Rise of The Demon General

Chapter 713: Chapter 713. The Birth of a Demigod

A group of three cultivators: two soldiers and one temple member, either didn’t hear Zhang Daofeng’s order or were too absorbed in their battle frenzy. They continued charging at Mu Qin, who lay helplessly on the ground.

Zhang Daofeng didn’t bother to give them a second warning. His two chakrams whizzed ahead. The chakrams flew past the three, chopping them into pieces.

”Hierophant! What is the meaning of this?!” Hou Huang exclaimed. One of the soldiers was from Gyleth Marx.

”Silence,” Zhang Daofeng uttered without deigning her a glance. He instead turned his gaze to Amon’s group. ”You, the one with the mask. Turn off your power.”

Sura Yao still had his vampiric tether on Mu Qin. The Holy Mother continued to weaken as her life force leaked out.

Sura Yao looked between Hou Huang and Amon. Hou Huang was also looking at her because Zhang Daofeng was addressing her, but she was too confused to respond. Amon nodded when her gaze was on him.

She severed the link between Mu Qin and her.

Zhang Daofeng returned his attention to Mu Qin. He flew down toward her.

”What... What is going on...?” Xan Chi asked.

”Something is really wrong with this,” Sura Yao agreed.

”... I think we have all been duped,” Amon said. ”Well played, Hierophant. Well played.”

As Zhang Daofeng moved toward Mu Qin, he sensed something. His chakram zoomed right above Mu Qin when a bolt of blue lightning struck from above. The chakram blocked the lightning strike.

He turned to the one responsible.

Huang San was flying over. ”She is mine! I want her for revenge on my father!”

Zhu Yao quickly came and blocked Huang San. ”Your Majesty, please don’t be rash! We are all angry with what happened, but look at the situation!” He exclaimed as he pulled Huang San away.

Zhang Daofeng’s gaze remained on Huang San. He waited to see if the young king insisted on contesting his prey. Fortunately, Zhu Yao managed to reason with Huang San. Huang San no longer tried to approach.

”Tch,” Amon uttered. He regretted that he didn’t also cause Zhu Yao’s death during the battle. He could have saved himself much effort if he had.

Zhang Daofeng looked around, ensuring that no one came near. After making sure, he landed beside Mu Qin, who was breathing with a wheezing sound.

He chuckled. ”Look at you. I never would have in a million years imagined your elegant self in such a condition. This is truly a sight to behold.”

”You... prepare... for your... retribution...,” Mu Qin said with difficulty.

”You are still on about that shit? Lord, I hate everything you preached. All the centuries I must endure your nonsense, be your shadow, and pretend to be a devout believer. That was true hell. But endure I did, all for this glorious moment!”

Mu Qin forced a laugh mixed with pained groans. ”You... You wish... to be the temple’s... leader? Such a... pathetic... wish...”

”Temple’s leader? Heh.” Zhang Daofeng’s chuckle was full of disdain. ”I never believed in anything the temple stands for. Nope, I have no interest in wrestling control of the temple from you. No, my ambition is much simpler and personal. In fact, my wish is the same as every cultivator who has ever walked the profound way. To reach the pinnacle of cultivation, and you are my ticket to that.”

Mu Qin didn’t say anything this time. Partly because it was painful to talk, and partly because she didn’t quite understand what Zhang Daofeng was trying to say.

Zhang Daofeng chuckled again. ”I can understand your confusion. I was but a commoner when I came to the temple. I don’t have noble blood in me, nor do I have a good reputation to my name. I was simply a nobody who happened to have a talent for cultivating. I came to the temple not because I have faith in it, but because I heard it accepts everyone regardless of background.

”After I was accepted as a deacon, I slowly worked myself up. In the process, I learned that I have another talent aside from cultivating, pretense. I pretend to be devout. I committed all the temple’s tenets to memory and did everything in my power to uphold them. My efforts paid off. I gained your attention. The rest is history.

