Endless Horde: Through the Eyes of a Godking

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"What's this plant right here?"

"That's the young sapling of the Eternal Youth Peach Tree. Once it matures, it will bear nine Eternal Youth Peaches. Consuming one extends a person's youthful appearance for 10,000 years, but it wouldn't stop the actual aging."

"Why only nine?" Chrissy continued asking.

"I don't know the specifics," Cedric shrugged. "But the information came from the System AI of the Tower of Prodigies, so it shouldn't be false. However, even though it only produces nine peaches, it doesn't disappear completely. The whole tree will wilt and then leave behind a seed that could be replanted to start the cycle again."

"How long would it take for this tree to mature?"

"It depends on the concentration and quality of energy around it," Cedric answered. "With the current level of energy concentration on the farm, I think it would take at least 5 years before it fully matures."

"That's not bad, but... it's a pity that it only produces nine peaches." Chrissy sighed in pity.

"Actually, it's not as bad as you think," Cedric chuckled. "The peaches are considered an excellent alchemy ingredient in the council. Through alchemy, we can turn them into the Eternal Youth Pill, which could produce the same effect as directly consuming the peach. The effect varies depending on the quality of the pill."

"Oh yeah! Why didn't I think of that?" Chrissy's eyes brightened. "Is it safe to assume that the alchemy inheritance over there is pretty advanced too?"

"Indeed it is," Cedric replied. "Though I didn't get the chance to personally come into contact with one, I browsed a few of them, but only the introduction parts. Even with that, I could tell that it's really advanced."

"What about that one over by the spring? What's that?" Erica asked.

"That one's called the Nine Purity Lotus," Cedric replied to her. "That one's the most challenging to grow since it requires only the purest Spiritual Spring Essence for consumption. Any kind of impurity will cause it to degrade; that's why I sealed it within a formation."

"What does it do?" Erica continued asking.

"It cleanses the consumer's physique three times, purifies their energy three times, and baptizes the soul three times as well," Cedric replied. "It's one of the most sought-out heavenly treasures, especially by Grand Solar level experts because, from what I heard, consuming one lowers the difficulty of stepping into the Cosmic level of life evolution."

"Is it an alchemy ingredient as well?"

"It could be," Cedric answered, "but only a really skilled alchemist can turn it into a pill. As for what pill exactly, I don't know."

Cedric, along with his girlfriends, remained at the Connate Spiritual Farm to spend time with each other. They were curious about the things he had planted around them, so they started asking him. Cedric, of course, had no qualms about telling them what they were.

This place was incredible. Even the vast pocket dimension where the Starlight Royal Academy was built couldn't hold a candle to this 100-cubic-meter farm. Just the sheer concentration of energy here already wins the competition, not to mention the density and presence of concept laws.

Cedric had already given them permission to freely enter and leave this place; he had no qualms about sharing this space with them since they're important to him. He even built humble homes for them to stay in here.

They could train here, and their progress will yield twice the results with half the effort. It's also easier and safer to perceive concept laws here since, unlike Prime Earth, the concept laws here are more intact and present.

"Girls, is it alright if I step out for a bit? I just need to take care of something," Cedric suddenly asked out of nowhere.

"What is it?" Erica asked.

"Well, just some nuisances that refuse to take the hint." Cedric smiled knowingly. "I'll be back in a jiffy, I promise."

Chrissy and Erica looked at each other for a bit before nodding at him.

"Be back by lunch, okay?" Chrissy requested.

"Will do! Love you, bye!"

After kissing both of them, he promptly disappeared, leaving both amidst the peaceful silence of the farm.

"..."

"..."

"...demons?" Erica ventured a guess.

"Probably, yeah," Chrissy replied.

"But how, though? Aren't we hidden?"

"Hidden yes. Almost invisible? Also yes. But we haven't disappeared. We're at the same place as we've been all this time. Demons aren't dumb." Chrissy shurgged.

