Rise of The Demon General

”Alright. Let’s say we believe that you are here to stop the calamity... for your benefit,” Zee Min said. ”But first, tell us what exactly it is and how it will happen.”

”Fair enough,” Amon said. ”The people of the lower world know of what you call calamity as the purge.”

”The purge...?” Zee Min and the others asked.

Amon nodded. He proceeded to tell them what Mo Wang had told him. What the purge was, and why it was done. The four high councillors listened in silence. When he was done, he could see the four struggle to accept his information.

”A joint operation between the upper and lower worlds...”

”Gods and demons working together... to steal the aether of our world...?”

”Our ancestors... wiped out every ten million years...?”

”All that... to power their worlds...?”

Amon let them time to cope with the news. Anyone would be shaken if they learned of a planned armageddon of their world, especially when such a plan had occurred repeatedly in the past.

Finally, one of them reacted in a way Amon had expected: denial. ”You are lying to us!” Hong Zi exclaimed. ”There is no way such a thing is true! The upper world is filled with the best of us who broke through to the Demigod Realm. They are among our ancestors. We are their descendants. No way they will do this to us! They are exalted beings who have achieved Godhood and ascended to a better realm. They are honorable and benevolent people who value good deeds!”

”Ascended people? Do you mean one like Zhang Daofeng?” Amon asked.

His mention caused everyone to think of the single person who had achieved the feat of entering the Demigod Realm in their lifetime. Though his time in the surface world after he became a Demigod was only one night, everyone knew what he had done, none of which could be considered honorable or benevolent. Though no one knew where he had gone after that one night, many believed he had ascended to the upper world.

”Believe me, the upper world isn’t as pretty as most people of this world painted it to be,” Amon said. ”In fact, the Temple of Divinity is an organization endorsed by the upper world. The Holy Mother, whom the five countries defeated after many sacrifices, is a direct follower of the Divine, the ruler of the upper world. The temple is responsible for nurturing the next generation to be sacrificed ten million years later. It was not out of free will that Zhang Daofeng left this world for the upper world. He was forced to.”

”How do you know?” Ha Velet asked.

”You people were not there when Zhang Daofeng forced everyone to attend his so-called ascension party, but you should have heard the story. Does what he did reflect someone who wants to leave for the upper world in a hurry?”

”Nevertheless, there is nothing to back up your story?” Hong Zi insisted.

”Look. What do I have to gain by deceiving you? Do you think I want to conquer you? I have already demonstrated that I can do that if I wish to. One Zhang Daofeng can force all the most powerful people in this world to heed his every word. My current self is more powerful than Zhang Daofeng was then. I don’t need trickery to enslave you all. If you don’t heed my words, you will find out the truth the hard way one month from now. By then, you won’t even have the chance to regret it.”

The four looked at one another. Sensibility finally crept into their minds. If Amon was lying, it didn’t truly matter. As he said, he could force them into servitude with his current power, so it didn’t make a difference. However, if Amon were telling the truth, it would mean a chance to avoid an armageddon.

”I think we should heed his words,” Zhong Yuan said.

After another round of contemplation, Zee Min said, ”Let’s say we believe you. What do you need us to do?”

Amon showed his index finger. ”For now, I only need you to do one thing. Contact all the leaders of this world. Have them gather at the Xandar Region, or maybe I should now call it the capital of the new Xei Dynasty.”

”Xandar City? Why gather there?” Zhong Yuan asked.

”Because I will meet them there and explain to them what I have just told you. I don’t want to waste my time going to their places one by one and repeating my explanation. As to why I chose Xandar City, it is because it is located at the center of this surface world. It saves everyone from excessive travel time. Tell everyone to gather there within one week.”

”What makes you think the other countries will heed our call?” Ha Velet asked.

”Kazhan and the Xei Dynasty are your allies. Feed them lies, or threaten to disband the alliance if you must. Just make sure they attend. Farghous will be suspicious about your intention, but it won’t disregard an invitation from the only force that can oppose its superiority in this world. As long as you make it convincing, Dim Loog will attend. The two of you are good schemers. I’m sure you will think of a way.”

Amon looked at Hong Zi and Ha Velet when he spoke the last sentence. The two didn’t appreciate being called schemers, but they didn’t dare to voice their disapproval.

”Just remember, you are doing this for your own fate, for the survival of your people,” Amon reminded them. ”Even without your help, I can still deal with the upper world. It will just take more effort. If you prefer to take your chances and face the purge on your own, be my guest. I don’t give a shit about your fate.”

Amon’s feet left the ground. ”One week, and I will come to Xandar City. If I don’t see all the leaders of the current four countries there, I will leave, and you can fend this calamity yourselves.”

Upon that last sentence, Amon zoomed away at a speed imperceptible by the four in the room.

The four remained dazed for quite a while. Finally, Zee Min looked to her fellow high councillors and asked, ”What is your opinion?”

Zhong Yuan shrugged. ”What else? The reasonable thing to do is to do what he asked. What we can lose if he turns out to be right far outweighs the consequences if he were lying.”

After a short discussion, the other three agreed. They sent messages to the other three countries.

*

Amon went somewhere else while waiting for the leaders to gather. With his current traveling speed, he could arrive in Xandar City in less than two days. As for those country leaders, he believed they would take only five or six days if they didn’t bring a large force filled with weak cultivators. If they did, they would require around two weeks, which would be outside his demanded timeline.

During his wait, he decided to deal with his private matters. He summoned Lin Li and had her fly toward the former Echos Kingdom, or more precisely, the White Cloud City.

*

Inside a run-down tavern in White Cloud City, a group of people with rough demeanors was gathering. No maid worked there to serve them. The rough people instead took bottles from the counter and self-served themselves. This was because this tavern was no longer open for business. They had chased out the owner and made this place their hideout.

One man came running from outside to a single man sitting in a corner. He said, ”Boss, the White Cloud Sect wants to meet.”

The boss made a waving motion. ”Hmph! Tell them to go away. I’ve already paid our tribute for this month.”

A loud impact sound was heard as two men were sent flying from the entrance. An elderly man in a white robe entered. ”Hah! Who are you people to say where I can or cannot enter in my own town?”

The elderly man looked around until he spotted the boss in the corner. He smiled and walked over.

”Boss Xin Wuming, you are so rude that you decline my invitation even when we are partners. You force me to come all the way here. I don’t appreciate that.”

”What do you want?” Xin Wuming asked crudely. ”We already have a working arrangement. I pay you monthly tributes, and you leave the Demon Gang and me alone.”

”Heh? You are not getting away that easily. The agreement is also that you do the dirty job I told you to.”

”I have done your dirty job, Pai Kuan. I helped you assassinate your previous leader, Pai Yunmo, which in turn made you the current leader of the White Cloud Sect. What else do you want?”

”What I want is for you to realize that I own you, boy!” Pai Kuan said. ”Or do you prefer me to release your information to the authorities? Though many have forgotten your connection to Demon Amon, your fugitive status is still valid. You won’t last long without my protection. So, either you continue to play ball and perform all the dirty jobs I send your way, or I throw you out for the wolves. Do you get the drift?”