Shadow Demon: So You Want to Kill the Chicken to Frighten the Monkeys?

To prevent Yulia from being woken up by her maid, Iver, after treating Yulia, immediately put Yulia to sleep in his room so that she could get a good night's rest.

It took him a full fourteen points of Light Attribute magic to restore Yulia's body to a healthy state in one go.

Keep in mind that she only used two points of magic power when she had a persistent high fever. This shows that her current condition is not very good.

Although Yulia is now in a normal, healthy state... her body has adapted to those years of slow, low-temperature heating. Suddenly losing the heat source and returning to normal might actually cause her some discomfort.

Now, she should be almost recovered after a good night's sleep. Although it will take time for her body to gradually adapt and adjust... in the meantime, the magic that Iver left in her body will provide a slow-release healing and pain-relieving effect.

This treatment course will last about half a week, Iver will treat her again next week... After a maximum of two courses, Yulia will be able to jump around and be completely like a normal person.

"How about it, my demon?"

Watching Lily help Yulia fall asleep, Iver looked down at the Shadow Fiend and smiled, "I told you, didn't I? I'd show you my strength."

"You are so wise, great and learned..."

Shadow Fiend was not stingy with flattery, and immediately replied, "I tremble before your Soul of Transcendence."

That's the truth.

As a demon, it wouldn't care where Iver obtained this forbidden knowledge. The Shadow Demon would only feel anticipation for Iver's future... and a subtle unease about its own seemingly predetermined future.

It is undoubtedly the orthodox demon, the phantom of the Path of Transcendence.

When Iver displayed such clear transcendent qualities, it trembled with excitement. This manifested outwardly as the shadow beneath Iver trembling and slowly writhing.

Although Iver's goal was to save Yulia, it was not the kind of repetitive labor called "redemption" that demons disdained.

Instead, it reversed an inevitable fate!

The hatching of the Phantom Demon Egg is irreversible and unsolvable. Considering that the newborn Phantom will possess the personality and memories of the host, but will forget its previous experiences, it can also be seen from another perspective as these hosts shedding their outer shells and ascending into the Dream Realm in the form of Phantoms.

Therefore, interrupting the hatching process of the Phantom Demon Egg is tantamount to directly changing fate and disrupting the world law of the Phantom's rebirth after death.

And they even used the blasphemous methods of the Fallen Angel! "As a demon... you should know the Fallen Angel, right?"

Iver asked with a light laugh.

"Really."

The Shadow Demon replied, "Although I was resurrected from the Phantom Demon Egg, in my Previous Life I was also a demon personally transformed by the Fallen Angel."

Or rather, all demons should know the Fallen Angel, the highest-ranking demons, and the origin of the "demon" race.

The "Great Sin Imprint" is a power and mark bestowed upon demons by the Fallen Angel. Demons Great Sin Imprint will evolve to the next stage. Humans may also be secretly branded by the Fallen Angel, thus transforming them into different types of demons after death. This is the most common and original way of demon birth.

For example, "Shadow Fiends" were once those who fell from grace or were righteous individuals betrayed and framed. They fell into depravity because of their own experiences, becoming filled with hatred and willing to do anything to drag others down into the abyss to complete their revenge.

They were branded with the mark of "wrath" by the Fallen Angel and granted the power of shadow. In return, they would be transformed into shapeless shadow demons after death, never to see the light again.

"Did you understand?"

Iver casually pulled out a red card and smiled, "The first one is the Paradox Flame Butterfly, and the next one is you."

"... Of course, I understood it."

The Shadow Fiend spoke in the voice it had stolen from Chloe, saying obsequiously, "My esteemed master... even if you don't seal me into that little card, I will obey all your fates."

Because Shadow Fiend is also a ritualist.

It understood Iver's ritual after seeing it only once.

Iver first sought the protection of the Nine Pillar Gods to ensure that he would not be noticed by the Fallen Angel.

After obtaining the Great Sin Imprint through deception, and with the protection of the Nine Pillar Gods to ensure it wouldn't fall directly on him immediately, he used the Fate Confusion Ritual target linked to the Phantom Demon to directly strike the Phantom Demon.

As long as the demon does not resist at this stage and is successfully branded... then the power of the Great Sin Imprint is enough to overshadow the Path Trait in the ritual judgment.

Those phantoms that originally belonged to other paths would be considered by the ritual as "phantoms with adaptability Path of Transcendence." As candidate demons, the ritual that seals demons Path of Transcendence would press them into cards that matched their power.

—Even the question of which card to use to seal the phantom of this Path of Dedication was personally asked by Iver from the apostle of the candle keeper.

That's incredibly audacious!

While demonic entities cannot be killed, they can be sealed. Sealing demons is the most common and stable ritual among these methods.

Sealing demons into mediums such as crystal balls, mirrors, and Tarot Card to create cursed items, which are then given as gifts, is a common method of murder among Demon Scholar. It can also be used to "force a breakup" with a demon one can no longer control.

