Douluo Dalu:Breaking Clan

In the following days, Yang Podi stayed alone in the Sunset Forest. However, the dangers within the forest far exceeded his expectations. Ten-year soul beasts were almost everywhere, and hundred-year soul beasts were highly common.

Nearly every day, he would encounter several thousand-year soul beasts, and sometimes even a ten-thousand-year soul beast every few days.

For a Soul King like Yang Podi, it wouldn't be too difficult to kill a ten-thousand-year soul beast with full strength. However, the biggest danger in the Sunset Forest was getting injured. Once injured, all sorts of soul beasts would be drawn to the blood.

Many soul beasts were particularly sensitive to the scent of blood. Yang Podi had observed this himself: after killing a thousand-year soul beast, within ten minutes, four to five hundred-year soul beasts would appear. Within an hour, two more thousand-year soul beasts would be drawn in, and occasionally even a ten-thousand-year soul beast.

Yang Podi's plan was to fight two thousand-year soul beasts or five hundred-year soul beasts daily. Only through this level of combat could he grow stronger.

As for ten-thousand-year soul beasts, he would only engage them if he felt his progress stagnating or if he hit a bottleneck in his training.

When it came to soul beasts over 30,000 years old, he avoided them entirely. Such creatures were beyond the capabilities of a Soul King to handle alone. Even if he could barely defeat one, it would come at the cost of serious injuries.

Nighttime in the Sunset Forest was even more treacherous. As night fell, visibility for humans diminished greatly, while for some soul beasts, it was the opposite.

Certain bat-type soul beasts were nocturnal. Spiders, panthers like the Nether Shadow Panther, and many snake-type soul beasts also preferred to hunt at night. Snake-type soul beasts were especially dangerous because of their hibernation ability; they could hide perfectly, waiting in bushes or undergrowth to ambush prey.

Over the course of a few months, Yang Podi encountered numerous life-threatening situations. The most dangerous moment came when a 50,000-year-old Man-Faced Demon Spider chased him relentlessly. Its limbs were as sharp as spears, and it moved with terrifying speed, adapting seamlessly to any terrain. Moreover, it could spit silk to trap its prey, making escape nearly impossible once caught.

For this training, Yang Podi had resolved to minimize his use of soul skills. This not only conserved his soul power but also honed his combat techniques.

What Yang Podi didn't know was that ever since he left Heaven Dou Royal Academy, his family had secretly assigned someone to follow and protect him. That person was the clan's third elder, Yang Wuju, an 83rd-ranked Soul Douluo. Yang Podi's grandfather, Yang Wudi, had made it clear that unless Yang Podi's life was in danger, the elder should not intervene.

Three months passed quickly. During this time, Yang Podi experienced countless brushes with death and fought numerous ten-thousand-year soul beasts, accumulating significant combat experience. His spear techniques became sharper, more decisive, and deadlier.

Physically, Yang Podi underwent a complete transformation. His body appeared leaner, likely due to three months without proper rest. In the Sunset Forest, he replaced sleep with meditation. Despite his leaner appearance, his strength and speed had significantly improved. His numerous battles had pushed him to grow rapidly. The youthful innocence on his face had completely vanished, replaced by a mature and seasoned look.

With his black hair flowing freely and a faint stubble on his chin, his sharp eyes resembled those of a predator, exuding vigilance at all times.

When Yang Podi finally arrived at Soul Hunting Town, his body was faintly emitting an unpleasant odor. After all, he hadn't properly bathed in three months. Nor had he enjoyed a proper meal, relying instead on dry rations and preserved meat to avoid the risk of lighting fires in the forest.

Upon reaching the town, Yang Podi didn't care about the cost and checked into a hotel. He treated himself to a long bath, cleaned himself up, trimmed his hair, and shaved his stubble. Once again, he looked like a fresh and handsome young man.

This time, Yang Podi didn't return home. Instead, he went straight to Heaven Dou City.

First, he visited the Strength Clan and had them craft various items for him, including multiple Soul-Breaking Spears, soft armor, kneepads, swords, claws, hammers, and more. These weapons were made from premium materials that he had either purchased from auctions or metal markets over the years. His collection now resembled a small armory.

