Rise of The Demon General

Everyone who hadn’t met Amon after his return to Aetheria was taken aback by his appearance. They couldn’t sense his cultivation level, but everyone felt a menace when he appeared.

Even Dim Loog became tense. Nevertheless, his pride compelled him to assert dominance. He stood and exclaimed, ”What foul beast are you? How dare you show yourself before us, the sovereigns of the world? You must have a death wish, beast!”

”Your Majesty, please calm down. He...”

Zee Min wanted to warn Dim Loog, but she was interrupted by Amon himself.

”Ah-ah. It’s okay. No need to warn him,” Amon told Zee Min.

Dim Loog turned to Zee Min and asked, ”Do you know this beast?”

Zee Min looked between Amon and Dim Loog and remained quiet.

Though Dim Loog didn’t get an answer, he could see it from Zee Min’s expression. Not only that, but it appeared that all Khode’s High Councilors wore the same expression. Then, he noticed someone else who wasn’t surprised by the human-beast’s appearance. Lei San had the same knowing look as the High Councilors.

”I see... So, it was this being who called for this meeting,” Sima Fang surmised.

Dim Loog turned to Sima Fang with another look of surprise. He turned back to Khode’s High Councilors and asked, ”Is that the truth?”

Zee Min glanced at Amon before nodding. ”Yes,” she answered shortly.

Dim Loog was baffled by Zee Min’s act. She seemed to defer to this human-beast. He returned his attention to the human-beast, who had apparently approached. Despite the anxiousness in his heart, he forced himself to remain where he stood.

Amon stopped before Dim Loog. He could see the king struggled to hide his anxiety. Despite Dim Loog’s inability to sense his cultivation level, he had no doubt the king felt threatened.

”Dim Loog, it has been a long time,” Amon said. He turned to Sima Fang, Xan Chi, and Xei Nuli one after the other. ”Everyone, it’s good that everyone is healthy and doing well. Though we parted unfavorably, please know that I bear no grudge.”

Dim Loog and the others were confused by Amon’s words. They did not remember having ever encountered a monster like Amon. Then, Sima Fang made a face as if she realized something. Her expression was followed by disbelief and worry.

She stammered, ”You... You can’t be...”

Amon turned to Sima Fang. ”Oh? You noticed? Well, you are always the sharpest. I shouldn’t be surprised.”

”What do you mean? Do you know this beast?” Dim Loog asked Sima Fang.

”Dim Loog, you keep calling me a beast. Normally, I don’t mind. I don’t see being a human as a loftier status. Nevertheless, the way you say it sounds condescending. That, I cannot accept.”

Amon put a hand on Dim Loog’s shoulder. The moment he did, Dim Loog felt indescribable pressure weighing down on him.

Dim Loog was astounded. He had exerted his full power, but he couldn’t resist the pressure. He also couldn’t move. The pressure seemed to pin him down from everywhere. The floor cracked as he tried to keep standing, but his knees slowly bent. He was forced to kneel.

”Amon, please stop!” Sima Fang exclaimed.

Dim Loog, Xan Chi, and the Xei couple were astounded to hear the name.

Dim Loog looked at Amon. Now that he observed again, he did find the face before him familiar. He asked, ”Are... Are you truly Amon?”

Amon grinned. Instead of answering, he released his aura, both his divine and infernal cultivations.

”This... This can’t be!” Dim Loog exclaimed. ”You were only a Peak Spirit Stage when you escaped. How do you become this strong...?!”

”Hehe. The aether condition in the lower world is different from here. I have you people to thank for forcing me to go there. Now, you can believe me when I said I don’t hold a grudge. Your act of chasing me from this world had instead benefitted me.”

Amon turned to Sima Fang and asked, ”Where is Wu Di? I want to thank him as well.”

”... Wu Di has ascended to the upper world,” Sima Fang answered.

”He did? Now, that’s surprising.”

