Behind me came the voice of Future Ethan Zhang. I turned around, but all I saw was a black cloak fluttering in the wind and a blurred, shadowy figure. I took out the black bottle containing his blood that Future Ethan Zhang had given me.
At that moment, I noticed the bottle had become colder, as if I were holding a block of ice. Waves of chilling cold kept seeping into my hand.
Time ticked by, drawing ever closer to the moment. Sweat kept seeping from my forehead; I wiped it away and took a deep breath. My heart pounded violently, but my body grew colder and colder. I couldn't even take a step forward. Then Future Ethan Zhang placed a hand on my back.
"Think carefully, Rachel Lan. What have you really experienced along the way?"
"N-nothing, really. I'm just a little nervous."
My voice began to tremble. Images of Ethan Zhang kept flashing through my mind. I was terrified—afraid that after dying, I would never see Ethan Zhang again, or my parents and friends. I didn't want to die. That was the truest thought in my heart.
"It's good that you still know fear, Rachel Lan. Remember, fear isn't something shameful. It's the best tool humans have to avoid danger."
I responded with a soft sound. Only a few minutes remained. I clutched the small bottle, one hand on the cap. My breathing grew steady. Life or death—it could only be decided this way.
My body was nearly at its limit. Suddenly, I felt a breeze on my face. Instinctively, I twisted open the bottle and drank the blood.
In an instant, an intense chill surged into my head. My body went numb and my consciousness faded. I realized this was death. I barely remembered my first death—only my heartbeat, and the burning thoughts filling my body. Before I could understand, everything was gone.
But this death was different. Cold and loneliness flooded my body in an instant, and I was quickly consumed by despair. My mind wanted to do something, but my body was nowhere to be found—there was no sensation, only a weightless, drifting emptiness.
It felt strangely comfortable. I sank deeper into the darkness, and soon I didn't want to think about anything at all. My thoughts froze, and I felt overwhelmingly sleepy, but this drowsiness brought a sense of peace. I wanted to sleep forever, never to open my eyes again.
A foul stench jolted me awake. I swallowed and looked around at the blurry, strange forest. Leafless trees stretched as far as I could see, the ground covered in gray sand, and everything around me was shrouded in a dull haze.
I shook my head. The stench was drifting toward me from the front. I looked over and sprang to my feet. Before me, a group of Hungry Ghosts with pale faces and matted hair moved toward me. In the blink of an eye, they closed the distance. I turned and ran. Here, I could do nothing—there wasn't a shred of strength left in my body.
More Hungry Ghosts closed in from all sides, their wailing filling the air. Some moved quickly, and a few had already caught up, reaching out with open mouths. I ran desperately, but my mind grew fuzzy and I stopped. A Hungry Ghost lunged at me from behind.
I spun around, my hand already clenched into a fist, and punched the Hungry Ghost in the face. Instantly, the ghost was sent flying, its cheek scorched and smoking.
Faced with several lunging Hungry Ghosts, I didn't hesitate. A flurry of punches and kicks knocked them to the ground. Then, with a thought, a Spider Lily petal appeared in my hand. Suddenly, my vision brightened, and I saw a fiery red glow not far ahead.
"It's the path I came in on."
I reacted instantly and ran toward it. Soon, I saw red spots on the ground like patches of light. I followed the red trail, running fast, but the Hungry Ghosts multiplied around me. I was nearly surrounded and had no choice but to keep fighting them off with my fists.
After opening a path, I ran even faster. During the fight, I realized my vitality was draining rapidly. I couldn't keep using my strength—if I did, I'd never make it back.
This path was utterly hopeless. I had no idea how much farther I had to go before I could return. The ground beneath my feet turned fiery red as I kept running.
The Hungry Ghosts gathered around again. Some grabbed my arms, but I struck back without hesitation, feeling my vitality drain even more.
My spirits hit rock bottom. The road still had no end in sight. I had no idea what to do. Time crawled by, and I was utterly exhausted. At first, I could run, but now I couldn't move at all. I grew weaker and weaker as the Hungry Ghosts wailed and swarmed behind me.
