Douluo Dalu - Volume 20 - Slaughter City Read online

  “Who?”

  Tang San asked in a low voice.

  “It’s me.”

  A pleasant voice resounded from outside. Even though Tang San hadn’t heard this voice many times, he still at once identified the owner of the voice as Hu Liena.

  Brows wrinkling slightly, Tang San inwardly thought, why did she come?

  With a casual wave, a stream of air rushed out and opened the door,

  “Please come in.”

  Not knowing Hu Liena’s purpose in coming here, Tang San suppressed the killing intent in his heart, but his vigilance had already risen to its peak.

  The door open, a black clothed Hu Liena walked in from outside. Her face looked extremely pale, and she slowly sipped a cup of Bloody Mary held in her hand. This seemed to already have become a habit of the powers in Slaughter City. Apart from Tang San, practically every degenerate in Slaughter City with more than ten victories would drink blood taken from who knew where.

  Glancing at the cup in Hu Liena’s hand, Tang San frowned slightly,

  “What is it?”

  Hu Liena didn’t approach Tang San, rather standing by the door. She clearly understood that in this world of slaughter, each person was extremely vigilant. She didn’t want to cause any misunderstanding with Tang San because of some inadvertent action.

  “I hope to ally with you.”

  Hu Liena directly stated her reason here.

  “Ally?”

  Tang San looked at her somewhat distrustfully,

  “You’re not unaware of Hell Slaughter Arena’s rules. Each fight has only one victor. If we met, how would we ally?”

  Hu Liena smiled calmly. A blood red light slipped into her eyes somewhat. Just as Tang San anticipated, Hu Liena was also always struggling in pain these days. Despite also having the aid of a skull type spirit bone, she only hadn’t gone insane, further adding that she also had an equally strong will. But compared to Tang San she was still a bit short. Today she had with great difficulty repressed her killing intent somewhat, and then come to find Tang San.

  “It’s impossible for us to meet in a match. As long as we are past fifty victories, according to the Slaughter City rules, we won’t meet each other. Otherwise, who would still be able to rise to one hundred? I didn’t come to find you for this, but was rather hoping to ally with you when attacking the Hell Road.”

  “Hell Road?”

  Even though Tang San had heard this name when he just came to Slaughter City, the circumstances of the Hell Road were still completely unfamiliar to Tang San. At that time he had also asked that black masked young woman, but she hadn’t given him any answer, saying that the Hell Road was the greatest secret of Slaughter City, and that only champions had the authority to learn about it.

  Hu Liena nodded conscientiously,

  “Yes, the Hell Road. Even though you and me are on the verge of gaining a hundred victories in the Hell Slaughter Arena, our strength might not be greater than the opponents we once confronted. Just that we both have the capability to gain victory even without spirit abilities, and so walked to this point. To be exact, neither you or me are true degenerates. No need to retort. If my guess isn’t wrong, you should be the same as me, here for training, right?”

  Tang San was secretly astonished. Hu Liena’s credibility was extremely high, at least he hadn’t heard any gaps. Moreover, even though Hu Liena was saturated with killing intent, right now the expression in her eyes seemed exceptionally sincere.

  “How is this related to participating in the Hell Road?”

  Tang San indifferently asked.

  A streak of cold light flashed in Hu Liena’s eyes,

  “Of course it’s related. If you aren’t corrupted, training until now, it should also be about time to finish. Naturally you will leave this place through the Hell Road. Moreover, there’s a gargantuan secret hidden in the Hell Road. Just relying on your or my strength, it’s impossible to pass alone. Only if we join forces will we have a chance to succeed.”

  Tang San smiled indifferently,

  “Then why would I believe you? Who knows whether you’ll put a knife in my back. Have you forgotten that this is Slaughter City? Nobody can be trusted casually.”

  Biting her lower lip, even though Hu Liena knew that Tang San’s doubt was very ordinary in this place, she still had an uncomfortable feeling in her heart. Deep in her heart, she indeed liked this handsome youth, but her coming to find Tang San today was unrelated to emotions.

