CHAPTER 142 - DIVINE REALM’S CORE PROTECTION PLAN

An immense concentration of Life Energy, drawn from almost 100 billion locusts, formed a vast clump that then dissipated into the Sacrifice magical array. Han Wu had never before witnessed such an overwhelming amount of Life Energy channeled into Sacrifice.

Three distinct options materialized before him, each one shattering his previous understanding of just how incredibly powerful his Sacrifice skill could be.

[Option 1: Ice King. King-tier Life Form. Possesses Rank 1 Divine Aspect: Frost]

[Option 2: 50 Divine Essence]

[Option 3: Rank 5 Divine Aspect: Destruction]

The sight of the three options left Han Wu speechless. Any one of these options held the power to propel his strength to unimaginable new heights.

The first option presented was an Ice King, a life form whose power vastly exceeded that of a High Lord. It also came with the Rank 1 Frost Aspect. While a Rank 1 Divine Aspect typically granted only a single Divine Skill, the Ice King’s inherent strength was sufficient to elevate that skill’s destructive capacity to an alarming degree. Han Wu instinctively felt that, even in his prime, he would still be outmatched against such a life form.

The second option offered 50 Divine Essence, an incredibly straightforward and utterly mouthwatering choice. Every individual required Divine Essence; only those who were inherently lazy or truly content would find themselves without a need for it. Nevertheless, the third option presented completely overshadowed the allure of the first two.

The Rank 5 Destruction Aspect was an incredible reward. Han Wu recalled learning in class that Destruction stood on par with other immensely powerful Divine Aspects such as Death and Life. As he was still merely a Demigod, he was in dire need of more powerful Divine Aspects.

Upon selecting the third option, he grasped the Divine Aspect. Immediately, he sensed a powerful and unruly force pulsating from it, palpable even in its dormant state. The immense power he felt emanating from it was enough to put him on edge, despite not having activated it yet.

Once my Defiance Aspect reaches its next rank, I can then begin the absorption of the Destruction Aspect!

As he gazed intently at the Divine Aspect, a sudden thought struck him: he still possessed the recommendation pendant for the Death Aspect, an item he had acquired from the Wisdom Tree some time ago.

The pendant bore the unmistakable mark of the Death God. By crushing it, he would be instantly transported to the Death God Palace. His ability to secure the Divine Aspect after that point would be entirely dependent on his own efforts.

“I should likely hold off on searching for clues related to the Death Aspect until I’ve gained more strength,” Han Wu mused quietly to himself, securing both the Destruction Aspect and the recommendation pendant.

No sooner had he put them away than he sensed a powerful energy wave emanating from the Temple within his divine realm. The resulting shockwave was unmistakably the product of a violent clash between Bone Energy and Dark Energy.

Han Wu wasted no time in checking his Temple, where he found Alpheus, a large, gaping wound on his abdomen bleeding profusely, snarling fiercely at the Skeleton High Lord. Sensing Han Wu’s arrival, Alpheus urgently cried out, “It’s attempting to shatter the Core! You have to stop it!”

Han Wu’s posture tensed, his eyes widening in disbelief as he stared at the little skeleton. “You actually want to destroy my Core?” he uttered, his voice filled with shock.

The little skeleton’s decision to betray him utterly confused Han Wu. He had, after all, never once overlooked it when distributing resources, despite it not belonging to his core race.

The spiritual flames in the little skeleton’s eye sockets flickered wildly, reflecting its internal turmoil and complicated emotions. Ultimately, it gave in and confessed everything

“Yes, I want to destroy your Core! You have no need for the other races; you only need me!” the little skeleton’s transmitted telepathically.

To Han Wu’s astonishment, the skeleton’s feminine voice held discernible tones of both uncertainty and rage. Han Wu himself was utterly perplexed by the bizarre turn of events.

Is... Is the little skeleton alright? Why does it sound like a wife who has been neglected by her husband for too long? Nevertheless, it admitted to trying to destroy my Core, and such an act cannot go unpunished.

