Han Wu’s Soul Reaper clashed against the King Scorpion’s golden lance, unleashing a shockwave that rippled through the space around them. Their strength was evenly matched, and for a moment, it was impossible to tell who would come out on top. This was the first time the King Scorpion had faced an opponent capable of withstanding its full power.
A cruel smile spread across the King Scorpion’s face as it lunged forward, aiming its stinger at Han Wu with a lightning-fast jab. This move had slain countless foes before, and it expected another easy victory. Yet to its shock, Han Wu dodged the signature attack.
Han Wu had already anticipated the attack. The moment the stinger moved, he activated Spectral Dash, slipping into the shadows and rendering himself untouchable. As he reemerged, he swung Soul Reaper behind him in a wide arc, unleashing a cross-shaped slash that tore through the King Scorpion’s body.
Soul Reaper’s razor edge, combined with the Defiant Sword’s unique traits, struck a critical blow. Before the King Scorpion could recover, the human half of its body shattered into pieces. The scorpion half remained alive, swinging its stinger wildly in a desperate attempt to strike Han Wu, but every attack missed. Han Wu moved with the precision of a seasoned assassin, landing a single fatal hit before retreating.
Qin Shuang, Tian Wen, Steely, the 4 Locustman Lords, and the Golden-Crown Thunder Sparrow all saw the scorpion half was blind and seized the moment to finish it. They unleashed a devastating combination of Thunderclap, Strong Spine, Steelcutter, Dark Breath, Poison Breath, Earth Breath, and the Golden-Crown Thunder Sparrow’s lightning. The chaotic onslaught reduced the scorpion half to dust, leaving nine items scattered on the ground after it vanished.
The wolf-headed Divine Souls panicked when the King Scorpion died. They had worshipped it as their god, and with its death, their faith collapsed. Without the King Scorpion to shield them, they all fled into the wilderness. Han Wu chose not to pursue them. There were too many Divine Souls, and his units were too few to chase them all down.
Han Wu dropped to the ground after deactivating the Black Dragon King Transformation. The battle with the King Scorpion had drained his strength. Although the three powerful plants within his body helped him recover some stamina, it still took time before he caught his breath.
Qin Shuang retrieved the nine items the King Scorpion had dropped and called out in delight, “Han Wu, these are incredible treasures! Come take a look.”
She showed him and Tian Wen their haul: 5 Rank 5 Divine Aspect fragments and 4 complete Rank 5 Divine Aspects.
[Rank 5 Divine Aspect: Golden Lance.]
[Rank 5 Divine Aspect: King.]
[Rank 5 Divine Aspect: Sandstorm.]
[Rank 5 Divine Aspect: Scorpion Lord.]
The Rank 5 Golden Lance Aspect stood apart from others. As an Affixed Divine Aspect, no Demigod could absorb it. The Divine Aspect itself took the form of a golden lance. Once it recognized its owner, it transformed into a God weapon, a Sacred Object, and a Divine Aspect all at once.
Han Wu remembered his friend Yuan Zhong, whose weapon held a similar dual status as both a God weapon and a Sacred Object. Yuan Zhong would have been astonished to learn about the Rank 5 Golden Lance Aspect.
Han Wu, however, had no intention of giving away something so precious. He took the lance and asked Qin Shuang, “Do you like lances?”
The question caught her off guard, but she answered truthfully, “Yes. Lances are excellent at channeling electricity.”
“Good. Then this Rank 5 Divine Aspect is yours,” he said, handing her the golden lance.
Qin Shuang stared at him, wide-eyed. “You’re really giving it to me? This is an extremely rare Affixed Divine Aspect. You’d be even stronger if you kept it for yourself.”
Han Wu shook his head. “I already have my Defiant Sword. If I keep absorbing souls, I can unlock new forms. The Golden Lance wouldn’t be of much use to me.”
Qin Shuang nodded and reluctantly accepted the precious gift. Tian Wen’s eyes widened, but he had no choice but to accept it. He wasn’t a perfect Demigod, so he could not absorb a Rank 5 Divine Aspect even if he possessed one. Besides, his body had already reached its limit for absorbing Divine Aspects. Asking for it now would have been rude.
Still, Han Wu was not narrow-minded. Tian Wen had helped him greatly and served as a good teacher. So Han Wu chose the Rank 5 Sandstorm Aspect and handed it to Tian Wen. Compared to the other three, the Sandstorm Aspect seemed less impressive, but it remained a rare Rank 5 Divine Aspect among all those in existence.
Han Wu wanted Tian Wen to have it so he could sell it for a substantial amount of resources. That would allow Tian Wen to quickly grow stronger and eventually ascend into a God. This was the least Han Wu could do to repay the kindness and guidance his teacher had offered.
After handing them the two Rank 5 Divine Aspects, Han Wu pocketed the rest. It was only natural for him to claim the lion’s share, since he had slain the King Scorpion. With that settled, they turned their attention to the city’s residents. Every inhabitant was a Divine Soul. Though they weren’t strong individually, they had strength in numbers. If Han Wu’s group wiped them all out, they could collect a significant number of Divine Aspect fragments.
Han Wu commanded his four Locustman Lords to guard the city’s entrances, blocking any chance of escape for the remaining Divine Souls. At the same time, he ordered the remaining forces to slaughter every one of them inside the city. Tian Wen, who had obtained a Rank 5 Divine Aspect due to Han Wu’s generosity, eagerly sought to impress his students.
As Han Wu gave the order, Tian Wen used the Divine Skill: Spine Forest he had just recently learned. Spine Forest’s range expanded dramatically as he channeled more Divine Points into it. Countless low-ranking Divine Souls were impaled and killed within its reach, with only a handful managing to survive.
Qin Shuang followed with a devastating display of her own. She summoned a vast cloud, from which lightning rained down, reducing most low-ranking Divine Souls to smoldering charcoal before they shattered into Divine Aspect fragments. Meanwhile, Steely, unwilling to stand idle, transformed into a tornado. He tore through the battlefield, annihilating everything in his path while gathering every Divine Aspect fragment scattered on the ground.
The massacre raged for three days straight. After eliminating every Divine Soul in the city, Han Wu opened his pouch and froze in shock at the sheer volume of Divine Aspect fragments spilling out. The amount was staggering.