Tang Yin lounged on the couch, legs crossed in a meditative pose. Before him lay countless Bloody Marys, each half-empty.
His face twisted into a frown as he struggled to calm his growing irritation. Hu Leina watched him with worried eyes, one hand pressed lightly to her chest. "Please be safe."
"Blurp!" Tang Yin burped, a mist of bloody red cloud swirling from his mouth. Slowly, he opened his light blue eyes, a satisfied smirk curling at the corners of his lips.
"Haha, just as I thought — this Bloody Mary really helps train and evolve my Spirit Brain, constantly pushing and influencing my spirit. What a perfect sanctuary for me."
If anyone else had drunk this much Bloody Mary without time to digest, they'd have become mindless degenerates by now.
Hu Leina finally exhaled in relief and snuggled closer to him. Tang Yin smiled softly as he stroked her loose golden hair.
"You really had me worried there," Hu Leina murmured. "You collected a Bloody Mary from every winner in the arena? At this rate, you'll make lifelong enemies of them all. You're really bad, Tang Yin." She giggled playfully.
Tang Yin tapped her nose and replied with a smirk, "Oh, they can try all they want. But we all know how that ended, don't we?"
"Who's got a death wish?" Hu Leina chuckled proudly, remembering how they had been outnumbered—yet he had massacred them all with his bare fists in the most brutal way.
They had once been surrounded by more than fifty of those guys—and it didn't even take half an hour for Tang Yin to slaughter them all.
From that day on, no one dared cause him trouble, and everyone recognized him as the uncrowned King of Slaughter City.
"Who would've thought that a place meant for exile would instead become a thriving haven for these criminals—almost like a paradise rather than a punishment? Is Spirit Hall truly doing the right thing by sending them in here instead of ending them once and for all?"
Hu Leina blurted out her thoughts to Tang Yin, who was still proudly basking in her praise. Yet his mood immediately darkened as his mind drifted elsewhere.
The thought of all these vile Soul Masters living in Slaughter City as if it were heaven left Tang Yin deeply unsettled. Was the Ashura God really a righteous deity? Why create a place that served as a sanctuary for such pure evil degenerates?
Tang Yin had been wrestling with what to do about Slaughter City. Should he destroy it outright, like Tang San had done with the aid of Snow Swan Kiss? Or should he personally finish off those who had fallen so far?
He wanted them to repent—to truly suffer for their sins. But then he suddenly recalled the consequences of Tang San's self-righteous actions, which had set off a chain reaction.
Because of Tang San's decision to destroy the Slaughter city, the continent had been riddled with evil Soul Masters a full 10,000 years later. And Martial Soul Hall—the only force actually responsible for keeping those twisted bastards in check? Yeah, Tang San wrecked that too.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Tang Yin—an idea that could give these fallen souls a meaningful end and maybe even spark lasting change across the Douluo Continent.
With a twisted grin, Tang Yin began cooking up a plan—one that would paint Tang San as the most hated figure in history, while crowning himself as the eternal hero of the continent.
He was going to make every last evil Soul Master in Slaughter City submit to Tang San's name—then frame the entire Hao Tian Sect as the most unforgivable force on the continent.
And how was he going to pull that off? Simple.
Tang San's disgusting little Wuhun would be glorified as the most divine, revered martial soul among all of the evil Soul Masters.
Suddenly, that Mutated Martial Soul would be worshipped like sacred gospel. And when they pledged their loyalty to him, the rest of the continent would've no choice but to believe it.
After all, everyone already knew how atrocious that wuhun was—so the fact that every twisted Soul Master adored it? Perfectly damning.
And as for Tang Hao? The man who'd sell his soul to the devil just to chase his delusional revenge against Spirit Hall? Why would he stop his son? He'd probably encourage him.
The Martial Soul Hall wouldn't sit still after that. Not a chance. They'd go to war, no hesitation. And in doing so, Tang Yin would put an end to countless meaningless conflicts—by giving every side a common enemy.
The Tian Duo Empire, under Qian Renxue's control, wouldn't lift a finger to help the Hao Tian Sect—not after what they'd done.
But the Xing Luo Empire? They just might.
And that would play perfectly into Tang Yin's hands—because if there was one group he loathed just as much as the Hao Tian Sect, it was the Xing Luo royal family.
Tang Yin smirked, his future plan taking shape, and drifted to sleep with Hu Leina nestled in his arms. This sudden flash of inspiration was about to change the douluo continent forever.
One year later—
"Aaaah!!"
Splat.
