Chapter 227: Leaving with ease
A broad river blocked the way to the front. The river’s waters surged and frothed, rushing to a plane of lower elevation.
Han Shuo stood in front of a towering tree, panting heavily, barely managing to suppress the wild craziness in his heart. His eyes were blood red as he looked back at the two slowly approaching him.
Their figures gradually became clearer beneath the bright night sky. Ferguson was using magic to bring Maxine along with him. They appeared in Han Shuo’s vision like two floating clouds.
“You’re finally here, I’ve waited a very long time!” Killing intent billowed and weaved around him as a blood red light encircled Han Shuo’s body. This crimson light was the strange energy of fear and resentment that had been naturally absorbed by his body when he killed the robbers just now.
“Although your methods are cruel, you did save those people just now, meaning you’re not an immoral person. I’ve already investigated you and know you’re not from the Calamity Church. But the matters that you hold in your hands are too dangerous for this world, so I must capture you and imprison you forever in the Church of Light. Rest assured, I won’t take your life!” Ferguson’s body flew to a nearby branch as he looked calmly at Han Shuo.
The female elven archer Maxine’s charming body alighted gracefully, notching an arrow as she did so. As she took aim at Han Shuo, a feeling of danger suddenly surged in his heart and he couldn’t help but cast a few more glances at Maxine.
“The Calamity Church has nothing to do with me, and I have no way of using my knowledge to reform large amounts of dark creatures. I can tell you clearly that I won’t be joining the Calamity Church. In fact, we’re actually enemies. However, if you keep pursuing me, I won’t care if your reputation is good or bad, I’ll kill whoever threatens me without a moment’s hesitation.” Han Shuo repressed the mad thoughts in his heart as he spoke viciously with a scowl.
“Sorry, not killing you is already my biggest concession. I can’t allow you to leave, because what you hold is too dangerous for us.” Ferguson shook his head and responded resolutely. It looked like there was no room for negotiation.
Laughing wildly, Han Shuo nodded. “Since this is the case, there’s nothing for us to talk about then. I won’t go easy on you if you dare make a move!”
Han Shuo rose into the air before he lost his reason and transformed into a beam of red light, flying towards the Dark Forest.
Whoosh!
Maxine shot out the arrow that she’d long since notched, and it fractured the air like a bolt of lightning. An ear piercing howl followed it as it closed in on Han Shuo like a shadow. It didn’t seem like it would stop until it tasted blood.
Grand magus Ferguson also didn’t remain idle. As Han Shuo’s body catapulted itself through the air, Ferguson waved his staff, sending a blinding light shooting towards Han Shuo. The current of energy gave Han Shuo a dangerous feeling.
He’d been shooting through the air when he felt the attack near. His charging body suddenly screeched to a halt as he activated the Demonslayer Edge with a thought, sending it careening out of his sleeve to intercept Maxine’s arrow. Han Shuo circulated his magical yuan and focused the violent aura around him onto his right arm.
A bloody glow radiated from his right arm as that enormous strength hurtled towards the beam of bright light with a force akin to the raging river beneath him.
A resounding explosion accompanied the resplendent clash of white and blood red light, blooming in the air like a wondrous firework. There was a strange and fey beauty to it.
Han Shuo’s body tumbled from the sky like a rock in the aftermath of this magnificent sight. He fell audibly into the river and was instantly swallowed by the raging waters.
Ferguson and Maxine hovered above the spot Han Shuo had impacted the water, waiting. They looked at the water, not quite sure what to do.
They waited for quite a while as the river churned and frothed. Han Shuo had seemingly vanished without a trace, with nary a hint of surfacing from the river waters. Ferguson and Maxine were both incredibly astonished.
“With the strength that he displayed, he can’t possibly have died that easily. Why hasn’t he floated up onto the river’s surface? There’s no way he can go so long without breathing!” Ferguson looked around his surroundings with astonishment as he faltered, uncertain.
“Perhaps he’s already dead. He would’ve surfaced a long time ago otherwise. No one can go that long without breathing!” Maxine was also greatly confused as she guessed hesitantly.
