The work continued for three days until Amon finally created a replica of the Allure Beacon.
"What is this?!" Luan Chui questioned. "This is not an artifact. This is just a sculpture! Do you take us for fools?!"
"I do if you expect me to complete your request in three days," Amon returned. "What grade of the artifact do you think I’m trying to make here? If it is something that can be completed in days, you people wouldn’t have gone through all this trouble now, would you? I have just learned the technique not long ago. I am grasping at the form first. Only after I can perfectly create the form that I can start to truly work on the real thing."
Luan Chui was dissatisfied this boy mouthed back at him, but Amon’s reasoning was sound. Additionally, the sculpture Amon created had the same shape as the Allure Beacon shown in their secret record. This secret record was found in the ruin where they found the recipe for the Beast Nectar. The fact that Amon had created an exact copy proved that Amon indeed knew about the Allure Beacon.
Amon continued, "Look at this part. It is slightly deformed. This will surely fail if I work on the real thing. I need to practice more on the form. Now, back off and let me work!"
Amon took another piece of iron from the pile while Luan Chui reluctantly returned to his seat. Amon briefly glanced at Li Shi before going back to work. Li Shi was slightly bewildered by the glance.
Amon worked full day every day, only returning to his jail to rest at night. He pretended to sleep while he was in fact cultivating. Unfortunately, the cultivation was not so effective since he couldn’t use his black aetherium stone nor consume any spirit herbs. He avoided taking anything out of his black space ring. He couldn’t risk the chance that he was secretly watched.
Amon continued working another week. Luan Xuan came to visit one time during the week. Amon gave him the same excuse he gave Luan Chui when Luan Xuan asked about his progress. He looked at the copy Amon had made. Like Luan Chui, he was also relieved to learn that Amon indeed didn’t lie about his knowledge of the Allure Beacon.
Amon asked Li Shi something once in a while, just to create the illusion that he needed her presence and that he was somehow struggling.
At the start of the third week after Amon started working, what he had been waiting for finally happened. Everyone heard a commotion outside. It got so hectic that Pan Niang opened the door and looked out. The two mystic stage guards outside were nowhere to be seen.
She saw a man run by. She immediately called him over and asked what was wrong.
"We are under attack!" That man answered. "It’s the kingdom soldiers. We don’t know how they found this place, but they have infiltrated the entrance. Everyone is fighting them at this moment. I have to–"
His words were cut as a flying knife stabbed into his skull.
Pan Niang was taken by surprise. The flying knife came from behind her. He heard Amon’s voice, "Tutor Shi, take care of that smith!"
When Pan Niang wanted to turn back, Amon’s hand was already grabbing her from behind. His five fingers clutched around her neck.
"Try to fight, and I will open your throat up," she heard Amon’s voice next to her ear. "Now, show us the way out of here."
"Where did you get that knife?" Pan Niang asked. The knife stuck on the man on the floor was not the carving knife Amon used to work.
Amon tightened his grip, which caused difficulty for Pan Niang to breathe.
"That’s not what I’m asking. Show us the way out. You won’t like it if you make me ask for the third time," Amon threatened.
"Lin Mo, what should I do with him?" Li Shi asked from behind. She had overpowered Luan Chui and kept him in a bound position. Her cultivation was a realm higher, after all.
Instead of answering, Amon used his free hand and threw another flying knife. The knife stabbed deep into Luan Chui’s head, who was unable to move.
"We only need one hostage. It will be too troublesome to control two," Amon explained when he saw Li Shi’s shocked expression.
"I need you to walk in front and deal with any enemies that might be in our way," Amon added to Li Shi before turning back to Pan Niang. "Now, Show us the way...!!"
Amon yelled and broke Pan Niang’s left arm. She screamed from the pain.
After her screaming stopped, Amon again tightened his grip on her neck. "I’ve warned you. Now, are you going to make me ask again?"
Pan Niang pointed weakly in a direction using her still intact arm.
"Let’s go!" Amon told Li Shi. He started to move in the pointed direction while still holding Pan Niang.
"How strong is the force that you think the kingdom has sent to rescue you?" Amon asked Li Shi while on the move.
"If they had seen the destroyed squad at the ruin, they would send a considerable force," Li Shi answered. "How do you know they are here for me and not for us?"
"Because you should have something on you that makes the kingdom able to track this place," Amon said.
"What? Impossible! We have searched her all over and made sure there was no traceable substance," Pan Niang said.
"... You people failed to find it because it is inside me. It is the kingdom’s secret technique for their important personnel," Li Shi explained.
When the students thought that Li Shi was just trying to console them when she told them that rescue would come, Amon could see Li Shi truly meant her words. So, he suspected Li Shi had something that could draw the kingdom’s force here. That was why one of his conditions for Luan Xuan was to have Li Shi by his side when he worked. He couldn’t risk Li Shi getting moved to another facility. The promise to create the Allure Beacon was also just a ploy to buy time until this rescue team arrived. He was not sure, after all, how long it would take for the kingdom to trace Li Shi’s location.