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Chapter 714 - Hellbiter's Bite
"Hellbiters!" Leon's pupils shrank at the conspicuous red stripes on the spiders' backs before he warned, "Be careful not to get bitten. These little critters will give you a taste of hell if you are bitten!"
"Dammit, we've been up here for a while now. So why do these spiders only appear now of all times?" a Battle Master wondered as he retreated a step before slicing the red-stripe spider in front of him in half.
At the same time, similar questions were on everyone's minds as they sent flurries of sharp attacks at the red-stripe spiders and diced them into countless pieces.
"These demonic spiders are quite weak… So there's no need to be so agitated over them. More importantly, we may have exposed ourselves to the demons below," Chief Baskara mentioned with a frown.
Hearing that much, Leon knew that the Crimsonfog Tribesmen were unfamiliar with the Hellbiters.
"Don't underestimate them!" Aria warned.
"Hellbiters are not strong, but their venoms are very vicious and excruciatingly painful to endure that you would wish you are dead! Leon wasn't kidding when he said they would give you a taste of hell if you get bitten."
The One-Eyed Venerable Shaman and the other Battle Masters' expressions quickly turned solemn after hearing Aria's explanation.
As if they had yet to understand the severity of a Hellbiter's bite, Leon further explained, "Hellbiters' venoms attack the nerves and have you begging for death seven days straight if left untreated."
"At the end of the seventh day, even if you survive the torturous experience of the Hellbiter's bite, you will be disabled and braindead, incapable of movements and thoughts. It truly is a fate worse than death!"
"For real?!"
The Crimsonfog Tribesmen were greatly shocked before they increased their efforts to slay the Hellbiters, keeping them from even coming close.
Leon's words have given them a great scare.
Spirit Eyes!
Leon activated his ocular technique and expanded his divine sense simultaneously before searching the treetops and discovering several openings near the top, where the Hellbiters were pouring out.
"These Hellbiters are coming out the trees," Leon informed the group.
The One-Eyed Venerable Shaman quickly narrowed his eyes before speculating, "The tomb's entrance might have spurred them into being."
"If we weren't here, these Hellbiters might have gone to block the tomb entrance and stop the tomb challengers from escaping."
Shortly after, the group heard demons shouting below.
"There are lots of noises coming from the branches! Go check it out!"
"Yes, my Lord!"
Several Lesser Demons answered after a Greater Demon gave the order before Leon and the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman's group were alerted.
"We've been discovered," Chief Baskara frowned before barking, "It's going to be troublesome facing both the demons and the Hellbiters, but we have no choice. Prepare for battle!"
"No, cut the spider webs! We can drop the Hellbiters on the demons and force their attention on the Hellbiters," Leon quickly suggested.
Not even demons are immune to a Hellbiter's bite.
"But would the demons and demonic spiders fight each other?" a Battle Master questioned with doubt, but he did exactly as Leon suggested and cut several strings of webs in a short breath.
Dozens of Hellbiters dropped out trees, and from dozens, it quickly increased to hundreds in a matter of few short breaths as the rest of Crimsonfog Tribesmen followed up.
At the same time, the Lesser Demons quickly noticed something falling out of the trees as they were leaping up, causing them to grab the black objects subconsciously and check what they were.
"What is this? So it was just spiders—"
Without understanding the danger of Hellbiters, one of the Lesser Demons was careless and got itself bitten before it was assaulted viciously by the Hellbiter's venom.
AHHH—!
The Lesser Demon quickly fell from the lower branches as it screamed with excruciating pain, spurring the other Lesser Demons to toss the Hellbiters in their hands away and retreating to the ground with alarm.
"Oi, stop messing around and get up!" the Greater Demon urged the Lesser Demon with a kick, but the Lesser Demon could not stop rolling on the ground in pain.
As Chief Baskara and the others witnessed the Lesser Demon's agony, they drew in a sharp breath to relieve their tensed nerves while a few trembled like Darlene.
"The Hellbiter's bite is no joke!" Chief Baskara said gravely.
While Leon had expected such results, he still frowned at the Lesser Demon groveling on the ground in pain.
The effect of the Hellbiter's venom reacted too quickly!
In that instance, Leon quickly understood that the Hellbiters' venom must have undergone some mutation or transformation to become even more potent.
"A Demon King-level Tomb sure is dangerous…"
…
…
…
After entering the Abyssal Wood Demon King's tomb, the advance party of demons quickly found themselves separated and lost in a maze full of vines, bristles, and thorns.
"Lord Limopith, we are completely lost. We can't find the path ahead, and we can't find our way back either!" a Lesser Demon informed.
Scaly-Tailed Limopith frowned.
Whether it was intentional or not, the three Greater Demons of the Nine Great Clans were all separated with their own group of cannon fodders.
"Hmph, if there's no path ahead, then make one!"
"We've already tried! But these walls are too tough! Our attacks are completely ineffective against them!" the Lesser Demon replied helplessly.
Scaly-Tailed Limopith was displeased by the Lesser Demon's answer before he snorted, "Hmph, useless thing! Step aside! I will do it!"
After shoving the Lesser Demons out of the way, Scaly-Tailed Limopith swung his scaly tail at the wall of vines ahead!
Ping!
The wall of vines shook from the impact of the blow and rippled like waves before a rebounding force sent Scaly-Tailed Limopith flying back into a wall of bristles.
"Lord Limopith!"
"Get lost! I don't need your help getting up!"
The Lesser Demons' help was quickly rejected as Scaly-Tailed Limopith swatted their hands away before standing up with a dark frown.
Ahhh…!
Suddenly, a Lesser Demon's agonizing yet distant scream was heard, seemingly coming from outside the tomb.
"What was that?"
"Don't know. Not like we can find out."
No one could leave the maze.
Chapter 715 - Darlene's Move
Not long after, the maze began to rustle with numerous soft noises—noises not caused by the rustling of leaves but the movements of tiny footsteps, too small to guess, and too many to count.
"Silence!"
Scaly-Tailed Limopith quickly demanded silence from his group of cannon fodders with a frown before listening to the sound with rapt attention.
Alas, the Greater Demon could not guess the cause of the noises.
However, it did not take long before a Lesser Demon suddenly exclaimed, "Woah! Be careful, everyone! We've been surrounded!"
"Red-striped spiders?"
The rest of the group quickly noticed the countless insects of varying sizes crawling out of the small gaps and crevices in the walls of vines, bristles, and thorns.
"This is…"
Scaly-Tailed Limopith noticed the three red stripes on the spiders' back before his pupils shrank into slits.
"Hellbiters! And so many of them! Sure enough, the Abyssal Wood Demon King's trials will not be easy to pass!"
"Ahhh—! It hurts so much!"
An unsuspecting Lesser Demon was suddenly bitten by a Hellbiter, causing him to wail in pain immediately.
"Careful! They're coming from above!" A Greater Demon warned.
…
…
…
In another part of the underground maze, the painful screams were heard by Red-Horned Rathadas's group.
"Seems like another group has met with trouble in this accursed maze," Red-Horned Rathadas rubbed his chin and thought aloud, "Was it Balthagan's group or Limopith's group?"
"Well, either way is perfectly fine with me. I will be the one to inherit the Abyssal Wood Demon King's legacy!"
"Lord Rathadas, we are completely lost in this dark maze. Should we try to break down these walls and force our way through?" A regular Greater Demon asked.
Red-Horned Rathadas immediately gave the demon a disdainful glance.
"Where do you think we are? Do you think the Abyssal Wood Demon King's trials will be so simple that you can clear it with brute strength? Only an idiot like that Limopith would attempt something like…"
As Red-Horned Rathadas spoke, he suddenly came to a realization.
"Oh, perhaps the screams earlier were from that idiot's group. Balthagan is not level-headed, not to mention he has the Evil Eye to assist him… I mustn't fall behind!"
The Red-Horned Greater Demon shortly pressed the palm of his hand on the wall of vines and slightly exerted a bit of strength to study its defensive strength before noticing a certain level of elasticity to it.
"Sure enough, these walls are not simple. Striking any spot on these walls will cause its entirety to ripple with vibrations. This is no definitely from alarming the hornet's nest!" Red-Horned Rathadas commented.
In a dark maze like the Abyssal Wood Demon King's first trial ground where they did not understand what they were facing, such actions were akin to courting death.
"Brute strength won't work, but what if I burn it?" Red-Horned Rathadas thought dangerously as his red horns began to glow with crimson light.
Demonic energy gathered to his red horns before transforming into two scorching blazes of fiery energy!
Shish—!
Red-Horned Rathadas did not fire the two fiery blazes directly but pushed them against the walls, causing a sizzling sound as the vines burned.
Sometime later, the wall of vines was scorched black before it crumbled into black ashes and opened a new path ahead.
"Let's go."
"Yes, Lord Rathadas!"
As Red-Horned Rathadas's group was only taking the first step forward, Balthagan of the Evil Eye Clan had already reached the end of the maze.
However, standing before the gates to the second trial, Balthagan did not feel any joy at his accomplishment. Instead, only a deeper sense of solemnity filled his heart.
"Surprisingly, the first trial was not much of a challenge, thanks to my Evil Eye showing the way. However, I may not be so lucky in the following trials…" Balthagan muttered.
The Abyssal Wood Demon King's trials could not be so simple.
"Nevertheless, I've already made it this far to be getting cold feet now. There's no choice but to continue pushing onward!"
After taking a deep breath, Evil-Eye Balthagan pushed open the stone gates of the second trial and entered with his group.
…
…
…
As the demons continued to challenge the Abyssal Wood Demon King's tomb, Leon's group shortly entered a three-way battle with another demon group and the army of Hellbiters outside the tomb's entrance.
"The distraction was no use. We were still discovered in the end. There's no choice but to fight!"
