Aobashi and Erebus told of their journey. Han Shuo remained in silent contemplation for a long time.
Finally, Han Shuo let out a soft sigh. He said quietly, "Perhaps it would be better for her. Her mother should be able to take care of her best".
"I wonder who her mother is. She seems even more impressive to me than the godhunter's boss. I couldn't even think of resisting her," Erebus exclaimed. He still felt a little frightened when Andrina's mother was mentioned.
"We've completed the mission, and there won't be any Godhunters around Skyorchid Fortress for a while. I will return to the City of Shadows and report to the City Lord with you," Aobashi said.
"Erebus, do you know anything about the origin and strength of the Godhunter boss?" Han Shuo asked Erebus after a moment's thought.
Erebus forced a smile and replied, "Absolutely no clue. But from my observations, what we met in the underground palace was merely a clone of the powerful being. Had Andrina not used some unknown method to shatter the clone, none of us would live to talk here."
Save for me, thought Han Shuo. He was able to utilize Blood Disassembly in escaping.
"It rather unfortunate for us that Andrina was picked up by her mother. Otherwise, we could ask her about the Godhunter's boss when she wakes up. She must know a thing or two about godhunter's boss!" Aobashi said disappointedly.
Han Shuo shook his head and disagreed, "Even if her mother did not come to pick her up, I'm sure she wouldn't tell us much after she awakes."
"Huh? Why is that?" asked Erebus. He took a short pause before adding more questions, "Bryan, how did you get to know Andrina?"
"I ran into her by chance. She was under the pursuit of godhunters when I first met her," Han Shuo answered Erebus' second question before he explained, "I have been asking her about the godhunters since the day we met. But all this time she's been tight-lipped and wouldn't give anything away. I doubt she would tell us anything even if she were still with us."
"I see..." Aobashi nodded and said, "Well then, let's not waste words discussing among ourselves, but go to the city and ask the city lord about it. Given his insight, His Lordship might know a thing or two about the Godhunter's boss!"
"Sure!" agreed Erebus.
Han Shuo had no objection, of course, and stayed at Skyorchid Fort for a day while Aobashi and Erebus prepared to leave. As soon as they had made all the necessary arrangements, they set off with Han Shuo.
Half a month later, the three arrived in the City of Shadows.
Han Shuo had no time to return to his Celestial Pearl Pharmacy, so he, Erebus and Aobashi went straight to the Sainte Residence to meet with City Lord Wallace and Andre.
They were summoned to a large room where Wallace would discuss official business. The stone pillars surrounding the room were carved with wondrous designs. Sound-isolating barriers formed around the room to prevent any prying ears from eavesdropping.
Wallace, seated in his large chair, wore a solemn expression. Andre stood beside him as Han Shuo and the others approached.
"What actually happened?" Wallace asked in a deep voice as Aobashi and the others entered, "The message you sent wasn't clear. What actually happened in the valley?"
Aobashi, an expert highly respected by Wallace, put a bitter smile on her beautiful face. She sighed and said, "It's complicated, but it all started like this..."
Aobashi slowly told the story of their attack on the valley, with Erebus interrupting from time to time to fill in the missing details. Han Shuo stood to one side, saying nothing as they spoke.
When Aobashi mentioned that the Godhunter boss had easily destroyed the enchanted scroll that Erebus had used, and then severely injured Erebus with a beam of light from his green eyes, the eyes on Wallace and Andre's faces were wide open. They seemed to be terrified by what they had heard.
Soon Aobashi and Erebus had finished their account. Wallace and Andre did not speak for a long time after they had finished, as if they were thinking about something important.
"That's the whole story..." Aobashi cleared her throat when she saw that Wallace and Andre seemed to be lost in thought.
Wallace and Andre exchanged a solemn look before Wallace turned to Erebus, knitted his brows and asked, "Are you sure that the Godhunter destroyed the Scroll of Darkness without much effort?"
