After hearing the teasing remark, Zhu Zhuqing, who was standing next to Shui Binger, didn't show any shy expression.
She wasn't the kind of pretentious girl—at least not in front of others.
So, she calmly nodded and admitted, "Yes."
As she spoke, her eyelids lowered slightly, and the smile on her lips became more restrained.
"I used to think that no one would ever go to such lengths for me."
Her voice carried a mix of self-mockery, fear, and gratitude, but most of all, it held a strange, unidentifiable emotion.
"My background is different from yours. I was born to be someone else's stepping stone. To have come this far is already extremely fortunate; I should be satisfied with that. Honestly, I'm not that afraid of death—I'm just reluctant to leave him."
"You thought you were going to die?" Shui Binger asked in surprise. "You don't trust Elder Su's strength?"
"You don't understand. Qian Renxue was forcing him at that moment. If Su Cheng had chosen to strike directly, Qian Renxue's life would have been in danger." Zhu Zhuqing shook her head, her gaze a bit vacant. "I knew he wouldn't harm Qian Renxue for my sake, so I thought I was doomed."
"...That sword strike was truly terrifying."
Shui Binger sighed softly.
Even now, when she recalled the scene from that time, she still felt a lingering fear.
That was true divine power, beyond the comprehension of any soul master, with a might capable of destroying everything.
What she didn't know was that it was because Qian Renxue hadn't fully mastered the overwhelming power within her, which caused some of the energy to leak from the sword light.
And just that tiny bit of residual energy had made it almost impossible for the onlookers to breathe and had sent shivers through their souls.
"In any case, that person has already left Spirit Hall. It seems like they've completely severed ties with Elder Su. In that case, you've become the ultimate winner. I can see you're already eager—is it time to prepare for your wedding?" Seeing Zhu Zhuqing in a daze, Shui Binger quickly changed the subject, joking lightly.
"Well, if he's willing, I naturally... naturally..."
As she spoke, Zhu Zhuqing's voice suddenly faltered, and her fair, delicate face instantly flushed bright red.
Shui Binger was puzzled, unable to understand why her usually calm friend had suddenly changed her expression.
Moreover, this wasn't the first time the two had discussed matters concerning Su Cheng, and Zhu Zhuqing had never shown much shyness before.
Following her gaze, Shui Binger finally noticed that Su Cheng had somehow appeared nearby, silently watching the two of them from a short distance away.
It was unclear how much of their conversation he had overheard.
"…I'll leave you two alone."
Shui Binger awkwardly smiled, nodded at Su Cheng in greeting, and then left the area.
"So, what were you going to say? Keep talking."
Now that only the two of them were left, Su Cheng placed his arm around Zhu Zhuqing's shoulder, leaning his head close to her cheek.
A faint fragrance filled his senses. In the gentle spring sunlight, her delicate earlobe was flushed red, exuding a lustrous sheen like that of a gem.
He hadn't intended to eavesdrop, but with his current level of cultivation, his actions had become increasingly natural. Unless someone deliberately checked, it was nearly impossible to notice him.
Meanwhile, the two of them had become so engrossed in their conversation that they had lost awareness of their surroundings.
Zhu Zhuqing didn't respond.
The voice in her ear, wrapped in a warm breath, seemed to penetrate her earlobe, seep into her eardrum, and burrow into her heart, causing a tingling sensation and making her earlobe turn even redder.
Yet her expression remained deliberately composed as she calmly asked in a steady voice, "Have your injuries fully healed?"
"Yes."
Su Cheng nodded, no longer joking around, and stretched out his hand to make a motion in the air in front of them.
Although there was no energy fluctuation around his fingers, and no trace of the innate sword energy that used to linger around him, it was just a simple movement.
However, this seemingly ordinary gesture caused Zhu Zhuqing, who was highly perceptive, to feel an intense sense of threat, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.
"Have you gained a new understanding?"
"Not exactly an understanding, more like I've fully integrated all my powers. From now on, there's no need to distinguish between soul power, blood energy, or innate energy. My body and various energies are now one and the same. At most, I might use my Martial Spirit as a weapon. But perhaps, after some time, I won't even need my Martial Spirit anymore."
"So, what you're saying," she looked at Su Cheng's hand, her eyes thoughtful, "is that you've reached god-level power in your normal state?"
She knew that Su Cheng could previously reach the level of a second-class god for a short time by using his Martial Spirit's true form.
"That's right. But my peak strength is still not as high as before; I've just stabilized at the threshold of a third-class god."
