Chapter 165: Are You Challenging the Authority of the God Realm's Enforcer?
The atmosphere inside the castle dropped instantly to freezing after Han Li's words. An overwhelming killing intent erupted from the Slaughter King, making even the air seem thick and suffocating as it pressed harshly against Han Li. However, to his surprise, Han Li merely maintained his smile, calmly watching the Slaughter King without a hint of distress. In fact, his gaze was filled with provocation, seemingly mocking him Is that all you've got?
After a tense stalemate lasting several seconds, the murderous aura slowly receded like a retreating tide, and the Slaughter King finally withdrew his presence. He stepped out from the shadows and took his seat upon the throne.
"Hahaha!" The Slaughter King suddenly laughed out loud, his harsh, ear piercing laughter echoing throughout the castle. "As expected of the current Holy Son of Spirit Hall. Your strength and courage are indeed top notch among your generation. You've passed my test."
Han Li simply smiled silently, looking at him as if enjoying the performance of a clown.
If it had been anyone else, perhaps they might've truly believed that the Slaughter King was testing a junior. However, Han Li clearly knew this so called Slaughter King's background, making such petty tricks utterly laughable to him.
"But young man," the Slaughter King continued darkly, "you're the first to ever threaten me with Spirit Hall. Do you truly believe Qian Daoliu would offend me for your sake?"
"Oh? If you doubt it, feel free to test it yourself," Han Li replied with a very polite smile.
Truthfully speaking, if the person in front of him had been Sword Douluo, Han Li wouldn't dare to act so arrogantly, because Sword Douluo's understanding didn't include the concept of "gods" they were merely legends to him. If provoked enough, Sword Douluo would really draw his sword without hesitation.
Ironically, the more a person was aware of hidden truths or godly inheritances, the more Han Li could freely act as he wished because Spirit Hall indeed possessed a divine inheritance.
Moreover, to a certain extent, the existence of the Slaughter City itself depended heavily on external forces. Even someone like Bo Saixi might have refrained from killing Han Li, but at least would have taught him a severe lesson.
However, the Slaughter King wouldn't dare. His situation was special; he relied entirely on Tang Chen's body. Although powerful, if he ever left this city, Tang Chen could potentially escape his control. He had grown accustomed to this supreme authority, and losing it would be even worse than death.
Besides, the Slaughter King had his own ambitions: he wanted to become a god.
He still couldn't figure out clearly whether his superior was the Asura God, as Tang Chen's memory suggested, or that hidden god who had once secretly assisted him because after that initial guidance, he never received another revelation.
Luckily, the best news was that he still held Asura God's divine artifact, keeping it completely under his control. This was precisely another reason he had always prevented a new "God of Slaughter" from emerging.
As for the excuse he and the black veiled woman had given before that they feared a previous Slaughter God returning to release everyone's power well, that was a joke. After all, which Limit Douluo, especially one wielding a divine artifact, would fear mere numbers?
Unless Qian Daoliu or Bo Saixi themselves brought their respective divine temples to attack him, the people of the Douluo Continent were insignificant in his eyes.
"Do you really think I won't kill you?" The Slaughter King's face turned dark. He might not want to take risks, but that didn't mean he couldn't.
"You really wouldn't dare," Han Li replied casually, smiling as four faint colored lights emerged from his body: blood red, golden, milky white, and crimson red, each exuding an extremely faint but distinct divine aura.
"Divine power! And from four different sources! You're also a candidate for a divine inheritance!" The Slaughter King's grip crushed the armrest of his throne into powder, especially recognizing one of those powers as the familiar aura of the Asura God.
"Is that surprising? The Slaughter City isn't the only divine inheritance site on the continent, after all," Han Li said casually, observing the Slaughter King's fluctuating expression.
"That's impossible! At least Asura God's inheritance is impossible for you to obtain you haven't even stepped onto Hell Road!" The Slaughter King instinctively refuted.
"Who knows? After all, I can absorb this place's energy as well, can't I?" Han Li's smile was bright, pure, and carefree but his words stabbed into the Slaughter King's heart like a sharp needle.
"Are you forcing me to kill you?" The Slaughter King snapped his gaze upward, his eyes fixed fiercely on Han Li, seemingly ready to strike at any moment.
"Whether you attack or not is entirely your choice as long as you dare. I believe you understand clearly what these auras around me signify. Four gods well, even excluding Asura, that still leaves three. I wonder if you can bear such a consequence."
Far from being intimidated, Han Li grew even more brazen. A barking dog rarely bites the louder the threat, the less genuine the danger.
"Good, very good!" The Slaughter King ripped off all pretenses, no longer attempting to conceal anything.
"But remember, you brought this upon yourself. I merely came here for training; after all, I am Spirit Hall's Holy Son, and I even warned you beforehand," Han Li continued, shaking his head as though deeply troubled. "Originally, we could've each minded our own business you remaining the Slaughter King, me continuing as the Holy Son but you had to go and deliver me such a generous gift. Now that's a bit awkward, isn't it?"
Hearing these words, the Slaughter King's aura became even more unstable.
According to Han Li's implication, even Asura God's divine power was personally gifted by the Slaughter King himself! At this moment, deep regret began rising within his heart.
