Chapter 669 - The Soul Kingdom of Lord Huangquan

“This is a crazy civilization!” Hanwu exclaimed in shock upon learning about Lord Huangquan.

He already knew the Giant Shadow Civilization was formed from the merging of the Giant Civilization and the Shadow Ninja Civilization. However, he hadn’t realized this merging wasn’t limited to just two civilizations, but also included the Yellow Spring Civilization, the Ghoul Civilization of Fusatsu’s origins, and possibly even a fifth civilization.

What treasure was hidden here that stirred the interest of so many civilizations? Hanwu badly wanted to know, but his objective was to find Jing Jing’s and Qin Shuang’s souls to protect them.

As Hanwu contemplated this, Nan had finished dissecting Fusatsu. The discovery that Fusatsu’s organs indeed differed from those of regular humans prompted an excited cry.

“I knew it!” he crowed. “He’s different from other humans. I was right! If I could graft them to my other projects, would they be able to absorb and release kinetic energy? Which organs should I graft first?”

Nan was immersed in picking Fusatsu apart and forgot about Hanwu. Uninterested in watching the entire process, Hanwu left the room. As he exited, he saw a still bandage-covered Sigurd coming in to find Fusatsu, unaware that his boss had been killed.

“I suggest that you don’t look for him now,” Hanwu warned. “He’s... busy.”

“And who do you think you are?” Sigurd ignored him and entered the room.

Hanwu shrugged. He had done his best.

“Another subject!” Nan squealed gleefully inside the room. “Today really is my lucky day!”

Sigurd’s pained cry followed.

Hanwu sighed. “I did try to warn that drunkard.”

With that, he left. Having obtained the three most likely locations to find Huangquan, he was prepared to visit each.

The first location was none other than the Kokkai family of Giant Wood Village. Hanwu hadn’t believed it at first, as he had stayed there for several days and never felt any powerful souls there.

Still, Fusatsu wouldn’t have lied to him. Huangquan was supposed to be powerful, and the risk of dying was high if Hanwu encountered him. Fusatsu wouldn’t have forfeited a chance to kill Hanwu using Huangquan.

“Might as well check it out. If Huangquan isn’t there, I can at least cross out one of the possible areas.”

He headed back to the Giant Wood Village. The sight of the massive wooden wall erected to block the giants brought a vaguely nostalgic sigh. It wasn’t that long ago that he returned to this same gate after his coming-of-age ceremony.

This time, however, he didn’t ask the ninjas to open the gate. Instead, he used his Taijutsu to slip into the village silently and return to the Kokkai family. The place was quiet as everyone was resting.

Hanwu used Oversight to check the place. As expected, Huangquan wasn’t here, and he didn’t pick up anything unusual. He was going to leave when he sensed something strange. Upon checking again, he noticed it was coming from the Kokkai family’s ancestral hall. The patriarch was discussing something with the genius of the Kokkai family, Toutetsu.

Toutetsu appeared reluctant. In response, the patriarch flew into a fury, slamming Toutetsu against the wall. Strangely enough, the patriarch was using a Hijutsu of Shikata Sadamasa’s family.

Why does he know the Hijutsu of the Shikata family?

Hanwu wondered, deciding to approach.

Avoiding the guards was effortless for a Sage, and he soon neared the ancestral hall of the Kokkai family.

The patriarch’s threats were audible from this close distance. “Toutetsu, I admire you, which is why I want you to join me with Lord Huangquan. Don’t waste my kindness.”

“I will never betray the Kokkai family and the Giant Wood Village. Huangquan is an evil God, and you will pay for this. Patriarch, wake up from your delusion!” Toutetsu urged.

“How dare you insult my master?” Hakurou snarled. “You will be punished for that. Since you refuse to join me, you can become my fertilizer instead.”

After making a series of hand seals, Hakurou unleashed the Reaper Seal. The translucent illusion of Huangquan appeared behind him.

The illusion reached for Toutetsu before suddenly stopping. It had sensed Hanwu. It pointed at where Hanwu was hidden outside. Hakurou understood his master’s unspoken words.

𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

“Since you want to eavesdrop that badly, you should come closer and become food for my master!” Hakurou sneered, swiftly appearing outside the hall. When he saw it was Hanwu, he broke into wild laughter. “My good son, it seems that you haven’t died yet. Good. That means I can kill you with my own hands and offer you to my master!”

Huangquan’s illusion reached for Hanwu. Instead of avoiding it, Hanwu rushed forward to get captured. His soul was torn from his body and devoured. Huangquan also took Hakurou’s soul with him at the same time.

Hakurou was transported once more to the Soul Kingdom of Lord Huangquan. Usually, his soul would be returned to his body, where he would be resurrected with a new power, but this time, he encountered something unexpected.

The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was Han Wu’s dazzling soul, or more specifically, his Divine Soul! Huangquan’s illusion could do nothing against such a pure soul.

If Huangquan wished to cause any significant harm to Han Wu, he would have to attack him with his true body. Han Wu’s Divine Soul turned to see Hakurou’s bizarrely patchy soul. It looked as though different parts had been inserted into it. But Hakurou himself couldn’t see this.

“No, don’t come any closer!” Hakurou shouted, taking several steps back, innately afraid of Han Wu’s Divine Soul. He didn’t want to stay here anymore. He wanted to return to his body as soon as he could.

Han Wu destroyed Hakurou’s soul before he had a chance to do anything. At the same moment, a number appeared on his wrist. This number had originally been 480, but after destroying Hakurou’s soul, it became 487.

“What is this?” he wondered aloud, interest in this Soul Kingdom piqued. He could sense countless souls here, and among them was a single, thin thread of faith connecting him to Jing Jing.

***

In the ancestral hall of the Kokkai family, Toutetsu dragged his injured body out to see both Hanwu and Hakurou lying unbreathing on the ground. He had a feeling he had just narrowly escaped disaster, leaving him simultaneously happy yet still terrified.

That was when Hanwu’s corpse suddenly shot up.

Not daring to get any closer, Toutetsu called out warily, “Brother Hanwu?”

Hanwu didn’t respond to him, simply muttering to himself. “We did it. This body is ours now. What a powerful body with such excellent parameters and jutsu. This is the best human body we’ve found so far.

“I have a plan. What if we gather the power of the nine Giant Sages in this body? We can stomp out this civilization and become its owner.

“I agree. Let’s find the others and forge a glorious era for the giants.”

Toutetsu had no idea what Hanwu was mumbling about.

“Brother Hanwu, are you ok?” he asked hesitantly.

Hanwu turned to face him. “I’m fine. Very fine.”

He then completed a series of seals. With the support of the giants inside of him, he managed to create an army of Black Water Clones.

“Kill everything,” he commanded. “The Giant Wood Village has been impeding the giants for too long. We destroy them tonight!”

Toutetsu was stunned at the unexpected words coming from Hanwu’s mouth. He tried to run away to spread the news, but one of the Black Water Clones intercepted him. Toutetsu died under the corrosion of the clone and became the first sacrifice of the night.