"Senior Bo Saixi, please hold your hand."
Ye Hao descended from the sky with Xiao Hong, effectively halting Bo Saixi's next attack.
"It's you?" Bo Saixi frowned. "Ye Hao, how did you know I was here? Did you send someone to follow me?"
Ye Hao shrugged. "I'm not that kind of person. Ever since you left Spirit Hall, I've been completely focused on my seventh trial. I don't have time for such things."
"The reason I knew you were here—don't forget, I'm the successor of the Asura God. Are you planning to destroy the Slaughter City?"
Ye Hao probed cautiously. Given how Bo Saixi had just killed that old bat, the likelihood of her next move being the destruction of the Slaughter City was extremely high.
"You're not wrong. If not for the Slaughter City, Tang Chen would never have left me." Bo Saixi's eyes gradually reddened, her icy killing intent spreading uncontrollably.
Seriously? So many love-struck fools these days?
Ye Hao shook his head inwardly.
Bo Saixi's rage, her determination to destroy the Slaughter City—it was all within expectations.
After waiting decades for her beloved, only for him to return as a cold corpse, her fury was understandable.
Though the old bat, the main culprit, was dead, the Slaughter City remained the true cursed place that had led to Tang Chen's demise. Bo Saixi would never let it stand.
"Senior, are you really going to destroy the Slaughter City?" Ye Hao asked again, the Death God's Heart in his hair flickering with black light, ready to activate at any moment.
"My mind is made up. Ye Hao, will you step aside or not?"
Behind Bo Saixi, the phantom of the Sea God grew increasingly tangible, its overwhelming aura surging violently.
"Senior, if the Slaughter City is destroyed today, I can guarantee that Sea God Island will cease to exist tomorrow."
Ye Hao spoke with absolute certainty.
"You dare!" Bo Saixi roared.
"See if I dare!" Ye Hao shot back without hesitation.
"The Slaughter City is a den of sin. It should never have existed in the first place."
Bo Saixi's brows furrowed, her heart consumed by hatred.
"Senior, think carefully. If the Slaughter City is destroyed, what kind of disaster will it bring to the Douluo Continent?"
Ye Hao pleaded earnestly.
It wasn't that Ye Hao was kind-hearted, nor was he afraid of conflict.
Sea God Island was a secluded place. If not for Tang San, that bastard, obtaining the Sea God's Nine Trials, Ye Hao would never have had any dealings with them, let alone killed Sea Horse Douluo.
Ye Hao sighed softly. "The dead cannot return to life. Why cling to this?"
"One last time—will you step aside or not?"
Bo Saixi stepped forward, her oppressive aura intensifying.
"Don't be reckless. The Slaughter City cannot be destroyed."
At this moment, Xiao Hong stepped forward.
With a cold snort, Bo Saixi shuddered as if struck by lightning, the killing intent in her eyes slowly receding.
After a long silence, Bo Saixi shook her head weakly. She collapsed to the ground, cradling Tang Chen's corpse as tears streamed down her face.
"He's gone. Soul and spirit both extinguished. That old bat drained the last trace of power from Tang Chen's body."
Xiao Hong approached, examining Tang Chen's condition.
"Not even a god could save him now."
That was Xiao Hong's conclusion.
"..."
Bo Saixi remained silent, holding Tang Chen even tighter.
"Prepare a coffin and give him a proper burial. This man, Tang Chen, was someone remarkable."
Xiao Hong sighed. To have been chosen by the Asura God, Tang Chen's talent was undeniable.
It was a shame that a single divine thought left by the Rakshasa God had ruined everything. Without it, Tang Chen would have long since achieved his dream, taking that final, crucial step.
"Hey!"
Ye Hao pulled Xiao Hong aside and whispered, "Since Tang Chen failed his trial because of that Rakshasa God's divine thought, what about me...?"
Ye Hao grew wary. If even someone as gifted as Tang Chen had fallen here, what if the Rakshasa God's evil thoughts suddenly targeted him next?
"Relax. The Rakshasa God left only one divine thought. Now that Tang Chen is dead, that thought has dissipated. You have nothing to worry about."
Only after hearing this did Ye Hao let out a sigh of relief.
