After deciding to send his Shangqing Clone to the Slaughter City, Lin Yu quickly took action. Inside the alchemy room, Lin Yu once again activated the "One Breath into Three Pure Ones" soul technique from his Supreme Bone. Immediately, a radiant light shone from his chest, and intricate runes emerged from the light, forming a large cocoon of energy before him.
Moments later, the cocoon cracked open, revealing a golden-haired, handsome young man, dressed in black and looking exactly like Lin Yu himself.
"Master," the Shangqing Clone greeted Lin Yu with a nod.
"Go," Lin Yu instructed simply.
Since the clone and the main body shared a deep mental connection, there was no need for long explanations. With a nod, the Shangqing Clone turned and left the alchemy room, using the "Swift Water Traceless" movement technique to rapidly head toward the outskirts of Heaven Dou City.
His destination was clear: the Slaughter City.
Leaving Heaven Dou City, the Shangqing Clone couldn't use the Wind and Thunder Wings as the powers of soul's bones couldn't be shared between the clone and the main body. Instead, he relied on the Swift Water Traceless technique, racing toward the Slaughter City at full speed.
After nearly a month of constant travel, Lin Yu's clone finally neared the infamous city.
"That should be the Hell Town up ahead," Lin Yu thought as he scanned the distant town with his Reincarnation Eyes. The Slaughter City was located in the cold northern regions of the Douluo Continent. The dark and dense pine forests surrounding it added to the eerie atmosphere.
However, Lin Yu didn't plan to enter the Slaughter City through the Hell Town's underground passage, hidden beneath a tavern's bar counter. That method, while commonly used, was unofficial and could result in trouble, as seen in the original story where Tang San was intercepted by the terrifying knight, Scott.
According to Lin Yu's knowledge, the correct way to enter Slaughter City was to head to the left of Hell Town, toward a place known as the Valley of Death. There, fallen spirit masters who sought entry into the Slaughter City would gather periodically. At a certain time, the city's gatekeepers would open a passage and hold a test—a brutal slaughter match where ten participants would fight until only one survived. The victor would earn the right to enter the Slaughter City.
Following this information, Lin Yu bypassed Hell Town and soon found himself at the Valley of Death.
The valley was stained with blood.
Fallen spirit masters, desperate for entry into the Slaughter City, would often kill anyone they encountered along the way to reduce their competition. As a result, the valley was littered with human bones—some fresh, others broken or decayed.
Walking through the valley, Lin Yu felt a wave of discomfort wash over him. He wasn't unaccustomed to killing; he had slaughtered many bandits before. But the sight of so many human remains stirred something different within him.
Along the way, Lin Yu encountered several groups of fallen spirit masters. Each time, they saw him as easy prey, thinking a mere youth would be no match for them. However, Lin Yu didn't even bother engaging them directly. He summoned his Chaos Green Lotus Martial Spirit, conjured the Karmic Fire Lotus, and with a single touch of deep crimson karmic fire, incinerated the attackers into ash.
After eliminating the groups, Lin Yu finally reached the heart of the valley. The land here was barren, cracked, and stained red from bloodshed. The stench of blood hung heavy in the air. Here and there, ravens feasted on the remains of the fallen.
"Truly a cruel place," Lin Yu muttered, shaking his head.
Ahead, a large gate was embedded in the valley's rock face, surrounded by a group of fully armored knights. In front of them stood a dense crowd of people, all waiting for their turn to enter the Slaughter City.
"Don't push! This round is almost over!" a cold voice barked from one of the knights guarding the gate.
As Lin Yu approached, he activated his Reincarnation Eyes to get a clearer look. In the center of the crowd, a large clearing had formed. The ground was soaked in blood, littered with the corpses of seven or eight slain spirit masters. Only two combatants remained, locked in a brutal battle to the death.
The crowd around them cheered wildly, caught up in the bloodlust of the scene.
"So, this is how you enter the Slaughter City—by slaughtering ten others," Lin Yu mused, narrowing his eyes as he observed the carnage.
Just as Lin Yu moved closer to the crowd, the duel on the bloodied ground concluded. A larger spirit master, his left arm nearly severed, finally managed to kill his opponent, a leaner and quicker fighter.
"Let him through," the knight captain ordered coldly. Two knights stepped forward and slowly opened the iron gate, creating a path for the wounded victor to stumble through and disappear into the darkness beyond.
"Alright, the next round can begin. Ten people per group—the last one standing gains entry into the Slaughter City!" the knight captain announced.
At his command, the crowd grew restless. Everyone stepped back, clearing a large space in the middle.
As Lin Yu retreated with the crowd, his attention was suddenly drawn to a striking figure among the throng. A woman with long black hair, dressed in a tight blue and purple leather outfit, stood out among the fallen spirit masters. Her curvaceous figure and mature, beautiful face gave her an air of seductive power, but her presence felt entirely out of place in this grim setting.
For a moment, Lin Yu was taken aback.
"She doesn't look like a fallen spirit master. What is someone like her doing here?"
Just then, the woman seemed to sense Lin Yu's gaze. She turned her head, her sharp eyes locking onto his with a curious expression.