Han Shuo laid silently on the ground as he listened to the teenage orc’s hollering.
Although this young orc had a strong and vigorous body, he could hardly pose Han Shuo any threat. Even if the young orc were to chop him with his axe, Han Shuo would still recover from it eventually.
Therefore, Han Shuo was none too concerned about what the young orc might do next. He silently waited for his physical body to recover while the young orc screamed and shouted.
After some time, Han Shuo’s opened his eyes. The gazes of his deep black eyes fell on the young orc.
The young orc became even more frightened and took a dozen steps backward when Han Shuo suddenly looked at him. He stared at Han Shuo, shaking to his knees, and blurted out,
Are you dead or are you not?
As Han Shuo’s vocal cords had yet to recover, he wasn’t able to talk for the time being. He responded by blinking his eyes at the little orc.
The young orc continued to stare in horror. As Han Shuo stared back but did not move an inch, the young orc gradually regained his guts and walked back over to Han Shuo.
Then, is there anything that I can help you with?
the young orc thought for a moment before he cautiously asked, his eyes locking with Han Shuo’s.
A kindhearted orc, I see.
He looked at the young orc with calm eyes as he waited for his vocal cords to recover.
What’s wrong with you? Are you dying? How can I help you?
the unsophisticated young orc repeatedly asked in a sincere manner. He wasn’t polluted by the vile practice of looting the helpless.
After a while, two streams of foamy blood overflowed from the corners of Han Shuo’s lips. His mouth squirmed for a moment before he suddenly spoke the orc language in a weak voice,
No need, thanks!
The demonic infant within his body was almost fully reconstructed. Han Shuo could sense that under the effects of the blood essence and demonic yuan, his cells were being regenerated inside his demonic infant.
The demonic infant was fundamental to Han Shuo’s main body that cultivated in demonic arts. As soon as the demonic infant was rebuilt, he would be able to operate his fountainhead of energy – the demonic yuan. With that, the recovery speed of his physical body would also rapidly accelerate and his two avatars concealed within the demonic infant would be able to emerge.
Although Han Shuo was anxious and impatient to recover, he knew that there wasn’t a thing that this young orc could do to help him, hence his sweet and short decline. This place where Han Shuo landed was only about a thousand miles from where the Primordius Dragon perished. One thousand miles was neither distant nor close. Godly experts wouldn’t need much time to traverse the distance of a thousand miles even without a transportation matrix.
Han Shuo was certain that the midgod from the Shrine of Ice who watched him vanish into thin air wouldn’t reconcile easily. Those godly experts might have already started looking all around for his trails.
This young orc naturally wouldn’t be able to harm Han Shuo. However, if that midgod from the Shrine of Ice were to find Han Shuo in such a state, Han Shuo believed that he truly would be dead without a doubt.
No need? Your injuries are severe. If it’s not treated in time, you will surely bleed to death!
the young orc shouted.
I have stopped bleeding already. Don’t worry, I cannot die. Just go and get on with whatever you were doing, don’t mind me!
as the demonic infant was gradually rebuilt, Han Shuo’s weak voice grew a little stronger.
I will help you treat your wounds. In any case, I’m won’t ask you to reciprocate anything. You humans are always so strange. My mom has told me before that you humans emphasize compensations, wouldn’t want to be indebted to others and things like that!
The teenage orc did not leave as Han Shuo thought he would. Instead, he mumbled to himself, grabbed a small leather pouch from around his waist, and withdrew a crude looking bottle containing medicine. Not allowing any explanation, he proceeded to apply the powdered medicine on Han Shuo’s wound-riddled body.
Han Shuo could sense that that powdered medicine was the most ordinary antiseptic. It had little to no effect on Han Shuo’s body.
Thanks, but I really don’t need it!
Han Shuo’s voice slowly regained its smoothness while his eyes were no longer as powerless.
You are so badly injured. If you don’t need it, then nobody will! Enough, you can be at ease, I won’t ask you to compensate me, okay? You are so frustrating to deal with!
the young orc muttered impatiently. He totally ignored Han Shuo’s words, poured out the entire bottle of medicinal powder, and applied it to Han Shuo’s wounds.
It was plain to see that the orc was a very kind-hearted youngster. Although the medicinal powder produced slight chills when it made contact with his skin, Han Shuo felt warm in his heart.