"Un, let us quickly finish off this group of demons before more arrives!"
As the Crimsonfog Tribesmen lunged at the demons while staying wary of the Hellbiters, a Greater Demon pointed its sword at them and barked, "Kill the humans!"
Roar!
The clashes of battle soon echoed throughout the area.
With the great disparity in strength, Lesser Demons, with their strengths ranging between 100-thousand to 500-thousand jin, were simply no match for the Battle Masters.
At the same time, Low-rank Battle Masters and Mid-rank Battle Masters were no match for the Greater Demons, whose base strength starts at 1-million jin.
"Leave the Greater Demons to me. You brats can focus on warding off the Hellbiters," the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman said to the Crimsonfog Tribesmen.
"But…"
"Just do as the Venerable Shaman says. With the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman's strength at the Extremity-rank Battle Master level, do you think ordinary Greater Demons can give the Venerable Shaman any trouble?" Chief Baskara calmly said.
Extremity-rank Battle Masters possess the physical strength of 1.5-million jin. Therefore, low-level Greater Demons were not the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman's opponent.
However, if it were Mid-level Greater Demons and High-level Greater Demons, the situation would be entirely different.
"Darlene, stay close to me!"
"Mm!"
Leon waved his hand, summoning a wall of fire to keep the Hellbiters away before the numerous red-striped spiders retreated while making screeching noises.
Evidently, the Hellbiters were fearful of flames.
Unwilling to be passive and protected all the time, Darlene fixed her gaze on a Hellbiter behind the wall of flames before she narrowed her eyes.
Poof!
Space quickly distorted before the Hellbiter's abdomen got twisted off.
"Oh?"
Leon exclaimed with a bit of surprise as he quickly noticed her subtle action.
Although the Spatial Law's offensive capability was almost nonexistent at the lower levels, it was not exactly zero.
Still, he had to applaud Darlene for figuring out its offensive use.
Chapter 716 - Gravitational Force, Parallel Thoughts
Despite being one step short of the Transcendent Realm, Darlene's Spatial Law could only be used to kill creatures below the Ranked Awakener Realm, showcasing the Spatial Law's severe lack of offensive power.
However, if one thought this was all there was to the Spatial Law, they would be wrong.
'While the Spatial Law severely lacks offensive power at the lower levels, the Spatial Law's offensive power at higher levels are to be absolutely feared,' Leon silently mused.
He looks forward to the day when Darlene can wield her Spatial Law at the higher levels. It would be a sight to behold.
A few moments later, the surrounding temperature began to drop as frigid mist and snowflakes permeated the area, causing the surface of the ground to freeze upon contact.
Swish~!
Leon's wall of flames was quickly extinguished as ice pillars rose from the frozen ground, forming a wall of ice that sealed everyone inside with the demons while blocking out the Hellbiters from coming close to the tomb entrance.
No doubt, it was Aria's ice-lightning ability as traces of white lightning flowed within the ice walls like running circuits.
"I've removed Hellbiter's threat. With my ice wall in place, it should allow us to focus on the demons without worries," Aria stated.
Leon was quickly amused before he asked with a teasing smile, "Wasn't my wall of fire doing just that until you snuffed it out?"
"Fire burns out quickly, but ice will stay for a longer period, enough for us to wipe out these demons and explore the tomb if we intend to enter after," Aria explained.
"True…"
Leon rubbed his chin thoughtfully while briefly glancing at the Hellbiter's trying to climb the ice-lightning walls—only to be paralyzed with electrifying coldness before falling and crumbling into pieces.
With the number of Hellbiter's outside, the ice-lightning walls would not be able to hold them back forever, but it would definitely last much longer than his wall of fire that burns quickly.
"We should help senior finish off the Greater Demons quickly before more demons arrive," Aria suggested objectively.
Not far away, rumbles of the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman's fight with the Greater Demons could be felt with each clash and exchange of blows inside the sealed area around the central tree.
Seeing the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman's excited look, Leon shook his head and said, "It seems like it has been a long time since senior has fought like this. As such, we shouldn't get in his way."
"But…"
"But it's also true that we shouldn't waste too much time here. Their battle will draw too much attention," Leon added before muttering thoughtfully, "I suppose it's time I try that…"
"That…?"
Aria expressed her confusion, uncertain of what Leon was referring to.
However, it did not take long before Aria felt the ground rumbling softly as an invisible bore down on her and everyone else in the vicinity like they had just gained extra weight.
Everyone was caught by surprise.
The pressure did not press down on them. Instead, it was their bodies that have become heavy, making their movements slightly sluggish.
Nevertheless, such restriction was negligible with their powerful physiques.
Only Darlene and Aria felt slightly more difficult to stand with their untrained bodies as they stared at Leon with difficult expressions.
"What kind of ability is this? It seems like gravity has been increased by a few folds," Aria uttered with a stupefied look as the pressure was lifted.
At the same time, the remaining Greater Demons experienced an even greater pressure, causing a momentary lapse in their reaction and movement that resulted in being dealt a fatal blow by the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman.
"It's because gravity did increase," Leon stated before explaining further, "I found out that if the Earth Law and Metal Law is fused, it can produce gravity. However, I have yet to test the limits of gravitational force."
"We have been together these past few days, and it could be said to have been quite busy. When did you have the time to figure out something like this?" Aria asked with amazement.
"I'll explain later," Leon smiled before apologizing to the approaching One-Eyed Venerable Shaman, "Sorry for cutting your fight short while you were enjoying yourself, senior."
"Nevermind it," the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman waved his hand with a shake of his head helplessly before saying, "We don't have the luxury to enjoy ourselves here."
"Un. I suppose it's time to enter the tomb. Those earlier demons seemed quite knowledgeable about this tomb. So there's a chance that they will be able to clear the trials," Leon mentioned.
"Yeah, let us enter now," Chief Baskara quickly agreed before adding, "If we wait too long, it might be too late to regret when the demons get their hands on the inheritance and become too strong for us to handle."
A few moments later, the group decides to wrap things up outside and enter the Abyssal Wood Demon King's tomb promptly without hesitation.
Of course, Leon did not spare any of the demon corpses as they were all pocketed into his Worldspace.
'Now is not a good time. I will find a chance to refine their Origin Blood later,' Leon silently decided before being the last to step inside.
Swish~!
Aria shortly added another layer of ice to seal the tomb entrance completely before saying to the group, "It would be troublesome if the Hellbiters flood the tomb while we are inside. This should buy us more time."
"Miss Aria is quite meticulous," the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman praised with a smile while wiping traces of demon blood off his bone sword.
As the group descended the flight of stairs, the original traces of dim light within the forest sank into complete darkness along with a drop in temperature.
Such darkness did not hinder Leon's vision, but he still snapped his fingers and summoned a flicker of fire to illuminate the dark space for the others.
'Do you have time to explain now?' Aria suddenly transmitted her voice into Leon's mind directly as they continued on their way down.
After a brief pause, Leon smiled before replying via voice transmission back to Aria, 'You're very curious about this, aren't you? In fact, it's not that big of a deal. I am capable of parallel thoughts.'
'Parallel thoughts?'
Chapter 717 - Mother Hellbiter
'Think of it as multitasking, but of the mind. By dividing the consciousness, it becomes possible to think about two different things simultaneously,' Leon mentally explained.
'Eh? That sounds quite impressive. Wouldn't that mean you can cultivate while carrying out daily tasks simultaneously? Is it possible for me to learn parallel thoughts as well?' Aria inquired with interest.
'Of course, you can. It's nothing special, but it is quite handy. Nevertheless, it is not something that can be easily mastered. Even so, it is something that can be mastered with enough time and practice. There are no special requirements to learning the trick.'
Despite saying that, Leon did not master parallel thoughts through practice. It was something he had secretly obtained since the harmonization of his two souls.
'However, this skill is not without its disadvantages. Even if you master the practice of thinking two different things simultaneously, your efficiency will only drop without adequate mental strength,' Leon added.
In other words, Aria would need a strong soul like him to use parallel thoughts effectively.
Otherwise, she would only be splitting a single conscious thought with 100% efficiency into two conscious thoughts with 50% efficiency each, which defeats the purpose of parallel thoughts.
After all, there was no point in having a second consciousness if it lowers the efficiency of the first consciousness.
One would need their first consciousness to retain 100% efficiency while having a second consciousness at any level of efficiency for parallel thoughts to qualify as a useful skill.
For Leon, he was able to have both consciousnesses at 100% efficiency.
'I see…'
After Leon finished explaining, Aria fell silent with a thoughtful look.
Gradually, the group reached the end of the descending pathway and entered the tomb's first trial ground.
"Everyone, keep your wits about you. It's uncertain what dangers we will be facing from this point onwards," Chief Baskara warned the group.
Darlene paused for a moment before asking with surprise, "If the demons already cleared the first trial, shouldn't it be safe?"
"Little girl, don't underestimate a Demon King-level Tomb. Even if it is safe, you still need to stay vigilant. Otherwise, you wouldn't know how you would die," A Low-rank Battle Master teased.
Darlene was slightly embarrassed and no longer commented.
"Nevertheless, it seems like we have stumbled into a maze. Even if the demons cleared the trial, it wouldn't make it any less troublesome for latecomers. I wonder if the Demon King built the first trial like this with that in mind," the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman speculated while observing the maze walls.
The Crimsonfog Tribe's Battle Masters all wore solemn expressions as they also studied the maze walls seriously, each with their own opinions.
Nevertheless, they did not voice them.
At the same time, Leon used Spirit Eyes and Divine Sense to scout the dark area before a map of the maze appeared in his mind, revealing all the blindspots and deadends as the clear route unveiled itself.
