The King of Slaughter lowered his head, looking at Oscar and Dugu Yan, and his indifferent voice rang out, "God of War, Poison Queen, today you have once again made me feel the passion of existence."
"Hundred Victories, very good." The King of Slaughter seemed a little excited as he continued,
"In recognition of your achievements, I have decided to break precedent and grant you the title of Slaughter God. From now on, you may freely enter and leave the City of Slaughter, and you will be honored as guest elders under me in the City of Slaughter."
Hearing this, Oscar sneered inwardly. Guest elders? Did this mean he did not intend for them to walk the Road to Hell?
Dugu Yan immediately understood the King's intention. Walking the Road to Hell was undoubtedly extremely dangerous.
But behind the danger lay the enormous temptation of the Slaughter God Domain. The King of Slaughter clearly did not wish for them to obtain it.
The Slaughter God Domain was a domain one could gain only after surviving and being acknowledged by the Road to Hell.
The Slaughter God Domain would absorb the killing intent of the Slaughter God, forming a personal domain that fused with the soul master's martial spirit. This was also called a martial spirit's innate domain. With this amplification, a soul master who passed the Road to Hell's trial would gain an ability far beyond ordinary soul masters, and that ability was the most precious of all: a domain skill.
Such a reward was beyond measure. Just a single Slaughter God Domain could vastly increase a soul master's strength. Normally, domains only appeared when a soul master reached the realm of Title Douluo with their ninth soul skill, and even then, the chance was only one in ten.
Domain-type soul skills were also called ultimate skills. Aside from appearing at the Title Douluo level, only innate martial spirit talents could grant such a domain.
Within one's own domain, personal strength would be magnified while the opponent's strength would be suppressed. If used properly, the effect could be terrifying.
Moreover, innate domains evolved alongside their owner's power. The Slaughter God Domain in particular grew stronger as killing intent deepened.
Oscar and Dugu Yan both knew well the might of the Slaughter God Domain. They had come here to train precisely for that purpose.
Not walk the Road to Hell? Become guest elders of the City of Slaughter? That was not what they wanted.
Oscar looked at the King of Slaughter and said calmly, "No need, great King of Slaughter. Rules should not be broken for our sake. I am willing to take the trial of the Road to Hell and then receive your reward."
"I want to rely on my own strength to walk out of here and become a true Slaughter God."
The King of Slaughter's eyes narrowed, and his cold voice rang out, "The horror of the Road to Hell is something you may not understand. God of War, you should know, life only comes once."
Oscar only smiled at these words and replied, "Great King of Slaughter, is it not laughable for you to speak to me about life? This is the City of Slaughter, the world of killing."
A stronger red light flashed across the King's eyes. His gaze turned toward Dugu Yan. Even though she and Oscar stood together, he still wished to see if she would make a different choice. After all, human emotions were the most unstable factor.
He asked her, "And you? Will you accept my gift and become an honored guest elder of the City of Slaughter?"
But his expectation was doomed to fail. Dugu Yan only smiled faintly and replied, "My goal is to walk the Road to Hell. King of Slaughter, I accept your goodwill, but I decline."
"Please open the entrance to the Road to Hell. I will take this trial together with him."
At her words, the King of Slaughter's expression darkened. He glanced at the two of them and sneered, "You wish to pass the Road to Hell together? Do you not know how sinister the human heart is? Do you truly trust each other?"
Oscar sneered in return. "King of Slaughter, perhaps you have never tasted the flavor of love?"
"Rather than both dying on the Road to Hell, why not live and become true Slaughter Gods together? Matters between us do not require your concern. Great King of Slaughter, please act according to the rules of the City of Slaughter."
The King of Slaughter said no more. Pale red rings of light rippled from his body. If not for certain scruples, he would have already destroyed these two with ease.
With Oscar and Dugu Yan's current strength, they were as weak as ants before him, easily crushed. But he could not do that.
He too had his concerns. Otherwise, the two would never have lasted to a hundred victories. This was his domain, and he had countless means to erase them silently.
But these two youths had already drawn the attention of powerful figures above. He could not act recklessly, nor dare to.
Besides, he had only just taken control of this body. He would not risk it.
After a brief silence, the King of Slaughter said again, "Since this is your choice, then walk the Road to Hell. Having a companion on that road is not a bad journey."
"If you can survive its trial and become the new generation of Slaughter Gods, my promise remains unchanged."
His tone turned colder, even tinged with mockery.
The Road to Hell, was it truly so easy to pass? Even with two people, it would not be simple.
Now that he had begun mastering this body, making some arrangements on the Road to Hell should not be difficult.
Thick crimson mist burst from him, and the vast aura forced Oscar and Dugu Yan to retreat tens of meters before they could barely withstand it.
What he released was not killing intent, but an aura of extreme evil, chilling to the bone.
Waves of crimson spread outward, and in just a few blinks, it covered the entire arena.
The fallen ones seated in the stands grew strangely excited. They longed to witness the opening of the Road to Hell. Yet they did not know their lives had already reached their end.
Other than the Slaughter God and the great King of Slaughter, no one had ever seen the Road to Hell open. Because those who saw it all died, sacrificed as offerings.
As the crimson waves spread, Oscar quickly realized that the red light pressed heavily on them, but its true target was the stands.
The cheering fallen ones gradually grew silent as the red glow descended upon them. Their eyes dulled, then turned bloodshot.
