Chapter 385 - Divine Demon Tree
At the center of a courtyard within the Chief Palace, there was a single tree of an unknown breed with special runes surrounding it to keep it alive.
The trunk and branches were crimson red like fresh blood, while the leaves were pitch black with a mysterious glow like black obsidian stones.
The tree looked quite demonic, but several servants were sitting by the foot of the tree in meditation. The Darkness Profound Energy near the black tree was much denser compared to other parts of the Darkmoon Tribe.
It was a rare breed capable of producing Darkness Profound Energy; this alone made the black tree's value inestimable. It was an invaluable and peerless treasure solely possessed by the chief of the Darkmoon Tribe.
Despite that, several selected servants were permitted to cultivate by the black tree. Their status was anything but ordinary.
A few more servants could be seen sweeping the fallen black leaves on the ground further away from them. The status between sweeping servants and the servants cultivating by the tree was like the difference between heaven and earth.
They simply cannot be compared.
The moment Chief Valencia stepped inside the courtyard while carrying Mia in her arms, the sweeping servants quickly took notice and humbly greeted with their heads lowered, "Chief Valencia."
"Un."
Chief Valencia acknowledged their greeting and lowered herself to let the little girl down.
Mia wanted to run towards the black tree, but Chief Valencia held onto the little girl and said, "Wait, your mother is cultivating. Don't disturb her."
The little girl immediately adorably covered her mouth before the word 'mother' escaped her mouth and waited patiently with the chief for the servants by the black tree to finish their cultivation session.
These servants were precisely the missing people Leon was looking for.
Even though Leon inferred that their living conditions were quite good working in the palace, he would have never thought that they were valued this greatly by the chief.
After some time, Helen and the other ex-disciples of the Illusory Butterfly Sect woke up from their cultivation session and noticed the nearby Mia and Chief Valencia.
"Chief Valencia, Mia, you're both here." Helen and the others greeted, before Helen asks, "How is the situation outside."
"The battle is over. We lost quite a few people, but it was a great victory, nonetheless. Many warriors advanced their strength, and so have mine." Chief Valencia answered her question with a wide smile. Evidently, she still felt good about her breakthrough.
"That's great news. Congratulation on your breakthrough, Chief Valencia!" Helen and the others congratulated.
"Thanks. After cultivating by the Divine Demon Tree for some time, what level have you all reached now?" Chief Valencia asked.
"We're not sure yet. Allow us to test our strengths."
After the chief nodded, Helen and the ex-disciples began executing some practice punches at the empty air. The force of their strikes was accurately sensed by the chief.
"The force is around 18,500 jin, huh? Not bad. You're all growing quickly." Chief Valencia praised before she felt Mia's small movements and realized she was still holding onto the little girl.
"Mother!"
Mia darted into Helen's arms after being released. Helen picked up Mia and carried her with a gentle expression.
"How's my little girl? Did anyone bully you in school today?"
"No!"
Mia answered cutely.
Chief Valencia watched them interact briefly with a warm expression before she said, "I'll let you two catch up. I have things I need to do."
After everyone bade goodbye to the chief and watch her disappear from the courtyard, Mia pulled herself closer to Helen's ears and whispered excitedly, "Mother, guess who I saw today?"
"Oh? Who did you see?" Helen asked casually with a warm smile.
She did not think much of the question, but when the little girl whispered the name in a lower volume only audible to Helen, she widened her eyes and whispered back, "Is that true? You saw your big brother?
"Definitely saw!" Mia said with heavy emphasis.
Helen became alarmed and glanced around with a bit of caution before she quietly said, "Let's head back to our room first. We will continue to talk there."
"Okayyy."
…
In another part of the Chief Palace, several hours later.
After washing up, the afterglow on Darlene's face could still be seen as they exited the washroom together.
"You're a real nymph, you know that?" Leon poked her nose while she was clinging to his arm like honey.
