“I didn’t think he’d turn on me so fast. We’d just agreed to work together, and now he’s already striking at the Demon Race.” Eli led the flight, brows knotted, face like frost.

“Guess the Celestial God reviving early dumped a mountain on his back.” Eli rubbed his chin, then froze for a beat.

“No, wait. Thinking it through, the Celestial God and I are basically mortal enemies.”

Liqianyu tilted her head, confusion soft as mist. “Huh? When did you end up at odds with that kind of monster?”

Eli’s gaze tightened. “I was reconstructed from Birand’s half-body, spliced with the Demon Race and Stellar Power. The Celestial God’s not gonna ignore that.”

“The Abyss and the Celestial God already have a grudge deep as bedrock. Add the Hero into that knot. My threat level might not sit much lower than Birand’s. Which means, once she’s back… if I’m caught by him, my fate’s gonna be ugly.”

“Well… she probably doesn’t even know I exist yet,” Eli sighed, a trace of melancholy trailing like dusk.

Liqianyu patted his shoulder, warmth like a hearth. “Relax. It’ll turn out okay, right? It always does.”

“Easy for you to say.” Eli shook his head and lightly poked her forehead with a finger.

“Right, I didn’t ask—your brother? What’s he doing? Why isn’t he out here backing us up?” Eli thought of Li Gongxuan and asked.

Li Gongxuan was a big boost. Back when Eli was alive, the guy kept him under his thumb. Eli never figured out where his limits were.

Honestly, if Li Gongxuan were here, he’d feel steadier. Him plus Li Gongxuan, then Edlyn—survival odds in this calamity would spike.

“Mm… I don’t know. He’s researching something on his own, I think. Before I left, he didn’t come see me. Just tossed out a short-lived avatar to fob me off.” Liqianyu’s voice carried a thin thread of grievance.

You couldn’t really blame Li Gongxuan. He worked himself to the bone for his sister. Even his marriage with Kalo—the purple-haired girl—still hadn’t landed.

Eli sighed, then shook off the thoughts like rain. “Forget it. Don’t overthink. Let’s regroup first, then figure out how to handle this.”

“Mm… can you go any faster?” Liqianyu paused, then asked.

Eli glanced down at her. “I can. But… I’ve burned too much power. I’m worried I’ll stall before top speed and crash. Then I’ll need a long rest, and that’s a bad trade.”

“Don’t worry. Liqianyu-brand power bank—absolutely solid!” Liqianyu thumped her chest, confidence bright as a banner.

“…Fine, fine. I’ll trust you. You got those two little ones stowed?”

Liqianyu nodded. “Relax. I’m reliable. That kind of thing’s rare even in the Far East. A portable space that can hold living beings isn’t easy to find. Good thing your girl’s got connections.”

“Ahem… speak a little more ladylike.”

“Tch. Why fuss over that?”

“You’re my good friend’s kid sister. You’re not afraid Li Gongxuan will show up and settle the bill?” Eli grinned, sly as a fox.

She hunched her shoulders, a flicker of timidity, then smoothed her mood like silk. She stretched to ease the awkwardness, shot Eli a glare when he didn’t react, and said, helpless but firm, “Let’s go.”

“Hahaha.”

Eli reached out and took Liqianyu’s hand.

With her other hand, Liqianyu raised sword-fingers. Her lips murmured a strange chant, sound like wind through pine.

A surge of energy, akin to Eli’s, unfurled from her body and poured into him, warm as starlight.

Eli’s fist tightened.

That feeling—so good. Like an endless supply line at your back. Confidence rising like dawn.

“Charge!”

Whoosh!

Two streaks carved a long blue line across the sky, flying toward the distance.

“Husband and wife in lockstep, huh. Demonic Lord, I didn’t expect you to say something like that. Eli’s changed you more than I thought.” Birand clutched the wound at his chest, smiling at Edlyn as she walked toward him.

Edlyn’s gaze cut like a blade. “You’ve said that line too many times. You think I’m gonna feel anything else?”

“Mm. Not bad. Good mindset. As expected of a sovereign of your people.” Birand shrugged, easy as river water.

Edlyn’s heart tightened; her guard rose like a wall.

