"Ahhh!"
Inside the Hell Killing Arena, the slaughter continued.
No, perhaps it had never stopped from the very beginning...
Ye Hao held a battle blade in his hand, slashing down the person in front of him.
Blood stained Ye Hao's face, and for a moment, the atmosphere in the arena reached its peak.
"Number 6666 wins! Cumulative victories: 99!"
"Number 6666!"
"Number 6666!"
"Number 6666!"
Ye Hao planted his battle blade into the ground, scanning the surrounding fallen ones who were shouting at the top of their lungs.
It had been nine months since he entered the Slaughter City. In these nine months, Ye Hao's hands had been stained with so much blood that even he couldn't keep count.
In this lawless world, slaughter was the only rule.
"The young master is about to succeed."
Meanwhile, Hu Liena, who was sitting in the stands observing, felt genuine joy for Ye Hao.
She had heard from her teacher that completing a hundred victories in the Hell Killing Arena and breaking through the Hell Road would grant one the Slaughter Domain and the title of "Slaughter God."
Ye Hao was just one step away...
In a grand palace within the Slaughter City, the Hell Messenger quietly approached the Slaughter King.
"Great Slaughter King, the God of Death is about to complete his hundred victories. A new Slaughter God is about to be born. What should we do next..."
As she spoke, the Hell Messenger presented a goblet filled with Bloody Mary to the Slaughter King.
"Observe in secret..."
The Slaughter King took a comfortable sip, his complexion instantly becoming more vibrant.
"How is the girl who has been accompanying the God of Death faring?"
The Hell Messenger respectfully replied, "That girl is named Hu Liena. She has already achieved 33 consecutive victories and has gained some fame in the Hell Killing Arena."
"Very good." The Slaughter King's lips curled into a slight smile.
---
Spirit City, Pope's Hall.
In a luxurious room.
Qian Renxue, with her bulging belly, leaned against the edge of the bed. Her due date was approaching, and she was fully prepared to become a mother.
"Xiao Hong, can you contact him?" Qian Renxue asked, looking at Xiao Hong, who was comfortably napping on the balcony.
Xiao Hong squinted his eyes, opened his mouth wide, and shivered.
"I can't. The Slaughter City is the inheritance ground of the Shura God. Although Hao is the heir of the God of Death, this trip is only to complete his first trial. During this period, even I can't contact him.
But judging from the current situation, Hao should be fine. It should be soon, after all..."
The first trial had a time limit of one year. It had already been nine months since Ye Hao received the trial.
"Is that so..." Qian Renxue's eyes grew somber. She hadn't heard from Ye Hao in over half a year.
She lowered her head, caressing her growing belly, her eyes filled with deep maternal love.
"My child, your father is a true hero. You must bless him and ensure he returns safely."
As she spoke, Qian Renxue's eyes couldn't help but moisten.
"This child will be Hao's pride. I just wonder what expression Hao will have when he finds out he's become a father..."
Xiao Hong grinned, his smile rather mischievous.
"I can't wait to see it! Hahaha!"
---
Outskirts of the Slaughter City, a small village.
A black-robed intruder appeared.
From the moment he entered the tavern, numerous strange gazes turned toward him.
He walked up to the bar and coldly said, "Open the entrance to the Slaughter City for me."
Such a tone naturally angered the bartender, who slowly turned around.
Immediately, more than a dozen burly men inside the tavern drew their weapons and launched a barrage of attacks at the black-robed man.
In response, the black-robed man sneered, "You all have a death wish!"
With that, his soul rings lit up beneath his feet—five soul rings neatly arranged: two yellow, two purple, and one black.
"Blue Silver Grass Thrust Formation."
Thick Blue Silver Grass suddenly burst from the ground around the man, attacking the dozen or so men who were about to strike.
In an instant, the noisy tavern fell into silence.
Drip, drip...
Only the sound of blood hitting the floor remained. The Blue Silver Grass pierced through the ceiling, leaving several large holes.