”Everyone is surprised. After you fled, he put all his effort into his cultivation. When I asked him why he cultivated like a madman, he told me that he believed you would return one day and wanted to be ready. It turned out he was right. Sadly, he vanished a few days after he broke through into the King Stage of the Demigod Realm. We believed he had ascended.”

Amon was reminded of Wu Di’s special constitution. He no longer found this news surprising.

Amon let go of Dim Loog’s shoulder. The pressure that pinned Dim Loog down was gone. The king jumped away, putting a distance between him and Amon.

Amon chuckled at the reaction. ”I bear all those gathered here no ill will. On the contrary, I want to help you. I, however, bring ill tidings.”

”What ill tidings?” Xei Nuli asked.

”Remember the calamity we try to learn about and prevent? It will happen soon.”

”How soon?”

”Three weeks from now, give or take,” Amon answered.

”So soon...?” Xei Nuli muttered.

”Since you know when the calamity will happen, do you know what it actually is?” Xan Chi asked.

”Of course. I will tell you everything.” Amon proceeded to inform them what he had told Zee Min and the others about the Purge. After he was done, everyone remained silent as they absorbed the information.

Zee Min and his fellow councilors fared better since they had heard it before. She asked, ”Now that you have gathered us here, tell us what your plan is to help us against this calamity.”

”Wait!” Sima Fang exclaimed. ”How do we know he is telling us the truth? For all we know, this is his ploy to conquer us. He had proven in the past that he was not below that.”

Amon released his aura again. ”Do you seriously think I need a ploy if I want to conquer you?”

Everyone winced at the pressure exuded by Amon. Xan Chi said through his gritted teeth, ”Ugh. He is right. If he wants, he can easily slay us all.”

”Then tell us, Amon. Why do you want to help us?” Sima Fang asked. ”Don’t say you do this out of the goodness of your heart. I know you don’t have one. What benefits can you gain from helping us?”

”Hehe. You do know me,” Amon said. ”The reason I appeal to you is that I want to use you against the upper world.”

”Against the upper world?” Dim Loog asked.

”The Purge is normally conducted by both the upper and lower worlds, but since I have control over the lower world, you only have the upper world to worry about.”

”Only the upper world? You said it like we have half our problem solved,” Xan Chi said. ”According to your tale, both upper and lower worlds have cultivators with cultivation levels above the Martial Realm. If all the upper world’s people are monsters like you, I don’t see what we can do against them.”

”I don’t need you to fight them. I need you as bait.”

”Bait...?” Everyone was confused by Amon’s words.

”The main purpose of the Purge is to get rid of the surface world’s population. So, the upper world’s folks will be coming for you. I want you to move your people into one place. This will lure the upper world to where I want them to be, giving me the initiative to strike them when they are unaware.”

”So, we don’t need to fight with you?” Xei Nuli asked.

”As I said, I only need you as bait. You are too weak to fight, anyway.”

”Hold on a minute,” Zee Min said. ”You want us to move our people? The entire population of our country? In three weeks? How do you suggest we do that?”

Amon shrugged. ”Tell them the truth. If they don’t move, they die. I don’t exactly need all the world’s population, just enough to draw the upper world’s agents. The ones who choose to stay will, of course, be targets of the purge. Once they are eliminated, they will come after the ones who flee. I will be waiting for them with my force.”

”Your force? The lower world’s force?” Sima Fang asked. ”You seriously have taken over the lower world in this mere thirty-four years?”

”Believe it or don’t. I don’t need to prove anything to you. All you need to know is that I offer you a way to survive this Purge. Otherwise, you will join the fate of your ancestors from the previous epoch. It’s your choice. I will deal with the upper world, whether with your help or not. The difference is that you will ease my efforts if you cooperate, which I suggest you do. Cooperating with me benefits us both. You are right about me. I don’t do this out of kindness. I do this because it profits me. If you can’t stomach that and prefer your people’s extinction, then be my guest.”