Chapter 95: I am not Yue Zheng Ling; I am Qian Ling'er

Qian Renxue picked up the sword placed on the table, rose, and walked toward the back door of the shop.

Soul power surged, the shop's rear door behind her closed automatically; Qian Renxue was about to head to the back kitchen, but she instantly pulled back her stepping right foot and unleashed a heavy, powerful chop.

Qian Renxue smiled and commented, "That chop was good—clean and decisive, without a hint of hesitation. It's just a pity that now there's one less restaurant we can go to."

Inside the shop, the man wearing a chef's apron trembled with fear in his legs, but perhaps knowing he wouldn't survive, he bluntly cursed:

"Sword Emperor, you madman, don't think this can change the City of Slaughter—everyone who comes here is no good! Even if you suppress them with force, those wicked spirits' hearts remain filled with slaughter; this is the City of Slaughter! You can't change it! Once you leave, they'll still be just as they were!"

The girl tapped the man's head with her sheathed sword and said, "Oh, you seem to have misunderstood something—I'm not establishing rules in the Outer City for a bunch of evil soul masters; I just like an orderly, stable environment, you get that? As for what they become after I leave, what's it to me?"

"I'm kind-hearted; I can't stand seeing dirty things."

You say you do bad things, so do them—why let her know? Don't you know the Outer City is her turf? "You… can we reconcile?" the man said with a bitter face; why didn't you say so earlier? If so, wouldn't it be fine for him to wait until that crazy woman leaves? Naturally, the Outer City of the City of Slaughter is stratified into ranks; these weaklings who dare not enter the Inner City can only bully the even weaker in the Outer City—but since this Sword Emperor came to the City of Slaughter, the whole Outer City has changed: no one may oppress anyone else except her, or else she'll strike them down.

Originally the Outer City was a place where the weak scraped by, where killing was forbidden—but this woman has enforcement authority; she's an external member of the Enforcement Squad, and if you go to the Enforcement Squad to complain, you'll just be seen as trouble and killed on the spot; eliminating whoever raises an issue naturally leaves no problem.

"Now? You must be joking."

Qian Renxue drew her sword; with a sword's cry, a red dot appeared on the man's throat.

"Hah… hah." With the sound of him collapsing, Qian Renxue sheathed her sword and turned to leave; today she still has the eighty-first Hell Killing Competition to fight, and these Outer City wastes really do cause her trouble.

Qian Renxue walked along the road toward the Inner City; along the way, anyone who saw her tried to avoid her. In the City of Slaughter she could be called notorious—forcing a band of utterly vicious evildoers to kiss, hug, and lift high before her, all under the pretense of building a harmonious City of Slaughter, but in truth she does whatever she pleases.

Others in the City of Slaughter are all murderous-looking, with a look of deep hatred; Qian Renxue is different—relying on her status as an external member of the Enforcement Squad, she in the Outer City mainly relies on power to bully people, truly giving free rein to her nature; living in the City of Slaughter, she shouldn't be too happy, yet every day she's gleefully seeking fun.

Moreover, Qian Renxue discovered on her abdomen a half-black, half-green spider soul mark, faintly visible; she hadn't expected she still possessed a hidden second martial soul.

Most interestingly, each time she kills someone in the City of Slaughter, a blood-red line pattern lights up in the middle of the spider soul mark, fusing the two different-colored marks and making them more solid.

The blood line pattern has already stained three-quarters of its length; perhaps once the blood line fully fuses the two colors, her second martial soul will be able to fully manifest.

Killing here can trigger her second martial soul, but it also brings a strong surge of negative emotions; whenever she can't hold out, the negative emotions within her body are absorbed by the spider soul mark.

As a result, she remains a sunny, cheerful, gentle, laughter-loving girl; if she doesn't use killing intent, it's as if she never came to the City of Slaughter for training.

Logically, after killing so many people and enduring so many matches, anyone would inevitably acquire various killing intent and hostility.

