Chen Huaian was not a bloodthirsty person either.
Although the receptionist wasn't exactly a good guy, they still needed to operate within Demon Tower City. Seeing how sensible the other party was, what harm was there in sparing a life?
Perhaps he could be useful later.
"Your Lordship, this is your mask and number plate, please keep them safe."
The lead receptionist, with a flattering smile, handed a silver-white mask and a number plate marked "13" to Li Qingran, then looked hesitantly at Chen Huaian standing behind her.
From a distance, it was unclear.
Up close, although the facial features were still blurred, it could clearly be identified as a humanoid form.
A humanoid Battle Soul...
Even with the facts laid out before him, he found it a bit hard to believe.
So he hesitated whether to give the white-clothed swordsman a mask and number plate.
"That is my husband's Battle Soul." Li Qingran said seriously, "A Battle Soul shouldn't need a mask... Speaking of which, what's the use of this mask?"
Husband?
Battle Soul?
Uh...
How are those two words connected?
The receptionist glanced at Chen Huaian a few more tis before continuing, "This is a special mask from our Demon Tower City. It can block the spiritual perception of any Battle Master. As long as you wear the mask, others cannot recognize you by your appearance. You can understand it as a reward our Demon Tower City gives to those who pass the examination."
"However, there's one more point I must tell you."
He paused briefly, then continued, "The mask's usage duration is not permanent.
You need to enter the colosseum of Demon Tower City to participate in battles.
You must win at least 10 battles per month, using 100 points to redeem the mask's usage rights.
If you fail to redeem the rights within a month, the mask will automatically shatter after one month.
Your number plate is your ID card, which already contains 50 points. Points can be used to purchase anything you want within Demon Tower City."
As for what would happen if the mask shattered, the receptionist didn't say.
But Li Qingran and Chen Huaian could roughly guess.
The mask was essentially a ans to conduct preliminary class stratification among the Battle Masters in Demon Tower City.
Those possessing masks could not only hide their identities but also represented higher status.
Those without masks ant their survival ability in Demon Tower City was limited, struggling only at the very bottom. Having no mask equated to being branded as weak, naturally becoming soone anyone could step on.
Of course, the difference between having a mask and not having one certainly wasn't just that.
Li Qingran and Chen Huaian exchanged a glance.
Chen Huaian gave a slight nod.
Even though Li Qingran wore a mask, this mask couldn't block the Divine Sense detection of a Golden Immortal. The so-called identity concealnt was utterly useless to him.
If he wanted to know who soone was, he could know.
"Do you have anything else to explain?" Li Qingran said coldly, "If not, I'm entering the city."
"Might I ask... what is your purpose for coming to Demon Tower City?"
This should be the last question before entering Demon Tower City.
"You can choose to answer or not answer."
The receptionist added another sentence.
"To beco a god." Li Qingran said lightly.
There was nothing to hide.
Perhaps those entering Demon Tower City had their own various desires.
But her ultimate goal was only one—to obtain a God-granted World Ring for her Master, to help her Master unseal his power.
Upon hearing this, the receptionist's face showed a look of sudden understanding, then he bowed and gestured, "Please enter. Demon Tower City welcos your arrival. This is the city of sin, and also the land of ultimate pleasure."
He murmured in a low voice, "You can do everything you wish to do here."
"Including, becoming a god!"
...
Crossing the Teleportation Array.
A sticky sll of rust mixed with a putrid odor rushed to et them.
Their ears were filled with tearing-like howls and strange laughter.
The light was dim, the sky seemingly frozen in so eternal and filthy bloody hue.
This was the outer city of Demon Tower City.
There were no streets, only dark alleys crisscrossing like spiderwebs.
The blackstone buildings on both sides were crooked and twisted. From the shadows ca intermittent dull sounds of brawling and insane muttering. Under the firelight further away, a group of people were scrambling around so unidentified object, the splashing liquid glowing black-red in the dim light.
"Heh... heh..."
A Battle Master wearing a tattered mask, with deford limbs, suddenly lunged from the side, filthy hands reaching straight for Li Qingran's ankle.
Chen Huaian's eyelids lowered slightly, his sleeve gently flicking.
Thump—!
With a dull thud.
