Rise of The Demon General Chapter 801. Winner of the Trial

As Amon surveyed the pit, the sole remaining inhabitant besides himself was a Steel-clad Titan, now advancing towards him. Much like the mutated beasts, the titan's instincts had registered Amon as a threat. Although it was a placid spirit beast, it could not ignore a strong sense of menace.

Above, the onlookers watched the unfolding scene with captivated silence. They had believed the trial concluded, only for a new contender to emerge.

The caretaker, along with everyone else, was stunned, but his astonishment was even more profound. As the guardian of the pit, he had been instrumental in preparing the beasts for the trial, giving him more familiarity with the Steel-clad Titan than most.

"This... I have never witnessed the Steel-clad Titan initiate an attack without provocation," he stammered.

"Perhaps it perceives a stronger opponent as a threat," his companion offered.

They were unable to ascertain Amon's cultivation level directly, but the monitoring screen provided real-time data. The display indicated that Amon was at the Peak Supreme Stage of cultivation.

The caretaker, however, disagreed. "The Steel-clad Titan does not attack indiscriminately. It is exceedingly passive and actively avoids conflict with stronger opponents."

"Hm, perhaps the perceived threat extends beyond mere cultivation strength."

"Perhaps so..." the caretaker mused. "Furthermore, if my memory serves me right, that human was a cultivator at the Peak Malicious Stage when he fell into the purging hole. It has been many years, though less than a decade. It's impossible for his cultivation level to have increased this dramatically..."

*

Down below, Amon observed the approaching Steel-clad Titan. The last time he encountered a similar creature, he had relied on cunning and external aid. This time, he felt such measures would be unnecessary.

The Steel-clad Titan lunged as Amon entered its effective range. Amon remained stationary. The titan’s massive form towered over him, its colossal fist descending. Amon finally moved something other than his altered tail, but not to evade the incoming strike. He widened his stance and raised his right hand, palm open, to meet the descending fist.

A deafening sound and a subsequent shockwave erupted as the titanic fist collided with Amon's palm. The impact forced Amon to slide back a meter, but his palm held firm, halting the titan's momentum.

The audience gasped. Even a Hyanid at the Peak Supreme Stage would struggle against a Steel-clad Titan in a contest of pure physical might, let alone a human with their comparatively weaker physique. Yet, they had just witnessed Amon halt the titan using sheer brute force.

The titan raised its other fist for a second punch. Amon, however, did not receive it. A single test had been sufficient to gauge his improved strength. He sidestepped, his tail darting forward as he moved. A metallic *clang* echoed as the sharp stinger struck the titan's protective plating, failing to penetrate.

'A pity,' Amon thought, contemplating the need to enhance his stinger's piercing capability. Without the ability to breach his opponent's defenses, his poison would remain ineffective.

The Steel-clad Titan performed a sweeping backhand with its fist. While its strength surpassed that of most Supreme Stage cultivators, its speed did not. Amon, conversely, possessed both strength and speed exceeding that of average cultivators at his level.

Amon shifted to the titan’s flank. In a single, fluid motion, he executed the Bone Shattering Shadow Fist. Despite being a mid-tier practitioner-grade martial art, its power was amplified by his Supreme Stage cultivation. Furthermore, Amon channeled his mixed Qi into the technique.

*BANG!!!*

The impact was akin to a cannon blast. To the audience’s astonishment, it was the Steel-clad Titan that was sent skidding backward, traveling a distance far greater than Amon had. It only came to a halt after sliding over ten meters. A visible fracture marred the plating where Amon's fist had struck.

As the Steel-clad Titan was being repelled, Amon was already launching a second punch. This strike utilized the Silent Swift Shadow Fist, targeting the same vulnerable spot. The existing crack widened, and the plating split apart, exposing the titan's flesh beneath.

Amon’s tail shot forward. This time, the stinger burrowed deep into the exposed flesh.

The Steel-clad Titan bellowed as the Void Volatile Poison coursed through its system. Even as a Lower Primordial Beast, it could not withstand the potent, enhanced poison. Its only recourse was to prolong its resistance.