But Qian Renxue shows no change at all—a golden-haired maiden in white robes, unstained by the mire, completely out of place with the City of Slaughter's aesthetic.

She just stands there, spotless, possessing immense power, exquisite beauty, and formidable swordsmanship—like a divine being—causing countless people in the Inner City to become obsessed and frenzied; in this decadent Inner City world, the figure of the White-Clothed Sword Emperor is all too unique.

Since she learned that killing here can activate her second martial soul, Qian Renxue's strikes have become increasingly clean and decisive; for this she specially established a rule in the Outer City: no one but her may bully others, or else they'll be cut down by her.

On the first day, no one paid her any mind; then Qian Renxue, unable to hold back, directly slashed from the city head to the city tail, dyeing the entire Outer City red with blood; even the King of Slaughter was startled into coming out to advise her, saying a little girl shouldn't be so extreme—but she promptly slapped him twice on the spot.

From then on, Qian Renxue became famous in a single battle in the City of Slaughter.

Her Hell Killing Arena also, because of this, never finds opponents; each time they wait for a batch of newcomers to arrive, the King of Slaughter sends people to pull strings and lure the newcomers to the Hell Killing Arena, which is how Qian Renxue managed to achieve eighty straight wins.

The City of Slaughter's energy also leans toward the dark attribute; originally Qian Renxue didn't plan to absorb this world's vital energy, but the spider soul mark automatically absorbs dark-attribute power, refining the vital energy.

If not for that, after staying long in the City of Slaughter, Qian Renxue would suspect her Eight-Winged Angel Martial Soul might drift toward the dark attribute and undergo mutation or the like.

The Inner City remains that decadent place, with visible spring palaces everywhere; Qian Renxue casually glanced—there a man and a woman were performing an action-packed scene, meaningless, and seeing such things daily dulls interest.

"It's the White-Clothed Sword Emperor."

Someone saw Qian Renxue and immediately retreated three li, shouting in alarm.

The man who was ravaging the woman seemed to feel Qian Renxue's gaze, grew more excited, locked his eyes on her body, sped up his actions, and growled low:

"White-Clothed Sword Emperor, feels good? This old man will crush you."

"……"

"Clang—!" Qian Renxue embraced the sword sheath, controlling the sword with mental power; the long sword flew like a flying sword, slashing a throat.

Nonsense, Qian Renxue on the spot controlled the sword and beheaded that foul-mouthed man.

No way, dude, you dare act so arrogant in front of me? Pure stupidity, can't stand living.

Amid the crowd's retreat and the woman's screams, Qian Renxue continued toward the Hell Killing Field.

At this moment, the Hell Killing Field had gathered tens of thousands; since Qian Renxue lifted the slaughter ban, entry to the City of Slaughter no longer required killing ten people to get in—just daring to drink a cup of bloody Mary sufficed.

Most were male, each staring with lustful eyes at the white-clad figure on the stage.

The stands were equally chaotic, everywhere spring palaces, even male-male pairs.

Qian Renxue's cold gaze swept over the nine figures on the stage, making them tremble all over, faces filled with despair—truly this White-Clothed Sword Emperor is too terrifying, her slaughter has turned the City of Slaughter into rivers of blood.

Qian Renxue doesn't need to wait in the holding room per regulations; otherwise she'd scare away the summoned soul masters, often taking days to gather ten people—this is still under the condition that her participation time in the Hell Killing Field isn't exposed.

As soon as the match began, those nine surrounded Qian Renxue, not joining forces to take her down—none of them could survive.

The nine came at her from different directions; Qian Renxue smiled, and the long sword in her embrace was drawn.

Even before anyone could see her move clearly, two red points appeared on the throats of two people.

Her swordplay now grows ever more ruthless, no longer pursuing flashy showiness as before; she focuses on clean decisiveness, but Jin Huang'er is dissatisfied, constantly nagging that her sword technique has gone astray, lacking any flair.

Qian Renxue embraced the sword sheath, controlling the sword with mental power; the long sword swiftly circled her body in a slash.

One sweep, and five people were cut in half at the waist.

