Ascension King

Chapter 17: The Arrival of the Mad Prodigy

Damon was taken aback by the woman's erratic behavior, but just as he prepared to confront her, she began to unveil her face. Struggling against her hold, he exclaimed, "Let me go, you damn witch!" With a shiver of fear, he attempted to dart away, but she pursued him relentlessly, wrapping her arms around him. In that moment, he recognized her—his future fiancée. For the first time, panic surged within him, yet escape seemed impossible. "Damn, she's surprisingly strong," he muttered to himself. "Alright, fine. Let me go, Velma. I know you missed me," he added, gently stroking her dark hair.

"I'm sure you must be hungry; come on, honey," Velma urged, releasing him. Despite his initial shivers of apprehension—fearing her food might harbor some hidden poison—he found himself yielding to her insistence. As she presented him with a plate, Damon took a cautious bite, only to be astonished by its deliciousness. He quickly devoured the food and asked for more. Velma beamed with joy as she brought him twelve additional plates.

Resting his head on her lap, Damon teased, "Honey, why didn't you tell me you could cook?" The playful remark caught Velma off guard, and she giggled, a sound that warmed his heart.

With a playful smile, Damon approached her, took her hand, and placed a small pouch in her palm. "This belongs to one of the Devil Palace," he said, watching her reaction. Velma's eyes widened in surprise. Despite their lack of strength compared to the Heavenly Demon Sect, the Devil Palace was remarkable in its own right, boasting the ability to borrow powers from demons, with bloodlines often intertwined with various dark legacies.

Damon listened intently as Velma processed the information. "Oh, I just found it on a stroll; it's nothing much," he replied nonchalantly, hoping to dismiss her concerns.

"By the way, what realm are you in, Velma?" he asked, curiosity flickering in his gaze. He sensed an invisible barrier preventing him from fully seeing her true self, so he opted for a gentle inquiry instead, aware that prying would only leave her feeling exposed.

"Oh, Father will be overjoyed when he learns of your arrival," Velma exclaimed, her excitement palpable as she swiftly gathered the poison from the swamp. She summoned her sixth-ranked flying horse, eager to depart with Damon. Yet, beneath his calm exterior, Damon longed for nothing more than a place to rest; many cultivators cherished their sleep, and he was certainly one of them.

Damon opened a small portal to his void space, retrieving the treasures he had acquired from previous battles. He handed the bags and storage rings to Velma, inquiring how much they might fetch. Velma gazed at the bounty in astonishment, overwhelmed by its volume. Quickly, she concealed the items, wary of prying eyes. "Why would you do that?" she asked, regarding Damon as if he were foolish. "You're in the Demon Continent now. Don't underestimate it; many monstrous men and women lurk in the shadows."

"Let them come; I've never been afraid of a fight," Damon declared, a surge of power from his past life coursing back into him, yearning for acceptance. He sank deeper into his spirit sea, ignoring Velma's words. Summoning the willow tree of imagination, he watched as a teenage girl emerged, rubbing her eyes in annoyance.

"Ah, this is ridiculous! Why can't you just let me be? Look at me! You kept draining my energy after you lost your head and when you dug into your own heart and miraculously grew out—" The willow tree's tirade was interrupted by Damon.

"Okay, okay, I get it. Just a little energy," he said with a mocking tone. But the willow tree wasn't amused; she forcefully expelled him from his spirit sea. "Damn, how does she have more control over my spirit sea than I do?" Damon muttered, glancing at Velma. He asked if she wanted to join him on a hunt, but her puzzled expression revealed her confusion about what he meant by "hunting."

In a swift motion, Damon leaped from the flying horse, cradling Velma in his arms. He executed a "devil dive," crashing down as the ground shattered beneath him, enveloped in a mist of demon wolves of the 8th rank. There were only three, yet they were far more formidable than the average of their kind. Damon hurled his axe at one wolf and, employing a crazed step, seized another by the neck. Suddenly, they both froze, and Damon felt the chill creeping into him.

To his astonishment, the third wolf charged in, executing an iron claw attack infused with shadow properties. Damon felt a strange admiration for these beasts; they possessed remarkable intelligence. "One with ice, one with shadow—what's the last?" he pondered, eyeing the third wolf. It shivered under his intense gaze, sensing the primal focus radiating from him. Determined to protect its brothers, it unleashed "lightning shower," sending violent red crackles of electricity bursting forth, striking Damon heavily.

He was sent hurtling through the air, rolling until he finally landed on his feet. "I'll say this once and not again," he proclaimed, his voice steady. "Join me, and you shall reign as kings in your territory. I know you three are intelligent creatures."

Damon extended his hand, and the three wolves exchanged glances, feeling something ancient and powerful emanating from him. They hesitated, unwilling to offend the man who had ambushed them. Velma watched in astonishment, her mind racing as she witnessed Damon conversing with the three demon beasts of the 8th rank, wondering just who he truly was.

Damon approached the demon wolves with purpose, the shadow wolf stepping forward to bow, followed closely by the other two. A smile crept across Damon's face as he swiftly signed a blood contract, sealing their allegiance. In a flash, Anon leaped from the depths of Damon's shadow,he felt jealous and angry that Damon didn't even say a thing to him, he showcased his formidable power and authority as the true leader. As he let out a low growl directed at Damon before seamlessly merging back into the darkness. Velma watched, utterly astonished; a fierce determination ignited within her. She realized she needed to claim Damon for herself before anyone else dared to lay a hand on him.