Chapter 28: Ex Problems

“One of course. Only the sin of lust can possess several fox fires at once.”

Hazel explained calmly as she raised one hand above her head, index finger pointing toward the sky.

Buzz.

Immense scorching red flames spiraled into existence above her fingertip. In seconds, they expanded—swirling, compressing—until a miniature sun hovered over them.

The air distorted and heat pressed down like a physical weight. The blazing sphere cast a massive shadow over Damian, swallowing him in crimson light.

He froze.

His own scarlet flames flickered… then fizzled out as his focus shattered. He could only stare at the enormous fire orb balanced effortlessly on a single finger.

“Amazing,” he breathed.

Just as suddenly—

Poof.

The massive orb vanished in a puff. Hazel dusted her hands together as if she had done nothing more than light a candle.

“The first thing you need to know as a bonafide demon is never take off our wedding ring.”

She raised her hand, flashing the fox-shaped ring on her finger. Damian instinctively looked at the matching one on his own.

“Lin created it to allow us to explore the mortal world unnoticed and go on adventures during our vacations. If we didn’t have it on, the heavens could easily detect our location and send down their archangels to hunt us.”

Damian stared at the ring.

Since their first time together, Hazel had slipped it onto his finger. He had never taken it off.

He never knew it was this important.

“The second thing you need to know is never unleash your powers like this without an Isolation barrier. You’ll risk leaving traces of demonic activity and attract unwanted attention. Covering your tracks must remain your priority at all times.”

Her expression hardened.

She had noticed the change in him. His growing acceptance and excitement for his demonic heritage. But she feared he would get drunk on power and make a fatal mistake.

Damian, however, didn’t like rules.

He didn’t even have the Isolate skill. So what—was he supposed to never use his abilities until he unlocked it?

“Third—”

Hazel stopped mid-sentence. Damian had raised his hand, irritation clear on his face.

“I didn’t come here for that. I came here to test my current abilities and possibly get insight on what to focus on improving. Can we stay focused?”

Hazel frowned.

For a moment, she hesitated. But then she sighed.

He wasn’t wrong.

Even if he used his abilities recklessly, she would always be there to set up the barrier first. He didn’t really need this lecture. He had just awakened. She should let him enjoy it.

“Alright. Tell me what you want to know.”

A grin spread across Damian’s face instantly and he stepped closer.

“Living arts, elder arts, or primal soul. Which is most important?”

Hazel paused, thinking carefully before answering.

“To be honest… all three are equally important. They need to grow side by side for optimal results.”

She gestured lightly as she explained.

“Primal soul represents your core—the place where all your talent is sealed. Strengthening it unleashes that talent. So it may seem like focusing on it alone is best. But that’s false.”

She met his eyes.

“Living arts represent the body. A powerful soul can only reside in a strong body. A powerful soul without a powerful body is incomplete.”

She continued.

“Take your fox fire for example. It’s the spiritual representation of your demon fox inheritance. But if you attempt to unleash fox fire without taking your one-tailed fox form, you risk losing control of your own flames… and being consumed by them.”

Buzz.

Damian’s eyes widened. He instinctively looked down at his palms.

A form determined control?

It sounded insane.

But Hazel had no reason to lie.

“While the soul is the power and the body contains it, knowledge shapes it,” she continued. “The forbidden knowledge that turns our power into vicious weapons comes from the elder arts. Without it, whatever strength you have is incomplete. Even this Isolation barrier is a product of elder arts. That’s where your most dangerous skills are hidden.”

By the end of her explanation, Damian felt the urge to dive back into his mind and dump his remaining points into Living Arts and Elder Arts immediately.

But there was something else he needed to know first.

“Do you know what happens when someone fully awakens the power of their inheritance?” he asked.

Hazel froze and her eyes flickered.

“You consume the previous consciousness of the great Asmodesus… or be consumed by it,” she admitted quietly. Then quickly added, “But that won’t be a problem if you’re trained properly—”

Damian shook his head. He had met Lin Qui. He had seen the truth behind the red gates. Whatever lurked there could not be defeated with power derived from itself.

“Well, your ex believed otherwise. He told me that himself.”

He watched her carefully.

Shock.

Longing.

They flooded her eyes instantly.

She stepped forward, grabbing his hands, searching his face desperately.

“You… you met Lin Qui?” Her voice trembled.

Damian nodded and her eyes widened further. Her grip tightened around his arm—too tight. His bones protested under the pressure.

“What did he say?”

“Did he say anything about me? Or my sisters?”

Her composure shattered completely. Her voice shook, uneven and raw. Damian pulled himself free. Only then did she realize she had been hurting him.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, stepping back.

“He realized he wouldn’t win against Asmodesus,” Damian said calmly, rubbing his aching arm. “So he killed the demon lord at his most vulnerable moment and stole his Abyss inheritance. I’m guessing it didn’t go exactly according to plan. That’s why he ended up dead too.”

Each word made Hazel’s eyes widen further. Her hands trembled uncontrollably.

“Impossible,” she whispered.

“Lin Qui may have been human, but he was a different species entirely. He could learn anything with a glance. He was so skilled that only the princes of wrath and pride could match him in combat. How can you say someone so perfect and exceptional lost to Asmodesus?”

Her voice rose.

“If any mortal in the history of princes stood a chance against their predecessor, it was him. That’s why he was favored by the elders!”

She refused to believe it.

That man had been perfection—graceful, handsome, powerful. Lacking nothing.

If Lin Qui couldn’t defeat Asmodesus…

Then no mortal ever could.

“Well,” Damian replied evenly, “I do have the Abyss inheritance and the Lust inheritance to prove I’m not lying. That’s why I brought this up. I’m torn between what to prioritize growing. Just my Lust Talent Tree… or the Abyss.”

He shrugged.

Hazel shot him an annoyed glare. Her eyes were already wet, trembling, on the verge of spilling over and he was talking about her dead husband like he was just another name in a history book.

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