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After a brief farewell with Tang Xiao, Tang Hao and his son set off toward a nearby large Soul Hunting Forest.
The most suitable location should have been the Star Dou Forest, but Tang Hao had developed a psychological shadow about that place. He feared that if he acted there again, it might provoke that terrifyingly powerful being to swat him like a fly—what a miserable fate that would be.
On the way to hunt for souls, Tang Hao became curious about where Tang San had obtained his fifth spirit ring, given that the City of Slaughter was not a place one could enter and leave freely.
Since Tang Hao didn't pry into his core secrets, Tang San was always happy to answer.
The existence of the City of Slaughter dated back to an indeterminate time, but its unique environment had nurtured some soul beasts exclusive to its domain.
These soul beasts generally lived in the Blood River within the City of Slaughter. The fallen soul masters inside the City of Slaughter were mostly apathetic, knowing they had no hope of leaving. With no need for cultivation or bottlenecks, they rarely hunted these beasts.
Moreover, the soul beasts in the Blood River were extremely difficult to kill, much like how land-based soul masters rarely hunted sea soul beasts.
The fallen soul masters in the City of Slaughter had no shortage of food or drink, so they naturally saw no reason to provoke the soul beasts in the Blood River.
Over the years, many thousand-year-old soul beasts had accumulated within the Blood River.
By chance, Tang San discovered a lightning-attribute Blood River soul beast. Since its attributes perfectly matched his own and its age was appropriate, Tang San decided to hunt it down.
Tang Hao vaguely recalled that such places existed within the City of Slaughter, but at the time, he had been focused on battle and hadn't paid much attention to them.
Still, Tang Hao approved of Tang San's bold and decisive actions.
What Tang Hao didn't know was that Tang San had been misled from the start by Yu Xiao Gang.
While absorbing animal-type soul rings into a plant-type martial soul was effective, it couldn't maximize the potential of the plant-type martial soul's essence. By now, as a six-ringed soul master, Tang San had essentially missed the opportunity to fully activate the Thunderclap Nether Vine martial soul.
Although Tang Hao had read many books, his ingrained mindset from years of cultivating weapon-type martial souls had inadvertently harmed Tang San.
Thus, teaching half-baked knowledge could indeed do more harm than good.
Tang San's requirements for his sixth spirit ring were simple—it just needed to be lightning-attribute.
After all, Tang San knew that his Vine martial soul had limited potential. His true future lay in the left-handed Heaven's Hammer.
The only reason he continued cultivating the Blue Vine martial soul was because training in a lightning-rich environment accelerated his progress. Otherwise, in just four short years, there was no way Tang San could have reached the Soul Emperor level.
After all, Tang San wasn't an evil soul master.
Casually killing a ten-thousand-year-old soul beast that usually dominated its territory, Tang San prepared to absorb its spirit ring.
Suddenly—
A sharp sword descended from the sky, piercing the ground directly in front of Tang San, startling both father and son.
Since the City of Slaughter belonged to the King of Slaughter, no one dared to challenge him, so the Asura Demon Sword had remained unknown to outsiders. At first, the two were startled, then confused as they stared at the massive sword.
What was this?
Judging by its aura, this sword wasn't anyone's martial soul, ruling out the possibility of a soul master attacking them.
At this moment, the Asura Demon Sword glowed faintly with a crimson light.
Tang Hao and Tang San felt their Heaven's Hammer martial souls resonate and summoned their hammers.
Unlike Tang Hao's enormous six-sided hammer, Tang San's Hao Tian Hammer was small and rounded, with a six-pointed star pattern in the center.
"It's the God of Slaughter domain resonating with this sword," Tang Hao, the seasoned veteran, remarked.
As the resonance grew stronger, both father and son instinctively activated their God of Slaughter domains, turning the surrounding space blood-red and terrifying.
However, Tang Hao soon noticed that the resonance had disconnected from him. He promptly deactivated his domain and watched the Asura Demon Sword with a grave expression.
Anything connected to the City of Slaughter was no ordinary object—Tang Hao was certain of that.
But the resonance between Tang San and the sword grew even stronger. In the end, a brilliant crimson light enveloped both Tang San and the sword, obscuring Tang Hao's view of what happened next.
After a while, the red light dissipated, and Tang San deactivated his God of Slaughter domain. The massive sword had vanished without a trace.
"Little San, are you alright? And where did the sword go?"
Uncharacteristically, Tang San didn't immediately respond to Tang Hao. Instead, he stood there, deeply contemplating something. A fleeting sword-shaped mark appeared on his forehead but quickly disappeared.
Standing in place, Tang San carefully reflected for a long while before opening his eyes.
"I'm fine, Father. Better than ever."
A content smile graced Tang San's lips, but he didn't mention anything about the sword.
Tang San's demeanor made Tang Hao feel slightly uneasy, but since Tang San had never defied him and an invisible force stopped Tang Hao from pressing further, he dismissed it as a peculiar encounter.
"If you're fine, then hurry up and absorb the spirit ring," Tang Hao said.
To his surprise, Tang San shook his head and replied, "Father, this soul beast isn't suitable for me."
This response caused Tang Hao to furrow his brows slightly.
"What's wrong with this soul beast?"
"I've already said, Father. This soul beast isn't suitable for me. I have a better choice now."
"A better choice? You've only just arrived in this Soul Hunting Forest. How—"
Suddenly, Tang San pointed ahead and said, "Five kilometers in that direction, there's a forty-thousand-year-old Thunder Dragon Wood that suits me better. Please help me with it."
Hearing Tang San's confident tone, Tang Hao felt a strange daze wash over him and subconsciously followed Tang San's instructions.
Watching Tang Hao walk away, Tang San's eyes held a hint of guilt, but it quickly hardened into resolve.
"I'm sorry, Father, but this god position can only be inherited by me. Once I ascend to godhood, I'll make it up to you."
Far away in the god realm, the Asura God watched this scene with a superior smirk.
"Don't disappoint me, Tang San."
Meanwhile, in the Tian Xing Academy, Ye Wen paused mid-dissection of the Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King.
"Has it begun? I didn't expect the Asura God to be so impatient.
But alas, the upper limit of this world is what it is. Even if Tang San becomes a god sooner, what difference does it make?"
Ye Wen chuckled lightly, paying little heed to Tang San's situation. His focus was on the research at hand.
As the only unique soul beast—or rather, a being surpassing a soul beast—nurtured by the City of Slaughter in the entire Douluo world, the value of the Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King was immeasurable.
Currently, the Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King had fallen into a deep slumber. Ye Wen was continuously analyzing the tissues he had extracted from its body.
"How exquisite. This bat king could almost be considered an elemental life form."
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