"Oh? Is that so?" Lin Yu muttered to himself, feigning belief in Yu Xiaogang's explanation. His expression suggested that he was both convinced and skeptical, but he chose not to press the issue further.
After Liu Erlong had beaten the Evil Five within an inch of their lives, she didn't stop there. Under Tang San's guidance, she continued to dish out justice to several other groups of fallen soul masters who had dared to bully Tang San and Yu Xiaogang during their time in Slaughter City.
For the first time in months, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang finally felt a sense of pride and relief. Liu Erlong's arrival not only provided them with a shield of protection but also improved their living conditions immensely.
Knowing how poor the living standards in Slaughter City were, Liu Erlong had prepared several storage soul tools filled with food before coming. This allowed Yu Xiaogang and Tang San, who had been living on a disgusting black liquid for months, to finally enjoy normal meals and even the luxury of meat.
Moreover, during her rampage against the Evil Five and other fallen soul masters, Tang San managed to recover several blood-red cups of Bloody Mary, a rare commodity in Slaughter City. This meant they wouldn't need to make any blood tributes for several months.
But the most significant change was the peace of mind Liu Erlong's presence provided. Tang San could now focus on training and challenging fallen soul masters to hone his skills, all with the hope of one day leaving Slaughter City to take revenge on Spirit Hall for his father.
Days passed in the blink of an eye.
Soon, it was time for the monthly blood tribute in Slaughter City. Those who didn't want to fight in the Hell Slaughter Arena had to pay their dues by offering up cups of Bloody Mary.
Having acquired eight or nine cups during the earlier raids, Tang San offered to cover the blood tribute for Liu Erlong and Lin Yu as well. However, whether it was genuine or just a pretense, both Liu Erlong and Lin Yu declined.
They were both more than capable of fighting in the Hell Slaughter Arena and had no intention of relying on tributes to survive like weaker soul masters.
When Tang San realized they had declined, he was secretly relieved. The Bloody Mary he had would be enough to last two months for him and his teacher, but if he had to share it with Liu Erlong and Lin Yu, it would barely last a month.
With that settled, Lin Yu and Liu Erlong set off from the outer district and made their way to the inner district of Slaughter City, eventually arriving at the infamous Hell Slaughter Arena.
"We're finally here!" Lin Yu remarked with a smile as they stood in front of the dark, towering structure, which resembled an ancient Roman colosseum.
"Let's go in, Sister Erlong," he said, guiding her into the arena.
Inside, the arena was just as they remembered it, though the crowd was much larger. It was the day of the blood tribute, and those unwilling to make the offering had flocked to the arena to fight for their survival.
"We'd like to register for today's matches in the Hell Slaughter Arena," Lin Yu said as they approached the registration desk. He handed over his identity token to the attendant. Liu Erlong waited until he was done before presenting her token.
The staff member behind the counter, expressionless, recorded their information. "You're both registered. You'll be fighting in the fifth and sixth matches, respectively. Please wait in the lobby until it's time."
"Got it," Lin Yu replied, pulling Liu Erlong aside as they found a place to sit and wait.
After what felt like an hour, a cold voice rang out from the direction of the registration desk: "Participants for the fifth match, please proceed to the combat tunnel."
Lin Yu stood up, flashing a smile at Liu Erlong. "Sister Erlong, I'm up first. Wish me luck."
With that, he headed towards the combat tunnel, showing his token to the guards before being allowed entry.
While Lin Yu made his way to the arena, Liu Erlong decided to find herself a seat in the audience, borrowing a cup of Bloody Mary from another soul master as the entry fee.
Inside the colosseum-style arena, Lin Yu was soon joined by nine other participants—each one as menacing as the next, with their rough features and vicious auras. They were all seasoned fighters in Slaughter City, hardened by countless battles.
"The match begins—now!"
With the announcement, chaos erupted. There were no rules in Slaughter City, no courtesy of letting others summon their martial souls first. Survival was all that mattered.
But for Lin Yu, this fight was over before it even started.
He activated his Golden Dragon Martial Soul and entered his martial soul fusion state, moving like a blur across the battlefield using his Plum Blossom Footwork. In mere seconds, he unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks using his Mountain Sea Fist and Fierce Leg Arts, cutting down the nine fallen soul masters as if they were nothing.
Blood sprayed across the arena as Lin Yu's swift and brutal techniques left a trail of broken bodies in his wake. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause at the display of sheer dominance.
Having claimed victory, Lin Yu exited the arena and returned to the lobby, where he met up with Liu Erlong.
Their conversation was brief, as Liu Erlong's match was next. She made her way to the combat tunnel while Lin Yu took her place in the audience, sipping on a Bloody Mary.
Like Lin Yu, Liu Erlong's battle was swift and decisive. With her Fire Dragon Martial Soul activated, she crushed her opponents with ease, securing her victory.
When the two reunited in the lobby after both having won their matches, Lin Yu was all smiles. "Haha! Sister Erlong, you're as powerful as ever!"
Liu Erlong playfully swatted him. "Why are you praising me? I should be the one praising you! You're just a kid, and yet you won your match even more cleanly than I did."
Lin Yu chuckled. "Just got lucky, I guess!"
As they left the arena together, heading back toward the outer district, a gruff voice called out from behind them.
"Hold it right there!"
Turning around, Lin Yu saw a hulking man with a thick beard, wearing black robes and carrying a swagger that spoke of danger. He had an arm wrapped around a sultry woman, and several equally fierce-looking soul masters flanked him.
Lin Yu's brow furrowed. More trouble already?
This was Slaughter City, after all—a place where strength ruled above all. He wasn't surprised that trouble had found them so soon after the arena battle. What annoyed him was how fast it had happened.
"What do you want?" Lin Yu asked, his voice flat but unwavering as he locked eyes with the bearded man.
"Heh, bold words, kid. You've got guts," sneered a skinny soul master from the group. "You know who you're talking to? That's Lord Black Hell King! He's won twenty-three consecutive matches in the Hell Slaughter Arena. You'd better watch your mouth!"