Then, the Slaughter King suddenly froze he had caught the hidden meaning in Han Li's words. It seemed that Han Li had no intention of choosing the Asura God's inheritance.
He stared deeply at Han Li, realizing that this might have been his true goal all along.
"You've made a wise choice. What do you want?" The Slaughter King regained his composure.
"I don't want anything. I just want to leave as soon as possible. Unlike you, I live a glamorous life in the outside world. I don't want to be trapped here forever like you." Han Li tapped his fingers against the table, his words carrying a hint of disrespect, which, ironically, made the Slaughter King feel more at ease.
Did he think that inheriting the Asura God's legacy would trap him here?
The Slaughter King's mind spun rapidly, analyzing the underlying meaning of Han Li's words.
Could that really be the case?
He scrutinized Han Li's every movement, catching the impatience flickering in his eyes.
Indeed, the last two "Gods of Slaughter" who had left this place had only obtained the Slaughter Domain, not a full inheritance.
Judging from Han Li's previous battles, he already possessed a domain, and at just twelve years old, he had encountered three different gods one of whom had an elemental domain that perfectly suited him.
For someone like him, obtaining just a simple domain meant that the Slaughter City was nothing more than a training ground.
Perhaps he had been overthinking things.
And as long as the Asura Divine Sword remained in his hands, no one else could possibly pass the Asura God's trials.
Considering his observations and Han Li's attitude, the Slaughter King became even more convinced of his guess.
If things were really as he suspected, then Han Li's behavior made perfect sense.
"You want to leave quickly? Fine. But aside from absorbing killing intent, you are forbidden from using that ability to devour everything."
The Slaughter King, having reached his conclusion, quickly shifted into negotiation mode.
"If you hadn't been pulling tricks in the shadows, I wouldn't have needed to do that in the first place," Han Li retorted sarcastically.
The Slaughter King, in a great mood, ignored his tone. "Then everything stays the same. I won't interfere with anything you do anymore. But once you leave, you'd best never return."
"When I obtain the domain and leave, even if you beg me, I won't bother coming back."
Han Li stood up abruptly, turning away without hesitation.
"No need to see me out. We'll meet again when I reach a hundred victories."
It wasn't until Han Li's figure had completely vanished from his spiritual perception that the Slaughter King finally stood up.
Ignorant human. You have no idea what you've missed. But that's fine. The more fools like you there are, the more at ease I'll be.
He retreated into the darkness, letting out a low chuckle that gradually grew louder, filling the castle with eerie laughter.
Outside, the black veiled woman trembled violently at the sound.
Meanwhile, Han Li, strolling leisurely back toward the residential district, had a mocking smirk on his lips.
A beast is still a beast. No matter how much it mimics human thought, it remains nothing more than a wild animal.
In the end, this foolish bat couldn't even grasp its own position.
Setting aside the fact that spirit beasts couldn't become gods in the first place, even if they could, at best, this thing was just a whetstone for Tang Chen.
For years, the Asura Divine Sword had remained in its hands, yet Tang Chen had never truly awakened. But the one who had schemed against him was the Rakshasa, not the Asura God. If Tang Chen managed to free himself from interference, the Asura God might just give him another chance.
And what did this opportunistic bat do?
It not only set itself up as a king but even entertained delusions of godhood choosing the Asura God as its target, no less.
Han Li could only wish it good luck.
As for the Slaughter King's thoughts? Han Li had a rough idea.
But if a god truly wished to pass down their inheritance, would it really matter whether the divine artifact was in your hands?
In the God Realm Central Hall, the members of the Divine Committee, along with the newly arrived God of Emotions, Rong Nianbing, silently observed the exchange between Han Li and the Slaughter King.
After witnessing how Han Li had played the Slaughter King for a fool using just a sliver of divine power, they all shook their heads slightly.
They, more than anyone, knew that Han Li had not received the inheritance of any god.
Yet he had manipulated the Slaughter King effortlessly.
It was both amusing and impressive.
"Asura," Rong Nianbing glanced at the expressionless Asura God, his mind spinning with ideas.
"It seems he has no intention of inheriting your godhood. And since your previous candidate has yet to complete his trial, how about I offer him a divine inheritance instead?"
Rong Nianbing's eyes sparkled.
He had just reviewed Han Li's actions within the Slaughter City. Though he had no idea how Han Li had managed to do it, the chanting and abilities he used were clearly modeled after his own.
And wasn't that proof of fate?
He had long wanted to abdicate his divine position and disappear.
Now, someone had practically walked into his lap.
A genius from the Douluo Plane, observed by so many influential figures how could he be bad?
This was a free windfall!
Besides, you guys were the ones who dragged me here.
Since I'm already here, wouldn't it be rude not to take advantage of the situation?
Hearing Rong Nianbing's words, the Asura God turned his head slightly to look at him.
"Once he fails my trial, I won't stop you."
"God of Emotions, if you interfere now, it would be against the rules. As the Law Enforcer of the God Realm, should I take this as a challenge to the authority of the Divine Committee?"
His words made Destruction, standing nearby, twitch slightly at the corner of his mouth.
Oh, now you suddenly remember you're the God Realm's enforcer?
The awakening of the plane's consciousness had been an unexpected variable.
But do you really think we just happened to be gathered here for no reason?
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