"Yes, my lord. I feel I was too weak to fight back," Erebus replied before he sighed. He seemed disappointed at his impotence.
"Don't blame yourself," Wallace comforted him, "even if I had been there, I am no match for the godhunter's boss!"
Aobashi, Erebus and Han Shuo were all visibly astonished to hear Wallace's words. This City Lord of the City of Shadows possessed Late-stage Highgod strength. Those words of his meant that the godhunter's boss possessed strength is above his!
Doesn't this mean it's an Overgod? But how could an Overgod be the leader of the godhunters?
"My Lord, you mean…?" asked Aobashi.
Wallace nodded and affirmed, "Yes, it's an overgod!"
"What!" Han Shuo couldn't help himself but cry out in surprise, "How is that possible? There are just twelve Overgods for the twelve fundamental forces. Overgods have no lack of divine energy, how could any of them be a godhunter?!"
Wallace did not answer Han Shuo's question but turned to Andre and instructed, "Bryan is still rather new to Elysium, and doesn't know that much about the situation. Please clarify it to him!"
Andre nodded, put on a solemn expression, and explained, "You are indeed correct, there are just twelve Overgods for twelve fundamental forces. But the Overgods you are referring to are those who possess the Quintessences, the very source of elemental energy and edictal forces. Although this universe is infinitely vast, there is only one Quintessence for each of the twelve fundamental forces."
There were twelve Quintessences, one for each fundamental force, naturally produced. Han Shuo thought that there were only twelve Supreme Gods in the universe, the Twelve with the Quintessences.
Andre's voice became deep as he continued, "But there are two types of Overgods. The first are the Overgods who possess the Quintessence. There will only ever be twelve of these Overgods, and only one Overgod for each of the twelve basic powers. They are the Overgods that we, living in their divine domain, serve.
"The second type of Overgod are those who, over millions of years, have advanced from the Late-stage of Highgodhood to the realm of Overgodhood. Although they do not possess the Quintessence, their power is incomparably more powerful than us highgods!"
Han Shuo thought quickly in his mind after hearing Andre's explanation. He immediately understood what Andre meant: "So you're saying that the Godhunter boss we met in the valley is an Overgod without the Quintessence?"
"Correct!" Andre confirmed, "I know the power of the enchanted scroll that Erebus received from my older brother. No Late-stage Highgod expert could destroy the scroll so easily. Therefore, there is only one possibility - this person is an Overgod!" Andre paused for a moment before continuing, "As you said, the overgods with the quintessences never needed to absorb divine energy from an ordinary god. Their source of energy comes from those who worship them in their Divine Dominions, so they will never be godhunters. Therefore, the Overgod you met in the valley must not possess a quintessence!"
"I really didn't expect it to be an Overgod!" exclaimed Aobashi quietly. "I have heard a little about the classification of the two types of Overgods, but I have never met Overgod before. Meeting one in the valley was the last thing I expected!"
These words from Andre had shocked Han Shuo. The only Overgods he had known before were the Twelve Overgods. It was the very first time that Han Shuo learned that there was more than one kind of Overgod. After thinking for a moment, Han Shuo asked, "If there are only twelve Quintessences naturally produced in the universe, and they are possessed by the current twelve Overgods, doesn't that mean that an Overgod without a Quintessence will never have a chance to increase in power?
Andre seemed troubled by Han Shuo's question. He hesitated for a long time and looked cautiously at Wallace. After receiving a nod from Wallace, Andre quietly explained, "There is one way for the Overgods to obtain the Quintessence - by force! After the death of an Overgod, his quintessence will return to Heaven and Earth. Until then, any Overgod who cultivates in the energy and can find the quintessence and merge with it will be the new master of the Divine Domain - the new Overgod!
"So you are saying that as long as the Overgod with the Quintessence is alive, other Overgods cultivating in the Energy will not have the chance to obtain the Quintessence?" asked Han Shuo.
