Rise of The Demon General

”Hm... I must admit. I didn’t expect that,” Amon uttered. ”I always see her as a villain like me. Maybe that’s why I always picture her making the same choice as me, which is sacrificing others for herself, rather than taking the heroic path of sacrificing herself for others. Hm... Very well. I respect that. Li Jing, you are free!”

Upon the statement, the Mercy Faction members untied Li Jing’s runic chains. The moment they did, Li Jing reached for the dagger Xin Lie had used to take her life. She lunged at Amon.

She didn’t get far, though. The Mercy Faction members behind her were ready. They grabbed her and pinned her down before she was even halfway to Amon. She struggled on the ground while screaming various curse words at Amon.

Amon waited until she calmed down a little before he said, ”By freeing you, I have already respected Xin Lie’s sacrifice. If you want to throw it away, I will gladly take your life. It is your choice. Let her get up. No need to stop her if she lunges another time.”

The faction members complied. They released Li Jing and stood back. She rose. The dagger was still in her grip. She stared at Amon but didn’t advance. Tears continued to flow from her eyes.

Finally, she declared, ”I will pay you back one day!”

”Alright,” Amon nodded.

She turned around and flew away. The faction members looked at Amon, expecting him to betray his promise and order them to attack her, but he never did. Li Jing continued to fly until she was a speck in the distance.

Amon turned to Hai Xuang. ”Now, for you...”

Hai Xuang interrupted Amon. ”Don’t bother toying with me. I won’t play along. Just kill me! But do it with your own hands if you have the guts!”

”Hehe,” Amon chuckled. He then said, ”Release him.”

The faction members were confused at first. They weren’t sure whether they had heard correctly. Only when they saw Amon’s stern face did they move and unbind the runic chains tying Hai Xuang’s hands.

Hai Xuang himself was also confused. He didn’t understand Amon’s intention. He stood but remained in his spot. His eyes stared hostilely at Amon.

”You are free to go,” Amon told him.

He didn’t react. He thought Amon was toying with him, letting him go before hunting him down. But then, Amon did let Li Jing go. He asked, ”What do you want? I’m not going to play your games.”

”You have already played my games. You simply didn’t realize it. In fact, your assistance in bringing my plan to fruition has been invaluable. I owe you greatly for that,” Amon said.

”What do you mean?”

”You’d better leave soon. Your wife and son may be safe for now inside that cave near Dark Simmering Lake. The Devotion Faction members you sent to escort them still protect them, but the news of Hai Di’s defeat will soon reach them. Those members are former thugs. Once they learn they no longer have a leash holding them, what do you think they will do to your beautiful wife?”

”You...! How do you know where they are?!” Hai Xuang exclaimed. ”If anything happens to them, I won’t forgive you!”

”Hehe. Are you saying you will forgive me if they are fine?”

”Grhh...! If you set me free, I will one day come back for revenge, for everything you have done to my family!!”

Amon grinned widely. ”I’m counting on that.”

Hai Xuang looked around him. He still had a feeling that Amon was toying with him, that these Mercy Faction members would jump at him the moment he tried to fly away.

Amon didn’t bother to convince him. He remained in his chair and patiently waited.

Eventually, Hai Xuang understood there was nothing he could do but play along. Remaining here wouldn’t increase his odds of surviving anyway, and he was indeed worried about his wife and son. His feet left the ground, and he flew away. He turned back multiple times, kept expecting someone to pursue him, but the Mercy Faction camp below remained cool. No one stopped him from leaving.

Amon turned to the last captive, who was an old man in a luxurious robe. He had been hiding inside Hai Di’s ruined castle when the battle was ensuing. Several Cryanids found him after the battle ended and dragged him out to be put together with the other captives.

He was hiding because he was not an experienced combatant. His cultivation level was only at the Peak Malicious Stage. He had luxurious clothes and lived inside Hai Di’s castle because he occupied an important position in the Devotion Faction. He was the faction’s chief smith, and his smithing level was at the Grandmaster level.

