Rise of The Demon General

The soldiers Diu Cay sent to chase Amon were led by a Slayer named Tu Bang. He was an Intermediate Mammoth Stage cultivator. Despite his high cultivation level, his rank remained Slayer. This was because the rank of Warlord was limited. Not everyone could be one, even if they had a high cultivation level. One must have the aptitude to lead before one can even be considered a warlord.

While Tu Bang could lead, he was not very good at the job. Nevertheless, it didn’t stop him from dreaming of becoming a warlord one day. He had been sucking up to Diu Cay. He performed all of Diu Cay’s dirty jobs without question, all for the hope that one day he would be promoted.

This time, it was another dirty job to eliminate a fellow slayer who had been disrespectful toward Diu Cay. The slayer he targeted was named Amon. He didn’t know much about Amon. All he had heard was that Amon joined the Mercy Faction less than two decades ago.

For cultivators of their level, this time frame was considered short. Yet, Amon had climbed the ranks so quickly. Amon was already the same rank as him when he needed a few centuries to become a slayer.

The most unbelievable thing was that he heard Amon was only an Intermediate Diabolic Stage cultivator when he joined the faction. He, of course, treated it as nonsense. There must have been a mistake in the record. Amon’s current cultivation level was reported to be at the Beginning Mammoth Stage. There was just no way for someone to get from the Diabolic Stage to the Mammoth Stage within two decades. Such a cultivation speed defied the laws of nature. It was simply impossible.

”Have you people found him?” Tu Bang yelled. They were flying above the Leviathan Teeth. They had lost their quarry after entering this area.

”Sorry, sir. Should we split up? We have a better chance of finding him that way,” one of his soldiers answered.

”It is also easier for him to get rid of you. No, we stay together,” Tu Bang said. He was the only Mammoth Stage cultivator in the group. The others were mostly Fiendish Stage cultivators, with two of his direct subordinates being Supreme Stage cultivators.

”Sir, do you think he knows we are following him?” His subordinate asked.

”Why else would he hide in a remote place like this? Hmph! He is right to fear us. He has a reputation as a capable fighter. Nevertheless, I alone am enough to deal with him. With you people supporting me, he has no chance to win. That’s why he went hiding once he realized we were following him.”

”So, what should we do? We can’t find him if we stick together like this. He can sneak through the base of these mountains and escape without us knowing.”

”Hm...” Tu Bang had no idea how to proceed. When he was about to give up and ordered his people to split up and search for Amon, he heard his men yelling.

”Sir, we found him!”

”Good! Where is...”

Tu Bang didn’t need to complete his question because he had already laid eyes on the answer. Amon floated out from among the jagged mountains below. Not only that, but Amon also called out to them.

”Fellow faction members! How curious to find you all here. Do you have a mission to conduct at this place?”

Tu Bang didn’t answer Amon’s call. He was wondering what Amon was playing at. Did Amon truly have no idea that they were after him? If so, then why did he go hiding just now?

Amon continued to float toward them. Tu Bang signaled his people, who numbered twenty-two soldiers. They regrouped and formed a perimeter around Amon.

”Oh? What is this?” Amon asked. ”Why do I sense hostility from you? Aren’t we from the same faction?”

’The fucker is smiling,’ Tu Bang thought. This confused him. Did Amon truly not catch on to their intention, or was he that stupid?

Tu Bang decided not to think too much about the situation. He bellowed at Amon, ”Slayer Amon! You have disrespected Dictator Diu Cay! For that, you will be punished. If you submit, we will let you keep your life. What say you?”

”Oh? Is that so? I don’t truly remember doing such a thing. Are you referring to that friendly spar between our tamed beasts? It was only a spar. No need to get so hung up on it.”

’What spar? The result of that match caused the death of one tamed beast, and the other was severely injured,’ Tu Bang thought in annoyance.

”Does Her Ladyship know that the Dictator sent you here for me?” Amon asked.

”Dictator Diu Cay has the authority to punish any disrespectful member of our faction. Our exalted Ladyship does not need to be bothered by such a minor nuisance.”

”I see. I guess if your squad is to disappear here, it should also be considered a minor nuisance, shouldn’t it?”

Tu Bang chuckled. ”Are you threatening us? Do you not see the situation you are in?”

”I see it alright. I simply don’t consider it a big deal.”

”Hehe. I did hear you have climbed the ranks rather swiftly. I guess that goes to your head and makes you think you are something special. I hate to break it to you, pal, but I have seen many arrogant high-achievers like you, thinking the world will bow to your every whim, only to get hit by reality and swallowed by helplessness. You are but a speck that matters not in the overall course of events.”

”Nice speech. I thought you were here to punish me or something?”

”Heh. What a clown,” Tu Bang floated forward. While his face remained grinning, his close subordinates could see that he was angry. ”I will deal with him alone. You all make sure he doesn’t escape.”

”Alone? Are you sure? It will be too late if you regret it later,” Amon taunted.

Tu Bang sneered. ”I don’t know where your confidence comes from. I’ve read your record. I know you have the S-rank affinity to the darkness element. Perhaps that’s why you are confident. You think your elemental affinity can help you fight someone with a higher cultivation level than yours. Sadly, I must disappoint you.”

Black threads seeped out of Tu Bang’s body. His aura also intensified.

”I also have the elemental affinity to the darkness element, and my affinity is also S-rank. Among our faction members, many called me the master of the darkness elements. Dictator Diu Cay gave the task to me because he knew you would not win against me.”

”I see,” Amon uttered.

”... You are still smiling. Do you truly not understand your situation, or are you too dumb to understand it? Never mind. I will wipe that smile soon.”

Tu Bang lifted his right hand, one finger pointing out. ”Only a few have managed to learn this martial art, which Mistress Yao Ai had gracefully granted to faction members with high achievements. I am among these few. Though mine cannot be compared to Her Ladyship, it is enough to deal with a small fry like you. Moreover, I have modified it so it is executed using the darkness energy. Face my Finger of Death.”

Tu Bang pointed a finger at Amon, and a pitch-black laser shot out.

Amon casually tilted to the side. The black laser passed by a hair’s breadth.

”You are right,” Amon said. ”It can’t be compared to Her Ladyship’s. Yours might as well be as slow as a snail.”

Tu Bang was shocked. Though Amon mocked his attack to be slow, he knew for a fact that the speed of his laser was not that different from Yao Ai’s. He didn’t understand how Amon managed to dodge the attack.

Tu Bang didn’t know that although the art’s speed was almost the same, the speed of their execution was not. Yao Ai could execute the art in a fraction of a second. The time it took Tu Bang to gather the energy until it was released from his finger was vastly longer than that of Yao Ai. This process was hidden because it happened inside the cultivator’s body, but Amon could sense the killing intent from the moment the process began. Hence, he could sense Tu Bang’s attack much more easily than Yao Ai’s.

”Is that all?” Amon asked. ”Your Finger of Death truly doesn’t amount to much if this is all it has to offer.”

Tu Bang’s face went red. He could no longer conceal his anger. ”Don’t you underestimate me!!”

He used two hands to execute the Finger of Death. A barrage of black lasers was fired consecutively from his fingers. However, even the continuous volley failed to hit Amon. Amon’s body turned into a blur. He shook left and right, never truly moving away. He shifted his position only slightly to avoid the black laser from touching him.

”Ho... How...? How do you dodge all my attacks? Blasted! If only even one hit you, you will surely die!”

”Oh? Is that what you think?” Amon asked. ”Very well. Do it again. I will not dodge this time.”