"Yes, exactly," Andre nodded and continued, "An Overgod with the Quintessence is much, much stronger than an ordinary Overgod. The differences are similar to the gap between a Midgod and a Highgod. It is virtually impossible for any normal Overgod, even in large numbers, to kill an Overgod with the Quintessence!"
"Has an Overgod ever died?" Han Shuo continued to ask.
Andre was silent for a moment before he nodded and said, "Yes, but not by an ordinary Overgod."
"Alright, that's enough. There are some subjects we cannot talk about too deeply. This is a taboo!" Wallace suddenly interrupted the conversation between Han Shuo and Andre, his eyes looking at the ceiling as if he was worried about something.
Andre immediately closed his mouth tightly and said nothing more.
But Andre had said enough for Han Shuo. He had emphasised twice that the death of an Overgod with the Quintessence could not have been caused by a normal Overgod. He also mentioned that there were Overgods who had fallen. This left only one possibility - they could be killed by other Overgods with the Quintessences, or by a being of a level above them, the Creator!
"Our discussion today will end here. I hope that none of you will speak a word of what we have discussed here. Some words, if spread to the public, could cause trouble!" Wallace solemnly instructed. "Well, now that I have learned the story thoroughly, I must take a trip to the High Shrine of Darkness. Andre will be in charge of all the affairs of the city in my absence."
There were Shrines of Darkness in every city of the Darkness Dominion, but the High Shrine wasn't in any of them. No one but those with the Overgod's approval would know its location.
Obviously, Wallace was one of those qualified to know the location of the High Shrine and to enter it. It was clear to all that Wallace's intention and purpose was to go to the High Dark Shrine.
Although an Overgod could make contact with his devout followers, it wasn't so easy for an ordinary god to meet the Overgod he served.
Although everyone in the Dark Dominion knew that the Overlord of Darkness existed, there were very few who could actually communicate with the Overlord of Darkness. Wallace was one of the few who had this privilege.
Wallace was indeed an upright man. Immediately after leaving Andre with a few words, he left the Sainte Residence alone, without the company of any divine guard. No one knew where he was going.
After Wallace left, Andre began to ask Han Shuo every detail about Andrina.
His curiosity about Andrina seemed to have increased tenfold. Since Han Shuo really didn't know much about Andrina, he could only force a smile and explain: "Lord Andre, I really don't know Andrina that well. There's no point in asking me all these questions!"
"You have spent so much time with her and yet you know nothing!" Andre's heart was filled with questions, "I thought you knew Andrina better. But then again, with such a mysterious mother, it's not so surprising that she wouldn't tell you much."
Han Shuo stared blankly for a moment before asking, "Lord Andre, do you know the identity of Andrina's mother?"
Andre shook his head, but then nodded strangely under Han Shuo's burning gaze. It was unlike his usual behaviour. He hesitated for a moment before he forced a smile and said, "I don't know the identity of Andrina's mother for sure, but from Erebus and Aobashi's descriptions, I could vaguely associate it with a person. If she really is that person, then, Bryan, good luck to you!
After Andre uttered these words, Erebus and Aobashi cast attentive glances at Andre. Although they did not speak, it could not be more obvious that they were very interested in the subject.
"I can be sure that the Godhunter is an overgod without a quintessence. And if your senses, Erebus and Aobashi, are correct, then Andrina's mother could very well be a true Overgod with a Quintessence," Andre explained.
"Which of the Twelve?" Han Shuo, Aobashi, and Erebus simultaneously shouted.
There were just twelve Overgods with Quintessences, One for each fundamental force. There was just twelve of them in the entire universe. The scope was too small.
This has nothing to do with the Overgods of Darkness, Death, and Destruction. I believe Their Lordships will not take offense? Andre hesitated for a moment before he said in a very low voice, "I surmise, it should be the most mysterious one – the Goddess of Destiny!"