CHAPTER 127 - INCREASING STRENGTH

Although the Defiant Sword had the word sword in its name, it was actually a type of Divine Skill. In truth, it granted its user a new way to strike at close range. Han Wu could absorb souls from various races, unlocking different forms through the skill. For now, the weapon took the shape of a longsword, but Han Wu sensed that its form would shift as he absorbed more locust souls.

He expected the sword to adopt the locusts’ traits, with its next transformation most likely becoming a scythe. Based on his understanding, if that happened, he would gain the Defiant Scythe, along with new abilities and effects.

Still, that evolution was far off. For the moment, Han Wu summoned the Defiant Sword, a thick longsword about 1.5 meters long with a razor-sharp edge. He felt its weight keenly as he wielded it. As a test, he swung it at a tree. The trunk split cleanly in two, and to his surprise, sparks flared along the cut, as if the blade had been searing hot.

Han Wu frowned in confusion. He hadn’t enchanted the sword with any attributes. To familiarize himself with the weapon, he cast Enchant Darkness on it before slicing another tree. Normally, the cut should show signs of corrosion typical of the dark element, but the incision was as smooth and clear as a mirror. No corrosion appeared.

He then selected a boulder and struck it in half. Unexpectedly, the rock shattered into pieces as if crushed by a hammer. How could a bladed weapon display the force of a blunt weapon?

Han Wu was shocked but now he understood the properties of the Defiant Sword. As its name implied, it was a weapon that went against the norm. Enchanting it with the dark attribute would cause it to inhibit the effects while cutting a boulder was turned into smashing a boulder instead.

He was pleased with the effects and confident he could use the properties to make someone lower their guard. After a few more experiments, he had already discovered several ways to deceive others. All he needed now was an enemy.

Unable to persuade Han Wu, Tian Wen relented and did what he could do best. He exchanged the Divine Aspect fragments they had collected for the specific pieces required to complete other Divine Aspects before selling them off.

This strategy earned him enough resources to upgrade their tent repeatedly. Eventually, they expanded the arena inside to cover 4 square kilometers. With more space, they could summon more units. Han Wu was now able to summon more Elite locusts to detonate, absorb their souls with his Souleater Gaze, and accelerate his Divine Aspect’s ranking progress.

Meanwhile, as they defeated increasingly powerful Divine Souls, they collected higher-ranking Divine Aspect fragments. Tian Wen resumed his fragment trading and finally secured a complete Rank 3 Hurricane Aspect.

A Demigod with the Hurricane Aspect would not only gain three corresponding Divine Skills but also a significant boost in mastery over the wind attribute for their core race. However, this Divine Aspect proved useless to both Han Wu and Tian Wen.

Han Wu’s locusts had stronger affinities with poison, earth, and fire, while Tian Wen’s Rabbitmen leaned toward light, water, and wood attributes. Neither could harness the power of wind. Ultimately, Tian Wen exchanged the Hurricane Aspect for another Rank 3 Divine Aspect called Warm Sunshine. It was tailor-made for support and was also the highest-ranking Divine Aspect that Tian Wen could absorb.

With Han Wu’s consent, Tian Wen absorbed the Divine Aspect, growing stronger, though he still needed to invest substantial Divine Points to unlock Warm Sunshine’s Divine Skills.

Tian Wen’s core race benefited from the blessing of the Warm Sunshine. One of the battle-orientated Heroic Rabbitman merged with the Lord Template Tian Wen provided and ascended to become a Rabbitman Lord. At last, he possessed a combat-oriented Lord life form.

Both Han Wu and Tian Wen were having a great time. Meanwhile, Zhang Gang managed to contact the bankrupt God King and informed him that Han Wu had already entered the Ancient Battleground. The God King, having received Hu Hai's earlier report, was well aware that Han Wu was the thief.

Without hesitation, he ordered Hu Hai to seize the opportunity and capture Han Wu at once. Acting swiftly, Hu Hai tapped into his network and secured two tickets to the Ancient Battleground. He kept one for himself. Using a secret technique, he split his body in two, each half retaining the strength of a Demigod. This clever trick allowed him to bypass the ticket inspection system undetected.

He handed the other ticket to Xu Tie’s parents. Upon learning they had a chance to capture their son’s murderer, they agreed without hesitation and vowed to avenge their lost child. The tickets swiftly transported Hu Hai and Xu Tie’s parents into the Ancient Battleground.

Zhang Gang greeted the group warmly. After Hu Hai explained the situation, everyone in the camp understood they shared the same mission: to capture Han Wu. A single God and four Demigods working together to hunt a newly ascended Demigod like Han Wu made Hu Hai feel like he was using a cannon to kill a fly.

Still, the bankrupt God King’s orders left no room for refusal. Hu Hai had to do his best and relay the results back to the God King. To ensure their plan ran smoothly, Hu Hai volunteered to lead the four Demigods on a hunt for Divine Souls within the Ancient Battleground to boost their strength.

Although his power as a God had been split between two bodies, they still functioned flawlessly, capable of unleashing about 70% of his original strength. That was more than enough to annihilate any Divine Soul they came across.

Zhang Gang and the others gained so much that their tents were significantly upgraded, and they each obtained a suitable Divine Aspect. Fueled by their progress, they trained with renewed determination and swore they would not rest until Han Wu was captured.