Chapter 869 - 869: The Fawning Elders

At the same time in the inception room of the demonic cult, several people were keeping an eye on the participants through the transparent screens being projected from special stones used for recording.

Three figures sat in a circular chamber lit by dozens of floating screens. Each screen displayed a different view from throughout the cave system—the hut area, the library entrance, various passages, and chambers.

Behind the three elders, several disciples were standing with their eyes fixed on the screen. While a few of them would take a glance at the female elder from time to time.

The woman seemed to be aware of this, and yet she liked the attention.

These were the three elders who had presided over the initial trials five years ago. The ones who had welcomed the candidates, explained the rules, and devoured the ones who violated the rules while entering the cult after turning them into a bloody mist.

Now they sat watching the largest screen in the center, which showed Supervisor Gui's courtyard.

The recording played back the scene that had just occurred. Noah was presenting the headless corpse and the token, Yuan Ming arriving moments later with his own offering, the supervisor's laughter echoing through the garden.

The thin old man with a long beard and sharp eyes also started chuckling along with it.

"Brilliant," he said, shaking his head with genuine amusement. "Absolutely brilliant. They understood the test's true nature within hours and executed a perfect solution."

The female elder whose face was as cold as ice and body as seductive as a succubus's smiled seductively and added,

"The one who is most impressive here is The Heavenly Demon. To think he expected something like this to happen when he made the test," she said. "If someone could pass all these tests, they would have the potential to become the pillars of the Heavenly Demon Cult. He wanted to see who would be clever enough to realize it."

The third elder, heavyset with scars covering his arms, leaned back in his chair with a satisfied expression.

"Most participants will spend the next month hunting each other down, killing their assigned targets out of fear and desperation," he said. "They'll prove their willingness to follow orders without even realizing that they have already become the most faithful pawns of the heavenly demon."

He gestured at the screen showing Noah and Yuan Ming climbing the passage. "At least there are some who can think on their own and have the potential to become a captain and aim for the positions of elders."

The thin elder nodded enthusiastically. "Although we might have more completion in the future, we will finally be able to face those damned righteous sects head-on even if they join forces with that bastard emperor."

"Praise The Heavenly Demon." The three elders laughed together. "He is the wisest."

***

"The heavenly Demon is a dumbass with brain problems." Noah commented as he climbed the stairs with Yuan Ming.

"My guess is that he wants to find someone worthy enough to lead a task force on their own and at the same time make people fear because he was capable of devising such heinous and dangerous trials."

Hearing Noah berating the heavenly demon so openly, Yuan Ming surpassed a laugh before adding, "to think we could avoid killing each other in such a way. Was there any other way?"

"Kill the supervisor." Noah commented calmly; seeing the boy's confusion deepening, he continued, "Since the main trail was to escape the cave, all you have to do is remove the obstacles."

"There are so many ways that one could test the potential of a person, but this brain rot man had to choose the ways where he would have the most casualties."

Noah went on with his venting while using the power of arrays to keep their cover intact and not let others hear anything.

"We started with thousands of individuals, and now not even a tenth of them are left. Many talented people will die in that grave just because of one dumb decision."

The fire torches on the way were slowly decreasing in number, and they could finally see light at the end of the tunnel.

That was the real sunlight, the one they were finally able to see after five years of seclusion training.

After five years in the darkness of the demonic caves, the brightness was almost painful.

Noah and Yuan Ming emerged into a small clearing surrounded by dense forest. The entrance they'd come through was disguised as a natural cave opening, partially hidden behind hanging vines and overgrowth.

As soon as they stepped out of the caves, Yuan Ming felt the formation restraining his cultivation dissipating and let out a long, exhilarating sigh.

He instinctively wanted to stretch but realized that they were not alone anymore.

A group of disciples in white robes with black strips stood waiting in formation, perhaps a dozen of them, arranged in two neat rows.

Behind them stood the three familiar faces he recalled from his first day in the cult. Apparently, they had travelled from far to arrive before Noah and Yuan Ming, seeing the cracked space gaps slowly closing behind them.

The thin elder with the long beard stepped forward, his face split in a wide smile.

"Disciples Feng—ahem!—Sheng Ying and Hei Tu," he said, using their new aliases. "Congratulations on completing the trials of the Heavenly Demon Cult. You have proven yourselves worthy."

Noah and Yuan Ming bowed respectfully, moving at the same time.

"Thank you, Elder," they said in unison.

The second male elder laughed, his voice booming through the clearing.

"No need for such formality here! You've earned your place. Especially with that clever solution you came up with." He shook his head with genuine amusement. "Most participants would have fought to the death like mindless beasts. But you have an interesting set of brains. One I would love to taste."

The last line he spoke was quieter than a whisper, which no one but the elders and Noah picked up on.