Rise of The Demon General

The audience gasped again. Though such a challenge by the domain lord had happened before, this one had happened too unexpectedly. There was no sign of her planning the challenge before, and Amon never did anything to provoke her. Plus, all whom she challenged before were cultivators of the Supreme Stage or above. No matter how they saw it, Amon was too weak for the Domain Lord.

”… Your Ladyship, did I offend you in any way?” Amon asked.

”You didn’t,” Yao Ai answered.

”In that case, can you tell me why you wish for my death?”

”I never say I want your death. I say I want to fight you. Of course, if you are too weak that I accidentally kill you, then that’s your fault.”

Amon was peeved. Considering the huge gap between their cultivation, how could this not be considered a death sentence?

”Also, I don’t remember ever needing to explain my action to anyone,” Yao Ai added.

”Your Ladyship, your aura alone can render me unable to move. There is no point in my trying to fight you,” Amon said.

”Don’t worry, I will restrain my aura. You won’t be hindered by it. Also, I will stay in one spot and attack using only one finger.”

”What is the condition of my winning? I’m sure you don’t expect me to defeat you.”

”That will be unreasonable.” Yao Ai smiled. She pointed one finger to the sky. ”One minute. Survive for one minute.”

One minute was a long time against someone of the Domain Lord caliber, but Amon didn’t try to haggle. Yao Ai didn’t seem like someone willing to negotiate. Instead, he asked another way that might help him survive. He asked, ”Can I use weapons?”

”Sure,” Yao Ai answered.

Amon had deactivated the Elder God Veil after slaying Lu Kang. He now donned his shadow suit again. He channelled most of his mixed aether to form this suit. It was the strongest protection he could rely on. He also took out the ceremonial dagger and Xian Cloth he had stored earlier before his match with Lu Kang.

Yao Ai moved back until she was at the center of the arena. She then announced, ”One minute starts from now!”

Finished speaking, she pointed her finger at Amon. Amon sensed the danger. He immediately moved to the left. Even with his timely evasion, he couldn’t dodge the attack completely.

A laser-like light shot out from Yao Ai’s finger. Its velocity was light speed. Even when he had moved an instant before the light was fired, the light still reached him before he made a clean dodge. The light pierced his right arm. His shadow suit made no difference. The laser easily penetrated his shadow suit, ripped through his arm, and went out the opposite side.

The laser continued, penetrated through the barrier, and pierced the head of a poor spectator who happened to sit in the laser’s path.

This incident sent everyone into a panic. Many stood up, attempting to leave the place.

”Stay,” Yao Ai ordered. Her voice was casual, but everyone could hear her with clarity. Those who heard also felt their bodies become heavier. Most sat back down in their seats, but one person was either deaf or was too consumed by fear that he didn’t heed Yao Ai’s word. He continued to run toward the exit.

Yao Ai glanced at the running man. A tremendous pressure landed on the man. He stopped at once. Not only that, he dropped to the floor, as if an invisible foot had stomped on it. He groaned in pain as he felt the pressure intensify. Then, his body gave in. It burst apart. Splatter of blood and flesh flew everywhere.

Everyone was terrified by the sight. No one dared to move. Still, staying meant possible death. With how powerful Yao Ai’s attack was, the barrier might as well be non-existent. Everyone who came to watch this match was now regretting their decision.

Everyone thought this was an unfair situation for them. Why did they have to stay? Even so, no one dared to speak up, except for the announcer. The announcer knew that his life was also at risk, so he took the courage to reason with Yao Ai.

”Your… Your Ladyship, your power is too much for us. It is better if we leave, so you have more freedom in this match.”

”Don’t worry, I don’t find your presence hindering me,” Yao Ai returned with a grin. ”Also, won’t it be more exciting if you share the suspense felt by the participants. It is not thrilling if you know yourself is safe. By acknowledging that your life is also at risk, just as the participant who fights in this arena, this makes the match even more exhilarating. Hahaha!”

The audience was speechless. Rather than thrills, they felt despair. Why did they have to endure this? They had even paid to watch this match. This was totally unfair, but they knew arguing about fairness with the Domain Lord was the same as conducting suicide. Hence, they kept their mouth shut. All they wished for was for Amon to die as soon as possible, so this match was over before they suffered more collateral damage.

Amon himself was glad for the intervention. Almost half a minute had passed. He wished the audience would occupy Yao Ai’s attention longer when he sensed sudden danger.

He quickly dashed to the side, just as another laser shot from Yao Ai’s finger. This laser tore through the side of his waist. It missed his vital organs, but it still hurt like hell.

Yao Ai was still looking at the audience when she shot the laser. Amon was speechless. Even with her caliber, she still resorted to such a cheap move.

”Fascinating,” Yao Ai remarked. ”Others might not notice it, but I saw that you moved just before I attacked. Do you have a secret ability to predict your opponent’s action?”

”… Let’s say it is my special constitution,” Amon replied.

”Then your body is worthy of a special examination. Not only do you have a special constitution that allows you to cultivate different cultivation paths, but you also have a precognition ability. My Flesh Alterers will love to get the chance to dissect your body and study it. Well, if you die here, maybe they will.”

”… Didn’t you say you have a special mission for me that has something to do with Hai Di’s domain?”

”Hehe, you made a poor attempt to buy time.”

Another laser shot from her finger. Amon managed to dodge it cleanly this time. Yao Ai uttered a complimenting whistle before firing several rapid shots. By then, Amon was in full speed. He moved in random zig-zag patterns while combining his Invisible Sky Steps and the speed burst from his shadow suit.

He managed to avoid being hit by performing these high-speed evasion maneuvers. It was the audience who lost during the exchange. Several spectators were hit by the lasers that missed Amon. Some died. Even if they didn’t, they suffered deep, piercing wounds.

While Amon appeared to be running in random patterns, he was actually fully focused on his danger sense. Each direction he dodged was based on where he predicted Yao Ai would fire. He knew that Yao Ai was limiting his zone with each shot. There was nothing he could do about it. He tried his best to dodge to a point where he was trapped.

Two lasers zoomed past his left and right, locking him in. Another laser followed almost instantaneously. It was heading directly for his head.

He was prepared. He used his ceremonial dagger and the Xian Cloth to block. He never intended to use his weapons for offense. Against an opponent like Yao Ai, he wouldn’t get a chance to perform an offensive move. His request for permission to use his weapons was so he could use them as shields during an emergency. Both the ceremonial dagger and the Xian Cloth were high-tiered runic weapons. In Aetheria, he had never encountered anything that could break these two items.

Unfortunately, he was no longer in Aetheria.

A loud cracking sound was heard as the laser hit the ceremonial dagger. The laser punched through the black blade of the dagger and shredded the Xian Cloth behind it. Though the two weapons failed to stop Yao Ai’s attack, they halted the laser’s advance for a fraction of a second. This allowed Amon to tilt his head slightly.

The laser shot past the side of Amon’s head, cutting the lower half of his right ear.

’The last second!’ Amon thought in his mind. He had been counting the time since Yao Ai announced the start of the match.

Yao Ai was also aware of the time. Her finger flashed. The light produced by the finger was no longer a thin, long beam, but a crescent light that covered a wide area.

Amon couldn’t dodge this crescent light cleanly. It sliced past the Xian Cloth and his right arm.