Even after finding the pathway through the maze, Leon did not forget about the ceiling and decided to glance up—when he quickly noticed a massive body with eight furry legs and crimsons eyes staring back at him in its nest of webs.
It was a gigantic Hellbiter, and not a weak one either.
According to Leon's silent speculation, its strength did not seem to pale in comparison to a peak-level Greater Demon or even a low-level Arch Demon.
Gulp!
Leon swallowed his saliva to ease his nervousness before he quickly noticed that Mother Hellbiter was inactive, giving him a bit of relief.
The Mother Hellbiter was not looking back at him. It was simply resting with its eyes open because spiders do not have eyes lids.
"Well, that's one thing we don't want to piss off," Leon muttered softly before stating to the group, "Follow me. I've already figured out the way through this maze."
"As expected of Young Master Leonhardt. We can always count on you."
The One-Eyed Venerable Shaman praised with a smile before Chief Baskara asked with furrowed brows, "But what does Young Master Leonhardt mean by something we don't want to piss off?"
"You might not see it in the darkness, but there's a giant as mother f*cking spider above us, the Mother Hellbiter, and its strength is suspected to be at peak-level Greater Demon or higher," Leon explained.
His words nearly caused several knees to buckle.
"A Hellbiter at peak-level Greater Demon or higher? Even the small Hellbiters can kill humans and demons alike with a single bite. Wouldn't the Mother Hellbiter's bite be instant death?"
A Low-rank Battle Master mentioned before receiving dumb looks from his fellow tribesmen as if he said something stupid.
"Are you joking? If the small Hellbiter bites you, you can worry about dying from its venom. But if the Mother Hellbiter bites, you won't have to worry about the venom killing you at all because there probably won't be anything of you left behind."
"Oh, that makes sense…"
The Low-rank Battle Master scratched his head awkwardly before his expression turned solemn again as he observed the surroundings with his limited vision, afraid of touching anything that may alert the Mother Hellbiter.
"Don't touch anything, lest we unwittingly disturb the Mother Hellbiter's rest."
Although Leon knew the group understood the gravity of Mother Hellbiter's threat, he felt it was still necessary to remind them.
"Naturally," Chief Baskara nodded.
A short moment later, Leon suddenly halted his footsteps, causing the group to stop along with him as they become alerted.
"What's the matter, Young Master Leonhardt? Why did you stop?" the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman inquired.
"Ahh, sorry about that. There's a pile of demon corpses nearby. It seems like they fell victim to the Hellbiters' vicious bites. If you guys don't mind, I would like to make a short detour to collect their bodies."
Leon apologized for the slight delay before making his request.
From the number of bites on the demons' bodies, Leon could tell that the Hellbiters were not small in number. Despite that, it was surprising that the demons were not devoured clean.
"Since it's a small request from Young Master Leonhardt, how can we reject?"
"Thanks, everyone."
Chapter 718 - The Second Trial
With Leon's divine sense, it did not take long to reach the pile of demon corpses. To be exact, there were 32 corpses.
Even though the Hellbiters' venom continued to contaminate the demon blood within the demon corpses, Leon only needed a few drops of uncorrupted blood from each of their bodies.
As such, he cannot help but feel excited the moment he laid his eyes on the pile of corpses despite being aware of the number.
'With this many demon corpses, even if they were all Lesser Demons, I'll be guaranteed to advance the Everlasting Blood Mantra to the next level!' Leon thought.
However, a split second later, he realized there was something wrong with his judgment.
'No! There's no guarantee that all their Origin Blood will be unique from one another!' Leon frowned in thought.
There was a chance that demons belonging to the same clan and sub-race possessed the same set of Origin Blood in their bodies.
'Better not get my hopes up. I can only find out once I begin refinement. For now, I shouldn't delay our main objective.'
Shortly after, Leon waved his hand and pocketed all 32 demon corpses into an interspatial storage ring rather than his Worldspace.
The Worldspace was an actual world, unlike interspatial storage artifacts. Although its size was great, it could not preserve the state of the demon corpses from the venom's corruption.
"Let us head to the next trial ground right away. Considering this group of demons were wiped out, it is safe to assume that it is dangerous to linger around here," Leon stated.
He had long killed the lights, plunging the surrounding into their original darkness and forcing everyone to rely on other senses besides their sense of sight.
Everyone understood that any spark of illumination in the darkness was a beacon of attraction, something they solemnly did not want in a den of Hellbiters.
"Stick close and follow Young Master Leonhardt's lead. I doubt any of you want to be left behind in this maze," Chief Baskara directed his tribesmen.
"Yes, Chief!"
"Quiet!" the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman immediately barked at the Crimsonfog Tribesmen before questioning them in a low tone, "Do you want to wake up the Mother Hellbiter or something?"
"Err… Your voice was even louder than ours, Venerable Shaman…"
"What did you say?"
The One-Eyed Venerable Shaman narrowed his eyes before the Battle Masters were intimidated into keeping their silence on the matter.
"N-Nothing…"
"Hmph, I thought as much."
As Leon led the way, Chief Baskara caught up to him before he asked in a low volume, "Do you have a use for all those Demon Cores, Young Master Leonhardt?"
"There are some uses, but my primary objective was their demon blood. The Demon Cores are of lesser importance to me," Leon glanced at Chief Baskara and asked, "Why? Do you want them?"
Despite what Leon said, the Demon Cores were the most valuable part of a demon. As such, Chief Baskara found it difficult to ask for them.
"Ahem," Chief Baskara cleared his throat and requested politely, "If it's not too much to ask, I hope Young Master Leonhardt can gift the Demon Cores to us."
"No need to be so reserved, Chief Baskara. Seeing as we are a group, it is only fair to share the spoils. Besides, I truly only seek the demon blood and nothing else. Chief Baskara can have the entire demon corpses after I am done with them if you want," Leon casually stated.
Chief Baskara and the other Battle Masters were quickly surprised by his words. Nevertheless, Chief Baskara quickly recovered before cupping his hands to Leon.
"Young Master Leonhardt is truly generous. Since Young Master Leonhardt has said so, this Chief will graciously accept them after Young Master Leonhardt is done with them. These Demon Cores have far too many uses to our tribes," Chief Baskara stated.
Leon smiled lightly without a comment.
Not long after, they arrived in front of the stone gate that leads to the tomb's second trial ground before Leon halted his steps.
The group subsequently stopped after him.
"The first trial ground went rather smooth, but this could have been part of the Demon King's design to get us to drop our guards on the subsequent trials," Chief Baskara mentioned before warning the group, "So stay cautious, everyone."
"Exactly," the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman nodded and said, "Even if we have a group of demons trailblazing the trials ahead for us, it won't make the trials any less dangerous."
Considering that the first trial has an Arch Demon-level guardian, the chances of the second trial having an Arch Demon-level guardian or higher was quite high.
"Well, we're already here. I don't think anyone among us intends to leave before snatching the Demon King's inheritance from the demons. As such, the only choice is forward."
With that said, Leon pushed open the large stone gate with brute strength before taking a peek inside with Divine Sense and Spirit Eyes.
"A word of warning would have been nice before you open the stone gate and surprise us like that, Young Master Leonhardt."
Chief Baskara smiled wryly.
No one was prepared to face the second trial immediately. As such, the group was startled by Leon's proactiveness.
"I thought people like surprises?" Leon replied with a smile while observing the environment of the second trial ground beyond the stone gates.
"Depends on the subject of the surprise, Young Master Leonhardt." Chief Baskara smiled wryly and said, "There's a difference between pleasant surprises and terrible surprises."
"Well, never mind." Leon shrugged before saying, "Everyone should be prepared for quite a workout in the second trial."
"What do you mean by those words, Young Master Leonhardt…?"
"The literal meaning, of course." Leon continued to observe the second trial ground ahead as he said, "We won't be able to avoid combat like the first trial, and the leading demon group didn't make it easier for us either. Or rather, they cannot."
"From what I am seeing, the second trial appears to be a test of endurance—or so it seems," Leon added.
Beyond the stone gates, he could see the demons scattered while fighting hordes of strange plant-type creatures in a large open space
After clearing a wave, a new wave of these strange plant-type creatures would spawn with twice the previous number.
There did not seem to be an end to the waves of plants attacking the demons.
'A test of endurance, huh? Probably not that simple…'
Chapter 719 - Cultivating By The Gate
Inside the vast space of the second trial, the two remaining demon groups led by Balthagan and Rathadas of the Nine Great Demon Clans continued to fend off the endless onslaught of wood-like creatures.
Their sizes were small like human infants, and their appearances varied from humanoid trees to tree-like beasts and demons.
Nevertheless, most of them took on the form of spiders as if mimicking the Hellbiter's appearance, albeit not precisely due to their distinctive wooden trait.
"Argh! These accursed creatures are endless! Kill a hundred, and a thousand shall take their place. Kill a thousand, and tens of thousands more will spawn! There's no end to them!"
"If you have the extra energy to complain, then put it into killing instead! Otherwise, we will be overwhelmed!"
The minor Greater Demons complained as the two demon groups worked together to survive, forming a circle that allowed them to cover each other's blind spots while fending off the endless waves of tree spiders and the like.
"If you have any solution, now would be the time to mention it, Balthagan. At this rate, we will be exhausted to death before we can clear the second trial."
Red-horned Rathadas diverted some of his attention and sought Evil-Eyed Balthagan's wisdom while defending his side of the demon circle.
Nevertheless, Balthagan could only give a disappointing response with a frown.
"We knew the Abyssal Wood Demon King's trial would be difficult, but the first trial clearance still made us complacent. We should have done some preparation before entering the second trial."
"I don't want to hear what we could or could not have done differently! It's already too late for that!" Red-horned Rathadas stated before demanding a solution from the Evil Eye Greater Demon, "Do you have a solution or not?!"
