Chapter 502: Encircling Chu Batian, The Roaring Ocean (I)

In the pitch-black void, eight indistinct figures stood tall. Around them, substantial black demonic auras surged violently, creating a menacing atmosphere.

A voice that seemed to shake the area slowly echoed. "Today is the seventh day-cycle of our reporting period. Dayianna, do you have any new target intelligence on your side?"

From the left, at the far end, a demon king with a long, slender tail faintly spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Recently, on the two battlefronts where the humans and our race meet, five individuals with demon king potential and one with great demon king potential have been identified among the human geniuses.

"But those humans are very cautious, mostly operating within the range of their base and never stepping out of the Abyssal Battlefield, so we can only look for opportunities to eliminate them on the frontlines.

"Aside from that, a fresh batch of humans has recently entered the vast world, and I am currently working on ways to obtain precise information about them."

Across from them, another demon king spoke in a cold, sinister tone. "The humans' battle potential is too strong. It's only been twenty day-cycles, and yet another group of fresh noble-class blood has been sent into the battlefield.

"We must find a way to curb the humans' growth. If this continues, it won't be long before we can no longer suppress their mid-tier forces."

Another demon king's voice chimed in, indifferent. "Not even three hundred day-cycles have passed since the war began, yet the humans' overall strength has more than tripled compared to when it started.

"Though there hasn’t been much change in their top-tier power, the number of mid-to-high-tier elites and strong warriors has been steadily increasing, and their growth rate far surpasses ours."

From the main seat, the great demon king, Barus, spoke in a deep voice. "This is a normal phenomenon. Based on the timeline, the world the humans reside in is on the verge of collapse, about to be swallowed by the vast world.

"In such cases, those worlds will initiate a 'self-rescue’ process, which triggers explosions in potential. At the final moment, many highly talented individuals will emerge.

"Therefore, we should be glad. Once the human world is dragged into the vast world, most of the weak humans will either die instantly or mutate under the impact. By then, not only will their logistics and supply lines be severely affected, but the birth of geniuses will also dramatically decrease, thus weakening their battle potential.

"Especially in regards to their technology. Based on our research, under the principles of the vast world, electronic components and many other elements cease to function.

"Moreover, the war between them and the Heavenly Feathered Race has entered the late stage. The full might of the three human empires has been committed, including four demon-god-level powerhouses.

"Based on the timeline, victory or defeat should be decided soon. So, all we need to do is wait. The annihilation of the humans is only a matter of time. Our current mission is to kill those humans with demon-king or higher potential, to ensure no new high-end forces rise among them."

At this point, Barus turned his gaze to the lower left. "Dayianna, have you found any information on Chu Batian?"

The demon king on the lower left, with its tail probing the void, slightly swayed as it replied in a raspy tone. "Not yet."

"Not yet?" A hint of displeasure seeped into Barus' voice.

Dayianna forced a bitter smile. "After the previous plan to disrupt the humans' rear forces failed, all of our infiltrated forces were eradicated. Only one undercover agent remains."

"Wait, how is there still one agent left after all the others were killed?" A demon king across from them sounded alarmed.

"That agent is an illegitimate child of a large conglomerate family in the humans’ North Lin Empire. He holds a high status and is extremely cautious, so he hasn't been discovered yet.

"Don't worry, Clator. This human has been collaborating with Kaotoros and me for nearly a hundred day-cycles, providing us with plenty of useful information.

"Due to his childhood experiences, this human holds no sense of belonging to the human race and has always wanted to transform human bodies into those of the True Demon Race. After prolonged observation, transactions, and tests, I can confirm that he is trustworthy.

"Given that all of our other forces in the human rear have been cut off, I'm considering whether to apply for a portion of demon god's blood to transform him into a high-ranking noble. With him coordinating in the human rear, the power of our True Demon Race will soon infiltrate back in.

"Unfortunately, if it weren't for Akunus, that fool, Kaotoros wouldn't have been exposed so soon. His soul essence was sealed, which led to the fall of his true form. This also caused the failure of our mission and the eradication of our forces, including the severing of most of the Alliance of Cults' influence over there."

At this point, the meeting fell into silence. The plan had been meticulously calculated on all fronts. The original goal was merely to have Kaotoros lie dormant and expand the Demon God Cult.

However, due to Akunus' persuasion, it ultimately led to the death of three demon kings, a heavy loss.

Barus suddenly said, "Dayianna, since that agent holds a high rank, can't we use them to gather information about Chu Batian? Including details about his relatives?"

"After the plan failed, the agent sent a final message explaining the situation. For his own safety, he has since severed communication with us, and we can't reach him for now."

A demon king on the other side said, "Cautious, as expected."

"Is that so?" Barus' expression grew grim. "Chu Batian's ability is terrifying. With cultivation at the Sixth Demonic Mark, he managed to defeat Akunus' blood river body, which is comparable to the Eighth Mark. If we allow him to keep growing, he might become another powerful enemy to our race, like the humans Xuanwu or Zhenwu.

"However, with his strength and talent, it won't be long before he enters the Vast World. Only here can he grow quickly. Or, he could already be among the new human batch that has recently arrived."

Barus' voice turned serious. "Dayianna, mobilize all hidden agents on the human side and find a way to gather detailed intel on Chu Batian."

Dayianna hesitated and said, "Those hidden agents belong to the previous generation of cultivators. Their soul aura wasn't recorded by the humans' foundational weapon, the True Martial Stele, so they've been excluded from the core high-level ranks. Forcing them to investigate might expose them."

"It doesn't matter. I've been consuming resources to support them so they can act when it counts. The last operation's failure and the loss of three demon kings have greatly displeased the demon god Lord Deorus. We must make progress quickly."