CHAPTER 826: Rising Star

Although Han Jin owned Goldstone Enterprise, as the wealthiest of the Five Elite Zombies, Han Jin was not particularly powerful. As an energy crystal trading company, Goldstone Enterprise did not have a very powerful military unit. On the last trip to Ethereal City, Han Jin had carried many rare and precious stones from another Dominion.

Information about their journey had somehow leaked out. As his caravan crossed the outskirts of the Fringe, they were attacked by a group of raiders. Not only did Han Jin lose all the precious stones he was carrying, but all the tradesmen travelling with him were killed.

If it weren't for the fact that there was a mountainous region nearby, and that his shopkeepers sacrificed their lives to hold off the raiders so that he could escape, Han Jin might have perished.

Using his magical powers, Han Jin dug a tunnel through the mountains and escaped the raiders. He then managed to return to Ethereal City on his own. The rare minerals he had gathered from other Dominions were gone. He was the sole survivor of the attack.

After the gold nugget-like pellet medicine entered Han Jin's stomach, a miraculous Yuan energy gently spread around his body. Strands of yuan energy filled his limbs and bones, slowly healing his damaged organs and veins...

During his journey to Ethereal City, Han Shuo had collected all sorts of rare, magical medicinal ingredients and used them to refine certain medicines useful for the Five Elite Zombies to replenish their depleted yuan energy.

As the yuan energy dissipated in Han Jin's body, slowly nourishing his body, Han Shuo used his demonic yuan to carefully nurse his injuries. Han Jin's pale white face finally showed a hint of redness.

Half an hour into the treatment, Han Jin began to cough violently, spitting out a puddle of dirty, foul-smelling blood. He suddenly seemed much better. Then he forced a smile and said to the worried Han Shuo, "Don't worry, Father. I'm fine now!"

Han Shuo did not answer, but continued to use his mind to probe Han Jin's physical condition. Then, after a long time, Han Shuo took a light breath and seemed a little tired as he said, "Your injuries are severe. Fortunately, I have the Five Elemental Yuan medicines and some rejuvenation pills with me. Otherwise, the injuries will surely leave a permanent effect!"

"Hehe, I knew Father would be here, so I rushed to the city at all costs," Han Jin said weakly with a smile. He struggled to sit up against the wall and refused Han Shuo's help.

"Do you know who it was?" asked Han Shuo as his eyes suddenly turned cold.

"I remember their faces and can recognise them when I see them. But I'm not familiar with the Fringe and I don't know their identities," Han Jin said. He then closed his eyes to recall the battle and described the faces of each attacker to Han Shuo.

Like Han Jin, Han Shuo did not have much understanding of the characters living in the fringe, and he could not identify the attackers either. "Here are one hundred Metal Yuan Revitalisation Pills. Take five of them every day without interruption until you have finished the whole bottle. Concentrate on healing your injuries, we will talk after you have recovered," Han Shuo instructed the Metal Elite Zombie after taking out a large bottle of golden and shiny pellet medicines.

"Thank you, father. I knew I would be fine," Han Jin replied smiling as he put the bottle of medicine away.

Han Shuo then stepped forward to carry Han Jin and said, "Come with me to Celestial Pearl Pharmacy, it's safer there. Also, you should meet Little Earth and Little Fire."

"Wait, I need to leave some instructions," Han Jin said before calling for Myles who was waiting just outside the door. He gave Myles a number of instructions, including not to let the other branches know that he was injured and to keep an eye on the situation over in the Fringe to see if by any chance any of his workers had survived.

***

In a remote valley near the north-west of the Fringe, a rough and burly looking man was fiercely conquering a coquettish woman on a tree trunk. A group of godhunters sat nearby, but they turned a blind eye as if nothing were happening. They were either concentrating on cultivation, studying scrolls in their hands, or cleaning their divine weapons.

Then, moments after a rapid increase in the amplitude and frequency of the rhythm, the burly fellow let out a long, loud howl of great satisfaction. He then nonchalantly shoved the half-conscious woman aside, wrapped his lower body in a piece of hide and reclined comfortably on a huge stone chair. His sleepy, half-open eyes gazed up at the still, cool moon hanging in the zenith, as if waiting for something.

Half an hour later, an ice-cold looking teenager appeared silently in the valley. He walked slowly towards the burly fellow at the centre of the valley.

Fierce light erupted from the eyes of all the Godhunters in the valley as they sensed an outsider approaching. The divine weapons in their hands began to glow as brightly as the ferocity in their eyes. They were ready to pounce on the stranger and tear him to pieces.