"Unfortunately, I do not." Balthagan shook his head disappointingly and said, "A power source should be hidden somewhere, fueling the production of these creatures. However, my evil eye cannot locate it."
"Goddammit! I am unwilling to die here! I still have many things to accomplish! My ambition can't possibly end here—!"
At that moment, the tightly-sealed gates leading back to the first trial ground in the distance suddenly reopened.
The Red-Horned Greater Demon and Evil Eye Greater Demon's eyes brightened instantly.
"The first trial ground! Great, someone else is coming! Whether they are a friend or foe, we must quickly retreat back to the first trial ground before the gate shuts tight again!" Balthagan quickly barked.
The demons saw hope on the other end of the gate.
However, an entire army of hostile creatures that continued to grow in numbers with every passing moment stood between them and the gate to the first trial ground.
No matter how hard the demons tried to push through the army's lines, the overwhelming numbers kept them in place.
"Lord Balthagan, it's no good! There are too many of them!"
"We've been completely pinned on the spot! Neither advancing nor retreating is possible, Lord Balthagan!"
Several Lesser Demons cried as the task at hand was exceedingly challenging to accomplish.
On the other end of the gate, Leon and the others quickly noticed the demons' precarious situation deep inside the second trial ground before they backed away from the entrance.
At the same time, Leon noticed another detail.
"Seems like these creatures won't attack us so long as we do not enter the second trial," Leon narrowed his eyes and mentioned, "They are completely focused on the demons."
It was apparent to everyone, even without Leon mentioning it to the group.
"It also seems like these creatures will be spawning endlessly until all the trial undertakers inside are killed," Chief Baskara mentioned with a surprised look, "However, it's the first time I've seen something like this."
"Same here. I didn't think something like this was possible…" a Battle Master of the Crimsonfog Tribe added.
Naturally, they were referring to the tree-like creatures' rapid production that could be observed along the walls inside the second trial ground, where numerous transparent glowing sacs continuously spat out seeds like pea shooters.
These seeds, in turn, quickly germinate and grow into tree-like spiders.
However, over time, the group noticed the green-glowing transparent sacs spawning fewer tree-like spiders as the newborn creatures took on demon forms instead.
Not only were they bigger in size, but they were also stronger in power.
Chief Baskara and the others could not fathom nor comprehend how the second trial could generate such strange lifeforms at incredible rates.
Not only was it unfathomable, but it was also alarming.
"This… We better refrain from entering the second trial ground and observe the situation for now… Those demons are done for," Chief Baskara stated.
"Agreed."
The One-Eyed Venerable Shaman and the rest of the Crimsonfog Tribe's Battle Masters quickly reached a consensus.
They will not enter the second trial ground unless they understand the nature of the second trial and figure out the way to clear it.
Otherwise, it would just be suicide.
While everyone was preoccupied with observing the changes inside the second trial ground, Leon took out the demon corpses he collected earlier.
"I'm going to refine the demon blood and cultivate for a bit. If I can advance to the next stage in the Everlasting Blood Mantra, our chances of survival, in general, will rise."
With that said, Leon did not hesitate to commence the demon blood extraction immediately.
It wasn't difficult to understand that the stronger a person was, the higher their survivability was. As such, no one had complaints about Leon's choice to cultivate at that moment.
Furthermore, they would be receiving the demon corpses and their Demon Cores after Leon completed his blood refinement.
Knowing what the Crimsonfog Tribe's Battle Masters wanted, Leon extracted all the untainted demon blood essence from the 30-odd demon corpses in one go.
Shortly after, a red sphere of demon blood hung above Leon's head as he commenced with the next step and refined the demon blood essence into origin blood, paying no heed to anything else around him.
Most of the Crimsonfog Tribe's Battle Masters took that chance to also commence their own cultivation session after receiving their share of the Demon Cores from the demon corpses.
Only Darlene, Aria, the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman, Chief Baskara, and a few others chose to remain by the gate to continue their observation of the second trial's situation.
Chapter 720 - Speculations
"There should be some limit to how many creatures those glowing sacs can produce, right? Whatever is fueling it, it shouldn't be limitless. But, strangely, the sacs show no sign of slowing down its production despite the demons' efforts."
While observing the intense battle between demons and tree-like creatures inside the second trial, Darlene brought the matter to Aria's attention after noticing the detail.
However, she was not the only one to have noticed the problem. Aria and the others also found it strange at a glance.
"Mm, it is strange." Aria nodded before saying, "However, a Demon King's means is not something people at our level can understand."
"Though, if I had to make a wild guess, I would say that there's a chance that the power source fueling the sacs is capable of replenishing energy at the same rate as its expenditure. In that case, it might as well be limitless."
After Aria spoke, the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman and Chief Baskara quickly frowned in thought.
If the second trial could spawn such strange creatures en masse ceaselessly, there would be no point in killing them, no matter how many of them there are.
In other words, killing the tree-like creatures served no purpose other than surviving a little longer.
"If these weird creatures spawn ceaselessly, killing them won't help us clear the second trial. So how are we supposed to pass this trial?"
Chief Baskara pondered deeply before feeling a sharp pain in his mind.
"Ugh…"
"Take it easy, Baskara boya." The One-Eyed Venerable Shaman stroked his beard while saying, "Leave the thinking to others. You are still in a period of recovery."
"I supposed I will do just that."
Chief Baskara did not argue and took a seat on the ground with his eyes closed, paying no further thoughts to the second trial.
Meanwhile, Darlene's brows furrowed deeply over time before her eyes flickered.
"What if…"
"Hm?"
Aria shifted her gaze to Darlene, seeing she seemed to have something else to say.
"Ah, sorry." Darlene briefly arranged her thoughts before she continued to speak, "What if we just heard strange for the gate on the other end of the second trial ground? Won't that clear the second trial?"
"Huh?"
Aria and the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman were taken aback by Darlene's words.
"What are you saying… There's no way clearing the second trial could be so sim—" Aria prepared to dismiss Darlene's guess when she suddenly fell into deeper thoughts. "Actually, you may be right, Sister Darlene."
"You think so?" Darlene felt slightly happy to be acknowledged by Aria.
"Mm." Aria nodded and said, "Unlike the first trial, the second trial is an open space, allowing us to see the other end. If we can force our way through the enemy lines, we can enter the next trial ground."
"We not even need to enter the next trial right away. If we look at our current location, it would seem that the area near the trial gates is a sort of safe zone. However, we shouldn't bet on it. More importantly, the problem is…"
"Getting through the enemy lines…" Darlene muttered softly.
If they cannot get through the enemy lines, any thoughts of entering the next trial are just wishful thinking.
And by looking at the demons' situation, such a thing as plowing through the army of tree-like creatures was clearly no simple task.
In fact, it was exceedingly difficult to accomplish.
Otherwise, the demons wouldn't be trapped in the center of the second trail ground, surrounded on all fronts, and unable to advance or retreat.
The tree-like creatures spawned at a ridiculous rate, forming thick walls off hardened wood that blocks off any and all room for movement if allowed to grow unchecked.
"Say… if I can use my spatial ability to blink to the other end of the trial ground and open the next trial gate, the second trial might come to an end. If that happens, there will be no need to fight our way through all those creatures…" Darlene mentioned unconfidently.
"Absolutely not! It is too dangerous!" Aria immediately rejected Darlene's idea, "I won't agree to it, and neither would Leon. In our group, your strength is the lowest. We can't have you acting on a what-if when we don't even know what will actually happen."
There was no certainty the area around the third trial gate was a safe zone, and it makes even less sense for the spawned creatures to stop attacking simply because the second trial got cleared.
At most, it would just stop spawning more creatures.
"More importantly, there is no guarantee that opening the third trial gate would be the condition for clearing the second trial. Everything is just mere speculation," Aria added sternly and said, "If we are wrong, you can easily lose your life."
"Also, what do you even know about the spatial ability - blink? You might be able to get from one spot to another instantly with a single step, but the prerequisite in achieving that is the path have to be clear, do you understand?"
Despite getting an earful from Aria, Darlene could sense the concern in Aria's words, which made her feel warm in her heart.
Besides that, she was also surprised that Aria seemed quite knowledgeable about Spatial Law.
'If I remember correctly, Big Sister Aria should be an ice-lightning user. Why does she seem to know so much about spatial abilities?'
While Darlene silently pondered about this point, Aria did not seem to have realized it herself either.
Nor did Aria notice the spatial seed and temporal seed within her sea of consciousness had finished forming and began drawing in power subtly at some point, especially the temporal seed.
An hour quickly passed during Aria and Darlene's discussion, but the battle inside the second trial ground continued to rage on, albeit with declining intensity.
At this point, the demons were on the brink of exhaustion, about to be overwhelmed and wiped out at any moment.
"Seems like the demons won't be able to hold out for much longer…"
The One-Eyed Venerable Shaman softly stated before shifting his gaze back onto the group of Battle Masters in seated meditation and sensing their growing auras.
"And by the looks of it, a few of us are about to breakthrough in their cultivation."
Chapter 721 - Stage Of Rejuvenation
Pip-pip-pip!
Like a series of exploding popcorns, multiple Battle Masters achieved a breakthrough in their cultivation consecutively.
Three Battle Masters advanced to Mid-rank Battle Master while two reached the High-rank Battle Master Realm.
'So this is how the warriors cultivate on this side,' Aria thought as she silently observed the Crimsonfog Tribe's Battle Masters making big progress in their cultivation.
She quickly understood why the secret realm was such a big allure for the various tribes living in the Infertile Plains.
'With just a few Greater Demon-level Demon Cores, warriors at the Battle Master level could already advance a small stage in their cultivation… If they had better Demon Cores than that…' Aria thought.
