Chapter 305. I Have a Dream.
Currently, the City of Slaughter is rife with warlords and factions, each vying for the title of King of Slaughter.
However, the arrival of Tang Hao and his group is a sudden shock. Tang Hao, a level 96 Title Douluo, possesses the God of Slaughter Domain and can use soul skills.
Tang Chen also has the God of Slaughter Domain; although his lower body is crippled, his upper body still possesses considerable strength, and even supported by Titan, he can unleash formidable combat power.
Their arrival directly ended the chaotic situation within the City of Slaughter, forcing all sides to submit to the three Gods of Slaughter.
Tang Chen relinquished the position of King of Slaughter, and Tang San was to inherit the position of God of Asura; naturally, the title of King of Slaughter fell into the hands of Tang Hao.
After Tang Hao succeeded as the King of Slaughter, the various forces in Slaughter City submitted their rosters of personnel under their jurisdiction to him. After some calculations, it was determined that there were currently over 12,000 Soul Masters in Slaughter City, including some powerful Soul Saints, Soul Emperors, and Soul Kings.
"The Spirit Hall only has a little over 100,000 Soul Masters in total. Even with expansions over the years, it has at most 200,000. We've suddenly gained 12,000 Soul Masters with considerable combat power!" Dai Mubai said excitedly.
"Now, the force to resist the Spirit Hall is sufficient," Ma Hongjun said excitedly.
Tang San nodded, saying regretfully, "What a pity. Why didn't I think of this back then? When I left the City of Slaughter, there were far more evil spirit masters there than just these."
After thinking for a moment, Tang San said to his father, "Dad, before we officially enter the Divine Trial Grounds, I hope we can gather all the spirit masters from the City of Slaughter."
Upon hearing this, Tang Hao summoned everyone from the City of Slaughter. Tang San stood before the crowd, looking down at everyone below.
Ten thousand people stood densely packed together in the plaza, the scene chaotic and noisy.
"I am Tang San, son of the King of Slaughter, Tang Hao, and one of the Gods of Slaughter in the City of Slaughter." After saying this, Tang San released his God of Slaughter Domain: "What I'm about to say, unless I ask a question, no one should interrupt, understand?"
The moment the God of Slaughter Domain appeared, the scene fell silent. Everyone here understood what the God of Slaughter Domain meant; it signified the qualification of someone who had achieved a hundred consecutive victories in the Hell Slaughter Arena, walked the Hell Road, and left the City of Slaughter.
Tang San, seeing that his methods had intimidated everyone present, smirked slightly and asked, "I ask you, why did you come to this City of Slaughter?"
Someone replied, "Years ago, to awaken my martial soul, I slaughtered an entire village, resulting in being wanted by the Spirit Hall and forced to come to the City of Slaughter to escape."
Another responded, "My martial soul can succumb to bloodlust to continuously increase my cultivation. There's nowhere in the entire Douluo Continent where I can freely utilize my martial soul's characteristics; normal cultivation is too slow, so I came to the City of Slaughter." Someone else responded, "My martial soul can absorb men's essence to cultivate. After draining men dry, I was wanted by the Spirit Hall and ultimately forced to hide in the City of Slaughter." Yet another replied, "In my youth, I seduced the eldest daughter of the wealthy Cai family... " Fangxin deceived me into having two children with me. Later, she grew tired of me and divorced me. However, my family continued to blackmail her family using the children, extorting wealth, property, and so on. Eventually, she tried to sever ties with our family. So, my father, my brother, and I boiled her alive, which angered everyone. My father and brother were killed by Soul Master Rangers, and I had no choice but to flee to this Killing City.
Someone responded, "I like the environment of Killing City. It's free and I can kill at will. Killing improves my cultivation; why not?"
Those who come to Killing City are almost all wicked people. Their hearts are already shrouded in evil, devoid of any kindness.
Many share their evil deeds—murder, arson, rape—which, in their words, become less horrifying.
