"I'll take them out with me. As for you, Jianjun, I need you to go somewhere-Slaughter City! Do you know it?"
"Yes."
Chen Jianjun's sword-like brows stirred slightly.
Slaughter City had existed for a thousand years, perhaps even longer.
With Spirit Hall overseeing the continent, most Soul Masters who strayed onto evil paths, committed crimes, and slaughtered people like scything grass were branded Fallen Ones and banished to Slaughter City by Spirit Hall.
It was a prison for Soul Masters.
"It's extremely dangerous there. Within Slaughter City, Soul Masters cannot use their soul skills. That's why Spirit Hall sends those Fallen Ones there and leaves them to live or die on their own."
"But opportunities exist there, too. They hold life-and-death duels similar to soul fighting. Once you win enough matches, you're given a chance."
"A chance to enter 'Hell Road.' That road tempers the heart and is unimaginably difficult. If you make it through, you gain a domain. Otherwise, you become 'nourishment for Hell Road.'"
"But I'm not sending you into Slaughter City. I'm sending you to the Spirit Hall Branch there to serve as an enforcement elder. I'll tell you exactly what to do when the time comes."
Seeing the flicker in Chen Jianjun's eyes, Qian Daoliu pondered for a moment before continuing:
"And... Tang Chen is there, too. He may well be undergoing a god's inheritance trials..."
"What!!!"
Before Qian Daoliu could finish, everyone's pupils contracted at the mention of a god's inheritance. They were stunned.
Who could remain calm before a god's inheritance?
"But if you want to enter, you must wait for my orders. If the timing is wrong, going in will only lead to death."
Qian Daoliu spoke coldly as he looked at those who were tempted.
Everyone felt the chill in his words and shuddered involuntarily.
"A god's inheritance isn't something you receive simply by going there. You only qualify when the god chooses you as their successor."
"Otherwise, you're merely a plaything the god uses to pass the time."
"Yes, Great Enshrined."
Golden Crocodile led the others in a solemn response.
Qian Daoliu thought of Tang Chen. Perhaps he was precisely the god's "plaything" he had just described.
The Rakshasa God had interfered with his inheritance trials, and he had ultimately fallen under the control of a bloodsucking bat.
For a first-level god to meddle with a God King's successor was nothing more than a provocation. The Rakshasa God's only possible end was death, while Tang Chen's situation could only mean that he had failed to draw the Asura God's attention.
Otherwise, judging by what Tang Xiaosan displayed later, the Asura God would only have needed the slightest thought, and Tang Chen's predicament would have been no predicament at all.
A two-thousand-year-old Man Faced Demon Spider dropping a peerless external soul bone? You might as well tell him someone pulled gold on every card in a ten-pull-he would believe that. Whether that person would still be alive after the pulls was another question.
Chen Jianjun nodded after listening, but something still felt wrong. What was it?
"Um, are all of you going to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?"
A level 99 Peerless Douluo, accompanied by six Peak Douluos: one who had spent years at level 98, three at level 97, and two at level 96.
With a lineup like that, Spirit Hall truly deserved its reputation as the continent's foremost Soul Master organization.
Even the Upper Three Sects combined couldn't assemble such a force. If they all went, wouldn't they be going to wipe out the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?
At that thought, Chen Jianjun suddenly shuddered. Surely he hadn't brought any trouble down on his family?
If he were alone, he wouldn't have much to fear, but Chen Jianjun wasn't alone.
He had a family.
His family could make him strong, but they could also become his weakness.
Ah, what am I worrying about? One swing of the man before me's sword, and I'd be gone.
And these men belonged only to the Worship Hall. Below it was the Elder Hall, which also had Titled Douluos. Even these were merely the forces visible on the surface.
Worrying would do no good.
"Don't be nervous. We old fellows have spent so long in the Worship Hall that we've almost lost touch with the continent. We're simply taking the opportunity to unwind along the way."
