Rise of The Demon General Chapter 800. Participating in Another Worthiness Trial

The onlookers above the pit watched as the spider beast nearly ensnared the Hyanid. The Hyanid managed to narrowly evade capture at the last possible second, but not before the spider beast's sharp leg raked across his right thigh. The crowd erupted in cheers. Should the Hyanid be caught and killed, the trial would reach its conclusion.

Two elder Hyanids conversed quietly as they observed the ongoing conflict. "What is your assessment?" one inquired of the other.

His companion responded, "The trial participant must have thoroughly studied past trials. They undoubtedly grasped how to leverage this trial's specific regulations."

"I am not inquiring about the participant. Are you not the caretaker of this pit? Have you ascertained the cause of the degradation in the purging hole's energy?"

The purging hole was the designation the Hyanid used for the dark pond situated at the pit's center. What was once a deep black pond had now transformed into a light grey one, its liquid appearing deceptively tranquil. Judging by the recent encounter with the spider beast, it was evident that the pond's alterations extended beyond mere visual changes.

The caretaker shook his head. "I have frequented this pit since my youth, so often that I eventually earned my current appointment. I have never witnessed the purging hole behaving in this manner. I have meticulously reviewed all records pertaining to this pit, dating back to the city's inception. Such an occurrence has never been documented... What about your findings? You possess an S-level affinity for darkness elements. I have permitted you access to the pit for ten days. Have you sensed anything unusual?"

"Not particularly. All I can glean from these ten days of observation is that the darkness elements within this hole are diminishing rapidly. The reason for this, and why it is happening, remains unknown to me. When would you say the energies of this hole began to alter their color?"

"It started becoming noticeable approximately two months ago."

The Hyanid turned towards the pit caretaker, a questioning expression on his face. "Based on your previous statement, you do not believe this phenomenon manifested recently?"

"I am inclined to think so. I have harbored a persistent suspicion every time I passed by this purging hole. I felt, somehow, that it had become less substantial."

"Less substantial?"

The caretaker Hyanid nodded. "Envision a full tube, yet the bottom portion is gradually being removed. We, who only perceive the upper section, remain unaware until whatever is diminishing the tube approaches the top."

"Are you suggesting... the source of its deterioration originates from the other side?"

Before receiving a reply, a disturbance erupted from the audience. The spider beast had finally captured the participant Hyanid. The Hyanid's movements had slowed considerably, rendering him unable to evade the spider beast's pounce. It became apparent that the spider beast's legs harbored venom; he had been poisoned from the earlier scratch on his thigh.

Weakened by the venom, he was incapable of fighting off the spider beast. The creature pinned him to the ground before impaling him with a stinger emerging from its midsection. The Hyanid emitted a terrible howl, saturated with agony. The cry faltered before falling into complete silence.

The Hyanid became like a deflated balloon, unnaturally gaunt. Liquid began to seep from the fissures between its carapaces. His internal organs had dissolved into a viscous fluid. The spider beast inserted its mouth into the Hyanid and commenced siphoning its liquefied flesh and organs.

"The trial has concluded!" the trial commentator proclaimed. "Regrettably, the trial taker failed to pass. This marks the end of today's Worthiness Trial."

The Hyanid caretaker was preparing to deactivate the pit's barrier and descend with the others to commence the clean-up, but the scene unfolding at the purging hole froze him in place. The grey liquid within the hole suddenly convulsed before dissipating entirely, leaving behind only an empty chasm with no discernible bottom.

All those preparing to depart were swiftly alerted to the spectacle. They halted, their gazes fixed upon the hole. Nothing but an abyss met their eyes.

Abruptly, a loud, explosive sound reverberated from the hole, accompanied by a powerful shockwave. This wave expanded outwards, striking the barrier above the pit, generating another resonant boom.

As bewilderment swept through the assembly at this unexpected turn of events, something emerged from the purging hole. A large, bald human figure landed a short distance from where the spider beast still feasted.

All the Hyanids were stunned into silence, utterly perplexed by the unfolding events. They merely stared at the human within the pit, immobile and speechless. The human surveyed the surroundings as if on a leisurely tour. When the human's gaze settled upon the caretaker Hyanid, a flicker of recognition crossed his features.