"Right. And our sudden disappearance must've alarmed them. It would make sense that they'd investigate." Erica hummed to herself. "Will he be fine?"

"Obviously! Why would you even doubt that?" Chrissy looked at her with an incredulous expression. "Even if the world explodes beneath his feet, he'd be fine. How could some strays even dream about hurting him?"

"I can't help it, okay?" Erica blushed in embarrassment. "I know he's strong, but I'm used to being worried for him. Even if he becomes the strongest being alive, I think I will still worry about his well-being."

"And he loves you for that," Chrissy replied as she laid down the grass. "And correction, he already is the strongest...in this planet at least. He'll be fine. He promised, didn't he?"

"Yeah, you're right. He promised."

**

Cedric was unaware of what his girlfriends talked about. Even if he was, it wouldn't change much. It would only, and most likely, cause him to chuckle because Erica's worried for nothing.

He stood in the air with his arms folded behind his back. Despite being there, nobody was able to sense his presence at all, not to mention see him.

Cedric was looking at the western walls, where the strange movement he felt originated. In his eyes, a group of demons moving underground was reflected.

"Cute little pests..." Cedric chuckled as he watched their determination.

These groups of demons, in particular, are called the Night Stalkers. They could move silently and stealthily in any kind of terrain, including the air and underground.

The army has ways to discover their presence, but this group in particular was carrying a special device that boosted their stealth, making it possible for them to remain undetected by the army's sensors.

Nightstalkers also have the ability to sense danger and phase through solid objects. From their abilities alone, they are excellent assassins and were raised to be one.

"Somebody implanted a bomb on their brains, installed a toxic canister to replace their kidneys, and placed a seal on their brains. Any kind of tampering will cause a chain reaction and kill many people. It seems that they're trying to initiate the first move in this war, huh?" Cedric had a calm expression as he analyzed what these demons were trying to do.

If he had never made contact with the Tower of Prodigies and hadn't reached his current level of strength and abilities, even he would fall victim to these things. Sadly for them, Cedric can no longer be measured by their common sense.

Without alerting anybody, Cedric isolated the area where the Night Stalkers were moving. He stretched out the space and folded it a couple of times to reinforce it.

With a single step, he appeared right before them. And with a single mental command, the space froze, and all movement aside from his ceased.

Cedric could tell that the Night Stalkers were alarmed by their sudden loss of movement. He saw their realization that their operation was compromised and felt their efforts to commit suicide, but in front of him, how could they ever think about having anything going their way?

With a swipe of his hand, he confiscated all the dangerous things they had; he removed the poison canister and the bomb; and he also rendered the seal in their brains useless with just a single glance.

"You all made the worst mistake in your life by coming here," Cedric coldly sneered.

With a flick of his sleeves, he implanted Slave Seals on them. This Slave Seal was something that only someone with the same level of skills as him, in terms of Symbol Mastery, could sense and remove. Suffice it to say, there's practically nobody here that could do that, so it's impossible for his scheme to be exposed now.

Once they'd been branded, Cedric freed them from their restraints, and immediately, the group of Night Stalkers prostrated before him.

"Greetings, Master," the Night Stalkers said in unison, their voices filled with endless veneration and deep respect.

To them, Cedric was no different from a god that must be worshipped. Every word he said will be treated as gospel and the absolute truth. None of them would even doubt him, and they would even willingly die for him. Such was the power of the Slave Seal he implanted on them.

"Tell me why you were sent here; be as detailed as possible," Cedric ordered.

The Night Stalkers didn't hesitate. They sang to him, revealing the plot of the Demon Lords by sending them here.

They were sent out to investigate the disappearance of human civilization or confirm that they're still around. Once either was accomplished, they were tasked with assassinating humanity's young geniuses by suicide.

Cedric wasn't surprised. This isn't the first time they did something like this, nor would it be the last.

However, things just took a wrong turn for them since he's here.