After walking approximately several kilometers along the Hell Road, a faint buzzing sound began to emerge around Yang Xiong.
The further he advanced, the louder and more chaotic the sound became.
Yang Xiong retrieved a longsword from his soul tool and gradually slowed his pace.
At this moment, the surroundings suddenly fell silent. Then, countless blood-red eyes appeared throughout the space, creating an eerie and unsettling atmosphere.
Using his Purple Extreme Demon Eye, Yang Xiong scanned the area. He discovered that both the walls and the river below the Hell Road were teeming with blood-red bats. Each bat had crimson eyes, and due to the influence of Slaughter City, they seemed to radiate a faint killing intent.
These bats apparently sensed Yang Xiong's gaze and took flight all at once, forming a dense swarm that seemed intent on enveloping him.
A chill ran through Yang Xiong's heart, but instead of retreating, he accelerated forward. With a swing of his longsword, he dispersed the bats swarming the Hell Road.
However, these bats displayed surprising intelligence, halting at a certain distance from Yang Xiong as if they were hunters stalking their prey.
Suddenly, a thunderous roar erupted, and countless bats charged toward Yang Xiong at incredible speed. Their sharp claws gleamed menacingly in the dim light.
Yang Xiong grew visibly tense. These bats were extraordinarily swift, agile, and seemingly venomous—each one was no weaker than an ordinary hundred-year soul beast.
Moreover, their numbers were overwhelming, numbering in the thousands or even tens of thousands. On the narrow Hell Road, Yang Xiong's movements were severely restricted.
Rather than launching a reckless attack, Yang Xiong assessed the situation. Given the speed of these bat-type soul beasts, long-range attacks would be difficult, especially since his own ranged capabilities were limited.
Just as the bats were about to close in, Yang Xiong unleashed a terrifying burst of sword qi from his longsword. The crimson qi sliced through dozens of bats, reducing them to fragments.
The bats let out shrill cries, emitting unique sound waves that served as both a remote attack and interference. Without access to long-range soul skills, Yang Xiong found himself at a significant disadvantage.
Though his Body Martial Soul excelled in close combat, facing such a vast number of bats made using a sword more practical.
As Yang Xiong wielded his longsword faster and faster, it seemed as though he was trying to break free from the bats' encirclement. Occasionally, he released bursts of sword qi, each accompanied by a terrifying tearing sound that disrupted the bats' sonic attacks.
The bats, unwilling to relent, launched coordinated attacks from all directions, targeting even Yang Xiong's back and feet. It appeared as though they were following a formation, showcasing their apparent intelligence.
Yang Xiong's sword moved with blinding speed, shielding his entire body.
These bats were remarkably clever, avoiding direct confrontation with Yang Xiong's defenses. It seemed they were attempting to wear him down—a strategy that caused Yang Xiong's lips to twitch in frustration.
However, Yang Xiong hardened his resolve. If the bats refused to attack him directly, he would simply forge ahead.
With his sword carving a path forward, Yang Xiong advanced rapidly, clearing the road of obstacles and pushing his speed to the limit.
Suddenly, a massive creature appeared ahead.
This enormous bat measured over four meters in length and blocked the Hell Road. Its claws, exceeding a meter in length, were razor-sharp, and when it spread its wings, their span surpassed ten meters.
The bat's entire body was dark golden and possessed three heads—it was the Dark Golden Three-Headed Bat King.
Neither side showed any sign of retreat. Yang Xiong unleashed a burst of sword qi aimed at severing the Dark Golden Three-Headed Bat King's wings.
However, the bat king reacted with incredible speed, dodging the attack with a swift flap of its wings. It then emitted a unique sonic wave that caused Yang Xiong's head to throb painfully despite his formidable mental strength.
Seizing the opportunity, the Dark Golden Three-Headed Bat King lunged at Yang Xiong with astonishing speed.
Still reeling from the headache, Yang Xiong's expression turned icy. He unleashed a powerful punch with his left hand, colliding with the bat king's claws. Both combatants were forced back several meters.
In terms of raw power and speed, the Dark Golden Three-Headed Bat King, likely a ten-thousand-year soul beast, was still inferior to Yang Xiong.
The bat king, displaying clear intelligence, let out a piercing shriek. Countless blood-red bats swarmed Yang Xiong once again, while its claws tore into the pathway, causing it to shatter.
Yang Xiong's heart sank. This Dark Golden Bat King was attempting to destroy the Hell Road, clearly unwilling to let him pass under any circumstances.
At this moment, Yang Xiong's figure flashed, and he appeared beside the Dark Golden Three-Headed Bat King. Gripping his longsword with both hands, he unleashed a ferocious strike. The bat king responded by swinging its claws in a desperate attempt to resist.
But Yang Xiong's attack was merciless and executed with full force. His sword emitted countless bursts of sword qi, which coalesced into a massive "kill" character—the Seven Kill Sword Technique.
Despite its formidable strength, the Dark Golden Three-Headed Bat King was no match for Yang Xiong's all-out assault. Its body was sliced into pieces, leaving it utterly lifeless.
The surrounding bats, witnessing the death of their leader, descended into a frenzy, attacking Yang Xiong with renewed ferocity.
However, Yang Xiong was far from defenseless. His sword danced with incredible speed, forming a barrier of sword qi that shredded any bats daring to approach.
