My eyes widened as I watched Victor Duan's entire body dissolve into dust in an instant, scattering in all directions. With a loud crash, the Mirrored Phantom Domain collapsed, disappearing bit by bit.
A fit of coughing echoed nearby. I turned to see Victor Duan, panting heavily, his face twisted in terror as he floated in the sky above the river.
"I'm done playing with you, John Chou. Heh, if I hadn't dodged just now, you'd have finished me off already."
As he spoke, Victor Duan's figure gradually faded away. Suddenly, John Chou appeared where Victor Duan had vanished.
"You're nothing but trash, yet you still try to run? I'm furious right now."
With a loud bang, the space before me split open. John Chou punched forward and then disappeared into the rift.
"Come on, let's take a look." Quinn Ji led me as we flew over. The moment we entered, the surroundings changed completely. Numerous ghosts were discussing something, and John Chou's figure was nowhere to be seen.
Then I saw that all around us was a vast, pitch-black forest. Many ghosts walked along a road, lanterns in hand.
After a chilling scream, I saw a large group of ghosts instantly turn to ashes. Then, it seemed all the remaining ghosts noticed.
"Trash, through and through."
It was John Chou. I saw him standing among a crowd of ghosts, raising his hand.
"Disappear."
In an instant, blood-red lines spun outward from John Chou, spreading in all directions. Any ghost they touched shriveled and turned to ash.
A whole swath of ghosts vanished, without a single scream. John Chou glanced around, raised his fist toward a spot, and with a boom, another rift in space opened. He slipped inside.
Quinn Ji led me after him. As soon as we entered, I found myself atop a tall building, the bustling city below.
"If you don't come out now, I'll wipe out every wraith inside." John Chou held a wraith glowing red in his hand. With a crack, the wraith turned to ash.
"Boring. Are you all really this dull? You dragged me in here, but don't dare show yourselves. Heh, then I'll just erase everything."
As soon as John Chou finished speaking, bubbles seemed to form on his skin. Suddenly, blood-red lines shot out in all directions from his body. As new rifts opened, those lines extended inside.
"They're stories—one terrifying tale after another."
Quinn Ji spoke, and I realized it too. Looking into those rifts, I saw ancient things, modern things, and blood-red lines flying out, followed by clouds of ash.
"If you don't come out soon, the ghosts inside will all be dead. For the sake of your grand plan—heh—the Ghost Mound Syndicate and the Immortality Society, do none of you want to show yourselves and meet face to face?"
Just as John Chou finished speaking, I cried out in shock. The space around us began to collapse bit by bit, and the ruptured areas seemed to be gradually vanishing into nothingness.
"John Chou, don't get cocky."
"Transform and transmute, mend the heavens and bathe the sun, move mountains and overturn seas, summon rain and call wind—hurry, Dragon Muster Technique, appear..."
With a deafening roar, lightning flashed across the sky, and torrential rain poured down. A high-pitched, thunderous howl echoed—it was a dragon. My eyes widened in disbelief as I saw a dragon made of water, shrieking and surging down from the heavens, charging straight at John Chou.
"Such childish tricks, and you dare show them off..."
John Chou raised his hand and swept it toward the fierce, descending water dragon. Three streaks of red light flashed, and with a snap, the dragon instantly dissolved into a vast pool of water. John Chou vanished, reappearing atop a distant building. Ji Qun quickly led me toward him.
I saw John Chou extend his claw toward a Ghost Mound member. Suddenly, a figure flashed in front of John Chou, blocking him. With a boom, John Chou was sent crashing straight into the building below.
With a thunderous crash, Ji Qun floated upward with me. The entire building beneath us collapsed completely. I saw a man clenching his fist, dressed in a gray suit, about 1.78 meters tall. Amidst flashes of lightning, I saw he wore a blue mask with the black characters for 'Immortality' written on it.
Suddenly, I remembered the letter Chen Miaoqiang left me—was this the leader of the Immortality Society? I stared at him in astonishment. His clenched fist emitted wisps of blue smoke. With a blast, John Chou lunged toward the masked man, laughing wildly.
