"No!" Tang Hao said firmly.
Faced with Tang San's request, Tang Hao didn't even think before refusing.
"Why?" Tang San persisted, unwilling to give up. He had finally found a place where he could grow stronger, and he was desperate for power.
"You're not ready yet," Tang Hao said. "Even though you've become a Soul King, your skills with the Clear Sky Hammer are still lacking. Next, I will teach you the Nine Ultimate Techniques of the Clear Sky Hammer. Once you've mastered all nine, then you can go to Slaughter City. It won't be too late by then."
With Tang San being the only remaining hope for their family, Tang Hao had to make sure everything was perfectly planned.
"Second Brother, what are you two arguing about?" Tang Yuehua, who had just arrived, walked over and looked at the arguing father and son with a helpless expression.
She was used to this...
"Auntie," Tang San greeted.
"Yuehua, you're back from the clan... What's the clan's... attitude toward Xiao San?" Tang Hao's eyes were filled with melancholy, and there was a hint of helplessness in his brow.
"Second Brother, the clan's evaluation of Xiao San... they..." Tang Yuehua glanced at Tang San.
Tang San understood and excused himself, leaving the room.
After Tang San left, Tang Yuehua sighed. "The clan's evaluation of Xiao San is very low. Almost all the disciples have requested that Xiao San never be allowed to return to the Clear Sky Clan, especially the faction led by the Seventh Elder. The Seventh Elder himself even scolded me and Big Brother last time. You have no idea how sharp his tongue is—it hasn't dulled at all over the years."
Tang Yuehua continued self-deprecatingly, "Xiao San's reputation on the continent is terrible now. With the Spirit Hall's propaganda, he's practically a public enemy. At the same time, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family, one of the top three clans, is also suffering because of Xiao San's teacher. If it weren't for the fact that Yu Xiaogang is the current clan leader's son, he would have been removed from the family registry long ago."
Hearing this, Tang Hao's heart sank to the bottom.
Outside the door, Tang San hadn't left. He was eavesdropping.
"Damn it, how dare those clan members humiliate me like this!" Tang San clenched his fists tightly, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
"Seventh Elder, just you wait!" Tang San gritted his teeth, snorted coldly, and walked away.
---
Two days after Ye Hao left Heaven Dou City.
In a dimly lit town.
A crescent moon hung high in the sky, and the dark night enveloped the entire land.
Ye Hao walked alone through the gloomy town. The people along the way seemed like walking corpses, their eyes vacant as they aimlessly wandered.
When they saw Ye Hao, a stranger, they would suddenly collapse to the ground, reaching out their skeletal-like arms toward him, muttering, "Give me Bloody Mary... Bloody Mary..."
"Bloody Mary?" Ye Hao chuckled mockingly. "Do you think I'm some kind of livestock, just handing out Bloody Mary?"
Ye Hao ignored the person in front of him and walked straight toward the target—a small tavern.
Before setting off for Slaughter City, Ye Hao had specifically asked Bibi Dong for advice.
As a former, and current, Slaughter God, Bibi Dong had spent time there.
As described in his previous life, the air was filled with a faint smell of blood, and the further he went, the stronger the smell became.
Creak—
The dim tavern was lifeless, as if it existed in perpetual twilight.
Ye Hao walked into the tavern with an expressionless face.
The place was filled with people, all of whom had fierce, menacing expressions. When they saw Ye Hao, a young and delicate-looking man, they couldn't help but mock him.
"Where did this pretty boy come from? Has he even grown hair yet?"
"Go home and find your mommy!"
"Hahaha!!!"
"..."
The crowd laughed recklessly, throwing insults at Ye Hao.
Ye Hao sat at the bar and glanced at the numb-looking bartender.
He tapped the counter and said calmly, "Open the entrance. I don't want to engage in unnecessary killing."
The bartender was stunned for a moment, then snorted coldly. "Do you think Slaughter City is a place you can just waltz into?"
