Loran Town wasn't very big. After entering the town, following the map marked by Skywater Academy, Mu Yang led Shui Bing'er to a tavern in the center of town.
The lighting inside the tavern was rather dim. Upon stepping inside, Mu Yang noticed that the decor was filled with a dark aesthetic—everything was primarily black. Moreover, the air was laced with a faint scent of blood.
Mu Yang: Are you from Changsha?
At this moment, there weren't many "customers" inside the tavern—only about 20% of the seats were occupied. Since very few people were speaking, the entire place felt eerily quiet.
The arrival of Mu Yang and Shui Bing'er immediately drew the attention of everyone inside.
Seeing the relatively "youthful" faces of the two, the patrons cast surprised glances in their direction.
However, while surprised, they all understood what kind of place this was. They also knew that a Soul Master's strength couldn't be judged solely by appearance, so no one spoke up to mock them or stepped forward to harass them.
After scanning the room briefly, Mu Yang ignored the seated "customers" and turned toward a bartender dressed in black, his face expressionless.
"You, come here!"
Mu Yang gestured toward the bartender.
"What would you like to order?"
The expressionless bartender walked over and asked.
"Take us to the City of Slaughter."
Mu Yang spoke directly.
Hearing this, the bartender was momentarily stunned before responding, "The City of Slaughter is not a place just anyone can enter. Aside from passing the trial, the two of you must also drink a glass of Bloody Mary."
As he spoke, a mocking smile appeared on the bartender's face.
Youngsters who didn't know their limits—did they really think the City of Slaughter was some kind of resort? That they could just enter whenever they wanted?
He could bet his life on it—if this man and woman entered the City of Slaughter, by the next day, they would either be lying dead in the streets or "enjoying" a very "special" lifestyle.
After all, the man was handsome, and the woman was beautiful—prime commodities in the City of Slaughter.
"Tsk~ As expected, when traveling abroad, one must act like a patriot!"
Mu Yang sighed and shook his head before activating his Soul Capturing technique, altering the bartender's consciousness and turning him into a temporary servant.
The next moment—
"Respected Patriot Sir, Respected Patriot Miss, please follow me!"
With a warm smile, the bartender bowed slightly and led Mu Yang and Shui Bing'er forward.
Mu Yang: Patriot Sir?
Shui Bing'er: Patriot Miss?
Shaking their heads slightly, they ignored the odd titles and followed the bartender.
After entering a private room behind the bar, the bartender pressed a hidden mechanism on the wall. With a deep rumbling sound, a seamless stone wall slowly lifted, revealing a dark stairway leading downward.
"Respected Patriot Sir, Respected Patriot Miss, this is the entrance to the City of Slaughter."
The bartender made a respectful gesture, inviting them forward.
"Not bad. Given your improved attitude, I'll forgive your earlier offense."
Mu Yang nodded in satisfaction, then released the bartender from his mental control. Holding Shui Bing'er's hand, he stepped into the dark passage.
In the next moment, the bartender's consciousness returned to normal. Staring at the two figures disappearing into the tunnel, his eyes were filled with terror.
Damn it—he had completely misjudged them!
The ability to alter someone's consciousness so effortlessly—this alone proved that this "Patriot Sir" was far from ordinary.
After all, while he seemed unremarkable, he was actually a four-ring Soul Ancestor—one of the top experts in the area within a hundred miles!
A long while later, after collecting himself, the bartender pressed the mechanism again, closing the stone door to the passage before returning to the main hall of the tavern.
Just then, a man with a long, narrow scar on his face stood up. Mimicking Mu Yang's earlier actions, he gestured at the bartender and said, "You, come here! Take me to the City of Slaughter!"
"Get lost!"
The bartender immediately snapped with utter disdain.
Did this fool even look at himself in the mirror? A mere three-ring Soul Elder, and he thought he deserved the same treatment as that "Patriot Sir"?
Scarred Fool: "???"
This... this wasn't how the script was supposed to go!
Mu Yang and Shui Bing'er, of course, had no idea about the embarrassing scene unfolding in the tavern.
After walking into the dark stairway, the path gradually leveled out. Thanks to the "Fiery Eyes" he had gained from consuming the Autumn Dew Tear, Mu Yang could see everything in the passage clearly.
It was a long corridor that sloped downward, with a constant chill in the air blowing toward them.
Knowing what lay ahead, Mu Yang held Shui Bing'er's hand tightly and strode forward.
"Mu Yang, how much farther is this tunnel?"
After walking for a long time, Shui Bing'er couldn't help but ask.
"We should be getting close."
Mu Yang replied uncertainly.
Suddenly, a cold voice echoed from all directions—
"Welcome to the City of Slaughter. This is the capital of hell, a world filled with slaughter. Here, you can obtain anything you desire—the price is your life."
The sudden voice nearly startled the two of them.
"Someone is watching us?"
After steadying herself, Shui Bing'er asked.
"Not sure... but it's probably a special Soul Tool, like a Soul-Guide microphone? It might automatically play a pre-recorded message once it detects someone's presence."
Mu Yang rubbed his chin and spoke with confidence.
Shui Bing'er: "..."
After walking a bit farther and turning a corner, they saw a faint light ahead.
Looking forward, the two spotted an open gate. On the other side, they sensed numerous life auras.
Stepping forward boldly, as they passed through the gate and exited the corridor, a hundred warriors clad in black armor and wielding heavy swords blocked their path.
In front of these black-armored warriors stood a figure clad in blood-red armor, holding a dark gold spear. His entire body exuded an overwhelming scent of blood.
"You have broken the rules."
The hoarse voice was utterly cold, as if it had come from a corpse.
And the one who spoke was none other than the blood-armored figure leading the group.
Shui Bing'er didn't look at the blood-armored figure. Instead, her gaze moved past him, looking at what lay beyond.
What entered her sight was a pitch-black city. The massive black walls appeared thick and sturdy, indicating the city's vast size.
Above the city, a purple moon hung low in the sky, seemingly less than 500 meters from the ground. Looking further up, everything was shrouded in darkness, like an eternal night.
Dim lighting, dark colors, an eerie purple moon—every element spoke of this being a city where ordinary people would not dare to tread.
"And what if we have broken the rules?"
Mu Yang asked indifferently.
The blood-armored figure's voice remained icy and devoid of human warmth as he pointed his dark gold spear forward—
"Then you must face punishment!"
For additional chapters
Versatile mage {40 chapters}
Douluo Dalu:This Soul Master is to Weird {30 Chapters}
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