"It's been a long time since I felt this exhilarated, haha! Clearly you're human, yet you can still stand against me—ha!"
With a resounding crash, John Chou's punch was blocked. The masked man floated steadily in midair, unmoving, while the falling raindrops seemed to be blasted away, scattering in irregular waves into the distance.
The clouds overhead split open, revealing a gaping hole, while dust billowed up beneath John Chou's feet. Buildings crumbled in an instant under an invisible, crushing force.
"Oh, not bad, not bad at all, human—haha!"
John Chou kept laughing wildly. Suddenly, I saw a flurry of fists—his body was instantly punched through with several holes. I screamed in horror.
With a splatter, John Chou spat out a mouthful of blood, clutching his abdomen as he slowly floated backward.
It was the first time I had ever seen such an expression on John Chou's face; his eyes seemed to hold a trace of unwillingness.
"Stop, John Chou. No matter what method I use, with my current strength, I doubt I could kill you. So, I invite you to enter this Horror Stories book. When the time comes..."
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Thunder boomed as I saw John Chou launch a furious assault, his fists glowing red as he pummeled the masked man. Instantly, a deafening rumble erupted, and everything around us was shattered by a powerful shockwave.
Ji Qun carried me, darting and weaving through the air, flying ever higher.
"Watch closely, Ethan Zhang."
Ji Qun spoke, and I looked down. Though John Chou was fiercely attacking the masked man, that man only curled up defensively, showing no sign of breaking. At last, John Chou's onslaught ceased, and the city below had become a complete wasteland.
Mist billowed from the masked man's body, his eyes cold as he stared at John Chou.
"It's useless, John Chou. Your Blood Fiend power shows no sign of recovery. Even if you want to kill me, you'll need your strength back first. Enough—since you're here, it's time."
As he spoke, a dazzling light flared in the distance—it was the Horror Stories book, its pages rustling as it appeared. In an instant, the masked man appeared behind John Chou.
"Go inside, John Chou. Only by sealing you, this evil ghost, will peace return to the world."
I screamed, reaching out, but in that instant, I saw John Chou smile. With a bang, a gaping hole opened in his body. Yet, instead of being pulled into the Horror Stories book as the masked man intended, he grabbed the man's hand.
"Heh, trash. Aren't you a bit too arrogant in front of me? Just because you landed a few punches and blocked my attacks, you think you can stand above me?"
Wailing cries erupted. Beside the masked man, a black vortex appeared. In a flash, I saw the masked man's hand sliced clean off.
"Thank you, Crying Grandfather. You saved my life."
With the sound of wailing, an ancient voice echoed from within the black vortex.
"Words are pointless. You were far too naive—how could you be careless against such a vicious, cunning ghost? If I’d been a moment late, you’d be done for."
John Chou released the severed hand. With a snap, the masked man's hand dissolved into a mist of blood and scattered.
"Crying brat, you’re here too? Heh, come out and play with me."
John Chou tilted his head, and the gaping wound in his body healed completely.
"Heh, John Chou, I have no interest in crossing paths with you. As long as you’re sealed, that’s enough."
As he spoke, pitch-black chains shot out. John Chou instantly transformed into a streak of red light and dodged.
"These Ghostlife Chains are quite useful, heh. Even you can’t break free, not with the little strength you have left."
In the sky, pitch-black chains chased John Chou from all directions.
"Brothers, go on ahead—quickly, go back! I’ve already found the mirror for you. Smash it, and you’ll be able to bring back the person you’re looking for. The old Daoist is still waiting outside—hurry!"
John Chou shouted, and I saw black chains coil around him, pushing him bit by bit toward the Horror Stories book.
I screamed and yelled as Ji Qun carried me, whisking me onto the bridge. My heart was heavy with sorrow; I stared blankly at John Chou, trapped and helpless, unable to help him.
Sure enough, there were two mirrors on the bridge, with Rachel Lan and my parents trapped inside. Ken Wang waited anxiously nearby. Just then, a ball of golden light appeared.
"Qingyuan, take your parents and your wife—hurry out!" It was Zhang Wuju's voice.