Leon shook his head wryly when he recalled the moment he thought that Darlene genuinely wanted to help him wash his back. Who knew that she was aroused than he was and be the one to initiate things?
"Hehe!"
Darlene simply giggled sweetly and flashed Leon a flirtatious look. In return, Leon smacked her round apple booty a slap and said, "Trying to seduce me again? Watch how I teach you a lesson!"
"Ahh! Don't~!"
Darlene said coquettishly and tried to escape Leon's grasp as he teasingly chased after her. However, at that moment, their little game of cat and mouse was interrupted.
"Ahem!"
A female servant coughed with a slight blush.
After catching Leon's attention, the female servant spoke, "The chief would like to see you, Young Master Leonhardt."
"I see. That much time has already passed, huh? I understand. I will see the chief shortly." Leon nodded to the female servant. It seems that he had spent too much time 'washing' with Darlene back in the washroom.
"Then I will take my leave first." The female servant said and curtsied politely before taking her leave.
Shortly after, Leon turned his attention to Darlene and said, "Why don't you head back to the room first? I have something important to talk to the chief about."
"Then I will wait for hubby. You know where to find me." Darlene threw Leon a seductive look before she hurried off in case Leon punish her bottoms again.
'This seductress…'
Leon shook his head wryly and began heading off to see Chief Valencia. Along the way, his brows wrinkled slightly as he felt something was slightly off.
Although he did not mind his women taking the initiative with him, he felt that Darlene was too proactive in trying to please him.
This did not seem to match with the information that female servants were supposedly very reserved.
Was Darlene still afraid that he would throw her away after popping her cherry? He could only contemplate these things later as he was about to meet the chief.
Shortly after Leon was gone, Darlene turned around. She glanced in the direction he left with an indecipherable expression for a moment before continuing to enter the guest room reserved for Leon.
…
"I heard you want to see me," Leon spoke as soon as he entered the main hall and spotted Chief Valencia seated by the dining table, filled with an array of exquisite dishes.
Chief Valencia nodded and said, "I supposed you have not eaten yet. Come, join me. We will talk over the meal."
Looking at the appetizing food on the table, Leon's stomach began to rumble with eagerness. The food gave off an aromatic scent not inferior to the food on the night of the great feast.
"Since the chief has offered, I shall humbly accept," Leon said and brought himself over to the dining table before seating himself opposite of the chief.
No dining utensils were prepared, but an empty plate was placed there. The warriors of Darkmoon Tribe ate with their hands and do not rely on any tools.
"Please, dig in. No need to wait."
"Don't mind if I do then."
Leon immediately dug into the food. The smell of delicious food made him feel famished. However, he began to feel awkward shortly after noticing the chief watching him eat without touching her own food.
"Ahem."
Leon wiped his mouth and cleared his throat before he initiated the topic, "I've given it some thought. I can join the tribe, but I have several conditions."
Before the meeting, Chief Valencia was already mentally prepared to satisfy Leonhardt's requirements to recruit him. His abilities were simply too valuable to pass on.
Just the fact that Leonhardt can treat the Demon Possession problem means that he is a person that must be protected at all cost.
The elder generations of warriors all cripple their Demon Core once they reach a certain age because the chances of contracting Demon Possession become noticeably higher the older one ages.
No one cripples their Demon Core after contracting Demon Possession. This is because they would have already lost control of their Demon Core and unable to safely self-destruct it.
Because of the threat posed by Demon Possession, the elderly warriors always had the regret of not knowing how far they could have progressed in their cultivation before contracting Demon Possession.
However, everything changes with Leonhardt around. Everyone would try to hit their absolute limit because they would know that they can still be saved after contracting Demon Possessing.
The chances of Battle Masters breaking through to Battle Kings would also be higher due to that.
Chief Valencia glanced at Leonhardt with anticipation and tried to calm her excitedly heart before asking, "What are your conditions for joining our tribe?"