Every time he acted this relaxed, it meant the bastard had a card up his sleeve.

Sure enough, two more Birands bloomed behind her like shadows from a dying sun.

Each carried power far beyond the one sprawled on the ground. About eighty percent of the true body’s might.

Edlyn smiled and drew a sword-flower in the air with the Demon Sword Ashill.

“Raising you two must’ve cost Birand no small amount of thought.”

The two clones smiled. “No need to worry. All you need to know is—submit.”

So what if it costs a fortune? If it works, it’s worth it.

Even if Birand’s true body perishes, he can transfer in an instant, reincarnating into another clone to live again.

How would these people understand a cheat like that?

Edlyn’s voice went cold. “Then what’s left to say? I already told you. With me here, you won’t take the Demon Race.”

“Shame. But rest easy. We didn’t come out for other demons.” The two clones grinned.

Edlyn’s pupils tightened. Armor unfurled over her like a night-blooming flower, blocking a palm that lunged from the void.

She retreated fast, slipped behind cover, and checked the cut at her waist.

Three high-quality clones… that’s messy.

“The energy from other demons can’t compare to the Demon Lord.” Birand’s voice floated from the void, smooth as oil.

Edlyn’s icy gaze swept the clones. “I’m the target?”

“Correct.”

The two clones vanished at the last syllable. Edlyn’s figure blinked out as well. A leftover afterimage was smashed by a palm from the void.

Steel rang in the sky, blade and chain clashing like thunder.

From the energy spilling out on each collision, Edlyn’s situation looked grim.

“Dark Devour, Long Sky!” Edlyn borrowed a clone’s palm force and shot upward like a raven into stormclouds.

At the apex, her sword angled down. Demonic energy surged; fog wrapped her whole form, hiding the truth like a veil.

“Bind the Spirit!” Birand’s two clones flung chains hidden in their right hands at Edlyn.

Two crimson chains streaked toward the falling Demon Lord.

A third clone, concealed in shadow, moved at that moment. His iron chain whipped for her waist.

Edlyn’s lips quirked.

Birand felt a chill. He only had time to yank one clone back.

Edlyn tossed Ashill forward.

The Demon Sword arrowed like a rainbow punching through the sun, straight toward the hidden clone.

Her other hand crushed black vapor into her palm and slammed the iron chain head-on.

Clang!

Metal sang, bright and cruel.

Demon Sword Ashill sheared through the chain the hidden Birand raised, then roared with unstoppable might, erasing that clone in an instant before streaking on.

The two clones that had collided with Edlyn tumbled backward as well.

Edlyn coughed blood, bit down, cast a barrier in midair, then stomped off it and dove.

She flickered behind the two clones like lightning behind clouds.

A knowing smile curved her lips as their faces twisted in disbelief. “I learned this from you.”

Her left and right hands kindled with a strange energy, like brown flames from a furnace.

At her gesture, the energy drilled into both clones, burrowing like hungry serpents.

The clones seized the instant and struck back with palms.

Both sides blew apart, scattering like leaves in gale.

The clones slammed into the ground before Edlyn. Fire burst from their bodies.

They howled in raw pain, voices shredding the air.

Blood traced Edlyn’s mouth. She wore a cold smile, a fierce thrill rising as demonflame devoured the clones.

Then a voice came from behind her, Birand’s calm as a knife. “So close. If I hadn’t swapped places with the dying clone on the ground, you really would’ve slipped out.”

Edlyn turned, disbelief slicing her calm.

Behind her stood another Birand clone, barely scuffed. He swung the iron chain, eyes sweeping her up and down, a cold smile on his lips. “Demonic Lord. Still got strength to resist? Be good. Come back and have tea with me.”

Edlyn bit her lip, tried to draw power—but the last strikes from those two dying clones had scrambled her demonic energy. Nothing answered her call.

In the distance, demons locked within the Abyss glared, rage burning through the barrier as they watched Birand.

Birand felt their gaze and turned, a smile sharp as an icicle. “If the Abyss weren’t sealed, not one of you would get away.”

Then he flung the chain. It wrapped Edlyn tight, binding her like a cocoon. He slung her over his shoulder and walked away.