Chapter 235: Tianshui Academy Secrets, Journey to the City of Slaughter

Because they had a map, Li Li and Zhu Zhuqing didn't spend much time searching the area for their fifth Soul Rings; in just one week they resolved the two women's fifth Soul Rings.

Li Li's fifth Soul Ring was a 20,000‑year‑old cavernous demon spider; after absorbing the Soul Ring, her soul power immediately rose to level 52, granting her a powerful area‑control skill.

Zhu Zhuqing's physical condition was slightly weaker than Li Li's, but her fifth Soul Ring was also 18,000 years old; her soul power reached the peak of level 51, just one step shy of level 52. Her fifth soul skill was the same as in the original work, yet its power had increased significantly.

Both of their Soul Rings were hunted by themselves; Gu Xuan and Du Gu Yan did not intervene, only Ning Rongrong used the Vast Sea Cosmic Shield to assist a bit.

Moreover, repeated actual battles have made Ning Rongrong already familiar with the use of the Vast Sea Cosmic Shield and its combination with several soul skills.

With the Vast Sea Cosmic Shield, Ning Rongrong also gained a certain offensive and defensive capability; combined with her own concealed weapons, when facing same‑level strong‑attack Soul Masters, she now possesses the strength for a single battle.

In the end, only Xue Ke's fourth Soul Ring remained unacquired; because her physical condition has not undergone special training, she cannot yet absorb a Soul Ring beyond her level.

Yet Xue Ke, watching Du Gu Yan and the others absorb Soul Rings beyond their levels, felt not only shock but also envy.

She knows Gu Xuan's fiancées are all outstanding, but never imagined they could be so exceptional; therefore she also wants to keep pace with them and improve together.

Xue Ke's martial soul is Light Wing, so she chose a light‑type spirit beast of about 4,500 years for her fourth Soul Ring; after confirming the Soul Ring Xue Ke needed, the group set off swiftly toward the target location.

The period spent obtaining Xue Ke's Soul Ring saw no mishaps; it took only one week to find a suitable fourth Soul Ring for her.

After absorbing the Soul Ring, Xue Ke broke through to level 41, barely keeping pace with Gu Xuan's squad, and initially earned qualification to train on Sea God Island.

This outing took a month; Du Gu Yan and the three other women obtained satisfactory Soul Rings, and Ning Rongrong had also become familiar with the Vast Sea Cosmic Shield, making the venture relatively smooth and complete.

After another half‑month, they returned to Binghuo Liangyi Yan; at that time Shui Bing'er had also been brought there, and she agreed to go to Sea God Island for training together with Zuo Yan and Ning Rongrong.

The director of Tianshui Academy, Xue Qingluan, also consented to Shui Bing'er following Zuo Yan to Sea God Island, reasoning that only by facing genuine life‑and‑death crises can they grow quickly.

And because of Zuo Yan, Xue Qingluan also confided some of Tianshui Academy's secrets to him.

Tianshui Academy was founded with the support of a hermit sect named Xuan Shui Sect; according to Xue Qingluan's description, there is a Titled Douluo within that sect.

The reason Xuan Shui Sect established Tianshui Academy was to draw out exceptionally gifted women from the academy to stimulate talent in the sect's main line, ensuring the main‑line members' martial souls could successfully evolve and then produce offspring with outstanding talent.

Xue Qingluan's sister is the current sect leader Xu Kun's woman, but because her sister helped Xu Kun successfully complete his martial soul evolution, her sister became a person unable to cultivate—a waste.

However, Xu Kun is not heartless; his sister, having become a non‑cultivator for Xu Kun, also bore him a child of exceptional talent, so now Xu Kun has only Xue Qingluan as his woman, and treats her well.

Yet not everyone in Xuan Shui Sect is like Xu Kun; originally Xue Qingluan herself almost became the furnace vessel of Xu Kun's younger brother Xu Shi, but her sister's good relationship with Xu Kun prevented it.

And now Shui Bing'er is actually the furnace vessel destined by Xu Shi's grandson; that grandson, like Xu Shi, is a scoundrel—only twenty years old, has ruined more than a dozen women, all of whom were of decent talent.

Therefore Xue Qingluan told Zuo Yan about this, giving him a sense of danger.

Although with the power of the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect, Xuan Shui Sect certainly wouldn't dare have any designs on Shui Bing'er, what if?

Moreover, since Xuan Shui Sect now also has many scoundrels, Xue Qingluan actually already wishes to dissolve Tianshui Academy, or at least detach it from Xuan Shui Sect.

And all this will depend on the future efforts of Shui Bing'er and her companions; after being controlled by a sect for so long, breaking free naturally is impossible.

Of course, if Xue Qingluan seeks help from the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect, it might be possible, but that would be like drinking poison to quench thirst; if Tianshui Academy later aligns with the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect, it is not unlike a covert reliance.

When Zuo Yan relayed this to Gu Xuan, Gu Xuan merely gave a slight smile; in fact, with the current strength of the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect, directly wiping out Xuan Shui Sect would be no problem, but it is unnecessary, as the time is not right.

After all, the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect is currently in a hidden state; on the surface, there is only the Sword‑Bone Douluo.

No, Xue Qinghe knows the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect has added another Titled Douluo, but that's all.

Anyway, it doesn't matter; after all, when the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect eventually unifies the continent, these hidden forces will be identified and eliminated one by one—those who submit will be spared a way out, those who refuse will be wiped out.

But this is also good, as it can further spur Zuo Yan and Shui Bing'er to cultivate; this Xuan Shui Sect thus serves some purpose.

After Gu Xuan returned, he did not waste any more time; after a brief meeting with everyone, he sent Ning Rongrong and the others to set out for training on Sea God Island.

Meanwhile, Gu Xuan took Du Gu Yan, and the two headed for the City of Slaughter.

Indeed, the place Gu Xuan is going to is the City of Slaughter, where he can obtain a powerful skill called the Killing God Domain and also access the inheritance of the Asura God King.

If luck is on his side, Gu Xuan can use the Asura God King's inheritance to advance quickly, which will not affect his future self‑created divine position.

The entrance to the City of Slaughter had long been investigated by Gu Xuan, so he and Du Gu Yan soon arrived at a small town. The town seemed modest, but upon stepping in, Gu Xuan and Du Gu Yan immediately sensed an odd atmosphere; the locals all exuded a peculiar chill.

Du Gu Yan, arm linked with Gu Xuan's, frowned slightly at the town and asked, "Is this the entrance to the City of Slaughter?"

Gu Xuan nodded, "Exactly, this is the beginning of our new life."

Afterwards, Gu Xuan led Du Gu Yan into a tavern in the town; the tavern's air was extremely murky, all the décor was black. Though it was daytime outside, stepping inside gave a sense of cold, dark gloom.

The tavern was not crowded, yet each patron exuded an even stronger cold, ominous aura; when they saw the bright, polished Gu Xuan and Du Gu Yan entering, they cast mocking glances.

Especially those particularly repulsive men, who stared unblinkingly at Du Gu Yan's long, straight legs as white as jade.

Du Gu Yan disliked the atmosphere and felt a bit unable to resist the urge to act.

She is a gentle, sensible young woman beside Gu Xuan, but that is not her true nature.

Gu Xuan and Du Gu Yan had not yet found a seat when a server dressed in black, with an indifferent expression, approached and said lightly, "What would you two like to order?"

ps: Typos will be corrected later.

(End of chapter)