The City of Slaughter, a dark and spacious room.
There was an exceptionally large chair, inlaid with blue and purple crystals. These crystals outlined a drum-shaped structure. Apart from this chair, everything else was dark red.
"Great King, the succubus has arrived." A cold female voice echoed in the darkness.
"Hmm, let her in." A tall figure sat down in the chair. In the darkness, his features were obscured, only his slender frame was vaguely discernible.
The succubus walked out of the darkness with composed steps. Looking at the tall man before her, respect appeared in her eyes, and she slowly said, "Greetings, King of Slaughter."
"No need for formalities."
"Do you know why I summoned you?" the King of Slaughter asked slowly.
"I know a little."
The succubus also wanted revenge; thinking of the humiliation Qian Xunji had inflicted upon her, she gritted her teeth.
"Hmm, I can help you take revenge, but I have one condition: you must kill Manyao and leave her forever in the City of Slaughter."
"To let her know the price of betraying the City of Slaughter."
The succubus hesitated, then continued, "But if I kill her, given that man's relationship with her, wouldn't he want to kill me in revenge and wreak havoc in the City of Slaughter?"
"You don't need to worry about that. The strength of the City of Slaughter is evident to all. I can protect you."
"The City of Slaughter has existed for so long, it has its own rules, and not just anyone can trample on them, not even him." The King of Slaughter licked his lips and spoke slowly.
The succubus was completely relieved; now she had no worries. If that man dared to kill her, the King of Slaughter would protect her. After killing Manyao, Qian Xunji would be all hers. Thinking of this, the succubus couldn't help but smile happily.
It has to be said that a succubus like this is truly pathetic. She thought the City of Slaughter could protect her, but in reality, the King of Slaughter only used her as a pawn, someone he could discard at any time.
"Your ranking in the City of Slaughter isn't low. After you kill Manyao, I can allow you to live in the inner city indefinitely, without having to supply Bloody Marys. If you perform well enough, you can even serve by my side," the King of Slaughter continued, painting a rosy picture and enticing her.
The succubus was overjoyed, unable to contain her excitement, already imagining her wonderful future.
"To ensure you can kill Manyao, I'll give you a secret weapon. Do you want to know what it is?" the King of Slaughter asked mockingly, looking at the succubus.
"Yes, I want to know," the succubus nodded. Although she believed her strength was no less than Manyao's, if she were to be caught off guard and fail miserably, she would have nowhere to turn for help.
"You've probably heard that Manyao tried to escape the Killing City, but I discovered her and punished her by making her challenge the Killing Arena every day."
"But actually, when I captured her, I placed a restriction on her. As long as she recites these few incantations, her body will be affected. You just need to seize this opportunity to secure victory and kill her. Hahaha!" The King of Slaughter finished speaking and laughed loudly.
Afterwards, the King of Slaughter taught the succubus the incantation, which she memorized after a few repetitions and smiled happily.
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Killing
City, Hell Killing Arena.
In the stands...
Qian Xunji saw the sneer flash across the succubus's lips and a sense of foreboding washed over him. His hands clenched involuntarily.
Just then, the succubus slowly rose from the dust, wiping the blood from her mouth. A cold smile appeared on her face.
"You little bitch, you think you've won? Hahaha." The succubus went completely mad, her hysterical laughter echoing.
Man Yao looked at the hysterical succubus, her brows furrowing almost imperceptibly, but she said nothing.
The succubus's lips parted slightly, as if she were muttering something under her breath. This was the backup method the King of Slaughter had taught her. She hadn't wanted to use it, but now that Man Yao's strength had greatly increased, she was no match for her. She had no choice but to use this method; otherwise, she wouldn't be able to avenge herself today and would also lose her life.
Suddenly, Man Yao felt her body cracking and stiffening, her body out of her control.
Panic flashed in her eyes; she didn't know what had happened, what had changed.
"It's over, I can't move," was Man Yao's immediate thought.
She slowly closed her eyes, pondering a solution, but no matter how hard she racked her brains, she couldn't figure it out. Was she going to be defeated here? She was unwilling to accept it. She hadn't left the City of Slaughter, hadn't seen the outside world, hadn't had time to say goodbye to Qian Xunji, and so much more... Man Yao thought to herself.
The next moment, Man Yao seemed to remember something. When Qian Xunji had completed his hundred-win challenge in the Regional Slaughter Arena, he had whispered something in her ear: "Hold fast to your principles. As long as your will is unyielding, nothing can defeat you."
Suddenly, a small, dark red bat mark slowly appeared on Man Yao's forehead, exceptionally clear. The mark was trembling violently, as if it would disappear at any moment.
This bat mark was the restriction placed by the King of Slaughter to control Man Yao, and its violent trembling indicated that Man Yao was struggling and resisting.
Seeing the bat mark flickering, the succubus, seizing the initiative, launched a fierce attack on Manyao. Just as she was about to kill her, a red light barrier suddenly blocked her path, protecting Manyao behind her.
In the nick of time, Manyao opened her eyes, but her eyes had changed color. Her once clear, bright black eyes, brimming with life, had become crimson pupils, radiating a terrifying yet powerful aura.
The next instant, a fiery red flower, alluring and extraordinary, bloomed, displaying its splendor before the world.
This flower flowed quietly in Manyao's right hand, appearing serene and harmonious.
This was Manyao's martial soul—the Other Shore Flower.
On the stands, Qian Xunji gazed at the Other Shore Flower, recalling its legend.
The Other Shore Flower—the only flower in the underworld according to legend, also called the Soul-Guiding Flower.
The Other Shore Flower blooms on the path to the Yellow Springs, blooming in vast quantities there. From afar, it resembles a carpet paved with blood, and because of its fiery red color, it is also known as the 'Road of Fire.'
Legend has it that its fragrance possesses magical power, capable of evoking memories of the deceased's past life. Because it mostly grows in fields, along riverbanks, and in cemeteries, it is associated with places of burial, hence its alternative name, "Flower of the Dead." The three days before and after the spring equinox are called the Spring Equinox, and the three days before and after the autumn equinox are called the Autumn Equinox. The spider lily blooms during the Autumn Equinox, its flowers blooming without leaves, and its leaves appearing without flowers; flower and leaf never meet, forever separated. Legend says this flower only blooms in the underworld, the only scenery on the road to the afterlife. However, it also has white varieties, appearing exceptionally pure and beautiful.
Legend says the spider lily is the only flower in hell, blooming only on the banks of the Sanzu River and the other side of the River of Oblivion in the underworld, a flower that guides souls. Its fragrance possesses magical power, capable of awakening memories; large quantities of bright red spider lilies bloom on the road to the underworld, resembling a crimson carpet from afar. It is the only color on the road to the underworld. This flower has blossoms but no leaves, leaves but no blossoms; the two can never meet. Those who journey to the land of death tread upon these poignant, blood-red flowers to reach the palace of the underworld.
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