Soon, screams erupted.
The fallen ones went mad, clawing at their own faces and bodies.
Those strong enough to survive in the inner city used all their power on themselves. Their screams carried not only pain but also twisted pleasure, as if they reveled in self-torment.
Skin tore, blood sprayed, even organs were ripped out. They writhed in madness until death finally silenced them.
More and more fell into this frenzy, until it engulfed the whole arena.
Oscar and Dugu Yan had seen countless killings, but even they could not stop their brows from twitching at this horrifying spectacle.
Any human with the faintest shred of humanity would feel disturbed at such a sight.
Blood splattered onto the ground, then gathered, flowing like streams through hidden channels toward the arena's center.
The streams formed a great crimson pattern beneath Oscar and Dugu Yan's feet.
It was the image of a creature. At first glance like a bird, yet strange, not like any ordinary bird.
Oscar recognized it. A bat.
Soon the pattern completed.
The bat's eyes lit up, releasing a massive red light that surged upward, engulfing Oscar and Dugu Yan. All perception blurred, and only the King of Slaughter's sharp voice echoed in their ears.
"Good luck on the Road to Hell."
Under the blood-red engulfment, both felt the ground vanish beneath their feet. Their senses faded, and an uncontrollable fear crept into their hearts.
They could not see the faint white ripples of killing intent that shielded them. Without it, they would have been devoured at the moment the blood spread.
After an unknown time, violent tremors shook them. Their senses returned as the red glow faded.
They awoke lying on a small circular platform about five meters across.
Rising, they glanced at each other, then at their surroundings, both gasping at the sight.
Everything around them glowed faintly blood-red. Beyond the platform was only an endless abyss.
Only a narrow path less than half a foot wide stretched out into darkness, just wide enough for two feet side by side. It was the only way forward.
Dugu Yan frowned. "I wonder what lies below?"
Oscar glanced downward, his expression darkening.
"Well? Can you see what's below?" she asked calmly.
Oscar nodded. "Blood. Or rather, a blood pool. If I'm not mistaken, it is the accumulated human blood of the City of Slaughter, what they call Bloody Mary, and the sacrifices to the Road to Hell."
He already knew this, but concealed it to avoid raising suspicion.
Dugu Yan fell into thought, then said, "If we analyze it, this Road to Hell is not only the way out of the City of Slaughter, but also its core."
Oscar nodded approvingly. Despite little true life-and-death experience, she remained sharp.
He said softly, "Sister, have you noticed that in this city, the most important thing is blood? This Bloody Mary appears everywhere, almost like currency."
"As I told you before, the blood contains chronic poison, but also a stimulant. There are many ways to control people. Why has the ruler always chosen blood? Just for mystery?"
After a pause, he continued guiding her thinking.
"We do not yet know the true secret of this blood, but if its source were destroyed, the City of Slaughter would suffer a devastating blow, perhaps even annihilation."
Enlightened, she said, "So if we destroy this, no one will ever gain the Slaughter God Domain again?"
Oscar nodded, then said, "True, but there's no need. As I told you, this city is likely the inheritance ground of a god. That is our chance. There is no need to destroy it now."
He then looked toward the darkness. "That narrow path must be the Road to Hell. We do not know its length, but it will not be so simple as walking straight across."
"The blood pool below may hold special soul beasts or toxins. Going down is impossible. Our only chance is the path above."
Dugu Yan nodded calmly.
Their composure showed their strong mental fortitude. Most people would want to escape immediately, but they first rested and prepared before setting out.
Oscar led, Dugu Yan followed, as they stepped onto the narrow path.
For ordinary people, walking such a path for more than ten minutes was extraordinary. A single misstep meant falling.
But their strength and experience far surpassed normal people.
Like grasshoppers tied to the same rope, any mistake would be fatal.
With steady rhythm, they vanished into the dark red. The platform behind was gone.
Their nerves strained, watching both their steps and the hidden dangers ahead.
Oscar suddenly said, "We've walked about five hundred meters. The air is getting hotter. And it's no longer silent. There are faint sounds in the distance, heading toward us. Be on guard."
Dugu Yan extended her spiritual sense. Her expression changed.
In the darkness, black dots moved rapidly toward them. The faint sounds echoed in her mind, quick and sharp, exactly as Oscar described.
Oscar already knew they were blood bats, but he revealed it indirectly, preparing her.
She glanced downward and whispered, "Oscar, I know why it feels hotter. The blood pool is closer."
Oscar nodded, pleased that she discovered it herself.
She continued, "Before, the blood pool was about a thousand meters down. Now it's around eight hundred. That's why it feels hotter."
"Perhaps it is not only blood but also magma. If the heat keeps rising, our last stretch might be within the blood pool itself. That will be the true trial of the Road to Hell."
Oscar showed no surprise, as if it were not the greatest danger.
He said sternly, "Forget that for now. Whatever happens, let's handle this crisis first."
"They're here!"
The buzzing grew louder. Red shadows approached swiftly.
Dugu Yan soon understood why the sound frequency was so rapid. It was not one or two creatures, but a swarm,thousands of them.
As they drew close, the flying creatures became clear: blood-red bats, like the symbol drawn in blood earlier. Each was about a foot long, with wings spanning more than a meter.
A few bats would be nothing. But thousands formed a red cloud rushing at them, like a dark storm pressing down.
Dugu Yan's face grew solemn. She whispered, "Oscar?"
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