Chapter 166: So You All Like Running the Same Dungeon as Han Li, Huh?
Leaving the matters of the God Realm aside, Han Li was in a great mood as he returned to the residential district.
"Is it settled?"
As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, the others came up to greet him.
"Yeah, no more problems. Just continue as we planned." Han Li responded with a smile.
"It's just that for the next few matches, we might need to go out and actively catch people. At least for a while, until things go back to normal."
Han Li scratched his head, feeling a bit troubled by the thought.
"Don't worry about that I'll take care of it."
Dugu Bo patted his chest, volunteering to handle the task.
"That works. Thanks, old man."
Since Dugu Bo took the initiative, Han Li had no reason to refuse. At this stage, Dugu Bo no longer had to worry about accumulating soul power; his next breakthrough depended on understanding his martial soul. Letting him deal with the mundane tasks was the best choice.
Spring passed, autumn came, and winter arrived. Ten months had passed since Han Li's meeting with the Slaughter King.
Today, Slaughter City was unusually lively, almost like a grand festival.
For the residents of Slaughter City, it was something worth celebrating.
Why? Because Han Li and his team had finally reached their hundredth battle.
Ignoring the forty five people they had captured and left lying on the ground, the rest of the city's residents were on the verge of tears.
The Demon King was finally leaving no, he was ascending! Their lives would finally be safe again.
Han Li even noticed two men who had fought each other countless times now standing side by side, having a peaceful conversation.
"Demon King" this was what everyone in Slaughter City called Han Li.
Although the influx of criminals driven in by the Spirit Hall had exposed their identities revealing that Han Li was the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall and that Dugu Bo was the Poison Douluo the city's inhabitants still preferred to call him the Demon King.
At most, in private conversations, they would grit their teeth and curse him as "Old Demon Han."
His overwhelming power in that battle had been so absurdly beyond their level that no one dared to challenge him afterward. This led to something truly bizarre.
Newcomers, upon learning about him, would sometimes seek him out, only to be captured by older residents and delivered alive to Han Li's doorstep.
The veterans understood that, despite everything, Han Li actually followed the rules.
As long as you didn't provoke him, he wouldn't kill you outright.
At most, he'd drain some blood hell, he even sold healing medicine afterward.
Compared to the rest of the maniacs here, he was much safer.
Of course, that only applied outside the Hell Slaughter Arena. If you faced him in the ring, you would become part of his win streak.
Perhaps because of this, after Dugu Bo had captured a few people, Slaughter City's remaining strongmen couldn't sit still anymore.
They had barely managed to survive this long they refused to be snatched up as sacrificial pawns.
Thus, they voluntarily started serving Han Li.
Yes, they implemented a last place elimination system.
Anyone falling behind would be delivered straight to Han Li, boosting his win streak.
As a result, Slaughter City began to spiral into voluntary self destruction.
Since they couldn't keep up with Han Li's group, they had no choice but to evolve.
The combat techniques in Slaughter City began to advance.
Desperate to avoid becoming cannon fodder, everyone started fighting smarter.
Instead of random slaughter, they strategized. They honed their skills.
They fought harder than ever.
Then something unexpected happened.
Even though Han Li's opponents were the weakest of the lot, they were still growing at an incredible pace under life or death pressure.
And in the end, the ones who benefited most…
Were Han Li's team.
Because these "sparring partners" were genuinely dedicated.
They were literally fighting for their lives.
This development left Dugu Bo and the others baffled.
Han Li, on the other hand, after a long moment of silence, simply embraced the situation.
Survival isn't shameful.
Sure, these people were criminals beyond redemption, incomparable to normal humans.
But if he thought about his past life…
Hadn't he also been in a similar rat race?
If he hadn't been, he wouldn't have died in his sleep one night, never to wake again.
At least now, he was on the winning side.
Han Li's four teammates stood there, watching the crowd escort them into the Hell Slaughter Arena, their expressions utterly bewildered.
This level of treatment?
Not even in Spirit City or Heaven Dou City had they been personally sent off like this.
It was almost overwhelming.
After all, they had never considered these people to be actual humans in the first place.
Han Li glanced at the gathered crowd from a distance, shook his head, and turned toward the arena.
As for the forty five people already dealt with?
That wasn't his problem.
They had already been forcibly registered for the match.
The Slaughter King's men would never allow them to skip out.
CRACK.
The last person's neck snapped.
Han Li loosened his grip, letting the body slump to the ground.
The final wisp of energy flowed into him, and he withdrew the near solid vortex of killing intent hovering above his head.
A moment of silence.
Then, the arena erupted with deafening cheers.
"Demon King! Demon King! Demon King!"
