GDK 823: Han Hao aka Little Skeleton
Han Shuo was currently unaware of what happened in Celestial Pearl. He was at the City Lord’s manor house as Baum had invited him over.
Han Shuo had been surveilling Baum day and night using his demon generals. But other than hearing Baum instructing his divine guard to investigate Goldstone Enterprise, Han Shuo did not discover anything else that was suspicious. But that alone was enough evidence for Han Shuo not to trust Baum and to know that Baum had an ulterior motive in eagerly and generously helping him set up the Celestial Pearl branch.
Baum had been waiting for Han Shuo in the drawing-room. As soon as Han Shuo stepped inside, Baum came forward cordially to welcome him. He asked if Han Shuo was happy with the Celestial Pearl branch.
Han Shuo too had big smiles across his faces and exchanged a round of pleasantries with Baum. After that, he went straight to the subject, “May I know what you have invited me here for?”
“Erm, it’s like this: I have a friend who wants to purchase some rather unique medicines from Celestial Pearl Pharmacy. Is it possible for Celestial Pearl to develop and manufacture it?” Baum hesitated for a moment before he answered.
Han Shuo stared blankly for a moment. The demon general that had been constantly following and watching Baum from a hundred meters away did not see Baum receive any friends. Therefore, Han Shuo was rather surprised by those words of Baum’s.
Han Shuo thought about it for a moment and recalled that Baum was a cultivator of the edict of space. Space mirrors, a divine device that uses energy crystals as the power source, should be very easy for Baum to manufacture. As the demon general must remain some distance away from Baum and sometimes they would be separated by walls and barriers, it was possible that Baum had communicated with his friends using a magical space mirror without the demon general seeing it.
“May I know which kind of unique medicine your friend required?” Han Shuo bunched his brows and asked smilingly.
“My friend deals with buying and selling magical beasts. Some of them have very tough skin and are very difficult to deal with. Having some poisonous medicine would be useful. Erm, although it is very illegal to make poisonous medicines in other Dominions, it’s not that big of a deal in the Destiny and Space Dominions. We can work together if you are interested. If not, we’ll just forget about it. I’m not one who would force others to do something they don’t want,” explained Baum in a natural and ordinary tone.
Poisons were strictly prohibited in the Dominions of Life and Light. Even an average pharmacy in the Death, Darkness, and Destruction Dominions dared not sell poisons openly. The chemists and pharmacists that tested poisons on people were also hunted down like godhunters in most Dominions.
As with most things, the riskier the business, the greater the profit. Although the pharmacies will not openly display the poisons on the rack, they would secretly sell them in the black market. There were plenty of pharmacies that participated in this business. As long as they have the proper channels and political connections sorted out, they wouldn’t get into trouble.
However, the poison makers, especially those who experimented on human beings, were hated by everyone. Although they were not as infamous as the godhunters, once their deeds were discovered, their businesses would be ransacked by divine guards. Therefore, those who conduct this business would never do it openly. Back then in the City of Shadows, Han Shuo had exposed Godswamp Pharmacy’s deeds. Their assets were seized by the House of Sainte and a few of the core members were executed.
Han Shuo’s bunched his brows closer. He thought, There are many pharmacies out there that specialize in producing poisons. Why is Baum specifically looking for me to do it?
Baum was the City Lord of Ethereal City. With the most powerful man in the City arranging the business for him, there shouldn’t be an issue. But what exactly was he up to?
A bunch of thoughts and ideas rapidly went through his mind. After remaining silent for a moment, Han Shuo suddenly put on a faint smile and said, “This trade is risky. First, I need to meet that friend of yours. I will only consider doing that business if I feel that he is a trustable person.” Han Shuo originally planned on flatly refusing the proposal. But he recalled that this might be the reason behind Baum’s generous aid. Han Shuo intended to slowly and carefully investigate the truth.
“Just as you said, this trade is risky. I need to ask him for his opinion and see if he’s willing to meet you,” Baum replied after thinking for a moment.
“Well then, let me know when there’s an update,” Han Shuo smiled and said, “If there’s no other business, I shall return.”
