My consciousness began to blur. I intended to enter my Instinctive Space, but suddenly, I snapped awake, my eyes widening in surprise.
My Instinctive Space felt like my home. Someone was behind the door, holding it shut. Even though I had the key to enter, the door was blocked—I couldn't get in.
All around me, streaks of greenish light began to float up. My baleful energy was being restrained; the wild, overflowing aura started to draw back.
I was completely enveloped by the pale green motes of light. They twisted and thickened around me, swirling in unnatural patterns until, with a chilling pulse, they condensed into a human shape—Jonas Darong, the Harmony Village chief from fourteen years ago. The transformation was uncanny, a ghostly apparition that made my skin crawl.
"What exactly is happening here?"
I stared at Jonas Darong. His eyes burned with a piercing, almost unnatural vitality—he was truly the village chief, nothing like the hollow-eyed, walking corpse I’d seen before. The difference was stark and unsettling, as if a spirit had awakened inside him.
"What will it take for you to leave this desolate village?"
Jonas Darong asked.
"Once I find what I’m looking for, I’ll leave on my own."
"Impossible. Once someone steps into this place, there’s no way out. They’re all dead already, even the outsiders. But in the whirlpool of time here, they don’t die—yet they’re long since dead. It’s too late for everything."
Jonas Darong spoke, and I stared at him in a daze.
"Tell me, what is really happening here? Where did the thirty-one members of the Ghost Burial Squad go? And the young woman who came with me—where is she now?"
I spoke, and Jonas Darong nodded.
"You and that young woman are unusual. You won’t be greatly restricted by this place and can’t truly become part of it. So this place is rejecting you, trying to push you out of time itself. Go back. Everything here should return to silence. It’s enough."
Jonas Darong slowly descended in front of me, his eyes filled with sorrow.
"We have all been dead for a long time. To keep outsiders from entering, I have struggled for centuries, only hoping nothing here will threaten the world of the living. Please go back, young man. All of this must return to peace."
There was a hint of desolation in Jonas Darong’s voice. But I stood up and shook my head.
"I came here to resolve everything. That’s why I exist in this place. Chief, please tell me."
My words had barely faded when, suddenly, a sharp, tearing sound erupted from my chest. From within, a serpent-like monster burst forth—the same creature that had swallowed my right hand last night, warping me into this twisted state. Its emergence was violent and grotesque, sending a jolt of terror through me.
As the red, yellow, and black creature opened its gaping maw, Miles Darong instantly dissolved into green motes of light, which the beast hungrily sucked into its mouth. I lunged with my left hand, desperate to grab it, but the monster slipped back inside my body before I could catch it, leaving a cold emptiness behind.
Jonas Darong vanished, and I stared blankly at my chest.
"You’ll never get rid of me that easily."
I roared, then sat quietly on the ground, forcing myself to calm down and preparing to try entering my Instinctive Space again.
I failed again. Just as I was about to lose consciousness, the figure behind the door forced me out once more.
"You seven, what are you doing? Stop playing mahjong and take care of the problems at home!"
I shouted again, losing consciousness once more. At that moment, I felt something changing inside my body—a surge of power rising up. I blacked out.
Suddenly, I opened my eyes wide—I was inside my Instinctive Space. My seven ghost souls glared intently at the red, black, and yellow intertwined space before them.
A section had already been taken over. My Instinctive Space was surrounded by black, while the red, yellow, and black area took up about a tenth of it. A powerful force was slowly expanding.
"What is that thing?"
I asked, and Zhu Tang laughed.
"We don’t know either, haha. By the way, what’s going on? How did things get so out of hand after just a few minutes of play?"
I was furious. Sure enough, they were playing mahjong. The village’s strange power had affected my ghost souls too—they had no idea, just like me, thinking hours had passed. But once in my Instinctive Space, they realized the truth.
Now I remembered completely—it had been four days since I arrived in this village. The events had repeated four times, each beginning the same, but the process was always different.
"It’s time. Our consciousness is being controlled by time itself."
Spirit Snake spoke, flicking out its crimson tongue.
"This isn’t a curse, nor anything else—it’s simply time itself."
Curse Ghost said coldly. The others looked stunned and sat down one by one.
"You must know something, right? Tell me."
