CHAPTER 733: Returning To The City

After the standoff with Brovst, Han Shuo had learned to be even more careful when tracking the godhunters. Fortunately for Han Shuo, the plain wasn't very large and it only took them a day to cross it. The terrain that followed was filled with rivers, hills, and bottomless cliffs - places that were best suited for demon generals to hide in. Therefore, Han Shuo could once again keep a close eye on the Godhunters.

Han Shuo continued to follow them. Then, on the thirteenth day, the group of godhunters arrived at a huge valley where the air was filled with mist and the ground was covered with swamps and strange-looking stone pillars.

Before entering the valley, Han Shuo discovered that there were cloaking barriers everywhere, as well as several energy towers embedded in towering trees. An unusually intense energy fluctuation filled every corner. Several dark silhouettes hidden in the darkness secretly watched the Godhunters as they entered.

After watching from afar with his demon generals, Han Shuo suddenly discovered that even Brovst, Gallas, and Taylin had changed their postures after arriving in the valley. Although they did not bow or bend their knees as they passed through the checkpoints, their postures were cautious and solemn.

Han Shuo was shocked by the scene he witnessed, for as far as he could tell, Brovst, Gallas and Taylin were the leaders among them. They should have behaved like kings upon returning to their base. Han Shuo did not expect them to behave differently.

After some thought, Han Shuo was shocked by the conclusion he came to. There was only one scenario that could explain this phenomenon - Brovst, Gallas, and Taylin were not the top bosses of the Godhunter Alliance!

The trio were all somewhere in the middle of the Highgod realm. If they weren't even the actual leaders of the Godhunter Alliance, then the strength of this Alliance was simply shocking.

There were guards all over the valley. The energy fluctuation generated by the energy towers had covered the entire valley, enveloping it in layers upon layers of boundaries. Under such tight security and defences, there was no way that Han Shuo could infiltrate the base, not even his demon general could get a glimpse - he would immediately trigger the outermost barrier and invite the godhunters to swarm the valley. If that happened, Han Shuo would have a hard time escaping.

Besides, if Han Shuo's hypothesis was correct, there might very well be a Late-stage Highgod in the valley. Han Shuo would be in deep trouble if he offended a being of that class.

Han Shuo took his time to carefully observe the surroundings of the valley. After realising that there was no way he could infiltrate the valley silently, Han Shuo decided to temporarily give up scouting the interior of the valley for his own safety.

This valley was no longer under the influence of the City of Shadows, but somewhere between the City of Shadows and Mirage City. Since Han Shuo had memorised the exact location of this base, he thought that perhaps one day in the future he would return here with an army and level this base, thus making a significant contribution to consolidating his position in the City of Shadows.

Having made this decision, Han Shuo stopped hesitating and silently returned to the path he had come from.

He travelled to a safe distance from the valley, spent a day memorising the surroundings, and finally left, flying towards the City of Shadows.

It had been almost two months since Han Shuo had left Andrina and the others. The Godhunters had given up searching the mountain range. If all had gone well, they would have been on their way to the City of Shadows in an airship.

Han Shuo did not return to the mountain range, but headed for the City of Shadows. Since Han Shuo was in no hurry, he decided to gather medicinal ingredients on his way home. He had spent nearly three months on a journey that only took ten days.

Almost all of the divine guards of the House of Saint recognised Han Shuo. They greeted him respectfully when he appeared at the gates of the City of Shadows.

"Goth, have you seen any people from my Celestial Pearl enter the city recently? Most of them are only demigods and very weak," Han Shuo nodded smilingly to a divine guard he knew before immediately asking him about Andrina and the others.

"No, there are no demigods who have entered the city recently. You should know that demigods are not allowed to enter the city unless they are under the custody of certain special characters, for example Mister Bryan, who would allow them to enter and live in the City of Shadows," Goth took the opportunity to flatter Han Shuo indirectly.

There was indeed such a policy in the City of Shadows. Any ordinary outsider who hadn't even reached Basegod strength would not be qualified to enter the City of Shadows. Only the surrounding cities would accept such people. Until they reached Basegod strength, they could not obtain their own divine tablet, so they would be a nuisance once they entered the city. If they were killed, no one would even know who the corpse belonged to.

But, as always, there were exceptions to the rules. If the outsiders were important relatives of large family clans in the city, or under the guardianship of respected characters, they would be granted entry.

Han Shuo's heart sank upon hearing the answer. He handed Goth a bottle of rejuvenation pills and asked smilingly, "May I trouble you to check the other city gates to see if any demigods have tried to enter?"

Goth's eyes lit up. He excitedly took the bottle and immediately replied, "One moment please, I will ask around for you!"

Goth left in a hurry after finishing these words. A few minutes later, Goth came down from an energy tower, shook his head and said to Han Shuo, "I'm sorry, I've checked, but nothing like this has happened in the last six months.

"Thank you..." Han Shuo was quite worried, but he still decided to enter the City of Shadows.

