Holy angel

Bian wasted no time upon his return, his heart pounding with urgency, and he made his way to the sanctuaries—the very places the mystery island had cast a looming shadow over the steel armor shelter. In the shelter he found a hidden nook and swiftly donned the armor he bought, the scaled armadillo was quite popular, it's primitive design offered him scant protection but effectively concealed his identity.

He felt a shiver run down his spine as he summoned the beast soul of the sacred blood azure bunting. Two magnificent azure wings unfurled from his back, and the armor shifted seamlessly to cover them. The transformation was both majestic and awe-inspiring.

With his newfound wings, he soared gracefully towards the looming enigma of the mystery island. A sense of determination filled his thoughts, 'I only possess one sacred-blood ghost butterfly boomerang. I gotta make the throw count.'

As he ascended towards the heavens, the temperature plummeted, sending icy tendrils through his body. With a deep breath, he activated his jadeskin ability to stave off the biting cold. The closer he came to the island, the more he could discern its chaotic landscape—floating mountains that seemed to defy gravity, with one towering peak eclipsing all others. There, Son of Heaven, Huangfu Pingqing, and Thumb waged a desperate battle against a formidable adversary—the Holy Angel.

Their strength waned, evident in their frantic maneuvers, and it was clear that even the formidable Son of Heaven, who had transformed into the bloody slayer, was nearing his limits.

Bian remained concealed behind a massive outcrop, his eyes locked on the unfolding spectacle, he watched as they retreated from the island. Panic gripped him as the Holy Angel turned her gaze towards his concealed position and gracefully set her course towards him.

Instinctively, he hurled a mutant ghost butterfly boomerang off course, it missed its mark. Desperation fueled his actions as he launched two more towards the Holy Angel. Her movements were a symphony of grace as she deftly sliced through them with her diamond sword before slicing the boomerang coming from behind.

He couldn't help but marvel at her appearance—an ethereal angel with a halo of purity and pristine white wings. Her diamond sword gleamed menacingly, a stark contrast to the primitive weaponry he had at his disposal.

A sudden thought struck him, 'Come to think of it, the Tyrant Minotaur was also a humanoid sacred-blood beast, but it carried no weapons, not even an axe.'

Bian unleashed a barrage of primitive ghost butterfly boomerangs, rapidly depleting his stock. The Holy Angel struggled to fend off the relentless assault, her armor barely marred by the attacks. A sly smile curled on Bian's lips; his plan was working.

He kept retreating, utilizing his sparticle ability to increase his distance from the relentless foe while throwing boomerangs with exaggerated spins to prolong their flight. The Holy Angel closed in, determined to land a fatal blow. But Bian's stratagem had already succeeded.

A sacred-blood ghost butterfly boomerang cleverly hidden among the primitive boomerangs sliced her spine and she went up in blue flames, Bian made sure to dodge her frantic attacks as she came at him while still on fire. Finally, her diamond sword fell with a resounding clank, and her luminous form shattered into a shower of radiant sparks.

[Sacred-blood creature Holy Angel killed. The beast soul of the Sacred-Blood Holy Angel has been gained. Meat inedible.]

Bian whispered to himself, 'One step closer to absolution; now all I need is to find the Golden Growler.'

Descending back to the steel armor shelter, Bian clutched the diamond sword in hand. He had no intention of staying in the sanctuaries for long; he planned to sell the valuable weapon. Son of Heaven, Huangfu Pingqing, and Thumb awaited his return, having witnessed his appearance earlier on the mystery island earlier.

Huangfu Pingqing broke the silence, her voice trembling slightly, "Friend, this sword, it resembles that of the angel we just faced."

Bian nodded, "Yes, it does, but I have no need for it. Are you interested in purchasing it?"

Huangfu Pingqing hesitated briefly, "I'll offer you 50 million for it."

Bian shook his head, determined not to part with it so easily, "I cannot sell it for less than 200 million."

Huangfu Pingqing's eyes gleamed with a hint of intrigue, "Brother, don't forget, carrying such gear is burdensome. What if I buy the beast soul of the Holy Angel for 500 million instead?"

Bian's resolve remained firm, "I won't part with the beast soul."

Son of Heaven, growing impatient, suggested a more aggressive approach, "This is why we should have ambushed him. Let's take him down and force him to give us the beast soul."

Bian couldn't help but shake his head, "I can't comprehend your recklessness. You struggled against that creature when it was the three of you at your peak, and now you want to face the person who vanquished it. You're courting death!"

As he spoke, a jittery excitement coursed through him, knowing that he had just taken a daring step toward his ultimate goal.

Huangfu Pingqing gave Son of Heaven a piercing side-eye, and he immediately fell silent under her intense gaze. "Are you truly adamant about not selling the beast soul? The prices are still open for negotiation," she inquired, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

Bian hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. "Forget it," he sighed, his eyes narrowing as he remembered his desperate need for a map to locate the Green Shelter.

"I'll offer you the Diamond Sword in exchange for a map." He had no better option than Huangfu Pingqing, given her family's extensive connections and detailed maps.

"A map of the sanctuaries can mean the difference between life and death," Huangfu Pingqing responded, her initial interest waning upon realizing Bian's unwillingness to part with the beast soul. Her voice held a note of disappointment, as if she had hoped for a more advantageous trade.

Unwilling to give up, Bian made one final attempt. "I don't need a highly detailed map, just a vague one with the locations of several shelters," he implored. If Huangfu Pingqing declined, he would sell the sword to Qin Xuan.

After a tense pause, Huangfu Pingqing relented. "Alright, I have a map like that back at the shelter. Just give me a moment," she said, her voice now tinged with reluctant agreement.

As Huangfu Pingqing went to retrieve the map, Bian turned to Thumb and Son of Heaven, who had been silently observing the exchange. Thumb, feeling the awkward silence that permeated the air, decided to run. "Well, I've got places to be now. I'll catch up with you later," Thumb muttered to Son of Heaven before hastily departing.

Left alone in the silence, Bian and Son of Heaven exchanged uneasy glances, their emotions and intentions unclear.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Huangfu Pingqing returned with the map. Bian examined its sparse contents briefly, knowing that his unique ability to use mental point targeting would allow him to memorize the details effortlessly. "This map is too incomplete; it's not worth it," he declared as he handed the map back. "Instead, I'll sell you the sword for 150 million."

Huangfu Pingqing hesitated but then relented, clearly wanting to conclude the transaction. "A hundred million, and that's my final offer," she said, exchanging the map for a hundred million dollars.

With a quick nod, Bian agreed. "Deal," he said before swiftly concluding the deal then departing.

Son of Heaven examined the map in astonishment, his earlier skepticism replaced with awe. "You were willing to trade this for a gear?" he marveled at Huangfu Pingqing, holding the map in his hands. It was predominantly blank, with only a few major landmarks and the locations of four shelters: Steel Armor Shelter, Glory Shelter, Green Shelter, and Faith Shelter.

Huangfu Pingqing, already slightly annoyed by the encounter, sighed in response. "Never underestimate the value of any map," she advised, then walked away, leaving Son of Heaven.

Son of Heaven watched her leave, bewildered by how he had managed to ignite Huangfu Pingqing's irritation.