“There aren’t any other businesses, but I personally would like to ask you some questions. May I?” said Baum hastily when he saw that Han Shuo was wanting to leave.
“You are being overly polite, City Lord. Please, fire away any questions you have. I will tell you everything, as long as I know the answer!” Han Shuo sat back on his seat politely and did not leave right away.
“I was very fortunate to have a glorious combat with you, Sir, and I’m very admiring of your strength. But when I recalled the battle, I noticed that the energy you used was very unique. It is an energy that I have never seen over my many years spent on Elysium. I’m very curious about it. Could you clear up my confusion?” asked Baum very sincerely. He was very interested in the energy that Han Shuo used.
Han Shuo, naturally, will not tell Baum the truth. But instead of straightforwardly refusing to answer, Han Shuo made up lies on the fly, describing demonic arts as another form of the fighting aura. He also included some terminology of demonic arts that no one in the universe knew to confuse Baum.
Baum had turned muddle-headed after listening to the first few sentences. As Baum had no understanding of demonic arts and Han Shuo’s words contained both truth and lies, Baum could not tell if Han Shuo was talking gibberish.
After giving a long explanation, Han Shuo pretended to be tired and said, “I have said everything there is to say. This kind of energy is rather hard to understand. Even I don’t fully comprehend it. It’s quite normal if you don’t understand. Erm, it’s quite late already, I should go home,” Han Shuo bowed and took his leave.
***
It was late at night. That highgod of lightning who tried to raid Celestial Pearl Pharmacy had been weaving back and forth through remote alleys. However, he always felt as though someone was following him.
He flew left and right, stopped midway to scan his surroundings, carefully checked and made sure that no one was following him. However, that feeling of being followed never left him.
He was overwhelmed with shock. He had paid a considerable price in his attempt to raid the Celestial Pearl Pharmacy and take revenge for his brother. Even with his meticulous planning, he did not expect that a terrifying teenager would suddenly show up and wreck his plans.
He had seen just how easily Han Hao killed his early-stage highgod friend and it terrified him. As he had no confidence in defeating Han Hao and much less against the joined forces of Han Hao and Rose, he retreated from the Pharmacy.
That feeling of being followed made him afraid of going home, lest he exposes his real identity and causes his family clan troubles. He wandered in the most remote and desolate region in Ethereal City and tried his best to throw off the follower.
But after trying again and again, no matter how hard or which method he tried, someone or something seems to be following him.
Out of helplessness, he stopped in a remote forest of stones in Ethereal City and no longer tried to shake off the follower. He looked all around and yelled, “I won’t be running anymore. Come out!”
A moment later, from a group of stone pillars a thousand meters away, Han Hao walked out emotionlessly.
Han Hao was different from the five elite zombies. Although he did not obtain the Five Elemental Yuan Energy or the Five Elemental Treasures, he received something much better – a portion of Han Shuo’s memories related to demonic arts! In this universe, other than Han Shuo, the only person who could truly put demonic art to use was neither Bollands, Sangais, nor Gilbert – It was Little Skeleton, or Han Hao!
Bollands and Sanguis cultivated in non-mainstream forms of demonic arts. God Slaying Devil Path and Bloodgod Mantra were not the proper, traditional, and supreme practice of demonic arts. In this universe, other than Han Shuo, only Little Skeleton who obtained part of his memory cultivated in the proper form of demonic art. But as he was not an identical lifeform as Han Shuo, there were deviations in his cultivation. He does not make progress realm by realm as Han Shuo does and his cultivation was intertwined with the energy of death. His realm was also very vague and indistinct.
However, not only that the deviations had not harmed him, it made his strength even more strange and unfathomable. Mixing cultivations in the energy of death and demonic arts had been making him stronger and stronger. Back then when he separated with Han Shuo, they had around the same strength. During those fifty years that Han Shuo had been rapidly advancing in strength, Han Hao had also been advancing his strength at the same rate.
The reason that Hao Hao could follow this highgod of thunder and not lose track no matter the trick he tried was, Han Hao had also been refining demon generals using divine souls just as Han Shuo had. Although his demon generals were not as great as those of Han Shuo, they nonetheless possessed the basic stealth capability.
