"Sir, who exactly do you want me to seduce?" asked Biluo, her heart igniting with a fierce hope for survival. If her life depended on merely luring in a single target, then she was ready to give it her all.
"Who this person is isn't important for now," Lin Yu replied calmly, gesturing for her patience. "What's critical is how you'll appear and behave to ensure success." He began outlining the type of persona she'd need to adopt, drawing from his keen insight into Tang San's preferences.
First, the appearance had to be captivating, but not in the overtly seductive way that screamed "sultry temptress." Instead, he detailed a vision of a refined, pure beauty with a quiet grace—a genteel lady with a hint of mystery and saintliness, much like the famed Shi Feixuan from tales of ancient nobility.
Given Tang San's origins in a traditional, ancient world, Lin Yu further emphasized that the most enticing personality would be one of warmth and gentleness, coupled with a dignified, almost ethereal quality. To deepen her rapport with Tang San, he added a fabricated backstory filled with tragic enmity against the Spirit Hall, giving them a shared cause for vengeance.
According to Lin Yu's crafted narrative, Biluo would pose as the last surviving member of a noble spirit master family. The clan had once acquired a rare spirit bone, but news of this reached the Spirit Hall, who slaughtered her family to seize it. Biluo, away at a spirit academy at the time, barely escaped with her life. When the Hall's agents finally tracked her down, she fled in desperation to Slaughter City.
With her disguise and this gripping story in place, Lin Yu was confident that Tang San wouldn't be able to resist the intrigue.
After thoroughly explaining the setup, Lin Yu drove home the consequences of disobedience, punching a crater into the ground nearby to emphasize her fate if she dared to betray him. He then led her back to a designated spot in the city's outskirts, instructing her to remain there and await the opportune moment.
Once Lin Yu left, Biluo hastily called upon her Illusory Conch Martial Soul once more, transforming herself into a gaunt and nearly skeletal figure, slumping against a wall to complete her disguise.
In the days that followed, Lin Yu carefully arranged the final pieces for Tang San and Biluo's "fortuitous" encounter. He spent over two weeks orchestrating alliances with a handful of local thugs who would unwittingly play supporting roles.
Meanwhile, Tang San remained blissfully unaware of Lin Yu's machinations. With Liu Erlong as his powerful backing, he devoted himself to relentless training, facing off against countless spirit masters in Slaughter City's outer district. Under her protection, Tang San felt untouchable; any opponent too strong for him was promptly dealt with by Liu Erlong herself.
The month flew by in an almost dreamlike fashion, with Tang San growing stronger by the day. Confidence bloomed in him, filling him with hope that one day he'd break free of Slaughter City, strong enough to avenge his father against Spirit Hall.
But as the monthly blood tribute approached, Lin Yu and Liu Erlong were compelled to revisit the Hell Slaughter Arena. Since Tang San and Yu Xiaogang had stockpiled enough Bloody Marys, they stayed behind, while Lin Yu's long-laid plans began to fall into motion.
Only a short time after Lin Yu and Liu Erlong left, a gathering of cloaked figures moved purposefully toward Tang San and Yu Xiaogang's alleyway. They exchanged glances before one pointed at the pair in the distance.
"That's the brat causing trouble for us every day in the outer district!" one of them shouted, his voice dripping with anger.
In an instant, Tang San's instincts screamed danger. He barely had time to process before he grabbed Yu Xiaogang, pulling him deeper into the maze of the alleyways.
These must be the vengeful spirit masters he and Liu Erlong had bested day after day. Now, without her here to back him up, their enemies were emboldened and on the hunt.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Yu Xiaogang didn't hesitate. He broke into a sprint beside his disciple, hoping against hope that they could somehow evade the enraged mob until Liu Erlong returned.
"After them!" shouted one of the pursuers, and Tang San's heart pounded as he heard footsteps closing in. Worse, several agile spirit masters seemed to be gaining, summoning their Martial Souls to increase their speed. Within moments, they'd surrounded the two.
"Run, Tang San!" Yu Xiaogang shouted, pushing him forward. "Go on without me!" He knew his presence would only hold Tang San back and hoped he might at least buy him some time.
But Yu Xiaogang's gallant sacrifice failed almost instantly. One of the spirit masters landed a heavy kick on him, sending him sprawling back into the alley wall, where he slumped over, unconscious.
"Teacher!" Tang San called out in shock and anger. But he quickly weighed his options, realizing that his duty now was to escape and survive.
He needed to get stronger, find his way out of Slaughter City, and achieve the power to finally take on the Spirit Hall. Getting dragged down here and suffering another draining beatdown would only stall his progress.
Teacher, I'm sorry. This is for our future.
With that grim thought, Tang San turned and sprinted into the shadows, his mind fixed on his goal while he left Yu Xiaogang at the mercy of the pursuers.