It was hard to imagine how powerful and how far the warriors could grow within a short time with their body cultivation.
'But…' Aria suddenly frowned and pondered an issue, 'There has to be a limit to how quickly a body could grow.'
There was a certain risk factor warriors had to take into account when it comes to Body Cultivation.
If they transformed their bodies beyond the rate of change their bodies could handle, their bodies would not improve but break down instead.
'Like a small bucket cannot contain the entire ocean's water, if these low-level divine cultivators try to ingest cultivation pills meant for the high-level divine cultivators, their bodies will combust from the excessive energy.'
Although Aria was curious about the Crimsonfog Tribe's Body Cultivation, she did not dwell on the matter.
She quickly shifted her attention to Leon.
At that moment, the blob of blood essence hovering above Leon's head had completely disappeared after being refined and absorbed all at once.
His skin glowed red, and white steam with a hint of redness escaped from his pores.
Even without touch Leon's body, Aria could understand that at that moment, Leon's body temperature was high to an alarming degree.
It was as if his body embodied the sun, burning with scorching flames that evaporated his blood as they failed to retain their fluid form.
Without surprise, Aria was concerned.
Despite that, she did not act on her own accord but waited for Leon's signal, ready to assist him at a moment's notice should he call for it.
Rumble…!
A few moments later, reddish-white steam dissipated before everyone felt a lofty pressure exuding from Leon's body.
"Such powerful vitality!" the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman exclaimed with surprise.
Including the unsuccessful Battle Masters who have yet to achieve their breakthrough, everyone paused their cultivation and focused their sole attention on Leon's body with a slightly wary look.
It was as if they were not looking at a person but a powerful beast that just awakened.
"Such a peculiar cultivation method. How can a person's impression change so much within a short time?" A Mid-rank Battle Master wondered.
At the same time, Leon's steadily opened before Aria immediately appeared at his side with a quick inspection.
"Are you alright, Leon? So much steam was coming out of your body… It… It wasn't your blood evaporating, was it?" Aria asked with concern.
"It was," Leon admitted truthfully before adding, "But you don't have to worry, Aria. It was only the bad blood leaving the body. Think of it like shedding one's impurities."
After he absorbed over 120 drops of blood essence from the 30-odd demon corpses, he barely gained 75 unique drops of Origin Blood as some of them overlapped with one another.
Nevertheless, it was barely enough for him to reach the second stage of mastery in the Everlasting Blood Mantra, the Stage of Rejuvenation, at 102 types of Origin Blood.
Leon clenched his fist and felt his body overflowing with power.
It wasn't just an illusion brought by a major breakthrough in his blood-refining technique but true might.
His physical strength has risen far above the 1-mil jin mark—but by how much, he had yet to find out.
Furthermore, his speed also seemed to have improved.
If he considered the minor and major changes in his body, it was an overall improvement to all his physical abilities.
'Interesting…' Leon thought.
The blood-refining phase was said to focus on improving one's body's regenerative abilities, immunity to poison, and lifespan.
However, he gained much more than that of reaching the Everlasting Blood Mantra's second stage. He did not expect it.
And because he did not expect it, it came as a pleasant surprise.
'Was it the difference in quality?' Leon thought.
It was true that any beast blood could have been used to progress his blood-refining technique. But he used demon blood, which contained the refined and transformed blood of other beasts and demons.
The quality was on a different level to ordinary beast blood.
"I wasn't aware that there was a process of shedding impurity in one's blood as well," the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman mentioned before inquiring curiously, "Just exactly what kind of technique are you cultivating, Young Master Leonhardt?"
"A technique from the primordial age of gods and devils," Leon stated without any intention of hiding the fact before smiling, "Why, are you interested?"
The Crimsonfog Tribesmen were all surprised.
They heard that Young Master Leonhardt could decipher the ancient techniques from the primordial age of gods and devils, but they did not know the person had already begun practicing one such technique to a great extent.
"It would be a lie say this old man isn't," the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman shook his head helplessly and said, "However, it's ignoble to lust after another person's techniques."
"If Young Master Leonhardt is willing to teach, then we are naturally eager to learn. However, we will not take the initiative to ask you to teach us such a valuable technique."
Once these words were spoken, everyone who harbored desires for the technique quickly had their heads cooled.
"Forget it. Young Master Leonhardt had already promised to help us decipher our tribe's collection of ancient techniques. Perhaps, there will be a more suitable technique for us."
A High-rank Battle Master mentioned the matter before reaching a tacit understanding with the other tribesmen.
At the same time, they were once reminded how fortunate it was to have such an incredibly talented person like the Young Master Leonhardt on their side.
Their anticipation for the future grew immensely.
"Anyway, I believe we have wasted enough time in this tomb. Let us quickly clear it and regroup with the others scattered across the secret realm, shall we?" Leon suggested before further adding, "I may have been cultivating earlier, but I've also overheard everything you've all discussed."
"And personally, I think Darlene's guess of reaching the other side has a good chance of being the correct solution to clearing the second trial," Leon stated after.
He was also itching to put his body to work and test out the limits of his newfound strength.
While Darlene was delighted to hear Leon's words, she quickly became concerned with Leon's condition—much like Aria.
"Won't you need to rest and replenish your blood? It seemed like you lost a lot of blood during your cultivation," Darlene mentioned with creased brows.
However, the two ladies' worries were for naught.
The bad blood was removed to make room for his improved blood and not contaminate them at the same time.
The slight blood loss did not make him anemic but overflowing with energy instead.
Suddenly, Leon realized why his physical may have improved and gained strong regenerative properties after reaching the Second Stage of Rejuvenation.
'A powerful engine cannot exhibit its full potential without good fuel.'
Chapter 722 - The Leap Through Space
After reaching the Stage of Rejuvenation, Leon's strength and regenerative abilities improved considerably.
Apart from that, he also gained much insight into demons and the nature of their cultivation. There was hidden knowledge that could only be obtained from their blood.
When humans hear about demons, they think of them as an evil and bloodthirsty race with powerful bodies and strong regenerative abilities, making them difficult to kill as they spread malice and destruction to all who cross their path.
However, was such a powerful race always born that powerful?
The answer was no—or at least, that was the answer Leon arrived at after refining and absorbing the blood essence of 30-odd demon corpses.
Demons were not born powerful, but they had an inherent ability to grow powerful quickly. It was the ability to assimilate the bloodline of other races and make it their own.
From Leon's point of view, it was a type of blood cultivation.
Even so, it was a type of blood cultivation that is deeply ingrained in demons upon birth, which made it understandable why demons were vile and bloodthirsty by nature.
But even if Leon understood that much, it did not mean it was acceptable by human standards.
'Given the demon's nature, it is extremely difficult for demons to coexist with any other race, let alone humans.'
Leon's eyes flickered as he stood up and shelved everything to the back of his mind. He could continue contemplating the matter another time.
Right now, there was a more pressing matter at hand.
Meanwhile, One-Eyed Venerable Shaman watched Leon stand up before he nodded, seeing that he was ready to join their conversation.
"Since Young Master Leonhardt agrees with Miss Darlene's idea, is it also safe for this old man to assume that Young Master Leonhardt has a plan that would allow us to reach the other side of the trial ground?" One-Eyed Venerable Shaman asked.
"I do have a plan," Leon nodded and said firmly, "However if you all trust me, I would like to take on the second trial alone."
"Alone, you say…?"
One-Eyed Venerable Shaman, Aria, Darlene, and the other Battle Masters were immediately taken aback by Leon's decision.
"No way!"
"It's too dangerous!"
Without surprise, Aria and Darlene were the first to reject Leon's decision immediately. Aria gripped Leon's arm firmly with bottled-up feelings.
She was sick of him throwing himself head-first into danger all the time while she could only helplessly worry for his safety.
"I hope you have a good reason for suggesting something so ridiculous, Young Master Leonhardt…" One-Eyed Venerable Shaman smiled wryly and said, "Even a group of Greater Demons could not get past those things. What makes you think you can do it alone?"
Leon rested a hand on top of Aria's hand and gave her a reassuring smile before facing One-Eyed Venerable Shaman seriously.
"The group of Greater Demons was strong, yes, but what they lacked wasn't strength. It was versatility. They had brute strength but a limited range of different abilities to use. However, I am different," he stated confidently.
"My strength might not be greater than the demons' combined strength, but with my abilities, I will not be pinned and overwhelmed by those creatures."
"And what happens if you do end up pinned and overwhelmed by said creatures? How can you be so certain, Young Master Leonhardt?" One-Eyed Venerable Shaman furrowed his brows with doubt.
"I believe a demonstration is more convincing than any words spoken," Leon smiled before saying, "But even if I do get pinned down by those creatures' overwhelming numbers, they won't be able to exhaust me to death like the demons."
Although the strange creatures in the second trial have wood-like skin, they still bleed with red blood like normal humans.
"Battlefield of blood is my domain." Leon stared inside the second trial ground filled with tree-like creatures that had yet to disappear and said, "So long as they bleed red, I will be inexhaustible."
"I see…" One-Eyed Venerable Shaman's eyes flickered before he said, "Since Young Master Leonhardt's mind is set, I will no longer try to persuade you otherwise."
After convincing the Crimsonfog Tribe's side, Leon took some time to reassure Aria and Darlene of his absolute confidence.
Sometime later, he stood before the fine line that divided the first and second trial ground before he glanced back at Aria and Darlene.
"Keep your eyes open and observe what I'll do. It'll be a good experience for the both of you," Leon stated before adding, "Darlene might have already noticed it, but space inside the secret realm is not as solid as the outside. As such, I will be using my spatial ability."
After Leon finished speaking, Aria and Darlene's gaze quickly turned solemn as they stood back and watched Leon without daring to blink.