Afterwards Qian Renxue clenched her right fist and fiercely slammed it into the head of the one charging at her.

"Pa—"

That person's head exploded on the spot, like heavenly maidens scattering flowers; Qian Renxue skillfully used soul power to shield herself.

The last one, seeing his companions all fallen, immediately raised his chopping knife and charged wildly, bellowing to bolster his courage.

"Please go die." Qian Renxue said with a smiling, gentle face.

She slightly shifted her body to avoid the heavy, powerful chop, swung her sword, and cleanly cut the man in half at the waist.

"Ah—my leg!" a tremendous wail rang out behind her.

Qian Renxue smiled and watched him wail; this fellow had once led a gang to surround and kill her, and she's a petty grudge-holder.

After a while, the wailing faded in despair; eighty-one wins, completed.

Qian Renxue flicked the blood from her blade, sheathed it, glanced with her peripheral vision at the demons and monsters in the audience stands, then turned and left.

Leaving the bloody-scented Hell Killing Field, Qian Renxue walked openly on the main road of the Inner City; yet even if she pretended to be soul-power depleted and gravely injured, the passersby mostly still wore wary, shrinking expressions.

Tsk, these trash, I look this weak and they still don't come cause trouble? Now I can't even catch a fish, what a pity.

In the distance, two figures approached from the opposite side.

One was naturally the black-clad woman who had first brought her into the inner city of Slaughter City; the other was none other than the long‑unseen Jun Wuchen.

Oh no, how could this guy come here? He's barely close to eight years old, right? A thirty‑second‑rank soul power level? How did this kid improve so fast? Is it to obtain the Slaughter God's Domain?

These transmigrators are truly more overpowered than the last, giving the feeling of seeing in a past‑life novel a five‑year‑old jonin, an eight‑year‑old kage—so young and already coming to kill.

Upon seeing her, Jun Wuchen's originally icy face lit up with excitement—it was Ling'er! He had thought Ling'er died in Ye Feng's plot while hunting for soul rings. After returning from the hunt, he discovered Yue Zheng Ling had left alone, and in his rage he almost beat Xiao Yuan to death; he actually let Ling'er go hunt for soul rings by herself. Others don't realize Yue Zheng Ling might die—you, this transmigrator who knows the plot, don't you understand either?

But now that Jun Wuchen has seen her, his hatred for Ye Feng has faded considerably. He never expected Ling'er to still be alive—doesn't that mean Xiao Yuan was beaten for nothing? "Ling'er!" Jun Wuchen immediately called out Qian Renxue's alias, hoping to recognize her.

But Qian Renxue clutched her chest, appearing as if her soul power was exhausted and she bore heavy injuries, looking at Jun Wuchen with icy wariness, then walked past him.

A merciless killing intent burst from within her, the icy, bloody sting stimulating Jun Wuchen's senses, making him involuntarily retreat two steps.

After a year and a half, Jun Wuchen, relying on the inheritance of the Kirin Crown and the resources of the Spirit Hall, had become a thirty‑second‑rank Soul Elder, yet facing Qian Renxue's killing intent he still felt powerless.

Qian Renxue ignored him, continuing along the main road of the inner city as she left; any passing evil soul master who saw her immediately made way, for fear that accidentally blocking the White‑Clad Sword Emperor's path might get them cut down on the spot.

Jun Wuchen's expression flickered; perhaps Ling'er didn't want to reveal that we knew each other—could there be some hidden reason? Why did Ling'er come to Slaughter City? Is it because of Ye Feng?

"Who was that person just now?" Jun Wuchen asked the black‑clad woman guiding him.

The black‑clad woman said indifferently, "She's been here for a year and a half; the people of Slaughter City's inner city call her the White‑Clad Sword Emperor. If she hadn't competed today, the Hell Slaughter Arena would now have eighty wins."

Sure enough, it's Ling'er! The duration of her disappearance matches exactly. Jun Wuchen's expression shifted, and a sense of relief welled up in his heart.

