Here and now.
The ghost surging through the waves let out a cry filled with emotion—clearly, it had already developed true intelligence, far surpassing those with only budding sentience.
"A trap!"
"This is a carefully laid trap!"
Tanya Li’s expression shifted slightly. She glanced at Andrew Han, who was fighting two ghosts alone, and felt somewhat reassured.
If only she and Ethan Cheng were here, they would have retreated at full speed, letting the ghosts rampage rather than dying in vain. Unless she and Ethan were completely unscathed, and unimpeded by other ghosts, they might be able to contend with it for a few minutes.
But right now—
Andrew Han, at First Rank Limit, was here.
At the very least, they could attempt to join forces and attack. If things went badly, they could still choose to retreat. After all, even among intelligent ghosts, there are strong and weak; if this one were truly formidable, it wouldn’t need such an elaborate trap to wear down the three of them.
"Ethan!"
Tanya Li growled, urgent and anxious.
In a flash, Ethan Cheng understood Tanya’s intent. He didn’t hesitate—his feet churned through the water, and he lunged straight toward Andrew Han: “Let’s join forces and kill these two first!”
Good!
Andrew Han silently agreed, without any sense of urgency.
Martial strength is the foundation of everything. With First Rank condensed force and Inspiration, if he were to enter Berserker State, he could probably defeat even Middle Martial Artists—that was his strongest form.
Of course—
In Berserker State, only his core beliefs remained, but he couldn’t distinguish friend from foe—he might accidentally kill Ethan Cheng or Tanya Li. That was the sole drawback of Berserker State.
He shifted his thoughts and stopped dwelling on it.
Thud!
Andrew Han’s right palm spread like a fan, thrusting straight ahead. It was as if he had swung an iron whip, his arm sweeping to the right and sending the ghost flying.
"That one’s yours."
"And this one—" He stepped forward, looking down at the ghost, whose eyes reflected despair and resentment. A faint smile curled at his lips. "Is mine."
Slash!
His left palm became a blade, slicing swiftly through the air ahead.
On the concrete riverbank, a conspicuous mark appeared instantly, as if a steel bar had sliced through the surface, ending at the ghost’s body.
Crack.
Something shattered, something collapsed.
The ghost’s eyes flashed wildly. Its spectral body faded to the brink of dissolution, as if about to vanish from the world—it began to bite madly, to struggle for survival.
All living things possess the instinct to survive.
Even demons and ghosts are no exception.
But Andrew Han gave it no chance—he drove his condensed force, hammering it again and again, unleashing over twenty heavy punches between breaths, and smashed it apart.
Hiss!
The ghost was dead.
Meanwhile, Ethan Cheng exerted his technique without reservation—first assisting Andrew Han, then rushing toward Tanya Li.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Both were Middle Martial Artists; when their Internal Power surged, the momentum far surpassed Andrew Han’s.
When the intelligent ghost lunged toward them, all the other ghosts had already been swept away. Tanya Li raised her head, short hair drenched, and glanced at Andrew Han.
"Stance training?"
"Was he injured by the ghost’s attack on his blood and qi?"
Tanya Li’s heart trembled. She suppressed all stray thoughts, exchanged a glance with Ethan Cheng, and moved to confront the green ghost.
A faint green aura swept over them.
The massive ghostly body was over two meters tall. Its angry, twisted eyes gleamed with sinister light, shooting out two thin beams that disrupted thought and spirit.
Bang!
Ethan Cheng grunted, blood spilling from his lips as he was sent flying backward.
Flowing Water Emotion!
Tanya Li clenched her teeth, enduring the psychic beams. Her palms sliced forward, cutting through the air like blades dividing clouds and water—so sharp they could slice through iron.
But the green shadow only wavered slightly.
Hiss!
Its eyes turned oily green, opening like a bloody maw, suddenly engulfing Tanya Li’s entire body before snapping shut.
This was the ghost’s bite!
Because it was far stronger than ordinary ghosts, its area of effect was terrifying.
Beside them—
Ethan Cheng’s eyes bulged. His Internal Power surged, boiling within him, steam rising from his head as he parted the river’s waters. Like a rampaging bull—Iron Rampart!
A collision like that would shatter even a massive boulder.
Boom!
Ethan Cheng rammed into the green ghost, making its body tremble. He was knocked flying, but managed to rescue Tanya Li from the ghost’s maw.
Gasp.
Tanya Li panted heavily, retreating half a step.
The pale moonlight illuminated the chaos before them, outlining Tanya Li’s soaked figure—her tense curves and caution stark against the scene.
"We can kill it!"
"It only recently awakened true intelligence."
Tanya Li drew a sharp breath, continued channeling her technique, and moved with Ethan Cheng to confront the emerald specter.
Though danger had seemed imminent, Tanya’s body was still protected by Internal Power—she could hold out for another two or three seconds, not yet at the brink of death.
Unless Ethan Cheng lost his nerve and ran.
She and Ethan Cheng were well acquainted; unless the situation was truly hopeless, neither would abandon a companion.
*Cage-Breaking Technique*!
Ethan Cheng narrowed his eyes, his frame swelling slightly as he sank to the riverbed. Using the rebound of his legs, he burst from the depths, smashing into the fray.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The emerald specter’s eyes burned with fury, its ghostly form shuddering as it unleashed a chilling aura, trying to wound Ethan Cheng and Tanya Li.
But as long as a martial artist’s Internal Power held strong, the specter was powerless.
Only a more terrifying specter, wielding ghostly powers, could pierce the mist of Internal Power and directly disrupt a martial artist’s organs, bones, and blood.
Such disruption is a truly horrifying ability.
Every part within the human body is vital. Disordered blood and qi is already a grave injury; if organs are shifted, the martial artist would die instantly.
Fortunately, this emerald specter still lacks that power.
A few heartbeats later—
Andrew Han used the *Complete Solar Pillar Manual* to restore his weakened blood and qi; condensed force surged back into his body.
*Raging Downpour*!
He sprang forward from another angle, charging straight at the emerald specter.
As for retreat, Andrew never considered it. If faced with true mortal peril, he would either escape decisively or unleash his berserk state.
For now, things were far from desperate.