Since he said it would be a good experience for them, it must be so.
When space is less solid, it is easier to manipulate. And when space is easier to manipulate, less energy is expended in doing so.
If Darlene hadn't used her spatial ability inside the secret realm, Leon would've missed such a subtle detail.
After all, the solidity of space isn't visible to the naked eye.
Because of the spatial seal on Gaia, the solidity of space on Gaia was much higher than it should be. This restrains the spatial abilities of Spatial Awakeners and makes it difficult for them to exercise their full potential.
'It's been some time since I used this ability. There's a chance I might make a mistake since the Divine Realm and this realm is different. But since my spatial ability is at 9-stars and the solidity of space in this secret realm is different from outside, I should be fine… probably,' Leon mused.
Shortly after, Leon reminded, "Alright, I'm going now. Watch carefully. This is what you can do with Spatial Law."
In that instance, Leon dashed forward.
Simultaneous, two points in space in front of him quickly converged as if they were being pinched together, causing the other end of the second trial ground to appear much closer.
It only lasted an instant before returning to the way it was, making everything seemed like an illusion.
However, the Crimsonfog Tribe's people knew it was no illusion as they vaguely saw Leon on the other side of the second trial ground.
"This…"
Everyone's eyes quickly widened in that instance.
Chapter 723 - Sudden Frenzy
Those with weak senses only saw Leon's position changed, but those with sharper senses saw an instance where Leon's body suddenly moved at such high speed that they only saw his blurred silhouette.
If they had to describe Leon's movement, it was like a slingshot effect.
But to Leon, it was just a regular dash as he was the one moving through the distorted space. People on the outside and inside of the distorted space saw things differently.
After landing on the other side, Leon was relieved to see that his body was still in one piece.
The spatial movement was not something an amateur without any experience should pull off as it was perilous.
If his body had only entered the distorted space after its contraction and not left before its expansion, his body would have been ripped apart.
This is why he had to do it first.
It was so Darlene could gain a better understanding and experience of the spatial movement and run a lower risk when performing it herself.
"Seems like we were right." Leon glanced at the unmoving creatures and said, "The area at the end of a trial is a safe zone. In that case, I won't have to worry about them for now and focus on…"
Leon shifted his gaze to the stone gate before him.
Although the large army of wood-like creatures filling the second trial ground concerned him, he can only worry about it after collecting the Demon King's inheritance.
"Strangely, there is no holographic projection of the Demon King's Will like the Arch Demon's tomb…" Leon furrowed his brows with doubts.
Nevertheless, he placed both hands on the stone gates and exerted his strength.
"Whether it'll be the third trial or the Demon King's resting ground, all will be answered once I open these gates," Leon muttered.
As the stone gates opened, the gloomy-green ghostfire candles revealed a dimly lit chamber with a single ice coffin at its center.
"It's the Demon King's resting ground, huh? That saves me the extra trouble…" Leon thought out loud. It was another two-trial tomb.
Perhaps there weren't any third trials in any of these demon tombs.
After cautiously approaching the Abyssal Wood Demon King's tomb without activating any potential traps that may have been installed, Leon glanced inside the transparent ice coffin.
Contrary to Leon's expectation, the Abyssal Wood Demon King inside the ice coffin greatly resembled a human.
The only difference was Abyssal Wood Demon King's skin color being green.
Apart from that, the Abyssal Wood Demon King looked no different to a man in his 40's with long black hair and a rough warrior-like face and body, garbed in golden armor while holding a white sword over his chest.
The full set of golden armor especially caught Leon's attention.
"These fine runic lines and divine glow that gives me a greater sense of awe compared to the Tier-6 dagger… These golden pieces of armor must be at least Tier-7 artifacts!" Leon determined.
Tier-6 artifacts were already something, but Tier-7 artifacts were even more incredible.
Leon did not doubt for a second that if he pitted his bone spear against the Tier-7 white sword, his bone spear would be cut in two without much effort.
It didn't take long before Leon noticed the black ring on the Abyssal Wood Demon King's index finger.
"An Interspatial Artifact! There must be a lot of goodies stored inside it!" His eyes sparkled immediately.
…
…
…
Meanwhile, Aria, Darlene, and the rest of the group continued to observe the changes in the second trial ground after Leon disappeared beyond it.
Although One-Eyed Venerable Shaman trusted Leon's character, the same could not be said for the rest of the Crimsonfog Tribesmen.
"I don't get it. I don't get it all. If Young Master Leonhardt had such an ability, he could have taken us all to the other side with him. There was no need to brave the danger alone," a High-rank Battle Master quietly expressed his doubts to his tribesmen.
Several Battle Masters immediately gave the person glances.
"What are you trying to say? Are you suspecting that Young Master Leonhardt volunteered to go alone because he wants to…" a Mid-rank Battle Master spoke but did not finish his words before falling silent.
Even if he didn't, it was enough to convey his message.
He suspected that Young Master Leonhardt wanted to monopolize the Abyssal Wood Demon King's inheritance.
If Young Master Leonhardt stored all of the Demon King's inheritance into his interspatial storage, they would never know how much of the inheritance was gained before they decided to divide it.
The only way to know would be to ask Young Master Leonhardt to open up his interspatial storage for them to check.
However, such a thing was incredibly rude and disrespectful.
Several Battle Masters could not help but also start suspecting Young Master Leonhardt's intention to hide a portion of the inheritance for greater gain after the topic was brought up.
After all, it was the Demon King's inheritance they were talking about.
It would be strange if it did not ignite people's greed when they imagine the potential to become a Battle God or something beyond it.
Nevertheless, their small talk did not escape One-Eyed Venerable Shaman's ears.
"Haiz…"
One-Eyed Venerable Shaman sighed with disappointment.
With his authority and power, he could control his tribesmen's actions but not their thoughts. Even so, it was disappointing to see them display the ugliness of the human heart when power and glory are involved.
Young Master Leonhardt's decision to venture alone was out of his goodwill, yet that goodwill is viewed as an ulterior motive.
They did not think about the hidden danger that compelled Young Master Leonhardt to go alone.
Rumble…!
Suddenly, the underground shook violently before large movements were detected inside the second trial ground.
"Something's happening!" Chief Baskara frowned.
The army of wood-like creatures, which had been inactive, suddenly became active again. They all rushed towards Leon's direction, pouring into the Demon King's resting chamber with great frenzy.
It was also the exact moment Leon touched the Abyssal Wood Demon King's golden armor.
Chapter 724 - The Demon King's Intention
Although Leon made sure the Abyssal Wood Demon King's ice coffin had no traps before he touched the treasures inside, it did not stop the hidden mechanisms from activating.
'Were the hidden traps set up by the Abyssal Wood Demon King too advanced for me to detect?' Leon frowned in thought.
However, the urgent situation did not allow him to dwell on it.
With the loss of the safe zone and the army of wood-like creatures charging towards him, Leon could only ponder the issue later.
He quickly stored the entire ice coffin into his Worldspace before drawing his Tier-4 Bone Spear.
"Come!"
Leon pointed his Tier-4 Bone Spear at the army, preparing to face them head-on. It was a good chance to test the effectiveness of the Everlasting Blood Mantra's Second Stage, the Stage of Rejuvenation.
Swoosh—!
In a short instance, the two sides collided—or rather, the army collided with Leon's Tier-4 Bone Spear as it turned into a fierce whirlwind in his hands.
Hundreds of creatures were slaughtered every passing moment.
It was as if an absolute barrier had been formed within a 10-feet radius of Leon, turning everything into minced meat as the creatures entered his range.
Hundreds… Thousands… Tens of thousands…
The wood-like creatures were diced up into numerous pieces by the absolute sharpness and speed of Leon's speed, scattering red blood all over the resting ground like a shower of rain.
Without a doubt, his attack speed had significantly improved.
"So, my physical traits have been optimized to such a state after reaching the second stage, huh? It seems like I can go a little bit faster, but any faster than this is an unnecessary expenditure of stamina," Leon mused as he swung his Tier-4 Bone Spear.
The killing speed was great, but the stamina expenditure was equally so.
Leon could quickly feel the fatigue building up in his arms, but he continued to consume his stamina without concern.
'Time to see if the Everlasting Blood Mantra works as it claims!' Leon's eyes flickered with a red hue.
In that instance, the surrounding blood rose like numerous floating raindrops frozen in time before they swirled towards Leon's body like a whirlpool and entered his pores.
Shortly after, his skin turned red, and his body temperature rose sharply, creating a sizzling sound as steam exited his body.
The blood essence of the fallen enemies became nutrients that fueled his stamina, washing away all his fatigue instantly.
His aura surged explosively.
"Hahaha, amazing!" Leon laughed with heartfelt appreciation for the blood technique, "Truly a divine and everlasting technique!"
On a battlefield of blood, so long as he was killed instantly, he would be infallible and inexhaustible, allowing him to fight until the last enemy is cut down.
…
As Leon revered in the advantages of the Everlasting Blood Mantra, Aria and the rest of the group frowned with worries.
Even when they could not see past the second trial ground due to the swarms of enemies blocking the entire entrance to the resting ground as they rushed inside, they could tell that Leon was fighting on the other side.
"Why is Young Master Leonhardt wasting time in there?! Why isn't he using that spatial movement he used earlier to come back to us?" a Mid-rank Battle Master questioned.
"It's not that he wouldn't, but he can't," Aria solemnly stated as she stared into the distance with concern.
One-Eyed Venerable Shaman and Chief Baskara both shifted their gaze to Aria and Darlene for further explanations.
"In order to use the spatial movement, a clear and unobstructed pathway is needed. However, those creatures have completely blocked the entrance and cut off his escape!" Darlene explained as she clenched her small fists.