"I see..."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded slowly, understanding the difference. Being able to maintain a stable third-class god power was definitely more meaningful than the previous burst-state power.
For a moment, she felt both happy for Su Cheng and a little disappointed.
She had worked hard enough, and the so-called family mission that had troubled her in the past was no longer something she paid attention to.
Moreover, after resolving the residual medicinal power from the immortal herb within her, she had successfully begun practicing the third volume of the Innate Technique, cultivating innate energy. Her strength had long surpassed that of an ordinary Titled Douluo.
When she eventually advanced to Soul Saint and achieved her Martial Spirit's true form, she would undergo another qualitative transformation, and then even standing shoulder to shoulder with peak Douluo wouldn't be out of reach.
But even so, she could sense that the gap between herself and Su Cheng was growing wider.
It wasn't just Su Cheng—Qian Renxue's power on that day had also been terrifying.
Even if her state couldn't be maintained for long, once she'd had a similar peak experience, making that power permanent might only be a matter of time.
"What's the matter? Losing confidence?"
Su Cheng noticed the subtle change in her emotions and asked with a gentle smile.
"Just a little."
But what he didn't expect was that Zhu Zhuqing actually admitted it directly this time, which caught him off guard.
In Su Cheng's mind, Zhu Zhuqing's greatest strength was her willpower. She neither believed in fate nor in the limits of talent, and was always resilient and hardworking.
"Haha, I've never been that confident before. Where did you get the idea that I was so self-assured?"
Seeing him stunned, Zhu Zhuqing looked up at him. Her beautiful, radiant eyes sparkled with a bright smile.
She turned around and gently touched Su Cheng's cheek with her delicate, cool fingers.
"Whether I have confidence or not doesn't change the fact that I'll keep trying my best. You don't need to worry about me. Thank you for showing me a true future."
The moment Su Cheng risked his life to block that sword for her had given her much more than just emotions like gratitude or shock, or the relief of having her life spared.
The most important thing was that it had given her enough confidence and hope for the future.
But these words, this realization, Zhu Zhuqing didn't plan on sharing with Su Cheng. She simply asked softly, "Since your injuries have fully healed, what's your next plan? When are we heading to the Star Luo Empire?"
"In a while. I need to take care of some other matters first."
"What matters? I can go with you."
"Uh, I'm planning to head to the Blue Silver Grass Forest in the next few days."
Upon hearing this, the smile on Zhu Zhuqing's face gradually faded and disappeared.
She finally reverted to her usual cold and indifferent expression.
"Get lost."
She said faintly.
As Su Cheng made his way to the Blue Silver Grass Forest to meet Ah Yin, on the other side, Tang San, who had rejected the invitation from the King of Slaughter, was walking alone on the Hell Road, a path filled with a terrifying atmosphere and endless killing intent.
Although he had not consumed any celestial herbs, his strength was still quite formidable due to his early training with the Clear Sky Hammer.
However, since Tang San's Blue Silver Grass spirit had not yet awakened into the Blue Silver Emperor, he naturally could not possess the life-giving and purifying abilities of the Blue Silver Emperor's innate domain.
During his nearly two years of training in the Slaughter City, his mind had been severely eroded.
His face, once rigid and lifeless like dead wood, now appeared somewhat twisted, and his eyes were bloodshot, looking exceptionally frightening.
But he finally reached the end of the Hell Road.
A smile devoid of any warmth appeared on Tang San's face, making him look even more sinister.
Although his cultivation had not improved much compared to two years ago, his strength had undergone a tremendous transformation.
Now, he was confident that he could easily defeat three of his former selves from a year ago.
He finally understood why, despite having the secret techniques of the Tang Sect, he was completely powerless in front of Su Cheng that day.
Ultimately, it all came down to the application of power; there was nothing particularly profound about it.
"Heh, Spirit Hall..."
Tang San licked his chapped lips due to the intense heat and murmured softly.
"Even a place so full of filth and corruption is still kept around. Hypocritical. They even send their juniors here to train, using this power derived from darkness. And yet, Spirit Hall has the audacity to present itself as the beacon of justice?"
On either side of the narrow path, dark red blood flowed like molten lava, emitting intense heat.
During his two years in the Slaughter City, Tang San had carefully studied the filthy drink known as "Bloody Mary." He found that its nature was essentially no different from the blood plasma here. It was likely the concentrated and toxic essence of countless evil-doers' blood over thousands of years, forming the very foundation of Slaughter City.
And what kind of place was Slaughter City, built on such a foundation?
