Rise of The Demon General

Xou Yung’s reinforcement arrived a half day later. The reinforcement comprised a regiment of a thousand troops. The general cultivation of the troops was Malicious Stage, with almost ten percent being Fiendish Stage cultivators. The leader was a woman named Wan Luan. Her cultivation level was at the Peak Supreme Stage. Two aides were always by her side. Both were Intermediate Supreme Stage cultivators.

Though their number was not large, their power would certainly have made a difference if they had arrived when the Cryanid swarm was still attacking the city.

They didn’t immediately return when they learned that the city’s crisis had passed. Aside from helping Defunct Edge City repel the Cryanid swarm, they were also ordered to stay in the city until further notice, in case the Cryanids attacked again.

After a short exchange of pleasantries upon Wan Luan’s arrival, Xu Rou brought Amon to meet her, whom he also hosted inside the city hall. Amon didn’t waste time presenting his case.

"I refuse," Wan Luan uttered after hearing Amon’s explanation.

"The success of my mission will mean the success of your warlord’s mission. Otherwise, the Cryanid Plague will never end. This is also for the good of our domain and everyone who lives in border cities like this one. We can stop the Cryanids from their sources and prevent any citizen from being taken by those beasts again."

Wan Luan remained quiet. She sipped her tea as if she never heard Amon’s words.

Amon could see that the woman wasn’t moved by his words. He asked, "May I know your reason for refusal?"

"No reason," Wan Luan finally answered. Yet, she didn’t look at Amon when she spoke. "I don’t care how good you spin your words. My order is to stay in this city and protect it. That is what I will do."

Amon could hear the finality in Wan Luan’s tone. He never enjoyed wasting time on futile attempts. Since it was the case, he excused himself and left. Xu Rou watched Amon leave with an apologetic expression. Amon had, after all, helped save his city. Yet, he couldn’t do anything to repay the man.

After Amon left, Xu Rou asked Wan Luan, "Sister Wan Luan, I don’t think your refusal is only because of your strict adherence to Warlord Xou Yung’s order. Why didn’t you explain your true reason to him?"

Wan Luan sighed and put down the teacup in her hand. "Though I just met him, I know men of his type. They don’t truly care about the good of others or our domain. Their speech is but honey words to entice us for their own benefit."

"Really...? I don’t think he is that bad," Xu Rou said.

Wan Luan smiled. "I have had bad experiences with men like him. That’s why I develop a kind of sixth sense for people like him. I don’t blame you for getting fooled by him. Nevertheless, the intel he provided about the human-Cryanid hybrid is indeed invaluable. I will be writing a report to send to Warlord Xou Yung. I believe she can utilize this information better by coordinating a response with the other warlords, compared to providing manpower for an uncertain expeditionary mission led by that man."

"Hm... Well, I do agree with you on that. However, he mentioned that he received his order directly from Her Ladyship Yao Ai. Aren’t you afraid he will report us to Her Ladyship about us being uncooperative?"

Wan Luan chuckled. "If you are worried about that, you would have spared him your men. For starters, there is no proof that Her Ladyship sent him. No order has ever been given by the capital telling us to assist him. We have no obligation to believe his words. Even if it is the truth, considering Our Ladyship’s temperament, it is more likely Her Ladyship sent him on this mission to get rid of him. It’s all the more reason for us not to get involved."

"Hm..." Xu Rou thought Wan Luan’s words made sense. He felt pity for Amon. Amon must have done something that pissed Their Ladyship to suffer such a fate.

*

Amon wasn’t concerned about their speculation. Since he couldn’t find help in this city, he had no reason to stay. He walked out of the city hall with the intention of heading directly to the misty border to hunt the humanoid Cryanids.

To his surprise, someone greeted him when he came out.

"Brother Amon!"

It was Xou Liang. He had several people behind him.

"Brother Amon, considering you come out alone. I figure you didn’t get much luck in enlisting Wan Luan’s help."