"Although I don't know what you're thinking, I don't advise you to approach that White‑Clad Sword Emperor—many men with ill intentions have been sliced in half by her, dying in utter despair."

The black‑clad woman's gaze toward Jun Wuchen held a hint of contempt, as if she also regarded him as one of those villains lusting after Qian Renxue's beauty.

At the same time, in a dark, spacious chamber above the center of the Hell Slaughter Arena...

It was an extraordinarily huge chair, inlaid with blue and purple crystals that formed a skull‑shaped pattern; aside from this chair, everything in the room was dark red.

"Great King, the White‑Clad Sword Emperor has won another match, bringing her total to eighty‑one victories." A cold, female voice echoed in the darkness; the speaker was a voluptuous, fiery‑figured beauty.

"I know; hurry up and arrange for someone to enter the arena so she can leave quickly."

A tall figure sat sprawled upon the skull‑shaped giant chair; in the darkness his features were indistinct, but his slender, lanky build could be made out.

"But Great King, the White‑Clad Sword Emperor is merely a Soul King—do we really need to help her leave Slaughter City?"

"No need to worry about her; she belongs to the Spirit Hall."

The gorgeous woman immediately said, "Although we had an agreement with the Spirit Hall a thousand years ago, who knows when they'll tear it up? Why bother helping her leave Slaughter City?"

"After all, every appearance of a Slaughter God brings a crisis for Slaughter City."

"Haven't we left such a warning on the allegorical wall of Slaughter City? 'When the Slaughter God descends, hellish disaster.' In the past, each Slaughter God's appearance has wrought severe damage upon Slaughter City; if this one truly returns, I fear..."

The Slaughter King said coldly, "Do you think I don't want to? The one who sent her here is a Slaughter God; although her strength is ordinary, within her Slaughter God's Domain any soul master can restore the use of their soul skills—do you know how many Titled Douluo the Spirit Hall has?"

"Moreover, that woman bears the aura of a deity—don't you wonder why you can stand beside me?"

The gorgeous woman was startled by the Slaughter King's tone: "No... I don't know."

The Slaughter King stared at her coldly, as if looking at a corpse: "It's just because that idiot earlier didn't watch where he was going, and this woman cut him down directly! Get her out of here right away!"

"Yes!" The gorgeous woman dared not entertain any ulterior motives—she certainly didn't want to be cut down as well.

……

Time passed in waiting and cultivation; sitting cross‑legged in her own room, a jet‑black ripple of soul power surged from Qian Renxue's body, even dyeing her golden strands silver.

Qian Renxue's expression shifted slightly—what an evil power! Her second martial soul hasn't been activated yet, so why is her martial soul going berserk?

She lifted her clothing and looked at her abdomen; a purple mark completely covered her soul imprint, filled with evil divine power that seemed to want to seal her soul imprint. Just as Qian Renxue tried to use the angelic imprint to dispel it, that divine power was instead absorbed by the spider soul imprint.

Huh? You can't just eat this filthy stuff! She wanted to stop it but was powerless; for some reason, this brand‑new spider soul imprint, Qian Renxue couldn't invoke it at all—it was as if it weren't her martial soul.

After a while, the evil purple divine power was completely consumed, and Qian Renxue's appearance returned to normal—except that a quarter of the line at her mid‑abdomen remained unfilled by purple. Logically, this should count as her second martial soul awakening, yet she still couldn't use the spider martial soul.

Just as Qian Renxue was pondering her martial soul, she suddenly heard footsteps echoing down the corridor; this place had been arranged for her by the Enforcement Squad, and although it was an inn, only she occupied the top floor.

Was it another tail‑follower or someone coming to drug her? Qian Renxue's hand had already gripped the sword hilt; her icy gaze fixed on the door, she made no sound as she silently slipped out of bed.

"Knock knock knock."

A series of somewhat urgent knocking sounds rang out.

"Who?" Qian Renxue asked in a cold voice.

"Ling'er, it's me! Jun Wuchen."

