Nether Pit

"Ordinary people would never be able to find it. Heh, Ethan Zhang, I bet the Coexistence Faction helped you again, didn't they?"

The Thought Ghost burst into laughter, completely unfazed by my threat.

"It's not because of instinct, but because of my friend—the Spirit Snake."

The Thought Ghost turned its head and glanced at the Spirit Snake.

"You carry that guy's scent, Thought Ghost. Even after centuries, the Celestial Hound's scent still lingers in my mind. That's the best proof you've had direct contact with him. At first, Ethan didn't quite believe it, but when he realized his own principles, he understood—you tampered with his thoughts."

"So what do you want?"

The Thought Ghost's attitude remained unchanged. I sneered, feeling a cold fire ignite within my heart.

"No matter what kind of future you face, eating Rufina Howard was just a way to force me into the past, to help those who want me gone, to trap me here so I can't leave for a hundred years."

"Ethan, something's not right outside."

The Shadow Ghost whispered in my ear. I nodded to her.

"Just stay put for now. This isn't your concern."

With a ripping sound, I screamed in pain as a furry paw suddenly reached into my chest, yanking out a patch of white. Instantly, I collapsed to the ground.

"What are you trying to do, Celestial Hound?"

I roared. The Celestial Hound held a ball of white in its hand; now in human form with a dog’s head, it opened its jaws wide and, with a gulp, swallowed the Heavenly Soul—Ethan Zhang—whole.

"That guy’s a nuisance. I don’t want to waste any more effort. Ethan Zhang, that’s enough. Just stay quiet here. If you have any requests, I’ll try to help you—after all, Black Moon..."

With a swish, Belle swept across the Celestial Hound’s head, slicing it off. Yet the head didn’t drop; where I struck, black smoke drifted.

"You can ask Spirit Snake about certain things, if he’s willing to talk. We Twelve Zodiac Saints have existed since ancient times. When Naraku’s power grew, we became their allies. But centuries ago, Spirit Snake severed ties with Naraku because of Fan Xiaoran."

"Give me back the Heavenly Soul."

I spoke each word with deliberate emphasis.

The Celestial Hound glanced at me, silent, then suddenly crouched. Its body gradually transformed into a dog—fangs bared, blood-red eyes gleaming, white, razor-sharp teeth exposed.

"You have your beliefs, and I have mine, Ethan Zhang."

With a violent bark, I blacked out. When I opened my eyes again, I was startled to find myself in a space bathed in gentle, silvery light.

The Celestial Hound dug its claws into the ground, hunched and ready to pounce at any moment.

"The only path left is to defeat you, Ethan Zhang. Don't blame me—blame your birth..."

With a boom, the nearly three-meter-tall, five-meter-long Celestial Hound lunged at me. I braced Belle in both hands, blocking the attack without budging an inch.

With a grinding sound, the Celestial Hound stood over me, its claws pressing on my shoulders, its gaping maw clamped down on Belle. Shock flickered in its eyes.

"I didn't expect you to have grown so strong."

"It's precisely because I know how weak I am. Against those powerful enemies, I'm helpless. But that's enough. I won't lose anything else..."

With a thunderous sound, I shoved the Celestial Hound away. Killing intent surged from me as I slashed at it with waves of Deathbane Aura. It darted around after landing.

In a flash, I closed in on the Celestial Hound. It hadn’t expected my speed. As it hesitated, Belle stabbed up into its jaw. The Celestial Hound howled in rage.

Blood splattered. Gripping Belle with both hands, I poured wild Deathbane Aura through her, forming thousands of blades. With a crack, the Celestial Hound’s head exploded into pulp.

I immediately let go of Belle and reached out with my right hand. With a roar, the shattered head appeared behind me, jaws gaping.

With a bang, I pulled the trigger of my shotgun. Another blast—Celestial Hound’s head was reduced to ashes by Deathbane Aura.

With a rumble, the Celestial Hound’s massive body crashed toward me.

The sound of gunfire echoed. With a Gatling in my left hand, bullets rained down on the Celestial Hound, riddling its huge body with holes.

I'm not the same person I was, Celestial Hound.

I roared, bullets still tearing into the Celestial Hound. Its head, just turned to ash, reformed above me. I raised my shotgun, but with a snap, the Celestial Hound bit down on it from the side.

With a grinding sound, the reformed shotgun was instantly destroyed. As I let go, a loaded grenade launcher appeared in my hand.

With a muffled boom, the massive explosion was deafening. Howling, I released both hands—two Deathbane swords appeared. The Celestial Hound’s body and head were merging.

"Impossible. You were just..."

With two sharp cracks, I stabbed the Deathbane swords into the Celestial Hound’s shoulders. It let out a piercing scream. With a bang, I dodged its jaws, flipping through the air, and stabbed the swords into its ribs.

As the Celestial Hound howled, I kept forging Deathbane swords, stabbing them into its body again and again.

With a bang, as I aimed for its head, it rammed me. I flew backward, skidding to a halt on the ground.

The Celestial Hound's massive body crashed down, raising a cloud of dust. Its blood-soaked body could no longer stand.

"I'm not your match anymore, Ethan Zhang."

The Celestial Hound lay quietly on the ground. Step by step, I approached, shotgun aimed at its head.

"You don’t seem to be running out of Deathbane Aura at all."

I let out a cry and pulled the trigger.

With a bang, the Celestial Hound’s head exploded before my eyes. Deathbane Aura surged over, a patch of white—my hand shot out and grabbed the Heavenly Soul.

"Sorry, Ethan Zhang. I underestimated you."

I nodded, watching the pile of flesh on the ground still twitching, slowly condensing into a Celestial Hound half my height, lying weakly.

"This is a space you created, isn’t it, Celestial Hound?"

I spoke, raising Belle. But the Celestial Hound just burst out laughing.

"Not at all. It was made long ago by that little cat, specifically for people of Naraku—the Nether Pit..."

I swallowed, quietly scanning my surroundings. I’d heard of the Nether Pit, but all I knew was that it was a trial ground for Naraku’s disciples.

"Not quite, child..."

I swallowed again and looked into the distance. A squat figure accompanied by an old woman’s voice—it was Granny Zinian.

"All right, child. Your next opponent is me."

With a squeak, I saw behind Granny Zinian a swarm of giant rats with red eyes, appearing one after another.

"No matter how strong you are, Ethan Zhang, this is where generations of Naraku’s dead come. The weak aren’t allowed in—only the strong, the Twelve Zodiac Saints, the Ten Heavenly Stems. Most of the dead here are Naraku’s heirs and former masters."

"Granny Zinian..."

I called out, but quickly drew Belle as the red-eyed rats lunged at me. With a few swift slashes, I killed several and leapt into the air.

The rats vanished from the ground. I swallowed, seeing Granny Zinian below, her eyes full of helplessness.

"Child, unless you defeat me, I won’t stop."

I nodded, instantly appearing beside Granny Zinian, swinging Belle at her neck.

"Sorry..."

With a swish, Belle slashed down, but there was no substance.

A black paper rat fluttered through the air—a paper-cut mouse. I swallowed.

With a boom, a tremendous force struck me, sending me flying with black blood spraying from my mouth. I crashed to the ground.

"No matter how strong you are now, Ethan Zhang, against generations of Naraku’s masters, you have no chance."

The Celestial Hound’s body slowly sank into the ground.

"I have work to do, Ethan Zhang. By the time you get out, everything will be over."

I watched as the Celestial Hound disappeared. The space around me grew colder, and Granny Zinian’s eyes met mine, calm but unyielding.