About three minutes later, Jia Gui clawed his way out of the python’s corpse, drenched in blood and cursing under his breath. When he saw Han Wu’s bright, handsome face, however, he wisely shut his mouth.
“No need to thank me. It’s what I do,” Han Wu said before Jia Gui could speak.
Jia Gui wanted to commit murder. If he could beat Han Wu, he would’ve already tried. Unfortunately, all he could do was swallow his rage and follow Han Wu deeper into the island to search for the Dark Faction’s survivors.
The native life forms were genuinely powerful. Every few kilometers brought another dangerous encounter. Han Wu established a simple rule: Jia Gui would handle anything below Sage rank, while Han Wu would take care of anything that was Sage rank and above.
The kills were profitable. Han Wu’s Reincarnation ability dragged the slain creatures’ souls into the Underworld. On top of that, his Slaughter Jurisdiction triggered Sacrifice with every powerful kill. The rewards so far included resources useful for strengthening his units, but nothing Han Wu needed immediately.
With Han Wu pressuring him, Jia Gui was forced into fighting proactively. His speed was excellent, and the Concealment Jurisdiction let him mask his presence. He was a natural assassin. The only problem was that he lacked a proper weapon.
Han Wu started guiding Jia Gui to shape his Divine Authority into a dagger. His technique was crude, but Han Wu believed his sharp mind would refine it with practice.
Three days passed with no sign of the Dark Faction’s survivors, but Han Wu resolutely pressed on. One day, after killing a Heavenrender life form, his Slaughter Jurisdiction activated and presented him with three options.
[Option one: Blood Gem. A valuable gemstone that grants lifesteal properties when embedded in equipment.]
[Option two: Magic Compass. Points the user toward whatever they’re thinking of. Three uses remaining.]
[Option three: Crimson Queen. A 7-Star Divine longsword with fire attributes.]
None of these items was particularly strong, but the second option perfectly served his present needs, so Han Wu chose the Magic Compass without hesitation. It would make locating the Dark Faction’s survivors significantly easier.
Focusing his mind, he pictured Su Lan’s face. The compass needle spun and locked onto a direction. Xu Hai could rest easy once Han Wu found Su Lan.
Han Wu pocketed the compass and set off with Jia Gui.
Five hundred kilometers ahead, large numbers of black-cloaked figures were combing the area. Every single one radiated Microcosm-rank pressure. Commanding them was Elina, a direct descendant of the Light God King and the Daughter of Light.
After her defeat at Han Wu’s hands, Elina had spent years training within her family. With both massive resources and elite instruction at her back, she had reached the Major God level and awakened an incomplete version of the Light Jurisdiction, matching her ancestor. She was the family’s most celebrated prodigy.
The memory of losing to Han Wu, however, had never faded. It was a thorn lodged in her heart that periodically ached. She had sworn to tear Han Wu apart if she ever met him again. For now, though, she focused on hunting the Dark Faction’s remnants.
Finding half a footprint in the dirt, she ordered, “The remnants are nearby. Search every inch.”
The print was clearly human, fresh enough to have been made within the last two hours. The only humans on Paradise Island were the two factions, and Elina had already confirmed it wasn’t from her own side.
She led her forces in pursuit. As soon as she left, three figures rose from beneath the ground.
“They’re finally gone,” the shortest figure said.
“If they don’t find us nearby, they’ll double back. When does this end?” asked a melodic second voice. Were Han Wu present, he would have immediately recognized it as belonging to the Goddess of Enchantment, Su Lan.
“Su Lan, you’re close with the Wisdom Faction. Ask them for help. I’ll repay the favor after I become the God King of Darkness,” the third figure said.
Su Lan glanced at the speaker. His name was An Yunian, a Major God of equal standing to her and the God King of Darkness’s own son and heir. If only his personality were better.
He kept asking her to call for someone from the Wisdom Faction to come and help. There were many factions other than the Light Faction hunting for them. It would be catastrophic if the Wisdom God King got dragged into this, but An Yunian still kept pestering her about it.
“You! Are you even listening to me?” An Yunian demanded, raising his voice.
Visibly pissed, Su Lan snapped, “An Yunian, you have no right to order me around. Forget becoming the God King of Darkness. Even if you already were one, I respected the old God King’s character, not the title.”
“You! My father’s body hasn’t even cooled, and you already refuse to listen to me? You’re probably already itching to jump to another faction, aren’t you?” An Yunian accused.
He had long considered the Dark Faction his personal inheritance and Su Lan his woman. Learning that she and Xu Hai had grown close drove him mad.