"But it would indeed be inappropriate for all of us to go."
As though he had seen through Chen Jianjun's worries, Qian Daoliu offered an explanation.
"Big Brother, didn't we agree last time that everyone from the Worship Hall would go?"
Jiang Mo grew anxious. He was afraid he wouldn't get to go.
"I thought it over. Having everyone go really would be inappropriate. Spirit Hall still needs people here."
"Draw lots to decide. Those who stay will help the Supreme Pontiff conduct a thorough purge throughout Spirit Hall."
Qian Daoliu considered a solution.
There were six of them, so he would take three.
With that in mind, Qian Daoliu carved the six enshrinements' ranks onto stones, then turned them face down.
"Dong'er, help me choose."
"..."
Bibi Dong felt terribly put upon. Would the teachers she failed to choose blame her?
"Dong'er, go ahead and choose without worrying."
Seeing Bibi Dong's predicament, Golden Crocodile spoke up to ease her discomfort.
"All right, then. Teachers, please don't blame me."
Praying inwardly, Bibi Dong turned over three stones in succession.
"Second Teacher, Fifth Teacher, and Seventh Teacher."
Hearing the result, Guang Ling and Jiang Mo exchanged a glance, each seeing excitement in the other's eyes.
Wonderful! We can finally go out and get some fresh air.
Looking at Azure Luan, Lion, and Qian Jun, who had not been assigned to stay behind, Qian Daoliu spoke solemnly:
"Exactly three. Next time we head out, it will be your turn. Spirit Hall is in your hands."
"Yes, Big Brother!"
Azure Luan and the other two gave a proper knightly salute.
Then Qian Daoliu looked at the excited Guang Ling and Jiang Mo and began to feel excited himself.
"Good! The members of the Worship Hall's first tour group are Golden Crocodile, Guang Ling, and Jiang Mo. Our first destination: Star Dou Great Forest!"
It was a bright, sunny afternoon.
Four figures departed through Spirit City's southern gate.
Qian Daoliu and the other three enshrinements wore blue-green robes and golden pauldrons, each outfit embroidered with the characteristics of its wearer's martial soul:
Qian Daoliu's golden pauldrons and gold-thread accents lent him a sacred majesty;
Golden Crocodile looked imposing, his presence vast and powerful;
Guang Ling was a white-haired youth adorned with patterns of ice;
Jiang Mo, uh, sported gold-thread outlines and looked utterly flamboyant.
As for Bibi Dong, she had changed into a fitted purple outfit, accented with floral embroidery and cutouts at the collarbone, combining cool comfort with a girlish charm.
Apart from Qian Daoliu, who relied on his martial soul, Bibi Dong and the others were all flying with soul power.
To accommodate Bibi Dong, who had only just become a prospective Soul Saint, they did not travel particularly fast.
Fortunately, Spirit City was relatively close to Star Dou Great Forest, and they reached the Spirit Hall Station on its outskirts that evening.
Many inns surrounded the station, catering to the teams of Soul Masters who came to hunt for soul rings.
Inside a private dining room at the Spirit Hall Branch,
A massive bear paw sat atop the dining table.
Qian Daoliu sat at the head of the table, with Golden Crocodile opposite him. Bibi Dong sat to Qian Daoliu's left, while Guang Ling and Jiang Mo sat to his right.
The table was laden with meat. After arriving, Jiang Mo had dragged Guang Ling along to join a team of Soul Masters preparing to hunt for soul rings, helping them surround and kill a Great Strength Vajra Bear that had gone berserk.
When the two of them released their soul rings, there had been eighteen in all.
The entire team had been dumbstruck. As for that little bear, which had only just reached five thousand years, the pressure from the two men had even cured its frenzy.
Afterward, the two had dragged the little bear back and asked the Branch Hall master to find a chef to prepare a feast.
"Teacher, what soul beast are we going to hunt?"
Before you continue