Phantoms cannot die, and therefore cannot be Great Sin Imprint and turned into demons.

Thus, they will forever bear this Great Sin Imprint, and will always be judged by the ritual as "demonic candidates." They will be stably sealed within the cards as Great Sin Beast.

At least the Shadow Fiend himself could not find a way to break the seal from the inside.

The concept of this ritual belongs to the Fallen Angel, and its core power also comes from the Fallen Angel —that is to say, Iver used the symbols and rituals of the Fallen Angel Fallen Angel deceive the Fallen Angel into giving him their own power.

Without a doubt, this is a completely new ceremony!

A ritual that has never appeared in this world before, developed by its master Iver!

If Iver has a slightly misunderstanding of the Fallen Angel or the ritual, he may incur Fallen Angel wrath; he may also choose the wrong Tarot Card, resulting in the inability to seal or a significant weakening after sealing; or he may attract the Great Sin Imprint, but it does not suit the other party and is thus branded on himself.

One wrong step and it would have been destruction. But he succeeded.

A person can possess a maximum of six Great Sin Marks in their destiny, meaning that Iver could obtain five more of these "Great Sin Beast".

All of this was done by Iver to save a small and short-lived mortal.

She was even his adopted sister, who was not related to him by blood.

Iver had previously told Shadow Fiend that his goal was to kill the Fallen Angel.

The most powerful aspect of this ritual is that even if the Fallen Angel is killed, the seal will not be broken. Just as the fall of the Fallen Angel will not lead to the extinction of the demon race... and if the Fallen Angel falls, the ritual will only become simpler. Because then there will no longer be a need to request the Fallen Angel to grant the mark of great sin, but one can directly draw upon unclaimed power in the Dream Realm through the ritual.

Iver had even planned this step! As a short-lived mortal without any extraordinary bloodline or divine power, he devised the ritual to steal the Nine Pillar Gods and the Fallen Angel when he was at the First Level, hoping to defeat Him through the power of the Fallen Angel.

He even had the capacity to leave himself a way out, to prevent the rituals based on the power of the Fallen Angel from becoming ineffective after His fall.

As a mere mortal, yet able to see so far.

—What arrogance, and what "transcendence"! From this perspective, Shadow Fiend would not resist the connection to Iver's fate in the slightest.

It increasingly wanted to follow Iver and see just how far he could go.

How far can Iver go?

A legend who will leave his mark on history? A world-renowned hero? An immortal apostle? A celestial being who will become Pillar God?... Or perhaps, Nine Pillar Gods?

The protagonist of the previous era was Arthur.

Will Iver be next?

But now, it's Iver's natal contract, his relationship with Iver unique and inseparable. However, if it also becomes his Great Sin Beast, it will only be one-sixth of Iver, and the contract will end. Perhaps after defeating a more powerful demon, Iver will banish it from the card and replace it with an even more powerful demon.

Moreover, Shadow Fiend was somewhat afraid of that card.

Although Iver has reduced its activity by "not linking to the earth," Shadow Fiend can still constantly spy on the outside world, so at least it won't be too boring. But if it were sealed to that extent... being trapped in that little card, would it be like being in a dark and hopeless prison? It would go mad.

The world outside is so exciting, yet I can't see any of it! "Alright, don't be afraid. Even if I decide to seal you away, it'll be a long time from now... If you continue to be so obedient, maybe I'll seal you away in the end?"

Iver whispered words of comfort to Shadow Fiend.

He smiled, like a compassionate pastor. His voice was gentle and sweet.

He drew a brand-new silver Ritual Knife and deftly twirled it.

This is a special "plate" prepared by Iver for Shadow Fiend.

"How about I feed you something first?"

As he spoke, Iver skillfully lit the candles, drew the Ritual Knife, and slowly applied the essential oils.

Seeing this, Shadow Fiend was so excited he was practically boiling over.

The desire to "become stronger" made it forget all its previous worries and vigilance, and its mind was left only to savor the sacred offering of Iver.

It wrapped around Iver's legs and spread all the way to his elbows.

Looking at the Shadow Fiend, Iver thought of the pet dog he had in his Previous Life.

While I was preparing its meal, it stood up like this, excitedly pawing at the table with its two little paws.

"Although it's been a long time since I fed you, don't rush..."

A genuine smile crept onto Iver's lips.

"I offer my blood, my bones, my flesh."

Iver gently soothed, slowly gripping the silver Ritual Knife that had lightly grazed the candle, enduring intense pain as the Ritual Knife slowly carved into his bone, letting blood slowly seep out and drip into the shadow pool. "Eat in silence..."

"[—I am the Lord's Supper, this is grace.]"

Thanks to Guanguan for the illustration, meow~ Chapter 2 is only 2,000 words... Although I can still post it, I've decided to add another 1,000 words, which will be about an hour later!