Chapter 1362: Injured Pony
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Dragon Lady and Cheap Sheep were worried. If Han Sen's horn had not been able to penetrate the Gold Dragon, would there be much of a point in him using his bare fists? Surely, a slap had to be weaker.
Confused and concerned, they watched in bewilderment as his palm was driven effortlessly through the Gold Dragon, as if the frightening creature was merely composed of water.
Boom!
The moment Han Sen drew his hand back out of the creature's body, it gave out an ear-piercing scream. Then, the entire thing shattered and became dust that glided along the gentle breeze.
Dragon Lady and Cheap Sheep were frozen, trying to comprehend how Han Sen had just managed to slap a gold geno creature to death.
"Mutant Creature Gold Dragon killed. No beast soul gained. Gold Geno Core received: Gold Dragon Lock. Consume its flesh to gain zero to ten mutant geno points randomly."
The Metal Robe, now titled Gold Dragon Lock, softened its grip on the umbrella and entered Han Sen's Sea of Soul.
Gold Dragon Lock: Gold Element Gold Geno Core
Although the flesh he'd have been able to eat was destroyed, and he had lost Butler Doll in the battle, Han Sen reckoned it was a worthy exchange. A gold geno core was nothing short of spectacular.
"Boss, you are too good!" Cheap Sheep couldn't help but exclaim, as he trotted over to Han Sen. A warm welcome wasn't given, though, as Han Sen kicked his sheepish companion to the ground for referring to him as a boss again.
"I told you not to call me boss." Although he would never admit it, Han Sen was afraid of Cheap Sheep and the curse that might be following it around.
There were two more primitive creatures beneath the tree, whereas the rest were ordinary creatures. Their brains had all been sucked dry, but the bodies still had meat that was just begging to be eaten.
So, Dragon Lady did just that. She prepared a gorgeous hot pot for the four of them, and then they all gathered round to keep warm and eat the creatures merrily.
Suddenly, they could hear the sound of crunching snow. Something was approaching.
But it wasn't coming very stealthily, and when Han Sen turned to take a look, he saw a creature not too far from them. He could see that it was injured, even from the briefest glimpse.
The creature looked like a red horse, but it was small and young, more like a pony.
There was a deep cut across its belly, and it was bleeding. Its movement was a pain-inducing stagger, and it was clear that the creature was having trouble doing so little as standing up.
When the pony was a mere ten meters away from the band, it fell over and collapsed face-first into the snow. Try as it might, it could not rise again.
The red pony looked exhausted. It managed to raise its head, but that was all, and with a whimpering sound and a softly rolling head dressed with an upset expression, it looked at Han Sen and Bao'er, as if it were pleading for their assistance.
"Hahaha! Now that's a delivery service!" said Cheap Sheep, looking at the pony with much excitement. He jumped up, summoned a horn, and approached the pony, ready to slit its throat and silence its gentle wails of pain and fear.
"Ouch!" Bao'er quickly battered the sheep over the head, and after expressing her disapproval of the sheep's actions, went over to kick the horn away.
Bao'er went to the red pony and stroked its head, saying, "Dad, can we save it?"
Han Sen looked at Bao'er and the pony and told her, "Sure."
Ordinarily, Han Sen would not save it. It looked like a weak ordinary creature he could not do much with, anyway.
After the two creatures fought, morphing the landscape into the icy wasteland it was now, even the Gold Dragon had found itself badly injured. It was difficult to imagine how the pony had survived all by itself.
Even if it had managed to not freeze to death, how had it endured the killing screams and screeches that almost brought an end to Han Sen? And although it was severely injured, the pony at least seemed conscious and aware of their discussions.
Even though it might have made a nice meal for them, Bao'er had wanted to save it. So, Han Sen was not going to disappoint her. With his holy light, he began to heal the pony.
The holy light he used was still weak, despite Han Sen's advancements. So, to stop the bleeding and stabilize the wound, he used medicine and stitches to begin with.
Han Sen brought some cooked meat over to the pony, to see if he could help it get some of its strength back, but it was rejected. The pony didn't want it.
So, Bao'er tried giving it some of her milk powder.
It was fortunate Han Sen had brought a lot of milk powder with him when he returned from the Alliance. There would be enough for the both of them, thankfully, for the pony greatly enjoyed it.
