Chapter 752 - Sorry, you shouted late
The air at the cave entrance was filled with the reeking scent of blood. Cauldron Spirit circled in the air, collected Eugene’s mid-stage highgod soul. Not just Eugene’s, even the divine souls of those perished divine guards were drawn by Cauldron Spirit and sucked into the Cauldron of Myriad Demon.
According to Cauldron Spirit, the highest-grade spirit demon must be made using a highgod soul. Spirit demon of that grade was more powerful than any demon generals and could provide Cauldron Spirit with more power. Ever since the Exalted Demonlord’s annihilation, the Cauldron of Myriad Demon had produced not a single of this demon general of the highest class. Now that Eugene’s divine soul was captured, there will finally be a spirit demon in the Caudron again.
Eugene and his army were reduced into puddles of blood in just a few moments. Other than watery blood, the ground was also stained with severed bodies that Bollands made. It was a horrendous scene.
Anito, Deco, and two other divine guards from the Third Corps were overwhelmed with shock. Their brains had short-circuited.
“Anito, other than Eugene, didn’t you say you ran into hostile forces from Darksoul City? What are you waiting for? Show us the way!” instructed Bollands.
It was only at this moment that Anito seemed to come to his senses. He seemed frightened and alarmed as he asked Han Shuo, “Lord Bryan, did, did you just killed Eugene?”
“Is there any problem?” replied Han Shuo calmly after putting on a bright smile.
“Lord Bryan, although there is a constant battle between the seven cities of the Darkness Dominion, the Chiefs of Divine Guards would almost always be spared. If a Chief of Divine Guards dies, the matter will escalate to a big issue. Eugene was one of the Chiefs of Divine Guards from Hushveil City. Now that he had perished here, the City Lord of Hushveil City will surely get involved!” replied Anito anxiously. Although the cities had never ceased their hidden battles with each other, their Chiefs of Divine Guards were highly regarded and were given immunity. It was extremely rare that a Chief of Divine Guards is killed.
Chiefs of Divine Guards were the pillars of strength of a city and highly regarded by their City Lords. The death of a Divine Guard Chief would anger them and perhaps even escalate to an all-out war between two cities. Anito was frightened because he thought of the grave consequences of Eugene’s death.
“Ah, it’s no bother. I will justify myself to the City Lord personally!” Han Shuo, however, did not view it as a big issue. He smilingly said, “Let’s go Anito, time to kick the asses of those from Darkspirit City!”
Anito’s heart trembled in fear at Han Shuo’s reply. He had a flashback of the time he first met Han Shuo in the City of Shadows, of the horrible attitude he shown towards Han Shuo. A shiver traveled up his spine when he thought of it. He thought, Luckily I ended up becoming friends with him. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t even know how I’d die. He concealed his strength so well and appeared benign. But when he erupts, it would be a massacre! This guy is truly a ruthless, vicious person!
“Come with me, my Lord. Those from Darksoul City also has a Chief of Divine Guards. He killed two of our comrades!” Deco was much bolder than Anito and showed the way for Han Shuo.
As the traveled, Deco explained to Han Shuo that those from Darksoul City was actually the first to arrive at the mountain. There did not want anyone else to get close to the mountain. Those from Darksoul City discovered Anito’s men probing around in the mountain and were killed.
It was after that that Eugene with his men from Hushveil City arrived at the mountain. However, this time, the two forces did not clash with each other as they saw that their strengths were around the same. The forces of Darksoul City decided to compromise. They occupied some of the largest deposits and left the remaining deposits unguarded, allowing Eugene and his men to take those deposits.
This force from Darksoul City was led by a Divine Guard Chief named Jirofi. He had the same strength as Eugene – a mid-stage highgod. He cultivated in the energy of destruction.
With Deco leading the way, the party soon arrived near the center of the mountain. There were caves entrances all around them. Every entrance was guarded by a few divine guards from Darksoul City.
“Lord Bryan, Jirofi of Darksoul City should be there at the largest cave!” upon arrival, Deco said to Han Shuo as he pointed at a cave.
“Our Darksoul City have claimed these deposits for ourselves. Go to other deposits – do not make us attack!” warned a divine guard from Darksoul City as he looked on coldly at Han Shuo and his party. He was very arrogant in attitude.
“Bollands, Sanguis, kill a few of them, show them who’s boss!” instead of wasting words, Han Shuo instructed Bollands and Sanguis to begin killing.
