Rise of The Demon General

While Duan Jang was familiarizing himself with his new workshop, Zee Whang moved a large cart into the room.

”What are these?” Duan Jang peeked into the cart. It was filled with broken weapons.

”These are the broken weapons I picked up, which this man cannot repair,” Amon answered while pointing at Zee Whang. The weapons were from the ancient battleground inside the misty border. Zee Whang had repaired half of them. The rest here were the remaining half.

”Tch! Do you have to phrase it that way?” Zee Whang complained.

”It’s the truth, and it carries the information I want to convey. How else should I phrase it?”

”Whatever. I suspect these weapons’ grades used to be divine level. I don’t have the materials to repair them, so I left them to the side.”

”Actually, most are ancient grade, but there are a few that could have been divine grade in the past,” Duan Jang said after inspecting the pile. ”You are right for not trying to repair them. If not done correctly, you will only damage them further and render them completely useless. For equipment of such high grades, one should not attempt any repair unless one is skilful enough.”

”Tch!” Zee Whang was annoyed by the statement.

”But you can?” Amon asked Duan Jang.

”Providing that I have sufficient time and materials,” Duan Jang answered. ”Even so, I can’t guarantee that it will return to its former glory. High-grade equipment is highly delicate. These weapons are all severely damaged. Even if I can repair them, they will most likely fall to half a grade from their original quality.”

”It is better than none. Even weapons of half a grade lower than the lot here are rare to find in the lower world. I figure we will need a lot more of them if we are to go up against the upper world.”

Hearing that, both Zee Whang and Duan Jang blurted at the same time, ”We will be going up against the upper world?”

”Well, it will happen eventually,” Amon answered.

”Tell me when you begin that suicide campaign. I want to hop off this train,” Zee Whang said.

”No, you are not,” Amon said. ”And why are you afraid? You are the support team that stays behind the combat zone. The action will never reach you. You are the furthest away from danger.”

”Except if you get killed. The enemy will get this box, and then we will suffer the consequences for being your accomplices.”

”You can always tell them that you are my prisoners and work here against your will.”

”Hm...” Zee Whang made an expression that said the plan was acceptable.

”Don’t be ridiculous!” Amon slapped the Neo Supreme Puppet’s leg, which caused Zee Whang to stagger. ”I have no intention of dying. The enemies will never claim my life. In other words, they will never get to you.”

”No one has the intention of dying, but they still do,” Zee Whang grumbled.

Amon showed Duan Jang his Broken Justice. ”What do you think of this? Do you think you can repair it?”

Duan Jang had wide eyes when he saw the broken weapon. He grabbed it from Amon’s hands and looked at it from all angles. ”This one was definitely a divine-grade weapon in its prime. Probably mid-tier or even high-tier one. None of the ones in that pile will be divine grades after I repair them, but this one may still be a low-tier divine grade after the repair. Hm...?”

Duan Jang noticed the chain fixed to Broken Justice’s hilt. ”This chain is a mid-tier divine chain. I can’t believe I have the chance to lay eyes on one in my life. This chain can restrain even a Devil Realm cultivator. It is made of a metal not available in this lower world.”

”Don’t do anything to the chain. It is not broken,” Amon said. ”Can you perform the repair on those weapons at the same time you are working on my armor?”

”I can. The armor will require multiple treatments, during which I will need to wait for a long time. I can slip in the repairs during the waiting time. Just don’t expect me to finish the repair quickly. Which one do you want me to prioritize? This divine broken sword first, or the ones inside the cart?”

”The ones in the cart first. I must use this broken sword for a while longer,” Amon answered.

Duan Jang nodded. ”Okay. About that broken sword, I must warn you. The quality of the blade beyond this broken part will be lower because, like the divine chain, the blade is also made of a material not available here in the lower world.”

”I don’t need you to restore it to its full length. Keep the weapon at its current broken length.”

”But then it will be more of a dagger than a sword.”

”Exactly.”

Duan Jang shrugged. ”It’s your weapon. Anyway, I still need plenty of rare materials. Considering your status, I don’t think it will be difficult to procure them. I will give you a list.”

Amon nodded. ”Review everything and tell me what else you need. I will get the list later.”

He turned to Zee Whang and said. ”Let’s go to your workshop. I want to discuss this thing.” He was pointing at his black space ring.

Zee Whang understood his gesture. He replied with a gesture of his own by tilting his head. ”Come.”

*

Yao Ai troops intercepted the remnant of the Devotion Faction army led by Xin Rong before they were halfway to Venal Virtuous City. Xin Rong was eager to get back to their capital after receiving the news of Hai Di’s defeat. She didn’t want to believe the news. She must return and ensure it with her own eyes.

Despite her eagerness to return to the capital as soon as possible, the presence of a domain lord forced her army to an involuntary stop.

”Give it up, Dictator Xin Rong. The Devotion Faction is no more,” Yao Ai told Xin Rong.

”I will not accept it until I see it with my own eyes.” Xin Rong exclaimed.

Amon was beside Yao Ai. He came forward and said, ”You may go to Venal Virtuous City, but your army must stay.”

”Don’t be ridiculous! My soldiers are all loyal members of the Devotion Faction. We are all returning to the capital to ensure its safety!”

”Your capital is no more!” Amon exclaimed. He was looking at the Devotion Faction soldiers in general rather than at Xin Rong. ”So is the Devotion Faction! Hai Di is gone! And the Devotion Domain will no longer be a territory for humans. It now belonged to the Hyanids and their pets, the Cryanids. Heralds have been sent to all the cities in this domain to bring the news. Everyone must migrate either to the Mercy or Commitment Domains. Do not worry. We will welcome you!”

”We...?” Xin Rong asked.

”As everyone knows, Lord Lang Man is no more. I will replace him as the domain lord of the Commitment Faction.”

Xin Rong laughed at the statement. ”You? On what ground? You are even weaker than I am! You are only at the Intermediate Mammoth Stage. Why does the Commitment Faction want to submit to you?”

”Because they either do that or perish. This is the same choice I give you all now.”

”Hmph! We might not be Lady Yao Ai’s match, but my army outnumbers yours. Even if we can’t win, you can’t stop us all. We will reach Venal Virtuous City!”

Diu Cay’s army was but a portion of the Mercy Faction’s force. Most had returned to the Mercy Domain to help contain the undead plague. He kept only a small portion to search for Yao Ai when she was still missing. Hence, it was not as large as Xin Rong’s army.

”Achieving that will only serve your soldiers to the Cryanids as food. You said I don’t have the qualifications to be the Commitment Faction’s domain lord because I am weaker than you. In that case, I challenge you to a duel. Let’s see if I am truly weaker than you.”

”How absurd! I don’t have time to play games with you. Everyone! Prepare to charge past these enemies!”

The Devotion Faction members prepared themselves upon Xin Rong’s order, but they suddenly heard commotion from around them. They looked around and found an army of battle puppets and altered beasts encircling them.

Amon told Xin Rong, ”You said that I am weaker than you, and your army outnumbers us. You are wrong on both accounts.”

Amon didn’t allow Xin Rong to retort because he had already lunged at her after finishing speaking.

When her soldiers were about to move, they heard Yao Ai’s aether-filled voice reverberating in their ears. ”Anyone who moves will die.”

Yao Ai’s threat and the menace from the inhuman troops surrounding them deterred them from assisting Xin Rong.

Xin Rong saw no choice but to face Amon. She used her glaive to block Amon’s attack.

*CLANG!*

The clash between the blades of their weapons rang loudly. Amon grinned, ”Whether you are willing or not, you will be my stepping stone.”