Rise of The Demon General Chapter 809. Ley Node Thief

"No movement on the border?" Yao Ai inquired, her voice echoing slightly as she observed the ongoing arena battles from her elevated seat.

A statue-like figure stood directly behind her throne. This man was remarkably tall and slender, his skin possessing an unsettling pallor, akin to that of a long-deceased individual. His facial features were sharply defined, suggesting a frame of bone beneath taut skin.

The skeletal-looking man responded, "No activity, Your Lordship. No incursions have been reported since the Cryanids retreated a full year ago. While small scouting parties of Cryanids occasionally emerge from the fog-shrouded frontier, they present no significant threat."

"Hmm... It's possible that slayer Amon truly accomplished the impossible," Yao Ai mused aloud. "There's much you could learn from him, Diu Cay."

A flicker of displeasure crossed Diu Cay’s visage at the comparison, though Yao Ai, positioned before him, remained oblivious.

Quickly regaining his composure, Diu Cay stated, "I beg your forgiveness, Your Lordship. But did you not intend to eliminate him once our Flesh Alterers successfully replicated his genetic signature? As I understand it, that process is complete."

"It is. However, his success in resolving the Cryanid infestation has made him unexpectedly valuable. That’s why I’ve continued to monitor the border situation. Should that resolution prove temporary, I will hunt him down and seize his ring as initially planned. Regardless, acquiring his ring is a certainty. I will do so once he has assisted me in defeating Hai Di and Lang Man."

"You genuinely believe he is capable of such a feat?"

"I doubted his ability to eradicate the Cryanid plague as I demanded. Yet, he succeeded, did he not? We shall soon discover if he possesses the prowess he claims. If he falls short, then our original plan will be enacted. Speaking of which, you will not be accompanying me to the upcoming Lords’ Assembly. I intend to bring him instead."

"Your Lordship, do you deem that prudent? Each lord typically brings only a single escort to Lord Mo Wang’s Castle, and they invariably select their most formidable subordinate. If you present someone as ostensibly weak as Amon, other lords might exploit the opportunity to act against you."

"Hah! Let them dare!"

Diu Cay let out a soft sigh, having anticipated Yao Ai’s defiant retort. Despite possessing the lowest cultivation level among the domain lords, her arrogance was in no way diminished.

"I shall position our forces at the perimeter of Lord Mo Wang’s domain. Kindly dispatch a message should any emergency arise, and I shall hasten to your side."

"While I appreciate the sentiment, I doubt it will be necessary, but do as you see fit. On that note, do you know Amon’s current whereabouts?"

"Despite deploying numerous individuals to locate him, there have been no sightings thus far. He is exceptionally skilled at obscuring his trail."

"I concur. The agents I assigned to shadow him after our last discussion lost his trail after three weeks of surveillance."

"The only intelligence I receive are sporadic requests for aid directed towards our faction, but by the time I dispatch personnel, he has vanished. He never remains in a single location."

"I must accept some responsibility for granting him such latitude. However, it matters little. I am confident he will appear when the time for the Lords’ meeting arrives. I perceive within him a substantial ambition. It is inconceivable that he would forgo such an occasion. He practically implored me for an opportunity to demonstrate his capabilities and participate in the downfall of rival domain lords."

"Such brazenness. Are you not concerned, Your Lordship, that a man of such ambition might eventually pose a threat to you?"

"Oh, I have no doubt of that. Individuals like him will never be content until they reach the pinnacle. Nevertheless, I have encountered and managed many such men. He will meet the same fate as the others, serving merely as a stepping stone on my ascent to absolute dominion over this realm."

"When the moment arrives, I eagerly await the opportunity to serve as Your Lordship’s blade, shaping him into a suitable foundation stone."

Yao Ai let out a soft chuckle at Diu Cay’s declaration. "Enough about him. If you have no further pressing matters to report, you are dismissed."

"There is one additional concern, though I am uncertain if it warrants your attention."

"You've brought it up, so elaborate."

"There have been reports indicating that several ley nodes under our jurisdiction have become depleted."

"And what is so unusual about that? Ley nodes naturally form and dissipate. Ley nodes are the result of the convergence between ley lines and natural elements. While ley lines are permanent, the flow of elemental energy is not. If the elemental currents shift, the ley node will gradually fade away."

"That is correct. The anomaly lies in the fact that four ley nodes have dissolved within the past year alone, and each of these nodes was characterized by the presence of dark elements."

