Chapter 636: Conversation With The Highgod Of Destruction

After Han Shuo's stirring speech, the shrine remained in a state of uproar for some time. As the crowd's emotions began to subside, the great fat pope announced the beginning of the worship ceremony.

Some living magical beasts were placed on the altar and then sacrificed. Their fresh red blood flowed into the pool of blood in the centre of the altar. All the Cardinals and followers of the Church of Calamity began to kowtow respectfully while chanting softly in an ancient language.

Even the pope prostrated himself. Han Shuo swept his eyes across the hall. He bent his legs slightly to crouch, but did not actually kneel.

During this solemn and sacred moment, everyone was focused on murmuring their prayers. No one noticed Han Shuo's disrespectful manner towards their god. Han Shuo's cold eyes were fixed intently on the centre of the altar, carefully studying the patterns on the magical matrix. As a Lowgod himself, Han Shuo realised that this evil god summoning altar was similar to the one he had used before.

With all the sacrifices they had made and their pious prayers passing through the abstruse patterns on the altar, the evil god worshipped by the Church of Calamity, on another material plane unknown lightyears away, could indeed hear the call from the Profound Continent. It was now up to the evil god to decide if it was willing to answer the call and manifest itself to communicate with them.

The ceremony took place in a solemn and sombre atmosphere. Everything went according to plan.

In the middle of the ceremony, the pool of blood on the altar suddenly began to swirl. A most bizarre atmosphere began to slowly spread throughout the Shine.

Han Shuo looked around with a furrowed brow. As he watched the changes in the blood pool with his eyes, he sensed that a god from far away was slowly injecting his energy into the bloody pool by some bizarre miracle.

The pool, filled with the blood of magical beasts, began to swirl faster and faster. A kind of dignified and imposing atmosphere began to emanate from the bloody pool, filling the entire shrine. After some time, the blood began to coalesce, taking the form of a humanoid with an indistinct face.

A pair of eyes suddenly opened. It immediately turned towards Han Shuo who was watching it intently from below. As the pair of eyes landed on Han Shuo, a feeling of powerlessness and inability to resist rose from his heart, taking him by surprise. It was as if this blood figure could take his life at any time if it wanted to.

"I am Terokk. High God of Destruction. The affairs of the Church of Calamity within the Profound Continent are under my jurisdiction. I have come here to discuss the problems of the Profound Continent with you," a voice sounded in Han Shuo's mind as the man made of blood looked at him.

Han Shuo was not surprised at all. He knew what to expect even before he came to this place. When the voice sounded in his mind, not the slightest ripple crossed his heart. Han Shuo remained silent.

"You are quite extraordinary to have cultivated into a Lowgod on this low material plane. You cultivate in the energy of death and destruction. You were destined to be on our side from the beginning," Terokk continued.

"You have insulted the Shrine of Ice and the Church of Light, and even alarmed those in the higher planes. They will not allow a god like you to exist on this low material plane called the Profound Continent. But we can protect you and lead you on a new path!"

"What do I have to do?" Han Shuo, who had been silent the whole time, finally asked.

"Join us and do some things for us on the Profound Continent. We need you and you need us!" Terokk, in the form of a bloody man, said apathetically.

"I understand. You want me to expand the influence of the Church of Calamity on the Profound Continent and make all living things here worship you.

"Hm, I thought a man as powerful as you would be wiser!" Terokk's answer defied Han Shuo's expectations. He continued, "If it's just to get all the power of faith from this continent, do you really think I'd bother to appear here in person? A mere low-level material plane is not worthy of my time and effort. On another note, if you join us and become one of us, all the powe faith of this Profound Continent will be yours," he said.

Han Shuo was startled by these words. He asked, "If it's not about the power of faith of the Profound Continent, then what is it about? How can I help you?"

"The population of the Profound Continent is sparse. The power of your people's faith simply isn't worthy of our time! I've come here to discuss something else; it concerns the lowest layer of the Profound Underground World!"

The lowest layer of the underground world! Han Shuo was startled once again. Back when Han Shuo had explored the deepest layer of the cemetery of death, Han Shuo had learned from the original owner of the skeleton staff that there were still some secrets in the last layer of the underground world. He did not expect this high-ranking member of the Church of Calamity, who possessed the power of a Highgod, to suddenly mention this twilight zone.

What was at the end of this tunnel? Why would the Ice Shrine want to enter it? Why had the original owner of the Skeletal Staff mentioned it? Why was this expert of Highgod strength from such a distant material plane so concerned about it?

"What's in there?" Han Shuo asked.

