Rise of The Demon General-Chapter 677. The Price to Leave

The bright light that signified the massive detonation showed that it was very far away. If Mu Qin didn’t lie about this detonation occurring in Farghous, then it was an enormous explosion. It was probably as large as the most powerful nuclear bomb in his previous world.

"What did you do?" Amon asked Mu Qin.

"It is not yet over," Mu Qin replied. Her gaze remained fixed on the Southeast. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Not long after, a second bright flash appeared a slight distance away from the first. This one looked a little smaller. Amon understood that this smaller flash didn’t mean the second detonation was weaker. It might simply indicate that the site was further away.

"So many lives are lost...," Mu Qin uttered. A genuine sadness was in her voice. When Amon looked at her, he saw tears roll down her face.

Amon silently sneered. True hypocrites were those who believed their own lies. She might be genuinely sad, but she was also the one who caused those losses of lives. Amon didn’t say anything to criticize, though. Doing that would be tempting death.

He, however, criticized her choice of tactical decision. "Why not use this divine judgement on the enemy troops gathered around the Oredolia? That should bring a swift end to their struggles."

"You are saying it like you are not part of them," Mu Qin said. Her tears were gone. There was not even any trace. It was like they had evaporated.

"Perhaps I can be persuaded to switch sides. If the rewards are high enough," Amon said.

"Are you a devotee of our teaching?" Mu Qin asked.

"No," Amon answered.

"There are only two sides, believers or non-believers. If you are not a devotee, then you are a heretic. There may be a salvation for you, but until you embrace our teachings, you are on the other side."

"I see," Amon uttered.

"As for your earlier question. The common folks in Farghous committed far greater sins than the gathered heretic soldiers threatening our temple. They have already embraced the truth but decided to turn their backs on the divine teachings. That is unforgivable! Repentance is only allowed once. The second time can only be cleansed by the fire of the divine punishment."

"Which settlements receive those divine punishments?" Amon asked.

"Fouzhu City and Yunbao City," Mu Qin answered.

’Two of the most populated settlements inside Farghous,’ Amon thought. Additionally, Fouzhu City was Farghous’ capital. The palace and the royal family were there. The Temple of Divinity indeed showed no mercy. This blow might not hurt Farghous’ military capacity, but it was still much more damaging to the country in the long run.

"How did you deliver those divine judgments?" Amon asked. "It can’t be the result of an art. Are they the product of high-grade talismans?

Mu Qin smiled teasingly. "Wouldn’t you like to know? Come, let’s forget about this depressing stuff. Accompany me to drink. It’s not often I receive a guest here."

Amon complied. They returned to the stone table and resumed their pleasantries as if nothing had happened. Amon accommodated Mu Qin’s questions, which were mostly about mundane things by now. He was versed in social and political conversations, so he had no trouble keeping the conversation going. Mu Qin asked many private questions, and he answered them all. Most of his answers, of course, were fabricated.

After a while, Mu Qin said, "You know, I have always known how to spot if someone is being honest or not, but I must say, I can’t tell with you. I must admit that it both fascinates and disturbs me."

"I will never lie to someone as holy as you," Amon lied.

"Holy... That is the term others have given me... I never see myself as such. I am nothing but a glorified keeper..."

Amon again saw the genuine sadness in Mu Qin’s eyes. She seemed to realize she had opened up too much. Her face returned to her usual aloof expression.

"It is late already. I’m afraid I must bid you farewell," Amon said. They had talked for a while, and it was almost sunset.

Amon said so, but he remained seated. He was gauging Mu Qin’s reaction after he announced his intention to leave.

Mu Qin didn’t show any change in her expression. She was silent while Amon waited. Finally, she said, "I have been thinking... I like you, Amon. Perhaps it is because I haven’t had someone who talked to me like a real person for a very long time. Everyone else is either a submissive follower who worships my every word or a heretic who cowers from my gaze and fears my judgment. I don’t wish you harm. Yet, I have declared this sacred mountain forbidden. If I let you go without any punishment, then I am not being true to my own words."

"What punishment do you have in mind?" Amon asked.

"That’s the issue I have been grappling with," Mu Qin replied. "You don’t show any concern. Is it because you have no fear, or you are very good at hiding it?"

"I don’t make it a habit to concern myself too much about things I have no power to change," Amon said.

"Surrendering yourself to your fate? Amon, perhaps you can be a suitable disciple of our teachings. Won’t you give it a try? You might find your calling. I can relieve you of all punishment if you are willing."

"I’m sorry. I’m not a spiritual person. It’s not that I surrender myself to fate. I don’t believe in fate in the first place. If there is a chance I can do something to affect the events that befall me, I would. I simply don’t see the chance at this moment."

"Well, at least you are being truthful," Mu Qin said.

They went into a long moment of silence again. Finally, Mu Qin stood. "I have decided! I will let you leave."

Amon stood and saluted her. "Thank you very much. In that case, please excuse me."

"I let you leave, but leave behind your arms and legs," Mu Qin said.

Before Amon could react, crescent-shaped energies emerged from her. These crescents were as sharp as the sharpest swords. They flashed past Amon in the blink of an eye. Amon’s right arm and two legs were suddenly detached. Blood spurted from the stumps.

"Ergghh...!" Amon stopped himself from yelling out of pain. He only let out a grunt. He also kept his body afloat so he didn’t drop to the ground when he lost his legs.

While Mu Qin was impressed by Amon, who suppressed his pain, she was astonished that Amon’s left arm remained intact.

"Hm..." She grabbed Amon’s arm and studied it. The tattoo on that arm shifted a little under her stare.

"How did you implant a Hell Beast inside your arm?" She asked.

Amon spoke through gritted teeth, "It entered my arm when I touched a strange artifact in an ancient ruin."

Mu Qin gazed at Amon sharply, trying to determine if he was telling the truth. She couldn’t tell. She let go of Amon’s left arm and said, "If the Hell Beast inside your arm still possesses consciousness, you’d better find a way to expel it. Hell Beasts are cunning tricksters. If it willingly remains in your body, it must have an ulterior motive."

"This hell beast in my arm no longer possesses a mind," Amon lied again. He used his remaining hand to perform the meridian points technique. He poked some spots near his stumps, and his bleeding stopped. He then consumed a regrowth pill.

"Can I leave now?" He asked.

Mu Qin was pondering. She seemed to be having a second thought after discovering the Hell Beast in Amon’s arm. After a while, she turned away and said, "Very well. I did say I would only take your arms and legs. I won’t go back on my word. Leave! If you dare step foot on this mountain again, the next punishment will be more severe."

"Thank you...," Amon said.

His one-limb body soared high into the sky. He flew away, but his eyes remained on Mu Qin down there. If she made any sudden move to chase him, he would release all the battle puppets in his black space ring, and hoped they were enough to delay her until he put sufficient distance between them.

Mu Qin remained inside the clearing.

Only after she was but a speck in the distance that Amon turned around and summoned the Great Sun Hawk. He commanded the firebird to fly away using its fastest speed.

"Hehe. That was close." Amon heard Bo Wu’s laugh inside his mind.

"It’s a good thing that you didn’t make any sound when she hit you," Amon said. "Otherwise, I would have to make up different kinds of explanations, and she didn’t seem to be fond of your kind."

"Speaking of which, I learn a surprising secret when she hit me," Bo Wu said.

"What secret?" Amon asked.

Bo Wu told Amon, and Amon’s eyes turned wide in surprise.

"I see," Amon muttered. His mouth turned into a grin. "I understand now why Xuan Ming told me to come here."