Sharing past evils is not considered shameful in Killing City; on the contrary, it's a glorious past, something to boast about.
Tang San listened to everyone's comments, a smirk playing on his lips. "So, you came to the City of Slaughter for freedom, right?"
"Of course! The City of Slaughter gives us freedom we don't have outside."
"We love the free air of the City of Slaughter."
"Freedom?" A mocking smile appeared on Tang San's lips. "Fools, in my eyes, that's not freedom at all."
"Look at what's above your heads!"
Everyone looked up at the sky, which was a blood-red expanse.
Tang San said, "You're breathing."
The crowd sniffed the air. It was filthy and chaotic, filled with the constant stench of blood and the rotting corpses.
Yet, they had always lived here.
Tang San smiled wickedly. "Look, the City of Slaughter is large, but it's just a small city."
"Let me ask you a question. You came to the City of Slaughter, a paradise of sin, and you yearn for freedom. But one day, if you want to leave, will you be able to?"
"Then why are you saying that?" someone asked.
Tang San said, "That's a good question. Why should I say that? To me, this isn't a free paradise; on the contrary, it's a prison. We seem to have gained freedom, but in reality, we've lost it!"
"We will be forever imprisoned in this dark land, where the air is thick with the stench of blood and filth, enjoying our so-called freedom."
"The City of Slaughter is our paradise of freedom and sin? I, Tang San, have never heard such a ridiculous joke."
Tang San said loudly, constantly using various gestures to stir up everyone's emotions. In an instant, the hatred everyone felt towards Tang San and his companions lessened considerably, and they began to think!
Yes, the City of Slaughter is for freedom, for freedom, for evil, for slaughter, for power, but is this truly freedom?
Tang San gave them absolutely no room to think!
"The freedom I speak of is not confined to a small world, but rather the freedom to fly as high as the sky. The freedom I speak of is freedom under the clear blue sky, the freedom to breathe fresh air, and the freedom from the constraints of worldly rules."
"Not just in the City of Slaughter, but throughout the Douluo Continent, we can do whatever we want."
Tang San said in a deep voice, "We are all on the same side, here for martial souls, here for hatred. But what is it all for?"
He continued, "Many people come here because they are not welcomed by the world. In the world of soul masters, we are given an ugly title: evil soul masters."
"Many of us possess special abilities, such as devouring the souls of others to enhance our strength. That's why we are stronger than ordinary soul masters. Or rather, we are the hunters, and they are the prey, our food."
"But those selfish, hypocritical, greedy, and cunning soul masters define us as evil soul masters out of jealousy of our strength."
"But our power is a gift from heaven, awakened later, and innate. Why are we evil soul masters? Why should we be ostracized? Why can we soul masters walk openly on the Douluo Continent, while we must hide in this dark killing ground?"
Indeed, Tang San's words resonated with the vast majority of those present. They were born with immense power, but they used a special method to make themselves stronger. Why call them evil? Why call them evil spirit masters? Isn't this just natural?
Seeing the crowd's fervent emotions, Tang San revealed a wicked smile, opened his arms, and said passionately, "I have a dream."
"I have a dream that one day, my compatriots will be able to enjoy the freedom they were born with under this blue sky!" Tang San said with fervor. "I have a dream that one day, we can breathe fresh air, enjoy our own freedom, and no longer have to live in this city filled with bloodshed and slaughter."
"I have a dream that one day, I will take back what is rightfully mine, I will trample everyone under my feet, and let everyone feel my pain."
"My dream is that one day, everyone in the City of Slaughter will become the masters of this pure blue world, able to freely wield the power bestowed upon us by heaven."
Tang San's impassioned speech made everyone involuntarily yearn for the future he depicted.
The reason evil spirit masters hide in the City of Slaughter is to enjoy freedom, because the evil in their hearts cannot be accepted by this world.
