With metal elite zombie paving the way, splitting up solid rock to make a long and narrow tunnel, those tight security measures of the Shrine of Ice were rendered useless. Han Shuo and water elite zombie followed behind metal elite zombie, quickly escaping.
The statue of the Ice Goddess was key to Project God Making. Developed by numerous great masters of alchemy and chemistry, the Ice Goddess statue was where Ice Celestial Corey entrusted all his hopes and dreams. Her collapse was like the stab of a sharp sword right through Corey’s heart, causing him unbearable pain.
Metal elite zombie transmitted a report to Han Shuo, informing him that the great masters who erected the statue of the Ice Goddess were all killed by him. After losing these great masters who had intensively studied the subject for many years, Ice Celestial Corey’s God making project could no longer be reinstated.
Although Han Shuo’s body was heavily damaged by ‘Ice Nova’, he managed to successfully intimidate Ice Celestial Corey and the others by exploiting their fears of him with the help of Demonic Siren. However, when Han Shuo saw that Ice Celestial Corey once again sank into madness because of the Ice Goddess statue’s collapse, knowing that the maddened Corey would not be easy to handle, he had no better option but to leave.
Only after walking quite some distance in the tunnel away from the chamber did Han Shuo turn around to look at water elite zombie who had absorbed a tremendous amount of energy. When he looked, he was shocked albeit happy for water elite zombie’s transformation.
He saw that the water elite zombie, after absorbing the icy water energy within the Ice Goddess statue, underwent an earth-shattering transformation from his ordinary appearance. His thick brows turned slender and curved, his nose bridge raised, and his rough, dry skin became moist and as smooth as water. Even his dry hair turned glossy. The ordinary-looking water elite zombie, after absorbing that energy, now seemed an elegant, handsome young man. And because of the energy in his body, this handsome young man even exuded a kind of beautifully bewitching quality!
A cloud of mist lingered around water elite zombie. Compared to his former self, the current water elite zombie was a world of difference in every way; appearance or demeanor.
What particularly shocked Han Shuo was – this transformation was still going on!
Han Shuo understood that the energy absorbed by water elite zombie was enormous, and the digestion process was not a short one. However, Han Shuo believed that once water elite zombie completely digested all that energy, he would bring Han Shuo even greater surprises.
I shall send you back first. You need to quietly digest this energy!
After sensing the condition inside water elite zombie’s body, Han Shuo softly sang an incantation and sent water elite zombie back to the netherworld.
Soon after water elite zombie left, with metal elite zombie opening the path, they went back to the cliff they entered from located halfway up the mountain.
Standing outside the tunnel at the cliff, Han Shuo raised his head to gaze at the main peak covered with ice and snow. He said to himself,
Shrine of Ice, this is only the beginning of my vengeance!
When he finished those words, Han Shuo sent metal elite zombie back to the netherworld. Given the injuries on his body, it was not wise for Han Shuo to stay there any longer. He found a suitable opportunity and flew away, turning into a streak of light as he beamed away from the snowfield of the Shrine of Ice.
Icicle City. Han Shuo lodged in a small and ordinary hotel.
For days, Han Shuo had locked himself up in his room night and day. During this time, he managed to stabilize the injuries on his physical body that he sustained at the Shrine of Ice.
This damage to Han Shuo’s physical body required blood essence and demonic yuan to recover. This recovery process would not take much time at all. However, it would consume much of Han Shuo’s blood essence and demonic yuan, which both required long periods of cultivation to accumulate to a sufficient amount. If too significant an amount was depleted, Han Shuo’s strength would be harshly affected.
In just a short few days of time, Han Shuo’s internals that were riddled with holes had all healed. Unfortunately, it also cost him quite a lot of blood essence and demonic yuan. After meditating for a few days, he somewhat regained his demonic yuan. But he had to take care not to use up too much blood essence in such short bursts.
It was only when Han Shuo’s own injuries were stabilized that he recalled how Gilbert’s soul was yet inside the Demonslayer Edge. The insides of the Demonslayer Edge was remotely a good place to be in. Any soul that entered the Demonslayer Edge would be corroded by it. Even though Han Shuo had specially vacated an area for Gilbert’s soul, he still could not be kept inside for extended periods.
Han Shuo made use of certain materials currently available in his space ring. After spending another couple of days, he refined a Soul Depository Ring out of a translucent, shiny thumb ring. The main functionality of this Soul Deposity Ring was to store souls.
In his room, he deployed a soundproofing magical boundary, and summoned a few wraths to guard outside the door. Only then did he withdraw the Demonslayer Edge.
