Chapter 3: Descending from the Heavens, the Ebony Wings

When demons die, they lose their demonic power and are unable to maintain their human form, reverting to their original state.

Looking at the ground, the deer demon had already transformed into a giant stag with two horns, its body split in two. The snake demon had turned into a massive, scale-covered green serpent several meters long.

Yu Qiye stepped forward to process the corpses, preparing to pack them away. This area was thick with the scent of blood and was no place to linger. Mount Huaguo was no gentle land; although there were no great demons for certain reasons, the number of minor demons was countless. If any happened upon the scent of blood, it would surely invite unnecessary trouble.

After processing the remains, Yu Qiye packed them into a bag made of snake skin and headed toward a mysterious cave without looking back. That was his private dwelling, extremely secluded and situated within a rock cavern on a cliff a thousand feet high.

Spreading his wings and gliding through the air, he made sure no one—human or demon—was following him before changing direction and diving into a narrow crevice in the cliffside. His cave was narrow at the entrance but spacious inside, holding a world of its own. It spanned the size of half a basketball court and contained a table, a bed, and a chair, all carved from solid rock by his own hands.

Though he was a crow spirit, his transformation leaned toward human habits: he wanted a table to eat at and a bed to sleep on. As for why he appeared as a crow when watching the Five-Colored Divine Stone from afar, that was only natural; the stone was watched by countless powerful beings. Had he approached in human form, he might have been struck down by a bolt of heavenly lightning. Why was he safe as a crow? Yu Qiye had been ignorant at first, knowing only that animals could approach the stone without incident. He had tested his theory, though looking back, he realized how bold he had been.

"If it weren't for my 'Destined One' color-coded trait, I would likely have been struck by lightning and had my soul scattered the moment I approached the Five-Colored Divine Stone."

[Destined One (Color: Rainbow): Steal destiny, leap out of the Three Realms, exist outside the Five Elements, heaven’s secrets are difficult to discern, and gods and ghosts cannot calculate your path.]

This was his innate rainbow-tier trait. Yu Qiye was not surprised by its rarity; the phrase "steal destiny" alone spoke to its terrifying potential. It was because of this trait that Yu Qiye knew of his past and present lives, as well as the overarching trends of the Journey to the West. Furthermore, because of it, his fate remained unreadable to gods and demons alike. In the eyes of many powerful beings, he was likely just an ordinary crow.

"I feel that the secondary effects of this trait—the inability of heaven and gods to calculate my path—will be of great use in the future."

Yu Qiye's eyes flickered. This was a world where calculation was key; countless powerful beings relied on divination to know the affairs of the world. But because he existed outside the Five Elements and beyond the Three Realms, no one would even know he existed unless they saw him with their own eyes. With this realization, a plan began to form in his mind.

...

Not long after, Yu Qiye opened the snake-skin bag, took out the flesh of the snake demon, and began to gnaw. The meat had to be eaten raw to aid digestion and prevent the essence of the blood and flesh from dissipating.

*Crunch, crunch...*

As he chewed, Yu Qiye clearly felt a mysterious warmth surging into his body, merging into his bones, flesh, and even his feathers. This was the effect of his "Devour Flesh" trait. It was a pity it was only a white-tier trait; if it were red or gold, the effects would surely be heaven-defying.

...

Time holds no meaning in the mountains. Half a year passed in the blink of an eye. Yu Qiye had consumed all the flesh of the snake and deer demons, and his cultivation had grown significantly. He could now be considered a "great demon."

"My demonic power has increased more than tenfold, and I can now project my soul to travel miles away. Calling myself a 'great demon' is no exaggeration." Yu Qiye curled his lips in satisfaction.

However, what pleased him most was that he had upgraded his "Control Gale" trait again. One could not waste the opportunity to upgrade a trait every six months. After careful consideration, he had upgraded this purple-tier trait to red.

[Storm Mastery—You can ride the wind and control storms! Your speed in practicing wind-based techniques is greatly increased, the power of your wind techniques is greatly increased, and you are now qualified to practice wind-based divine abilities.]

Even though it wasn't his first time reading it, Yu Qiye could not hide his shock. It mentioned "divine abilities." This was a world of techniques and divine abilities; techniques could be learned, but divine abilities were difficult to master. Why did the Yellow Wind Great Sage possess such a fearsome reputation? It was precisely because he had mastered a terrifying divine ability—the Samadhi Divine Wind. The Samadhi Divine Wind was as fearsome as the Samadhi True Fire. Why had no other powerful beings mastered such a strong ability? Was it because they didn't like it?

"Divine abilities require a threshold." This simple sentence encapsulated their essence. Now that Yu Qiye had upgraded the "Control Gale" trait to red and received the prompt that he could practice wind-based divine abilities, it meant he finally had the qualifications. This was crucial. However, divine abilities were still far off. For now, it was more important to remain steady and take it one step at a time on this long road to immortality.

...

Yu Qiye arrived outside the cave, lifted his gaze, and spread his wings.

*Boom!*

A gale surged, and he shot into the sky. His speed was far beyond anything he had achieved before, tearing through the clouds.

...

"When did such a great demon appear in our territory?" A voice filled with shock rang out from a ridge.

It was a pig demon—fat-headed and large-eared, pitch black, and looking incredibly sturdy. He held an axe in his hand, staring at the sky in astonishment. High above, the clouds were being torn apart, the wake extending into the distance.

"Oh my, if I eat this great demon, I might just ascend to the heavens in one step." The pig demon wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth.

But the next moment, as if sensing something, the pig demon spun around abruptly. In his disbelieving eyes, a dark figure descended from the sky. It was Yu Qiye. He resembled a legendary dark angel, his expression icy, arms crossed, wings spread wide, falling vertically from the clouds.

"You want to eat me?" The haunting voice echoed in the pig demon's ears, causing his pupils to contract.

"And what if I do?" The pig demon bared his teeth, showing no restraint in his cruelty. "If you dare to come down, then die, you beast!"

With a roar, the black pig demon swung his axe, hacking fiercely at Yu Qiye. Demonic power swirled around the giant axe, shaking the very space around them. A mysterious pressure made it impossible to breathe.

However, at that moment, Yu Qiye's eyes, which resembled blood-red moons, suddenly narrowed. If one looked closely, they could see a green storm rising deep within his pupils.

*Boom!*

It was as if a thunderclap had erupted on flat ground. A terrifying, massive green tornado surged toward the sky, sweeping the pig demon's entire body into its vortex.

"What? This... how is this possible?" The pig demon shrieked.

Gradually, the screams turned into wails. Countless wind blades, like thousands of knives, carved into his body. Blood splattered, fur flew, and a rain of blood began to fall from the sky.