  “If I’m not mistaken, you should be from the Clear Sky School. Even though there are no spirit abilities, your Clear Sky Hammer can’t be hidden from people’s eyes.”

  Hu Liena stared fixedly at Tang San and said.

  Tang San glanced at her,

  “And so?”

  Hu Liena said:

  “In order to express my sincerity, I can tell you my background. I’m called Hu Liena, I’m from Spirit Hall. My teacher, is the present Spirit Hall Supreme Pontiff.”

  Hearing this, Tang San’s heart twitched. So Hu Liena was the Supreme Pontiff’s direct disciple, no wonder his father would say she was the most worthy of attention among the Golden Generation.

  Tang San said:

  “This can prove your sincerity? Where you come from has no relation to me.”

  “You……”

  Hu Liena hadn’t thought Tang San would have such a thousand miles distant, rejecting of people manner. How would she know that the handsome youth in front of her, was the Tang San she hated the most. And Tang San’s first impression of her was no doubt the strongest.

  “Cooperation benefits both. The Hell Road has no provisions for how many people enter at once. Whether you or me, one person entering alone will definitely die. How about this, I’ll tell you another secret. If we can leave the Hell Road, not only can we return here at any time, we can still obtain an enormous benefit.”

  “Oh?”

  Tang San said:

  “Tell me about the circumstances of the Hell Road, perhaps I’ll consider working together with you.”

  If it was the previous Hu Liena, she definitely wouldn’t so easily reveal her secrets, but a woman in love would frequently ignore reason, let alone nothing when the majority of her energy was focused on suppressing the murderous spirit.

  Immediately, Hu Liena conscientiously said:

  “The opening to the Hell Road is in the Hell Slaughter Arena. Each day we fight there, with each person who dies there, their blood and souls will actually be absorbed by the Hell Road. I also don’t know the specifics of what’s in the Hell Road. I only know that, entering that place, without the safeguard of a formidable killing intent, you’ll immediately be swallowed by the vicious energy there.”

  “There are many hypotheses about the forming of Slaughter City, but the most reliable one is that it is a special domain left behind by a mighty power who broke through the hundred rank limit. And the name of this domain, is Deathgod Domain[3]. Of one is able to break through the Hell Road, it’s equivalent to obtaining the approval of the Deathgod Domain. The Deathgod Domain absorbs your own aura of death, forming its own domain, adding to one’s spirit. It’s also known as a spirit’s innate domain. Obtaining this boost is equivalent to having one more ability than Spirit Masters that haven’t walked the Hell Road. Moreover, it’s also the most valuable domain type ability.”

  Part 3 (TL by Bagelson)

  “Are domain type abilities very precious?”

  Tang San asked unenthusiastically. In fact, Hu Liena’s words raised a tempest in his heart.

  As Grandmaster’s disciple, how could he not know about the effect of domain type abilities? Right now he truly realized his father’s goal in sending him here. Not only was it to experience death, refining his will in the darkest places, at the same time it was also for this Deathgod Domain.

  Hu Liena somewhat anxiously said:

  “I really don’t know how your teacher instructed you. Of course domain type abilities are significant. Generally
speaking, only Spirit Masters who have reached the Title Douluo level can have them appear at the time of the ninth spirit ability. Moreover, the odds of one appearing is only one in ten. Domain type abilities are also known as top quality spirit abilities. Besides obtaining them at the Title Douluo level, they can only appear as a spirit’s innate ability. Within what can be considered one’s domain, one’s own strength will be magnified, and the opponent’s strength will be suppressed. If used appropriately, the result is extremely terrifying.”

  Here, Hu Liena halted a moment, continuing in a grave tone:

  “Moreover, innate domains will evolve along with the growth of the user’s strength. For instance, the Deathgod Domain will strengthen along with the growth of killing intent.”

  Tang San’s expression changed,

  “How do you know this so clearly?”