"No, I didn’t," Amon said.

"But you still intend on going beyond the border."

"I’m heading there right now."

"Alone?"

"If I must."

"Well, that won’t do. It’s a good thing I waited outside here. I will accompany you. You have helped this city, and I will be damned if others say the people in this city don’t know how to repay a favor."

"Those people are with you?" Amon gestured at the people behind Xou Liang. They numbered seven people.

"These were my men who were willing to accompany me. Let me introduce them. Win Yi, Chang Gu, Zhan An, Si Au, Dai Gui, Un Lao, and this dazzling dame is Xin Wa."

"We were there with you earlier today fighting the Cryanids, but maybe you didn’t notice us," Xin Wa said. "It will be an honor to fight with you again."

Amon scanned them using his cultivation sense. Xin Wa and Dai Gui had the cultivation level of the Beginning Fiendish Stage. Un Lao was the only Intermediate Fiendish Stage cultivator. As for the other four, they were at the Peak Malicious Stage.

"I told them about your mission," Xou Liang told Amon. "They agree that it was important, so they volunteer to help."

"Are you sure?" Amon asked them. "We will most likely encounter great danger."

"None of us is a coward," Chang Gu declared.

"I know the most about the danger beyond the border," Un Lao said. "However, if it can stop the Cryanids from repeating their attack, I will step back into that hell. I lost several family members to those Cryanids. I don’t want to lose the rest of them to another attack."

"Brother Un Lao here is among those who had gone beyond the border and returned," Xou Liang explained to Amon.

"Good," Amon said. He didn’t place much hope on Xou Liang’s team. They were too few. However, if someone could serve as a guide beyond the border, that would be helpful. "Is everyone ready to leave?"

"Right now?" Win Yi asked.

"Right now," Amon answered. It was nighttime, but night made almost no difference in this lower world since the sky was red all the time. It was simply slightly darker at nighttime.

"I hope to have a full day’s rest after the battle today, but okay."

"You won’t get a chance to rest even if you stay. Mayor Xu Rou will call everyone to pitch in with the rebuilding," Xou Liang told Win Yi.

"You can rest while we ride my Ankilobull. I left it grazing outside the city," Zhan An suggested.

*

Outside the city, Zhan An whistled. The ground shook as a large four-legged creature with a wide body came running. The creature had a bull-like head. Its four limbs were covered in thick fur, but its back had thick, armored hide. It had a long tail that ended in a heavy-looking ball. It sported wounds that were beginning to heal. This showed that it was involved in the battle earlier today.

"This is my tamed beast." Zhan An jumped onto the spirit beast’s back and gestured for everyone to do the same. Its back was wide enough to fit everyone.

Amon didn’t reject the offer. He climbed aboard the beast.

"Which direction?" Zhan An asked Amon.

Amon consulted Yuka inside his black space ring. Yuka had to come out to sense the mark she had left on the humanoid Crynoid. She pointed in a direction and disappeared again soon after. Win Yi asked Amon how his tamed beast could appear and disappear like that. Amon didn’t bother to explain that Yuka was not his tamed beast. He simply lied that Yuka had the ability to hide in a hidden dimension.

Zhan An commanded his Ankilobull to run in the direction Yuka had indicated. It was slightly to the Northeast.

"Hm... That direction," Un Lao uttered.

"You know what’s there?" Amon asked.

Un Lao shook his head. "That was where I once headed when I was young and reckless enough to brave the misty border with my friends. We didn’t get far, though. We originally went there because we heard that it was the site of the ancient battleground."

"The ancient battleground?" Amon asked.

"It’s an old myth," Xou Liang explained. "The myth said that in the distant past, the ruler of our world once had a great battle with an enemy cultivator. Their battle took place beyond the border and lasted for three days and three nights. They used and broke countless weapons in the fight. The sites where those weapons fell were called the ancient battleground."