His name was Duan Jang. Unlike Hai Xuang and the others, he had been scared shitless by his situation. He didn’t understand what was happening. He thought he was done for when he was found and dragged by the repulsive Cryanids. Then, he and three others were selected and brought away from the crumbling city by Yao Ai and Amon. He thought for sure they were saved and spared from the fates of the other captives. However, even after arriving in the Mercy Faction camp, he remained chained. After being brought out here, his fear returned after seeing what happened to Xin Lie. Then, Li Jing and Hai Xuang were set free. He became hopeful again.

”Sir Duan Jang,” Amon addressed him.

”My Lord, I am at your service!” Duan Jang exclaimed. He never heard of Amon. He was not the type who bothered to learn about the world. Other than the domain lords, he didn’t know the higher-ups in the other domains. His only concern was working at Hai Di’s royal workshop. Nevertheless, from how Amon acted and how Yao Ai treated Amon, he was certain Amon was a big shot.

Amon chuckled. ”Hehe, I am happy to hear that, because that is what I want.”

”My lord?” Duan Jang asked.

”Your service. I want your service. So, I take it you are willing to serve me?”

Hearing that, Duan Jang felt a great burden was lifted. It was as if someone had thrown him a lifeline. He hurriedly answered, ”I’m willing, My Lord! I’m willing!”

”Good. This speeds things up. Release him!”

The faction members obeyed the command and removed Duan Jang’s runic chains.

After the smith was free of his restraint, Amon told him, ”Follow me! Everyone else, dismiss!”

Amon led Duan Jang out of the camp. As they traveled further away from the camp, Duan Jang’s worry returned. Why did Amon bring him out here? His expertise required a civilized place, not outside in the wilderness. Nevertheless, he followed Amon and didn’t dare to flee. It was pointless even if he tried. Amon’s cultivation level far surpassed his.

Amon brought him to a secluded valley nearby. After making sure no one was around, Amon summoned his puppet army and Lin Li. He commanded them to watch the perimeter.

Duan Jang was astonished by Amon’s ability to summon such a large force. He immediately identified the source. ”This ring... Its craftsmanship is exquisite.”

”You truly deserve your reputation. I’m glad to have enlisted the right person,” Amon praised. ”There will be things I need your help with.”

”What things?”

”Later,” Amon answered. He took out the prison box and opened its portal, which astonished Duan Jang a second time.

”Can you craft something like this?” Amon asked.

Duan Jang studied the prison box with much interest. ”I have no problem constructing the hardware. Its engraving, however, is beyond me. You will need a Grandmaster Smith and a Grandmaster Engraver who understands the Law of Space to make this thing. I am a Grandmaster Smith, but my Engraver job is only at the Master level. I also don’t possess the Law of Space.”

”That’s okay. I’m not enlisting you to create another box like this. Follow me into its portal.”

Duan Jang was apprehensive. He didn’t know what was behind the portal. Most of the time, people create this kind of pocket dimension to hide their ugly sides. Still, he didn’t dare to disobey. He followed Amon inside.

Inside the pocket dimension, his anxiety slowly turned to amazement. He couldn’t help but admire the specialist who had created this box.

Amon brought him to a space he had prepared beforehand. Zee Whang was inside, riding his Neo Supreme Puppet. He was setting up the room with various blacksmith equipment.

When he saw Amon enter, he went into a tirade. ”What the hell did you do to the Titan Battle Puppet? How many times do I have to fix that thing? Not to mention the puppet that houses the Hell Beast. Do you think it is easy to repair them? Even ignoring the materials that you provided, getting them back in shape consumes a hell of a lot of my time. Can’t you be more considerate and avoid damaging them so often?”

”Their job is to do battle. It is natural for them to get damaged. Look at the bright side. You will never run out of things to busy yourself with. You won’t get bored.”

”Fuck you,” Zee Whang responded.