"Him...? Wait, it is him!" he exclaimed.

"Who?" his companion inquired.

The caretaker Hyanid cast a glance at his companion but immediately redirected his focus to the human. Without looking away from the human, he responded to his friend’s query. "You may be unaware because you haven't witnessed every Worthiness Trial, but as the caretaker of this pit, I have. This human before us is a participant from... it was many years ago, I can't recall precisely."

"Past participants...? In recent decades, I've only heard of one human participant, and that individual perished in the purging hole."

"Indeed, and this is that very participant who fell," the caretaker confirmed.

"Uh, what are we to do?"

"I'm uncertain. He doesn't appear hostile."

"He may not be, but those mutated beasts certainly seem to harbor different intentions."

"Hey... It appears the Steel-clad Titan is reacting to that human."

*

Amon hadn't anticipated exiting the pocket dimension precisely during a Worthiness Trial. Within this pit, he perceived four living entities. While his cultivation sense was dampened, his awareness of danger remained acute. He detected hostility emanating from all the beasts present.

The nearest threat was the spider beast. It ceased feeding on the fallen Hyanid and charged directly at Amon. Amon remained stationary, not even acknowledging the charging spider beast with a glance.

Just as the spider beast neared him, the armored tasset at his lower abdomen unfurled. This tasset was, in fact, a tail equipped with hardened carapaces. The armored tail lashed out, striking the spider beast and sending it staggering back. Before it could regain its footing, the stinger at the tail's extremity pierced the beast's chest.

The spider beast's skin rapidly turned a deep purple. Uncontrollable swellings erupted across its body, culminating in a sudden rupture as the beast exploded, leaving behind only a gruesome amalgamation of flesh and gore.

The demise of the spider beast was attributed not only to the Primeval Scortaur’s venom but also to Amon's newest creation: the Void Volatile Poison. This potent concoction compels the very air within a poisoned victim to expand violently, resulting in an explosive detonation of the body.

The Void Volatile Poison was the substance contained within the vial Amon had entrusted to Dao Su years prior. Initially, the Primeval Scortaur’s venom and the Void Volatile Poison were incompatible. However, after extensive study and numerous trials, Dao Su succeeded in formulating a reagent capable of binding the two distinct poisons.

Amon had Dao Su inject this reagent-enhanced Void Volatile Poison into the venom gland of his own altered tail. This modification altered the composition of the toxin. In its unaltered state, both poisons proved lethal to cultivators at the Lord Stage or Fiendish Stage, though they had a lesser effect on those in the King Stage or Supreme Stage. Following the amalgamation of the two poisons, their efficacy was significantly amplified. The combined toxin could now neutralize cultivators of the King Stage or Supreme Stage, provided a sufficiently potent dose was administered.

The spider beast, classified as a Higher Mythical Beast, was unable to withstand the effects of the poison. It perished instantly upon the infusion of the enhanced Void Volatile Poison into its system.

The two other mutated beasts, which had been engaged in combat with each other, ceased their fight upon Amon's emergence from the purging hole. Like the spider beast, they too charged towards Amon. Their delayed advance was due to their greater distance from his position.

They continued their assault even after witnessing the spider beast's swift demise. These were mutated beasts with fractured minds, their actions dictated purely by instinct. Their instinct screamed that if Amon remained alive, their own survival was impossible.

Even as the two mutated beasts closed in, Amon remained motionless. His arms were clasped across his chest, and his feet were firmly planted on the ground. The only movement originated from his altered tails. He had honed their usage over the intervening years, integrating it into his combat style as naturally as he moved his fingers.

With a single, arcing swing, his tail struck both mutated beasts like a whip, halting their momentum and throwing them off balance. In a fluid motion, the tail thrust forward, impaling one of the mutated beasts. It disintegrated instantly, its body detonated.

Amon’s scorpion tail then lunged towards its third adversary. The final mutated beast leaped away, evading the stinger's initial strike. Just as the beast appeared to have created sufficient distance, the scorpion tail began to elongate. The overlapping carapaces separated, and the flesh beneath stretched, granting the tail increased reach.

The stinger plunged into the last mutated beast. It met the same fate as its brethren, dying without its body remaining whole.