staircase. Torches lined the walls on either side, their flames an eerie dark red.

When Lin Yuan entered, a guard at the door handed him a cup of Yellow Springs Dew.

The guard said, "New here? Drink it. You can't get in otherwise."

Lin Yuan glanced at the cup of murky liquid. "No."

"Then don't blame us for getting rough..."

Lin Yuan showed him the iron token. The guard's face changed, and he stepped back.

"A Hundred-Victory Token... Please, go ahead."

System notice: [Ding! Entered Slaughter City. Rule: participation in every slaughter match is mandatory. Win one hundred matches in a row to challenge Hell Road. Losers die.]

Lin Yuan swept his gaze over the Soul Masters around him. Every one of them had a vicious glint in their eyes, like a pack of mad dogs that had gone hungry for days.

"System."

"Yes?"

"Where's the water?"

[Answer: the Yellow Springs River is at the entrance to Hell Road, but access requires one hundred victories.]

"One hundred matches to fish through first, then."

The Hell Slaughter Arena.

A circular arena whose floor was covered in blood-red patterns.

Soul Masters with all manner of savage faces filled the stands, shouting and roaring.

In the first match, his opponent was a level-thirty-five Berserk System Soul Master who charged at him with an axe in each hand.

Lin Yuan stood still. Fishing line slipped from his sleeve and formed a loop at his feet.

His opponent charged into it. The line caught his ankle, and he pitched forward. Lin Yuan sidestepped him and rapped the back of his head with the fishing rod.

His opponent passed out.

The arena went quiet for two seconds, then erupted in boos.

"That's it? One move?"

"Boring! We want our money back!"

Lin Yuan ignored them and walked off the stage.

The second match, the third, the fourth.

He used the same approach every time: lay a loop, wait for the fish to bite, then haul in the net.

By the tenth match, someone in the stands shouted, "Try something else! Is that the only damn move you know?"

Lin Yuan looked back at him. "One move is enough."

In the twentieth match, his opponent was a level-forty-five Agility Attack System Soul Master. He was so fast that he reached Lin Yuan before the loop was set.

Lin Yuan flicked his wrist. Fishing line shot from his fingertips and wrapped around his opponent's ankle. Using the force of the man's charge, Lin Yuan flung him sideways. He struck the arena wall and passed out.

In the thirtieth match, his opponent was a Defense System Soul Master with a Turtle Shell Martial Soul. He stood motionless in the center of the arena.

Lin Yuan cast his rod. The hook caught a gap in the shell, and one tug tore it off.

His opponent ran out naked.

The whole arena roared with laughter. Someone in the stands started chanting, "Fisherman! Fisherman!"

In the fiftieth match, his opponent was a Control System Soul Master who sealed off the arena with vines.

Lin Yuan planted his fishing rod in the ground and cast his line. It wound around his opponent's vines, turning them back on their master. Bound by his own vines, the man could not move.

In the seventieth match, his opponent was a level-fifty-five Power Attack System Soul Master, fifteen levels above Lin Yuan.

This time, Lin Yuan laid no loop. He cast his rod straight away, hooked his opponent's collar, and used the force of the man's charge to lift him. The man dangled in midair, struggled for three seconds, then crashed to the ground.

The eightieth match, the ninetieth, the ninety-ninth. All victories.

The hundredth match.

His opponent was a slender woman with her face covered and a short blade in her hand. She moved with incredible speed, but stood at the far end of the arena without rushing to attack.

Lin Yuan laid his loop. The woman did not charge into it. Instead, she circled him.

Lin Yuan said, "Not taking the bait?"

The woman spoke in a cool voice. "I've watched every one of your matches. That loop won't work on me."

Lin Yuan smiled. "Then how do you plan to fight?"

The woman suddenly accelerated, darting in from the side. Her short blade stabbed straight toward Lin Yuan's throat.

Lin Yuan dodged sideways. Fishing line sprang from his sleeve and caught her wrist, but she threw three Hidden Weapons with her other hand.

Lin Yuan knocked two aside with his rod. The third grazed his cheek.

They broke apart. The woman stood three paces away, breathing hard.

Lin Yuan wiped the blood from his face. "Your blade is fast."

The woman said, "Your line is faster."

"What's your name?"

She hesitated for a second. "Nana."

Hu Liena.

Lin Yuan recognized her voice. He had heard it at the Elite Tournament finals.

He did not expose her.

System notice: [Ding! Key figure detected: Hu Liena (Saintess of Spirit Hall). Current relationship: neutral. Recommendation: keep your distance.]

Lin Yuan rested his fishing rod on his shoulder. "Nana, you've lost."

Hu Liena said, "I haven't lost yet."

"Your blade can't reach me. My line can reach you. You're already inside my loop."

Hu Liena looked down. At some point, a loop of fishing line had wrapped around her ankle.

She froze.

Lin Yuan tugged his rod, pulling Hu Liena off her feet.

The referee announced, "The hundredth match—a victory! A new hundred-victory champion has emerged in the Hell Slaughter Arena!"

The arena erupted.

System notice: [Ding! One hundred victories achieved in the Hell Slaughter Arena. Soul Power +5 levels. Current Soul Power: level 40. Hell Road unlocked.]

Hu Liena got up and brushed the dust from her clothes, looking at Lin Yuan.

Hu Liena said, "Who are you, really?"

Lin Yuan said, "A fisherman."

Hu Liena asked, "Are you taking Hell Road alone?"

"You want to go too?"

Hu Liena nodded. "I arrived a year before you. Ninety-nine victories. I was one match short."

Lin Yuan looked at her. "Then shall we go together?"

Hu Liena was silent for a long time.

"Fine. But once we're on Hell Road, I won't hold back again."

Lin Yuan smiled. "It won't make a difference whether you do or not."

Hu Liena walked up to him and lowered her voice. "You recognized me."

"Yeah."

"When?"

"When you used your blade." Lin Yuan put his fishing rod away. "You used the Fox-Tail Blade at the Elite Tournament finals. That move just now was exactly the same."

Hu Liena stared at him for three seconds. "Then why didn't you expose me?"

"Why would I?" Lin Yuan headed for the exit. "You must have your reasons for coming to Slaughter City. I won't ask, and you don't ask me about mine."

Hu Liena followed him. "Then what are we on Hell Road?"

"Fishing buddies."

Hu Liena stopped short. "What?"

"Anyone walking Hell Road together is a fishing buddy." Lin Yuan glanced back at her. "Once we're done fishing this road, we'll go our separate ways."

Hu Liena walked a few steps in silence, then suddenly laughed.

"Fine. Fishing buddies."

They walked side by side toward the entrance to Hell Road.

The system chimed again:

[Ding! Entrance to Hell Road unlocked. The Yellow Springs River lies ahead. An ancient variant, the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent, lives in the river. Warning: this Soul Beast is one hundred thousand years old. The host is currently too weak to fight it. Recommendation: negotiate, do not engage.]

Lin Yuan glanced at the system notice, then at Hu Liena beside him.

"Nana."

"Yeah?"

"There's a river on Hell Road."

"I know. The Yellow Springs River."

"There's a snake in it."

Hu Liena stopped. "What kind of snake?"

Lin Yuan drew out his fishing rod. The hook flashed in the dark-red firelight.

"A hundred-thousand-year-old one."

Hu Liena's face changed. "You're going to fight a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?"

"No." Lin Yuan smiled. "I'm going to fish for it."