Black Jade City. Inside a sumptuous castle in the east.
Han Shuo, his three ladies, and Sanguis temporarily took residence in this castle in Black Jade City. It was regarded as one of the best and most luxurious residences for the most honorable guests of Manticole’s. Although it wasn’t as magnificent as the Demon King’s Palace, it didn’t pale much in comparison.
For a few days in a row, Han Shuo and his ladies had been staying in this castle. There was an abundance of servants and maids who would help with their everyday lives. They were enjoying life to the greatest extent.
Sanguis, this demonic arts apprentice who finally possessed power, skipped on sleep and meals to cultivate Bloodgod Mantra. With Han Shuo’s guidance, Sanguis made rapid progress in his understanding of the Bloodgod Mantra. He had been progressing at a rate that had astounded Han Shuo.
During the days he spent with Jasper, Hemanna, Sylph, and even Bord and Zinia, Han Shuo gradually came to understand the relationships between the Great Demon Kings of the Abyss realm. The five of them were divided into three sides: Leviathan and Manticole on one team, and Cecrops and Golander on another. Bechymos, however, was a lone operator. He hardly made dealings with other Demon Kings.
Manticole’s and Golander’s respective sides had practically never stopped warring with each other. The battle between the four Great Demon Kings had spread to their territories, which represented eighty percent of the land on the Abyss realm. War Demon Valley and Venomfang Castle were testaments to their constant conflict.
Of the five Great Demon Kings, the most mysterious one was Bechymos. The legends of this Demon King had spread through the Abyss realm since the beginning of time. Among the five, Bechymos had been present in this plane for the longest and he had the deepest understanding of the Abyss realm. He was also the most low-profile and quiet Demon King, and seemed to be happy with the status quo. He would never send expeditions to conquer the territories of the other four Demon Kings in the quest for more power of faith.
However, the other four Great Demon Kings wouldn’t take the initiative to provoke this Demon King who was the first to become a god. This was because it was Bechymos who told them about the existence of the Void. Besides, in the process of exploring the Void, the four had long learned of the terror that Bechymos was!
It was undeniable that Han Shuo had an intense covet for the Divine Weapon, Divine Essence, and Divine Soul inside the Void. In addition to the fact that the interplanar transportation matrix and secrets to the Cemetery of Death might be inside, Han Shuo was determined to make an excursion to the Void. Having made up his mind, Han Shuo began collecting information about the Void through all kinds of channels and methods.
Every time the Void was open, it wasn’t just the five Great Demon Kings who would enter. High-level Demons like Bord and Zinia too would follow behind their master into the Void. It was precisely thanks to this that Han Shuo managed to learn a thing or two about the situation inside the Void from Bord and Zinia. He came to understand that the Void indeed was an extremely horrible and chaotic place.
Time went by like calm winds as Han Shuo tried to understand the connection between the five Great Demon Kings of the Abyss through all means and methods. After studying the condition in the Void as much as he could, he started to make his own preparations for the expedition. He separated his three souls and began to cultivate inside one of the numerous secret chambers found within this castle.
One day, while Han Shuo was cultivating in seclusion, carefully comprehending all the wonderful uses of his consciousness, he suddenly sensed a joyous message that came from Little Skeleton who was in the Netherworld. With one thought, that soul of his attached to the skeletal staff, through the wonderful ability of the skeletal staff, immediately descended to the Netherworld. Inside the magnificent Palace of Undead, a continuous horrible, loud roar filled the boundless sky.
Intense element of death from every direction converged towards that palace. Little Skeleton, on his tall white-bone throne at the center of his palace, gave off an astonishing demeanor. That eye socket where the Purple Demon Eye used to be, now glowed with sinister green light. That miniaturized gravestone on his chest was like a whirlpool that could consume everything in its path as it condensed the element of death all around.
Clean and pure element of death covered the grounds. There seemed to be some kind of mysterious magnetic field in the space, which constantly drew in more and more element of death, causing it to be more and more intense. Sitting on that white-bone throne at the center of his palace, Little Skeleton gave off the imposing grandeur of the king of undead. Within his sparkling jade skeleton, there seemed to be some sort of bizarre fluid circulating rapidly.
Before the Little Skeleton, a crowd of undead creatures lay prostrate on the ground. They included Bone Dragon, Skeletal King, and King Zombie. They seemed to be waiting for something as they crouched on the ground in fear and trepidation.
Little Skeleton, proudly sitting tall on his white-bone throne while some kind of liquid flowed within his body, suddenly opened his mouth and spit up a lump of faint green mist. The mist seemed to contain some extremely abstruse necromancy brand. As though tiny snakes, they bored themselves into the bodies of those mighty undead creatures in front of Little Skeleton.