As he spoke, he glanced around and slowly backed away.
At the same time, Ye Hao sensed the killing intent emanating from behind him.
"Kill him!"
"If we kill him, we can enter Slaughter City!"
"This must be the Slaughter King's test for us!"
About a dozen people stood up simultaneously, holding broken swords, meteor hammers, spears, and other miscellaneous weapons. Their eyes were filled with murderous intent as they strode toward Ye Hao.
Seeing this, Ye Hao slowly shook his head. "Why bother?"
Then, the fifth soul ring at Ye Hao's feet lit up, and in an instant, he completed his Death Spider Emperor transformation.
In the dim tavern, countless flashes of purple light swept through the air.
The smell of blood in the air grew stronger, and the ground was slowly stained red with blood.
Ye Hao's arms returned to normal, and he smiled as he walked back to the bar.
"Now, do I have the qualifications?"
The bartender was slightly stunned. He had seen many people—some were extremely vicious, others would stop at nothing to achieve their goals. But this was the first time he had seen someone who could kill so casually and still smile without changing his expression.
Everyone who entered Slaughter City was either desperate or had committed too many atrocities on the continent, forcing them to seek refuge in this place of sin.
"You're a tough one, alright."
The bartender smiled and quietly pressed a hidden mechanism.
The ground rumbled as a passage opened, emitting a crimson light that formed a beam. The killing intent in the air grew thicker, mixed with the faint smell of blood.
Ye Hao quickly checked himself, making sure he had everything he needed, then jumped into the passage.
"Wishing you a pleasant journey."
As Ye Hao entered the passage, the bartender gave a sincere smile.
He seemed used to this. He picked up one of the corpses and slowly walked outside, dragging a long trail of blood behind him. His movements were practiced and efficient.
He was clearly a professional!
---
The passage was long, extending deep underground. A strange, cold wind blew against Ye Hao's face.
After walking for a while, a red castle came into view. The entire castle emitted a red aura, and a blood-red crescent moon hung in the sky above it. The castle looked extremely eerie.
At the entrance was a road paved with large bricks, with rows of flames burning on either side, creating a terrifying atmosphere.
"Welcome to Slaughter City, the capital of hell and the paradise for killers. Here, you can get everything you desire, but the price is your life."
"Same old story," Ye Hao shook his head and strode confidently toward the city gates.
In front of him was a group of knights clad in black armor, each holding a heavy sword. Their faces were completely covered, and they rode tall, majestic warhorses also clad in thick black armor.
"Great, more fighting," Ye Hao sighed wearily. If you didn't kill in Slaughter City, could it even be called Slaughter City?
The days ahead would be long...
Upon arriving here, Ye Hao's soul skills were sealed by a mysterious force. Fortunately, the Death God's Heart was still functioning. This power was truly peculiar.
"You have broken the rules," a knight on horseback said as he approached with his broadsword.
Ye Hao rolled his eyes. "Cut the crap. I have a mission to complete. Come at me."
"Arrogant!" the knight roared.
The warhorse neighed and reared up on its hind legs, charging toward Ye Hao with the knight wielding his broadsword.
They had obvious soul power fluctuations. In the unique environment of Slaughter City, only the enforcers approved by the Slaughter King had this ability.
A cold aura spread, and killing intent coiled around the broadsword. The warhorse's heavy footsteps gave off an overwhelming momentum.
Ye Hao, however, remained calm. He leisurely revealed a modified hidden weapon on his wrist.
After obtaining Tang San's hidden weapons, the Spirit Hall had vigorously expanded its business. The blacksmith shops worked day and night, almost without rest.
For the research and innovation of hidden weapons, the Spirit Hall had even gone to the Metal City, Gengxin City, to invite the world's first divine craftsman, Lou Gao.
Lou Gao lived up to his reputation as the world's best craftsman. The hidden weapons that passed through his hands were like new, far more powerful than the previous Tang Sect hidden weapons.