After picking up sticks and moving on, Han Sen got Cheap Sheep to transport the pony and bring it along with them. As expected, the fluffy sheep complained a lot. Not that anyone cared.
Han Sen spent some time examining the Gold Dragon Lock. When Han Sen simulated its energy flow, he swiftly understood how to make fine use of it.
He practiced using it with Dragon Lady, and at a distance of twenty meters, she was not able to evade it once. A distance that was any bigger than that was trickier, though, as it gave Dragon Lady more than enough time to dodge.
The lock was very strong, too, and not even Dragon Lady's cleaver was able to break it. Silver geno cores and primitive creatures would be no match against it, then.
"This will come in handy when I need to tie people up. In the future, I should be able to depend on it a lot when I go out hunting." Han Sen was thrilled with the geno core he had managed to procure, and he believed it to be a very handy and worthy addition to his growing arsenal.
The party trudged through deep snow for another ten days, with no sign of the land improving. Over the course of that time, however, the pony's condition improved a lot. By that tenth day, it was able to stand on its own four hooves and walk alongside them, turning the traveling quartet into a quintet.
Unfortunately, the pony was unable to speak the common language, and thus, Han Sen was not able to interact and talk with it as much as he would have liked.
They eventually reached a mountain; one that was unfamiliar to Dragon Lady. After trekking across it, there was another. They descended and ascended that one, and after doing that once more, they eventually came across a shelter perched upon the loft of one last mountain.
A little while later, Han Sen's Dongxuan Sutra told him they were in an area that was home to humans.
"There are humans here?" Han Sen was delighted to know others of his same kind were around.
Chapter 1363: Green Cow
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"Who is that? Hopefully it's Old Man Ji," Han Sen thought to himself.
He knew the chances of that were slim, but it was a nice thought for him to hope for. Unfortunately, he'd have better luck winning the lottery multiple times before bumping into someone he knew in that sanctuary.
Han Sen followed a trail towards the shelter he had spotted. His Dongxuan Aura senses were tingling, informing him there weren't just humans in the area, but creatures, too.
The detection of humans there grew fainter for Han Sen, as his attention shifted to the shelter that was occupied by a ratio that favored a mixture of spirits and creatures.
There was something up, not too far from Han Sen. As the distance between them closed, Han Sen was able to see it was a green cow, merrily grazing upon the snow-dressed grass.
The green cow, seeing the approaching quintet, looked surprised.
Cheap Sheep asserted himself as a diplomat and instigator of negotiations. He quickly trotted forward and said, "Boss Cow, what is this place? Who owns this shelter here, bub?"
Green Cow heard what he said and replied, "This is Shadow Mountain. The shelter is called Shadow Shelter. The owner is a human by the name of Nan Litian."
Green Cow informed Cheap Sheep that the human welcomed all in his shelter, and was a very accepting and generous person.
Han Sen had not expected a human to own a shelter that was primarily inhabited by creatures and spirits. And as for the title of the shelter being Shadow Shelter, that was remarkably strange. The Alliance knew of only four human-owned shelters, and this name was not on that brief list.
If a human did indeed rule the place, he could easily return to the Alliance as he pleased. If that was the case, how had Han Sen never heard of him before? From what Green Cow told them, he sounded like the sort whose name would carry some weight and fanfare back home.
"Does this demi-god like to maintain a low profile? Does he like keeping things on the DL?" Han Sen curiously pondered.
Green Cow told them it was a gold shelter, too. Nan Litian's power was comparable to that of a mutant creature or a royal spirit.
He allowed creatures and spirits to join his club, and he had built a formidable alliance with those he commanded. He had done very well for himself, and he had achieved something Han Sen frequently had in other sanctuaries.
Joining a shelter and being allowed to come and go was common, and often just required a small tribute. For this shelter in particular, those who joined it would have to cough up a primitive geno fruit each month to be allowed to stay. If you paid extra, you were even allowed your own room.
"Boss, this fella' sounds like you. He even belongs to your hairless kind. Do you think we'll find suitable refuge there?" Cheap Sheep asked.
Han Sen shook his head, knowing humans could frequently pose the worst threats. They were never predictable, and Han Sen knew he couldn't waltz in with the assumption he and Nan Litian would become chums. He hoped they would, but he knew it was probably unlikely.
