Rise of The Demon General 3 Chapter 3

A peculiar sensation enveloped Amon from below his navel, a warmth tinged with a hint of pain. The feeling bore a striking resemblance to a passage he'd encountered in a book, detailing the formation of one's energy core. He was perplexed, as he believed such a core only manifested when an individual reached the age of five.

Yet, with the phenomenon occurring, he didn't dwell on the discrepancy. He recalled the book's instructions: several crucial steps had to be undertaken once the energy core began to form, lest it impede his future cultivation progression.

Based on his reading, prominent clans typically assigned instructors to guide their younglings through such situations. Amon surmised that the inhabitants of this mansion had similar plans for him, though they likely hadn't anticipated his energy core manifesting so prematurely.

Fortunately, numerous texts were available concerning the formation of this energy core. Every human in this world underwent this developmental stage, ensuring a wealth of recorded knowledge.

While an experienced instructor would undoubtedly simplify the process, time was of the essence and a mentor was unavailable. The person he deemed most qualified, his caretaker, was absent from the mansion. The books strongly advised against delaying this initial phase, warning that an unguided formation would result in a distinctly subpar quality.

Consequently, Amon resolved to proceed independently. He assumed a cross-legged position on the bed. The accumulated knowledge suggested immersion of one's consciousness into the nascent energy core, with the objective of channeling the ambient aether to construct a robust protective wall around it.

The guidance was rather abstract. The concept of merging one's consciousness with a part of oneself would have been deemed absurd in his previous existence. However, having learned to temper his old-world logic in this new reality, he allowed his imagination to take flight.

Closing his eyes, he focused intently on the peculiar sensation beneath his navel, silencing all other senses. Initially, there was nothing, but then he felt an undeniable pull from beneath. A swirling sense of vertigo gripped him amidst the darkness, the sensation of being drawn in intensifying. He offered no resistance, recalling similar experiences described in various accounts.

Soon, he found himself adrift in an immense, empty expanse. He recognized this as the 'Energy Space' mentioned in his readings. While seemingly devoid of anything, he perceived everything within this realm despite his eyes remaining closed. He drifted towards the source of the subtle existence he had sensed within this boundless space.

Upon arrival, he observed scattered motes of dust suspended in the void. These, he deduced, constituted the fundamental essence of his forming core. The subsequent task involved drawing the surrounding aether into this inner sanctum.

The absorption and refinement of Aether represented a cultivation technique, and such methods were diverse in this world, often kept from public knowledge. However, a basic technique for absorbing a modest amount of aether, achievable through respiration, was documented in a readily accessible book.

He dispatched a fragment of his consciousness to his physical form, inwardly directing it to execute the respiration technique. He could perceive a subtle substance infiltrating his being with each breath, which then materialized within his Energy Space as a faint, white mist.

Amon advanced toward the ethereal fog, attempting to grasp it. The mist evaded his touch, retreating as if possessing sentience, mirroring the descriptions in the texts. It seemed the aether indeed had a will of its own. The objective was to guide this aether towards the core, though the books provided no explicit method. They did, however, explain that the Energy Space belonged solely to its owner and that any foreign element within could be subjugated to the owner's will, provided their will was sufficiently dominant.

Amon ceased his pursuit of the elusive aether fog. He settled into a state of profound tranquility, clearing his mind of extraneous thoughts, and directed his focus toward the swirling mist. He visualized an ethereal hand reaching out to ensnare the fog. The aether, sensing the intangible approach, deftly evaded once more.

His 'hand of will' pursued, but yielded no better outcome than his direct chase. Observing the futility of this tactic, he altered his approach. Grasping a gas with a corporeal hand was inherently flawed; thus, he drew inspiration from his former world, imagining a powerful vacuum cleaner to draw the fog in.

The aether fog attempted to flee, but this time, it resisted the pull, remaining largely stationary. Success! The crux now lay in the strength of his will. He intensified his focus, picturing an even stronger suction force. Gradually, the aether fog began to yield, unable to maintain its ground.

The mist retreated rapidly, drawn towards him before giving up its resistance. Amon gazed at the swirling fog now suspended before him. He sensed its lingering desire to flee, yet his own will held it firmly in place. Under his imagined control, he guided the fog, familiarizing himself with this strange, illusory mechanism.

Once he felt sufficiently skilled, he directed the mist towards the minuscule grains of dust that constituted his Energy Core. As the fog enveloped the dust particles, they began to coalesce. The mist acted as an adhesive, binding the fragments together.

Amon meticulously applied the fog to all the dust, drawing them into a single mass. The ancient texts had emphasized the need to shape the core into a sphere, stressing that greater compactness led to a superior outcome.

With the dust aggregated, Amon began to exert pressure. He mentally pictured it being compressed, and the mass visibly shrank. Maintaining his focus, Amon intensified the pressure, channeling all his willpower into the task.

Finally, the dust transformed into a minuscule, silver sphere, no larger than a small marble, seemingly incapable of further compression. Amon released the pressure and admired the tiny orb, its surface shimmering with reflected light.

Could this minuscule object truly be his Energy Core? Did such a small entity possess the power to achieve the marvels described in the books?

The subsequent step involved fortifying the Energy Core. However, without a proper cultivation method, this process would be agonizingly slow. The rudimentary breathing technique he employed could only draw in a meager amount of aether, insufficient for genuine Cultivation.

Despite the limitations, he proceeded with the process purely for experimental purposes. He initiated another cycle of aether inhalation, drawing a fresh wisp of fog into his Energy Space. With the same practiced control, he guided this new mass of fog towards his recently formed Energy Core.

He willed the fog to integrate with the core. Upon contact with the tiny silver sphere, the white mist vibrated and then gradually dissolved into it. Amon could feel the aether fog replenishing his Energy Core as it was absorbed. He sensed the core's profound thirst, akin to a parched wanderer in a desert finally receiving water, greedily drinking the aether.

Though imperceptible to the eye, Amon felt his Energy Core expanding. Once the final wisp of aether fog was consumed by the core, an intense craving for more aether washed over Amon.

Amon let out a soft chuckle. The entire experience was profoundly intriguing. He had arrived in a truly captivating world, and he eagerly anticipated its conquest.

His immediate priority was to find a cultivation method. He knew his caretaker possessed one, as the old man diligently cultivated each night. He would need to devise a strategy to obtain it.

He decided to keep the existence of his completed energy core a secret for the time being. Despite the care he received in the mansion, the way he was treated felt more akin to being a tool rather than a member of a family. He was unsure of his connection to them or how they had acquired him as an infant. This was information he would seek out later.

Just as he prepared to depart his Energy Space, a subtle sensation arose. He turned his attention to his Energy Core, sensing something unusual. Puzzled, Amon cleared his mind, focusing intently. He perceived it—a peculiar resonance, as if the core itself were… communicating.