"If you had arrived even half a step later, the Slaughter City would already be in ruins."
Bo Saixi spoke emotionlessly, her gaze still icy enough to freeze a person's soul.
"Yeah." Ye Hao nodded honestly. "And I would have been just one step away from annihilating Sea God Island."
"You—!"
Bo Saixi's frown deepened. Ye Hao wasn't a bad person, but his words were truly infuriating.
"Why can't the Slaughter City be destroyed?" Bo Saixi asked.
"The Slaughter City is a place that embodies sin, evil, and slaughter. In essence, it is a prison."
Ye Hao spoke slowly. As a former Slaughter God of the Slaughter City, he was perhaps the most qualified to say this.
"A prison?"
"Exactly, a prison."
Ye Hao glanced at the ground, where an endless stream of killing intent spread outward.
At this moment, Ye Hao stood at the entrance to the Slaughter City. After so many years away, the killing aura here had grown even stronger. It seemed the Slaughter King had managed the city well in his absence.
Unfortunately, the Slaughter King was now dead.
"The people imprisoned here—no, they are no longer people, but fallen ones, those who willingly embraced depravity. The Slaughter City wasn't always like this. But under the influence of the Rakshasa God, everything changed. The Rakshasa God is the root of all evil. Any place she has touched, like the Slaughter City, becomes filled with slaughter and corruption."
"Spirit Hall sends the most heinous criminals here, ensuring they can never leave—unless they win a hundred battles in the Hell Killing Arena, which is virtually impossible."
"Moreover, the Slaughter City has its own rules. Those who enter cannot leave, and those inside cannot escape. Over time, it has become what it is today."
Ye Hao paused before continuing, "Suppose, Senior, you destroy the Slaughter City today. Yes, you'll have vented your anger. But the dead cannot return. Life must move forward."
"If the fallen ones trapped inside escape and wreak havoc across the continent, it will be a catastrophe for all its people. For the sake of Tang Chen, to bring such suffering upon innocent civilians—it's not worth it."
"..."
After listening to Ye Hao's words, Bo Saixi lowered her head in contemplation.
"I can ensure nothing goes wrong. Not a single soul will escape."
"..."
Ye Hao was speechless. Had she not heard a single word he'd said?
"Oh?" Ye Hao crossed his arms. "Even the best-laid plans can go awry. What if one or two slip through? No one can guarantee perfection."
"First, the Slaughter City will remain. Once the Spirit Empire unifies the continent, we will strengthen our control over it."
"Second, if Senior insists on acting recklessly just to vent your anger—while I understand you're not from the Douluo Continent—once you destroy the Slaughter City and unleash those evil soul masters, the resulting disaster will be endless."
"In short, two choices: Do you want to remain the High Priestess of Sea God Island, or do you want to be condemned for eternity?"
"Condemned—" Bo Saixi gritted her teeth. Ye Hao's words weren't unreasonable.
Since Spirit Hall's establishment, wars between the two empires had nearly vanished.
The Slaughter City was indeed the best place to imprison the wicked. Moreover, achieving a hundred victories in the Hell Killing Arena not only trained talents but also granted the Slaughter God's Domain to those who conquered the Hell Road.
Pros and cons coexisted.
"Fine." Bo Saixi nodded. "I won't destroy the Slaughter City, but you must agree to my condition."
"Condition?" Ye Hao blinked. "Senior, please speak."
"Never invade Sea God Island again."
"Agreed." Ye Hao nodded.
"But Tang San must die." Ye Hao added firmly.
"Senior must already understand Tang San's true nature."
At the mention of this, Bo Saixi's face darkened.
She had initially believed the Sea God's chosen heir would be a prodigious genius, worthy of the title. But reality...
During her time on the Douluo Continent, Bo Saixi hadn't been idle.
She had learned much about Tang San—and the more she discovered, the more appalled she became.
Traitor to humanity, colluding with soul beasts; founder of the so-called "Path of Death"; attacker of Clear Sky Sect disciples—the list went on. He was practically universally despised.
And his teacher, Yu Xiaogang? Birds of a feather.
By now, Yu Xiaogang's name alone evoked disgust across the continent, a figure truly condemned for eternity.
But what disgusted Bo Saixi most was Tang San's murder of Flender, dean of Shrek Academy.
