Chapter 69: The City of Slaughter (I)
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Li Luochen followed Qian Jun and Jiang Mo Douluo for many days until they finally arrived at a small town.
Though the town appeared unremarkable, the moment Li Luochen stepped inside, he sensed something odd about the atmosphere. He felt an unusual chill emanating from the people around him.
Killing intent! Li Luochen thought to himself.
Qian Jun and Jiang Mo Douluo led Li Luochen into a tavern.
The air inside was thick and murky. Li Luochen noticed that all the decorations were black. Though it was daytime outside, stepping into this place gave one a chilling, dark sensation.
Indeed, it was very dark—definitely not a place fit for humans. At this moment, about thirty percent of the seats in the tavern were occupied. Despite the murky air, few people spoke, making the place eerily quiet.
The arrival of Qian Jun , Jiang Mo Douluo, and Li Luochen drew some attention, but most only glanced briefly before looking away.
Qian Jun and Jiang Mo Douluo took Li Luochen to sit in the middle of the room. A waiter dressed in black with a cold expression approached them.
"What would you like to order?"
"Bring us three Bloody Marys," Qian Jun Douluo said indifferently.
The waiter's expression shifted slightly. "Are you sure?" But under the icy glare of Jiang Mo Douluo, he dared not say more and quickly turned to leave.
A short while later, three glasses of murky liquid were brought to their table. The liquid was a dark red color, emitting a strong, pungent smell reminiscent of fresh blood.
Li Luochen stared at the liquid in his glass. Human blood? Or perhaps poisoned human blood? Surely, my masters wouldn't make me drink it…
"Xiao Chen, drink it," Qian Jun Douluo said with closed eyes, while Jiang Mo Douluo twirled his Coiling Dragon Staff idly.
Umm… Can I say no? It seems there's no escape.
Li Luochen downed the liquid in one gulp. It tasted salty with a hint of sourness. The overwhelming stench of blood instantly filled his senses.
*Pfft—*
Sorry, I couldn't hold it in. Drinking human blood is really not my thing—ugh, this is tough on me.
The violent vomiting shattered the silence of the tavern, drawing the attention of all the patrons.
Mocking laughter erupted.
"Where did this rookie come from? Go back home. This isn't a place for you."
"One Bloody Mary is too much for you? And you think you're qualified to enter?"
"Haha, go home and suckle your mother's milk."
{T/N: Personally I wouldn't take that.}
All sorts of vulgar comments filled the tavern. The patrons seemed to have found an outlet for their pent-up frustrations, unleashing their ridicule without restraint.
After emptying his stomach, Li Luochen still couldn't completely rid himself of the lingering metallic taste. He nearly vomited up bile, the worst bout of nausea he'd ever experienced.
Slowly, Li Luochen pulled out a water pouch, rinsed his mouth, and spat.
Once he finished rinsing, he looked at Qian Jun Douluo, waiting for further instructions.
Without opening his eyes, Qian Jun Douluo pointed at the crowd and said, "Kill them all."
The mocking laughter abruptly ceased. Everyone's gaze toward Qian Jun Douluo turned strange.
"Showing mercy to your enemies is cruelty to yourself. No one who has made it here is undeserving of death. Kill them—all of them, without exception," Jiang Mo Douluo added calmly.
Upon hearing this, Li Luochen stood up and immediately unleashed his spirit—the Coiling Dragon Staff.
Yellow, purple, purple, black, black.
Five soul rings appeared.
Activating his Tyrant Dragon Battle Form, he swung his staff at everyone still seated. Some tried to resist, but they were instantly shattered.
Blood, bones, and flesh splattered across the tavern. Though Li Luochen had never killed before, he knew it would take time to adapt. To expedite the process, he went all out, smashing them into pieces.
He left the corpses scattered grotesquely around the room, killing everyone in the most nauseating way possible.
As Li Luochen returned to his normal state, he gazed at the ground littered with broken bones and flesh. His entire body trembled, and his face turned pale.
An intense wave of nausea threatened to overwhelm him, but since he had already emptied his stomach, only dry heaves came out.
By now, Li Luochen's eyes were bloodshot. This was his first time killing. Taking deep breaths, he reminded himself that dizziness was normal.
He activated his head soul bone to quickly stabilize his emotions, took a deep breath, and stood up. Though he still felt somewhat nauseated, his eyes now carried a trace of coldness.
"Not bad, kid. You've recovered faster than expected. See that hole beneath the bar? That leads to the City of Slaughter.
Remember, once you enter the City of Slaughter, you can only rely on yourself. I won't be by your side, nor will I protect you. There are no friends or allies—only enemies. Eliminate anyone who poses a threat to you.
Achieve a hundred victories in the Hell Slaughter Arena, then pass through the Hell Road. Once you complete these tasks, survive and show my brother and me how strong your future holds. Go."
Jiang Mo Douluo patted Li Luochen on the shoulder as he spoke.
Li Luochen glanced at his two masters, walked to the bar, and jumped into the hole.
In the bar, only Qian Jun and Jiang Mo Douluo remained.
"Brother, do you think this kid can handle it? I've started to appreciate him. He can't die here, right?" Jiang Mo Douluo rested his chin on his hand, uncertainty in his voice.
"Xiao Chen is extraordinary. His talent is remarkable—he'll become a Super Douluo sooner or later, surpassing us without a doubt. But he's also aware of his shortcomings.
He hasn't seen enough bloodshed. True strength rises from corpses. Remember when we fought fallen Soul Douluos as Soul Emperors? We still bear the scars from that battle.
That experience made us stronger and improved our synergy. Together, we fear no opponent. If Xiao Chen survives—and there's no 'if'—he might even surpass Miss Xue."
Qian Jun Douluo had interacted with Li Luochen frequently, meeting him twice a month. He understood his disciple well. His staff techniques had reached a bottleneck, and he lacked momentum. The City of Slaughter was perfect for him.
"If that's the case, then it's fine. The King of Slaughter has been watching for so long—it's time for him to show himself," Jiang Mo Douluo said, addressing the empty space.
"Heh, Qian Jun and Jiang Mo Douluo of the Spirit Hall—what brings you to my City of Slaughter? Are you trying to create another God of Slaughter?"
The King of Slaughter wore a crimson robe, his entire body wrapped in a massive scarlet cloak with a high collar. His complexion was pale, his hair and eyes blood-red. From afar, he resembled a streak of blood.
"Hmph, does the Spirit Hall need your approval for its actions? The boy who just entered is a key disciple of ours. Don't try anything sneaky, or the City of Slaughter… Well, you know what will happen."
Qian Jun Douluo glared coldly at the King of Slaughter.
The King of Slaughter was furious but powerless. Both Qian Jun and Jiang Mo Douluo were level ninety-six, and together they could rival a level ninety-eight opponent. He was no match for them. Moreover, the Spirit Hall supplied the City of Slaughter's resources—its lifeline was in their hands.
"Hmph, if he dies in the slaughter arena, don't blame me."
With that, the King of Slaughter departed. Qian Jun and Jiang Mo Douluo also left—the message delivered, they needed to return to the Hall of Elders.
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