Yao Ai turned his gaze to Diu Cay, a sense of unease settling in. If the gathered intelligence held true, the situation was far from ordinary. The depletion of a ley node was typically a protracted affair, spanning many years before its energy finally dissipated. Anomalies of this nature were usually preceded by warnings of gradual deterioration. The simultaneous dissolution of multiple ley nodes, particularly those sharing the same elemental affinity, stretched credibility to its breaking point.

"You suspect external interference?" Yao Ai inquired, his voice sharp.

"We cannot dismiss the possibility," Diu Cay responded. "While ley nodes offer no superior advantage for cultivation compared to areas with natural ley line convergence, their specialized elemental properties make them invaluable for crafting tools. Talismans and weapons forged with the essence of a ley node possess a distinct superiority over standard items. This could very well be a clandestine operation by another domain aiming to undermine ours."

"But why exclusively target the darkness-element ley nodes?"

A contemplative silence fell upon Diu Cay; he had no immediate answer to this perplexing question.

"Instruct our people to bolster the security around all other ley nodes, not just those of the darkness element," Yao Ai commanded. "Whoever is behind this might shift their focus to different elemental nodes if they perceive our increased vigilance. We must not fall prey to their machinations."

"Your Lordship's wisdom is commendable. I shall relay your instructions immediately," Diu Cay affirmed.

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The individual orchestrating the dissolution of the darkness-element ley nodes was, as expected, Amon. Leveraging his privileged position as Yao Ai's special agent, he had gained access to information regarding known ley node locations. After neutralizing the existing guards and orchestrating Lin Li's disguise as one of them, he infiltrated the site and proceeded to absorb the ley node's energy.

Empowered by his Infernal Divine Absorbing Art and the Law of Darkness, Amon’s cultivation level surged at an astonishing rate. Naturally, a standard ley node paled in comparison to the sheer magnitude of the anomaly that birthed the ancient battleground. The darkness elements within that gateway were so immense that Amon spent eight years to fully deplete them. In contrast, a typical ley node required, on average, merely a week of his dedicated effort.

Throughout the week Amon spent absorbing the ley node’s energy, faction members occasionally visited the site to draw elemental energy. Lin Li would subtly alert Amon, prompting him to halt his cultivation and conceal himself. On instances where these members inquired about the reduced number of guards, she skillfully fabricated explanations, attributing the absence to illness or the guard taking a break.

Should any faction members display suspicion towards her fabricated stories, she employed her newly acquired mesmerizing voice ability. This power had manifested after her recent evolution, granting her a ninth tail. However, this ninth tail was notably shorter than her others, reminiscent of the initial appearance of her eighth tail. It would require time and consistent consumption of the Primordial Blue Lotus’ nectar for this new appendage to fully mature.

Her mesmerizing voice held the potent ability to enthrall those who heard it, allowing her to induce sleep, pacify them, or implant suggestions for specific actions. This captivating power was most effective against individuals with weaker wills or lower cultivation bases. Fortunately, the majority of the faction members tasked with collecting ley node energy fell into this category.

After more than a year of systematically targeting ley nodes, the Mercy Faction finally took notice of Amon’s clandestine activities. The guards assigned to the next ley node he targeted had been tripled. Furthermore, these guards were subject to daily rotations, a stark contrast to the previous permanent assignments unless a guard was dismissed or requested a transfer.

"They don't appear particularly formidable. Let's eliminate them," Lin Li suggested, her gaze fixed on the guards from their concealed vantage point. Her appearance, in addition to her ninth tail, had undergone a transformation; she now presented as a mature woman with an alluring physique.

"No," Amon firmly stated. "Their increased security indicates a heightened awareness. I suspect they have also implemented measures to summon reinforcements. If I cannot guarantee sufficient time to absorb the ley node, breaching the site would be futile."

"Then, what is our course of action?"

"We must seek out a new harvesting ground."

"New harvesting ground?" Lin Li echoed, failing to grasp Amon's intention.

"The intelligence I've acquired encompasses not only the locations of ley nodes within this domain but also provides insights into suspected ley node sites in the other two domains."

"We are departing from the Mercy Domain?"

"For the time being," Amon confirmed. "There are also numerous matters requiring my personal verification in the other domains. While the data crystal bestowed by Yao Ai offers substantial information, firsthand validation is always preferable. Let us depart. We shall return when the time is appropriate for the domain lord's assembly."