Therefore, no matter how hard the raider tried, he could not escape from Han Hao’s tracking!
“It’s you?” the masked raider’s heart sank when he saw that ice-cold teenager. Having fought Rose and knowing her strength, the raider wouldn’t be too worried if it was Rose who went after him. However, if it was Han Hao, he had no confidence in winning.
Han Hao did not waste a single word with him. Upon emerging from the forest, he charged forward with his bone spear. When he deployed his domain of divinity, all the elements of death nearby wildly gushed into it while a surge of killing intent erupted. The killing intent aura carried the element of death as it circulated. It formed a violent stream of air blowing towards the masked raider.
“You think I’m afraid of you?” He was very annoyed to have been pursued so long. Although he was unwilling to get entangled with Han Hao, as Han Hao had attacked, he had no choice but to fight.
Han Hao continued to remain silent. He flew behind the violent stream of air while wielding the bone spear. The seven bone spurs on his back were swaying as though they could fly out to kill at any moment.
The highgod raider formed multiple stationary thunderbolts and arranged them before him. He made a shield of thunderbolts to defend himself from Han Hao’s attack.
A loud and violent explosion erupted in the stone forest. Thunderbolts flew everywhere. Killing intent dispersed before rapidly re-converging. A large area of stelae was shattered and it caused the entire region to be filled with dust, stones, and gaudy lights.
The two energies that were miraculously intertwined struck the shield of static thunderbolts. They repeatedly gathered and dispersed. After many pulsations, another airstream would form and bombard the raider. A three-meter long bone spear had also been flying around in the airstream, boosting the energy and power of the airstream.
Upon taking the first blow, the raider knew that Han Hao’s strength was above his. He also noticed that the energy Han Hao used was very evil. He felt very helpless when he saw the violent stream made of the aura of death and killing intent was bombarding yet again. He had been exhausting his divine energy rapidly as he used all his strength to defend himself. One of his hands was accumulating electricity and another hand was forming thunder.
Similar to cultivators of the water energy, cultivators of the thunder energy could attack in two forms using their divine energy. The energy of thunder in their body needed to be sent out in a certain manner to form thunderbolt and lightning attacks. A god of the thunder energy using both electricity and thunderbolt meant that he was attacking with all his strength.
Terrifying sounds of explosions continuously sounded. Several dozen thunderbolts revolved around him before they gradually merged into one. After that, all the electrical power he had accumulated charged the thunderbolt, making its diameter as great as an ancient tree.
When the raider went all out, the seven bone spurs behind Han Hao finally detached and flew out. In an abstruse trajectory, they flew into the airstream congealed using the auras of death and killing intent. When the seven bone spurs entered the airstream, it seemed as though the airstream had turned alive. As it flew by violently, it would sweep up and devour everything nearby. Several dozen thick and strong stelae were sucked into the airstream.
When the airstream finally came, the several dozen stelae that had been spun up were the first to strike. That alone ate away more than half of his thunder energy. After that, an even more powerful airstream came whacking. When the stelae shattered, the bone spurs that had been hiding in the airstream abruptly and sneakily shot at the raider. Having been caught by surprise, the raider had no choice but to spend some energy on dealing with the bone spurs. He was unable to deploy the power of the enormous thunderbolt to its fullest potential.
A world-shaking explosion erupted. The tremendous blow produced a disturbance that spread far and wide. The raider, somehow, became covered with blood.
Han Hao walked out from the large cloud of dust. His eyes were fixed on the raider. Seven bone spurs were miraculously hovering behind him. The three-meter long bone spear in his hand was aimed right at the raider.
It was at this moment that a strange spacetime fluctuation abruptly appeared in midair. Han Hao who was ready to deal the finishing blow creased his brows and raised his head to sense the spacetime fluctuation. Then, without saying a word, he turned on his heels and flew away. He was far away by the time that the spacetime was torn.
Right after Han Hao disappeared, a fissure was torn in spacetime and Baum the City Lord arrived.
He shot a glance at the bloody highgod and bunched his brows. He did not speak or ask the raider anything but gestured impatiently at him with his hand before rapidly flying in the direction Han Hao that disappeared.