Han Shuo traveled to Venomfang Mountain and searched around but he too could not locate Han Hao. His senses picked up nothing and he discovered no trails of him. From the information Rose had relayed to him, if anything were to happen to Han Hao, it was safe to assume that was Sovereign Salas the person responsible! Han Shuo therefore made his way to Empyrean Peak.
Many of Salas’ direct disciples were on the mountain. The Empyrean Peak was akin to a broadsword that had pierced through the blue dome of heaven. It was protected by all sorts of defensive boundaries. It was impossible to sneak into the Peak noiselessly, even for Han Shuo.
Han Shuo, while gazing at the Empyrean Peak with his head raised high, gradually expanded his consciousness. Divine souls were registered by his consciousness one after another.
After a while, Han Shuo let out a gentle cry of surprise. Based on the surveillance of his consciousness, he sensed more than a thousand divine souls on the Empyrean Peak. There were tens of highgod Fringedwellers, among which were seventeen late-stage highgod experts.
Even though Salas wasn’t on the Empyrean Peak, the forces gathered on the mountain top could not be defeated by an average power. Han Shuo threaded carefully after sensing from the mountain’s foot. He continued to try to locate Salas.
Moments later, Han Shuo’s brows bunched deeper. He could not sense Salas’ presence on the Empyrean Peak at all. As long as Salas, an expert who had exceeded highgod strength, was on the Mountain, Han Shuo would have been able to at least sense something.
Han Shuo had in fact employed the Soul-searching Technique. It was so powerful that even Sovereign Ossora, who was excellent at concealing his aura, could not hide from Han Shuo’s senses if he used the Technique. However, at this moment, Han Shuo sensed not a trace of Salas’ aura.
<i>Could it be that Salas just so happened to be away?</i> Han Shuo weighed in his mind if he should go visit the mountain top.
Although Han Shuo had killed plenty since he stepped into the Fringe, he had avoided offending any of the Sovereigns. Han Shuo had been trying to avoid conflict with them for as long as possible because he did not have the certainty of defeating any of them.
If Han Shuo were to intrude the Empyrean Peak that day, it would be tantamount to declaring war against Salas. Salas would wage war upon him and try to annihilate him and his followers. Han Shuo had to consider his next action prudently.
After hesitating and debating with himself for ages, Han Shuo finally made up his mind.
“Who is it?” Han Shuo heard a cry as soon as he stepped into the Mountain. A squadron of Empyrean Peak guards came out from their posts vigilantly. They pointed their weapons at Han Shuo.
“I want to see Salas. Go pass the message,” commanded Han Shuo calmly after he glanced at those guards.
“How dare you address His Lordship so disrespectfully!” The Empyrean Peak guards that were used to being contemptuous commanded without thinking, “Capture him!”
The squadron of ten midgods attacked Han Shuo together. But unfortunately for them, they were nowhere close to being able to harm Han Shuo with what little power they had. They stood absolutely no chance against him.
Han Shuo could not imagine just how much worse the others would be if even these tiny, weak followers of Salas’ were so arrogant and condescending. He started to understand why Han Hao would kill that follower of Salas’.
Knowing that he had stepped past the point of no return, Han Shuo showed them no mercy. Before the guards even got near him, they were trapped by an enormous bone flower. The Cauldron of Myriad Demon left Han Shuo’s body and gave off a dazzling light. The divine souls of those ten guards flew into the Cauldron just like that.
The power of Cauldron Spirit grew as the number of demon generals in the Cauldron increased. By that point, the Cauldron of Myriad Demon could suck away the divine soul of a midgod straight out of his divine body with a flash. Han Shuo did not even have to raise a finger.
Ten wisps of greyish smoke floated into the Cauldron. The little Cauldron made a circle around Han Shuo and hovered over his shoulder instead of returning into his body. It climbed up the Empyrean Peak with Han Shuo.
Brilliant blue lights simultaneously erupted from the pointy top of three energy towers and formed an azure barrier in Han Shuo’s path. But before Han Shuo had reached the barrier, a large swarm of shadows whooshed out from the Cauldron and tore holes in the barrier.
The Cauldron of Myriad went behind the barrier and suddenly grew to the size of a person. It whacked somewhere between the three energy towers and they instantly shattered with a rumble. Clouds of dust and debris were sent flying.
“Who dares seek trouble at the Empyrean Peak?!” a loud, angry roar was heard from the waist of the mountain as several silhouettes rapidly descended. However, Han Shuo and his Cauldron completely ignored them and continued their journey upwards.
None of the barriers and energy towers Han Shuo met on his way up could withstand the power of Cauldron Spirit. The Cauldron took care of all the obstacles for Han Shuo, paving the way for him and giving him an unimpeded path to the top.
It was only now that Han Shuo truly realized just how much the Cauldron’s strength had increased after devouring hundreds upon thousands of divine souls. The Cauldron of Myriad Demon was the ultimate weapon in demonic arts. Not only did it know all sorts of demonic formations, but it also clearly understood the barriers and shields of this universe. It seemed as though destroying the barriers was a piece of cake for the Cauldron.