The hidden weapon on Ye Hao's wrist was personally crafted by Lou Gao. It was three times more powerful than the original, and the materials used were even more refined.
Click—
He pulled the trigger, and a silver light shot from his wrist.
The knight, who had been charging at Ye Hao with murderous intent, suddenly stopped. After waiting for about ten seconds...
The knight fell off his horse. What had just happened?
The other knights widened their eyes in shock, momentarily at a loss.
"Stop pretending to be dead," Ye Hao chuckled and shook his head, walking over to the fallen knight.
He crouched down, pulled the silver needle from the knight's helmet, and reloaded it into the launcher on his wrist.
"Now, do I have the qualifications to enter Slaughter City?" Ye Hao smiled, but his smile made the knight shudder.
The knight nodded blankly and took out a token-like object from his pocket, handing it to Ye Hao.
"Six-six-six-six," Ye Hao glanced at it. It was a lucky number, buddy!
"Thanks."
Ye Hao took the token and entered the city...
The dark city gates gave off a oppressive feeling. On the tall city walls, the words "Slaughter City" were prominently displayed.
Suddenly, a woman appeared in front of Slaughter City. She wore a black veil and a short black skirt.
The woman had black lipstick and black marks on her cheeks, giving her an extremely enchanting appearance.
"Welcome to Slaughter City."
The woman smiled softly, giving off an eerie feeling.
After so many years, this was the first time she had received such a handsome young man.
Entering the city, it was a world of blue and purple. The streets were lined with lanterns, but the city itself was as silent as death. There were many people coming and going, some slumped in corners.
Others were engaged in killings, as well as some indescribable activities. Ye Hao felt his scalp tingle. This was indeed a lawless place.
"I am your guide. For the next twelve hours, I will explain everything about Slaughter City to you. During this time, you are absolutely safe. But once the twelve hours are up, you will officially become a member of Slaughter City."
"Do you have any questions you'd like to ask?" the woman asked softly.
"No, just take me to the Hell Killing Arena," Ye Hao said indifferently.
The woman was slightly stunned. "Are you sure? You're the first person I've seen who heads straight to the Hell Killing Arena upon arriving in Slaughter City. This is no different from seeking death. Are you sure you don't want to ask anything else?"
"Hurry up!" Ye Hao urged impatiently.
"Alright!" Seeing Ye Hao's determination, the woman didn't waste any more time. She had wanted to chat a bit, but this man was completely uninterested.
If he was determined to seek death, she would just have to see how he had the confidence to do so.
The dark red crescent moon in the sky cast an eerie glow over Slaughter City, making it look terrifying.
Passing through the outer city, the moment Ye Hao entered the inner city, the bloody atmosphere in the air intensified several times over. White, tangible killing intent filled the surroundings.
This place, once the transcendence ground of the Shura God, had now become what it was today. It was truly lamentable.
The inner city was even more brutal than the outer city. Slaughter was everywhere.
The woman guiding Ye Hao was known as the Hell Messenger. In her eyes, such events were commonplace, as routine as eating a meal.
"The inner city doesn't need guards. Everyone who enters here is no pushover. Since you've just arrived in Slaughter City, it's better to adapt in the outer city first. Otherwise, entering here will expose you to unknown dangers. Please don't stray more than five meters away from me, or I can't guarantee your safety."
The Hell Messenger was very rule-abiding. Despite Ye Hao's request to go directly to the Hell Killing Arena, as they moved forward, some fallen soul master who had been eyeing Ye Hao with ill intent suddenly wilted like frostbitten eggplants when they saw the Hell Messenger.
They could only watch helplessly as Ye Hao and the Hell Messenger walked away...
In this lawless place, Ye Hao had no choice but to use killing to stop killing and chaos to control chaos.
Ye Hao had come here not only to complete the Death God's first trial but also for the Slaughter Domain.