However, as Tang San said, the City of Slaughter is a prison that confines them. Wouldn't it be better if we could turn this beautiful world into our own paradise of freedom?
"Why is it that those spirit masters, who are clearly weaker than us, can live a carefree life on the Douluo Continent, while we have to spend the rest of our lives in this dark City of Slaughter?" Tang San's voice was filled with anger. Tang San continued, "What right do they have to make worldly laws and restrict our freedom of expression?"
"Why are they superior, while we are only despised?"
"Is it because they have more people and more power, and they dominate the spirit master world? In the spirit master world, is the Spirit Hall the true ruler?"
Tang San's series of questions filled everyone present with righteous indignation!
Yes, why can't we freely use our abilities to improve our spirit power? Why must we become evil spirit masters? Why must we live in the dark and sunless City of Slaughter, while they can live freely under the blue sky?
"Survival of the fittest, survival of the fittest, the strong prey on the weak!"
"We are far stronger than righteous Soul Masters. We should be superior, we should treat them as food. But they, out of jealousy, united to form the Spirit Hall, imprisoning and enslaving our people."
"The Spirit Hall is hypocritical, greedy, and cunning. They are filled with jealousy of our abilities. They enacted secular laws, convicted us of a notorious crime, and condemned us."
After Tang San finished his rousing speech, it was Tang Hao's turn. He passionately recited the lines Tang San had given him:
"But today, as the King of Slaughter, I declare to everyone that we are absolutely not evil Soul Masters! We are sacred Soul Masters. We were born superior to other Soul Masters. We were born to rule this world."
"I will lead you to reclaim this land under the blue sky and restore a free home to our Douluo Continent."
"For the sake of our Slaughter City's long-cherished wish to be fulfilled, from this day forward, Slaughter City forbids infighting and accepts the rule of me, the King of Slaughter. When the time is right—"
"I will lead you to challenge this unfair world, crush those hypocritical, greedy, despicable, and cunning Soul Masters, and crush them a hundredfold, a thousandfold, making them pay for all the suffering they have endured!"
"Long live the Holy Soul Masters for a free and peaceful world!" Tang Hao declared loudly.
It must be said that the words of Tang San and his son Tang Hao were indeed very infectious. In an instant, throughout the entire Slaughter City, the evil Soul Masters shouted one after another—
"Long live the Holy Soul Masters for a free and peaceful world!"
"Long live the Holy Soul Masters for a free and peaceful world!"
"Long live the Holy Soul Masters for a free and peaceful world!"
Tang San was unaware that Qian Xunji and the God of Asura had witnessed all of this.
Qian Xunji said, "God of Asura, did you see that? This is the precious darling you chose—the one embodying benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, trustworthiness, gentleness, kindness, respect, frugality, humility, virtue, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor—who actually wants to join forces with evil spirit masters to deal with my Spirit Hall."
The God of Asura stubbornly retorted, "Tang San was forced into this by you. Just as Tang San thought, he's using evil to fight evil!"
"Just like I used killing to fight killing back then, it was a last resort."
Hearing the God of Asura defend Tang San, Qian Xunji asked, "Then what evil is being fought with the evil of the City of Slaughter?"
"Of course, it's the evil of your Spirit Hall," the God of Asura said. "The Spirit Hall disrespects the will of Heaven, defies Heaven's will; this is the greatest evil in the world, and it must be eradicated first."
"Heh." Qian Xunji was too lazy to explain. He looked at the God of Asura with amusement and laughed, "Then do you think Tang San has a chance to eliminate this greatest evil of mine?"
The God of Asura's expression froze.
In the current situation, even the Asura Godhead is in Qian Xunji's hands. Tang San's every move is controlled by Qian Xunji, and he himself, along with the Sea God, who could have helped Tang San, have become prisoners of this scoundrel, Qian Xunji.
It will be very difficult for Tang San to turn the tide this time.
(End of Chapter)