If everything went as planned, Andrina and her party should have arrived in the City of Shadows about two months ago. Even though Andrina's power was extraordinary and they should be safe with no godhunters in their way, Han Shuo's heart could not be at peace.

Han Shuo returned to the Celestial Pearl Pharmacy with a troubled mind.

Akley and Gu Li filled Han Shuo in on the latest happenings in the City of Shadows. The Celestial Pearl Pharmacy continued its upward trajectory, raking in crystal coins day after day. They were able to recruit more pharmacists and various talents, allowing them to open three more branches.

The top position in the Fifth Corps remained vacant. Though every family clan in the city drooled over the position, no one could find Avery. It seemed that the post would remain vacant until someone chopped off Avery's head and presented it to the City Lord.

The House of Lavers became even more reclusive. They had avoided taking part in most of the activities in the City of Shadows. Apart from Felder, the patriarch, most of the Lavers family had left the City of Shadows. The House of Lavers continued its rapid decline.

Carmelita had been to the Celestial Pearl Pharmacy twice during Han Shuo's absence. She asked Akley to have Han Shuo look for her at the Sainte Residence as soon as he returned.

The House of Sainte had been busy cracking down on the godhunters in their territory. The godhunters had been rampant in the City of Shadows, wreaking havoc and angering Wallace. Feeling that the presence of the Godhunters had seriously threatened the business activities of his city, he dispatched divine guards from the First and Second Corps to hunt down the Godhunters.

Members of the other three major family clans had frequently visited the Celestial Pearl Pharmacy, asking when Han Shuo would produce new medicines. Rugersey, who had once had a misunderstanding with Han Shuo, would buy a tonne of medicine each time he visited. Rugersey never haggled; in fact, he was in the habit of giving large tips every time. His intention was obvious to all.

"Has Andrina returned? Any news of her?" Han Shuo knitted his brows and asked after listening to Akley recount the latest events.

"No, no news at all!" Akley then looked at Han Shuo confusedly and asked, "Didn't you go with her? Why did you return alone?"

"We encountered some trouble on our way back and had to return to the city separately," Han Shuo began to feel uncomfortable and therefore skipped the explanation to Akley.

Akley did not ask for the details but comforted Han Shuo with a smile, "Don't worry. With her strength, what could possibly happen to her?"

If Andrina was travelling alone, how could Han Shuo not be worried? He was worried about the group of people under her care. Those characters who once dictated the rise and fall of empires on the Profound Continent were as powerless as babies on Elysium. Even an average youth from an average village had enough strength to kill them all.

"Forget it. I'll look for Carmelita. Maybe she knows something," Han Shuo said and immediately left for the Sainte Residence without further explaining the situation to Akley.

Han Shuo could be considered a regular visitor to the Sainte family. The divine guards at the Sainte Residence would humbly bow and greet when they saw Han Shuo. They promptly led Han Shuo into the gymnasium after learning that he was looking for Carmelita.

"Haha, the City of Shadows has received some guests. Miss Carmelita is having a friendly match with them in the gymnasium," the divine guard explained to Han Shuo as he led Han Shuo towards the gymnasium.

"Who are they? Why would Carmelita be keeping them company herself?" asked Han Shuo. He had temporarily put his concerns aside.

"They are from the other two Divine Dominions. As you know, our Dominions of Darkness, Death, and Destruction have joined forces in the form of the Church of Calamity. However, since our Darkness Dominion joined the Church later in time, these guests, members of large family clans from the Death and Destruction Dominions, hold a slightly higher position in the Church compared to the House of Sainte," the Divine Guard explained in a low voice.

Han Shuo was a little surprised to hear this. He had not expected members of the great family clans of the two Divine Dominions to come to the City of Shadows. He wondered what business they had in the city.

The gymnasium in the Sainte Residence was very well built. There were a total of eight energy towers at each corner, forming five layers of powerful barriers around the gymnasium, allowing the gymnasium to withstand tremendous shockwaves and energy bursts from its users.

Han Shuo saw Carmelita as soon as he stepped inside. He saw impatience written all over her face as she sat and watched two people engage in a duel. They were a man and a woman. Both looked young.

The male had long, ash-grey hair that flowed elegantly as he moved. He wore a greyish green armour with a design of three bones. It was probably the emblem of his family clan. Like Carmelita, he possessed Early-stage Highgod strength. But unlike Carmelita, he cultivated in the energy of death.

The female had long brown hair, tied up in a bun. She was of average appearance and appeared to be married. She had a graceful and poised quality, clearly the product of an extraordinary background. She cultivated in the energy of darkness and was also an Early-stage Highgod. Although she had used defensive measures throughout the fight, she did not seem to be on the back foot and had handled the young man's attacks calmly.

"Oh please, Charlotte is obviously taking it easy on you. Portlem, are you finished yet?" Carmelita, who had been watching the duel, finally lost her cool and reproached him.

The young man forced a smile and immediately stopped his attack. He bowed slightly to the woman and remarked, "Elder Sister Charlotte, I'm truly impressed that you could stay in this condition even after getting married!"