As for the burly men, their chests had been impaled by the Blue Silver Grass, their lifeless bodies hanging in mid-air, their deaths gruesome.
Seeing this scene, the bartender gasped, recalling the figure who had come here months ago.
But the person in his memory was now nearly invincible in the Slaughter City, just one victory away from earning the title of "Slaughter God."
"Now, can I enter the Slaughter City?"
The man retracted his Blue Silver Grass, and a black light flashed in his left hand. A Clear Sky Hammer, adorned with four soul rings, appeared in his grasp.
He raised the hammer high and smashed the bar to pieces.
The cold surface of the hammer pushed the bartender into a corner, a chilling killing intent washing over him.
The bartender gulped and reluctantly pressed the switch to open the entrance to the Slaughter City.
Click—
The ground split open, and a bloody red light illuminated the shabby tavern.
The man's expression remained calm as he retracted the Clear Sky Hammer and walked toward the entrance, his eyes filled with longing.
"Slaughter City! Slaughter Domain!"
"I, Tang San, have arrived!"
With a low murmur, Tang San resolutely jumped into the entrance.
After all this time, Tang San had never forgotten the blood feud he carried on his shoulders.
Especially against Ye Hao!
Now, throughout the Douluo Continent, rumors were spreading: "The Tang Hao family are traitors," "They conspired with spirit beasts to overthrow humanity," and many other such claims.
Whenever these topics were brought up, people would curse Tang San and his father without fail.
Since leaving the Moon Pavilion, Tang San had encountered such situations everywhere he went.
Being publicly scorned was unbearable, so Tang San had secretly taught those who insulted him a lesson.
---
Meanwhile, after a short break.
The battles in the Hell Killing Arena resumed!
This time, it was undoubtedly the most significant battle in the history of the Hell Killing Arena!
Ye Hao's hundredth victory was about to be achieved!
The fallen ones filled the stands, eagerly anticipating the birth of a Slaughter God while also hoping Ye Hao would die here.
"Do you think the God of Death can complete his hundredth victory?"
"I doubt it."
"From what I've heard, among the ten participants in this battle, apart from the God of Death with 99 consecutive victories, seven of the others have over 50 victories, and two have over 70. I think the God of Death is in trouble."
"After all, a hundred victories aren't so easily achieved."
For a moment, opinions varied.
Soon, the ten participants for this round of slaughter entered the arena.
Among them were both men and women, but the most eye-catching was undoubtedly Ye Hao, who was about to achieve his hundredth victory.
He stood in the center of the arena, and instantly, the gazes of the other nine participants locked onto him.
A needle-like killing intent surged toward him. If it were anyone else, they might have already faltered.
But Ye Hao remained unfazed. He drew the battle blade from his back and calmly surveyed his surroundings.
Just one more victory! One more!
"Come on!" he roared.
The nine participants rushed at him as if they had agreed beforehand.
They launched deadly attacks at Ye Hao, their coordination seamless, their weapons gleaming with cold light.
They leaped into the air, attacking from all directions without leaving any openings.
In the stands, the spectators were dazzled. The coordination of these nine was flawless.
Five leaped into the air, while the other four attacked from different directions. Such an assault would be impossible for anyone to handle easily, even someone as strong as Ye Hao, who was on the verge of a hundred victories.
Little did they know, the nine participants had secretly agreed beforehand.
No matter what, they would not allow a hundred-victory winner to emerge!
Even if it meant sacrificing themselves!
They were all individuals who combined strength with cunning. Anyone who could achieve over fifty victories was no ordinary person.
Their goal was to kill Ye Hao, the strongest among them. Once the agreement was broken, the last one standing would be the true winner.
Seeing this, Ye Hao remained calm. He removed the Death God's Heart from his hair. It had been nine months since he last activated it.
This time, it would be a one-hit kill!
In an instant, the Death God's Heart emitted a dark light, and the nine participants were frozen in mid-air.
Their expressions were filled with shock.
The moment Ye Hao activated the Death God's Heart, the Slaughter King, who was elsewhere in the Slaughter City, felt an intense sense of danger for the first time.
