Nightmare

When he went back to Shadow Shelter, it didn't seem as if much at all had changed. Before he entered, he came across Cheap Sheep and Green Cow. They were waiting at the gate, one at either side.

"What are you two doing here?" Han Sen stood where he was, looking at the pair as if they were made of stone.

"Boss, you are back! If you hadn't come back, we'd have assuredly died out here." When Cheap Sheep and Green Cow saw Han Sen, they almost cried.

After Cheap Sheep and Green Cow finished crying, Han Sen learned Gu Qingcheng had told the two to stand guard where they were.

It wasn't in defense against any potential enemies, but they were to stand there and wait for the day Han Sen returned. She told them to inform her as soon as they saw him.

They had been standing there for ten years, and in all that time, they hadn't moved an inch.

"How are Little Silver and Red Pony?" Han Sen looked grave. If she was willing to do this to Cheap Sheep and Green Cow, it was no doubt she'd treat Little Silver and Red Pony even worse.

Cheap Sheep looked bitter, and he answered, "They are fine. The woman didn't trouble them. They are still in the gardens, scoffing down food every day. We are considered followers of yours, same as them, so why must the two of us suffer like this?"

After that, Cheap Sheep began to cry out loud. He was unable to stop.

Hearing Little Silver was okay, Han Sen felt his mind and heart put at ease. He comforted Cheap Sheep and Green Cow, then asked for them to take him to see the woman.

The woman was in the spirit hall, at the time. Han Sen, after being led there, saw that the woman was indeed Gu Qingcheng.

"You are back. I knew you wouldn't die so easily." Gu Qingcheng looked rather happy when she saw Han Sen.

"I almost wasn't able to come back," Han Sen said.

"Give the holy child back to me, and I'll forgive past transgressions." Gu Qingcheng did not beat around the bush.

Han Sen revealed the Elysian Umbrella in his hand and said, "She's in here, but I'm not sure if she's living."

After that, Han Sen took away the Real Blood geno core and threw the umbrella at the woman.

Gu Qingcheng had brought disgrace to the entire Elysium enclave on behalf of Elysian Moon. She was a person of dangerous extremes, and Han Sen wanted as little to do with her as possible. But she had Little Silver, and he had no choice at the moment but to agree and do as she bid.

Without Real Blood's control, the umbrella returned to its normal appearance. Before Gu Qingcheng could pick it up, though, the umbrella spun in the air. All of a sudden, Elysian Moon came out of it.

Elysian Moon snatched up the umbrella and looked at Han Sen furiously. She wanted to attack him again.

But Gu Qingcheng waved her hand, which then trapped Elysian Moon. She looked at Han Sen and said, "We are enemies of Elysium, and there is nowhere else for us to go. Can I stay with you for a while?"

"It's fine. You may stay for as long as you want." Han Sen felt rather strange about it all.

Han Sen wouldn't think it out of the ordinary if a strong woman like Gu Qingcheng happily took control of his shelter. But it was certainly strange to see her negotiate in such a way.

Han Sen was already planning on having to fight Gu Qingcheng, but he had misjudged her character and desires, apparently.

Han Sen was glad to avoid a fight, but he didn't know what had happened for her to drop the guise of intimidation she once carried.

"I didn't know you were this good with creatures. I didn't expect creatures such as this to be so willing to stay in your shelter," Gu Qingcheng said to Han Sen.

"I have a lot of creatures. Which are you referring to?" Han Sen was shocked, but he kept his cool.

Gu Qingcheng smiled and said, "Nightmare. The fox and Starsea Beast are fine, but they haven't grown yet, unlike Nightmare."

"Nightmare?" Han Sen was surprised by this, as he had never heard this name before. But aside from Little Silver and Starsea Beast, the only other candidate could be Red Pony.

Han Sen didn't believe that could be what she was referring to, but it was obvious Red Pony wasn't any small creature. It was a powerful one, and even Gu Qingcheng was scared of it.

Han Sen had a suspicion about Red Pony ever since he found it. It didn't look strange, so Han Sen took it in for a normal baby creature.

Now that he thought about it, Red Pony might have been the strongest creature in that fight. When Han Sen was in danger, he had heard a scary noise, and a strong force had slain his enemy. He wondered if that might have been Red Pony.

Han Sen couldn't wait to visit the garden, and before he reached it, Little Silver had already smelled his presence and come running out to greet him. He went straight for Han Sen's legs, so he could rub his body around them.

Han Sen picked Little Silver up and stroked his hair, happily saying, "Little Silver, it's been ten years. You still look the same as ever, and you haven't grown."

Little Silver pulled out his pink tongue and licked Han Sen's face. Then, he rubbed his face against Han Sen's. He didn't speak because he didn't like the human language.

Bao'er, who was perched on Han Sen's shoulder, looked at Little Silver with anger.

"Thank you for taking care of Little Silver." Han Sen put him down and walked over to Red Pony.

Red Pony shook its head and sat down on a cushion, looking as if it didn't want to interact with Han Sen.

Han Sen didn't force it to do anything, though. The pony had protected Little Silver and Starsea Beast in his absence, and it hadn't ever hurt Han Sen, either. It wasn't an aggressive creature, at all.

Little Silver and Starsea Beast had reached gemstone class. They hadn't wasted their ten years, and they were very close to becoming super class.

Gu Qingcheng was scared of Red Pony, and she needed to stay at the shelter even if she looked down on the place. The reason why she was there was because of Han Sen.

After Han Sen took care of business at Shadow Shelter, he returned to Mask Shelter in the Underworld.

Ling Mei'er was able to go back to Dark Spirit Shelter now, and she did so on occasion. Han Sen wanted to return with her next time, so he could take a look at the gourd on the Holy Vine.

But Ling Mei'er didn't go there too often, and she planned to go back a fortnight later.

Han Sen was bored, and so he stayed in the shelter reading The Story of Genes. He also tried practicing with it.