"So if Young Master Leonhardt wants to leave, he would have to clear the entrance first?" Chief Baskara frowned and said, "Even that group of demons couldn't get past those walls of woody flesh. I doubt Young Master Leonhardt could do it alone."
"Right, we have to help him!" Darlene stated urgently.
However, right at that moment, everyone heard Leon's urgent voice from the other side of the blocked entrance.
"No! Don't worry about me and leave the tomb immediately! I will be fine, but you will all be in danger if you don't leave right now!" Leon shouted.
As he slaughtered his way towards the blocked entrance leading to the second trial ground, the gears in his mind churned with great clarity in the midst of battle.
He finally understood the reason behind why something felt off before he entered the resting ground.
Although brief, he did not sense the Demon Core inside the Abyssal Wood Demon King's corpse when he retrieved the ice coffin.
The Demon King's Demon Core was hidden elsewhere.
The maze… the Hellbiters… the absence of the Demon King's Will for the trial takers… the endless power to produce limitless numbers of enemies… and the sudden situation…
Everything clicked in Leon's mind.
The Abyssal Wood Demon King never intended to hand over his inheritance to the successful trial takers. That being wanted to bury all trespassers that came to disturb his resting place and aim for his treasures!
Rumble…!
The entire space began to shake as the tomb's structural integrity destabilized, threatening to collapse and bury everyone inside.
At that moment, Aria and One-Eyed Venerable Shaman both felt chills in their hearts as they quickly understood the reason for Leon's words.
"We need to leave right now!" One-Eyed Venerable Shaman barked.
Chief Baskara and all the Battle Masters immediately agreed, but Darlene was also quick to oppose such a decision. She could not accept it.
"No! We need to save to Leon! I won't leave without him!" Darlene stated resolutely.
However, just as she was about to recklessly charge into the second trial ground and draw the enemies' attention, she was quickly knocked out by Aria and carried on her shoulders.
"Let's go," Aria stated solemnly.
Even she wanted to charge into the second trial ground to help Leon recklessly, but she knew she had to be level-headed and follow Leon's wish.
'If you die, I won't forgive you!' Aria bit her lips.
With a little bit of self-awareness, everyone knew that getting crushed by a collapsing tomb was never the issue.
The bigger problem was the Mother Hellbiter.
Chapter 725 - A Divine Weapon's Might
Screech!
As Aria and the rest of the group darted through the maze, following the same route back to the tomb's entrance, the Mother Hellbiter's high-pitched cry rang throughout the Demon King-level Tomb.
The worse of their fears had come true!
With the enormous Mother Hellbiter waking up, it immediately scanned its surroundings before locking onto the group.
In that instance, Aria and the others immediately felt a suffocating pressure weighing down on them, making their steps feel heavier.
Its glistening killing intent and bloodthirst were dense enough to shatter a person's spirit and make them break down in fear.
Fortunately, everyone was battle-hardened with tempered wills, and the only person without it had been knocked out by Aria.
"Dammit! All of you keep going! I will draw its attention and buy you all time to escape!" One-Eyed Venerable Shaman barked at the group.
"How can we just leave you, Venerable—"
"Just do as I say!" One-Eyed Venerable Shaman roared.
An Arch Demon-level monster wasn't something that any of them could face. Even the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman wasn't the Mother Hellbiter's opponent.
But if his sacrifice could give everyone else a chance at survival, he would gladly do it. He had lived long enough.
Let it be his final glory.
One-Eyed Venerable Shaman's decision was firm, and his conviction was set. He was ready to die for his conviction.
Boom!
Suddenly, before the Mother Hellbiter could drop down from the ceiling and engage One-Eyed Venerable shaman, a crimson-black blazing bone spear shot over like a missile and struck the Arch Demon-level spider.
Screech!
The Mother Hellbiter immediately screeched in pain after Leon's Tier-4 Bone Spear infused in Fire Law and Nihility Law blinded one of its eyes.
It searched for the culprit with its remaining eyes for a while before finally locking onto Leon's location in the resting ground—not with its eyes but with its sharp senses to vibration.
Leon's spear toss had been like an airplane taking off from a runway after he maximized his divine sense and divine will, ripping a hole straight through dense masses of woody flesh that blocked his exit.
Nevertheless, the Mother Hellbiter's killing intent and bloodthirst immediately surged to new heights.
"Go!" Leon's urgent voice trickled over.
While One-Eyed Venerable Shaman was surprised, he quickly recovered and nodded in Leon's direction with appreciation before he continued to lead everyone else out of the tomb.
"Let's go! Don't waste the chance Young Master Leonhardt has given us!" One-Eyed Venerable Shaman hollered.
At the same time, Aria's heart and belief were shaken.
If Leon had to face both the Mother Hellbiter and the army of the second trial, his slim chance of survival would be even slimmer. There was no way he could survive that.
Her eyes swelled with tears as she hesitated to leave.
As if knowing what Aria felt at that moment despite being separated by two caves and endless spawns of monsters, Leon made a promise to reassure her.
"Believe in me and go, Aria! I swear I will make it through this and get back to you! Our journey won't end here!"
Following Leon's words, One-Eyed Venerable Shaman and the others felt a powerful stir in the atmosphere, prompting them to look back with Aria.
A brilliant light shined through the temporary gap Leon previously made before its divine glow quickly turned jet-black and demonic.
After throwing away his Tier-4 Bone Spear to draw the Mother Hellbiter's attention over, Leon had immediately drawn out the Tier-7 Sword from the Worldspace.
The divine weapon automatically absorbed the power of his various laws and transformed it, boosting his attack power greatly.
With a single swing of the Tier-7 Sword, dozens of monsters were directly cleaved in two while thousands more were killed by the rippling effect of the sword aura.
None of the elemental laws' distinctive traits could be found in the attack.
It was as if Leon's power was simply fuel for the weapon to bring out its unique effect, which seemed closely similar to Sword Intent.
A Swordsman could train for a lifetime and not use Sword Intent, but a single Tier-7 divine weapon could immediately replicate its effect.
It was indeed a phenomenal weapon.
"So strong…" Leon muttered with surprise.
Even without learning and Sword Arts, he felt like he could slaughter everything obstructing his path with raw power.
Nevertheless, he did not forget to continue swinging his divine weapon and slaughter the endless spawns of enemies around him.
…
"The Demon King's inheritance! If Young Master Leonhardt uses the Demon King's inheritance, then there's no way he won't be able to survive!" One-Eyed Venerable Shaman was assured that Leon had the means of survival.
At the same time, Aria was also relieved to hear that.
Although she wasn't sure what Leon obtained in the resting ground, it should include the Demon King's Demon Core at the very least.
If Leon used something like that, dealing with Arch Demon-level monsters shouldn't be an issue.
A huge burden was lifted off Aria's heart, allowing her to leave the tomb without worries along with One-Eyed Venerable Shaman and the others.
However, perhaps due to her tight nerves relaxing, she had forgotten a simple truth about cultivation.
The Demon King's Demon Core may contain the lifetime cultivation of the Demon King, but if the new vessel isn't strong enough, they would only destroy themselves while trying to absorb its powers.
Only someone at the level of Demon Lords, Celestials, and Divine Origin Realm practitioners or higher could absorb the Demon King's powers without risk of implosion.
But ignoring all the facts above, the most crucial point was Leon did not even have the Abyssal Wood Demon King's Demon Core.
However, Aria and the others did not know this.
…
Boom!
After the group left, the enormous Mother Hellbiter shattered the crumbling walls obstructing it from entering the second trial ground on a forward path towards Leon.
"I was worried that my strength might be inadequate to break through the defense of an Arch Demon-level monster like the Mother Hellbiter, but…"
As Leon muttered, he swung the Tier-7 divine weapon and slaughtered several thousands more wood-like creatures.
"But with a divine weapon like this in my hand, I now know that I was worried over nothing," Leon's eyes flickered with fighting spirit.
Chapter 726 - Revered Wind Tribe
Aria and the rest of the group quickly escaped towards the exit of the Demon King-level Tomb before they were startled by what they saw ahead.
Dim rays of light shined inside the tomb, and the entrance was within sight, but the ahead was obstructed by countless Hellbiters pouring in.
"Why are there so many Hellbiters inside the tomb? Miss Aria's ice wall should have blocked them off when we entered!" a Mid-rank Battle Master exclaimed with shock before muttering, "The ice shouldn't have melted this quickly…"
"The collapsing tomb might have affected the ice and created a gap for the Hellbiters to enter," One-Eyed Venerable Shaman frowned and added, "Or these Hellbiter may have chewed their way through."
Considering how deadly the Hellbiter's venom is on the nerves, they might have overlooked its corrosive properties on other objects.
"Either way, it's good that we found out early. We just need to break past this hurdle before we make it outside. It would have been troublesome if they surrounded us inside the maze," Chief Baskara stated.
Not only was the maze hidden in complete darkness, but the limited space also made it difficult for them to defend, whereas it gave the Hellbiters an advantage.
Screech… Screech…
Suddenly, the group picked up noise from behind before they realized an army of Hellbiters crawled out of the maze and headed their way.
It was a pincer attack, and their numbers were even greater than the group blocking the exit.
"What! The maze had this many Hellbiters in hiding this whole?" a High-rank Battle Master exclaimed.
Only then did they realize how lucky they were to make it as far as they did inside the tomb. There must have been an enormous nest hidden somewhere in the tomb.
"The big disturbance in the tomb must have stirred them into action. We cannot stay here for long. We need to break out immediately!" One-Eyed Venerable Shaman stated.
The Crimsonfog Tribesmen quickly drew their weapons under Chief Baskara's lead before dashing ahead of Aria, Darlene, and One-Eyed Venerable Shaman.
