Black Jade City, Thalia District.
The party arrived at a small, dilapidated stone house that contained little more than a few crude pieces of furniture; a table, a chair, a bed, and an iron cooking pot. On the stone bed lay a woman who had long since passed away without a trace of life.
Sanguis took light steps into the room and knelt before his mother's stone bed. After a heartfelt round of prayer, Sanguis stood up emotionlessly, turned to Han Shuo and said, "Master, I wish to bury my mother's body!"
Han Shuo nodded. Without saying another word, he removed a few pieces of pitch black 'Black Stone Coins' from his space ring and placed them on the cracked table in the centre of the room.
No matter what material plane one was on, burying the dead was not for the penniless. The realm of the Abyss was no exception. The reason Sanguis had left home for the streets was precisely to find the means to bury his mother properly. But he ran into his 'old friends' and was nearly beaten to death.
Had he not met Han Shuo, this impoverished child would not have been able to raise enough money to bury his mother, even if her body had decomposed. Sanguis was not overly humble in the face of his new master. After seeing the enormous amount of black stone coins Han Shuo had placed on the stone table, Sanguis simply said in a muffled voice, "Thank you, Master.
In the Abyss Realm, black stone coins were the highest denomination coins in circulation. One coin could be exchanged for ten blue stone coins, or for a hundred yellow stone coins. Under normal circumstances, a few blue stone coins would suffice for a simple ceremony. Those pieces of black stone coin that Han Shuo put down were definitely more than enough for Sanguis to waste.
"Alright, you go take care of your business." Han Shuo nodded, looked at his three ladies standing outside the door, and left apathetically.
"With the black stone coins, it wouldn't take long," Sanguis replied. After following Han Shuo out of the room, he said, "Master, masters, please wait here for a while. I have to leave for a moment and will be back very soon."
"Go ahead," Han Shuo agreed.
Sanguis left with the few pieces of black stone coins. This boy had a strong, even morbid thirst for power. Ever since he had obtained the basic cultivation methods of the Bloodgod Mantra, he had been obsessed with the cultivation methods. Han Shuo could tell from his constantly knitted brows and the abnormalities of the blood in his body.
"Han Shuo, this boy has a very tenacious willpower. But can he really become the powerful expert you expect?" Jasper asked with a slightly furrowed brow as she watched Sanguis leave.
"Yes. He said he couldn't cultivate in any of the eight elemental energies or the four edict Forces. In the Abyss, those who can't cultivate in any of those twelve energies are definitely, as he said himself, rubbish. How could such a person also possess mighty strength?" Sylph was sceptical too. Having grown up in the Abyss Realm, they did not seem too optimistic about this youngster.
Han Shuo put on the smile of an enlightened man, turned his eyes to the three ladies, and said, "The eight elemental energies and four edict Forces are not the universal cultivation paths for everyone. Some are gifted and different from birth, and are destined for the unsurpassed path. If Sanguis hadn't met me, he might have remained mediocre for the rest of his life. But since we were so fortunate to have met, it is a matter of course that he will be an outstanding expert in the future".
The three ladies were astonished by Han Shuo's explanation. After exchanging glances, Jasper smiled and said, "I believe you. Hehehe, there are indeed many magical things about you. Perhaps it is true that Sanguis can only expect to excel in life by meeting you."
Han Shuo was actually quite pleased with this newly adopted apprentice of his. Since he had no business to attend to, Han Shuo decided to stay with his three women. He watched as Sanguis was busy arranging his mother's funeral.
Han Shuo and his three ladies had actually offered to help Sanguis with the funeral. But Sanguis had tactfully declined. He insisted on doing it alone and arranging his mother's funeral by himself. It was fair to say that Sanguis was a filial son.
The Abyss realm wasn't one for overly elaborate burial ceremonies. Thanks to the few pieces of black stone coin, Sanguis had completed his mother's burial in less than half a day. With all his affairs in order, and after a round of mournful weeping, Sanguis's heart was at last at peace. He returned to the small stone house.
"Master, thank you!" Sanguis bowed again to Han Shuo as an expression of gratitude.
"Stand up. Don't be so polite to me in the future," Han Shuo replied calmly. After Sanguis stood up, Han Shuo's consciousness inspected his body once more. His eyebrows knitted together, he said, "As for the cultivation of the Bloodgod Mantra, if there's anything you don't understand, you must ask me. Never try to cultivate before you are absolutely clear about a technique. Cultivating demonic arts is very dangerous. Any misstep could plunge you into an irreversible state with no hope of salvation. I do not want to lose an apprentice right after receiving one.