Fine. As you wish.
Han Shuo stopped dissuading the young orc and looked up and down at the orc as he carefully applied the medicine to his wounds. The young orc even helped him dress his wounds without worrying that it might stain him. Han Shuo, who was rather worried about being found by those from the Shrine of Ice at any moment, gradually calmed down his mind as he watched the young orc’s attentive appearance.
When Han Shuo’s mind was calmed, he felt his body’s recovery process become a little faster. Han Shuo was shocked by this phenomenon and so he tried to further relax.
What is your name? What are you doing here?
Han Shuo stopped being so mindful of his body’s condition and started to ask about the young orc very relaxedly.
They call me Tuaf. To cut timber!
the orc replied without thinking. Soon after, he asked in a peculiar fashion,
You really are a strange human. You are wounded to the point of near death, but not only do you not show one bit of pain, you even have the mood to talk with me.
After the conversation started, the two gradually became less and less awkward. During the conversation with Tuaf, Han Shuo learned about his family circumstances. He also found out about the hardships that the orcs were facing.
As the soil was barren, they were not able to farm or grow any crops. There were always orcs who would die of starvation every day. Those rumors about orcs eating human meat were indeed true. Those who wish to survive must find a way to do so. They frequently looted the southern border because they had no better choice.
In the last two years, the Empire of Orc was hit by a dry spell that was the worst it had seen in the past hundreds of years. A large number of orcs were starved to death. Some of the elderly orcs, in hope of giving the younger ones a better chance of surviving, banded together in large groups and committed mass suicide. Many of orc villages were shrouded under the shadows of death.
Under such dire circumstances, all major tribes of the orcs became unprecedentedly united. They had no hesitation in sacrificing a large number of orc warriors to invade the southern border, wanting to occupy a piece of the fertile land in order to alleviate the crisis and the miserable situation their country was in.
The situation in the village that Tuaf lived could be considered as being slightly better than average. As there were several barren hills located nearby where wild animals of small population sizes could still be found, they managed to barely survive by hunting those wild animals. However, the wild animals living in the hills were very limited. For example, in this place where Han Shuo landed, there used to be wolves, pythons, and the like, before they were all hunted to extermination. All that was left now were dried trees that could be used as firewood.
Han Shuo’s heart was filled with sympathy as he listened to Tuaf describing the situation in the Empire of Orc. This was the first time that he recognized how difficult life was for the orcs. When he recalled that he had personally murdered several hundred thousand orc warriors who went to the southern border out of a lack of choice, an ineffable sense of remorse arose in his heart.
The conversation had made Han Shuo recognize that not all orcs were barbarous. There were also kindhearted and frank ones among them. He also learned that sometimes, it may be useful to look at a subject from various points of view.
Unwittingly, during the conversation, Han Shuo’s demonic infant was finally fully reconstructed.
With one thought, his avatar of death concealed within his demonic infant suddenly emerged, appearing as a carbon copy of Han Shuo right in front of the young orc.
Ah! What… What..
the little orc was greatly alarmed and took a few steps backwards. He pointed at Han Shuo’s skeletal staff avatar and was so terrified that he couldn’t even form a complete sentence.
You are a pretty good lad. Yes, perhaps it is fate that we have met. Take this and don’t let anyone know about it. This thing will come quite useful to you. As long as you comprehend it with your heart, perhaps someday, you will be an amazing shaman!
Han Shuo withdrew a necklace made of beast bones and hung it on the young orc’s neck. A pin-like chilling radiance punctured the young orc’s fingertip before a few drops of his blood flowed into the center of the necklace.
In an instant, the young orc seemed to have suffered a severe blow. His face appeared completely lifeless while his body was trembling as though it was being battered by violent ocean waves.
Han Shuo had actually obtained the beast bone necklace from that old orc shaman he killed outside Ossen City. The old shaman was about to advance to possess the strength of basegod. That beast bone necklace was similar to a space ring and had the ability to pass on shamanic energy to the new bearer.
Han Shuo had no use for the necklace as only an orc who had never been in contact with any kind of cultivation could receive the energy of the beast bone necklace. Although Tuaf did not actually assist Han Shuo, Han Shuo nonetheless accepted his kind intentions and wanted to return the favor. Furthermore, taking into account that Tuaf was a kindhearted, frank, and honest orc, Han Shuo decided that he should inherit the power of the beast bone necklace.
