The Demon General Appears — Xiao Yan and Mi-An in the Pure Universe
Xiao Yan and Mi-An stepped fully into the vast expanse of the pure universe, and the moment they did, both of them felt it.
The space around them was immeasurable—endless and pristine, stretching in all directions without a visible boundary. There was no sky, no ground, no sun or moon, yet everything was bathed in a soft, blinding glow. Energy flowed freely here, dense and immaculate, coursing like invisible rivers through the air. It pressed against their bodies from all sides, not violently, but with a suffocating purity that made even breathing feel deliberate.
Xiao Yan swallowed.
The pressure was unlike anything he had experienced before. It wasn't hostile, yet it demanded respect, as though the universe itself was alive and watching. His chest felt tight, his limbs heavy, every step requiring effort as the pure energy brushed against his skin and seeped into his senses.
"No demons should be here," Xiao Yan said at last, his voice breaking the silence.
He scanned the endless horizon, his eyes moving carefully as if expecting something to tear through the space at any moment. The purity of the place made his words feel reasonable. After all, demonic beings thrived on corruption and chaos—this realm was the complete opposite.
Mi-An didn't even look at him.
"What do you know?" she snapped sharply, cutting him off without hesitation.
Her tone was cold, clipped, and edged with tension. She stood rigid, one hand resting near her weapon, her posture alert despite the stillness around them. Unlike Xiao Yan, she did not trust the calm. Her instincts screamed that something was wrong.
The universe answered her fear.
Without warning, the air rippled.
The flow of pure energy twisted violently, folding inward as though something had torn through the fabric of the realm itself. The glow dimmed slightly, and a presence descended—heavy, overwhelming, suffocating.
A figure appeared.
He looked young, far too young for the pressure he carried. His body was lean yet powerful, his form covered in wild, coarse hair that gave him a feral edge. Despite that, his face was striking—terrifyingly handsome, refined in a way that felt unnatural for something so clearly demonic.
The moment he manifested, Xiao Yan felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
This was not like the lesser demons they had faced before.
This presence was absolute.
Mi-An's breath caught.
"Inaski," she called out, her voice sharp and immediate, recognition flashing unmistakably in her eyes.
The name echoed through the pure universe, heavy with meaning.
Xiao Yan turned toward her, shock flashing across his face. "You know him?"
For the briefest moment, Mi-An hesitated.
"I… read the records," she replied, forcing her voice steady even as tension tightened her features. "He is the Demon General."
Her gaze never left the figure before them.
"He killed Saint Bio Yi—the greatest of the eleven Saints—one thousand years ago."
The words struck Xiao Yan like a physical blow.
Saint Bio Yi.
The name alone carried weight—legend, reverence, invincibility. A Saint revered above the others, a figure spoken of as untouchable. And this being standing before them had killed him.
Xiao Yan's throat went dry.
"That means…" he began, his voice dropping, dread settling deep into his chest. "We will die here."
For the first time, Mi-An did not immediately contradict him.
Her jaw tightened, her eyes narrowing as she assessed the distance between them and the Demon General. Every calculation pointed to the same conclusion. There was no victory here. No miracle strong enough to bridge the gap between their strength and his.
"Let's quit before he reaches us," she said firmly.
It wasn't fear that drove her words—it was clarity.
But Xiao Yan shook his head.
"No," he said, stepping forward despite the pressure crushing down on him. His legs trembled, but he didn't stop. "You can't give up without trying."
Mi-An turned sharply, staring at him as if she had misheard.
Shock flickered across her face.
For a heartbeat, her mind raced.
Is he trying to impress me?
The thought surfaced unbidden.
No… he can't be that foolish.
Yet there he stood—powerless, exposed, standing between her and a Demon General who had slain a Saint. The pure universe seemed to hold its breath, energy swirling as the distance between life and death narrowed with every passing second.
And Xiao Yan did not move back.