The dark red mark on his forehead flickered, and his body emitted a dark red glow. Two pairs of blood-red wings wrapped around him.
"What kind of power is this? Ahhh!"
The Slaughter King's screams echoed throughout the palace. After an unknown period of time, the Slaughter King slowly stood up.
He opened his palm, and a flame appeared.
Within the flame, Ye Hao's figure was reflected. At his feet lay nine cold corpses, a striking sight.
The Slaughter King was momentarily stunned. "This guy actually completed a hundred victories. Interesting, truly interesting.
It seems that the immense power I felt earlier came from him. That power was so strong that it nearly caused me to lose control of Tang Chen."
Kill him!
That was the Slaughter King's immediate thought.
But soon, the killing intent in the Slaughter King's eyes faded.
"No, if Number 6666 dies here, the person behind him will undoubtedly destroy the entire Slaughter City.
Everyone who comes to the Slaughter City is either addicted to killing or has been exiled here by the Spirit Hall. But he is different. His goal is clearly the Hell Road. He is here for the Slaughter Domain.
In that case, I shall grant your wish!"
A new Slaughter God had been born in the Slaughter City!
The fallen ones around the arena cheered enthusiastically. Every time a Slaughter God was born, the Slaughter City would lose a large number of fallen ones.
Since the Slaughter City's inception, only eight Slaughter Gods had been born, each one a terrifying existence.
"Finally, it's done." Ye Hao tossed his battle blade aside. Having completed the battles in the Hell Killing Arena, the blade would no longer be of use on the upcoming Hell Road.
"Congratulations, God of Death!"
The atmosphere in the arena reached its peak. Everyone chanted the name of the Slaughter King, the supreme ruler of the Slaughter City and the eternal god in the hearts of all fallen ones.
"Slaughter King! Slaughter King!"
"Slaughter King! Slaughter King!"
"..."
"..."
The fallen ones shouted with all their might.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, a staircase made of blood slowly descended from the sky.
A tall man with two pairs of blood-red wings, a pale face, and deep crimson eyes appeared.
"He is the Slaughter King!"
This was Ye Hao's first face-to-face encounter with the Slaughter King. His aura was no weaker than that of Qian Daoliu or Bo Saixi, the Sea God Douluo.
It seemed that this old bat, who had taken over Tang Chen's body, would soon completely erase Tang Chen's existence and fully claim his body.
But what did that have to do with Ye Hao?
Ye Hao shrugged.
The Slaughter King's gaze fell on Ye Hao, and for a moment, the Slaughter King was stunned.
Ye Hao resembled someone—a woman who had once been a Slaughter God in the Slaughter City and was now one of the only two Slaughter Gods in the world.
"So, you are from there." The Slaughter King secretly rejoiced.
"I am delighted to welcome the birth of a new Slaughter God today. It has been decades since anyone achieved a hundred victories. In you, I see limitless potential. Don't you agree, my people?"
The Slaughter King's voice carried a hypnotic power.
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
"!!!"
A tidal wave of cheers erupted once again, shaking the entire Hell Killing Arena.
The Slaughter King smiled slightly and looked at Ye Hao.
"God of Death, your performance has truly impressed me. Your hundred victories have ignited my passion! I now bestow upon you the title of Slaughter God. From this day forward, you may freely enter and leave the Slaughter City, and I appoint you as a guest elder of the Slaughter City, second only to me."
"No need." Ye Hao declined the Slaughter King's offer. "My purpose in coming to the Slaughter City was for the Hell Road. Please open it for me. As for being a guest elder, that doesn't suit me."
Hearing this, the Slaughter King secretly sneered. "So, that's your goal."
Suddenly, the entire Hell Killing Arena turned a deep red. The fallen ones covered their eyes.
Then, at the center of the Hell Killing Arena, a passageway opened. A bloody red light illuminated the entire arena, and the stench of blood and killing intent emanated from the passage.
A powerful suction force began to spread, and some of the fallen ones in the Hell Killing Arena were mercilessly pulled into the passage.