Still, Han Sen could not go even if he wanted to. He would have to pay the toll of one primitive geno fruit, and that was something he lacked.
Han Sen asked Green Cow where he might be able to find such fruits.
Green Cow answered, saying that the most dangerous thing one should be wary of was not rival creatures or rival spirits, but the plants themselves. It was common for many to band together and co-operate to retrieve the geno fruit.
Just as Han Sen turned to leave, Green Cow went on to say, "I say, moo-moo; you seem like a talented chap. Would you like to join my team? We are all primitive and are planning to amass a whole bundle of geno fruits."
Han Sen and Dragon Lady thought following Green Cow would not be a bad idea.
"We would gladly join you, but we haven't yet collected a single fruit," Han Sen said.
Green Cow told them, "That's okay. If you want to join, we'll welcome you with open arms."
Seeing Green Cow be so generous, Han Sen swiftly agreed to join her and her fellows. Then, on their behalf, Green Cow paid the fee that would enable them to stay at the shelter.
Green Cow, after bringing them to Shadow Shelter, seemed to look forward to introducing Han Sen and his party to her sure-to-be misfit allies.
Shadow Shelter was a gold shelter, and it was very much like a city. There was that metropolitan-vibe, with a hustle and bustle; it was a melting pot of various races and kinds, all working together. It was a charming place to be.
The civility came as a surprise, too. There was no aggression to one another, and every being there seemed charitable and caring.
"Old Cow, did you trick this entire party to follow you back here?" As they came in from the gate, a spirit spoke, directing his speech at Green Cow.
Han Sen and Dragon Lady looked at Green Cow with squinted eyes, unsure of what the spirit meant. Whatever the meaning was, it didn't sound very positive.
Green Cow was quick to respond, saying, "Please, don't pay heed to him, moo-moo!"
The guard of the shelter laughed and said, "You keep tricking poor folk into joining your team, so they can follow you on another futile venture to Hidden Valley. You must have spent the lives of two hundred thus far; this is getting silly. How many have actually lived, following your stupid expeditions to that place?"
The guard then turned to Han Sen and said, "I suggest you guys keep your distance from this one. She can talk her way out of a paper bag, and she's as slippery as an eel in an oil slick. Don't let those sweet emerald udders charm you."
"Green Cow, have you been dishonest with us?" Cheap Sheep asked.
"Slow down a second and let me explain; the guard never paints anyone very flatteringly. And if you fellows don't want to go, I won't force you, but we should discuss these matters in proper detail. I was planning to later, with full transparency and all, I swear. Moo-moo!" Green Cow was tripping over her words.
Han Sen was not too surprised, and he knew he shouldn't have expected free lodging without strings attached. It was shady from the get-go.
Han Sen was not afraid of the conniving conspiracies that might have been wrought against him, though. But that aside, he at least had a place to stay.
"Let's go then. Let's talk," Han Sen said.
After Green Cow paid the toll and everyone got set up, they all went to her room for the discussion.
On their way there, the creatures and spirits all looked at them strangely. Some had a humorous look, whereas others looked as if they held pity for them. Regardless, it seemed Green Cow had built herself quite the reputation.
Chapter 1364: Demi-God Association
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
"I assure you, folks, the Hidden Valley is where the Starsea Beast is buried. If we can find its bones, we will be showered with the most magnificent of rewards." Inside the room, Green Cow reclined backwards on two hooves against a wall. With her two raised legs, she alternated between crossing them casually, patting her chest, and playing with her udders.
Han Sen had come to the understanding that the Hidden Valley mentioned by Green Cow was once occupied by a sacred-blood creature named Starsea Beast, who had been very territorial.
It was dead now and had been for quite some time. Green Cow had heard a story recited by a person who had ventured into Hidden Valley, that there were vast swathes of treasure there. That was the catalyst for her ardent desires to venture there, in the hopes of collecting—at the very least—the bones and geno cores.
However, the valley had been taken over by a variety of strange plants. They were lethal, and countless creatures and spirits had lost their lives in pursuit of Green Cow's goal.
"After getting all those people killed, you expect us to go there? Who's to say it won't be just a repeat?" Cheap Sheep said.
