Rise of The Demon General

Chapter 717: Chapter 717. Final Threat

The battle didn’t take long, although it was more apt to call it an execution than a battle. The rebelling temple members could barely move, much less put up a fight. Even Xin Dhaije felt like he carried a small mountain on his back.

Though Zhang Daofeng’s aura was mostly directed at the temple members opposing him, a portion of it covered the entire hall. It pressed on the guests, dissuading them in case they had any funny ideas after witnessing the temple members’ defiance.

Zhang Daofeng’s two chakrams moved at blinding speed and cut with uncanny precision. Multiple temple members lost their heads with each sweep of the chakrams.

Xin Dhaije fought back by sending his six flying longswords toward Zhang Daofeng. Zhang Daofeng used the Xin Lai Palm to trap the six swords in a spiraling well of energy. He suddenly reversed the rotation of the martial art. The longswords couldn’t endure the abrupt reverse spin. All six swords were as if crushed by a grinding machine. They broke into small pieces.

Zhang Daofeng sent the broken pieces of the swords back to Xin Dhaije. The countless small blades stabbed into Xin Dhaije’s multiple body parts, but avoided his vital organs. Zhang Daofeng intentionally did not let him die yet.

The blades bit into every inch of Xin Dhaije’s flesh. He felt agonizing pain with even the slightest movement. Yet, the worst pain was when he saw Xin Jingsao’s severed head next to his leg. Tears involuntarily rolled down his face.

”Do you feel regret now?” Zhang Daofeng asked him. He was now standing right before Xin Dhaije.

”Regret...? Yes, I do have it,” Xin Dhaije replied. ”I regretted that I ever considered a piece of shit like you as an honorable man who deserved respect. No, you are no God. You are worse than a demon! You are an abomination that deserves to die a thousand painful deaths! And you will face it! The day will come when the judgment from the Divine falls upon you. On that day, you will regret everything you have done. Do you think you are the most powerful? You are nothing but a pitiful–”

Zhang Daofeng slapped a palm at Xin Dhaije’s chest, and his body exploded. What was left of him was the lower half from his waist.

Zhang Daofeng looked at the palm he used to kill Xin Dhaije. There was blood on it. He wiped it off while saying, ”I always wondered about you, faithful lot. So eager to die for your belief... Well, I was once like that. Not that I truly believe in the Divine, but in my pretense, I deceived even myself into thinking I was a devout believer. Only when I ascended to a Demigod did I remember. Oh, it’s all just pretense, and I don’t need to pretend anymore. I’m free!”

Zhang Daofeng turned and looked at the remaining temple members. ”Anyone still want to express their belief?” He asked.

Those temple members shook their heads.

”Who do you worship? The Divine or me?” He asked one of the priests.

”Yo... You, Your Exalted One...,” the priest answered.

”What about you?” He asked another one and received the same answer.

”That’s not the way someone worships their deity,” Zhang Daofeng uttered.

Hearing that, the temple members dropped to their knees and prostrated themselves. Their foreheads touched the floor.

”That’s more like it,” Zhang Daofeng said. He still felt the lingering anger from Xin Dhaije’s defiance, but seeing these people prostrating themselves before him made him feel much better. ”Well, I’m bored with this party. I will retire for today. You, people, continue enjoying the party. I want to see you again here tomorrow morning when I return.”

He didn’t immediately exit the hall after making that declaration. Instead, he walked around the room again. As before, he looked at the women there as if he were browsing merchandise. Now that everyone knew what this meant, they wished they hadn’t brought their female companions here. Every couple held hands, as if that would prevent them from being chosen.

After a while, Zhang Daofeng made his pick. He gently touched the woman’s arm and urged her to stand up.

”Your... Your Exalted One, she is my daughter,” said the elderly man beside the woman.

”I know. She has the honor of warming my bed. Aren’t you happy?” Zhang Daofeng replied.

The woman looked at her father with a fearful expression. The father was about to speak again when Zhang Daofeng beat him to it.

”Think of your other children,” he said. This discouraged the father back into silence.