By murdering, Bollands could increase his killing intent, Sanguis could gain energy from the blood of their enemies, while Han Shuo could reap more divine souls. Killing others would only benefit the three demonic arts cultivators. After all, it was those from Darksoul City who made the first strike against those men from the Third Corps. Han Shuo saw no reason to avoid violence.
As soon as Han Shuo finished his words, Bollands and Sanguis pounced on the two divine guards of Darksoul City at a cave entrance. Sanguis drew out a string of blood from his palm as he stared at the divine guards with his blood-red eyes. Immediately when their gazes met, the two divine guards felt that blood in their body was boiling.
Bollands arrived beside them at this moment. The slender longsword in his hand gave off a bright flash before going criss-cross on the divine guards. Chak Chak! They were dismembered. Their bodies now cut into chunks fell on the ground and spurted blood in every direction.
Before those divine guards at other cave entrances could provide aid, the tragedy had happened.
They immediately shrieking in loud and high-pitched voices, signaling distress signals to Jirofi. They had witnessed just how terrifying Bollands and Sanguis were and noticed that Han Shuo, the duo’s leader, had not made a move. They dared not to be reckless and were on high alert, cautiously watching Sanguis and Bollands as they called for their boss.
A moment later, thirty-seven divine guards including their Chief Jirofi hastily flew out from the caves. Their clothes and armor were smeared dark. It appeared that they had been busy excavating energy crystals.
As soon as he rushed to the scene, Jirofi yelled, “What’s the matter?” When he saw the warm fresh blood under his feet, his face turned dark and seemed enraged. Jirofi had a plump figure. His pair of eyes glistened with sinister and scheming light. At this moment, his fierce gazes had turned to stare fixedly at the calm and unruffled Han Shuo standing at the center.
“From today onwards, this mountain and its deposits belongs to the City of Shadows’ House of Han!” Gilbert announced after bravely stepped forward. He cast Jirofi an arrogant glance and continued, “Eugene had been killed by my master as he was not tactful. If you do not want to follow his path, drop everything and leave now!”
“House of Han?” Jirofi raised an eyebrow and replied coldly, “The only family clans in the City of Shadows I know of are the House of Sainte, House of Lavers, House of Kinson, House of Kisa, and House of Buller. Since when is there a House of Han?”
“Cut the crap. Leave all the energy crystals you extracted behind and get your asses out of here!” said Gilbert in a bossy and arrogant manner, “Leave now or stay here forever!”
Jirofi seemed to be harder to deal with compared to Eugene. He did not seem to be angered or affected by Gilbert’s rude shouting and insults. He made a smirk on his chubby face and said to Han Shuo, “You want us to withdraw without even demonstrating that you have sufficient strength to challenge us? It doesn’t work that way, boy.” Jirofi had made out that Han Shuo was the leader of his party.
Under Jirofi’s provocative gazes, Han Shuo put on a faint smile and replied, “Well then, you won’t be leaving!”
As soon as he finished those words, the seventeen flying swords re-emerged. Chilling wind blew and whistled as the swords shot towards the divine guards glowering at Han Shuo. The seventeen swords were not just incredibly incisive, but they also carried terrifying corrosiveness, toxins, and chilling aura. Under Han Shuo’s marvelous control, they streak across the space like a shadow and penetrated through the bodies of the divine guards. All those struck by the flying swords started melting away at a rapid speed and turned into bloody puddles before long.
Jirofi was greatly alarmed and was intimidated by Han Shuo’s vicious flying swords. Anxious light came from his eyes as he immediately shouted, “Stop! We will leave immediately!”
Still wearing a warm smile on his face, Han Shuo replied, “Sorry, you shouted late!”
The seventeen flying swords abruptly converged at Jirofi and Cauldron Spirit’s energy flooded Han Shuo’s body. Ceaseless Pain, the first form of Avici Godslaying Sword Formation, was yet again deployed. The scene of Hell immediately consumed Jirofi as pain overwhelmed every nerve in his body. Operating the Sword Formation with his consciousness, Han Shuo pierced thousands of holes all over Jirofi’s body.
Outside the Ceaseless Pain, one will only see swords wildly flying in pitch-dark air. They cannot observe what was happening within the Sword Formation.
