Rise of The Demon General

When he had an interaction with Hai Di in Aetheria, it was through a portal. He didn’t see Hai Di directly. Yet, he knew the man before him was the one the cult in Melas Twich Town called the Dark God. He would never forget the aura and pressure he felt from the portal. It was the same as the man before him exuded.

Hai Di was a tall, broad man. His hair was black and long. His eyes had dark circles around them. He wore a majestic robe with intricate etchings.

While Amon recognized the Dark God, so did Hai Di once he laid eyes on Amon.

”You...? I was surprised you came to this lower world so early,” Hai Di told Amon. His face soon turned into surprise. ”Your cultivation...? How can it be? You are a Beginning Mammoth cultivator?”

”Do you know this man, Senior Hai Di?” One of the three beside Hai Di asked. This man had a handsome face and long, blue hair that reached his waist. His hair was straight and smooth. He wore a blue robe that complemented his neat hair.

Amon never met this blue-haired person, but he had read the man’s description. This man was Lang Man, the domain lord of the Commitment Faction.

”He was someone from Aetheria that I had a contact with a long time ago,” Hai Di gave Lang Man a short answer. He then turned back to Amon and said, ”Xin Lie did mention that she suspected you were already in this realm. I didn’t believe her. It appears she was right. I see that you have made your choice not to join my faction. Any reason for that? Is it because you unintentionally stumbled into the Mercy Faction when you first arrived in this realm?”

”Not really,” Amon answered. ”I intentionally avoided your realm.”

Yao Ai made a ridiculing laugh at Amon’s statement. ”Even a surface dweller chose me over you. It seems that your appeal is no longer as it is, Brother Hai Di.”

Hai Di ignored the ridicule. However, when his eyes went to Amon’s left arm, he had difficulty keeping a straight face.

Amon noticed the expression. He lifted his tattoo-less left arm and said, ”Unfortunately, your pet failed to assimilate my mind. I have gotten rid of him.”

”I see...” Hai Di’s eyes shifted to the black space ring hanging on Amon’s neck.

Both Yao Ai and Lang Man followed his stare. Yao Ai was already aware that Amon possessed the ring. Lang Man, on the other hand, only learned of this fact now. Like his two peers, he knew what the ring was.

”The Small World Ring? How do you have that ring? Who exactly are you?” Lang Man asked.

Amon looked at his black space ring. ’So, this ring is called the Small World Ring?’

He noticed the strange glances between Hai Di and Lang Man after the mention of his ring. He glanced at Yao Ai, who maintained a neutral expression.

In this momentary silence, the man standing behind Lang Man spoke, ”Your Lordship Yao Ai, where is Dictator Diu Cay? I find it surprising that you bring a Mammoth Stage follower instead of your right-hand man. Is Dictator Diu Cay on an important mission?”

”What is more important than attending the Lord’s meeting?” The woman behind Hai Di said.

Amon knew that the two were the dictators of their respective realms. He had learned about them from the data crystal Yao Ai gave him. The one behind Lang Man was a middle-aged-looking man named Du Ji. His cultivation level was at the Peak Overlord Stage. As for the woman behind Hai Di, she was called Xin Rong. She was an Intermediate Overlord Stage cultivator.

”Sister Xin Rong is right. There should be nothing more important than this meeting,” Lang Man said. ”As usual, Sister Xin Rong is very wise. Will you finally accept my invitation to visit my abode?”

”Keep your eyes away from me, you pervert. We all know what you are truly interested in is behind my clothes,” Xin Rong responded. She didn’t mask the disgust in her tone.

”Ahaha! So feisty,” Lang Man laughed.

While his master took the insult lightly, Du Ji didn’t. ”Watch your tongue, woman. You should know your place.”

Lang Man waved his hand to tell Du Ji to calm down. ”Don’t say that, Du Ji. Everyone knows I respect women the most. She only has the wrong idea about me because of all the bad rumors that irresponsible people spread about me.”