Zhang Daofeng proceeded to pick another woman, who was another noble’s wife. He walked toward the exit holding the two women. Before he walked out, he stopped and turned around.

”Before I leave, I have an announcement to make. Don’t think that because you don’t bring your partners here, you are left out of my blessing. The temple has a complete registry of this city’s occupants, as well as the list of noble families from all countries. I’m a benevolent God, so I will bestow my blessing on as many women as I can. So, let’s start with tomorrow. Zung Ko, I heard your daughter came of age last month, and many suitors had vied for her hand. Please bring her here tomorrow. Yang Aw, the temple had planned to bless your daughter’s wedding next week. You should rejoice. Let me bestow my blessing on her in private before her marriage. As for the rest, a list will be made and distributed tomorrow. Also, don’t forget to double your donation to the temple. We have records of your previous donation, so don’t be stingy. There will also be a list for our faraway guests. But on top of my head, Princess Dim Wen.”

Dim Loog froze when he heard the name. Several seconds passed in silence before Dim Loog spoke, ”My entire family is gone from your Divine Judgment.”

Zhang Daofeng chuckled. ”Don’t try to deceive your God, Young King Dim Loog. I know exactly where Dim Wen was when I proposed the targets for the Divine Judgment to Mu Qin. Your beloved sister no longer lives in the capital. She moved to a small town called Huanghu Town three years ago. Hence, she was spared from the Divine Judgment. I expect her to arrive here within one month. Is that understood?”

Dim Loog’s hands balled into fists. Not only did Zhang Daofeng wish to dishonor his beloved sister, but he also admitted to being involved in the destruction of his two cities, contrary to what he had claimed previously.

Gu Wen, who was by his side, persuaded him. ”Your Majesty... Please, calm down... Think of your subjects...”

Zhang Daofeng chuckled again. ”You should listen to your advisor, Young King Dim Loog. If you defy me, you are not the only one who suffers. Your entire country will pay for your sin. Of course, you can always let go of everything and live in hiding for the rest of your life, hoping that I, or my agents, won’t find you. It’s your choice. This warning goes for everyone as well.”

Zhang Daofeng left the hall after delivering that final threat.

The table and chair Dim Loog used burst into pieces after Zhang Daofeng was gone. He was trembling in fury. The wounds behind his bandage leaked blood again. Never did he think he would ever be so humiliated and powerless.

No one could say anything to appease him. Most were just glad that they were not the ones chosen by Zhang Daofeng.

*

Later that night, Zhang Daofeng was in his bed. The two women were beside him. They were all naked. The two women were sobbing. Zhang Daofeng paid them no mind. He had already satisfied his lust with them earlier. His attention was currently on the small black ring between his fingers.

He couldn’t sense anything from this ring. His cultivation sense told him that this ring was just a common ring. He was no skilled blacksmith, but he also didn’t see anything significant with the ring’s construction. Yet, however much power he exerted, he couldn’t break the ring. The only explanation was that the ring was made of an extremely hard and unknown material.

After several minutes of studying, he finally got bored. He placed the black ring on the nightstand on his right. He would play with the ring again later, after he played another game with the women. The hand that placed the ring grabbed the woman on his right by the hair. He forcefully turned her head so she looked at him.

”Are you done crying? Let me bless you again to reward you for your tears of happiness,” Zhang Daofeng said.

”Please... Please...,” the woman pleaded.

”I know, I know. You are very happy. Sshh... Everything will be fine,” Zhang Daofeng said soothingly.

”This is the one?”

A voice sent Zhang Daofeng on alert. He turned and saw three men standing beside his bed. How did these three appear here without him knowing? Furthermore, he didn’t sense anything from the three. It was like they didn’t exist.

The two women by his side screamed due to the sudden appearance of the intruders.

Zhang Daofeng rose from his bed. ”How dare you trespass into...”

”Silence!”

Following the word, the two women’s heads exploded, while Zhang Daofeng felt like a hundred mountains had been pressed on him. He couldn’t get up from the bed.