Next, he stocked up on all kinds of supplies, including vegetables, fruits, meat, grains, and even a large amount of alcohol, to the point where shopkeepers thought he was preparing for a disaster.

He also bought plenty of clothing, shoes, and other daily necessities.

Once everything was ready, Yang Podi left Heaven Dou City and headed north. His true destination lay in that direction, and the Sunset Forest had merely been a warm-up for what was to come.

Yang Podi's ultimate goal was Slaughter City. This was also why he had refrained from using soul skills in the Sunset Forest: to prepare for the restrictions against soul skills in Slaughter City.

After months of research, Yang Podi had discovered the entrance to Slaughter City. It was located in a small, desolate town to the north of Heaven Dou City. The town was so obscure that it didn't even appear on most maps.

Based on his deductions, Yang Podi suspected some kind of transaction between Slaughter City and Spirit Hall. Otherwise, how could the inhabitants of Slaughter City obtain the resources they needed to survive, such as food and water?

It took Yang Podi half a month to locate the desolate town. The place was lifeless, with broken and decayed buildings everywhere. The air itself seemed to carry an eerie chill, almost as if infused with the aura of death, despite the sunlight above.

After some searching, Yang Podi found the town's only functional establishment: a dimly lit tavern.

Inside, about a dozen people sat scattered around the room. These individuals were anything but ordinary. Their faces were grim, their expressions feral, and their bodies emanated a faint smell of blood. Clearly, they were all fugitives with blood on their hands.

Moreover, every person present radiated soul power. The strongest among them was only at the upper levels of the Soul King rank.

When Yang Podi entered, the tavern grew quiet. The patrons were surprised to see someone so young walk into such a place.

Ignoring their stares, Yang Podi sat down at an empty table.

A server dressed in black approached him. "What'll you have, kid?"

Yang Podi's expression remained cold. "A Bloody Mary."

The server's face twitched. "Are you sure?"

Yang Podi's icy glare silenced him, and the server hurried away. Moments later, he returned with a murky liquid in a glass. The dark red drink gave off a pungent, bloody smell.

Yang Podi sniffed the drink carefully. "Human blood? Mixed with Mandrake Flower, Dragon Venom Grass, Two-Life Flower, Nether Leaf, Heart-Piercing Lotus, Death Grass, and Seven-Absolute Flower…"

"Impressive. The recipe is well-balanced. No wonder it's famous."

The other patrons were dumbfounded. This was the first time they'd seen someone identify the ingredients of a Bloody Mary so easily, let alone drink it with such composure.

Yang Podi took a sip and felt a subtle change in his body. His killing intent seemed to grow stronger, and his mind wavered slightly.

"Not bad. This Bloody Mary lives up to its reputation. Too bad it's poisoned."

For Yang Podi, who had undergone the Ice and Fire Body Refinement, the poison was negligible. He mainly drank it to study its effects for future reference.

Unbothered by the gazes around him, Yang Podi summoned his Soul-Breaking Spear and attacked without warning. Within ten minutes, every patron in the tavern, except for the server, lay dead in pools of blood.

The tavern now resembled a scene from hell, with blood and body parts scattered everywhere.

Yang Podi turned to the trembling server. "Take me to Slaughter City."

Terrified, the server led Yang Podi to a hidden trapdoor in the back of the tavern.

Before Yang Podi could descend, a figure appeared—Yang Wuju, the third elder of the Strength Clan.

"Third Elder, why are you here? Have you been following me?" Yang Podi asked.

Yang Wuju ignored the question. "Where does this lead?"

"Slaughter City, the entrance to Slaughter City," Yang Podi replied calmly.

Yang Wuju's face darkened. "Do you even know what Slaughter City is? It's hell on earth!"

"That's exactly why I'm going. It's the perfect place for me to train. Don't worry, Third Elder, I'll return soon."

Before Yang Wuju could stop him, Yang Podi leaped into the dark abyss, disappearing from sight.

Yang Wuju could only sigh deeply before leaving the tavern.