***It was the dead of night outside the City of Shadows.
At the centre of a man-eating bush, a dark shadow appeared, accompanied by a thud. The dark figure crashed into a swaying man-eating flower, snapping it instantly.
An intense stench of blood emanated from the dark figure. The stench seemed to carry the most powerful luring power, arousing the excitement of all the man-eating plants in the bush.
Tough, thick vines covered with thorns and large leaves oozing a strong, corrosive liquid, which had been standing still, quickly moved towards the dark figure. In an instant, the dark figure was completely enveloped in leaves and vines.
The man-eating plants that had enveloped the dark figure wriggled, tore, and tightened their grip with all their might. It was obvious that the plants wanted to strangle, crush and swallow the trapped creature alive.
Creak... creak... strange sounds came from the wrapped figure. The tenacious vines that were strangling him began to loosen and even retreat.
Splat! The leaves and vines that did not retreat in time shattered into pieces and splattered all around, revealing Han Shuo in the centre.
After a while, Han Shuo began to move his arms and legs. He felt that every action had become ten times more difficult and exhausting than usual. Even his eyelids felt much heavier and were extremely difficult to open and close.
Finally, with great difficulty, Han Shuo managed to sit cross-legged on the floor. After regaining some of his energy, Han Shuo allowed his two avatars to emerge from his body. One stood to his left while the other stood to his right, carefully watching the surroundings and vigilantly protecting him.
Han Shuo decided not to return to the City of Shadows. Instead, with his two avatars carrying his main body, he found and hid in a well-concealed underground cave in one of the many mountains surrounding the City of Shadows. His two avatars then repaired the outside of the cave, ensuring that all traces of him were concealed and erased. His Avatar of Death then left silently.
Late at night, the City of Shadows lacked the bustle and activity of the day. Instead, the city was quiet and still.
Han Shuo's avatar travelled to the city wall closest to the Laver Residence and silently released a few demon generals. Several boundary towers surrounded the city, mercilessly attacking any intruders. Han Shuo had no confidence in evading the boundary towers, so he decided to stay outside the city walls.
However, the shapeless demon generals were able to evade the detection of these boundary towers. Hiding in the darkness, Han Shuo used several demon generals to observe the situation inside.
The demon generals, easily bypassing the defensive barriers in their path, headed straight for their destination - the Laver Residence.
The boundaries found in the Lavers residence were even more advanced, but they still could not prevent the demon generals from entering. After circling the Lavers residence, the demon generals found the room where Cage and Eve were staying and continued to watch their every move.
"Brother, why won't Father let us out of the house?" The gods on Elysium didn't need much sleep, and most of them cultivated in silence during the night. Eve obviously wasn't one of them. Instead of cultivating, she complained to her brother Cage.
"Father has his own reasons for his decisions. We just have to listen," Cage said calmly. He glanced at the agitated Eve and said solemnly, "Father is really angry this time, I'm sure of it. We had better be very obedient and make no trouble for the moment. Understand?"
"But, but that fool has destroyed three of our shops. He is going over our heads. Don't tell me we won't take revenge?" Eve replied in a slightly softer voice. She had rarely seen Cage so well behaved and knew there must be a reason.
"Don't worry, Father said he would take care of it!" Cage then put on a sinister, cold smile and continued, "I have heard the Divine Guards tell me that Father has drunk a lot tonight. Do you know what happens when Father drinks?"
Eve was confused for a moment before her eyes lit up and she stammered, "You mean... You mean..."
Cage nodded and confirmed, "That someone runs out of luck!"
"Fantastic! I knew Father wouldn't just stand by and let us get bullied. Haha! I guess we will never see that guy again!" Eve said as she put on a happy smile.
Her mood had suddenly improved a lot.
Han Shuo ordered the two demon generals who had been spying on Cage and Eve to return. They began to silently retreat back to Han Shuo's avatar hiding outside the city wall.
Han Shuo did not investigate further with his demon generals as it had become clear to him who the person who tried to assassinate him was. The strong smell of alcohol on his assailant matched the person discussed in Cage and Eve's conversation. Han Shuo could not be more certain of the identity of his assailant - Fifth Corps Chief Avery Lavers!
He understood that if Avery had succeeded in slaughtering him, even if the Sainte family found out that Avery had committed the murder, they probably wouldn't denounce Avery and go to war with him over his death, because after all, Avery was the Chief of the Fifth Corps and he would have the backing of the entire House of Lavers.
Han Shuo thought to himself, I may be of some importance in life. But in death, I would be absolutely worthless. A dead man who cannot produce medicine can never be worthy enough for the House of Sainte to go to war over. If it came to that, perhaps only Carmelita would take revenge for me?
But if Carmelita doesn't know who did it, how is she going to avenge me?
A series of thoughts quickly flashed through Han Shuo's mind. Although Avery's drunken assassination attempt seemed impulsive, after thinking about it carefully, Han Shuo discovered that it was actually a very weighty decision. Avery definitely did not do it without thinking. He must have thought about it thoroughly before pretending to be drunk and attacking.
After all, how was it possible for a Highgod to be affected by alcohol?
As the realisation dawned on him, Han Shuo suddenly felt a cold shiver run through his heart. He no longer dared to underestimate any Highgod in the City of Shadows. If a mere Avery was so formidable, then the other divine guard chiefs and patriarchs of great family clans who were more powerful than Avery must be even more terrifying.
After Han Shuo calmed his mind and considered the situation carefully, he realised that he had underestimated the experts in the City of Shadows because everything had gone smoothly with his Celestial Pearl Pharmacy. In particular, he had misjudged how terrifying Avery and the House of Lavers were, resulting in his near death!