With the Soul Depository Ring on his palm, Han Shuo slowly entered the Demonslayer Edge with his consciousness. The first thing he sensed was the main soul within the Demonslayer Edge fusing with the Crystal of Destruction. After that, based on his understanding of the interior of the Demonslayer Edge, he wandered about in the massive vault of souls within the Demonslayer Edge, seeking for Gilbert’s aura that he was familiar with.
When sucking in Gilbert’s soul into the Demonslayer Edge, Han Shuo spaced out a region within the Demonslayer Edge specifically to place Gilbert’s soul. After Han Shuo’s consciousness entered the Demonslayer Edge, he quickly found that region based on his familiarity with Gilbert.
Within the Demonslayer Edge, there were all kinds of souls in addition to a ton of negative energy. Some of this energy was strong and some was weak, but they all possessed extremely corrosive powers. Even if it was dark dragon Gilbert, if Han Shuo had not specially divides a region for him, his soul would have been subjected to the corrosion of this energy, and might have even fuse with them, turning into a mighty force aiding in Demonslayer Edge’s evolution.
When he found Gilbert’s soul, Han Shuo relaxed a little. He hastily wrapped up Gilbert’s soul with his consciousness, so that Gilbert wouldn’t receive any influence from all kinds of corrosive energy within the Demonslayer Edge, and carried Gilbert out from the Demonslayer Edge little by little.
Han Shuo’s consciousness could clearly sense the delight from Gilbert’s soul. Gilbert sensed the aura of his master, and was therefore so obedient. Without making the slightest resistance, he followed Han Shuo’s consciousness and left the Demonslayer Edge.
A wisp of dim ghostly light suddenly drifted out from the sword hilt of the Demonslayer Edge. When that wisp light completely parted from the Demonslayer Edge, Han Shuo casted two spells, one on the Soul Depository Ring, and another on Gilbert’s soul.
Suddenly, the ghostly light turned into a fine thread and entered the Soul Depository Ring. The thumb ring was suddenly flowing with a faint green and lush light. That fine thread constantly twisted and wrapped into itself within the thumb ring. After a short period of time, a hazy, indistinct shadow was formed.
Master, master is that you?
a very soft sound like an ant talking came from the thumb ring. The Soul Depository Ring could not only hold onto souls, with Han Shuo’s refining, it could even transmit the thoughts of those souls.
Gilbert you scoundrel! How can you be so disobedient!
When the familiar voice of Gilbert’s sounded, Han Shuo’s heart filled with sorrow.
Master! My great master! I’m so happy! I can see you again! This is incredible! Haha…
When he heard Han Shuo speaking, Gilbert shouted incoherently from the Soul Depository Ring. But as only his soul was present, even though his shouting was amplified by the ring, it still sounded as soft as an ant speaking.
The familiar voice of Gilbert’s immediately made Han Shuo once more recall those years they previously spent together. But at present, Han Shuo had a complete body and soul, Gilbert, however, possessed only his soul. If it weren’t for Han Shuo using extraordinary means to keep Gilbert’s soul, it would have slowly obscured between heaven and earth with time.
Idiot! Enough, now shut up!
Han Shuo scolded him smilingly, his heart was nevertheless filled with warmth. Afterwards, when Gilbert stopped babbling in the thumb ring, Han Shuo sternly said,
Gilbert, in theory, you are dead. But I’ve used some special methods to preserve your soul.
Master, I understand,
Gilbert said after keeping silent for a while.
Suddenly, Gilbert seemed to have recalled something. The shadow in the thumb ring was rapidly moving. Gilbert anxiously asked,
Oh right master, what happened to my grandpa and the family of dark dragons? Did they manage to escape the vicious attack from the Shrine of Ice?
Be at ease. You grandpa and the dark dragons all broke free from the Jadefrost Cage. They should currently be in the dark dragon’s canyon. Besides, …
Han Shuo knew what Gilbert was worried about. Therefore, he explained once through what happened after his soul entered the Demonslayer Edge.
Wahaha… nice one, master! Kill everyone from the Shrine of Ice for me! Humph, if it weren’t for the fact that I’m now dead, I would have made them pay the price, and killed each and everyone in the Shrine of Ice!
dark dragon Gilbert shouted.
Gilbert, the reason I put you in this Soul Depository Ring and communicate with you is to give you a choice. With your soul now, I have two ways of making you reappear in this world. One is to use necromancy magic and turn you into a bone dragon. Another is to use demonic arts and refine you into a demon general. I’m now letting you make your own choice!
explained Han Shuo.
What’s the difference?
Gilbert asked.
If you choose bone dragon, you will only have a skeleton, but can still be considered as a dragon. But if you choose demon general, you won’t be a dragon anymore,
Han Shuo continued.
Erm… Which one is stronger?
Gilbert asked once again.
I think, demon general might be stronger!
Han Shuo replied.
Demon general then. I just want to be stronger!
Gilbert answered resolutely.
