"No, no! I would never dare tease you, Sister Erlong. I swear everything I said was the truth!"
Lin Yu grinned, quickly raising his hands to show innocence, reassuring Liu Erlong with a light-hearted tone.
"Hmph! You better hope that's the case!"
Liu Erlong, with her mature and alluring face, crossed her arms over her ample chest and turned her head slightly, giving a few huffs as if in mock annoyance.
Though her expression showed irritation, Liu Erlong wasn't truly angry. If anything, she felt a mix of embarrassment and warmth, perhaps even a tinge of joy. The use of the Red String of Fate Lin Yu had cast earlier played its part, but much of her reaction stemmed from a more natural feeling. After all, what woman didn't enjoy being complimented on her beauty, charm, and youthfulness?
The attention of a handsome, young boy like Lin Yu made her feel secretly delighted. Despite her outward protest, inwardly, Liu Erlong felt pride—after all, it meant her charm hadn't faded with time.
Just as the playful tension between them hung in the air, a sudden blood-curdling scream echoed from nearby.
Lin Yu turned toward the commotion. In the middle of the clearing, where ten people were engaging in a deadly contest, the first death had occurred. Blood had been spilled, and the already brutal fight turned even more savage. Within minutes, eight more had fallen, leaving behind a grisly scene of corpses strewn across the yellowed, cracked ground, with blood flowing like rivers.
Only one remained standing—a lean, sinister-looking man dressed in black, covered in blood and riddled with wounds. He knelt on one knee, gasping for breath, using a bloodstained black sword to keep himself upright. Surrounding him were five soul rings—white, yellow, purple, purple, and black. This man was a Soul King, a formidable level of spirit master.
"Alright, let him through."
The knight captain guarding the entrance gestured toward the door, his voice cold and indifferent. His men opened the passage, and the black-clad man, clutching his weapon tightly, limped his way through the iron gate, receiving a token before disappearing into the dark tunnel beyond.
"Next!" the knight captain commanded, waving his hand at the crowd.
The spectators buzzed with excitement once more, retreating to the edges of the clearing to make room for the next batch of contenders.
"Erlong, Sister, we should go and join the life-and-death contest to enter the Slaughter City," Lin Yu said, turning toward her with a casual smile.
"I'll go first. After I win, I'll wait for you at the gate." Without giving her a chance to object, he confidently walked forward toward the clearing.
"Hey!" Liu Erlong called after him, worry evident in her voice, and quickly followed.
Even though Tang San had set a precedent in the livestreams, and she had seen young geniuses before, she still wasn't sure about Lin Yu's strength. A part of her wanted to protect him, just in case he couldn't handle the brutal battle.
The Slaughter City wasn't a place just anyone could enter. Outside its walls, she could still intervene if needed, but once inside—where soul abilities were sealed—even she wasn't sure how well she'd fare.
"Ha! I'll take this round! Who's brave enough to face me?"
In the middle of the clearing, a thin, rat-faced man with sneaky eyes and prominent front teeth stepped forward. He summoned his spirit, a black rat, which immediately fused with him. In an instant, his hands grew thick black fur, his fingers turned into sharp claws, and his eyes gleamed a sinister green. Five spirit rings—white, white, yellow, and purple—rose from beneath his feet, marking him as a Soul Elder.
"Hmph! I'll take you on!"
Another challenger appeared—a tall, lanky man who summoned his spirit, a leopard cat. As his spirit merged, his body elongated, and his muscles swelled. His hands sprouted yellow fur, his nails turned into deadly claws, and his eyes gleamed with a predatory light. White, yellow, and two purple rings circled him. He, too, was a Soul Elder.
Soon after, six more spirit masters joined the contest—a Phantom Mink spirit master, a Swift Wind Wolf spirit master, a Ghost Leopard spirit master, a Bloodthirsty Vine spirit master, a Black Iron Saber spirit master, and a Black Iron Hammer spirit master. All of them were at the Soul Elder level, with four spirit rings each. These individuals believed they had a good chance of surviving this battle.
As Lin Yu approached and joined the group in the clearing, the other contenders glanced at him. Seeing his youthful appearance, they all raised their eyebrows in surprise, a few even snickering under their breath.
How could a boy who looked no older than sixteen or seventeen possibly think he stood a chance in a life-and-death battle?
None of them spoke up, though. The more weaklings there were, the better their chances of survival. If all their opponents were as seemingly naive and inexperienced as Lin Yu, they'd have no trouble reaching the Slaughter City.
The crowd shared the same sentiment, watching the scene unfold with amusement. Only Liu Erlong followed closely behind, concerned.
Despite their shared confidence, however, a few stronger and more cautious individuals still lingered on the outskirts.
One such figure was a hulking, bald man with a brutal scar slashing diagonally across his face. His eyes gleamed with bloodlust as he observed the participants. After seeing that eight of the combatants were mere Soul Elders, and one was a young boy, he grinned wickedly.
"Finally, a contest I'm guaranteed to win," he muttered.
Stepping forward, the scarred man summoned his spirit—a blood tiger—and his body transformed into that of a fierce tiger-man hybrid. His muscles bulged, red fur covered his hands, and razor-sharp claws sprouted from his fingers. Five spirit rings—yellow, yellow, yellow, purple, and black—materialized around him.
A Soul King!
The crowd gasped in shock as the bloodthirsty tiger-man took his place in the clearing, towering over the other contestants.
"A Soul King?!"
The other combatants, save for Lin Yu, paled in terror as they realized just how outclassed they were.