There was no escape. The thought barely crossed my mind before the scorpion tail struck mercilessly toward me. I shut my eyes.
In just a second or two, I opened my eyes again—only to find myself falling. Evan Zhao's expression was cold and sharp as he spoke.
"You've died 178 times now, Zachary Young."
I stared at him blankly. With a splash, I landed in the water—a wave of coldness washed over me. Only then did I realize my clothes had been shredded to tatters, leaving me nearly naked except for my underwear. Red marks streaked across my skin, as if something had whipped me.
Laughter echoed around me once again. Embarrassed, I stood up, face flushed, covering myself and sneezing.
"Hey, you guys—aren't you going a bit too far?"
Julian Chu floated over, holding a white coat and a belt.
"Just put this on for now, Zachary Young." I thanked him and hurriedly wrapped myself in the coat. The sharp scent of disinfectant filled my nose—it was like something a doctor would wear. I didn't care; I tied the belt, face still red, and looked at Evan Zhao.
"Brother Evan, impressive! Sorry for saying you weren't skilled with Wraith Armament earlier." Vincent Swallow, standing nearby, bowed with genuine respect.
"Not bad, Xiao Yang. In such a short time, you managed to strike 178 times. Even though Ethan's body looks like it's been flogged, your accuracy is impressive."
Evan Zhao burst out laughing.
"Sorry to make a spectacle of things, everyone. And sorry to you, Ethan."
I shook my head. My body burned with pain, and I grimaced. In that brief moment, all I could think of was my body being torn apart by Evan Zhao's scorpion tail.
Samantha Simons drifted over quietly.
"Master Zachary, do you understand now?"
I nodded, still unsure.
"The way Blue Wraiths fight isn't just about brute strength. It's not just us ghosts—humans are the same, Ethan. Combat isn't only about force. Just now, Evan Zhao used your Specter Web to clearly transmit his intent to attack you, creating an illusion in your mind."
"So you tricked me." I muttered, dissatisfied. Samantha continued her explanation.
"To distinguish whether what's transmitted through the Specter Web is real or false, thinking alone isn't enough. You need constant battle, accumulated experience, awareness, your five senses, and instant reactions. Master Zachary, you've grown, but you're still far from ready."
I nodded seriously.
"By the way, what exactly is Wraith Armament?" I was deeply puzzled by what Vincent Swallow had just mentioned.
At that moment, I noticed Hongyan Chen running over, looking very serious. Beside her was Ren Li, carrying a small notebook. Samantha Simons began to explain.
The so-called Blue Wraiths possess two essential things. First, they have multiple ghost souls—not just one. Each soul is their lifeline, and the more souls they have, the greater their power.
Speaking of that, I knew for a fact that Ghost Rakshasa had hundreds, maybe thousands, of ghost souls.
The second thing is the Specter Web, which allows them to sense everything within its range.
"As for the Specter Web, Master Ethan, you may not fully understand it yet. Evan, could you please demonstrate?"
As Samantha spoke, Evan Zhao walked over. A green light appeared behind him, and the scorpion tail retracted. Then I saw Evan stretch out his hand.
"Uh, Sister Samantha, I'm still in the growth phase. Without a target, I really can't demonstrate."
Evan Zhao looked troubled, clearly embarrassed.
Samantha Simons glanced around, sweeping her eyes over everyone—human and ghost alike.