Aside from his stubborn nature, Sanguis was also somewhat uncommunicative. After watching him all this time, Han Shuo noticed that Sanguis did not seem to like asking others for guidance. In fact, as he silently deciphered the Bloodgod Mantra that Han Shuo had left in his soul, he had even begun to practice some of those simpler techniques.
Even though Han Shuo did not personally cultivate in the Bloodgod Mantra, nor would he be able to like Sanguis, Han Shuo's mind contained all the understanding and memories of the demonic arts that he had received from Chu Cang Lan. Since Sanguis had no experience in demonic arts, Han Shuo was afraid that if Sanguis explored the techniques on his own, something might go wrong.
After hearing Han Shuo's words, Sanguis showed a slightly embarrassed expression and said, "Oh, so that's the case. Um, master, there are indeed many things I'm not clear about."
"This type of martial arts is completely different from the Twelve Energies you know. If you could cultivate without any hindrance, if you only knew the cultivation methods, you would have my respects. Speak. Whatever questions you have, I will explain them to you in detail," Han Shuo said with a smile. Having cultivated his demonic arts to this level, in addition to the memories left by Chu Cang Lan, even if Han Shuo didn't cultivate in the Bloodgod Mantra, he would still be able to help Sanguis solve the problems he faced in his cultivation.
Bloodgod Mantra and Godslaying Devil Path were the same in that they were branches of demonic arts. These branching martial arts would allow one to make considerable progress in a short period of time. Especially Sanguis , someone of Sanguis's type would progress even faster. However, even if Sanguis were to master the Bloodgod Mantra and become a so-called Blood Demon, it would still be difficult for him to surpass Han Shuo, who had cultivated in the Mainstream Demonic Arts.
With Han Shuo's reminder, Sanguis no longer kept his difficulties to himself and asked Han Shuo to explain all the things he did not understand one by one. Han Shuo generously answered all of Sangui's questions, illuminating a bright path for his cultivation.
Sanguis had proven himself to be the most suitable candidate for practising the Bloodgod Mantra. After figuring out the cultivation methods under Han Shuo's guidance, it hadn't taken long for him to truly control the blood in his body and operate the energy in his body according to the unique cultivation technique of the Bloodgod Mantra.
The power that Sanguis had so longed for had actually always been within him. More specifically, his own blood. However, he did not know how to utilise this type of energy, so the energy in his body could not be released. When Sanguis cultivated according to the Bloodgod Mantra, the blood in his body would circulate, and every inch of his skin would appear bloody red.
When Han Shuo saw that Sanguis seemed to have fallen into the wonderful meditative state in his cultivation, he nodded, feeling satisfied with his apprentice's mind and effort. So as not to disturb Sanguis, Han Shuo silently motioned to his three ladies and walked out of the small stone house with them. Aside from chit-chat, Han Shuo would correct Jasper on some of her misconceptions regarding the cultivation of mental strength.
With the help of Han Shuo, a divine being, both Hemanna and Sylph had begun to meditate using the same method that Jasper had used to gain Mental Strength, attempting to sense the presence of this mysterious energy within the brain. Of the two, Sylph had managed to sense the presence of Mental Power before Hemanna, but Hemanna wasn't far behind and was on the verge of a breakthrough.
"My Lord, the enemy spy is in there. I'm sure of it," a familiar voice suddenly reached Han Shuo's ears. After a short while, the few youths who had been drenched in cold sweat after receiving a great shock from Han Shuo now carried a heavy air of arrogance as well as a level one demon strength expert towards Han Shuo.
In front of this demon, the few teenagers were full of respect and awe. They obviously intended to use this demon to take care of Han Shuo. Sanguis, who had recently entered a meditative state, came out of his house after hearing the voice.
The young man turned cowardly when he saw Han Shuo. But when he remembered the origin of the person standing next to him, he suddenly regained his confidence and boldly pointed at Han Shuo as he shouted, "My Lord, there they are!
The other few children who had come with him all had their heads held high and their chests outstretched. Thinking they had found someone they could rely on, they all began to curse at Han Shuo in their tiny voices, as if they had forgotten their humiliating looks not long before.
"My apprentice, use the energy you have just grasped to kill these clowns for me!" Han Shuo instructed unenthusiastically after giving them a disdainful cold smile.
"Yes, Master!" Sanguis replied naturally. In the next moment, his lips curved to reveal a ruthless and evil smile, while his eyes began to turn crimson. Step by step, he marched towards his archenemies as they continued to mock him.
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