For a brief moment, the Hell Slaughter Arena fell silent. Then, the entire crowd erupted in a deafening chant of the same title, leaving Han Li slightly dazed. The last time he had been greeted with such a scene was when he became the Holy Son of Spirit Hall.
"Congratulations, young Demon King, and the retainers of the Demon King."
A deep, sharp voice suddenly rang out from above, silencing the entire Hell Slaughter Arena once more.
"The Slaughter King..."
Despite the suffocating aura of killing intent weighing upon them, the fallen souls still screamed his name with all their might, even more fervently than when they had chanted for the Demon King.
If the Demon King was the one who reaped lives, then the Slaughter King was the very foundation of their existence.
Han Li smiled faintly as he looked at the blood red figure hovering in the air. Oh? So you swapped your black robe for a red one? At least you care about appearances.
"The retainers of the Demon King, it is time for you to enter the arena as well."
The Slaughter King's gaze swept over Dugu Bo and the others, his tone indifferent as he issued the order.
The four of them turned to Han Li. Only after he nodded did they step into the arena and walk toward him.
"I am delighted to witness your hundredth victory. My subjects, let us celebrate them once more!"
As he spoke, he spread his arms wide in midair. Below him, the people, seeing his gesture, erupted into cheers once again.
After a long moment, he pressed his hands downward, and the crowd quieted. His gaze turned to Han Li and his companions.
"Now, it is time for your choice. Will you take on the Hell Road? If you choose to forgo it, I can grant you the status of honorary guests, allowing you the freedom to enter and leave Slaughter City at will."
His words were not directed at Han Li but at the others beside him. Though he knew the odds were slim, he still had to try.
"Honorable Slaughter King, we appreciate your kindness, but we have all chosen to challenge the Hell Road."
The four exchanged glances before answering without hesitation.
"Very well. I respect your decision."
The Slaughter King didn't seem surprised; he hadn't expected much from the offer anyway.
"Then, now... the Hell Road shall open."
His sharp, eerie voice echoed through the arena, and the spectators grew excited, eyes shifting toward the sky. The opening of the Hell Road was a major event in Slaughter City. None of them had ever expected to witness it firsthand.
However, none of them noticed the mocking expression on Han Li's face as he looked at them.
The reason it's a legend is because, aside from the Slaughter King and the past Slaughter Gods, everyone else has become a sacrifice.
Since you love showing up so much, I'll give you all a proper send off.
After all, this is just another dungeon. If you're in the same instance as me but not on my team, then a full wipe is only fair, right? Otherwise, I wouldn't be living up to my "Old Demon Han" nickname.
A dazzling red light burst forth from the Slaughter King, accompanied by an overwhelming stench of blood, swiftly engulfing the entire Hell Slaughter Arena.
At that moment, some finally realized something was wrong and turned to flee.
Unfortunately, it was already too late.
The red light formed an enormous barrier, sealing off the entire arena.
Screams of agony filled the air.
Their eyes lost focus, their minds consumed by madness. Though they wailed in pain, there was also a twisted pleasure in their voices. Under Han Li and his team's watchful eyes, they began to mutilate themselves in ways more grotesque than any battlefield slaughter.
Blood splattered everywhere, pooling together. Streams of crimson liquid slithered like small rivers, seeping through hidden channels beneath the audience stands, flowing toward the center of the arena.
Countless rivulets of blood slithered like serpents across the floor, coalescing into the shape of a bat beneath Han Li and his companions.
"Remember your promise, Holy Son of Spirit Hall. I wish you luck on the Hell Road."
As the blood red glow intensified, a powerful suction force emerged.
The killing intent within Han Li and his companions instinctively flared up, protecting them as they were pulled downward.
They're beyond saving. They're already dead. Let's see if we ever meet again.
That was Han Li's final thought upon hearing the Slaughter King's voice.
The Hell Road's activation mark wasn't even the Shura Demon Sword. That was one thing.
But more importantly, look at the way he's killing people.
Emotion, malice, killing intent those are just surface elements.
If this bat thinks it can follow the Shura path, then I might as well start spelling my name backward.
Especially considering that Han Li was currently being observed by the God Realm Committee.
The Slaughter King's actions, in the eyes of the gods, were the equivalent of taking the hand of the Rakshasa God and slapping Shura across the face with it.
Shura's expression right now must be priceless.
Han Li smirked internally.
He had no idea how much time had passed, but after a violent tremor, his senses gradually returned.
His feet finally touched solid ground again.
The group instinctively scanned their surroundings, finding themselves standing on a circular platform.
The overwhelming killing intent around them surged uncontrollably from their bodies.
"Activate the Blood Fiend Art. Stabilize your state first."
Han Li reminded them as he began surveying their surroundings.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/johanssen