”You know, there was a point when I started to accept my fate, to be content that I must forever live in pretense. I accepted my fate that the best I can achieve is the Temple of Divinity’s Hierophant, and the highest cultivation I can reach is this Peak Lord Stage... That all changed when I snooped into your vault and discovered this.”

Mu Qin’s eyes widened when she saw the item in Zhang Daofeng’s hand. The item looked like a talisman, but it was made of plated gold.

”Of course, I only took this from your vault just before today’s battle. Otherwise, you might learn that I have been entering your vault. Nevertheless, I always wondered why you never used this for yourself. When I first learned about this artifact, I feared for my existence. I thought to myself. Was this why she nurtured me? Will she use this artifact on me?

”But then I think it didn’t make sense. I had been a Peak Lord Stage for several years by then, and you didn’t use it. Furthermore, I have read records about many past Hierophants also possessing Peak Lord Stage cultivation levels. Several lived till the end of their lifespan, so my conclusion is that you never intended to use this thing.

”But I do. That’s when I hatched a plan. This plan is furthered by some loose records I found inside your vault regarding the calamity. I don’t truly care about this world. It can go to hell for all I care. Furthermore, if my plan works, I don’t have to stay in this world anymore, so...”

He lifted the metal talisman and placed it above Mu Qin. Tiny lights started to course along its metallic surface. Mu Qin struggled to move but couldn’t.

Zhang Daofeng didn’t try to hide his intention. His words were not spoken in a whisper. Everyone who maintained a distance in the air heard what he said. Still, they didn’t understand any of it.

”What... What is he trying to do...?” Hou Bang asked his empress.

Hou Huang shook her head. She also didn’t understand. She didn’t recognize the metal talisman in Zhang Daofeng’s hand.

Amon also didn’t understand, but he decided to be prudent. He sent a message to Xin Wuming to lead the First Demon Army away. He himself stayed to witness what was going on here.

The light coursing through the metal talisman in Zhang Daofeng’s hand continued to intensify. Some tendrils of light came out of the artifact and latched onto Mu Qin’s body. She was helpless to prevent that. In her desperation to move away, she ended up coughing up more blood.

”Sshh... Sshh...” Zhang Daofeng soothed her as if he were soothing a small child. ”Don’t fight it. You know it was pointless. You know, I was beyond ecstatic when I discovered this artifact. I was so happy that I almost threw away all caution and stole it from your vault, but reason prevailed. Because even if I stole it, it was useless if I couldn’t find another Peak Lord Stage cultivator and defeat him. The only Peak Lord Stage Cultivator in this world is you, and I know I can’t defeat you by myself. Hence, all this trouble.

”You see? All this, all these people here. Everyone who gave their lives today is for this. Everything that has happened is so I can reach the next level of the profound way. This artifact. It stole the power of someone who is near death and has the same cultivation level as the user. It then forcefully merged their energy to propel the user’s cultivation to the next stage. I know I won’t be entering the Demigod realm anytime soon, or ever. This artifact is my shortcut!

”Behold the birth of a new Demigod...!!!”

Upon his speech, the metal talisman burst into pieces. The light it emitted abruptly enlarged and engulfed both Zhang Daofeng and Mu Qin. Mu Qin’s shrill scream was heard from inside the light, accompanied by Zhang Daofeng’s mad laughter.

A booming sound was heard from inside the light. A pillar of light shot up and pierced the clouds. The light then vanished as abruptly as it appeared. Everyone could see Zhang Daofeng and Mu Qin again. Neither was moving. Mu Qin remained on the ground, but everyone could see that she was no longer alive. Her eyes were hollow, and her skin was pale.

Zhang Daofeng was standing beside her corpse. He wasn’t moving because he was studying himself. Everyone watched in silence while waiting for something to happen next.

The silence was broken by Zhang Daofeng’s soft chuckle. The chuckle slowly turned into laughter, before it intensified into something that could only be uttered by someone who was no doubt mad.

”Haha... Marvelous... Marvelous...!!”

While he continued to laugh maniacally, he also released his aura. Everyone there was gripped by a pressure so suffocating that they found it difficult to move or breathe.