"What does my marital status have to do with my diminishing strength?" Charlotte chuckled softly and praised, "You've improved quite a bit over the years, haven't you? I'm beginning to have trouble dealing with your attacks!"

"That's because I put a lot of work into my cultivation!" the young man named Portlem replied with a smile. He glanced at the irritated Carmelita, shook his head and clicked his tongue in surprise, "I really did not expect such a huge transformation to happen to you, Carmelita. So much so that I'm not so afraid when I see you now. I remember when I first met you, I thought you were from an alien race!"

"Shut up, Portlem! You have no idea how hard I have to fight the urge to tear a second mouth in your face every time I see you!" Carmelita cursed angrily and continued coldly, "Don't think that because you're a Highgod now that I can't give you a beating!"

"I am your guest. I don't think you'll be as impulsive as before, will you?" Portlem chuckled. He didn't seem afraid of Carmelita at all. Perhaps he felt he could handle Carmelita's attacks now that he had become a Highgod.

"Miss Carmelita, Mr Bryan is looking for you!" The divine guard who had led Han Shuo to the gymnasium called politely from the doorway.

Carmelita, who was about to strike Portlem, immediately turned her gaze to the entrance. When she saw Han Shuo's figure, she waved her hand with a smile and said, "Hey Bryan! Come over here, let me introduce you to two people!"

Han Shuo nodded. With a faint smile on his face, he walked towards the party in an unflappable manner.

Portlem and Charlotte stopped their conversation and turned all their attention to Han Shuo as he walked over. They wore friendly smiles and nodded at Han Shuo from a distance. Han Shuo responded in kind.

"This is Portlem. He is from the House of Batchelder of the Death Dominion. This is Charlotte. She is from the House of Bruckner of the Dominion of Destruction. . Charlotte is originally from Mirage City in the Darkness Dominion, but is now married to the Bruckner family. They are very interested in your Celestial Pearl Pharmacy. One of the reasons they and their emissaries have come to the City of Shadows is to buy some of the medicines you have personally refined! Carmelita explained to Han Shuo with a smile.

"Greetings." Han Shuo nodded warmly to each of them before continuing, "You have indeed visited at the right time - I happen to have acquired a new batch of medicinal ingredients and will have a new batch of medicines ready in two months. If you are still in the City of Shadows at that time, I will make sure to save some for both of you."

Although the medicines Han Shuo personally refined were notorious in the City of Shadows for their exorbitant prices, they were still in great demand. More often than not, these medicines would sell out the day they were released. The two of them had spent some time in the City of Shadows and had learned how much they were in demand. They immediately thanked Han Shuo after hearing these words.

Like the House of Sainte, the House of Batchelder, and the House of Bruckner of the Death and Destruction Dominions were all extremely ancient family clans. Because they were in the Death and Destruction Dominions, their influence in the Church of Calamity was slightly greater than that of the House of Sainte.

Getting members of these two clans to buy his medicines would be the most fantastic advertisement for his business. After acquiring the medicines and experiencing their remarkable effects, even more family clans from the two Divine Dominions would surely travel to the City of Shadows to purchase his medicines. By then, the Celestial Pearl Pharmacy would be even more respected, and perhaps it could even open branches in various cities, just as the Godswamp Pharmacy had done.

It was for this long-term plan that Han Shuo promised them without hesitation.

"Well, thank you very much. We will stay in the City of Shadows for at least half a year. We will definitely be at your pharmacy when your medicine is ready!" Charlotte immediately thanked Han Shuo with a smile.

"Indeed, the price is not an issue!" Portlem immediately assured him. However, his look at Han Shuo seemed rather suspicious. It was as if he had something to hide.

"Okay, that's enough. Both of you continue with whatever you are doing. There are some things I need to talk to Bryan about alone." Carmelita pulled Han Shuo away.

Both Portlem and Charlotte noticed how relaxed and uncomplicated Carmelita was with Han Shuo. The two of them were stunned for a moment before they seemed to realise something. Portlem grinned and remarked contemptuously, "No wonder. I was wondering how he managed to rise so quickly in the City of Shadows. Hehehe, Carmelita looked like a monster, and yet this boy kept on fighting and getting closer to her in order to achieve his goals. His willpower must be something!"

Charlotte knitted her brows and looked at Portlem with displeased eyes. "What are you talking about? We should be happy for Carmelita that she managed to find a mate. Besides, this guy refines miraculous medicines. He will be very popular in every town he goes to. Not everyone is as needy as you imagine!"

"The way I see it, he's the kind of guy who leeches off women!" sneered Portlem. "But still, it's quite extraordinary that he can stand someone like Carmelita. Truly, I can admire him - he really knows his priorities."

"You better behave yourself. Don't think I don't know what you've been up to. Those people said they were from the Celestial Pearl Pharmacy, yet you attacked them. Worst of all, you failed to capture them and let them escape. You'll get them when they return to the City of Shadows," Charlotte grumbled.

"How was I to know that little girl was such a freak?" Portlem grumbled after being scolded by Charlotte. His face flushed as he remembered the incident. It sounded as if he had been beaten by the little girl.