Then, all of a sudden, strands of thread-like energy began streaming from those mighty undead creatures back into Little Skeleton’s body. As Little Skeleton’s master, Han Shuo could sense a bit of Little Skeleton’s comprehension. He discovered that those strands of energy were like the fine threads of a spiderweb. They flowed into Little Skeleton’s body in a way that could not be understood visually.
This kind of energy was extremely weak and minute. However, gradually, the entire mountain was enveloped in that green mist. Thousands upon thousands of undead creatures discharged that kind of faint energy which then fell into Little Skeleton’s body, sitting upright on his throne.
Han Shuo’s death basegod soul happened to land inside the palace. He found that tempting and bewitching energy within the green mist to be extremely familiar. In the next moment, Han Shuo had a startling realization. This energy was similar to the one that enticed him to surrender his soul back when he was absorbing mental strength at the underground layer of the Cemetery of Death.
Father, you have come?
Little Skeleton’s voice suddenly sounded. The green mist around Han Shuo cleared up.
You, you have truly become a god?
Han Shuo finally woke up from his stupefaction.
That space around Little Skeleton where pure element of death converged, Han Shuo understood that to be the Domain of Divinity that only a lowgod could possess. That liquid circulating within Little Skeleton’s sparkling white bones was likely to be divine power. As for that silky minute energy streaming from the thousands upon thousands of undead into Little Skeleton, those were precisely the power of faith that these undead creatures were offering to Little Skeleton!
Divine energy, power of faith, and Domain of Divinity – these three hallmarks of a lowgod, Little Skeleton had possessed them completely. From that, Han Shuo was absolutely certain that Little Skeleton had actually become a lowgod of death. It was an undeniable fact.
I have, father,
Little Skeleton replied in great delight.
How can you do that so soon?
Han Shuo was puzzled. Logically speaking, given that Little Skeleton’s soul did not possess deep comprehension of the element of death, without spending a long time to slowly understand it, it was simply impossible to become a true god in such a short time by relying on his own strength.
Erm, it’s all thanks to this,
Little Skeleton pointed at the gravestone on his chest and cheerfully explained,
Father wanted me to carefully look into what’s inside this thing. I discovered many mysteries. Then, unconsciously, I came to possess divine energy and Domain of Divinity. This is truly a wonderful treasure. Thank you, father!
Han Shuo was amazed. With a face of pure shock, he stared at that gravestone on Little Skeleton’s chest, which seemed to serve the role of Little Skeleton’s source of energy. Never had Han Shuo anticipated that this stone engraved with cryptic patterns could bring such a huge transformation to Little Skeleton! After it integrated into Little Skeleton’s chest, it allowed Little Skeleton to advance to be a lowgod of death in such a short amount of time!
Inconceivable, truly inconceivable!
Han Shuo exclaimed in as he rejoiced for Little Skeleton’s fortunate encounter.
This is all thanks to father’s favor,
Little Skeleton said as he scratched his head, finding it somewhat embarrassing. He still behaved very much like a child before Han Shuo.
Among the sea of undead creatures, only the five elite zombies were not affected by Little Skeleton’s energy. The five zombies, who were not just distinguished in their appearances, all possessed wonderful energies. Their origins were similar to Little Skeleton’s. They were all primed using Han Shuo’s blood and took shape after absorbing the five elements. Among them, wood, fire, and metal elite zombies possessed treasures of their respective attributes. As they developed sufficient strength, just like Han Shuo, they wouldn’t be affected by that energy of Little Skeleton’s.
As Han Shuo and Little Skeleton talked, the five elite zombies walked to Han Shuo. That simple and honest looking earth elite zombie tugged on the corner of Han Shuo’s garb, pointed at the attributal treasures that wood, fire, and metal elite zombies wielded, and with a sullen face and a pitiful voice, said to Han Shuo,
Father, the three of them have that, even Little Water obtained a lot of energy. But I don’t have anything even though I have been with father for the longest time. Father, you are prejudiced!
Han Shuo was speechless.
For a while now, the five elite zombies had attained robust intelligence. After listening to earth elite zombie complain, Han Shuo was left between laughter and tears. From this, it was obvious that earth elite zombie already possessed an extraordinarily high intelligence. However, to his protest, Han Shuo truly did not know how to reply.
Me too, I don’t have a toy,
the water elite zombie, gentle and reserved in temperament, coyly demanded from Han Shuo upon seeing his brother take the lead.
Han Shuo suddenly felt somewhat of a headache. Looking at the hopeful faces of earth and water elite zombies, Han Shuo had no choice but to pledge,
Don’t worry, father promises, father will find treasures suitable for you two.
Earth elite zombie and water elite zombie were pleased. They squealed,
Yay! Thank you father!
The head-aching Han Shuo had no choice but to force a smile and make them a promise. He thought to himself, When these little fellas gain higher intelligence, problems follow. And now, they’ve even learned to make invidious comparisons… Really making my head swim…
