I'm picking up fragments in Douluo Continent

Chapter 282 The True Purpose of the Killing City
Inside the Temple of Slaughter, the thick stench of blood seemed to freeze in the air.
Lu Feng stood in front of the enormous statue of the Asura God, looking up at it.

The spiderweb-like dark red patterns on the surface of the statue are faintly visible in the dim light, as if blood were truly flowing within them.

A captivating light emanated from the indistinct face.

"Buzz——"

Lu Feng released his divine power, and the statue suddenly trembled violently.

A beam of blood-gold light shot out from the statue's eyes and shone on the Asura Sword in his hand.

The ancient patterns on the sword lit up one by one, spreading from the tip to the hilt.

The next moment, countless pieces of information flooded into Lu Feng's mind like a tidal wave.

The secrets of the Slaughter City, the truth behind the Asura God Trial, and the responsibilities and powers of the King of Slaughter.
"I see." Lu Feng's lips curled up slightly, and a look of understanding flashed in his eyes.

Like the High Priest of Seagod Island and the Grand Elder of the Spirit Hall, the King of Slaughter is the representative of the gods in the mortal world, in charge of the Asura God Trial.

Having defeated Tang Chen, he had already earned that qualification.

The castle hall.

Lu Feng sat on the throne, gazing ahead.

The twelve assassins knelt in unison on one knee below the steps.

At the very front row were three red-robed elders, whose soul power fluctuations indicated that all three were titled Douluo-level powerhouses.

"From this day forward, I shall be the new King of Slaughter." Lu Feng's voice was not loud, but it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.

His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest. "Who's in favor? Who's opposed?"

The hall was deathly silent. Everyone could feel the faint, yet palpable, divine power emanating from it, like a sharp sword hanging overhead, ready to fall at any moment.

Zoe, the purple-robed envoy in the last row, was the first to bow down and submit.

This woman, who was usually known for her ruthlessness, was now trembling like a frightened deer.

She prostrated herself deeply, her long black hair cascading down like a waterfall, revealing the pale nape of her neck: "Greetings, King of Slaughter."

Lu Feng looked at the hot woman with amusement, his gaze sweeping over her curvaceous body.

"You seem to be outwardly convinced but inwardly resentful?"

Lu Feng slowly stood up, his black robes fluttering even without wind. "You stay here. I'm going to punish you properly."

Upon hearing this, Zoe's body trembled, and her legs involuntarily clamped together.

Upon seeing this, the others quickly retreated as if they had been granted a pardon.

"boom."

The heavy palace doors slammed shut with a dull thud. Soon, Zoe's pleas for mercy echoed in the empty space.

"Your Majesty, spare my life! I know I was wrong!"

"ah--!"

"Please... be gentle."

The Temple of Asura.

Lu Feng sat cross-legged, his soul power surging like a tide.

Nine spirit rings appeared one after another, radiating a dazzling light in the dim temple.

The most eye-catching are the last three spirit rings, their deep red color resembling congealed blood, exuding a suffocating pressure.

"Whoosh."

A beam of golden light shone down from the temple dome, and wisps of white mist, like serpentine snakes, snaked upwards and coiled around the statue of the Asura God.

The blood-like veins on the surface of the statue suddenly lit up, as if they had been infused with life.

"Buzz——"

A blinding golden light burst forth from between the statue's eyebrows, striking Lu Feng's first spirit ring precisely.

The purple spirit ring began to tremble violently, its color deepening at a visible speed, eventually turning into a deep black.

"Stingy Asura God." Lu Feng pursed his lips as he felt the power of the Soul Ring's age limit.

"They can only give me 50,000 years."

He looked up at the statue, a sly glint in his eyes.

As the King of Slaughter, he is both a candidate and an examiner in the divine examination.

This unique dual identity allowed him to ruthlessly grant himself special privileges. His second and third spirit rings were successively enveloped in golden light, and their age was also increased to 50,000 years.

When the golden light shone on the fourth spirit ring, the already ten-thousand-year-old black spirit ring became even more profound.

"Sixty thousand years is not bad." Lu Feng nodded in satisfaction.

Next came the fifth spirit ring, which trembled wildly in the golden light before finally settling at the 70,000-year level.

The most astonishing change occurred with the sixth spirit ring.

This soul ring, originating from the Dark Demon God Tiger, was originally 60,000 years old. However, under the baptism of golden light, its color gradually turned into a bewitching red.

The unique pressure of a 100,000-year-old soul ring seemed to cause even the air to freeze when it swept across the entire temple.

"That's more like it." Lu Feng felt the surging power within him, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

However, when he turned his gaze to the last three spirit rings, his brows furrowed.

The seventh spirit ring was already at the 100,000-year level, so the increase in power from the golden light was not significant.

Although the eighth and ninth spirit rings also increased their age by 50,000 years, this improvement was indeed negligible for spirit rings that were already close to a million years old.

"It seems that even the power of gods has its limits." Lu Feng sighed helplessly.

He stood up, stretched his limbs, and his bones cracked with a crisp sound.

"Not bad, level 96!" Lu Feng nodded in satisfaction.

He looked up at the statue, his eyes filled with reverence. "Thank you, Lord Asura God, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to bestow this reward. Since you are so generous, then I will not stand on ceremony."

As he spoke, he sat cross-legged again and began to circulate his cultivation technique to consolidate his power.

Road to hell.

Dark red lava, billowing heat distorted the air, and a nauseating stench filled the air.

Zhu Zhuqing stood on the narrow stone bridge, her black bodysuit soaked with sweat.

She frowned, staring at the winding, blood-red path ahead. "Is this where you used to cultivate?"

Zhu Zhuqing's voice trembled slightly, and her cat ears twitched involuntarily. Her slender fingers clenched into fists, her nails digging deeply into her palms.

Lu Feng chuckled and reached out to wipe the sweat from her forehead.

The soul power flowing from his fingertips brought a touch of coolness, allowing Zhu Zhuqing's tense nerves to relax slightly.

"good."

Lu Feng pointed to a faintly visible exit in the distance, "I'll open a back door for you later. You can go straight out from there and obtain the God of Slaughter Domain."

Zhu Zhuqing blinked, her voice hesitant, and asked, "Is this really okay?"
"Of course." A sly glint flashed in Lu Feng's eyes.

The Asura Sword appeared out of thin air in his hand, its blood-red patterns shimmering with an eerie light.

"This is my territory, my husband."

As he finished speaking, nine spirit rings appeared one after another—five black and four red, their terrifying pressure causing the surrounding air to freeze.

Zhu Zhuqing gasped, her small mouth slightly open.

"But wouldn't doing this be blasphemous to the gods?" Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible.

Lu Feng reached out and gently rubbed her soft cat ears, causing the girl to tremble slightly.

"With your exceptional talent, the gods would be delighted if you were to inherit their divine position."

He leaned close to Zhu Zhuqing's ear, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe, "I'll bring Yanyan over later, but you can't fight with her."

Zhu Zhuqing's cheeks flushed instantly, and she glared at Lu Feng with embarrassment and annoyance.

But her gaze softened quickly, and she nodded gently.

"I was prepared for your seventh spirit ring as well."

Lu Feng snapped his fingers, and a golden light descended from the sky, condensing into a dazzling ball of light in front of Zhu Zhuqing.

"We can provide as many divinely bestowed soul rings as you need, and we guarantee they'll all be perfectly suited to you."

Zhu Zhuqing stared at the ball of light before her, her eyes flashing with complex emotions.

She took a deep breath, suddenly stood on tiptoe, and gave Lu Feng a light peck on the cheek.

"Thank you, husband."

(End of this chapter)