But, of course, Tuaf wouldn’t be able to reach instant success after inheriting the energy. The most he could do at the moment was acquire a mental connection with those mighty magical beasts that the old shaman previously subdued. However, even Han Shuo had no idea as to whether Tuaf could also subdue those mighty magical beasts and cultivate in shamanism to the realm that the old shaman achieved using this energy he inherited.
All that Han Shuo did was to show him a bright path. It was still all up to Tuaf if he could walk till the end of the path.
Tuaf’s body shivering meant that he had successfully inherited the energy. While Tuaf was still clenching his teeth, enduring the energy passing into his body, Han Shuo’s avatar of death carried his injured main body and silently left.
Tuaf felt as though he was being attacked by a turbulence. Some strange things were gushing into his body and brain, causing him great discomfort and pain.
After some time had passed, Tuaf’s body finally stopped trembling. He felt muddle-headed and that his head was filled with things that weren’t his.
Eh! Where is that weird human?!
Tuaf cried out in surprise after he woke up from the agony. When he lowered his head and looked, he discovered that no one was in the spot where Han Shuo previously laid. Not even a trace of him could be found. However, he found that someone had drawn some words deep into the smooth yellow ground using their finger.
Tuaf slowly read the writing on the ground. Tuaf, I don’t know if it’s right or wrong to do this to you, but I feel that the orcs need someone like you as their leader. The essence of shamanism has been passed into your body. If you choose to, you can slowly cultivate further in the energy. In the future, when you became a great shaman, possess certain authority among the orcs, and wish to find a way out for your people, look for me at Lancelot Empire’s Brettel City. I’m Lord Bryan of Brettel City. Remember my words!
Essence of shamanism passed to me? What does that mean? What a baffling human!
the dizzy Tuaf mumbled to himself after he read the handwriting under his feet.
Suddenly, it was as though a divine light streaked across his mind. The muddleheaded young orc seemed to have realized something in an instant and suddenly jumped. He started to chuckle as though he had gone mad,
Haha! I can become an amazing shaman now! Truly unbelievable! I must have met the Beast God, the Beast God is giving me guidance!
The young orc was wild with joy upon learning of the fact. However, this young orc had never anticipated that many years later, he himself would become one of the most revered shamans among the orc and genuinely resolve the problem that had always bothered the orcs.
Han Shuo’s avatar of death carried his main body and flew along some remote paths. He finally returned to South Border City when the sky was about to get dark.
Over at South Border City, Han Shuo was a god that every person worshipped. He did not openly show his face in this place lest he caused a huge clamor.
Draped in a pitch-black magical robe, through repeated transmissions via transportation matrixes, Han Shuo returned to Brettel City. Without notifying anyone, using the magical transportation matrix at Brettel City, he returned to the Cemetery on Death located in the Boundless Sea.
To guard against the unexpected, Han Shuo relocated the small magical transportation matrix from deep under the Brettel City City Lord Mansion to under a filthy quagmire outside the city. He also concealed the magical aura that the magical matrix emanated using a demonic art technique.
Those godly experts from distant material planes ought to be extremely familiar with elemental energies. However, the energy of demonic arts was unlike any kind of energy that they knew of. Therefore, Han Shuo believed that the mini transportation matrix would be best concealed using demonic arts.
As soon as Han Shuo returned to the Cemetery of Death on the gourd island, he immediately continued with the process of recovering his main body.
Of his two avatars, the one that cultivated in the energy of destruction remained inside the Cemetery of Death while his avatar of death went outside to check out the surroundings for any kind of abnormality. He wanted to make sure that nothing could go wrong.
But who knew that as soon as Han Shuo’s avatar of death walked out from the Cemetery of Death, he sensed that a decently powerful existence was occupying an island not far from his gourd island.
That existence also immediately sensed Han Shuo’s presence and transmitted with its soul,
I finally found you! If you don’t get lost from my territory, I will go there and kill you!
Han Shuo knew that this existence was the same one that his consciousness detected the last time – the super-ranked magical sea creature with similar strength to Pegasus.
You’re courting death!
As Han Shuo’s wasn’t in a good mood and didn’t want to have any living thing around him that could potentially expose his trails, he immediately transmitted his murderous intentions to that creature!