Those who were sucked in wore expressions of longing, as if they were willing participants.
"Is this the Hell Road?"
Ye Hao shielded his face and looked toward the passage. Then, he locked eyes with Hu Liena. After she nodded, Ye Hao plunged into the passage.
At that moment, a furious shout made Ye Hao pause.
"Ye Hao! I will kill you!"
When Ye Hao saw who it was, he almost laughed.
"I was wondering who it was. It's just little Tang San." Ye Hao smirked at the charging Tang San. It had only been half a year, but Tang San seemed to have become even more pathetic.
Under Tang San's hateful gaze, Ye Hao leaped into the entrance of the Hell Road, leaving Tang San no chance to follow.
"Ahhh!"
Seeing Ye Hao disappear, Tang San was consumed by rage. His face twisted in fury, and his entire demeanor became terrifyingly dark.
But what caught everyone's attention was the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand. Even the Slaughter King was momentarily stunned.
"Clear Sky Hammer? He's from the Clear Sky Clan!"
One of the two Slaughter Gods in the world also wielded the Clear Sky Hammer.
The Slaughter King took a deep breath. The Slaughter City was about to face turbulent times.
---
As the Hell Road opened, Ye Hao officially stepped into it.
Looking down, he saw a circular stone platform. Below the platform was a pillar rising from the magma, and beneath the pillar was a sea of molten lava.
The temperature here was scorching, and the thick scent of blood permeated the air.
"This is the Hell Road. If I remember correctly, there's a snake here, called..."
"That's right!" Ye Hao clapped his hands. "The Ten-Headed Fiery Yang Snake! That thing is a treasure. I'll take it too."
The moment he entered the Hell Road, Ye Hao felt that his soul power, which had been unusable for nine months, was now fully accessible.
He spread his Six-Winged Purple Light Wings. Having not used them for so long, Ye Hao felt a bit rusty at first.
"Death God's Heart : Dark Shroud."
Using the Death God's Heart as a base, Ye Hao was enveloped in darkness.
He swiftly flew over the magma, spotting a three-headed bat along the way.
That was the Dark Golden Three-Headed Bat King!
Ye Hao smiled slightly, paying it no mind. He had no time to waste on such a fight.
Completing the first trial was his top priority!
He bypassed the Dark Golden Three-Headed Bat King and sped toward the exit.
After flying for what felt like an eternity...
Finally, Ye Hao saw a massive snake lurking in the magma.
The Ten-Headed Fiery Yang Snake, the supreme ruler among snakes, its gallbladder an invaluable treasure.
Ye Hao gulped. The Ten-Headed Fiery Yang Snake before him was a true treasure.
Of course, capturing such creatures was Ye Hao's specialty.
From the Death Spider Emperor to the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor, the Titan Giant Ape, and the Evil Spirit Orca King—each had fallen under Ye Hao's charm.
Ye Hao was a soul beast hunter, no doubt about it!
He threw out the Death God's Heart. The moment it left his hand, the Ten-Headed Fiery Yang Snake, resting in the magma, sensed Ye Hao's presence.
It dragged its massive body, causing the magma to churn violently.
Its dark red snake eyes locked onto Ye Hao, but six chains suddenly shot through the air, binding the Ten-Headed Fiery Yang Snake.
"Little snake, uncle will treat you well."
Ye Hao smiled warmly, then clenched his right hand.
The Death God's Heart absorbed the Ten-Headed Fiery Yang Snake.
"Another big catch. Mission accomplished!"
Ye Hao smiled contentedly and swiftly flew toward the exit not far ahead.
In his mind, a majestic voice that had been silent for nine months finally spoke...
"Passing through the Slaughter City, the first trial of the Death God is complete. Reward: one God-Bestowed Soul Ring, 5% affinity with the Death God, and 5% affinity with the Shura God."
Hearing this...
"What!" Ye Hao nearly bit his tongue. He stared blankly, muttering, "I can understand the affinity with the Death God, but this..."
"Affinity with the Shura God? Where did that come from?"