  Hu Liena drew a deep breath, her eyes revealing a hesitant light. After a long time, she said:

  “Because, I know a power who possesses the Deathgod Domain. She told me all of this. Otherwise, why would I be in this nauseating place?”

  Tang San glanced at the cup of Bloody Mary in her hand,

  “Nauseating? I see you’ve adapted quite well.”

  Hu Liena’s elegant eyebrows wrinkled slightly, the blood colored light in her eyes clearly growing somewhat stronger,

  “This isn’t adapting. Only drinking it will let my mood calm somewhat, without need to be so agitated.”

  “Seeing as you’ve told me all this about the Deathgod Domain, I’ll return you a line. This Slaughter City, is poisonous in itself. The more you drink this thing, the deeper the poison will get. That’s a kind of slow poison hidden in the blood. I don’t know what the effect will be after leaving here through the Hell Road, but I’m certain that such a poison should be influenced by the Hell Road. Eight people have been able to leave here in a thousand years. This isn’t only the Hell Road being frightening, perhaps this poison will also have a considerable effect.

  Pa—— The cup fell to the floor, scarlet bright liquid spattering. Hu Liena’s face immediately turned unsightly.

  “Poisonous?”

  She looked at Tang San, somewhat not daring to believe.

  Tang San indifferently said:

  “I’ve studied it carefully. This poison doesn’t appear in the blood at the start, but is in the air. Receiving the influence of the poison in the air as well as the agitation from one’s killing intent, one needs blood to pacify the agitation. As time passes, perhaps it will become a habit. This poison within the blood will cause excitement, even to the extent that people will become even stronger. But if the agitation within the poison comes out, perhaps there is nobody who could withstand it. You haven’t been poisoned for long. Stop drinking blood, and you will be saved. If you continue, I’m afraid you won’t be my partner in the Hell Road, but rather an inconvenience.”

  That he told Hu Liena this, was of course not because Tang San was grateful for her telling him about the Deathgod Domain. He heard from Hu Liena’s words that this Spirit Hall Golden Generation didn’t lie to him, and also didn’t have the intention to deceive him.

  That Hell Road clearly wouldn’t be an easy time, and so Tang San told her about her already being poisoned.

  In this place right now there were no enemies or friends. As long as her existence continued being advantageous to him, without the slightest hesitation, everything else could wait until they were out of here.

  Taking out a pill from the Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse and throwing it over, Tang San said:

  “If you believe me, eat it. Within approximately three days, you’ll have a some diarrhea, gradually emptying the poison within your body. If you don’t trust me, then in the Hell Road, there will be no need for us to cooperate. I don’t want to have a time bomb following at my side the whole way.”

  Looking at the flat and constrained expression in Tang San’s eyes, Hu Liena took the pill and, without the slightest hesitation, swallowed it, then turned to walk out. While leaving, her final words floated over to Tang San’s ears,

  “I believe you. I also ask you to believe me. Because we both need to leave alive.”

  ……

  After three days, Hell Slaughter Arena.

  Hong——

  The final opponent’s head exploded under Tang San’s Clear Sky Hammer. Even he couldn’t help raising his hands high right now, without the slightest reservation releasing the terrifying blood reeking slaughter aura from his entire body.

  One hundred fights. The agreement with his father was finally fulfilled. Close to physical killing intent formed an enormous whirlpool in the air. In the large area surrounding the ring, the numerous spectating degenerates were as quiet as crows and peacocks under the effect of the tremendous murderous spirit.

  The two words Asura King were just like the emblem of the god of death. This point was completely different from the status of the winner of the previous match, Hell Emissary, in their minds.

  Each person believed that the Asura King was the most terrifying existence, because his opponent’s never left behind intact corpses, or even heads. No matter alive or dead, the Asura King would always stomp the skull of each of his enemies to ensure his victory.

  Perhaps killing intent and strength weren’t directly proportional, but right now, Tang San was the opponent anyone in Slaughter City was least willing to face.

  “Congratulations, young Asura King.”