"Some very strange things. As for what exactly they are, save that question for later. I have summoned you here because I need your help with certain matters. Now, you are in possession of the Cemetery of Death. There is a magical transportation matrix that could provide interplanar transmission. I need you to bring the interplanar transportation matrix online and fill it with sufficient power. In two weeks, some of our people will travel there and take you to the deepest layer of the underground world. Between now and then, you will be tasked with finding a way to the third layer of the Underworld and ensuring that nothing happens to the Cemetery of Death. If the interplanar transportation matrix is destroyed, we will have real trouble getting in, and you will face certain death!

Interplanar transmission requires both the sending and receiving matrices to be online. If Han Shuo failed to either activate the interplanar transportation matrix on his side or fill it with enough energy stones, even with the planar coordinates, those gods from the other material plane would not be able to teleport to the Profound Continent - Terokk made that very clear.

"You must be very careful from now on. There may be other gods who will enter your continent using another interplanar transportation matrix. Some of them could be your enemies from the Shrine of Ice and the Church of Light."

"How many interplanar transportation matrices are there on the Profound Continent?" Han Shuo asked with a furrowed brow.

"Besides the Cemetery of Death, which you possess, there is one more, and it can only be activated by the planar guardian of your continent. Since we were defeated in the last great battle, we were unable to occupy the other transport matrix. Fortunately, we left a cemetery there as a backup. Otherwise, we might not even be able to participate in this upcoming battle!"

Upon hearing these words, Han Shuo suddenly remembered that in the battle five thousand years ago, the evil gods, the original owner of the Skeletal Staff, and the ancestors of the Soul Race had fought on the side of the Church of Calamity. In the end, however, they suffered a crushing defeat and were forced to flee the Profound Continent.

The planar guardian of the Profound Continent was none other than the Primordial Dragon - Han Shuo's mortal enemy. He should have been a member of the opposing faction to the Church of Calamity back then, and he would surely allow experts from the Church of Light or the Shrine of Ice to use his interplanar transport matrix. At that time, Han Shuo would be confronted with truly powerful gods. This was inevitable!

"What if I could kill the planar guardian and destroy the other interplanar transportation matrix before that happened? Then it would be very difficult for them to get in, wouldn't it?" Han Shuo asked suggestively.

"The enemy may be thinking of doing the same thing to you. You should know, however, that the interplanar transport matrix isn't fixed in one place and can move, just like the cemetery of death. Not only that, but it would have unique barriers to prevent others from discovering it. It wouldn't be easy for them to find yours, and it would be just as difficult for you to find theirs! Under the present unique circumstances, I believe that the Planar Guardian will hide himself and his transportation matrix until his allies arrive. I really doubt you'll be able to find it!"

Han Shuo was alarmed - this was new to him. After learning the secrets of the Cemetery of Death, Han Shuo knew that he could indeed move the Cemetery of Death wherever he wanted. Moreover, this mysterious boundary around the structure was truly miraculous. Earlier, he had managed to evade the soul pursuit of the Six-Horned Tribe King of the Soul Race by hiding in the Cemetery of Death. This was proof that the Cemetery of Death could indeed block the detection of others.

When Han Shuo first returned to the Profound Continent, he bathed the Dragon Valley in dragon blood. However, when he carried out more massacres on the Profound Continent, the Primordial Dragon did not come looking for him. It seemed that he kept himself hidden until his allies arrived.

"Very well. As the offer is limited, so is the length of our conversation. This is as much as I can tell you. Remember, at this point, to help us is to help yourself. You have no choice. But as long as you can handle things well on the Profound Continent, I will see to it that you are well rewarded!" Terokk's voice in Han Shuo's mind grew weaker and weaker as the rapidly swirling pool of blood became slower and slower.

The conversation between Han Shuo and Highgod Terokk that had started halfway through the ceremony ended just as the ceremony came to an end.

Inside the shrine, all the followers of the Church of Calamity still maintained their pious kowtowing posture while silently reciting words of prayer.

Meanwhile, great waves were sweeping through Han Shuo's heart. After talking to Terokk, Han Shuo knew that there must be some great secrets in the last layer of the underground world. Otherwise, all those gods and powerhouses from distant, high-level material planes would never come to a material plane as insignificant as the Profound Continent.

Upon learning this fact, Han Shuo's mood was incomparably heavy. At that time, the only opponent Han Shuo had on the Profound Continent was the Primordial Dragon. However, once these experts from foreign material planes inevitably descended, Han Shuo feared that he would not have enough strength to even survive.

The Profound Continent might have seemed beautiful and pleasant. However, if what was about to happen next was not handled properly, not only Han Shuo, but all those close to him, and perhaps even everyone in the Lancelot Empire, would have to pay an unimaginable price.

Han Shuo took a deep breath. He knew that if not for himself, then for all those he cared about, he had to pull himself together and give those experts from the distant material planes hell!

This was a crisis, but wasn't it also a turning point? The cultivators of the demonic arts had risen above the others through constant, cruel bloodshed. Why should this crisis be an exception? Han Shuo's mind became more and more determined as he thought to himself.