Han Wu was reluctant to allow such a dangerous race to remain within his divine realm, fearing it might one day lead to its complete destruction. However, he also took into account the numerous times the little skeleton had assisted him during his growth, which made him unwilling to kill it on the spot.

Ultimately, Han Wu decided to exile the little skeleton. By doing so, he guaranteed it would never again be able to return to his divine realm or lay a hand on the Core. It was, undoubtedly, the safest solution.

The little skeleton had fully braced itself for death when it made the decision to destroy Han Wu's Core, so it was utterly astonished that Han Wu chose to spare its life. Han Wu opened a gateway to Doron City and personally oversaw the little skeleton’s exile. As a final measure, he left a distinct mark on its body to ensure it could never return to his divine realm.

All the skeletons who had sided with the little skeleton were also banished. This left only two skeletons within his divine realm who remained steadfastly loyal to him: the Osteomancer and the Skeleton Reanimator. As both were already Lord life forms, they could at least temporarily alleviate Han Wu’s problem of insufficient fighting units.

With the skeletons dealt with, Han Wu moved to his Core and reflected on his situation anew. He’d put too much faith in his subordinate races, a misjudgment that almost resulted in the skeletons’ betrayal completely obliterating his Core. Fortunately, Alpheus had intervened, otherwise, he would have been crippled indefinitely.

To protect his Core and ensure the security of his divine realm, Han Wu resolved to put some countermeasures in place. After several days of careful consideration, Han Wu ultimately decided upon two distinct approaches.

His first measure was to position loyal units to guard his Core, directly entrusting them with its security. For this vital task, he personally chose Alpheus, the newly ascended Locustman Lord, and Divine Hammer—whom he affectionately nicknamed “Hammie” as a reward for his unwavering loyalty during Han Wu’s absence. All three individuals were not only formidable Lord life forms but also Han Wu’s most devoted and trusted units.

Han Wu’s second countermeasure involved constructing a formidable maze around his Core. This labyrinth would serve a similar purpose to Hu Hai’s forbidden zone, specifically designed to thwart any attempts to infiltrate his divine realm and safeguard his Core from destruction. He tasked the Epistians with planning its construction, and true to their superior intellect, they quickly presented Han Wu with a highly satisfactory blueprint.

Han Wu instructed the Scorching Dwarves to oversee the building project, with the minotaurs and locusts serving as the workforce. The construction of the maze soon got underway, and through collective effort and cooperation, the maze was completed within two realm years.

With a final check of his maze to ensure nothing was amiss, Han Wu carefully relocated his Core and embedded it within. Immediately after, he positioned his three loyal guards, establishing a rotation system designed to maximize their defensive efforts for the Core’s safety.

Only after securing his divine realm did Han Wu return to Lina’s office. His intention was to return to the Ancient Battleground to retrieve his three Locustman Lords and Steely, whose survival he had already verified through the strong Faith threads that still connected him to them.

He had barely returned when he encountered Qin Shuang, who had evidently been waiting for his reappearance for three full days. She moved towards him, her voice earnest as she said, “Han Wu, welcome back.”

Han Wu was momentarily stunned, though a sense of happiness stirred within him as he met her gaze, which literally crackled with electricity. “Thanks,” he said. “Have you heard anything about Mr. Tian Wen recently?”

The memory of entering the Ancient Battleground with Tian Wen was seared into Han Wu’s mind. Ultimately, Han Wu himself was abducted by Hu Hai, leaving Tian Wen critically injured and stranded to die.

All of Tian Wen’s units had been wiped out that day. With no one left to protect him, his prospects of making it back to the tent alive were virtually nonexistent. Han Wu was consumed with worry, genuinely afraid of receiving news that Tian Wen had died.

“I haven’t received any news concerning Mr. Tian,” she said, shaking her head. “However, someone from high school did send me a message saying that Mr. Liu has passed away.”

Han Wu let out a deep sigh, a wave of relief washing over him. The absence of any news about Mr. Tian was, in all likelihood, a positive indication of his survival. As for Liu Letian, Han Wu already knew he was dead, having been the one to kill him.