"Charge with me!" Chief Baskara roared in the lead with his hands firmly gripped onto his Tier-5 bone sword.
His eyes glinted with a crimson hue.
In the next instance, Chief Baskara's body disappeared in a red flash, zipping through the hundreds of Hellbiters in an instance.
Dozens of Hellbiters were bisected with a single flash, and the path ahead was opened.
"Remember to be careful! It's over with a single bite!"
"Yes, Chief Baskara!"
The Crimsonfog Tribesmen heeded the chief's reminder as they cleaned up after Chief Baskara, cutting down the stragglers the chief missed in his attack.
"I'll take care of our rear!" Aria stated.
Even if it wasn't much help, she wanted to cut down as many Hellbiters as she could and leave a path of retreat for Leon.
With that thought in mind, she waved her hand covered in frosty lightning.
A blue-white light immediately flashed through a row of Hellbiters, penetrating through their bodies before ice crystals proliferated from within their wounds like the blossoming of flowers and froze their entire beings.
After the first ray of ice-lightning came the second, the third, the fourth… In mere moments, Aria fired more than three dozens of ice-lightning rays and slaughtered several thousand Hellbiters.
However, it was only a small fraction of their numbers.
"Miss Aria, it's time to leave. There's still more Hellbiters pouring in from outside," One-Eyed Venerable Shaman urged.
Aria nodded and bit her lips while looking back at the army of Hellbiters. She wished she could have done more, but she still needed to look out for Darlene's safety.
After sticking close to Darlene and exiting the tomb with the group, they were surrounded on all fronts by several hundred thousand Hellbiters.
Aria immediately conjured a ring of ice pillars and cut off their path of advancement while locking in several hundred Hellbiters with the rest of the group.
"Nicely done, Miss Aria." One-Eyed Venerable Shaman praised Aria's quick wits.
Although it was easier to fight in the open space of the surface, the large number of Hellbiters put great pressure on the group with their lethality.
However, Aria's move quickly eased the pressure weighing down on them.
"Be careful of ambush. Hellbiters might not be our only concern," Chief Baskara warned as he cut down the Hellbiters inside the ice ring with the other Battle Masters.
They had entered the tomb after the demons, but nothing stopped another group from arriving afterward.
If there was a demon group waiting for them, then there was more trouble to deal with. They couldn't be careless if there were humans either.
…
Chief Baskara's caution was right on the mark.
At that moment, another human group had been watching the tomb entrance from the treetop after clearing out the area.
"Chief, there are movements below. They must have succeeded in clearing the tomb's trials, and they appear to be humans," a Revered Wind Tribe's Battle Master reported before inquiring, "Should we help them?"
"Let's just observe them for the time being," Chief Darkwind stated unhurriedly.
The Revered Wind Tribe was one among many tribes within the Infertile Plains' Central Region. The situation had always been chaotic, and their enemies were plenty.
"See if we can find out their affiliation. If they hail from one of our rival tribes, helping them might not be beneficial even if we are all humans."
"Yes, Chief!" the Battle Master complied.
Their group comprised of twenty people, all hailing from the Revered Wind Tribe of the Central Region.
The weakest among them were Extremity-rank Great Warriors, and the strongest was a Venerable Shaman from their tribe, an Extremity-rank Battle Master.
Chief Darkwind, himself, was only a High-rank Battle Master.
While he was not the strongest in the group, the Revered Wind Tribesmen listened to his orders without exception.
…
As Aria and the Crimsonfog Tribesmen slaughtered the Hellbiters in the area, they divided a portion of their focus to survey the area.
"There are slight changes to the area from where we left off," Aria frowned.
"As I suspected, people were lying in wait for us, huh?" Chief Baskara muttered before glaring into the trees, "Whoever is hiding, show yourself! If you don't reveal yourself, the Crimsonfog Tribe will assume you all have ulterior motives and treat you as our enemies!"
"The Crimsonfog Tribe?" Chief Darkwind muttered in the treetop.
Chapter 727 - The Cost Of Divided Attention
"Let us head down and help them clear out the pesty spiders."
"Yes, Chief!"
Shortly after learning the group's identity, Chief Darkwind made his decision to assist Chief Baskara's group.
"Chief Darkwind from the Revered Wind Tribe is here to assist the Crimsonfog Tribe!" Chief Darkwind announced as he descended into the sea of spiders.
With his Tier-5 bone whip in hand, Chief Darkwind immediately lacerated the surrounding Hellbiters were into pieces.
Each lash of the bone whip generated a small gust of sharp wind that created splash damage to the surrounding Hellbiters.
Although the attack power wasn't great, they were more than enough to slay the Hellbiters.
In mere moments, Chief Darkwind cleared the area for his tribesmen.
Shortly after, the Revered Wind Tribesmen descended one by one before joining the fray as they diverted some of the Hellbiters' attention and slaughtered the spiders.
"The Revered Wind Tribe… from the Central Region?" One-Eyed Venerable Shaman narrowed his eye.
A tribe hailing from the chaotic lands of the Central Region was not easy to trust.
"Precisely," Chief Darkwind admitted openly.
Given the distrust between tribes of different regions, the two groups worked separately to slay the Hellbiters in their own designated zones.
Half a day quickly passed before mountains of spider carcasses filled the central forest area. The army of Hellbiters was eventually exterminated, but not without a price.
The Crimsonfog Tribe lost three people, and the Revered Wind Tribe lost two people, totaling a loss of five Battle Masters.
Both groups could do nothing but watch their fellow tribesmen wail in agony before getting overwhelmed and killed by the Hellbiters.
Normally, such a situation should not have happened.
If anything, the Extremity-rank Great Warriors were expected to die first. However, it was not one of those situations where the odds were against them.
With perfect coordination and focus, either group could have slaughtered the Hellbiters without casualties.
Unfortunately, neither of the two groups could completely trust the other and remained wary with divided attention, resulting in carelessness and accidents.
"To think we would lose a High-rank Battle Master like this," Chief Baskara solemnly stated as he stared at the five corpses lined up on the ground in front of him.
Although they managed to retrieve the five corpses after the battle, none were intact. Some were missing limbs, while one even had an entire head missing.
"Make the preparation to send them off," Chief Baskara ordered before muttering, "I shouldn't let them have their eternal rest in this accursed place."
"Understood, Chief Baskara!"
Instead of burying the bodies, both the Crimsonfog Tribe and Revered Wind Tribe decided to cremate the fallen warriors and scatter their ashes to the wind in hopes of releasing their spirits to find their way back home.
After completing the ceremony in two hours, the mourning period ended right there and then.
No matter what, they still had to continue to explore the secret realm and stop the demons from becoming strong.
"I, One-Eyed Venerable Shaman Galdro, thank Chief Darkwind and Revered Wind Tribesmen for your assistance," the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman sought Chief Darkwind and expressed his gratitude.
"Senior Galdro is too polite. It is natural for all humans to work together in this accursed place full of demons," Chief Darkwind shook the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman's hand before his expression suddenly stiffened.
"One-Eyed Venerable Shaman… One-Eyed Venerable Shaman… You mean 'the' One-Eyed Venerable Shaman?"
"You've heard of me?" One-Eyed Venerable Shaman Galdro glanced at Chief Darkwind.
"Of course! You're an old legend! Who hasn't heard the name of the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman when Senior Galdro was still running wild in the Central Region?" Chief Darkwind replied enthusiastically.
His expression became more respectful.
All Battle Kings had their name etched into the history of the Infertiles Plains. Extremity-rank Battle Masters were one step short, but their names weren't easily forgotten either.
"Hahaha, I was just a hot-headed youth back in those days. I'm just a decrepit old man now," One-Eyed Venerable Shaman Galdro chuckled softly.
Aria and Darlene stayed near the tomb entrance and watched over it as the rest of the group grew familiar with each other and engaged in idle talks.
Through the Revered Wind Tribesmen, Chief Baskara's group learned that the demon's forces had been gathering towards a particular direction in the east.
Because the demon's forces in that area were too great, the scattered human forces were forced to look for opportunities elsewhere, which led the Revered Wind Tribesmen to the forest of the Abyssal Wood Demon King.
"Thousands of Greater Demons and potential Arch Demons are gathering in the east? There must be something special over there," One-Eyed Venerable Shaman Galdro frowned thoughtfully.
A Demon King-level Tomb only managed to attract a hundred or so demons.
For another place to attract a few dozen times over that amount, it would imply that the tomb of inheritance in that location was at an even higher level than the Demon King.
'A Demon Emperor-level Tomb? Or something beyond that?' Chief Baskara pondered quietly as he listened in on the conversation.
As the Revered Wind Tribe interacted with the group, they gradually realized Chief Baskara's group had no intention of leaving the forest.
In addition to the two beautiful girls waiting by the tomb entrance, their interest grew over time.
"If I may be so bold to ask, who are you all waiting for? Judging by the danger level of this place, this shouldn't be a low-level tomb, right?" the Revered Wind Tribe's Venerable Shaman inquired.
One-Eyed Venerable Shaman Galdro and the group immediately fell silent as they carefully pondered their choice of words.
Nevertheless, the One-Eyed Venerable Shaman decided it was fine to inform the Revered Wind Tribe after considering Leon's prestige.
"We are waiting for Young Master Leonhardt to return safely. This Demon King-level Tomb was a trap. The Abyssal Wood Demon King had no intention of passing on his inheritance to the future generations…"
A flash of greed immediately flicked in the eyes of the Revered Wind Tribesmen at the mention of Demon King-level Tomb.
However, their greed quickly disappeared as they waited for Leon's return. Even after a full day had passed, the tomb entrance did not show any signs of the person exiting.
Chief Darkwind and the rest of his tribesmen quickly lost their patience as they concluded that the person had died inside the tomb.