In its final struggle, the titan attempted to seize Amon's altered tail and tear it asunder with its bare hands. This effort was thwarted as Amon caught both of the titan's hands, immobilizing them. While they grappled, Amon’s tail continued its relentless injection of poison into the titan’s body.

Finally, the lethal dose proved too much. The titan’s colossal form swelled dramatically before detonating with a thunderous boom. Its hardened defensive plates launched outwards like deadly shrapnel. Amon, caught in the epicenter, was thoroughly drenched in its expelled blood and flesh.

Amon wiped the gruesome mixture from his face, a wide grin stretching across his lips. High above, the Hyanids watched in stunned silence. They were uncertain whether the sole survivor standing defiantly in the pit below was human or demon.

Having vanquished all the formidable beasts, Amon crossed his arms and fixed his gaze upon the Hyanids observing from above.

The Hyanids exchanged glances, unsure how to interpret the unfolding events. This human had seemingly materialized out of nowhere, now standing as the de facto victor of the trial. They turned their attention to the two most senior Hyanids, seeking guidance on the next course of action.

Unlike Amon’s previous participation in the Worthiness Trial, this event drew far fewer Hyanid elders. The Worthiness Trial was a routine spectacle, often deemed unworthy of the elders' precious time. Amon’s situation, however, was exceptional, as he was a figure foretold by Xlasstazh, potentially an individual destined to reshape the Hyanids' fate. Only the caretaker and his companion were present among the elders.

"Can you speak the human tongue?" the caretaker inquired of his associate.

"Uh, a little. How about you?" his friend responded.

"I understand it, but I cannot articulate it. You speak first. Say something to him."

"Like what?"

"Anything!"

Amon remained oblivious to the Hyanids' clicking conversation. He stood motionless, awaiting their communication.

At length, one of the onlookers, identified as the caretaker’s friend, addressed Amon in a language he comprehended.

"Um... Human... From where... You came?"

The caretaker lightly struck his friend’s arm, and their exchange reverted to clicking sounds. Nevertheless, the caretaker’s friend persisted in using human language.

"Survive... the purging hole... How?"

Having no patience for these trivial queries, Amon declared, "Xlasstazh. Lead me to him!"

The caretaker and his friend conferred again through clicking. Amon was uncertain if they grasped his reference. They likely knew Xlasstazh by a different designation, one that would sound distinct when uttered with their clicks. Fortunately, Amon perceived from their gestures that they had some inkling of whom he meant.

"Wait here... Stay... We call... Elder Xlasstazh."

One Hyanid vanished, while the others continued their observation from above the pit. A protective barrier prevented Amon from exiting. Higher still, a massive opening in the ceiling was present, obstructed by another barrier. He felt confident his current power could breach at least the lower barrier, but he refrained from provoking the Hyanids, sensing the presence of potent cultivators amongst them. Furthermore, the mission bestowed upon him by Yao Ai remained a possibility.

Despite eight years having elapsed, he surmised the conflict between the Hyanids and the Mercy Faction had not concluded. The crucial question was the extent of the Hyanids’ inland advance. He doubted they had progressed significantly; otherwise, Yao Ai would undoubtedly have intervened, forcing the Hyanids to retreat. Therefore, he concluded the war likely remained at a stalemate, rendering his mission still viable.

Another possibility was an assault by the Devotion and Commitment Domains upon the Mercy Domain. Such a scenario could grant the Hyanids an opportunity for territorial expansion, though this would be temporary. Regardless of whether the Mercy Domain repelled the other two or was defeated by them, their focus would inevitably shift to expelling the Hyanids from the mainland.

Amon fervently hoped the latter scenario had not transpired. In either case, he required crucial information from the Hyanids before charting his subsequent course of action.

Approximately twenty minutes passed before a new stir above caught his attention. A new Hyanid had arrived. Although eight years had passed and his encounters with Xlasstazh had been brief, he recognized the elder Hyanid instantly.

Xlasstazh uttered something in the Hyanid tongue, and shortly after, the barrier sealing the pit dissolved. He descended to meet Amon.

"I'll be damned!" Xlasstazh exclaimed. "There are moments I question the Creator's decree. I should have realized it was unwise."

"What do you mean?" Amon inquired.

"He informed me you were still alive within the purging hole."