“He must’ve been swept downstream if he hadn’t died. Come, let’s go downstream!” Ferguson was certain that Han Shuo was no longer there after a while and flew in the direction of the river’s flow with Maxine.
After the two had vanished, dark grand magus Edwin and the female alchemist Belinda walked out of the shadows of a towering tree.
“It was a good thing that we were a ways away. Otherwise, we would’ve been discovered by that old fox Ferguson. It looks like Bryan’s met with a lot of trouble!” Edwin’s heart was still pounding.
“With Ferguson and Maxine both attacking him, he must’ve been knocked into the river. He hasn’t emerged for such a long time, perhaps he’s already dead!” Belinda guessed the same as Maxine as she looked down at the frothing waters.
Shaking his head with a smile, Edwin said resolutely, “No, he’s definitely not dead! Bystanders have the clearest sight, and I noticed a couple of details that were off while they fought. Although Bryan’s weapon also fell towards the river along with Maxine’s arrow after they clashed together, its path was steady. According to what you saw before, his weapon must still be within his grasp. This means Bryan hadn’t fallen into the river unconscious, nor is he dead, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to control his weapon!”
Belinda thought back with surprise after hearing Edwin’s words, and agreed, “That’s right, he must still be alive!”
“Heh heh, the stronger he is and the more he can protect himself, the more advantageous it is for us. We’ll have the chance to grab him as long as he’s not dead. He’s certain to appear again. Before that, we’ll need to understand all that we can about him. We must have him!” Edwin left with Belinda after a low cackle.
In a place far away from the spot where Han Shuo had fallen into the broad, surging river, a figure shot into the air like a sharp arrow, decorating the air with a spray of water. After getting its bearings, it shot towards the Dark Forest.
Edwin’s judgement had been entirely correct. Han Shuo’s concentrated aura on his right hand had completely defended against Edwin’s strong light attack. He hadn’t been injured at all. He’d recalled the Demonslayer Edge into his hand before he’d fallen into the river and flown along the depths of the river, avoiding Ferguson and taking to the sky again after.
Han Shuo had been planning on fighting Ferguson, but thanks to Edwin’s haste and desire to see everything, he’d revealed himself to one of the three yin demons. This changed Han Shuo’s mind as he then decided to hide in the river and hasten away from that place of trouble.
With Han Shuo’s strength, as well as the little skeleton and earth elite zombie, plus his magical cultivation and necromancy magic, even though he might not have been able to triumph over Ferguson and Maxine, he was confident that he’d be able to leave at will. The two of them would never be able to stop him.
However, Edwin and Belinda’s appearance made Han Shuo have to give up the idea of a pitched battle. To Han Shuo, those two from the Calamity Church were just as irritating. If they ambushed him while he was fighting Ferguson and Maxine, he’d be in a world of trouble.
Therefore, after weighing the gains and losses, Han Shuo felt that there was nothing to be gained in staying. So he decided to avoid them and use magical cultivation to make his escape using the bottom of the river.
The last time Fanny and the others had gone to the cemetery of death, they’d spent about ten days to reach the place. Thanks to the Art of the Demonic Ninth Heaven, Han Shuo saved a lot of time and only took a day and a night to fly there. He arrived in the cemetery of death on the evening of the second day.
Although he’d rested three times along the way, Han Shuo had still exhausted quite a bit of magical yuan reaching the cemetery of death. He was forced to rest and recover again.
He placed the three yin demons outside the cemetery of death to wait for Gilbert’s arrival, meditating for the night. By the next day, he was completely recovered.
The cemetery of death was enshrouded by a powerful boundary, and those within never felt the rays of moonlight. It was enclosed within a dark and sinister atmosphere all year long, and stark white bones were piled all over the ground, making this a sacred ground for death.
When he saw that Gilbert had yet to return, Han Shuo had no choice but to take out the materials that Phoebe had given him and look over them one by one.
Han Shuo had asked her to collect materials that would be used in the dwarves’ forging, but also items that he’d be able to use in refining some magical treasures of his own.
The demon infant had fully taken shape and he was now in the bloodlust realm. He could absolutely refine some treasures now. Not only did he want to temper the Demonslayer Edge all over again, he also wanted to craft some useful little baubles for himself.