Han Shuo gasped in surprise. The demon generals retreating from the Laver residence suddenly spotted a shadow outside Cage and Eve's room. The shadow had completely merged with the darkness and was moving around as if looking for something...
"Where is it? I'm sure there's something nearby. But what is it..." The shadowy figure Avery referred to as 'Number Three' looked around from the darkness, trying to locate some unknown threat.
Han Shuo ordered his demon generals to retreat quickly. He was certain that the shadow hiding in the darkness must be a midgod of excellent strength who was adept at concealing himself.
That night, Han Shuo's death avatar silently returned to the cave where his main body was hiding. Han Shuo had no intention of returning to the City of Shadows for the time being.
***Two Months Later...
Thanks to Anito's efforts, the Celestial Pearl Pharmacy had completed its renovation and looked brand new. Over the past two months, many from the great family clans had come to Anito's shop to ask about Han Shuo's whereabouts, desperate to buy more of his medicine.
Most of those who queued up to buy medicine from the Celestial Pearl Pharmacy had tried it themselves.
They spoke highly of the pharmacy and told others about the brilliance of the medicines. More and more of the city's rich and powerful began to pay attention to this inconspicuous shop called Celestial Pearl Pharmacy.
Anito knew nothing of what had happened that night. Of course, he couldn't give the crowd a good explanation for Han Shuo's mysterious disappearance. Erebus, the head of the Third Corps, had visited Anito a few times in the past few months, but with Han Shuo out of town, Anito hadn't been able to get his hands on any medicine.
Another month had passed. The reputation of the Celestial Pearl Pharmacy in the City of Shadows was growing. The great family clans began to grow suspicious of Han Shuo's abrupt and rather prolonged disappearance. Some of the family clans even sent their men to search the mountain ranges around the city for Han Shuo.
It was during this time that Carmelita finally emerged from her secluded cultivation. Her skin tone had become more and more normal.
Although her appearance was still far from beauty, her appearance was now merely ordinary ugly.
The excited Carmelita, who had even thought about how to repay Han Shuo's favour, was disappointed by Han Shuo's mysterious disappearance. She began to worry when she heard from Anito that Han Shuo had returned with all the medicinal ingredients he needed the day before he disappeared.
By the fourth month after his disappearance, not only Carmelita, but all the members of the great family clans who wanted to buy Han Shuo's medicine were convinced that something sinister must have happened to Han Shuo. Many even believed that Han Shuo had been murdered.
Carmelita, however, did not!
After returning from the Miasmic Cloud Mountains with Han Shuo, Carmelita knew how skilful Han Shuo was at preserving his own life. Being able to escape from the extremely dangerous situation in the Miasmic Cloud Mountains while carrying a wounded person had left a deep impression on Carmelita.
Concerned, Carmelita ordered the divine guards under his House of Sainte to search for Han Shuo. Not only the City of Shadows, but also the cities and fortresses within her sphere of influence were searched by Carmelita's order. A thorough search for Han Shuo began.
At the same time, Andre, another important figure in the House of Sainte, began his own investigation into Han Shuo's disappearance.
"What have you found?" Andre asked with narrowed eyes.
His left pupil turned a dark purple, shimmering with ice-cold murder. If Han Shuo were present, he would surely notice that Andre at this moment was nothing like his polite and amiable self in normal times!
A person whose face was covered by a white mask crouched in front of Andre. His pair of eyes, not covered by the mask, were as lifeless and empty as the dead. It would give any observer a very uncomfortable feeling.
"Avery of the House of Lavers drank heavily that night," a toneless voice, seemingly devoid of all emotion, sounded from behind the white mask.
"Continue," Andre gently closed his dark purple eye and looked at the figure with only his right eye.
"On that day, Avery's son Cage had been to Fifth Corps. The two of them had a conversation in a secret chamber, and Cage returned to the Lavers residence soon after. He has not left the Lavers residence to this day," the emotionless voice paused briefly before continuing, "but there are eyewitnesses who claim that Avery did not leave the Fifth Corps building all night. He fell asleep on top of the building after drinking and only woke up at dawn."
"He who excuses himself accuses himself. Since there are people who saw him on top of the building, it must have been him. It seems I must pay him a visit!" Andre stood up and opened his left eye. It returned to its original dark grey colour, the same as his right eye. His whole demeanour also changed and he was once again the gentlemanly and beaming Andre.
Out of nowhere, Andre appeared at the top of the tower where Avery was drinking. He sat calmly in the chair that belonged to Avery alone, looking calmly at the blue sky as he rocked the chair.
Avery, who was below the building and in the middle of something, suddenly frowned. He said to the few people in front of him, "That's it for now. You are all dismissed."
"My Lord, there are still a few things that need your..."
"I said dismissed!" Avery groaned in a cold voice before the person could finish.
The few were astonished. They hurriedly retreated from the room without saying another word.
Avery's figure blurred and he appeared in front of Andre the next time.
"I was not expecting you, Lord Andre. How can I help you?" Avery opened a bottle of wine and poured as he said to Andre. He then handed Andre a crystal goblet filled with amber-coloured liquid and said, "Fruit wine from the Northwest Forest of the Dominion of Life.
Have a taste."
Andre smilingly accepted the crystal goblet, took a sip, and praised, "Mmm... Not bad, not bad at all... You really know how to enjoy life, don't you!"
Avery said nothing, but smiled modestly.
Andre downed the goblet of wine. As he gently swayed and stared into the empty goblet in his hand, he asked in a very natural way, "So, is Bryan dead or is he still alive?"
The smile on Avery's face turned stiff and he froze in the middle of pouring himself a cup of wine. After a long pause he resumed. With a rather bitter smile, he shook his head and replied, "I don't know..."