**Chapter 14: The Heart of a Demon**
Anon raced forward, eager to reach the demon continent. Little did they know what awaited them there. Damon felt a surge of joy at the prospect of training freely, unburdened by the fear of death. He examined his body, realizing it was identical to his former one. Anyone who could seize his previous form could create a puppet capable of annihilating worlds. He quickly dismissed that thought; he would never be that reckless again. All he desired now was the chance to unleash his power.
As they journeyed, Damon leaped off Anon, sensing a group of beings atop two ninth-rank demon beasts ahead, emerging from the swamp. He approached, Anon trailing behind, and beheld a fierce clash between a poison basilisk and a griffon. The basilisk unleashed its venom, contaminating the entire swamp. Damon shuddered, recalling his last encounter with poison. Most toxins were weak against him now, but the memory lingered.
With determination, he dove into battle, raising his axe and striking the basilisk, leaving a deep gash in its flesh. It screeched in shock, astonished that a mere human dared to interfere. As it turned to face its foe, a black jaguar joined the fray. "Why waste time being distracted when your life hangs in the balance?" Damon called out, just as a crackle of thunder erupted from the basilisk. Lightning struck, drenching Damon in a surge of lightening waves. As he absorbed some of the electric power, transforming him into a vibrant pink as he leaped forward,with his delivering a heavy strike.
A powerful bolt of lightning crashed down upon them, creating a greater wound on the basilisk. It thrashed in agony, but Damon was relentless. He seized the creature's spine, yanking violently until shards protruded from its back. The basilisk, gravely injured, gasped for its final breath.
Meanwhile, Anon engaged the griffon with ease. As a shadow jaguar, he possessed the natural ability to soar through the skies. He pursued the griffon relentlessly, evading its "wind blades" and "glacial fall" attacks, which proved futile against him. With a swift maneuver, he seized the griffon mid-air, twisting violently until it succumbed, its neck snapping. Anon feasted on his prize, leaving the core for Damon.
Damon approached the unconscious group nearby, a playful grin on his face. "I believe this is not the best place for a nap," he teased as they began to stir, weapons in hand. "I mean you no harm. If I had wanted to kill you, I would have done so while you slept."
The seven members of the group exchanged glances, bowing respectfully. They had just witnessed the defeat of two ninth-rank beasts and understood the true strength of this young man. "Greetings, senior. We are from the Devil Palace. May we know your esteemed name?"
Damon regarded them coolly. "Where is the demon continent?"
"Esteemed senior, do you mean the Demon Continent? We are also headed there," one of the members replied it was the group leader.
"Then it's settled. You will guide me."
"Esteemed one, why leave the demon beast corpses behind?" he asked, gesturing at the basilisk. The others gazed in astonishment, wondering how such a creature could be brought to such a pitiful state. They looked at Damon with newfound respect, vowing never to provoke this young lord. They quickly offered him a storage bag to carry the half-dead ninth-rank beast.
Once everything was arranged, they set off, familiarizing themselves with one another. "Esteemed one, I would like to introduce you to our group," the leader said. "This is Mai." Mai locked eyes with Damon, her gaze fierce, but he paid her no mind as the leader continued, introducing the others: "Rosa, Jake, Ken, Alex, Ani."
As they journeyed onward, their fear of Damon grew. All they desired was to introduce this young genius to their sect leader. They swiftly reached the border of the Demon Continent, where they were greeted by formidable demon cultivators. In this world, one had to showcase their strength to stand tall, especially in the Demon Continent; any means were acceptable as long as one possessed power. Damon had yearned for this since the day he was born, yet now he craved rest after the long journey.
"Esteemed one, we would like to take you to our sect to express our gratitude," the group leader said, eagerly awaiting Damon's response.
"As long as I can get some rest, I'm agreeable," Damon replied. The group leader's heart soared with joy; a prodigy was returning with him to their sect, and they were eager to bring him into their fold.
Meanwhile, in the vastness of the cosmos, an entity floated in the emptiness of space, trembling with fear. The aura of a long-lost enemy sent shivers down its spine as memories of the wretched "Akim" flooded back.
"Why didn't they kill him at birth? Why didn't they erase his family? Why leave a single remnant of that scoundrel?" The entity pondered frantically. Once its thoughts were concluded, it vanished without a trace, leaving no evidence of its presence behind.