Rise of The Demon General
Chapter 245. Becoming a Junior Student

Chapter 245: Chapter 245. Becoming a Junior Student

When Amon walked out of Rustic River Restaurant, he saw Xin Wuming.

"Big brother, you are truly here! The graduation ceremony is going to start soon, did you forget?"

"I’m heading there now. What are you doing here?" Amon asked in return.

"I came here looking for you to remind you about the ceremony," Xin Wuming answered.

"Then you have done the unnecessary. Come, let us hurry back to the academy."

Amon started running. Xin Wuming followed behind. They were both using the Shadowless Sprint. Amon taught this movement art to Xin Wuming and many of the important members of his faction. This art not only gave the user an increase in speed but also the stamina required for a long run. It helped many of his faction members to flee difficult situations. Combined with the flashbang grenades, his faction members no longer worried about encountering the senior students while doing missions outside the city.

Xin Wuming’s mastery of the art was, of course, below Amon’s. His mastery was still at the skilled level, as many other members in their faction. Amon had to slow down a bit so as not to leave Xin Wuming in the dust.

They reached the Royal Academy around ten minutes before the graduation ceremony started.

Everyone else had gathered. The students lined up nicely on one side while the tutors were on the other. Head tutor Lao Zen stood in front of the other tutors. Principal Li Niang was not around. She was at the main plaza in the residential section of the junior students. The junior students also had their graduation ceremony at the same time as the freshman students.

Only the senior students did not have their graduation ceremony today. Theirs had been held two days earlier, after the graduation contest, which determined the top ten among the fifty senior students with the highest academic points.

Amon stood at the front of the student group, along with the other students who were marked as the top ten on the board at the information center. They lined up following their ranks. The one with the tenth rank was at the most left, while the one with the first rank was at the most right.

Surprisingly, Xin Wuming stood among the ten. He was ranked eighth. He was not the only newcomer to the top ten. Another was there, Yang Li. She was in the tenth rank. Two students previously at the top rank during the entrance exam were no longer among the top ten. They were Wu Lang and Pai Wang.

Amon was ranked first on the board, so he moved toward the spot at the most right. When he was about to pass Sima Fang, the girl stopped him.

"Hold, student Lin Mo," she said. "It is not yet decided who among us has the first spot."

"The scoreboard says otherwise," Amon returned.

Sima Fang chuckled. "That’s true. My points are a bit over 1,000 points below yours. However, I still have something that contributes to my academic points."

After Sima Fang finished speaking, one of the teachers among the tutor group gasped and uttered, "She was using a concealing art? She is at the Beginning Transformation Stage."

Several other teachers displayed the same reaction.

Sima Fang smiled. She said, "I was at the Peak Strength Stage when I joined the academy. This achievement awards me 5,000 academic points. I’m sorry, student Lin Mo. The first rank is mine."

Amon’s expression didn’t change. He resumed walking to the right side of Sima Fang and stood there without saying anything. Sima Fang watched him in bewilderment.

"Tsk. What a sore loser. He can’t accept the fact that he loses," Yan Long ridiculed.

"Shut up, twat! You are the one who has lost to me," Xin Wuming returned the mocking. Yan Long had fallen to rank ninth, which was one rank below him.

"You...!" Yan Long almost forgot where he was and lunged at Xin Wuming. Lao Zen’s intimidating glare stopped him.

Lao Zen then turned to Sima Fang and said, "Lin Mo still holds the first spot. He is also using concealment art. He is at the Beginning Transformation Stage."

Lao Zen knew about Amon’s cultivation because he was at the Spirit Stage. Amon’s concealing art couldn’t fool the head tutor.

Everyone was surprised to hear Lao Zen’s words. No one dared to doubt his claim. Since Amon’s cultivation level had also improved, he was awarded the same academic points as Sima Fang.

Sima Fang’s surprised face lasted only an instant. She laughed and said, "Here I thought I had caught you off guard, but it turns out you are also playing me. I’m impressed, student Lin Mo. I accept defeat."

Li Shi, who was among the tutors, remarked, "It seems we have a good crop of students from the freshman batch. All the top ten have the cultivation of the Beginning Transformation Stage. I must say this is the first time such feat was accomplished in our royal academy’s history."

"It is indeed so," Lao Zen agreed. He then added, "And it’s not only the top ten. This is the first time that no freshman student has failed. Aside from those who lost their lives during missions, everyone managed to reach the minimal passing score. I’m glad for the first time, I don’t have to send anyone back. I’m proud of you all!"

Lao Zen proceeded to deliver a speech which began the ceremony. Some prominent tutors also said a few words to encourage the students.

After the ceremony, the students were given a new set of uniforms. They were told to wear these uniforms when they ventured out. These uniforms were to let others know their identity at a glance out there.

They were then brought to their new home, the junior section. The junior students had left for the senior section after their graduation ceremony. As for the senior section, it was already empty, considering the senior students had their graduation ceremony earlier. A few days later, another entrance exam would be held to accept a new batch of freshman students.

Like before, the top ten were provided different accommodations from the rest of the pack. The accommodation setting for the junior top ten was similar to the freshman’s. The ten houses were built on an artificial hill, except the hill was taller than the freshman’s. Each of the houses was also slightly larger than the ones given to the top freshman students.

Amon entered his new house and was satisfied with what he found. The layout of this house was the same as his previous one. The training room in the basement also had the improved aether content that was slightly better than his previous residence. He figured either the location was better, or the words of power engraved within this house were better, or both.

After making himself at home, Amon took out his black aetherium stone and started cultivating.

*

While Amon was enjoying his new house, a crowd was gathering outside the Rustic River Restaurant. The restaurant itself had been sealed. The authorities were inside examining the second floor where Yan Won had died as well as interrogating those who were there when the victim died but were not smart enough to leave immediately.

Yan Dose forced himself into the crowd to get into the restaurant, but he was stopped by the soldiers. He looked around before calling, "Uncle Fan! Uncle Fan!"

The person he was calling looked over. That person came out of the restaurant and asked Yan Dose, "Dose, what are you doing here?"

"Father sends me here. He wants an update about this incident," Yan Dose answered.

The person Yan Dose was talking to was Yan Fan, a member of the Yan clan who had joined the kingdom. When Yan Fan heard the person who died in this restaurant was his clan member, he joined the investigation team.

Yan Fan gestured for Yan Dose to follow him. There were too many people there. They went away from the crowd to where it was quieter. Yan Fan said, "Yan Won was poisoned."

"Poison...?"

"Yes. It was unlike any poison I know. It is very potent. I think he died as soon as he was afflicted by the poison. The problem is that we still don’t know how the poison is administered. We have checked the food and all the staff working there. There was no poison in the food or drinks. None of our clan members saw anything suspicious. They said he just dropped dead suddenly."

"So... There is no clue at all?" Yan Dose asked.

"I can’t say this is a clue, but I am sure his death is linked to several other deaths that have been happening around this city. Remember about the deaths of Yan Suang and Yan Wol?"

"Are you saying there are connections?"

"They suffered the same death. They were poisoned as well. Other people from other clans also suffered the same deaths in recent months. I think all these deaths were done by one person or one group."

"What is this person’s... or group’s intention?" Yan Dose asked.

"That is something we are still trying to figure out," Yan Fan answered.

Someone interrupted them. "May I know what the symptom of the poison is?"

Yan Fan and Yan Dose turned to the speaker. Yan Dose was about to scold the person when Yan Fan exclaimed, "Linkun! When did you come to Qishurg City?"