That person flew backward like a broken-string puppet, heavily smashing into the stone wall in the distance, then falling silent.
The greedy gazes cast from the surroundings shrank back slightly but didn't disperse,
still following behind like hyenas in the shadows.
"Let's go."
Chen Huaian's voice sounded within Li Qingran's Sea of Consciousness.
He surveyed the surroundings, the boiling oppressive aura and killing intent emanating from him dispersing the rats peering from the darkness, protecting his little disciple as they moved forward.
The two arrived at the junction between the inner and outer city.
A towering black wall engraved with runes, flowing with dark light, stood blocking their way.
The mont they stepped through the inner city gate, the clamor and stench behind them seed cut off by a knife.
The inner city roads were orderly, the gray-white stone paved ground cold, hard, and smooth. The buildings on both sides were tall and solemn, so shops even emitting warm light. All pedestrians wore masks, wary of each other, walking hurriedly.
But beneath this peacefulness, there was an even more suffocating oppressive atmosphere.
Near the city gate, against the wall's base, huddled a group of people in tattered clothes. They either had no masks or masks covered in cracks—these were the "beggars" whose points were nearly depleted, about to be eliminated from the inner city.
Yet even though they could no longer afford food,
they still refused to go to the outer city.
One could imagine just how terrifying that outer city was.
Seeing newcors entering the city, these living corpses, like stone sculptures, instantly erupted into chaos, crawling over frantically, hoarsely flattering:
"Your Lordship! Choose ! Just half a point, I'll show you around!"
"Choose ! I know where to get the most authentic information!"
"Your Lordship, I know which won are the most... tender, choose !"
Amid the shouts, a petite girl, relying on her agile figure, rushed to Li Qingran's feet first.
She didn't dare reach out to touch, only lifting a dirty little face.
Her mask was mostly cracked, revealing one brown eye.
"Your Lordship... one point." The girl's voice was thin and weak, carrying unconcealable trembling, "Please... I'll take you anywhere."
Li Qingran stopped walking, casting an inquiring look toward Chen Huaian.
Chen Huaian gave a slight nod.
Many among these beggars were pretending.
Clearly possessing strength yet feigning weakness, obviously harboring no good intentions.
But this girl was just an ordinary person.
There were no energy fluctuations on her body, her fear and humility were genuine.
Seeing Chen Huaian nod,
Li Qingran raised her hand, displaying her number plate, and lightly touched it against the girl's simple bone token.
A faint light flashed, the points transfer completed.
"Go to Dark Star District, number seven hundred twenty-three."
Li Qingran gave a brief instruction.
The girl froze for a mont, seemingly not expecting to actually be chosen. Joy imdiately appeared in her eyes as she scrambled to stand up, "Yes! Your Lordship, please follow !"
She walked half a body length ahead and to the side, carefully leading the way.
As the terrain rose, the surrounding buildings beca increasingly spacious and independent.
The occasional powerful oppressive auras sweeping through the air made the girl walk more and more timidly, her shoulders almost shrinking into her chest.
"Your Lordship, ahead is the Dark Star District... I can't enter."
She stopped outside the fence, fingers anxiously twisting the hem of her clothes.
Li Qingran examined the villa cluster ahead, shrouded within so kind of formation, and casually asked, "What's your na?"
"Ling. Like the bell." The girl answered quickly, then mustering courage added, "I'll be waiting at the city gate. If you need anything in the future... you can find anyti."
Li Qingran looked at Chen Huaian again, her eyes carrying a hint of flattery and pleading.
Chen Huaian chuckled inwardly, of course knowing what Li Qingran was thinking.
His little disciple simply felt this girl was pitiful and wanted to take more care of her business.
She had forgotten the receptionist's words before entering Demon Tower City about not trusting anyone.
But it didn't matter.
If all conscience was extinguished, then she wouldn't be his sweetheart disciple anymore.
"Alright." He nodded, then said to the girl,
"Tomorrow at the sa ti, wait for us here."
Leaving these words, Li Qingran and Chen Huaian disappeared into the heavily guarded checkpoint.
The girl called "Ling" tightly clutched the bone token that now had one more point, standing still for a few seconds,
until the guards' cold gazes swept over, then she, like a frightened small animal, quickly slipped into the shadow-covered dark alley.
...
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