Rise of The Demon General-Chapter 443. One More Week

Amon observed his body in disbelief. It was only around one year since he came out of seclusion. This meant if he ate another Aetherium Fruit next year, he would enter the Intermediate Mystic Stage. Using only two years from the Beginning Mystic Stage to the Intermediate Mystic Stage, this was a feat never recorded in any history books he read.

He estimated the energy acquired from the Aetherium Fruit was equal to the cultivation progress of around ten years.

He grinned widely at this discovery. He had truly encountered a priceless treasure here. With the Spring of Life and this Aetherium Tree, his cultivation speed would skyrocket.

After his sense of elation passed, he realized one thing. The energy from the Aetherium Fruit only flowed into his normal energy core. None went to his black energy core. After thinking about the matter for a bit, he surmised this was because the Aetherium Tree converted the absorbed aether into something easily digestible by divine cultivators. Thus, it was incompatible with infernal cultivators.

Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter. If his divine cultivation far surpassed his infernal cultivation, it would act as a magnet like before and help his infernal cultivation to improve. So, it was still a plus for him.

After experiencing the fruit’s benefits, no way he would leave the tree here. He proceeded to dig into the soil. He did it carefully so as not to damage its roots. Lin Li, now an expert Plants Keeper, came out of the black space ring and gave him a hand.

Amon noticed Lin Li wasn’t enticed by the fruit. This further reinforced Amon’s hypothesis that the Aetherium Tree produced fruits with converted energy beneficial only to divine cultivators. It was similar to the Primordial Blue Lotus, which mainly benefited spirit beasts.

After they uprooted the Aetherium Tree, Amon transferred it into his black space ring and planted it on a different side of the lake from where his plantation was. He let Lin Li tend to it.

Finished with the task, he didn’t immediately leave. He was interested in the lake, where Daimu spent most of its time. He dove into the lake. As soon as he did, he understood the water quality in this lake was much better than normal water. It was also better than the lake water inside his black space ring, at least before he mixed a liter of Spring of Life into that lake.

The quality of water was not his only find. Plenty of large fish swam around the small lake, which turned out to be deeper than expected. These fish weren’t hostile. Despite their size, they were common animals, not spirit beasts.

"Brother, may I come out?" Amon heard Lin Li’s voice asking him.

Amon gave her permission. She came out in her spirit beast form. The moment she was out, she swam toward the nearest fish. She was still fast despite being inside the water. The fish couldn’t match her speed. It was soon caught. She carried the caught fish and swam up. She exited the water and enjoyed a meal by the lake’s bank.

Seeing her act, Amon understood why Daimu rarely came out of this lake. There was plenty of food. Amon also sensed a good concentration of aether inside the fish. They provided good nutrients for spirit beasts. They would be good for Lin Li’s development.

With that thought, he started absorbing the water around him into his black space ring, including the fish that populated it.

He dug the ground beside the lake inside his black space ring and poured the water into the newly dug hole, enlarging his lake. His previously empty lake now had its own food supply.

After several hours, Daimu’s lake was almost empty. New water continued to pour in from the waterfall above, but Amon stopped absorbing the water. He could sense the water from that waterfall was common. There was probably a ley line under this place that helped to develop the water and its inhabitants over time.

Since the lake inside his black space ring increased in size, Amon placed some soil at the center of the lake, creating an island. He then moved the Aetherium Tree to that island. He was replicating the same setup as the tree’s previous habitat. With the lake here boosted by the Spring of Life, this tree should flourish and produce more fruits.

After he made sure he had taken all the fish and most of the water, he came back up. Lin Li had finished her meal by then. She was lying on the ground and purring blissfully. He guessed it had been some time since she had a good meal. She mostly ate fruit and plants from the plantation, and on occasions, Amon treated him to human meals when they were in town. But she was a carnivorous spirit beast, after all, so she must have missed this kind of quality raw meat.

Amon told her from now on, she could feast on the fish because they were now inside the lake near her hut. She was ecstatic hearing the news. She immediately returned to the black space ring. She would probably celebrate tonight by overeating.

Finished with the task, Amon left the place. He went in the direction of Wulun Town, where Zou Zhe or his accomplice was waiting to smuggle him back into Echos.

He needed to hurry because it was less than a month before the deadline given by Xei Nuli.

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Inside Xei Clan’s estate in the Xandar Region, Xei Nuli was taking Xei Qing on a stroll using his wheelchair as usual. Walking beside her were his husband, Xei Gongzo, the publicly known clan master of the Xei Clan, and his eldest son, Xei Wujia.

"It has been four days since the deadline. I told you not to put your faith in that deal. It is nonsense," Xei Gongzo told his wife.

"Father is right," Xei Wujia said. "If there is a miraculous means to extend one’s life, it would have been a hot trade in the black markets."

"I bet you will know all about that, don’t you? Considering how many aer stones you wasted at those markets," Xei Nuli told Xei Wujia with an admonishing stare.

"There is no need to take out your frustration on Wujia," Xei Gongzo defended his son.

"That’s right, mother. Why are you so intent on keeping this dud anyway?" Xei Wujia said.

"You, watch your mouth!" Xei Nuli scolded. "He is your brother!"

"Hmph... He is a disgrace for being unable to cultivate," Xei Wujia muttered defiantly.

"Do you not believe I will slap you?!" Xei Nuli made a show of approaching Xei Wujia with her hand held high.

Xei Gongzo hurriedly came in between them. "My dear, please calm down. I’m sure Wujia didn’t mean it. Wujia! Apologize to both your mother and brother!" ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

"Do I have to...?" Xei Wujia complained.

"Now!!" Xei Gongzo exclaimed.

Xei Wujia gritted his teeth and apologized. His mouth might say sorry, but his eyes were filled with hatred and contempt for Xei Qing. Xei Qing was the reason he developed such hatred for non-cultivators. His mother showed much more love and care for his useless brother instead of him. He was extremely discontented about it. Every time he tortured the non-cultivator slaves he bought from Kazhan, he imagined he was torturing Xei Qing.

"Never mind," he thought. He just had to bear with this a few days more, probably. The pathetic man seemed ready to pass away any minute now. It might even happen today. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Xei Nuli looked away from her eldest son and returned her attention to Xei Qing. She caressed his hair with tenderness.

Xei Qing coughed heavily. She hurriedly offered him medicinal water to ease his cough.

Xei Gongzo sighed at the sight. He approached his wife and asked, "Have you finally decided to go through with it? He seems to be in constant pain. I think it is time we let him go..."

Xei Nuli frowned at the words. She felt anger after hearing her husband suggesting that they let go of their son. She wanted to lash out but also knew there was truth in his words. It didn’t make them less hurt, though.

"Let’s wait one more week...," Xei Nuli uttered.

"What’s the point, mother? That phony man was just spouting nonsense. He won’t return here!" Xei Wujia said.

Xei Nuli turned to him. Her rage was unmistakable. "Do you want your brother’s death so much?!" She yelled. The ground slightly shook from her outburst.

"My dear, you know he doesn’t mean that!" Xei Gongzo again put himself as a shield.

"I doubt that," Xei Nuli uttered. She then added firmly, "We will wait one more week!"

Xei Wujia was about to open his mouth again, but his father shut him up by pressing his shoulder. Xei Gongzo then asked his wife, "Why, my dear? Why torture yourself and Xei Qing for pointless hope? You are just prolonging your suffering."

"... Have you heard about the incident in Farghous around one month ago?" Xei Nuli asked in return.

"Farghous...? No. Did something important happen?" Xei Gongzo asked in return.

"There was a spirit beast invasion in one of its settlements called Changxiu City."