Chapter 878 - Reaching The Ruin's Entrance
Shortly after receiving Nyfarella's entrustment, Saresha turned to face her fellow clan members.
"If anyone doesn't want to partake in this subjugation quest, now is the time to speak up. Although I believe everyone is interested, I don't want to force anyone by mistake," Saresha stated.
However, not a single dark fae spoke up even after waiting for some time. On the contrary, everyone was eager to participate in the subjugation.
"Very well, I take it that you are all willing," Saresha nodded.
"Lord Shadowtail, excluding our clan leader, the rest of us are willing to follow your Black Dragon Clan's lead to subjugate the demon clans in the Great Blackrock Mountains."
"Good! Then, let us set out immediately," Shadowtail nodded.
However, just as Shadowtail was about to lead the Black Dragon Clan and the dark faes away, he suddenly turned back to Leon.
"Oh right, my Lord. What should be done if the demon clans stubbornly resist submission?" Shadowtail asked.
"Deal with them as you see fit," Leon calmly stated.
"Understood," Shadowtail grinned after he was given free rein over the matter.
The Black Dragon Clan and the dark faes all departed not long after, leaving only Leon, Darlene, Aria, Duna, and Nyfarella left in the area.
"Let us head up," Leon stated.
Shortly after, the small group began taking their time to make their way up the staircase rather than flying up the mountain directly.
Along the way, Leon had Nyfarella inform him about the Dark Fae Clan's way of life and regional points of interest.
Nevertheless, everyone gradually reached the top before their eyes slightly widened with surprise when their gazes fell on the Dark Fae Clan before them.
"So this is what the Dark Fae Clan looks like up here… The entire region appears so desolate and bleak that it makes one wonder how anyone could live in this barren land without access to food and water… But the situation up here is completely different from what I imagined," Leon commented.
The scene before him certainly colored him with surprise.
He spotted stone huts and buildings of various sizes throughout the mountain top and on different levels.
However, none of these buildings were built on the mountain top but rather chiseled out of the mountain top itself.
As such, it isn't farfetched to say that the Dark Fae Clan wasn't built on the mountain top, but the mountain top itself is the Dark Fae Clan.
The building designs were all simple, but there was a rare beauty when they were put together as a whole.
"I didn't expect to find such a beautiful city up here when I saw the various mountain peaks in this region," Aria commented with amazement.
She glanced at the scene before her with awe while Duna, on the other hand, remained nonchalant.
The rough rocky ground in the Dark Fae Clan was covered up by a layer of soft soil and lush purple grass that was evidently imported from elsewhere.
However, what caught Leon's attention were the water channels supplying water throughout the clan.
"It's like a stone forest up here, but where are you getting all this water?" Leon inquired curiously with suspicion in his heart.
"We draw it from the underground water vein, my Lord," Nyfarella answered.
"I see," Leon uttered with a nod.
As he suspected, it was an underground water vein.
However, whether it was connected to the Infertile Plains' Celestial Water Spark or another Celestial Water Spark in the Starfall Dominion has yet to be determined.
"C-clan Leader, you're back!" a dark fae carrying a basket of herbs suddenly cried in joy upon spotting them.
Her voice quickly echoed through the clan and created a big stir before long.
"Did you say the Clan Leader was back?! Are the others finally back from the secret realm?!" a group of female dark faes came rushing over with excitement.
None of them were at the Lesser Demon level or above; they were no different from human mortals without any cultivation.
"Welcome back, Clan Leader!" the dark faes welcome back their clan leader.
However, it wasn't long before they paid attention to Leon, Aria, and Duna and didn't notice any other dark faes with Nyfarella.
"C-clan Leader? Who are these people? Where are the others?" a dark fae quickly asked hesitantly, her heart gripped by concern.
Given the strength of the dark faes at the time of the secret realm's opening, it wouldn't be surprising if all of them died on the expedition.
The dark faes immediately paled.
They were hopeful, but seeing the clan leader returning alone, they immediately assumed the worse.
Nevertheless, it wasn't long before Nyfarella cleared their doubts and concerns.
"You don't have to worry about the others. Although we lost roughly fifty sisters in the secret realm, the rest of us survived," Nyfarella assured them.