Dark, evil, terrifying, filthy...
Such a world should not exist at all. Regardless of who left it behind, it would be best if it disappeared.
"However..."
Tang San glanced at the boiling, highly toxic blood plasma at his feet, feeling it troublesome.
With his current strength, it was clear that he was far from being able to destroy it.
Moreover, the time he had left to escape was running out, and his body had long reached its limits.
"Xie Yue, Hu Liena, Yan..."
Thinking of the few people he had encountered by chance in the Slaughter City, Tang San couldn't help but clench his teeth.
Given their performance and number of victories in the Hell Slaughter Arena, it was almost certain they would enter Hell Road in a few days.
And since they were all members of Spirit Hall's younger generation, they surely trusted each other and could cooperate seamlessly. With their combined efforts, passing the trial would not be as difficult as it was for him.
It was easy to predict that in the future, there would be several new "Killing Gods" in Slaughter City, most of whom would belong to Spirit Hall.
"… If this place continues to exist, who knows how many more wicked and treacherous people will benefit from it. It truly is a great threat!"
With a cold snort, Tang San turned his head back and continued forward, temporarily putting aside the fantasy of destroying this place.
As he had expected, with the rising temperature and the blood plasma on either side, it took less than half an hour before he could see the exit.
The black dome above was about two hundred meters high, not much of a challenge for Tang San.
He first used the powerful force of his Eight Spider Lances to leap upwards, then, with the help of his Blue Silver Grass spirit and the hidden weapon Flying God Claw, he successfully reached the entrance.
At this moment, Tang San suddenly noticed that the killing intent around his body seemed to be continuously drawn by a special force.
Taking one last look at the Hell Road he had just walked through, he silently made up his mind.
"If Spirit Hall refuses to destroy this place, then I, Tang San, will do it. One day, I will obliterate this place completely!"
The trials he had endured in Slaughter City over the past two years were experiences he would never forget.
But more than that, he did not want anyone else to go through this terrifying world in the future.
"Righteous spirit masters should walk the righteous path. This place is far too dangerous. As for the evil spirit masters, they should not even think about gaining any benefits from here..."
In the next moment, his entire body surged into the white light curtain.
Everything around him seemed to be changing. He felt as if he had entered another extremely special world.
All he could see was a void of white, and his spirit was suppressed by a unique force, completely retracted back into his body.
In this vast white world, he could not exert any strength at all, and the only sensation was coldness.
It was the chill brought by the killing intent, assaulting him from the outside and releasing from within, circulating repeatedly, making Tang San tremble uncontrollably.
When his consciousness began to slip away along with his sense of perception, he felt a domain gradually taking shape. It was a powerful domain formed from concentrated killing intent...
He didn't know how much time had passed, but when Tang San finally woke up from the pain and was about to sit up, he suddenly noticed that his left hand felt heavy.
Turning his head, he saw that the Clear Sky Hammer was now in his hand.
And on the top of the hammer, there was a new pattern, resembling the blood-stained bat-like figure on the ground of the Hell Slaughter Arena when Hell Road was activated. However, it was much smaller and white in color.
He tried to sense the white pattern, and in an instant, a surging white light burst from the Clear Sky Hammer, but it quickly faded to colorless. Tang San's perception of the world around him also immediately changed.
Even the surrounding grass and trees seemed to tremble slightly in the invisible flow of energy.
"So this is the Killing God Domain…"
"Xiao San."
At this moment, a deep voice suddenly sounded in Tang San's ear.
Tang Hao had silently appeared not far in front of him.
After two years of not seeing him, Tang Hao seemed even more aged. However, Tang San, with his keen senses, could detect a similar aura from his father.
Tang San's body shook, and he quickly leaped up.
"Father." He hurriedly walked up to Tang Hao. Despite the cold expression on his stiff face, a result of the past painful experiences and the aftereffects of two years in Slaughter City, he still showed respect.
"I have successfully completed the trial in Slaughter City and obtained the Killing God Domain."
Tang Hao nodded in response, his aged face showing a complex expression.
Compared to the immense pressure brought by Bibi Dong and Su Cheng, Tang San was still far behind.
"... You've done well. You've worked hard these past two years. Let's go."
With that, Tang Hao took the lead and walked ahead.
Tang San was momentarily stunned, having expected more praise, but he quickly followed in silence.
His father's presence brought a warmth to his heart.
After the death of Xiao Wu and the betrayal of Zhu Zhuqing, Tang Hao and Yu Xiaogang were the only two pillars left in Tang San's heart.