"You have to take my word for it. I know how to get the treasure this time, minus bloodshed. You must trust me," Green Cow pleaded.
Cheap Sheep was quick to respond with a rebuttal. "If you know how to get there safe and sound, why do you need us?"
Green Cow said, "I just do! Gah, okay, do you really want to know the secret of how to get to the treasure and avoid harm? I'll tell you. The last time we went there, we discovered a cave in the valley. The bones most likely reside there, but unfortunately for us, the cave had a massive stone blocking its entrance. I was unable to push it away."
Green Cow continued her explanation, saying, "If you two follow me, and adhere to my guidance, I can assure your safety. No grievous harm will come to you."
"If you were unable to push the stone, what makes you think we can help with it?" Han Sen asked.
"I may not have been able to move this hefty boulder out of the way completely, but I was able to make it wiggle. With you lot there, it should definitely be possible to move it out of the way entirely," Green Cow said.
Han Sen wouldn't mind collecting the bones there, and he was interested in the plants Green Cow had briefly mentioned, too.
The geno plants did not provide people benefits, but Han Sen imagined he might be able to get the Black Crystal to feed on them. When the Bulwark Umbrella finished its formulation, the size of the Black Crystal had reduced once again.
It had shrunk by another ten percent, and it would be quite concerning if this continued with each geno core he created. The Black Crystal was now twenty percent smaller, and Han Sen thought a little bit of nourishment was all it needed.
Han Sen still had the Blood-Pulse Sutra to unlock a geno core for, and whatever else he might learn in the future. If he kept allowing it to shrink, the crystal might disappear entirely.
The Black Crystal, through its ability to absorb lifeforces, might be able to recover its power and size with the plants.
Of course, Han Sen wasn't going to believe what she told him entirely. He was dubious regarding the validity of her claims, and to avoid danger befalling Bao'er, he decided to return to the Alliance and drop her off, just in case.
Han Sen chatted with his mother and Ji Yanran while he was there for a bit, but just before he returned, he received a call.
It was Old Man Ji giving him a ring, and when Han Sen answered, he said, "Hey, what's up?"
Old Man Ji didn't frequently seek Han Sen out, and the chats they had together were usually organized through Ji Ruozhen.
"I was looking for you earlier. We have a Demi-God Association meet coming up, where we exchange information to broaden our pool of knowledge regarding the Fourth God's Sanctuary. You're eligible to join now, are you interested in attending the next meeting?" Old Man Ji paused for a brief moment, and then went on to say, "Of course, this won't be forced upon you. It's not imperative that you come. You don't have to join if you don't want to."
"No, I'd love to. It benefits everyone, after all. Is there an entry fee, by any chance?" Han Sen asked, genuinely interested in the event.
"There are no fees, no. But you will need to sign up for it, and then attend via the virtual community. I can call for someone to guide you there," Old Man Ji said.
"That's okay, I can go by myself," Han Sen said.
"Ordinary people aren't able to, so just wait there." Old Man Ji then hung up the phone, rather abruptly.
Han Sen did not think anyone would be coming soon, so he went to see Ji Yanran again.
The next day, an envoy arrived to guide Han Sen there. Han Sen thought it was strange, and he wondered why he couldn't simply register through Skynet.
Before joining, a test also had to be conducted.
"It's just a formality-thing. Everyone has to go through this, so don't think much of it," Old Man Ji said explained to Han Sen.
Han Sen looked at the machines and equipment they had, and he noticed they looked quite different than the usual ones he used to check his fitness. These looked state-of-the-art, and of a much higher quality.
Inside a room, there were three men and a woman. They were watching Han Sen via a video feed.
These were the founders of the association; they were the oldest demi-gods.
If Han Sen had a good memory, he'd remember one of them as Zhu Donglai. And the blue-haired gentleman there was called Green from the Lan Te family. There was another demi-god in the room, who looked as cold as ice. He was the Steel-Fist Demi-God, named Jia Shidao. He was the owner of the Iron-Fist Martial Hall.
The female demi-god amongst them was far younger than the rest, but her contributions were grand, and the respect given to her by Zhu Donglai and Green was immense.
"I didn't expect Han Sen to become a demi-god so soon, especially after taking the time to max out all his geno points. I wonder what his fitness is?" Zhu Donglai wondered out loud.