"How much farther is it?"
I muttered breathlessly, but the path still stretched on endlessly. All I could do was keep moving as fast as I could, my fatigue making me drowsy.
Just as I lost focus for a moment, several Hungry Ghosts grabbed me and began to gnaw. I felt my body torn apart by pain. I scattered the ghosts again, but I was completely spent and couldn't take another step. The Hungry Ghosts closed in all around me.
Watching the Hungry Ghosts bare their fangs and claws as they approached, despair filled my heart. But then I sensed a familiar presence—a gray light flashed, and the ghosts around me instantly turned to dust. I stared in shock at everything around me, not knowing who was here, but clearly someone had helped me.
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"Who's there? Is anyone here?"
I asked, struggling to my feet and forcing myself to move forward. The Hungry Ghosts began to gather again.
But just as the Hungry Ghosts closed in, streams of gray energy—like bristling fur—instantly turned them all to dust.
I wondered who had saved me, but didn't stop. Finally, I saw the end—limping, I made my way forward, less than a hundred meters to go. The end of the road looked like a field of blooming Spider Lilies. I hurried on, catching sight of the scene beside the Bridge of Sighs, and picked up my pace.
Before me, Spider Lily petals danced in the air. The sunset sky was stunning. I swallowed hard—I was almost there.
"Don't go any farther. You'll die."
Suddenly, I heard a voice. I turned my head, and a flood of emotions overwhelmed me—joy and sorrow mingled in my heart.
"Qingyuan... Why are you..."
A strong hand grabbed me, pulling me off the path in an instant. Ethan Zhang took the Spider Lily from my palm, and in a flash, it turned to ash.
"Qingyuan, what are you doing? This..."
"Trust me."
Ethan Zhang said, taking my hand. As the Hungry Ghosts gathered around, he waved his hand casually, and they instantly turned to ash.
I didn't hesitate, following Ethan Zhang as we walked on.
"Qingyuan, why are you here?"
I asked, but Ethan Zhang didn't answer. His face was grave as he pulled me along. I felt much better, as if a protective shield surrounded me—my vitality wasn't leaking away.
Gradually, I saw a beautiful white glow ahead. Ethan Zhang stopped.
"What is going on, Qingyuan?"
Only now did I realize what was happening—the white glow ahead radiated vitality. This was the way back to the living world.
"You were just walking the Luminous Path. If a spirit comes here and loses all its vitality, the Luminous Path will guide you to the other side. Then you'll truly die and never return."
"Why did Ms. Yi deceive me?"
I asked in confusion. Ethan Zhang gave me a push.
"Hurry back."
My eyes widened, and a wave of sadness washed over me.
"I'm not Ethan Zhang. If you must call me something, I'm a part of him left behind after his death—a spectral remnant. Remember this, Rachel Lan: no matter what, you must survive. My existence here is a contingency Martin Lane prepared long ago. He seemed to know Ethan Zhang would die, so he extracted a portion of Ethan's spectral body—the link between flesh and soul—and placed it here in advance."
I stared in shock, eyes wide.
"Was my dad really that meticulous?"
Thinking back, I remembered Ethan Zhang once told me that my dad wanted to leave a backup plan. When Ethan was dragged into Ouyang Meng's dream world, my dad fought Yin Choujian. It must have happened then—he told Yin Choujian he would leave a contingency.
"I've been wandering here for five years, so Ethan Zhang still has a chance to return. If he regains his body and everything else, he can come back to the living world. You and I are the only link to Ethan Zhang—never reveal my existence to anyone, do you hear me, Coexistence?"
As Ethan Zhang spoke, I felt a strange sensation on my shoulder. A humanoid figure appeared, grinning widely.
"Finally found it—the back door Martin Lane left behind."
"Thank you, Qingyuan."
I said, reaching out to hug Ethan Zhang. My heart overflowed with joy, tinged with sadness.
"I told you, I'm not Ethan Zhang. I'm just..."
"Thank you."