However, when they saw that the person was a teenager, that one of his eyes was bright purple, and that he had seven strange bone spurs protruding from his back, the hostility on their faces immediately vanished and was replaced with respect. They parted automatically, clearing a path for the teenager into the valley.

"Hello, my friend. I heard you destroyed the Leo family clan recently! What a great contribution you made to us Godhunters. So, what's up? Are you here for business?" the burly man said as he looked at Han Hao with a polite face. He was eating fruit as he relaxed on the large chair in the centre of the valley.

"Polo, I have come to ask you a favour," Han Hao said in a cold voice before throwing a large bag of black crystal coins under Polo's feet. "This is three hundred thousand black crystal coins. I need you to ask Baum, the Lord of the Ethereal City, for the location of a divine space god's body that belonged to someone named McKinley. If you find its location, I will give you another 200,000 Black Crystal Coins. And if you can somehow get me the soulless divine body, I will give you another five hundred thousand black crystal coins.

Polo, who had been lying lazily, suddenly opened his eyes wide and sat up straight. He looked up and down at Han Hao several times before asking, "Do you know who McKinley is? And his relationship with Baum?"

"I do," Han Hao replied as he nodded. His purple eye flashed as he said, "I heard you lived in the Space Dominion for a while. Surely you're aware of the history between Baum and McKinley. I also know that you have had business dealings with Baum all this time. These are the reasons why I came to you," he said.

"If you are looking for McKinley's divine body, it must mean that you have his divine soul. I don't know how you got his soul, but if McKinley gets his body back, it will definitely cause a lot of trouble for Baum. Baum is an important trading partner of mine. Damaging trade relations for a mere million black crystal coins doesn't sound like a profitable deal!" said Polo with a gentle laugh. Then he narrowed his eyes slightly as he said to Han Hao, "Two million black crystal coins. I will get you McKinley's body, even if it means insulting Baum! What do you say?"

Han Hao nodded and replied, "Very well. I will give you the rest of the money when you have the divine body."

"No problem! I know you are a trustworthy person!" said Polo before he started to laugh heartily. He added heartily, "That Baum cannot be considered a true godhunter. That sanctimonious hypocrite with his Ethereal City will never be as close as we are!"

"Keep me updated. I'll be in Ethereal City," Han Hao replied succinctly. He wasted no words with Polo, instead turning indifferently on his heels and leaving the valley.

Shortly after Han Hao left, a Godhunter with Early-stage Highgod Strength approached Polo with a furrowed brow. He asked in a puzzled manner, "Chief, is it worth insulting Baum for just two million black crystal coins? I have heard a little of the feud between McKinley and Baum. Once he gets his body back, he will definitely go after Baum. If Baum dies, our business with Ethereal City will be over. The profits just won't make up for the losses!"

"Have you seen how young Han Hao is? It took him only fifty years to become one of the leading figures in the Alliance. The troops he leads have destroyed many family clans that tried to destroy us Godhunters. His popularity and influence in the Alliance continues to grow. This young man has a great future ahead of him! Throughout these years, Han Hao has never failed in any of his endeavours. Now that he wants Baum, Baum will most likely fail. We might as well profit from his downfall," Polo explained like a master schemer.

"But can he defeat Baum?" asked the Godhunter.

"Hehehe, I've recently received some interesting news that Baum was almost defeated by a youngster named Bryan. This young man named Bryan has two sons named Han Huo and Han Tu. Think about it - Han Huo, Han Tu, Han Hao - doesn't that sound a bit more than coincidental?" replied Polo with a grave expression as he sat upright.

"My Lord, you mean Han Hao is related to this Bryan?"

"Not sure, but it seems very likely! If that's true, there's no way that Baum won't be dead! Hehe, before he dies, I might as well do Han Hao a favour. I might even get two million Black Crystal Coins in return. I say, what better trade could there be?" said Polo, laughing heartily. Then he instructed the godhunter, "Take the three hundred thousand black crystal coins to Baum and tell him I need to borrow McKinley's divine body for a few days. Considering our relationship and the amount of crystal coins, Baum will definitely hand over the soulless body willingly. Hehehe, McKinley's been gone for so long. Who would have thought that he would return?"

"Understood, my lord!" the Godhunter immediately stood up to carry out the task given to him. But he suddenly paused as a thought occurred to him, "My Lord, Han Hao is in Ethereal City. After receiving McKinley's divine body, should I contact him and give it to him directly?"

"No, you must not. Ethereal City is full of energy towers that Baum has set up. He must have placed a tracer in McKinley's divine body. Do not take that risk. Just leave a message for Han Hao to make the trade here. And remember to carry the divine body carefully. It's worth two million black crystal coins," Polo instructed.

"Yes. Rest assured, my lord. It will be done properly," the person solemnly promised.