Chapter 70: The City of Slaughter (II)
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Li Luochen jumped into the dark void. Though he only fell a few meters, his powerful mental strength—enhanced by his spirit bone—allowed him to see clearly in the darkness.
It was a long passageway, sloping downward at an angle. A cold breeze continuously brushed against Li Luochen's body, but he strode forward with determination. After walking 1,462 steps, a chilling voice suddenly echoed from all directions.
"Welcome to the City of Slaughter. This is the capital of hell, a world filled with slaughter. Here, you can obtain anything you desire—at the cost of your life."
Li Luochen released his mental power and sensed that the material of the passageway was extraordinarily unique—even his mental strength couldn't penetrate it. His expression shifted slightly, but he quickly composed himself. "This place truly lives up to its name—the City of Slaughter. How eerie. Is this some kind of twisted version of the Spirit Hall? Hehehe."
Turning a corner, a faint light appeared ahead. Li Luochen saw a massive gate. Using his mental perception, he detected signs of life on the other side.
As he walked forward, he faintly heard a cacophony of voices. When he emerged from the passageway, 101 people stood before him. All were clad in black armor, their faces completely obscured by helmets. One hundred of them wielded heavy swords, while one sat atop a towering warhorse, also covered in thick black armor.
"You have violated..." Before the knight could finish, Li Luochen sent him flying with a single strike of his staff.
"Villains always die from talking too much. Truly, the ancients weren't wrong," Li Luochen muttered, not even glancing at the fallen knight. He had simply thrown his Coiling Dragon Staff with enough force to rival several tons, sending the knight flying as if it were child's play.
What Li Luochen saw now was a black city. Its massive, thick black walls stretched wide—it was truly a city. Above it hung a purple moon, unnervingly low, appearing to be less than 500 meters above the ground. Looking upward, everything else was pitch black, like an eternal night.
Ah yes, there should be an identification token. Li Luochen turned back to search the fallen knight's body and finally found a token. Carved on it was a skull, with a number beneath it: [5438].
"5438... Hmm, hmm? Huh! Damn it, I'm number 38?! What kind of luck is this? That dead knight must have been messing with me!"
{T/N: Regional slang to describe stupid people.}
Li Luochen summoned his staff and proceeded to beat the corpse of the offending knight.
After venting for a while, Li Luochen had no choice but to continue onward. The massive black gates gave off an oppressive aura, with the words "City of Slaughter" hanging prominently above them.
At the entrance, two rows of black-armored warriors stood silently. Before Li Luochen could present his token, a woman veiled in black gauze stepped out from within.
"Welcome to the City of Slaughter," she said in a melodious voice. She moved aside and gestured for him to follow. Li Luochen followed her through the gates.
Inside the city was a world bathed in blue and purple hues. The street lamps emitted only these two colors. The streets were bustling with people, yet no one paid attention to this newcomer. Aside from the pervasive gloominess, at first glance, it seemed like any ordinary city.
But something felt deeply off—there were at least fifteen things that didn't sit right. Shouldn't this place be chaotic? It felt strangely calm.
"I am your guide. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. For the next twelve hours, I will answer all your queries. After that, this will be where you live, and you will officially become a resident of the City of Slaughter..."
Blah blah blah, the veiled woman explained the rules and workings of the City of Slaughter.
Oh~ So there's an inner and outer city. I forgot about that. Now it makes sense.
"Let's go—to the Hell Slaughter Arena," Li Luochen said indifferently, eager to leave this accursed place as soon as possible. Staying too long might drive him mad.
The veiled girl paused, surprised. "Are you sure? Less than ten percent of those who enter the arena come out alive. It's also the place where our population decreases the fastest. Each person is required to enter the Hell Slaughter Arena only once a year. Surviving a single battle allows you to live another year in the City of Slaughter."
Li Luochen replied nonchalantly, "I'm sure. You talk way too much."
His words sparked a flicker of anger in the veiled woman, but she could only lead the way.
Soon, they arrived at the inner city—the most chaotic part of the City of Slaughter.
The moment Li Luochen stepped into the inner city, he immediately sensed a stark contrast to the outer city. If the outer city was a realm of deathly silence and coldness, the inner city was a world of extravagance and madness. Vibrant lights of every color illuminated the area. The inner city was far more crowded than the outer city, and the silence of the outer city was replaced by deafening noise.
The inner city was a chaotic mess. Everywhere, there were bursts of manic laughter, cries of agony, and many spine-chilling sounds.
As he ventured deeper, Li Luochen witnessed scenes of true grotesqueness. Without moral constraints, people behaved no differently from animals. And oh, how shockingly vivid the bloodshed was.
Li Luochen remained silent, observing everything. Having just seen blood for the first time, he was still somewhat unsettled, but he knew exposure would help him grow desensitized.
Was it really okay for such bizarre acts to happen openly on the streets? This experience shattered his worldview. No wonder those who left the City of Slaughter often became abnormal.
Li Luochen suddenly realized that in this City of Slaughter, he didn't need to consciously control himself—his killing intent surged uncontrollably. It seemed that only through slaughter could he release the pent-up aggression within.
How brutally straightforward. But as a cultivator, I must fear nothing. Let me indulge in my chuuni fantasies for a moment—will my chuuni soul abandon me once I leave this place?
Suddenly, a burly blond man charged out from the side, his eyes bloodshot. With his massive hands, he tore through one enemy after another.
"Run! Blood Tiger has gone berserk again! Run!"
The man known as Blood Tiger appeared to be in his thirties, but his face was twisted with rage, as if venting something deep inside. His body was drenched in others' blood.
Li Luochen watched Blood Tiger with interest. "Kill more, help me adapt faster. Good thing I haven't eaten anything, or I'd throw up again."
The crowd around Blood Tiger scattered, but his bloodshot eyes locked onto Li Luochen, the nearest target, and he charged straight at him.
Li Luochen: ? Not me, is the guide standing next to me? Why are you charging at me?
He turned to look and realized the guide had already retreated over ten meters away, watching with amusement. "Damn it!"
Li Luochen summoned his Coiling Dragon Staff, dodged Blood Tiger's attack, and swung his staff toward the man's head. Strangely, Blood Tiger blocked it with his other hand, though the impact still left him dizzy and disoriented, his head swaying unsteadily.
Li Luochen followed up with another strike to his stomach, but it was also blocked. Blood Tiger possessed an incredible combat instinct—exactly what Li Luochen wanted.
After enduring two heavy blows, a glimmer of clarity returned to Blood Tiger's eyes. He shook his head, glanced at Li Luochen—who was shorter than him—and then left.
A single strike from Li Luochen could shatter the bones of an ordinary Soul Sage, yet Blood Tiger had managed to block it. Clearly, he possessed a beast-type spirit—one of the top-tier beasts—and likely had soul bones as well.
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