Chapter 40 Slave Mark

Tang San remained utterly composed because he had already discovered something during his time here—he possessed a universal pass.

With a hum, Tang San directly released his second Martial Soul, revealing a unique emblem pattern on the back of his hand.

!!!

The moment they saw this emblem pattern, the two Slaughter Envoys blocking his way experienced a seismic shift in their pupils. However, Tang San keenly noticed that their expressions were entirely different from Terror Knight Scott's. There was no fear or panic in their eyes—only reverence.

This sight confirmed a hypothesis Tang San had long held: within the world of Slaughter City, multiple factions existed. At the very least, two opposing forces were in conflict.

His reasoning was simple—it stemmed from the God of Slaughter Domain.

The God of Slaughter Domain existed to break the rule that Soul Rings couldn't be used in this place. In other words, the God of Slaughter Domain clashed with this world's inherent laws—it was a power meant to suppress this realm. This proved that two opposing forces were at odds here: one being the God of Slaughter Domain, and the other being this world's innate power to seal Martial Souls.

If Slaughter City granted the God of Slaughter Domain, then this Ghost City most likely belonged to the opposing faction.

Keeping his expression neutral, Tang San spoke calmly, "Go and announce my arrival. I've come home."

Hearing this, the two quickly regained their composure. After all, they were merely gatekeepers with no authority to make decisions. One of them immediately turned and vanished into the tower.

Soon, the Slaughter Envoy who had gone to deliver the message returned. Her previously cold gaze had now turned friendly, her eyes brimming with admiration that nearly transformed into heart-shaped pupils as she looked at Tang San.

"Our master requests your presence."

The Slaughter Envoy led the way while Tang San followed leisurely, his demeanor unruffled. Yet the moment he stepped into Ghost Tower, he was stunned once more. He could hardly believe he was standing inside a tower.

Before him stretched a magnificent landscape of mountains and rivers, reminiscent of the Clear Sky Sect's sect land. Medicinal herbs, fruits, vegetables, and grains flourished in abundance, while clusters of spiritual grasses thrived beside gurgling spirit springs. The scene resembled a sacred paradise, breathtaking to behold.

Frowning, Tang San looked up at the sky and asked, "Is this tower a storage-type Soul Guidance Device capable of holding living beings?!"

He had heard of rare Soul Guidance Devices that could sustain life, creating self-contained ecosystems within their spatial confines. Not only could they store living creatures, but they could also be used for cultivation. However, such Soul Guidance Devices were exceedingly rare, and their internal spaces were typically small—the largest Tang San had heard of spanned only half an acre.

But this was far beyond half an acre!

Then again, it made sense. Given Ghost Tower's colossal size, its internal space would naturally surpass those pocket-sized Soul Guidance Devices.

The two Slaughter Envoys offered no reply to Tang San's question, silently continuing to guide him forward.

Eventually, they led him into an ancient hall of grand and imposing majesty—a place so magnificent it seemed fit for a deity. Once Tang San was inside, the Slaughter Envoys withdrew without a sound.

Not long after they left, a voice echoed through the hall:

"Come, let your mother take a good look at you."

The voice was exceptionally pleasant, carrying a unique charm. As the words fell, a woman approached gracefully, her alluring figure drawing everyone's gaze involuntarily.

By the time Tang San noticed, the figure had already appeared before him like a ghost. Her attire was not much different from that of a Slaughter Envoy—her face veiled in black gauze, revealing only a pair of bright eyes. Clad in black robes with long, trailing sleeves, the fabric struggled to conceal her breathtaking figure.

The only differences from other Slaughter Envoys were the fan-shaped mark on her forehead and her hair tied up with a peculiar hairpin.

Tang San took two slow steps back without saying a word, then channeled Soul Power into his Soul Guidance Device and retrieved a token from it. This was the Clear Sky Sect's Douluo Token, belonging to his father, Tang Hao—the only one of its kind in the world. However, this token was missing a corner.

Seeing this, the woman covered her mouth and chuckled softly. "I never thought that brute Tang Hao could raise such a cautious child. Seems I was right to let him take you away instead of keeping you here."

With a flip of her hand, the missing corner of the token appeared in her palm. There was no doubt—the two pieces fit together perfectly. As the corner rejoined the token, a bright light flashed, and a projection of the Clear Sky Hammer materialized.

The true confirmation of identity wasn't just the matching pieces, but the Soul Power Tang Hao had left on the missing corner. When the Soul Power from the corner touched the token, it would release a projection of Tang Hao's Clear Sky Hammer Spirit—this was the real verification method.

Seeing that the corner indeed carried his father's Soul Power, there was no longer any doubt. The token could be replicated, but no one in this world could ever duplicate the Soul Power of the Clear Sky Douluo.

"Convinced now?" Hongyan looked at her cautious son and couldn't help but smile, slowly leaning forward with open arms to embrace him.

Being suddenly hugged, Tang San instinctively tensed up, even though the proof of identity was flawless. After all, he hadn't seen his mother in ten years. Soon, however, the warmth of their blood connection made him relax.

"I'm sorry, my son. Your mother has never held you before. I'm sorry." Hongyan's voice carried a trace of sorrow as she repeated her apology twice.

Tang San shook his head gently. "It's alright. Father told me everything—Slaughter Envoys can't leave this place."

At these words, Hongyan's expression shifted. She slowly released him, her gaze turning solemn. "Slaughter Envoys? No, that's just a name outsiders gave us—a prettier one at that. Our people are nothing but servants, slaves… slaves of the God of Slaughter."

As she spoke, Tang San watched as his mother slowly removed her veil. Beneath the black gauze was a hideous mark, as if branding her identity.

"Mother, that mark—!"

Hongyan replaced the veil and said, "This black gauze isn't decoration or part of my attire. It's a cloth of shame, meant to hide the Slave Mark on my face."

Tang San stood frozen in place. The Slaughter Envoys were slaves of the God of Slaughter?!

But upon reflection, it made sense. Based on his father's description, the Slaughter Envoys weren't messengers delivering orders or representatives of Slaughter City. They were more like workers, responsible for guiding newcomers who arrived in Slaughter City.

Aren't the workers of Slaughter City just slaves of the God of Slaughter? That makes sense.

"Your father must have described the situation in Slaughter City to you." Hearing this, Tang San nodded.

Hongyan gave a cold smile and said, "Every year, all kinds of Soul Masters enter Slaughter City. In that city of crime, those Soul Masters run wild, needing only to kill, offer blood, and fulfill the mission of the God of Slaughter. Yet, that city still has endless resources to maintain its operations. Do you know why?"