Blood splattered across the stone walls of the arena as Hu Liena danced among her enemies like a phantom wreathed in death.
Her twin daggers gleamed with a sinister crimson sheen, carving through flesh as if it were mere silk—swift, clean, and merciless.
One moment she was there—visible.
The next—gone.
Then snap—she was behind her target, blade kissing throat, severing it clean before a gasp could rise. With each flick of daggers, another body crumpled, crimson arcs painting the silence with death.
Tang Yin stood near the stands, arms crossed, watching with a satisfied glint in his eyes. She moved without hesitation, without mercy. Two years in this cursed city had carved away her softness—what was left was a weapon honed by blood and ruthless slaughter.
"Competition Ends: 9410 won. 100 wins total."
Over the past year, he had relentlessly honed his Spirit Brain, using telepathy to dominate powerful evil Soul Masters—primarily Soul Saints and Soul Douluo.
Tang yin had made himself their true master, though they would outwardly serve Tang San as their leader once freed from Slaughter City.
Throughout that year, he took control of more than three hundred Soul Saints and a hundred Soul Douluo. Beyond them, nearly a thousand Soul Emperors and Soul Kings fell under him.
Their mission was simple—wage war against Martial Soul Hall, drain its resources, and fracture its grip on the continent. This was his way of weakening Bibi Dong, knowing that she would inevitably be consumed by vengeance, her mind warping further with every rise in her compatibility with the Rakshasa God.
As for the rest? Those too weak, too evil, or too unruly—he ordered their execution the moment they stepped beyond the city walls. No mercy. No survivors.
Unfortunately, Tang yin couldn't control the Titled Douluo guards of the Slaughter King.
Otherwise, he would've gladly claimed their loyalty as well. Still, he had no intention of leaving them untouched—he'd be back, and when the time came, both they and slaughter king would fall in his hand.
He had already completed the 100 challenges half a year ago and had simply been waiting for Hu Liena to finish her challenge before leaving this accursed place.
Tang Yin's Spirit Brain hovered on the verge of a breakthrough, constantly honed by Bloody Mary's eerie stimulation over two years.
Though he never dared absorb the soul power within the drink, the strange aura of Slaughter City had still dulled his cultivation progress—yielding only three or four levels in two years.
Rising from his seat, Tang Yin made his way to the center of the arena, standing side by side with Hu Liena. Together, they looked up at the high platform where the Slaughter King sat, frowning down at them with scrutiny.
The Slaughter King slowly unfurled his wings, ascending into the air as his demonic voice echoed throughout the entire coliseum.
"Today, we welcome two invincibles! Aren't you all intimidated by their formidable strength and heinous spirits?"
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
The crowd roared in twisted excitement as they were excited to witness the Hell Road.
"Butcher and Emissary of Hell," the Slaughter King declared grandly, "I hereby bestow upon both of you the title of Death God, and invite you to serve as my ministers—second only to me. From this day on, you may enter Slaughter City freely." He spread his hand dramatically.
But Hu Liena stepped forward, her fingers tightening around Tang Yin's as she replied coldly, "There's no need. We choose to pass through the Hell Road ourselves to become true Death Gods."
The Slaughter King's gaze darkened, now fixed squarely on Tang Yin. "You have only one life. Why risk it? Are you not afraid of death—or of your lover dying by your side?"
Tang Yin smiled faintly. "To become a Death God, one must first learn to scorn death itself. Don't you agree, Slaughter King?"
Seeing through the Slaughter King's stalling tactics, Hu Liena snapped, "We ask you to honor the rules of Slaughter City."
The Slaughter King's expression twisted with irritation, but he raised his hand. The ropes binding the central arena slowly unraveled, and the onlookers stirred with anticipation.
"None have ever seen the opening of Hell Road," he said, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "They will be honored… to sacrifice for the occasion."
Suddenly, a swarm of crimson bloodthirsty bats erupted from the Slaughter King's arms, descending upon the arena. Screams filled the air as the creatures tore into the evil soul masters in the stands, draining them dry before they could flee.
"AAAHH! Let me go!!"
Panic surged through the crowd, but it was too late. In moments, all of them had been reduced to puddles of blood—absorbed by the arena floor, which began to glow crimson. Ancient runes ignited, and a portal yawned open beneath Tang Yin and Hu Liena's feet.
Without hesitation, they were dragged into the swirling abyss. Tang yin protected Hu Leina in his arms as they descended below the arena.
"Wish you good luck…" the Slaughter King muttered with a strange glint in his eyes.