Rise of The Demon General

”I was from Jacques Town,” Nao Pei said. ”It is a small town. Though small, it is roughly the same as every other town in this upper world. Everyone performs daily routines of worshipping the Divine and the tasks allocated to them by the priests of the Holy Temple.”

”Mm, all the towns in this upper world are like that?” Amon asked.

”As far as I know,” Nao Pei replied. ”Then again, I didn’t have much time learning about the world, because Elder Nao Dongli found me when I was nine years old. He told me I have a talent with my mind, that I can move things with my thoughts alone. He showed me things, which I must admit were pretty amazing for a little kid like me at the time. So, I agreed to follow him, and he brought me here. I have never left this place since...”

”Why do you follow him?” Amon asked. ”I admit telekinesis might look amazing, but so does cultivation. Why leave your family and follow a stranger who offers dubious power instead of staying and learning the profound way?”

”... I don’t have a family,” Nao Pei answered. ”I lived in an orphanage. The caregivers there said that we were children of sinners who had been executed for defying the Divine’s teachings. Hence, we are not allowed to cultivate. Our penance for being the offspring of sinners is menial labor, one of which is serving the Holy Temple’s members. We have been trained to do that since we were children, and we were told we would do that till our old age. So, you should understand if I said I have no reservations in leaving that life behind when Elder Nao Dongli offered to take me away. I practically accepted the offer on the spot.”

”In that case, I think you have made the right decision.”

”Did I?” Nao Pei made a self-deprecating laugh. ”What a great life choice fate has bestowed on me. I either live in servitude of others or live in confinement for the rest of my life. What is the point of remaining alive if that is the case?”

He made a gesture of punching down during his speech. One of the large boulders he had been throwing earlier was crushed into pieces.

”I never believe in fate,” Amon stated. ”Fate is a word weaklings invented so they can accept their incompetence in avoiding misfortune. I make my own fate. I will fight anyone who tries to force fate onto me.”

Nao Pei made an expression like he had heard the most fascinating statement. He couldn’t hide his amazement. For someone who had been chained his whole life, this statement was either bullshit or an impossible dream. Yet, he could feel the confidence behind Amon’s words. Even without mind-reading, he could tell Amon truly believed those words.

From that expression, Amon could see that his hard work finally allowed him to sink his hook into Nao Pei. He told Nao Pei, ”If you truly want to leave this village, then put your heart to it. Don’t be shackled by rules made by others. If you think you are powerless, don’t worry, I will help you, but only if you truly want it.”

Nao Pei was surprised by Amon’s offer. For a brief second, he appeared glad and was willing to accept, but his expression soon turned to hesitation. ”You... You don’t know the power the elders have. They are not to be trifled with.”

”Neither am I,” Amon said. ”I was telling the truth when I said I am a big shot in the lower world.”

”... You truly think you can free me from this place?”

”I can.” Amon nodded.

Nao Pei was again hopeful, but his hesitant expression returned soon. ”But... what use will that do? I won’t survive outside. If the Divine learns that I am a mind practitioner, he will send his followers to hunt me down. Even if I hide my ability, a low-level cultivator like me will be put to work to serve the public or Holy Temple members.”

”That won’t happen, because my purpose in coming to this upper world is to topple the Divine.”

”... I did hear Elder Nao Xin mentioning something like that. They don’t believe you are serious about it.”

”What about you? Do you also think I am joking?”

”... No. You don’t seem like the type to joke.”

”I don’t.” Amon agreed. ”Work with me, and I will give you the freedom you want, both from this village and the Divine. I will help you break the shackles of this world and become a truly free man.”

Nao Pei’s expression hardened. This time, it remained that way. ”If you can truly realize what you say, I don’t mind working for you, much less with you.”

Amon grinned. ”Well said. Now, to increase our chance for leaving this place, I will need you to teach me the way to train my Sea of Consciousness and its applications.”

Nao Pei’s hesitation returned. ”If... If the others find out...”

”They won’t,” Amon interrupted him. ”At least not until it is too late.”

When Nao Pei’s uncertain expression remained, Amon added, ”Listen. I have confidence in myself to defeat your elders, but knowing what I am up against will increase my odds exponentially. Even if I can’t learn the abilities because of my cultivation, it will still help me assess my approach and adjust accordingly. The best way to win against an opponent is by knowing your opponent. Hence, I must have a better understanding of the abilities practiced here. Otherwise, I may make a mistake that will jeopardize our chance.”

Nao Pei finally nodded. ”Very well. I will teach you everything I know.”

*

In the next few days, Nao Pei taught Amon the way of the mind. He first introduced Amon to his Sea of Consciousness.

He told Amon that the village elders kept a historical record mentioning the first person to practice mental power. The record stated that the first mind practitioner was someone with a special constitution. This ancient practitioner could access his mind and perform various incredible feats.

Unlike current mind practitioners who must choose specialization, he didn’t have such a limitation. He could execute all four categories of mental abilities with equal power. Thanks to his unique power, many feared him despite his low cultivation. He garnered such a reputation that the Divine brought him into his fold and made him a high-ranking member of his Holy Temple.

Over time, he learned that he could touch the minds of others and brought about a latent ability similar to his own. He did it by making the person aware of their Sea of Consciousness.

This was what Nao Pei did to Amon. With Amon’s permission, he entered Amon’s mind. He guided Amon to the deepest recesses of his psyche. There, he unlocked something. Amon could perceive it then: his Sea of Consciousness.

It was similar to perceiving his energy space. It existed somewhere between his physical and mental selves. What he saw from his Sea of Consciousness was a vast galaxy, filled with myriad clouds of dust. Most clouds were dense and opaque, while a few were sparse and transparent. Occasional electricity could be seen dancing between these clouds.

”As expected, you have a strong Sea of Consciousness,” Amon heard Nao Pei’s voice. ”The clouds in your Sea of Consciousness are white. That means it is at the second tier.”

”Different tiers have different colors?” Amon asked.

”Yes. The clouds in the lowest tier are grey, then they are white. The third tier shows yellow clouds. As for the highest, the clouds will be blue. Judging from the density of your clouds, I can say you are at the high second tier. It is the ceiling you can achieve. Because of your cultivation, you can’t grow your Sea of Consciousness any further.”

”Can you tell me how to train it? I still want to try it.”

”Very well, then listen to my instructions.”

Nao Pei taught Amon the meditative mantra imparted by the first mind practitioner from the ancient past. By reciting it in his mind, Amon saw that the electricity dancing between the clouds in his Sea of Consciousness became even more active. At the same time, the clouds seemed to be growing.

While meditating, he conversed with Nao Pei about the first mind practitioner. He asked, ”You said the Divine hunted mind practitioners, but the first mind practitioner was the Divine’s follower. How did their fall-out happen?”

”It is because the first practitioners trained more people into mind practitioners. The Divine saw it as him building a cult separate from his Holy Temple. He was displeased. He declared all mind practitioners as heretics and had them hunted since.”

”I see,” Amon remarked. He already knew the Divine was an orderly maniac with a superiority complex. This story reinforced his characteristics even more.

The clouds in Amon’s Sea of Consciousness, which were expanding, suddenly bumped into an invisible wall. Amon expanded his senses to study this phenomenon. He realized then that the invisible wall was the border of his energy space, where his energy core resides.

’I see...,’ he thought. Both the Sea of Consciousness and the energy space occupied adjacent mental spaces. If one had grown, it would take up the space, preventing the other from growing. That’s why a well-developed mind practitioner could not advance his cultivation, and vice versa.

Since it was that way, there was no use trying to grow his Sea of Consciousness. Nevertheless, he could train mental abilities up to the second tier.