Flender had been Tang San's own academy dean. Yet because Flander mistakenly killed Yu Xiaogang, Tang San personally hunted him down and slaughtered him without hesitation.
This incident was widely known, publicly announced by Shrek Academy itself. Everyone felt nothing but revulsion and fury.
Even Tang San's former classmates unanimously despised him. For someone like him, death was the only solution.
Keeping him alive would only bring disaster—a catastrophe for the entire Douluo Continent.
Tang San was worse than the most depraved evil soul master.
The thought sent a chill down Bo Saixi's spine. She had been away from Sea God Island for over a month. What havoc might Tang San have wreaked there?
She didn't dare imagine.
Storing Tang Chen's body away, she prepared to leave.
"Ye Hao, I know you have grievances with Tang San. Given our agreement that you won't invade Sea God Island, once Tang San leaves, you may deal with him as you see fit."
With that, Bo Saixi soared into the sky with Tang Chen's corpse, racing back toward Sea God Island.
She couldn't afford delays. If Tang San caused trouble, would she, as High Priestess, kill him or not?
"Killing him would dirty my hands. Best leave it to Ye Hao."
Bo Saixi's voice was icy. "Once back, I must accelerate the Sea God's trials and expel Tang San from the island as soon as possible."
Watching Bo Saixi depart, Ye Hao finally relaxed.
"Bo Saixi's parting words seemed meaningful," Xiao Hong mused.
Ye Hao smiled faintly. "Bo Saixi is no ordinary person. During her time at Spirit Hall, she investigated Tang San thoroughly. Now, she's utterly disillusioned with him. Her urgency to return stems from fearing upheaval on Sea God Island."
"With Tang San—a ticking time bomb—still there, her concern is justified. She has to prepare."
"Honestly, Tang San might tear Sea God Island apart before we even lift a finger."
Ye Hao knew Tang San too well. He almost looked forward to it—especially regarding Sea Illusion Douluo. In the original timeline, Tang San had nearly killed him.
Now that the rabbit was dead, Sea Illusion's illusions would likely show Ye Hao killing Xiao Wu.
Wouldn't that drive Tang San mad?
Come to think of it, the rabbit meat was still sitting in his soul guide, untouched. Better cook it soon before it spoiled.
"The two of us could've killed Bo Saixi here. Why let her go?" Xiao Hong asked.
"I did it on purpose," Ye Hao said, raising an eyebrow.
"On purpose? Why?"
"When I killed Sea Horse Douluo, I implanted a trace of Asura's killing intent into Tang San. It's enough to drive him to madness. Bo Saixi might clean up the mess for us."
Ye Hao smirked.
"But honestly, my only real enemy is Tang San. Once he's dead, the entire continent will know peace. Sea God Island can remain as it is—I won't provoke them, and they won't provoke me."
"Think about it. If I destroyed Sea God Island, would the Sea God let me off the hook after I ascend to the divine realm?"
Ye Hao chuckled wryly.
"You hold the inheritances of both the Asura God and the Death God. The Sea God can't touch you."
"True, but imagine being watched by a hostile deity for eternity in the divine realm. Unnerving, no?"
"Once Tang San dies, everything else will resolve itself. Unify the continent, live out a century in peace, then ascend to enjoy godhood."
"A century?!" Xiao Hong gasped, silently pitying the Death God. Just a hundred more years before Ye Hao would take over.
"Bo Saixi is a tragic figure. Though Sea God Island and Spirit Hall are enemies, it doesn't matter. Once I become a god, all conflicts will dissolve naturally."
"Let's go home."
Ye Hao turned to leave.
"What about here? The old tavern is gone."
Xiao Hong worried about the exposed entrance to the Slaughter City. What if something happened?
"Right."
Ye Hao slapped his forehead.
That same day, Ye Hao dispatched personnel from the nearest Spirit Hall branch to construct a new tavern around the Slaughter City's perimeter, strengthening surveillance.
Any unusual activity was to be reported immediately.
After arranging this, Ye Hao personally visited the Slaughter City to meet the Hell Messenger, appointing her as the next Slaughter King to ensure stability.
With everything settled, Ye Hao and Xiao Hong finally departed.