"Not only did we survive, but we have also become far stronger than ever—strong enough to free ourselves from the other demon clans' oppression! And this is all thanks to our Great Lord, Leon."
Nyfarella introduced him shortly after.
Many gazes immediately fell on Leon, some with curiosity, some with doubts, and some with concerns.
Nevertheless, Nyfarella wasn't finished speaking.
She recounted the events in the secret realm, highlighting Leon's capabilities and generosity while withholding some more confidential information about him from the dark faes.
Even so, it was enough for the dark faes to look at Leon in a different light.
They began to revere him for raising 250 Mid-rank Greater Demons-level dark faes for the Dark Fae Clan.
"It's unfortunate that I, myself, don't get to participate, but you don't have to worry about the others. They have left with the Black Dragon Clan to subjugate the other clans in the Great Blackrock Mountains," Nyfarella stated.
"If you're quick, you can still catch up and join them after settling matters here," Leon said to her.
Nyfarella's eyes lit up after hearing that.
"Thank you, my Lord!"
She quickly had the dark faes present swear their allegiance to Leon before instructing them to spread the words to the others in the clan.
Two hours later, the entire clan fell under Leon's control without any opposition.
In fact, the dark faes happily submit to Leon after hearing his tales in the secret realm; they finally have a powerful lord to serve.
Becoming a servant was much better than being a slave that anyone could order.
"Shall I give you a tour through the clan, my Lord?" Nyfarella suggested.
Leon glanced at her before he casually asked, "Didn't you want to join the Black Dragon Clan in subjugating the other demon clans in the Great Blackrock Mountains?"
"Nyfarella did, but the Red Ghoul Clan, Blue Orge Clan, and Green Goblin Clan are all roughly two-hour trips from here. So even if Nyfarella leaves now, the battle will be over by the time Nyfarella arrives," Nyfarella stated.
"I see…" Leon uttered.
"Well, I don't intend to tour the clan. Instead, we'll be heading over to the ruin," Leon shortly said before adding, "The ruin is supervised by the Red Ghoul Clan, no? You might have missed the big battle, but you can get some action there."
Nyfarella quickly recalled a Red Ghoul Clan outpost was situated near the ruin.
"All of you, go back to what you were doing and make way. I'll be leaving with the Lord and heading to the ruin," Nyfarella said to the dark faes gathered around them.
She quickly dispersed the crowd before turning back to face Leon.
"Let's not waste time, my Lord. Shall we head over to the ruin right now?" Nyfarella expressed her eagerness to visit the ruin.
"Lead the way," Leon directly said with a gesture.
"Yes, my Lord!" Nyfarella answered.
Shortly after, they immediately took off and flew over to the neighboring mountain peak five miles away from the Dark Fae Clan's mountain peak.
The dark faes in the clan quickly wished them safe travels on their trip to the ruin as they left.
"The ruin is located just at the foot of this mountain peak, my Lord. You should be able to see the ruin entrance down over there."
Nyfarella directed Leon's line of size to a large crack in the side of the mountain peak before they began making their descent into the area.
"About two yards south of there is the Red Ghoul Clan's outpost," Nyfarella shortly pointed to the next point of interest.
"There shouldn't be many red ghouls in the outpost, usually no more than fifty. But they are all Lesser Demons, while five are even Low-rank Greater Demons."
"Only five Low-rank Greater Demons, huh?" Leon muttered.
"Their strength is not high, but compared to the Dark Fae Clan's strength in the past, we were indeed no match for them," Nyfarella spoke wryly.
"But you, alone, should be able to deal with them now, no?"
"Yes, my Lord," Nyfarella nodded solemnly.
She was now a Mid-rank Greater Demon with a tier-6 artifact as her weapon; it wouldn't take much effort on her end to wipe out the Red Ghoul Clan's outpost.
"Then get right to it," Leon urged, not paying any interest to the outpost.
His attention was entirely on the ruin's entrance.
He could see why the women in the Dark Fae Clan never see the men despite the ruin being situated so close to their clan.
The ruin was not actually in the open; it was hidden in the subterranean space below the mountain peak.
Although none of the male dark faes could be seen at the entrance, the crates of black ores revealed what they were exactly excavating inside.
"A dark crystal mine, huh?" Leon muttered.