Chapter 191: Heavenly Demon

“Annihilating Cloud Slash!”

An intangible substance pierced through the void, slicing down a sparrow soaring in the distant sky.

The sparrow’s body remained intact, but its nerves had already been destroyed—this was the power of formidable Spiritual Power.

Killing without a trace.

One slash per second.

This was the maximum speed Jiang Yan could currently achieve.

But in truth, Annihilating Cloud Slash could also be combined with Dual Casting.

Similarly, as long as the Spiritual Power slice was imagined as a saber, it could also synergize with the Trait 【Above the Saber Saint】.

【Above the Saber Saint】(Red): Your Talent in the Saber Way increases by 1000%. When you execute saber-type attacks, you gain a 100% damage bonus. When you wield a saber (conceptually), your attack speed increases by 100%.

As for what counted as wielding a saber and what didn’t—

Jiang Yan found it quite easy to judge.

He closed his eyes, imagining his Spirit Platform as a hand, and through this “giant hand,” he grasped the sliced Spiritual Power, then—

Slash!

“Annihilating Cloud Slash!”

This time, Annihilating Cloud Slash perfectly harmonized with 【Above the Saber Saint】, leaving faint white trails in the air as space tore like thin paper before slowly healing.

“Now, let’s combine it with 【Blade Bearer】.”

Imagining his Spirit Platform transforming into a palm.

“Annihilating Cloud Slash!”

Excellent. Annihilating Cloud Slash already had the embryonic form of Yan Thunder Destruction Slash.

When the time came, one would focus on physical attacks, the other on spiritual assaults—Jiang Yan would be the most dazzling Slayer King in the entire Universe.

Jiang Yan immersed himself in the research of his new Martial Skill.

…

Within a dimly lit palace.

The damp air reeked of a foul, pungent stench. The ground was stained with sticky, decaying flesh, and thick, crimson pipes connected to a pool ahead.

Blood vessels pulsed, transporting an unknown liquid toward the pool.

In the pool, a dark silhouette soaked quietly.

Tap—

Tap—

Outside the hall, a figure in red robes slowly approached the blood pool, their feet stepping on the rotting flesh on the ground, sticking to the sprouting tendrils with a sizzling sound.

Thud!

The red-robed figure knelt before the blood pool, bowing devoutly to the man’s back.

“Master.”

“Jiang Yan is currently staying at the police station. Should we force—”

Before the red-robed figure could finish, a hoarse voice interrupted.

“No need. I have already found a new vessel.”

“What!” The red-robed figure’s pupils trembled, then shifted to delight. “Master, you succeeded!”

“Mmm, you may leave.”

“During this time, do not alert them. They have noticed me.”

“Yes!”

The red-robed figure retreated.

Only then did the silhouette in the blood pool slowly turn around.

Pale, emaciated, sunken… How wretched this person appeared, as if he might drop dead from overexertion at any moment.

Countless holes pierced his body’s surface, through which copious amounts of plasma seeped deep into his skin.

“Sky Demon… we have finally become one…”

“You devoured me, and I devoured you too~”

“Hahahaha!”

“Hahahaha!”

His face contorted, shifting between human and demon, his mind deranged and frenzied. Surging blood Qi flooded the vast hall in an instant.

Marvelous! Simply marvelous!

“A demon’s body truly cannot be compared to a human’s. Who cares about Jiang Yan? All I need is you, Sky Demon!”

“My love for you burns fiercely. To keep you hidden from them, these past few centuries have been so arduous for me, hehehe.”

“Now it’s done…” He scooped up the blood pool, gazing obsessively at the flesh residue left behind as the liquid drained away.

“We… will be together forever.”

“Yes~ we’ll be together forever.”

Suddenly, the man collapsed, falling unconscious in the center of the blood pool.

Moments later, he stood up again, his eyes filled with mockery as he glanced disdainfully at the crimson pool.

The cult leader had devoured the Sky Demon, and the Sky Demon’s will had taken over the body.

He helplessly clutched his head, muttering as if suffering from a split personality.

“I’m starting to lose track of which one is me…”

Invisibly, two souls—one bright, one dark—gradually merged.

·········

Three days later.

“Beep beep beep, Mr. Jiang, time to depart!”

Lilia stood outside the police station, opening her communication device to video call Jiang Yan.

“Coming.”

Jiang Yan had just finished absorbing Qi and walked straight out of the police station.

Lifting his gaze, he saw Lilia smiling brightly at him.

“Mr. Jiang, we can’t park the spacecraft here. Let’s head to the landing pad first.”

Soon, Jiang Yan followed Lilia to the airport.

The landing pad was filled with all kinds of flying vehicles, each with an exaggerated design yet still adhering to the laws of physics.

Among them, a dark-gold spacecraft stood out as the most majestic.

Its hull was wrapped in silver flakes, crouching like a slumbering beast. Cast from dark iron with intricate carvings, its bow was sharp as a saber’s edge, gleaming coldly as if serving another purpose.

Closed apertures were carved into the hull, concealing terrifying weapons.

Jiang Yan looked at the impressive spacecraft and turned to ask Lilia.

“Is this yours?”

“Hahaha, Mr. Jiang, you’re joking. How could I afford a [Huang Zhu]? This ship belongs to the company.”

Lilia said regretfully, wishing it were truly hers.

As a “support staff” who didn’t participate in game design, she could never afford a [Huang Zhu] in her lifetime.

Soon, the hatch opened, and Lilia guided Jiang Yan inside.

The interior was spacious and exquisitely furnished, with high-end massage chairs and sofas, yet there wasn’t even a cockpit.

“The Rising Tide Prodigy Championship is held on a planet purchased by our Lightning Studio. It’ll take about three hours to reach the destination.”

“Mr. Jiang, it’s a long journey. How about we play some cards?”

Lilia pulled out a deck of cards from somewhere, looking eagerly at Jiang Yan.

“No, I’ll cultivate for a while.”

Lilia was speechless, feeling as if she’d encountered the studious types from her school days who would say,

“I won’t go to karaoke tonight; I have to study.”

“Sigh, this is so demoralizing.”

Lilia sat on the sofa, bored and playing cards against herself.

“Pair of threes!”

“Airplane!”

“Who taught you to play cards like that?”

“I have my own rhythm, mind your own business!”

The two antennae on Lilia’s head wrestled with each other, neither willing to back down, while her mouth argued with itself, creating a comical scene.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yan lay in the massage chair, quietly splitting his Spiritual Power and moving his Spirit Platform.

Faintly, he seemed to glimpse the outline of the Divine Martial Space.

But… it remained far out of reach.

[Heaven Rewards Diligence] reminded him that he was getting closer to that outline, but for now, the distance between the Divine Martial Space and his Spirit Platform was +∞.

Infinite.

It seemed like an impossible task.

But Jiang Yan didn’t care. He kept moving it anyway, playing the role of the Foolish Old Man in his own spiritual world.

Over on the sofa, Lilia had already become so furious with herself that she started physically fighting.

The battle between the tentacles on her head had escalated to a fever pitch.

“Lilia, you’re a total idiot!”

“Bullshit, you’re the idiot, you cheat!”

“Idiot, idiot!”

“Cheater!”