In all of a sudden, Han Shuo’s body turned blurry and he flew into the Ceaseless Pain. His avatar of destruction flew out from the Cauldron of Myriad Demon and begun consuming the divine energy left in Jirofi.
Jirofi cultivated in the energy of destruction. Most of his divine energy had been exhausted to the Sword Formation. But because of his immense strength, and that Han Shuo had deliberately tried not to kill him immediately by accurately and precisely maneuvering the flying swords, the intense corrosive power had merely torn down the defenses of his divine energy and did not spread to his entire body.
Han Shuo rushed into sword formation to absorb the remaining divine energy in Jirofi before he dies. Although just a fraction of divine energy was left in Jirofi, as he was a mid-stage highgod, it was still very beneficial to Han Shuo’s avatar of destruction.
Gradually, all of Jirofi’s divine energy was consumed. Without any energy left to resist the corrosive power of the flying swords, Jirofi was liquefied. His space ring was conveniently picked up by Han Shuo.
The seventeen flying swords flew back into Han Shuo’s body while Cauldron Spirit flew out. It cheered like a kid gifted with toys as it put away Jirofi’s highgod soul. It then fluttered all around, collected the souls of those divine guards also killed by Han Shuo. A few divine guards from Darksoul City were escaping. But with Bollands, Sanguis, and Gilbert hunting them, they will not survive for too long.
Instead of personally chasing and hunting those escaping divine guards, Han Shuo had his three apprentices do the job. Unlike Bollands, Sanguis and Gilbert were inexperienced in hunting to kill. This would be a great exercise for the two and the experience could prove useful in the future.
With demon generals observing them, on top of having Bollands, this experienced assassin, Han Shuo believed none of the divine guards from Darksoul City will survive.
“My, my Lord, you truly are shocking!” exclaimed Deco as he gazed at Han Shuo with revering eyes.
Anito, meanwhile, seemed rather terrified. In a depressed manner, he said, “Lord Bryan, Jirofi of Darksoul City was also a Divine Guard Chief. Now that two Chiefs of Divine Guards died to you, the two City Lords surely will surely pursue to get you punished.”
“What do their deaths got to do with me?” Han Shuo smiled mischievously and said, “Eugene and Jirofi had clearly killed each other when fighting for control of the mountain, a mutual destruction. The tragedy had happened by the time we arrived. I did nothing at all!”
“Huh? Didn’t you... ” Anito was confused at Han Shuo’s lying through his teeth. Then, his face jolted. As though he realized something, he too started smiling mischievously. He said admiringly, “Very wise, my Lord!”
“As long as none of those from Hushveil and Darksoul Cities lives, whatever we say will be the truth. It doesn’t matter if the two City Lords believe us. If there is no evidence against us and we deny everything, there’s nothing much that they can do to us!” Deco too wore a face of admiration. “My Lord, what about those few who escaped?”
“Don’t worry about them. With Bollands, none of them will live to say a thing!” replied Han Shuo smilingly. He hesitated for a moment before telling them, “I hope that all of you will keep this a secret. We must give the same story to everyone, even to Lord Erebus and the City Lord. Otherwise, if it leaks out, we would all get into trouble!”
Anito, Deco, and the other divine guards patted on their chests and pledged to keep it a secret. Anito said, “Don’t worry, my Lord, we won’t divulge it to anyone. Hehe, but I believe that given how wise the City Lord is, he would figure out a thing or two.”
“We can’t do anything about that. But as long as we do not leak the story out and keep it consistent, we’ll be fine!” said Deco smilingly. After the incident, they grew revering and afraid of Han Shuo. In fact, they respected Han Shuo more than Erebus who had led them for many years. They knew that they needed to cover their asses as they had personally participated in the matter.
“Find and collect their space rings, carefully. They must have extracted a ton of energy crystals by now. The crystals are ours, make sure you don’t miss out any!” instructed Han Shuo.
Those gods had killed had all melted into blood and seeped into the ground, leaving just their metallic divine weapons and space rings. As long as they were careful about it, their flesh will not be corroded. As to those gods killed by Bollands and Sanguis, although their bodies were in gory states, it doesn’t corrode. Therefore Han Shuo was fine with their safety.
While Anito and the other divine guards searched and collected the spoils of war for Han Shuo, Bollands returned. He bowed at Han Shuo and said, “Senior, all settled!”
Han Shuo nodded smilingly. He was very satisfied with the end result of this journey.