Rise of The Demon General

The student came before Lao Zen. The old tutor instructed him to place his hand on the crystal ball. The process was the same as when their cultivation was measured by the detection orb during the entrance exam’s first trial.

The student placed his hand on the crystal with both expectant and anxious feelings. What if he got S affinity? What if he got no affinity? Both were rare occurrences. In the end, he didn’t dare to daydream. He just hoped for the middle ground.

After two seconds passed, the crystal ball started to react. Swirls of red light started to appear within the ball. It then turned into a wisp of flame that rotated inside the ball.

”Fire element, C affinity,” Lao Zen announced. ”Next!”

An aide called the student and record his name and his affinity before the student was let go. Another student came to Lao Zen. The process went rather fast. It only took a few seconds for the crystal ball to read one’s affinity. Hence, before they knew it, hundreds had already finished the reading. They stood at another side, separate from those who were still queuing and awaiting their turn.

Most of the ones that had already been read had a C affinity on various elements. A small fraction had a B affinity. It wasn’t until after more than two hundred students were read that someone with rare affinity appeared.

”Lam San, no affinity...” Lao Zen announced. The crystal ball in his hand was empty. No reaction whatsoever. The student called Lam San stared at the ball with an empty gaze. He was like a person who had just had his execution announced.

Lao Zen needed to tell him a second time to leave before he started moving. He walked weakly towards where the others were. When he arrived, many ridiculed him and even asked him to stand away from them. Some even heartlessly called him a loser.

The reading continued.

Not long after, the first one with an A affinity appeared, drawing a gasp from many.

”Water element, A affinity,” Lao Zen declared.

The student who had the first A affinity lifted his chin high, as if such a result was obvious. He threw a disdainful glance to the others before he went to the aide to have his information recorded.

”Yan Long!” He announced his name proudly and loudly.

After the aide recorded and dismissed him, he walked forward with a straight posture. His chin was still high. However, Lao Zen’s next announcement made him almost stumble.

”Light element, S affinity!”

​ This drew even louder murmuring than before. Even Lao Zen’s tone carried a hint of surprise.

Yan Long looked back as the student came to the aide and announced his name with a voice that contained no less pride compared to Yan Long just now. ”Wu Di!!”

Wu Di then walked toward the waiting area. When he came by Yan Long, he said, ”What are you doing just standing here for, twat?”

”You...!” Yan Long was fuming from the insult.

”Hahaha! Even my affinity is higher than yours. You need to work hard if you want to catch up, twat,” Wu Di laughed as he continued walking.

Yan Long glared at his back and gritted his teeth. This guy was even more abhorrent than that Lin Mo asshole.

The reading continued. As more of the top ten was called, there were more students with B and A affinity.

”Sima Fang. Water element, B affinity.”

”Tuang Yin. Fire element, A affinity.”

”Wong Cou. Earth element, B affinity.”

”Pai Wang. Metal element, B affinity.”

”Xa Jien. Metal element, A affinity.”

”Zhuan San. Wood element, A affinity.”

As for S affinity, after more than half of the students were called, there was still none other than Wu Di. Wu Di’s light affinity was also considered rare. It was the only element that had no weakness against the other five elements. But at the same time, it also didn’t carry any special advantage when fighting the other elements.

Aside from Wu Di, four others were detected to possess light element affinity, but only at the C-level.

Zhuan San, who was just finished getting his reading came to where the others were waiting. He saw Yan Long who was still staring dagger at Wu Di. Wu Di turned to him and gave him a patronizing smirk, which of course, made Yan Long even angrier.

”Why do you like to tease him so?” Zhuan San asked Wu Di.

”I dislike his kind the most,” Wu Di replied. ”Acting like he is the best and looking down on others. He is a bully, and an arrogant one at that.”

”That one is also very arrogant,” Zhuan San pointed at Amon who was still waiting in the queue. ”Do you dislike him as well?”

”I think he is all right. I like him,” Wu Di said.

”Oh, why?”

”Because he is not a bully. He only takes action against those who tried to do him harm. Like those three who tried to attack him on our way here.”

Zhuan San placed his hand on his chin. He muttered to himself, ”You and I have a very different perspective on judging people. I myself believe he is the biggest bully of all...”

As many students went through the reading, several outside the top ten also had B and A affinity, but mostly were C affinity, and a very small fraction possess no affinity at all. Among these students, Xin Wuming had the metal element with A affinity.

When Yang Li came forward, there was now a second student with an S affinity. Her element was fire. She drew another round of gasp and murmur.

After Yang Li walked away, Lao Zen said to Li Niang who was at the side. ”This is surprising. We have two S affinity students in a single batch.”

”Yeah, we used to be lucky even if we get one with such an affinity,” Li Niang agreed. ”Who is she?”

Lao Zen took the record from his aide and checked the data. ”She represented the White Cloud Sect from White Cloud City, but she originally had no clan. She was an independent cultivator who joined the sect for benefits.”

”Which means she is a very ideal candidate to recruit for the kingdom,” Li Niang said.

”Yes, I suppose we should keep an eye on her,” Lao Zen confirmed. He then turned back to the students and uttered, ”Next!”

When the next student came forward, Lao Zen muttered to himself, ”Hm... Speaking of keeping an eye...”

The student who stood before Lao Zen was Amon. He put his hand on the ball without waiting for instruction. Lao Zen looked at the crystal ball with expectation.

One second passed...

Two seconds...

Five seconds...

Nothing happened.

Lao Zen frowned. Not only he, but the other top ten students who had already stood in the waiting area also found it hard to believe. They expected to hear the third S affinity when they saw Amon approaching the crystal ball. Perhaps it took longer to detect the affinity this time?

Even Lao Zen thought that way. He just let Amon’s hand stay on the ball for a bit longer. Other non-affinity students he had chased away after more than five seconds passed without any result.

But even after ten seconds had passed, there was still no reaction from the crystal ball.

Amon retracted his hand. There was no emotion on his face. He just went to the aide without waiting for a prompt. ”Amon,” He said to the aide. ”No affinity,” he added flatly.

Afterward, he walked toward the waiting crowd, found a corner space, and sat there cross-legged. He closed his eyes and started cultivating, ignoring everything as he usually did.

Xin Wuming came to his side. He originally wanted to console Amon, but after arriving, he was unsure what to say.

”Hahaha!” Everyone was surprised by the sudden laugh. They turned to the source and found it to be Yan Long.

Of course, they should have expected this guy to brag, but the fact that Amon had no affinity just took everyone by surprise that they lost their thoughts for a while.

”Let’s see how you act arrogant again. In the end, a nobody is still a nobody. Without any affinity, forget about trying to compete with us. You might as well give your top house to me instead rather than embarrassing yourself when you lost it later. Look at him! Still trying to act tough. Pretend all you want, you can’t fool me. You must be crying inside, aren’t you?”

There was no response from Amon. Being ignored made Yan Long feel enraged. He was about to come closer to antagonize Amon further, but someone large stood in his way. He stopped and looked at Wu Di who was glaring at him. Wu Di had a tall and broad body, similar to Amon. Hence, when he stood before Yan Long who was much smaller, it was like seeing an adult next to a kid.

”You, twat! One more word and do you believe me that I won’t slap you?” Wu Di threatened.

”Stop calling me twat! I’m not afraid of you. Come at me then!” Yan Long shot back.

Wu Di lifted his hand as if he was going to slap, while Yan Long put his arm up preparing to block. But they stopped when Li Niang appeared before them.

”You two, be quiet!” She chided them. ”If you want to fight. Go to the arena or elsewhere to settle your dispute!”