Rise of The Demon General

The elder who was checking Amon's space ring frowned after his checking. He glanced at Amon, who was standing beside him, naked, with folded arms. Amon was staring back at him. Their eyes lingered for a while. Perhaps he thought the boy would look away after being intimidated by his stare, but Amon did not. Amon maintained his gaze without any expression.

"Are you done checking?" Amon asked when the elder continued staring at him.

"Hmph!" The elder simply harrumphed and returned to his checking. He seemed to check for a long time. He frowned, glanced at Amon, then returned to check again. The other youths who were paying attention felt the elder was acting weird. He didn't take that long when checking theirs.

After a while, the elder put down Amon's space ring. He then held Amon's black space ring. His frown went deeper this time. He twirled the ring a few times.

"That is just a normal ring," Pai Kuan said to the elder. He had come to the checking table.

"Normal? I sense traces of aether from it," The elder said.

"It is normal in the sense that it is not a space ring. The material itself is indeed abnormal. I've checked it before."

"It's a memento from my grandfather. It is made from an unusual alloy. The ring is purely ornamental," Amon said.

"Perhaps we should confiscate it for further study," The elder said to Pai Kuan, ignoring Amon.

Pai Kuan glanced at Amon, before saying, "There is no need for that. The ring is his, we can't just take others' belongings as we wish. How is his score."

"His points…," The elder trailed off. "It's difficult to believe but I've checked it again and again, so I'm sure I make no mistake. The treasure quality is not much higher than the rest, but it is the quantity…"

"What is his score?" Pai Kuan repeated his question.

The elder took a deep breath, before announcing, "Lin mo, one thousand seven hundred and ninety points!"

The other youths' eyes bulged after hearing it. Amon's score was more than twice the current highest record. Pai Siwang's face was scowling.

'Hm… Perhaps I have put in too many things inside that space ring,' Amon thought. He indeed gained many things. Mainly the goods from the youths he had killed, engraved weapons, beast's parts, books containing arts, aetherium stones, and other trinkets. He also spared a few of the spirit herbs, fruits, and spirit beast parts that he had collected. In the end, it was as the elder said, the quantity was a lot.

"You are indeed unusual," Pai Kuan said. "I do notice we have slightly fewer youths that returned compared to the past. Did you happen to meet any of them during your time inside?"

"No," Amon answered.

"Anything unusual from the treasures in his space ring?" Pai Kuan asked the elder.

"Aside from the unusual amount, nothing to write about," The elder answered.

Pai Kuan nodded. "Return his belongings then. We will conclude this."

The elders gave Amon back his clothes, black space ring, and the normal space ring after emptying the content. Amon wore his clothes and put the rings back on his fingers. His face remained neutral and his heart rates steady throughout the exchanges just now, but he was relieved that Pai Kuan didn't request further investigation.

Pai Kuan asked the clan youths to line up. They were then blindfolded again like the time they were brought here. Everyone was then ushered a long way. Amon noticed the way they took this time was slightly different.

When their blindfold was taken off, they found themselves in a different hall than when they were first blindfolded. He saw Lin Bubai sitting on a row of chairs on the opposite side of the room along with other clan representatives. Wei Linkun and Lei Tong were there as well.

"This is the ranking of the White Cloud Tournament this year," Pai Kuan announced. Two White Cloud disciples were bringing a large wooden plaque. This wooden plaque was then fixed to the wall. Amon noticed that besides this plaque, there were other older plaques lining the wall. Ten names were carved on each of these plaques.

Amon saw the name Wei Linkun on the plaque right next to the new one that was being fixed. His name was the third one from the top. The new plaque, however, had Amon's name at the top. Lei San's name was below Amon at the second. The White Cloud only carved the clan youth names, they didn't include White Cloud youths. Hence, Pai Siwang who had gotten a higher score than Lei San was not here.

Wei Linkun stood from his seat when he saw Amon's name. He tried to keep a calm expression, but then he noticed another thing. Wei Lun was nowhere to be seen. It was pretty clear what had happened. Wei Linkun couldn't keep his calm expression anymore. He gave Amon a hateful glare before storming out of the hall. There was no point staying around.

