Rise of The Demon General

Over the next few weeks, Echos experienced a mass exodus. A massive number of people migrated from the East to the West.

While that was happening, Amon spent his time near the portal to the lower world, which was experiencing a different kind of migration. The army of the lower world poured into the surface world, but they remained near the portal. Since the region was no-man’s-land, their presence was unnoticed. The nearby spirit beasts vacated the area because the humans who exited the portal were all stronger than they were.

One month after Amon returned to the surface world, he received a message from Mo Wang. In the message, Mo Wang informed Amon that the upper world had contacted him. They said that the Purge would begin one week later.

By that time, most of the surface world’s population had gathered at the Western side of Khode. The cities and towns in that region were packed with migrants. Most had to build camps outside the settlements. Many people were still on their way, especially from Farghous and the Xei Dynasty. The three-week limit that Amon designated was indeed too short.

The timeline for the exodus was not the only problem. The hasty organizing also caused much trouble with supply distribution. Some groups had excess rations while others found themselves with none. A few collapsed from starvation, and many violent conflicts occurred over the limited supplies. They also became targets of bandits unaffiliated with any country. Many perished in the journey.

While the portal from the lower world had been active for the last few weeks, its opposite counterpart only became active a few days before the Purge began. This portal, which was located on the tallest mountain in a no-man’s-land Northwest of what was once Gyleth Marx, saw an influx of people crossing it.

All these people were cultivators who possessed cultivation above the Martial Realm. Their leader was a man with the cultivation level of the Intermediate Sovereign God Stage of the Divine Realm. This cultivation level was on par with the Unholy Monarch Stage of infernal cultivation, which meant the leader was a man with the same power level as the lower world’s domain lords.

The leader’s name was Tian Kuo. He was also one of the three who captured Zhang Daofeng and brought him to the upper world. He was now overseeing the force that had come through the portal.

The mountain where the portal was located was called Mount Khallas. The mountain was crammed with man-made structures. These structures were built to facilitate the upper world’s inhabitants who visited the surface world, mostly during the Purge.

A massive enchanted formation obscured the mountain, preventing outsiders from seeing these structures. The surrounding areas were also inhabited by spirit beasts that the surface world considered strong. Even if someone happened to stumble onto the mountain, a sentry with the cultivation level of the Demigod Realm would get rid of this unfortunate adventurer. Hence, the portal to the upper world would never be approached by the surface dwellers without permission.

As the Purge was fast approaching, Tian Kuo was reviewing the reports his aide had brought.

”A mass migration?” Tian Kuo asked.

His aide, a woman known as Guo Fen, nodded and said, ”That’s right. All the spies we have recruited after Mu Qin’s demise confirmed this information. The message from a spy named Sima Fang contained the most details. She said that the countries of this world have somehow learned about the Purge, and they all try to find a hiding place as far away from our portal here.”

”Hm...? How did they learn the location of our portal?”

”That is not included in her report. Our other spies cannot confirm this information, but it supports the mass migration from the other reports. I’ve sent two scouts to the West to check the validity of these reports. I’m waiting for their confirmation.”

”Hmph! What folly. What do those fools expect to achieve? We have a tool to detect human life force. They can run, but they can’t hide. They will all be purged! Ready the aether absorption machine. We will proceed as planned.”

”Yes, my lord.”

”Heh. The cretins of this world are truly clueless. They are fleeing from us, but don’t they know they are heading directly to the lower world’s force? Sent a message to Mo Wang. Tell him to intercept those fools and exterminate them like the pests they are.”

”I will send the message once I have the chance,” Guo Fen responded.

”Speaking about Mo Wang, did he mention how the preparation is on his side?” Tian Kuo asked.

”He didn’t say much. He only replied that his force would move out at the agreed time. Why do we have to share this world’s energy with the lower world, anyway? I am aware that this is how it has been in the past, but they are demons! I don’t understand why the Divine wants us to cooperate with those lowlifes.”

”Careful, bishop. Questioning the Divine is a sign of heretical thoughts. I will let it slide this time. Do not repeat this mistake.”

”I’m deeply ashamed of this momentary faltering of my faith, and I am incredibly grateful for your mercy. I will not make this mistake again. Glory to the Divine. May his light shine on all lives.”

”May his light shine on all lives,” Tian Kuo echoed. He then asked, ”How many of our brethren have crossed over?”

”We reached seven thousand an hour ago,” Guo Fen answered. ”By tomorrow, all ten thousand of the prepared legion will be here.”

”Good! Then we will begin tomorrow. My predecessor completed the past Purge in two months and twenty-one days. That was the shortest time anyone ever completed a Purge. I must break his record!”

”Considering the current situation is unconventional, how does My Lord wish to proceed? Do we split our legion equally in all directions as advised in the guidebook?”

”No, since most of this world’s population has moved to one location, this eases us instead. Have only two platoons go North and South to hunt for those who do not migrate. Leave one battalion to guard the aether absorption machine. The rest will follow me to the West to join the lower world’s force in exterminating the surface dwellers. Hehe, I’m truly in luck. They happened to bunch together when I was given the responsibility of leading the Purge. This will shorten the time needed to hunt them down. I might even complete this Purge in half the time of my predecessor’s record. This will earn me many merits. It might even give me a shot at becoming a High Cardinal!”

”I pray to the Divine to bless My Lord in this endeavor.”

Tian Kuo nodded approvingly. ”Yes. Pray for me. If I become a High Cardinal, I promise to aid you in becoming a Cardinal.”

”I will put all my heart and mind into helping My Lord succeed.”

”Good! Now go and make sure everyone is prepared to move out tomorrow!”

*

The next day, Guo Fen’s assessment was correct. The ten-thousand-man legion readied by the upper world to conduct this purge had crossed over. They were ready to move out. Additionally, the scouts Guo Fen tasked with checking the truth about the mass exodus had sent her a message. They confirmed the information from their spies.

There was still one day before the day they had informed Mo Wang to begin the Purge, but Tian Kuo wasn’t willing to wait another day. With the thought of breaking the record for the fastest Purge completion time, his mind was filled with the glories and praises he would gain upon returning to the upper world. He was eager to make this thought a reality.

Ten thousand cultivators floated in the air over Mount Khallas. Their cultivation levels were all above the Martial Realm. The bulk of the legion consisted of King Stage and Emperor Stage cultivators, while cultivators of the Ancestor Stage held the upper command.

Even one cultivator who had just entered the Demigod Realm like Zhang Daofeng could make the world kneel. What more when there were ten thousand such cultivators? Each was more powerful than Zhang Daofeng. To the upper world cultivators who conducted the Purge, this was not a chore. This was a game, a game where they could satisfy their bloodlust and give in to their savagery.

Two platoons with eighty cultivators each went to opposite sides. One headed North, and the other South. A battalion of five hundred stayed near the portal, where a large machine had been set up. The machine had four large discs on its sides and a tall antenna in the center. This was the aether absorption machine, used to collect the aether from the surface world. The machine was currently humming, a sign that it had been activated.

The remaining nine thousand three hundred and forty readied themselves before Tian Kuo and Guo Fen.

Tian Kuo addressed his troops, ”Everyone! We are here to perform our holy duty and impose the Divine’s will. Make no mistake, the Divine is watching, and He will judge you if you falter. So, strengthen your heart and harden your will! We depart and will not rest until this task is done. Glory to the Divine!!”

”Glory to the Divine...!!!” Everyone thundered back.