Rise of The Demon General

Chapter 428: Chapter 428. Transfer Soldier

After arriving at Golden Stone City, Amon met Zong Hua as planned. Zong Hua again reminded him that her main area of influence was within Echos. Information outside the country would be limited. Amon told her to find as much intel as possible. He gave her one month. After that, he would leave for Farghous.

While waiting, Amon spent his time at Fort Fresh Maw. He spent most of his time cultivating. The remaining time he spent reviewing their force’s training progress.

Huang Yan and his battalion helped with the training as agreed. They did it with an attitude as condescending as possible. This pissed many of the rookie soldiers. Amon was fine with that. This treatment drove the rookie soldiers to improve so they could get back at those veterans. As long as Huang Yan and his people didn’t go overboard, this arrangement was acceptable. With Lao Zen and the others monitoring the training, this dissuaded Huang Yan from going out of line.

More and more cultivators joined them as time passed, and their force grew in number. This was good because there was an increase in the rebels’ activities in nearby areas lately. Amon preferred to continue building his force before engaging the rebels, but ignoring them was out of the question. The purpose of their force was, after all, to eradicate the rebels.

So, Lao Zen and the others led groups of soldiers to places where rebels were sighted. Amon told them not to push it. They were to retreat if things didn’t look good. He asked them to consider this a learning experience before they made a real push against the rebels. Thankfully, the reserved soldiers in the grand barrack inside the capital were also mobilized, so they mostly acted as support.

Most of the new recruits who joined had scores to settle with the rebels. They ranged from independent cultivators to kingdom soldiers who requested a transfer like Xu Bao did. Among the transferred soldiers was someone Amon was expecting. This person was Yang Li.

When Amon heard the news, he asked Xin Wuming to bring Yang Li to the keep. He had renovated the upper floors of the keep to be sleeping quarters for key personnel and a private training room. Xin Wuming left Yang Li it that training room.

”How do you find a soldier’s life?” Amon asked.

”Not free,” Yang Li answered.

Amon chuckled. ”There is no true freedom. We are always bound by something or someone. Everybody had someone they had to answer for.”

”Unless I become someone who sits at the top,” Yang Li countered.

”Even then, you will still not be free,” Amon said. ”Take the king, for example. Do you think he is free to do as he pleases? He still must answer to his people. If he chooses not to, he will be a tyrant king, and such a ruler will invite a revolution sooner or later.”

”If you believe that, why do you aim for the top?” Yang Li asked.

”Who says I am aiming for the top?” Amon asked back.

”Everything you ever did points to that,” Yang Li answered.

Amon chuckled. ”In that case, my answer to your question is that I’m not someone who is afraid of a revolution.”

”What now? Are you going to punish me for leaving?” Yang Li asked.

”Why should I? You returned once you learned I am alive, did you not?”

”That I did,” Yang Li answered.

”Also, you learned that your improvement without me is not that impressive, didn’t you?”

Yang Li didn’t answer. Instead, she asked, ”Is it true that you are already a Mystic Stage cultivator?”

”How about you find out for yourself?” Amon said. ”Remember our deal? You can have your challenge. If you can make me move from this spot, you are a free woman. I will still help you improve as long as you are a soldier of our force here, but you will no longer be bound to me.”

The two stared at one another. Suddenly, Yang Li made her move. Blazing fire erupted from her hand. The flame formed into the shape of a giant claw. This giant claw headed for Amon.

Amon didn’t move despite the intense heat coming his way. The flaming claw stopped before it touched Amon’s body. This was because Amon’s left hand had dived into the fire and grabbed Yang Li’s wrist.

Yang Li was astonished by the strength exhibited by Amon’s hand. She couldn’t release herself from the grip.

She pumped her aether into her flame, making it more raging. The intense heat would have forced anyone away from her, but Amon didn’t budge from his spot. The flame was raging, but they did not touch Amon’s body. There seemed to be an invisible layer of energy that kept pushing the flame away.

Amon heaved, and Yang Li felt like her arm was about to get torn off. She was surprised by the strength. She had faced a Beginning Mystic Stage cultivator before. Though the pressure Amon gave off was similar, his strength was way more.

She flew across the room. She would have smashed into the wall if not for her quick reaction. She flipped in the air to regain balance and planted her feet on the wall. She then shot back at Amon.

She used the Ghost Bone Claw while advancing. A large flaming skull shot out from her and rushed toward Amon. Amon lifted one arm to receive the flaming skull. The flaming skull’s advance was stopped by that hand. With a clench, the flaming skull exploded into embers.

Yang Li only used the Ghost Bone Claw as a distraction. While Amon blocked the flaming skull, she used a new martial art she had learned. The speed boost granted by this martial art made her appear like she was everywhere, surrounding him.

Yet, before she could land a blow, her multiple illusions were stabbed by ten long vines that emerged from Amon. The ten long vines proceeded to slap around, destroying her remaining illusions and finally striking her true body. She was sent crashing into the wall for real this time.

She fell on her four after rebounding from the wall. Blood leaked from her mouth as she stared at Amon fiercely. Amon folded his arms. He never moved from his spot. The ten vines swayed around his body.

Yang Li’s fighting spirit was burning. It urged her to charge back, but common sense told her to stand down. ”I yield,” she said.

The vines retreated into Amon’s body. ”Follow me,” he told her and walked toward the exit.

They went up to the residential chambers for the top officials. His chamber had his own words of power that prevented everyone from entering except for him and the ones he permitted. When they entered his private chamber, Xin Wuming was there. He stood beside a wooden tub that could fit one person.

Yang Li’s attention after she crossed the entrance protected by the words of power was not on why Xin Wuming was inside Amon’s private chamber or why they came in here. Her attention was on the intense aura filling the room. She swiftly identified the source of the aura was from the wooden tub, or more correctly, the water inside the tub.

”This is...” She was lost for words.

Amon chuckled and explained about the water as he did the others. He told Yang Li she could use this water in turns with Xin Wuming and Qiang Dan. If she happened to travel to Golden Stone City, she could use the one he left inside his mansion. Gao Lan, Lu Fei, and San Guo still used the water there.

As for the water in this fort, he entrusted it to Xin Wuming. When no one was using it, Xin Wuming stored the wooden tub inside his space ring. This was to reduce the risk of someone else learning about the water in case that person forcefully entered his chamber for some reason, especially Lao Zen and An Guan. Those two recognized the aura from the Spring of Life. They would no doubt identify the water if they laid eyes on it.

Amon didn’t extend the invitation to use the water to Bu Zheng. The man just joined not long ago. He wasn’t sure yet about the man’s loyalty.

*

After settling his arrangements with Yang Li, Amon returned to his routine while waiting for Zong Hua’s intel. A week before the deadline he gave Zong Hua, Gao Lan sent a messenger to Fort Fresh Maw to ask Amon to come to the capital.

”A sit-down?” Amon asked. He was in Demon Gang’s hideout. Gao Lan and Lu Fei were in the room with him.

”Yes, the Street Dogs have called for a sit-down with most of the major underworld organizations in this capital,” Gao Lan said. ”We don’t know what the intention of this sit-down is for. From what we heard, most of the invited organizations have already agreed to attend it.”

”What do you think, boss? Should we participate?” Lu Fei asked.