The other top clan representative, Lei Tong, similarly wore a displeased expression. The reason was that their top prodigy, Lei San, was in second place below the youth from the Lin clan. Lei Tong had acted arrogantly before the start of the tournament but now he had ended up losing face.

Not only that, he noticed one of the Lei youths was missing as well, Lei Muyin. She was a cherished daughter of an elder within the Lei clan. Her death would bring him many headaches. He would have to ask Lei San about what had happened inside the secret dimension.

After the plaque was properly fixed, Pai Kuan addressed the youths, "I congratulate all of you who have survived the secret dimension. More so the ten of you whose names are now immortalized in this hall. Everyone will remember you as the champion of the White Cloud Tournament. The rewards will be given to your clans. I'm sure that your clans will reward you as well for this achievement. You are free to leave now if you wish. As for you who have no clan, stay around, we will give the reward to you directly. You are also welcome to join our sect as has been mentioned before the finals."

'Heh, we bleed while the clan reaps the rewards,' Amon chuckled within. However, he guessed for many, this was considered fair. Most of the youths could reach the height and become the finalists all due to the clan's support. While those who were clanless, got less chance due to less support. But if they win, they received the rewards directly. So, it's fair.

As for his case, his achievements were all his own. The Lin clan almost never helped except by providing a safe place for him to grow. But he didn't mind, all the rewards he needed were already inside his Black Space Ring.

Pai Kuan then went and met the clan representatives to discuss the rewards. Some youths stayed with those representatives, while some left. Amon was among those who left. Yang Li, whose name was also on the plaque at the fifth place, watched Amon as he walked out. Her eyes lingered at Amon's back for a while before he went to one of the White Cloud disciples there. "I wish to join the White Cloud sect," she said.

Amon exited the White Cloud estate. Yet, he didn't go back directly to the Lin estate. He stayed outside the entrance of the White Cloud estate, waiting. After some while, the person he was waiting for finally came out of the estate. Amon called him, "Wuming!"

Xin Wuming's name was also on the plaque. He was ranked six under Yang Li. He was amongst those with the most scars on his body. Amon assumed the guy must have gone through many fierce battles inside the dimension.

Xin Wuming turned to Amon's voice and was slightly surprised to find Amon there. "Brother Lin Mo, is there anything I can help you with?" He asked.

"Come with me," Amon said and walked off without waiting for Xin Wuming's response.

Xin Wuming was rather confused by Amon's invitation, but he followed. Amon took him to a nearby tavern. This tavern was large enough and it had private rooms for rent. Amon rented one of these rooms. He and Xin Wuming entered the room.

Amon made sure the room was locked before he came next to Xin Wuming who had sat down, but Amon didn't take a seat.

"What can I help you with, brother Lin Mo?" Xin Wuming asked again. "Why do you bring me here?"

Instead of answering his question, Amon asked another question, "Are you satisfied with your clan?"

Xin Wuming was taken aback by the question. He was unsure how to respond. "I… Brother Lin Mo, that is a private matter. I can't say anything that…"

"I know you want something more," Amon cut Xin Wuming's words. "I can see your talent and your will to improve. You will be wasting yourself if you stay in your small clan."

"Brother Lin Mo… This…"

"I can help you grow out of this little town. I can help you become someone that stands at the top of this country. I can help you become an important person in this world."

Xin Wuming's mouth was opened, but he didn't utter any more words. He was at a loss hearing Amon's declaration.

"Do you wish all that?" Amon asked. He was standing there with his arms folded, staring down at Xin Wuming.

"I… Yes… Yes, I do!" Xin Wuming uttered. His voice turned determined by the end. "What do you need me to do?"

"Simple. Swear your allegiance to me," Amon said.

There was a slight hesitation in Xin Wuming's eyes, but it was soon gone. He rose from his seat and then knelt before Amon. "I follow your command. From now on, you are my big brother. I will lay my life for you."

Amon grinned. He then took out something from his black space ring.

"This is a Thousand-Year Mandrake, consume it. It will help you become stronger."