"How is that possible?"
The Purple-Eyed Youth stared at the Purple Jade Sword in He Ao's hand, his movements pausing slightly as twisted flesh squirmed rapidly, repairing his body.
He stared at He Ao, his gaze briefly going blank, as though he could not understand how He Ao had managed to reach this point.
The twisted, surging corruption within that jade sword felt so familiar.
It was his power.
His Angel-level Power.
He extended his senses and could even feel a faint bit of "feedback" coming from that power.
That was his power!
He Ao was using power that came from him!
A nameless, twisted fury spread through his heart. The emotion even made him halt his attack as he stared at He Ao. "You shouldn't be able to use this power at a time like this."
"We're 'fusing,' aren't we?" He Ao held the Purple Jade Sword and replied calmly. "Your power is my power. 'Fusion'—isn't that what you've been emphasizing all along?"
"But you shouldn't be able to use this power now." The Purple-Eyed Youth took a deep breath. Twisted flesh filled his sunken body, and skin as white as jade spread over his cheeks.
He stared at He Ao and raised the Jade Long Blade filled with insane corruption. "Even after everything you've done, this fusion is still me 'fusing' with you. Can prey use a hunter's power?"
Even now, his primary consciousness still possessed absolute control over the Angel-level Power that belonged to him. This was his foundation.
No matter how one looked at it, his merging into He Ao's body as an angel was absolute suppression.
Suppression in rank, power, and soul.
Even if He Ao could "fuse" with this power through the Promotion Ritual, He Ao was still stuck in the middle of the