On just the first day of entering Slaughter City, Yang Xiong already sensed its extraordinary nature.
Even though he had found an empty and remote house to stay in, at least seven groups of people had secretly infiltrated during the first night alone, each with obvious ill intentions.
It seemed that nearly everyone viewed him as a newcomer to Slaughter City, someone who lacked any defenses, and thus targeted him immediately.
In Slaughter City, Yang Xiong had no time to meditate. There was no distinction between day and night—every moment was filled with slaughter, and his nerves were constantly on edge. There was no moment of relaxation.
The methods of attack used by these people were incredibly varied. Some utilized unique traits of their martial souls—for instance, poisoning or disorienting opponents through their martial souls. Others wielded dark-attribute martial souls, which could easily ensnare the unwary.
Overall, there was no order or morality here—it was entirely normal for people to strike from behind.
Moreover, those living in the inner city of Slaughter City possessed extensive combat experience and remained highly vigilant. Even the most inconspicuous or destitute individuals harbored lethal intent. One could not afford to relax until their enemy had completely perished.
Yang Xiong was well aware of this reality, which was why he primarily relied on using a sword in Slaughter City. On one hand, it allowed him to hone his swordsmanship; on the other, it concealed his formidable physical combat abilities. If he revealed all of his strength, he would likely be targeted for assassination at any moment.
When Yang Xiong entered the Hell Slaughter Arena again on the second day, the gazes of those around him had noticeably changed, carrying a hint of wariness.
Clearly, many had been observing him the previous night, but only a few had actually taken action. The others likely waited for opportunities to probe and strike.
In Slaughter City, every individual was valuable—even corpses.
Their blood was the primary component of Bloody Mary, and they also carried other resources.
Yang Xiong participated in another Hell Slaughter Arena match on the second day, achieving a flawless victory without sustaining any injuries. He personally eliminated seven of the nine enemies, while the remaining two were killed by others.
After completing this second match, the killing intent within him seemed to have grown even stronger. This sensation was entirely different from killing soul beasts or ordinary people outside—it was as if the special conditions of the Hell Slaughter Arena were responsible.
The entire Hell Slaughter Arena resembled a grand formation, and participating in the ten-person slaughter matches felt like a ritual. After killing, the killing intent seemed to seep into his body, bones, marrow, and even his soul.
In Slaughter City, those who had participated in varying numbers of matches not only showed significant differences on the surface but also exhibited progressively stronger levels of killing intent.
Especially when encountering individuals who had competed in over fifty arena battles, Yang Xiong realized they were no longer ordinary humans—they resembled wild beasts driven solely by the instinct to kill. Their eyes glowed red, and their souls appeared tainted by killing intent.
Unable to meditate peacefully, Yang Xiong focused more intently on the situation in Slaughter City, the changes in his body, and refining his self-created soul skills.
Time flew by, and Yang Xiong soon spent a full year in Slaughter City.
During this year, Yang Xiong participated in seventy-one Hell Slaughter Arena matches—an almost insane feat.
At first, Yang Xiong competed every two days, but as time went on, the intervals between matches grew longer. By the end, he was competing roughly once every ten days.
This wasn't because his body couldn't handle the intense battles—it was because, as he competed more frequently, the killing intent within him grew heavier, and he felt increasingly less in control of himself.
Unlike Hu Liena and Tang San, who possessed top-tier head soul bones, Yang Xiong had no head soul bone, and his Purple Extreme Demon Eye hadn't advanced beyond the second stage: the peak of the Detailed realm.
The killing intent in Slaughter City didn't just affect the body—it also influenced every person's martial soul. Prolonged exposure caused gradual changes in the martial soul itself.
Yang Xiong's martial soul was completely unique—his body is his martial soul. Thus, the killing intent affected him far more profoundly than others.
After cultivating the Purple Extreme Demon Eye, his eyes originally turned purple. However, after a year in Slaughter City, his eyes had become blood-red, appearing even more terrifying and chilling, brimming with killing intent.
Every day, Yang Xiong sought ways to synchronize his martial soul with his body. In the absence of a head soul bone, the stimulation from his body caused subtle changes in his martial soul.
Originally, when Yang Xiong activated his Body Martial Soul, his body would turn silver.
But after a year of being nurtured by killing intent, blood-red patterns began to appear on his martial soul. Upon closer inspection, these patterns bore a resemblance to the demonic markings on the Slaughter King's face.
Thanks to the influence of his martial soul, Yang Xiong avoided descending into madness. His mental strength and physical condition even showed signs of potential breakthroughs.
