Half a Scarlet Key!

Clap! Clap! Clap!

"Clever. When a demon can neither devour nor control someone, it starts talking about an exchange of equal value. I've told you so much, so naturally I need you to do something for me!" The figure gave a faint, wry smile.

"You're the successful Test Subject I've waited nearly tens of millions of years for. At last, I don't have to wait any longer!" The figure sighed softly, then changed tack. "Actually, I'm not asking much. I only hope that someday, when you're strong enough, you'll personally deliver this to my master. If my master is still..."

The final words were almost inaudible. The figure looked down at his chest and hesitated briefly. Then he thrust a hand into it.

Squelch!

Blood sprayed everywhere, staining a broad swath of the crystalline floor red.

He pulled a blood-red object from his heart.

"Cough, cough!" Hacking up blood, the figure gazed at the object with a trace of rapture.

"This is the crystallization of your heart's blood. What a pity..."

Whoosh!

The figure snapped his head up. Blood still spilled from the corners of his mouth as he fixed a chilling stare on the startled Er Dongsheng.

"It's yours. Keep it safe!"

Boom!

With a slight flick of his hand, the red object shot out and plunged deep into Er Dongsheng's mind.

"What? What did you do?"

Er Dongsheng hurriedly examined his soul space. The black orb of light belonging to the system had been pushed aside, and a Scarlet Key now occupied its very center.

Scarlet light illuminated the dark soul space, tinting the entire expanse with blood.

Waves of a vast, terrifying presence unlike the Abyssal Will began to pulse through it. This dreadful will was purer, and seemed nobler, too.

A scarlet mark appeared at the