Silence reigned as the group soared through the sky, eighteen Sages flying behind the Legendary Swordsman. No one dared to utter a word, each lost in thought, still shaken by what they had just witnessed.
However, the silence was finally broken.
"Did that attack contain the power of the Law of Space?" The one who spoke was none other than Vlad.
The journey back to the Golden Sky Fortress would take some time, and Vlad wanted to seize the opportunity to learn more about the Law of Space if possible. Of course, there was a chance that the Legend would ignore his question, but he had nothing to lose. It would be a little embarrassing, but nothing more than that.
For a few moments, Spartacus remained silent. His gaze lingered on Vlad’s face’s chest for a few seconds as he remembered the battle form of the young man.
"That crystalline skin you honed before..." Spartacus finally spoke, his deep voice cutting through the wind. "It was void-imbued crystal—the kind found in the bodies of Void Demons, a class of Abyssals attuned to the Laws of Space. How did you acquire it?"
He did not answer Vlad’s question but instead posed his own.
A flicker of surprise flashed across Vlad’s face. Truth be told, he had no idea of the name of the Legendary Demon he found in the laboratory, and only now did he learn that his crystal skin was named void-imbued crystal.
"I really need to expand my knowledge," Vlad thought to himself, making a mental note to study more about the Abyssal and their properties.
However, he quickly focused back on the present. Spartacus’s sharp gaze was on him, and the curiosity of the other Sages was palpable.
The Depravita of Wrath considered his response carefully before finally speaking.
"It is due to the power of my demon soul."
A collective gasp rippled through the Sages.
Even Spartacus, despite his usual stoic demeanor, gave a slight nod, confirming his suspicions.
Unlike the others, the Legendary Swordsman had already sensed something unusual within Vlad’s body—a strange demonic spirit embedded deep within him.
"So, you made some kind of pact with the Lords of Abyss?" Spartacus continued, his tone calm yet laced with a hint of disapproval.
Harnessing the power of Fiend Realms was not unheard of among powerful civilizations, but it was always viewed with caution. Such pacts often came with dangerous restrictions, and those who made them were always regarded with suspicion. After all, one could never predict what their demon patrons would demand of them in return.
Vlad could feel the discomfort in the eyes of the other Sages. He didn’t blame them. If he were in their place, he wouldn’t trust someone bound to the Abyss either.
But instead of getting defensive, he simply laughed and shook his head.
"Hah! Of course not." His voice carried a note of amusement. "My home was invaded by the Abyss during its ascension. I merely developed a way to use their power against them."
With that, Vlad waved his hand, summoning several parchments from his storage ring and sending one to Spartacus and each of the Sages.
Curious, they all examined the parchments, their eyes narrowing.
Then, a few moments later—expressions of awe replaced their skepticism. Within the parchments lay trapped demon souls—each confined within complex Runic Formations.
Vlad’s smile widened as he continued.
"I found a way to extract demon souls and contain them within special Runic Formations, allowing warriors to harness their power without corruption."
He paused before adding with pride, "I call them Demon Soul Hunters."
Before the Sages could even react, Vlad sent out another wave of parchments—these contained Champion Tier Demon Cage Formations.
The moment the second set of Runic Formations reached their hands, a sudden shout of excitement broke through the group.
The one who had spoken was Tyron, the Runic Master from Imperial Prince Janus’s team.
He was so enthralled that he completely forgot any sense of decorum.
"This formation allows you to harness the power of the demon soul without any contamination or constraints! It even lets you absorb the radiation the demon emits, strengthening your body and energy pool over time!"
Tyron was well-known and highly respected by all the Sages, so no one doubted his assessment.
The discomfort that had previously filled the eyes of the Sages immediately vanished, replaced by pure awe and wonder.
"Hahaha, Brother!" Agamemnon suddenly burst into laughter. "You kept such a precious treasure hidden from us! What about selling me the Runic Diagrams? I’ll pay handsomely!"
It wasn’t the first time Agamemnon had bought Runic Diagrams from Vlad, so he had no reservations about making the offer.
Unfortunately for him, Vlad simply shook his head. "I’m sorry, but this particular Runic Formation is not for sale."
A wave of disappointment rippled through the Sages.
However, before it could fully sink in, Vlad continued.
"But," he added with a smirk, "if you bring me a demon, I can extract their soul and fuse it into your body—for a fair price. Currently, I can seal up to Peak Sage Tier demon souls."
A spark of excitement immediately lit up Agamemnon and Janus’s eyes. Sealing a Peak Sage demon soul into their own bodies would grant them a massive boost.
And they weren’t the only ones who were excited.
The rest of the Sages practically glowed with enthusiasm.
Harnessing the power of demons was something many had desired, but the corruption and Abyssal influence had always been too high a price to pay.
It offered all the benefits—with none of the drawbacks.
For a long time, no one spoke, and all of them were too enthralled by the possibilities.
Then, finally, Spartacus broke the silence.
"You said you developed a way to use their power against them," the Legendary Swordsman mused, glancing once more at the Runic Formations in his hand. His expression was unreadable. "A fascinating concept."
He said nothing more, but Vlad could tell that even Spartacus was intrigued.