The Slaughter Domain was extremely tempting, but in the past thousand years, only eight Slaughter Gods had emerged.
This meant that only eight people had passed the trials, which showed just how extraordinary Slaughter City was.
"By the way, is the Slaughter King... still here?" Ye Hao asked casually.
Suddenly, the Hell Messenger stopped and looked at Ye Hao seriously.
"Number six-six-six-six, watch your tone. The great Slaughter King is the ruler of Slaughter City, the supreme being here. Any words that insult the great Slaughter King should be carefully considered."
"Tch!" Ye Hao scoffed. Was he afraid of him?
It was just an old bat possessing Tang Chen, who eventually became the Slaughter King.
Even though Ye Hao couldn't use soul power or soul skills, the Death God's Heart was still functional.
"The slaughter... has officially begun!"
Ye Hao grinned and strode toward the Hell Killing Arena in the distance.
---
Meanwhile, one month after Ye Hao entered Slaughter City.
On this day, a luxurious carriage appeared in Spirit City.
Inside the carriage, Qian Renxue lifted the curtain and looked at the Spirit Hall, which she hadn't seen in a long time. A faint smile appeared on her lips.
She had finally completed her mission and returned. After more than a decade of lurking, she had accomplished her goal in one fell swoop.
From now on, Xue Qinghe no longer existed.
Now, there was only the Spirit Hall's young mistress, Qian Renxue.
Currently, the Heaven Dou Empire was entirely under the control of the Spirit Hall. The next target was the top three clans.
"Ugh..."
Qian Renxue pressed her chest as a wave of nausea washed over her.
For some reason, she had been feeling inexplicably nauseous during the journey, and her appetite had been poor.
"What's going on? Why have I been feeling like this lately?" Qian Renxue muttered to herself.
Then, the carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the Pope's Hall.
Ju and Ghost, the two Title Douluo, had been waiting for a long time.
Ju Douluo smiled and stepped forward to open the carriage door, welcoming Qian Renxue back.
"Young Mistress, welcome home," Ju Douluo said with a smile.
"Yes, Ye Hao... has been gone for a while, hasn't he?" Qian Renxue asked casually.
Ghost Douluo respectfully replied, "Yes, Young Master Ye Hao has been in Slaughter City for a month now. Everything seems to be going well."
"That's good," Qian Renxue nodded.
Slaughter City was no ordinary place, and she was deeply concerned about Ye Hao's safety.
Especially since she and Ye Hao had become husband and wife. Over the past month, Qian Renxue had often thought of him, praying for his safe return.
"Young Mistress, the Grand Worship and the Pope are waiting for you. Would you like to..." Ju Douluo's words trailed off.
"..."
After a long silence, Qian Renxue sighed. What was coming would come.
"Let's go see... her first. Lead the way."
"Yes."
The Pope's Hall was just as she remembered it.
The last time she had returned, Qian Renxue hadn't had the chance to look around carefully. This time, coming home felt like a long-awaited reunion.
It was good to be home!
As she walked, Qian Renxue suddenly felt dizzy. She stopped and leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.
Seeing this, Ju and Ghost Douluo's expressions changed.
"Young Mistress, what's wrong?"
"Young Mistress!"
"Young Mistress!"
"..."
"..."
Qian Renxue's consciousness gradually faded...
---
In a luxurious bedroom, Qian Renxue lay peacefully on the bed, her steady breathing filling the room.
Outside the door, Ju and Ghost Douluo's expressions were grave.
The Young Mistress was a soul master and possessed the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul. Logically, her physical condition should be extraordinary. How could she suddenly faint?
Could it be due to the fatigue of the journey?
On the windowsill, the Yearning Heartbroken Red flower glowed with a faint red light. When Ju Douluo saw it, he was undoubtedly shocked. His gaze lingered on it, as if he wanted to cherish it forever.
When the doctor came out, Ju and Ghost Douluo immediately approached.