  A deep and sharp voice suddenly came from every direction. The killing intent Tang San released unexpectedly was unexpectedly instantly poured in reverse by this voice, once again pressed into his body, immediately making Tang San’s expression turn pale.

  The atmosphere in the Hell Slaughter Arena immediately rose to its peak, because in midair, a blood red silhouette just dropped from the sky.

  “Slaughter King, Slaughter King, Slaughter King……”

  The degenerates shouted until their throats were hoarse, without showing the slightest intent of stopping.

  Tang San’s heart shivered, gazing at that scarlet figure in the air.

  That was a tall man, his whole body wrapped up in an enormous scarlet cloak.

  Pale face, a pair of completely blood red eyes, he descended gently from the air, apparently not suffering the constraints of any gravity.

  Tang San had once seen the same sight with his father. He could be certain that this falling from the air Slaughter King was definitely a Title Douluo level power.

  Floating in the air five meters from the ground, the Slaughter King stopped descending, looking down at Tang San from the air, that deep sharp voice echoed once again,

  “Hell Emissary, please.”

  The other great gate of the Hell Slaughter Arena opened. Right now with eyes already close to half blood red, aura clearly uneven because of her killing intent, Hu Liena slowly walked over. As her gaze fell on Tang San, her aura steadied somewhat.

  The Slaughter King’s gaze fell on the spectators of the Hell Slaughter Arena.

  “I’m very excited, to witness the birth of two Slaughter Arena powers here today. It has already been decades since the appearance of a hundred victories, now appearing in the form of two youngsters. Relying on their own formidable strength and terrifying murderous spirit, they make you tremble, yes?”

  “Yes—— Yes—— Yes——”

  The Slaughter King seemed to possess a unique charisma, instilling a close to berserk worship in all the degenerates who saw him.

  From him, Tang San could catch a faint scent, a somewhat intoxicating scent. Unfortunately, this influence wasn’t very large on him and Hu Liena.

  The Slaughter King lowered his head, looking at Tang San and Hu Liena,

  “Asura King, Hell Emissary. Thank you for letting me feel the existence of passion. One hundred victories, very good. In order to honor your achievement, I’ve decided to make an exception and award you the title of Deathgod. From today on, you can both leave and enter Slaughter
City as you wish. And moreover be treated as my ranking Slaughter City guests.”

  No need to walk the Hell Road? Tang San looked astonished at Hu Liena, just in time to see Hu Liena looking at him. Both their gazes displayed doubt.

  What sinister creature was this Slaughter King? Conferring the title of Deathgod without walking the Hell Road.

  Tang San and Hu Liena were undoubtedly both astute people, both possessing skull type spirit bones, and they only had to exchange glances once to understand the Slaughter King’s intention.

  Walking the Hell Road, was no doubt extremely dangerous.

  But behind the danger, was the enormous lure of the Deathgod Domain. The Slaughter King in front of them clearly didn’t want them to obtain it.

  Hu Liena took the lead to speak up,

  “No need, mighty Slaughter King. You can’t destroy the rules of Slaughter City for our sake. I want to pass the test of the Hell Road and then obtain your reward. I hope to rely on my own strength to leave from here, to become a true Deathgod.”

  The expression in the Slaughter King’s eyes grew serious,

  “Perhaps you don’t know how terrible the Hell Road is. Hell Emissary, I hope you understand that people only live once.”

  Hu Liena laughed grimly,

  “Mighty Slaughter King, you speak with me about life, isn’t that a bit ridiculous? Here is the world of slaughter.”

  An even stronger red light flashed in the Slaughter King’s eyes and passed, his gaze turning to Tang San,

  “You then? Do you wish to accept my reward, becoming a distinguished guest of Slaughter City?”

  * * *

  [1] 3寸 = 10cm

  [2] Drum tower.

  [3] (杀神领域) Again, it’s read as “Killing God”, so not some psychopomp. Domain can also be read as “sphere”, “territory”, “field”, “area”.

  Chapter 138: Blood Sacrifice, Hell Road