Yang Xiong began to suspect that if he completed Slaughter City's trials, his Body Martial Soul might undergo a qualitative transformation—a different kind of secondary awakening.
Body Martial Souls could awaken at most, the silver or gold level. Yet, even among the members of the Body Sect, no one had ever undergone a secondary awakening in the environment of Slaughter City. This place was truly a miraculous anomaly, unmatched even in later eras.
What puzzled Yang Xiong somewhat was that after spending a full year in Slaughter City, he hadn't seen Hu Liena or Tang San from the original storyline.
Would these two even come to Slaughter City? Or had the timing of their arrival changed?
The greatest change Yang Xiong experienced in Slaughter City was his mastery of sword qi. Initially, he had prepared various weapons for his stay, particularly crafting multiple swords for long-term use.
At first, Yang Xiong could barely utilize sword qi. Ordinary swords couldn't withstand the force of the qi—he could release only a single burst of sword qi before the sword shattered.
However, after continuous slaughter in Slaughter City, the killing intent within him grew stronger, and his body began to emanate a blood-red aura. He could now unleash multiple bursts of sword qi without breaking his sword, demonstrating significantly greater proficiency in the Seven Kill Sword Technique.
After resting for ten days, Yang Xiong prepared for his 72nd Hell Slaughter Arena match.
As Yang Xiong competed more frequently, he gained a fearsome reputation throughout Slaughter City. Countless people had died at his hands, and ordinary individuals dared not provoke him.
However, correspondingly, every time he entered the Hell Slaughter Arena, he became the primary target of all nine opponents, who attacked him recklessly.
Defeating one person individually was simple, but facing nine opponents simultaneously was an entirely different matter. The difficulty increased not just ninefold but potentially dozens of times.
When Yang Xiong stepped onto the arena once again, the other nine participants exchanged glances and unleashed their strongest attacks against him without hesitation. Surprisingly, they even displayed rare coordination.
Poison gas, throwing knives, iron hammers, steel cables—various methods were employed relentlessly.
But Yang Xiong's longsword was exceptionally sharp, and his swordsmanship was masterful. Each strike carried tremendous power and speed, deflecting all incoming attacks.
After a full half hour, Yang Xiong finally eliminated all nine opponents. However, battling them all had left him with numerous wounds and depleted much of his stamina.
As soon as Yang Xiong exited the Hell Slaughter Arena, he was instantly ambushed by hundreds of people. These attackers seemed well-prepared, led by two individuals, displaying rare coordination in Slaughter City.
Yang Xiong's expression turned icy: "Great Strength King, Iron Claw King—I don't recall provoking either of you. You've organized such a large-scale ambush against me, so it seems this has been planned for some time."
A middle-aged man with a massive iron claw responded: "Overlord, your frequent participation in battles leaves no room for others to survive. Our group is here to kill you today simply to ensure our own survival."
Yang Xiong sneered: "Don't pretend to sound so noble. Aren't you just after the treasures I carry? If I remember correctly, you haven't participated in any arena matches in the inner city for nearly a year. Could it be that you're afraid of facing me in the Hell Slaughter Arena?"
The man wielding a giant hammer chimed in: "Enough talk. Once we kill you, all your wealth will belong to us. Then we won't need to worry about encountering you in the Hell Slaughter Arena anymore."
Before Yang Xiong could respond, a hidden arrow shot toward his face—it seemed they had planned to attack him for some time.
Yang Xiong slashed with his sword, splitting the arrow in two.
But the surrounding crowd surged forward with their weapons, clearly intent on fighting to the death.
Gripping his longsword, Yang Xiong unleashed a burst of sword qi, instantly cutting several of the foremost attackers in half.
The sight of their comrades being slain only spurred the others onward, making them even more fearless and reckless.
Meanwhile, the Great Strength King and Iron Claw King stood back, resembling predatory beasts ready to strike.
Both were infamous figures in Slaughter City. Their exact ages were unknown, but the Great Strength King was renowned for his immense power, wielding a giant hammer in battle.
The Iron Claw King wielded a massive iron claw, said to be capable of tearing enemies apart effortlessly.
Both were Soul Douluo-level experts. Though unable to use soul skills, their physical prowess far surpassed that of ordinary people, earning them notorious reputations in Slaughter City.
Yang Xiong had already expended a great deal of energy in the Hell Slaughter Arena. Now, suddenly facing countless attackers, he began to feel a growing sense of frenzy.
Yang Xiong appeared different from his usual self, wielding a heavier and sharper longsword than before. With both hands gripping the sword, he fought fiercely against the encircling enemies.
In such moments, Yang Xiong dared not show even the slightest vulnerability—any weakness would leave him torn to pieces.
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