With that decision made, the three set their individual agendas and they began executing their grand scheme with the objective of ensuring their own survival.
Although Han Shuo had lost his twelve mystical demons, his consciousness could sense the vitality coming off from all kinds of life within range. However, he couldn’t get a clear view of every nook and cranny like the mystical demons could.
Luckily, Tiana and the old monster were rather familiar with the geography here, so Han Shuo need only follow their lead.
Along the way, Tiana and Stratholme the old monster ceased to discuss anything meaningful, and Han Shuo could obtain little useful information from them. Of course, Han Shuo wouldn’t force them to talk if they didn’t want to, although he was scheming in the back of his mind.
The Profound Continent was vast and extensive. It housed numerous nations, countless tall mountains and deep oceans, and a whole variety of races, including the human race.
No one could have fully comprehended just how many people there were on this continent with extraordinary talent and incomprehensible power. Based on Tiana and Stratholme’s previous conversation, Han Shuo was almost certain that even those like Tiana and Stratholme, both of whom possessed the strength of demigods, were not nearly the strongest of Profound Continent.
However, from what he was hearing, Han Shuo also understood that there were only a few beings on the whole of Profound Continent with strength more formidable than theirs. It made perfect sense to Han Shuo the more he thought of it. Given that he had never even heard about certain demigod beings, it was hardly unexpected that he hadn’t an inkling what they were up against.
As the two richest and most powerful religious organizations on Profound Continent, the Church of Light and the Calamity Church, their capacity for spreading influence over every region across the continent was sufficient to illustrate just how mighty they were. To be able to stand tall and never fall for thousands of years, perhaps no one would have believed that there were no almighty beings backing them. It was a reasonable assumption that any being more powerful than Tiana or Stratholme would be present at the headquarters of the two religious organizations.
Stratholme grew concerned.
Elder Sister Tiana, whichever way I go about it, it still seems a bit inappropriate. When we arrive at the Church of Light’s headquarters at Oden Empire, we will definitely cause immeasurable damages to the Church of Light. And of course, I don’t expect that the Church of Light is going to let us get away with it. What then?
Three were arriving at a city of the Brut Merchant Alliance called Tjaba and began to slow down.
There’s nothing we can do about it. The Church of Light is closer to here. What’s more, the Church of Light has always made it their business to deliver kindness to any living creature in suffering. Therefore I am confident that they will forgive us,
Tiana replied in a righteous tone. After thinking for a while, she added,
No need to be too worried. The protector safeguarding the headquarters of the Church of Light cannot leave their post. So, provided that we leave as soon as we’re done, there shouldn’t be much of an issue.
Well then, if you say so, I can be at ease!
Stratholme the old monster nodded in comprehension. Perhaps he felt relieved that the merciful Church of Light wouldn’t seek revenge on them, or maybe he was reassured that the protector of the Church of Light wouldn’t be able to leave the headquarters.
The city of Tjaba isn’t far from Tariq City, both are equally metropolis belonging to the Brut Merchant Alliance. The three hastily made their way to the transportation matrix facility at Tjaba City. Han Shuo furrowed his brows and said,
What should we do? In every country, the guards regulating their transportation matrixes don’t allow any unauthorized personnel to use it. Only certain figures of great importance are granted access to transportation matrixes that even a wealthy man would be denied admittance.
No worries!
Stratholme the old monster said, smiling slightly. Somehow there was a badge held in his hand. The old monster swaggered his way to the person in charge of this magical transportation matrix, held up his badge at those men, and said,
We are going to Thea City!
Without any objection, this person in charge respectfully started up the transportation matrix, and allowed the three to enter it. After a flash of white light, they appeared at Brut Merchant Alliance’s Thea City.
Stratholme the old monster had lived for countless years and had witnessed the rise and fall of nations. It was no surprise at all that he would possess certain artifacts that allowed him to move freely between various countries. After arriving at Thea City, the three let out a sigh of relief, and continued their journey by flying to the Oden Empire.
Thea City of the Brut Merchant Alliance was one of the closest cities to the Oden Empire. No transportation matrixes between two countries would ever be interconnected, therefore the three had to continue by flying. Fortunately, the three fugitives had temporarily shaken off the vigorous pursuit of the six-horned Soul Race tribal king when they used the transportation matrix. At that moment, they weren’t as strained and anxious as they were previously.
As the trio possessed demigod strength, their airspeeds were phenomenal. In less than half a day, they made it to the most powerful empire on Profound Continent – Oden Empire.
Upon arriving at Oden Empire, Stratholme the old monster pulled out another badge representing a different identity. And yet again, they were unimpededly granted access to the magical transportation matrixes in Oden Empire. After three consecutive long-range teleportations, they finally arrived at the city closest to the Church of Light’s headquarters.
It was a city in Oden Empire named Sandro City. Right after exiting from the transportation matrix, they saw plenty of Temple Knights and Light Priests of the Church of Light walking on the street.