"What's wrong with the Young Mistress?" Ju Douluo asked anxiously.
Ghost Douluo remained silent, quietly waiting for the doctor's answer.
The doctor cupped his hands and replied, "Elders, the Young Mistress's condition doesn't seem to be due to fatigue..."
Hearing this, Ju and Ghost Douluo breathed a sigh of relief.
Ghost Douluo coldly asked, "Then what is it? The Young Mistress couldn't have fainted for no reason."
The doctor thought for a long time before finally stammering, "I checked the Young Mistress's pulse... It seems... she's pregnant."
"Pregnant? Preg..." Ju Douluo's expression froze. He stared at the doctor, then grabbed him by the collar.
"Pregnant? Are you sure you didn't misdiagnose?" Ju Douluo demanded sternly.
This was no joking matter!
The doctor wiped the sweat from his brow and said, "How could I dare lie about something like this? The Young Mistress is indeed pregnant, and it's been a month already."
"What did you say!"
Ju Douluo released the doctor and let out a deep sigh.
"Old Ghost, what do we do now? The Young Mistress is..."
Ghost Douluo shrugged, clearly also shocked by the news.
"You go to the Grand Worship, and I'll go to the Pope."
With that, Ghost Douluo turned into a shadow and disappeared.
"Hey! Why do I have to go to the Grand Worship?" Ju Douluo sighed helplessly and slowly made his way over.
---
In the Pope's Hall, Bibi Dong was waiting for Qian Renxue's arrival. Her mission was complete, so she naturally needed to report.
Seeing that Qian Renxue hadn't arrived yet, Bibi Dong picked up a book from the table and began reading, patiently waiting.
At that moment, Ghost Douluo appeared as a shadow.
"Has she returned?" Bibi Dong asked casually.
Ghost Douluo swallowed hard and said, "She has."
"Then where is she?"
"She's... lying in bed," Ghost Douluo's heart raced.
"Lying in bed?" Bibi Dong frowned. "Is she feeling unwell?"
"No, she's not unwell, just..."
"Just what!" Bibi Dong urged impatiently.
"Just..." Ghost Douluo lowered his head. "Just..."
"Just... the Young Mistress is..."
"What is it? Speak!" Bibi Dong's imposing aura made Ghost Douluo tremble.
"The Young Mistress is... pregnant!" Ghost Douluo finally blurted out.
"Pregnant? What's the big deal?" Bibi Dong waved her hand, then suddenly realized something was wrong.
Her expression changed, and she instantly appeared in front of Ghost Douluo.
"Tell me! How long has she been pregnant?"
Facing Bibi Dong's interrogation, Ghost Douluo shuddered and quickly said, "The Young Mistress has been pregnant for a month."
"A month!"
"A month?" Bibi Dong pondered for a moment, then a faint smile appeared on her lips.
That brat works fast!
"Quick! Take me to her!"
---
Meanwhile, in the Elder Hall, within the Angel Sanctuary.
"Hey! Your granddaughter is back," Xiao Hong said, munching on a chicken leg.
"Yes, it's good that she's back," Qian Daoliu said indifferently, then fell silent again.
Xiao Hong continued, "And she's brought you a great-grandchild."
"Hmm," Qian Daoliu responded indifferently.
"Hmm?" Qian Daoliu suddenly realized something was off. He slowly turned to look at Ju Douluo, who was waiting outside the door.
"Come in," Qian Daoliu said.
Ju Douluo entered, trembling, and stood before Qian Daoliu.
"What is it?"
"Grand Worship, the Young Mistress has returned."
"Yes, I know that. Is there anything else?" Qian Daoliu glanced at Xiao Hong, who was still munching on his chicken leg. This dog loved to be cryptic.
"Grand Worship, it's just..."
"Just what?" Qian Daoliu frowned.
"It's just... you should prepare yourself. It's just..."
"..."
"..."
"The Young Mistress... is one month pregnant..."