In no time, most of the bats lay dead, with only a few managing to flee.
Yang Xiong then examined the corpse of the Dark Golden Three-Headed Bat King. As expected, it was unlike any ordinary soul beast—there were no soul rings, and even its blood was different.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Yang Xiong resumed his journey. The road ahead was fraught with danger, and there was no time to dwell on the matter further.
As Yang Xiong ventured deeper into the Hell Road, the temperature around him continued to rise. Suddenly, a hissing sound echoed ahead.
Yang Xiong realized that the greatest challenge of the Hell Road was about to present itself.
Sure enough, a massive serpent coiled along the Hell Road. Its eyes glowed crimson, and its entire body radiated intense heat. Measuring over ten meters in length, it bore nine fleshy growths on its head—it was the Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent.
The Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent noticed Yang Xiong and let out a strange cry. The nine fleshy growths on its head began to emit a fierce glow, making it appear even more menacing.
Undeterred, Yang Xiong charged forward, unleashing a burst of sword qi aimed at the snake's head.
However, the Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent proved incredibly resilient. With a flick of its massive tail, it deflected Yang Xiong's sword qi. The tail then struck his sword with overwhelming force, shattering it and sending Yang Xiong flying several meters. Had he not reacted swiftly, he might have been knocked off the Hell Road entirely.
Yang Xiong's expression grew increasingly grave. The Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent was far stronger than he had anticipated, explaining why it was considered the most challenging obstacle of the Hell Road.
Initially, Yang Xiong had estimated the snake to be around thirty thousand years old—otherwise, Tang San as a Soul King in the original storyline wouldn't have stood a chance against it.
But upon reflection, he realized he had severely underestimated its strength.
The inner core of the Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent had become Ma Hongjun's soul ring, and even Ma Hongjun had nearly failed to absorb it, succeeding only with the help of Tang San and Ning Rongrong.
Ordinary Soul Sages could absorb soul rings of up to fifty thousand years. Based on the current situation, this Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent likely exceeded fifty thousand years in age and might even be stronger.
Especially within Slaughter City, where soul skills were unusable, and on the narrow Hell Road, defeating it was an even greater challenge.
Yang Xiong wiped away a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, discarded his broken sword, and smirked.
"Fine. Let's see just how strong you are and test how much I've improved over the years."
An aura of overwhelming killing intent enveloped Yang Xiong as he donned his Xuanming Armor and revealed his Ice-Fire Dragon Claws.
The Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent moved with incredible speed, spewing a torrent of fiery red flames. The intensity of the fire rivaled that of a ten-thousand-year soul skill.
However, Yang Xiong reacted swiftly, leaping into the air to evade the flames.
The Hell Road was extremely narrow, and the snake seemed prepared. It lashed out with its massive tail, aiming to strike Yang Xiong.
But after dodging the flames, Yang Xiong countered with his right claw, seizing the snake's tail with tremendous force.
Even the snake's formidable defenses were insufficient against Yang Xiong's Ice-Fire Dragon Claws, capable of breaking through the defenses of a Soul Emperor-level opponent. These claws were equivalent to a soul tool surpassing thirty thousand years in cultivation.
Before the snake could react, Yang Xiong moved with incredible speed, running along its body. In an instant, he unleashed a claw strike, tearing into the snake's flesh.
The Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent let out a pained screech but quickly retaliated, thrashing its massive head toward Yang Xiong in an attempt to knock him off the Hell Road.
However, Yang Xiong's movements were as fluid as the Bagua Steps, allowing him to swiftly navigate the narrow path. With a flash of his figure, he seized the snake's head with both claws, delivering a devastating blow.
The Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent screamed again, its body thrashing violently as if trying to shatter the entire Hell Road.
Even with its head severely injured, the nine fleshy growths began to emit a brilliant glow. The wounds inflicted by the Ice-Fire Dragon Claws gradually healed, and new heads began to form, as if it truly possessed ten heads.
Yang Xiong sneered: "So you're quite resilient. Let's see if you can regenerate after I crush all ten of your heads."
The Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent seemed enraged, its massive head lunging toward Yang Xiong like a dragon emerging from the sea, surrounded by intense flames.
Yang Xiong smirked disdainfully. A massive Rasengan, over a meter in length, materialized in his hand. The sphere shimmered with multiple colors—golden yellow for metal, earthy brown for earth, and azure blue for lightning. It pulsed with thunderous energy, brimming with explosive power.
The Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent had no room for retreat. It had already committed to a desperate attack, especially after being humiliated earlier.
Yang Xiong charged forward, gripping the massive spiraling sphere as he approached the snake. Upon seeing the sphere in Yang Xiong's hand, the snake's massive head momentarily betrayed a flicker of fear, as if it wanted to escape.
But Yang Xiong would give it no such chance. Instantly teleporting above the snake's head, he slammed the spiraling sphere down with overwhelming force.
Even as the Ten-headed Fierce Yang Serpent unleashed torrents of flames, its head was obliterated in an instant, reduced to fragments under the sphere's immense power.
The intensity of their battle seemed to shake the very foundations of the Hell Road, as if it were on the verge of collapse.
Without hesitation, Yang Xiong sliced open the snake's abdomen, retrieving a fiery red inner core before swiftly departing.
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