The Church of Light held tremendous influence in the Oden Empire. As the closest city to the Sacred Mountain of the Church of Light, Sandro City was run by Oden Empire officials alongside followers of the Church of Light. Han Shuo took a quick look at the surroundings and discovered that the architecture had strong religious influence as churches of the Church of Light could be seen at every corner.
An absolute majority of residents living in Sandro City were devout followers of the Church of Light. Many of them came from all over the continent, having travelled far and wide to migrate to this city, as they believed that this city was the closest to the God of Light and would allow them to better listen to the teachings of the God of Light.
Alright. that beast will need at least a day’s time to get here. In the meanwhile, we can have a little rest. I have suffered rather extensive injuries, but fortunately we were able to leave in time. Otherwise, I would be staying there forever!
Stratholme said to Han Shuo and Tiana after walking out from the transportation matrix and let out a sigh of relief.
Sure! Let’s find a place and rest for a while!
Han Shuo agreed. His consciousness had, as well, sustained serious damage. The terrifying Soul Race could possibly be there in just a day. Furthermore, this location was at the base camp of the Church of Light. Once Han Shuo’s identity was exposed, the Church of Light wouldn’t let him off for sure. The more energy he recovered, the better his chances were to escape alive when the time came.
The three no longer spoke superfluously and Han Shuo concealed the aura in his body. Soon after, the trio found a small, remote hotel, and requested for three rooms close to each other.
The six-horned tribal king of the Soul Race had taken note of their souls, meaning that the three were all in the same boat in facing this enemy. But still, Han Shuo remained vigilant. Immediately after entering his room, Han Shuo deployed a magical formation. He would immediately be alerted if there was the slightest disturbance in his surroundings.
After everything was in place, Han Shuo sat cross-legged and began activating the blood essence in his demonic infant to heal his heavily injured consciousness.
The deafening buzz of the six-horned tribal king inflicted pain akin to millions of daggers dragging across his consciousness. If it wasn’t for Han Shuo’s prompt response of immediately concealing his consciousness by splitting it into millions of strands, there was a real possibility that his consciousness would have been completely wrecked.
But, so long as his consciousness was not exterminated, he could activate the blood essence within his demon infant to release demonic yuan energy, and use it to recombine the scattered consciousness.
In fact, Han Shuo had already started doing so along their journey to Sandro City. And now, with his attention fully concentrated on actuating his blood essence, the rate at which his consciousness recovered instantly increased.
A human soul is comprised of three ethereal souls and seven corporeal spirits, the three ethereal souls being Heaven, Earth, and Life, while the seven corporeal spirits are Mind, Intelligence, Impetus, Strength, Central Axis, Vitality, and Heroism.
The seven corporeal spirits reside in the internals of one’s body. As long as the three ethereal souls are present, the seven corporeal spirits can be reassembled, and one’s soul will not fade away between heaven and earth.
Han Shuo’s demonic arts caused the three ethereal souls – Heaven, Earth, and Life – to fuse into one, forming a consciousness. This consciousness not only had remarkable abilities, it could even separate into millions of strands and hide arming the seven corporeal spirits. When the six-horned tribal king released the soul attack, Han Shuo’s consciousness did this without a second to spare, therefore it was able to escape the calamity.
The three ethereal souls of an average person would require their seven corporeal spirits to survive, meaning that once his physical body perished, his three ethereal souls would dissipate. Han Shuo’s consciousness, however, was bound by no such limitation. Even with his physical body turned into fine powder and his seven corporeal spirits totally destroyed, his consciousness would still be able to drift away, select a new body and be reborn. But in that case, he would need to spend a few hundred years to cultivate his new physical body in order to regain his original strength.
Although his consciousness would not be destroyed with his physical body, he still required the energy of seven corporeal spirits to heal his consciousness once it was injured. Fortunately for Han Shuo, as a demonic arts practitioner, he possessed top-notch ability to control his body. Han Shuo used his blood essence to generate demonic yuan energy, which in turn induced the seven corporeal spirits residing in his seven chakras. Strands of energy from the seven corporeal spirits assimilated into his consciousness, healing it bit by bit.
The process of recovering his consciousness, with Han Shuo’s all-out effort, did not take too much time. After his demonic infant consumed a dozen or more droplets of blood essence, the energy generated by his seven corporeal spirits was absorbed by his consciousness, thus, his heavily-injured consciousness was completely healed.
If the consciousness of a demonic practitioner was injured, as long as the person’s physical body and demonic infant were not destroyed, it wouldn’t be hard to recover. However, if the two were destroyed, the consciousness would have no choice but to select a new body, spend perhaps tens or even hundreds of years to cultivate a demonic infant in the new physical body. And only then may the healing process for the injured consciousness begin.
As soon as his consciousness had recovered, Han Shuo awoke from his meditative state. His enormous consciousness began to spread out immediately to get a glimpse of the situation in Sandro City.