Qian Renxue surged her soul power, waved her sleeve from afar, and unlocked the locked door.

As soon as Jun Wuchen stepped inside, he was shaken by the killing intent emanating from Qian Renxue; her golden hair hung loose, her deep‑violet eyes holding a hint of blood‑red light, her icy gaze fixed on him.

"I don't know any Jun Wuchen; you've got the wrong person."

Jun Wuchen didn't rashly approach her; in Slaughter City, those who train there are highly vigilant. Ling'er had been here for a year and a half, and he didn't want to be misunderstood. Upon hearing Qian Renxue's words, Jun Wuchen's heart suddenly felt a twinge of fear.

How could this be possible, Yue Zhengling? Have you forgotten what happened at the martial soul academy? Your martial soul is the Holy Angel, you were a member of my team back then!

Qian Renxue kept a straight face; she had originally planned to sneak into Slaughter City to grab a bit of the Slaughter God Domain, but she didn't expect to be caught by a transmigrator. After all, which transmigrator doesn't come for a free ride on the Slaughter God Domain? This is, after all, quite a nice little cheat.

Normally, Qian Renxue would definitely need to come up with an explanation to avoid Jun martial soul doubting her background.

But Qian Renxue couldn't be bothered to say those cheesy melodramatic lines; sigh, sorry, I've lost my memory, I don't know anything, let Jun martial soul figure out the reason himself.

She shook her head coldly, "I don't know you, I don't know anything about the martial soul academy, and besides, I'm not called Yue Zhengling; my name is Qian Ling'er. Leave this place, considering how inexplicably pleasing you look to me, I won't kill you."

"Qian Ling'er..." Jun martial soul murmured, this name, the Qian family... she really is Ling'er! Before his transmigration, Jun martial soul had read quite a few novels; Ling'er's experience is a bit like the amnesiac female lead in those old overpowered tyrant novels! She couldn't have been brainwashed by the Qian family, could she?

Jun martial soul clenched his fists tightly and insisted, "You are Yue Zhengling! Ling'er, I will definitely recover your memories."

Qian Renxue didn't answer, just looked at him coldly.

Seeing Ling'er's cold demeanor, Jun martial soul felt heartbroken but not disappointed; Ling'er had just said she found him inexplicably pleasing and hadn't attacked him outright, so it must be her old memories influencing her—she hasn't completely forgotten herself.

Jun martial soul steeled himself and then said:

"The Hell Road is extremely dangerous, Ling… Qian Ling'er, do you want to team up with me? I can catch up to your progress right away; shall we leave this place together?"

"The entrance to the Hell Road is right in the Hell Slaughter Field; everyone who dies there has their blood and soul devoured by the Hell Road."

"Legend says that anyone who enters the Hell Road will surely die; once inside, if they lack strong killing intent as protection, they will immediately be devoured by the vicious Qi of Hell."

Qian Renxue shook her head, "I spent one and a half years to achieve eighty-one wins; I won't wait another year for you."

"Once I achieve a hundred battles, I will leave on my own; there's nothing else, please go back."

Jun martial soul gritted his teeth unwillingly, but having no choice, he only could pull out two bags from his hand and toss them to Qian Renxue; Qian Renxue instinctively caught them.

"I once promised you that as long as you stay by my side, I will give you a crystal each week; these two bags each contain seventy-eight crystals, namely holy light crystals and thunder crystals; I have given you what I promised, and what you promised me, I will personally come to collect later!"

"Take care."

After saying that, he turned and left; he wanted to quickly achieve a hundred victories, then leave the City of Slaughter.

He simply lives in the room below Qian Renxue's floor.

Qian Renxue waved her hand, shut the door, then opened the bag in her hand. Good grief, her eyes were almost blinded by the light. Jun martial soul, this good buddy, is reliable—he really does give stuff! I'm a bit under the weather, my head feels foggy, eating tasteless food is painful; last night I forgot to set the air‑conditioner timer, it blew all night, so today I only managed 6000 words, brothers, give the author a break.

(End of chapter)