I glanced sideways. With a whoosh, my shadow stood up and came to my side.
"All I know is that time keeps stacking up. The space created by time is endlessly layered, like basket inside basket, each one nested within another. I advise you to give up, Ethan Zhang. That guy is not as gentle as he seems. Last time was just a warning. If you anger him, no one can resist time itself."
My shadow spoke. I looked at the spot radiating three colors of light, then slowly floated upward.
"You all, come help me."
I said, and my seven ghost souls floated up one after another.
"You never know unless you try. You come help me too—you’re my Heavenly Soul, aren’t you, Ethan Zhang?"
I muttered, then glanced at my shadow. He clutched his belly, laughing loudly, then looked at me with a puzzled expression.
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"I am myself, and your shadow—nothing more, nothing less."
I laughed, then turned away. I’d noticed it long ago, especially after visiting Mount Immeasurable. Subconsciously, I’d been aware of this guy’s identity. It wasn’t until that time in the Belle Sword world, when my Heavenly Soul suddenly broke free and shattered the Divine Law suppressing Xi Shi, that I realized.
That’s when I noticed.
"Where there is light, there must be shadow. Suit yourself."
I just said that, and my shadow fell silent, staring at me without a word.
"You’ve gotten a little smarter, but he and I aren’t the same. We’re both you, but I really am your shadow."
My shadow repeated, but I didn’t have time to think about it. The most important thing now was to deal with the force in my Instinctive Space trying to expand and push me out of the village.
"Let me give it a try."
Yin Ghost spoke, stepping forward. Chilling winds rose from beneath her feet, gathering in her hands. Black chaotic currents compressed in her palms, the power growing stronger.
With a whoosh, two masses of chaotic currents shot out. The moment they touched the three-colored barrier, they vanished. As we wondered what happened, I suddenly cried out in surprise.
The remaining six ghost souls flew out in all directions. My shadow grabbed my collar and pulled me back.
The chaotic currents released by Yin Ghost suddenly appeared among us and exploded.
"Damn, that hurts!"
Yin Ghost howled in pain as the currents wrapped around her, but suddenly, they began to converge toward the center.
Yin Ghost opened her mouth wide and gulped down all the chaotic currents.
"Looks like brute force won’t work."
Spirit Snake spoke, seeming to notice something. He floated over alone, flicking his tongue to sense the surroundings.
"Your turn, Tong Ghost. Show your true power."
At that moment, Tong Ghost floated over. I nodded—only the abilities of a Wraith might be useful here.
"Heh, watch closely, losers. When it really matters, I’m the one who gets things done."
Tong Ghost looked ready to fight, striding forward. The other six ghost souls glared at him in anger.
Just then, the red, yellow, and black territory before us started moving farther away. We all chased after it. Clearly, this thing had a mind of its own and seemed wary of Tong Ghost’s power.
"Heh, don’t run! Just let me take one bite—all I need is one."
Suddenly, Tong Ghost swelled up. His giant mouth opened wide as he caught up and bit into the moving territory of three colors.
With a bang, I was stunned—Tong Ghost’s body exploded, then shriveled like a deflated balloon and flew back toward us. Resentful Ghost rushed over to catch him.
"Idiot, I told you not to act cocky. Even when playing mahjong, just because you win one round you start showing off."
"Who are you?"
Stunned, I stared at the figure before me—a humanoid form woven from red, yellow, and black, with icy golden eyes glaring at us.
"Step aside. Let me handle this sneak attacker."
Tong Ghost said, but suddenly Resentful Ghost grabbed him. The being before me felt strange—ominous, radiating an aura of misfortune.
"I am you."
At that moment, the entity spoke. Its voice was cold, piercing my heart and sending a chill through me. Gradually, the tri-colored figure shifted, transforming into my own likeness, standing opposite me.
I raised my left hand. With a swoosh, Belle Sword flew into my grasp. I pointed the sword at the figure.
"I’m not you, and you can’t possibly be me. What exactly are you?"
Suddenly, the tri-colored entity before me split with a snap into three orbs—one red, one yellow, and one black—each radiating wicked laughter.
"You’re a bit tougher than the rumors say, Ethan Zhang. Who I am doesn’t matter. But you should go back—this place isn’t meant for you. Go back."