At first, Han Shuo was rather worried that the barriers and energy towers all over Empyrean Peak might greatly interfere with his ascent up the mountain. However, after seeing the Cauldron’s performance, not only were Han Shuo’s worries alleviated, he felt the desire to shed blood.
It was only a matter of time before he would clash with the Five Sovereigns. Besides, as Han Hao had killed one of Salas’ followers, given Salas’ vindictive temperament, Han Hao and Salas were destined to be enemies, hence, so was Han Shuo. With things having developed until this stage, the key to future victory was to obliterate the forces Salas commanded to the greatest extent possible. He knew that once he made the first move, he could not stop and had to deal as much damage as possible.
One after another, the barriers and energy towers were destroyed by the Cauldron of Myriad Demon. Han Shuo was soon a quarter way up the mountain.
By now, those experts of Salas’ coming from the waist of the mountain had reached Han Shuo. Some of them were highgods at the early and middle stages. They were filled with rage and it was obvious that they wished to shred Han Shuo into pieces.
Although the Five Sovereigns would constantly battle each other, never before had any of them personally barged in to their rivals’ base. The Five Sovereigns would only have their followers battle each other. It was extremely rare that any of the Sovereigns would attack the followers of another Sovereign.
So, although the Five Sovereigns were constantly in conflict, the Empyrean Peak had never been attacked. An average Fringedweller would avoid a place like Empyrean Peak, much less try to intrude the Mountain and throw away their lives.
After all, the Empyrean Peak was the home of Sovereign Salas. Other than the other four Sovereigns, who would dare trespass upon his property?
An extreme feeling of rage spontaneously swarmed the minds of those followers of Salas when they noticed the enormous disturbances coming from the mountain foot. When they saw the energy towers and barriers shattered, they felt as though someone had pissed on their heads.
As they flew down the mountain, they felt a little worried as they saw that there was just one attacker. But when they got closer and saw that the reckless intruder wasn’t any of the other four Sovereigns, they immediately forgot their worries and boldly attacked Han Shuo.
“Good! Just in time!” exclaimed Han Shuo in a malevolent smile. With one thought of his consciousness, the seventeen flying swords darted out from his body. Those charging at the front towards Han Shuo were immediately penetrated by the seventeen flying swords and turned into bloody liquid in a split second.
At the same time, Han Shuo spread his fingers and the Demonic Blades erupted. Han Shuo flew into the wave of defenders and started dancing with those blades while laughing loudly. The Demonic Blades cut through the divine bodies of his enemies without the slightest resistance. Severed limbs, flesh, organs, and blood were sent flying.
The Han Shuo had now reached the pinnacle of the Omen Realm. With the power of Cauldron Spirit aiding him, no highgod could stop him. Han Shuo suddenly had an enlightenment – given his current circumstances, the only way to make a breakthrough was to fight an expert of equal or greater strength to the death!
And Salas was the opponent that Han Shuo needed!
Han Shuo made up his mind. There was no longer the slightest shred of fear or hesitation. In fact, Han Shuo started to desperately hope that Salas would appear and fight him. Even if he could not defeat Salas, as long as he could escape from the Empyrean Peak, Han Shuo stood a great chance of making a breakthrough. And if Han Shuo could step into the next realm in his cultivation of demonic arts, he would have the power to rewrite the rules of the Fringe!
Han Shuo was determined to take this risky gamble!
“Salas! Where are you?! Show yourself right now, coward!” shouted Han Shuo as he grew madder and madder. The chilling Demonic Blades mercilessly shredded divine bodies as he ascended the Mountain.
Under the insanely powerful defensive power of Omen Invincible Body, the attacks that came from every direction had no effect on Han Shuo whatsoever. Those incredibly sharp divine weapons would bounce off Han Shuo’s body and left him without a single wound.
Han Shuo charged around violently as he laughed like a maniac. He slaughtered every living being who stood in his path.
Grayish wisps of smoke continuously flew into the Cauldron. It gained an additional of several dozen divine souls in just moments. The man and cauldron fought alongside each other with great rapport. They were ascending the mountain with unstoppable force.
There was a constant stream of ferocious experts who came forward and stood in Han Shuo’s path. However, no amount of them could stop Han Shuo from advancing. They all perished to Han Shuo’s attacks. The Cauldron of Myriad Demon hovered all around. Although it seemed harmless, it had been most useful to Han Shuo.
“Watch out, Master! That barrier is very powerful!” transmitted Cauldron Spirit suddenly.
Han Shuo concentrated his attention on the last barrier to the top of the Mountain. He discovered that the enormous sphere that surrounded the Peak was filled with terrifying lightning energy. Those leaping electrical sparks seemed as though they were alive.
Undoubtedly, this last barrier on the Empyrean Peak was personally deployed by Salas himself!