”I don’t think I have the wrong idea,” Xin Rong said. ”We can just look at your closest circle. None of your high-ranking followers is a woman. You only consider us pleasure givers.”

”That is not true, Sister Xin Rong. I value women immensely. I see them as precious people who need protection. High ranks come with high responsibility and danger. I can’t in good conscience put them in harm’s way.”

”More like you don’t trust them enough,” Xin Rong countered.

”That is a matter of perspective,” Lang Man laughed.

”Let’s stop speaking nonsense,” Hai Di said. ”Everyone is here now. I will notify Lord Mo Wang.”

Hai Di walked to the immense gate that marked the entrance to Mo Wang’s castle. The gate had two dog-head reliefs with large rings in their mouths. Hai Di grabbed one of the rings and used it to knock on the gate. He knocked three times, producing three solid thumping sounds. After that, he took a step back and waited.

Not long after, a rumbling sound was heard. The gate began to open slowly. Everyone waited until it was fully opened before walking inside. Amon chose to remain at the rear, where he had everyone within his line of sight.

The interior was a gloomy-looking old castle, much like the medieval castles in Amon’s previous world. Amon found this strange. Ever since he arrived in this world, he had rarely seen such an imitation. Maybe something similar, but not to the point of an imitation. Even the candle-holder decorations were what he perceived as something from his old world rather than this new one.

”Our ruler, Mo Wang, how old is he exactly?” Amon asked.

It was Lang Man who answered. ”No one really knows. He was already in charge when I was born. Hai Di here is the oldest among us. Do you have an idea?”

”No,” Hai Di answered.

No one spoke more of the subject. Amon also didn’t push further.

They walked through several large corridors. Amon didn’t see a soul inside this big castle. There was not even a battle puppet. It was as if no one lived here. After some time, they came into a massive hall with a round table in the middle. Six chairs were prepared around the table.

”Lord Mo Wang doesn’t join us?” Amon asked after seeing the number of chairs.

”He used to watch our meeting from there,” Lang Man pointed at the large throne at the end of the hall. It was currently empty. ”In the past few decades, however, he let us discuss matters on our own.”

”How do we know he is still in this castle, then?” Amon asked.

This prompted the others to look at each other, but no one answered his question.

”It doesn’t matter,” Hai Di said. ”He requested we do this meeting. Until he says otherwise, we will keep doing it.”

Hai Di was the first to take his seat. The others followed suit. Amon waited until everyone sat before he took the last chair.

The meeting discussed various issues, from mundane matters to serious ones like the Cryanid Plague. While it was called a meeting, Amon saw it more as a stage where opponents measured each other. No resolution was decided. Everything was a farce. Everyone seemed to be here out of obligation rather than necessity.

Amon did the same. Despite the pointlessness of the convention, Amon picked up many things about the other two domain lords simply by hearing them speak. The difference between him and the others was that he remained silent throughout the meeting.

Someone finally pointed that out. Xin Rong said, ”The new guy here is especially quiet. This makes me wonder why you brought him here instead of Dictator Diu Cay, as you usually did.”

Yao Ai chuckled. ”Diu Cay has attended this meeting countless times in the past. I simply think it is good to let a potential follower gain experience from an event like this.”

”How considerate of you,” Hai Di said, though his tone sounded cynical. ”What I was wondering is why you haven’t confiscated the Small World Ring from him.”

”You and I both know we can’t use the ring,” Yao Ai said.

Before Hai Di could respond, a deep and mystical voice intruded on their conversation. ”Did I just hear someone say the Small World Ring?”

All three domain lords showed surprised expressions. None of them expected to hear the voice. They all turned to the large throne simultaneously. A silhouette was there. Amon was astonished. No one noticed when a person entered the room and sat on the throne.

The three domain lords stood and knelt on the floor. They uttered, ”We hail the ruler of this realm, the great demon lord, Mo Wang.”