I rushed over immediately and grabbed Diana Zhang. All I could feel was her sharp nails piercing through my body. With a sickening sound, I spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Bastard..." Howard Zhang roared and charged at the Blue-Faced Man, swinging his fist. With a bang, the Blue-Faced Man caught Howard's fist in his hand.
"What's wrong? She hates you so much, that little sister. After returning to the Ghost Syndicate, those guys tortured her to the brink of death. She kept crying, calling for her dad, asking why he wouldn't come save her. I told her your father abandoned you, that he threw you away long ago. Then I told her, if she really hates him, she should kill the one he loves most right in front of him. Only then will he understand her."
With a wail, Howard Zhang broke down crying, powerless.
"Fuck you." I unleashed the Resentful Ghost and grabbed Diana Zhang.
I roared, spreading my wings, unable to hold back any longer. I charged at the Blue-Faced Man, deathly aura surging wildly around my fists as I swung at him.
"Get some sleep, Ethan Zhang."
Suddenly, the Blue-Faced Man appeared right in front of me, raising his fist and swinging at me.
"Ten Directions Annihilation..."
A voice sounded behind me. Suddenly, the Blue-Faced Man’s fist seemed to punch into another dimension, then I was yanked back.
"Oh, there's still one troublesome guy left. You, hurry up and take Ethan Zhang and Howard Zhang back. As for the rest—leave no one alive."
As soon as the Blue-Faced Man finished speaking, I was sent flying backward, hurtling toward the oncoming Black Masks. At that moment, I caught the faint smile at the corner of Ray Lin’s mouth.
"Seems things aren't under your control anymore."
Just then, I saw one of the Black Masks suddenly shift in midair, swinging his fists at the hearts of his two nearby companions. I watched, stunned, as the two black-masked figures spat out black blood—their hearts exploded in midair, turning into a spray of black snowflakes.
"Finally, it’s my turn! I’ve had enough of this!"
Suddenly, everything shook. I felt a surge of immense power—it was Tammy Blade. She burst out of the basement ruins, brandishing her gleaming Hidden Saber, hacking wildly in all directions. In an instant, seven or eight Black Masks were sliced in half at the waist.
At that moment, I saw the remaining Black Masks turn on each other, fighting in a frenzy. Among them, I recognized the familiar gaze of the Masked Man—he had blended in with the Immortality Society’s black-masked operatives. Suddenly, a short figure darted into view, and in the next instant, Ray Lin appeared behind the Ghost Syndicate members.
"You think you can screw me over? You’ve got guts messing with me."
In a flash, I saw Ray Lin gripping the strange weapon—Ten Directions Annihilation—in his hand.
"Death Gate..."
A rapid series of snaps rang out. More than twenty Ghost Syndicate members collapsed limply to the ground, blood gushing from their mouths before they lay motionless.
"What now? You’re the only one left."
Ray Lin spoke, and with a sharp slicing sound, the remaining Black Masks were instantly hacked into chunks of flesh, scattering across the ground. Susan Li screamed and fainted; Howard Zhang rushed over and caught her just in time.
It was leprosy—the black-masked men seemed to be cut apart by invisible threads manipulated by the disease.
I watched the Black Mask quietly.
"Please, ghost friend, open the Ghost Domain for me. I don’t want to be exposed just yet."
The Black Mask patted my shoulder, then walked away step by step. Ray Lin flashed an OK gesture.
"Ten Directions Pathway, open..."
Suddenly, everything around us transformed into a wild field covered in grass. A gentle wind swept across the bright, moonlit night.
"Who exactly are you?"
The Blue-Faced Man stared in shock at the Black Mask now standing before him.
"Me?"
The Black Mask pointed at himself. He was a full head shorter and noticeably smaller than the Blue-Faced Man before him.
"I used to be a member of the Immortality Society."
As he spoke, the Black Mask removed his mask. We all saw his face—twisted and burned by a branding iron—before he put the mask back on.
"How should I put it... There was a mission I once had, in a certain place. You know exactly where. And I succeeded."
Suddenly, I saw joy flash in the Blue-Faced Man’s eyes—utter madness. He burst out laughing, then placed his right hand over his chest and bowed deeply.
"Comrade, at last—you did it! You attained immortality! Hahaha, I can feel it, I can feel it—immortality! Hahahahaha..."
The Blue-Faced Man’s laughter turned maniacal. I saw tears streaming down his face—huge drops rolling endlessly. He was crying from joy, completely consumed by a frenzy of happiness.
The Blue-Faced Man danced with excitement, shouting nonstop. Then he suddenly flipped upside down, somersaulting across the ground, laughing wildly.
Howard Zhang sat quietly in front of Diana Zhang, who was held fast by the Resentful Ghost. Right now, Diana looked like a wild beast, screaming nonstop, her eyes full of rage and murderous intent.
Mark Zhang kept calling out to his sister beside Diana Zhang, but she showed no response.
"Howard, let's figure out a way together to help your niece return to normal."
I crouched beside Howard Zhang, pressing his shoulder to comfort him. He kept sobbing, tears streaming down his face.
"I was wrong, cousin. Really—I don't know what happened to me before, cousin."
I nodded, continuing to comfort Howard Zhang.
Finally, the Blue-Faced Man stood up. After his excitement faded, his eyes showed a deep respect for the Black Mask.
"Comrade, let’s return to the Immortality Society together. Supreme power and glory await you—the immortal king has come home."
As he spoke, the Blue-Faced Man dropped to one knee before the Black Mask. But the Black Mask simply shook his head.
"Today, you will die here."
The Blue-Faced Man suddenly started laughing.
"So it seems. I can’t call you comrade anymore. Your heart that once chased immortality is already dead."
The Blue-Faced Man spoke, standing up and clenching his fists until they cracked. The Black Mask extended a hand, stepped back, lifted one foot, turned sideways, and drew his right fist back.
"That stance... you must be from the batch of trainees from three hundred years ago. I see now—you’re no match for me."
Suddenly, the Black Mask flashed right in front of the Blue-Faced Man.
"Second Layer... Ultimate..."
With a bang, a powerful gust surged toward us, flattening the grass on the ground. The Blue-Faced Man simply raised his arm and easily blocked the Black Mask’s attack. I started to worry.
"Everyone, let’s go help!" I shouted, jumping to my feet. But just then, Tammy Blade stepped in front of me, blocking my way.
"Just watch quietly. This is Black Mask’s fight. I won’t let anyone interfere."
"Step back a bit. This fight will be brutal."
Ray Lin raised his hand, moving Uncle’s whole family farther away. I stayed put, quietly standing beside Tammy Blade.
White smoke billowed from the Blue-Faced Man’s arm.
"Just as I thought—your Second Layer Ultimate is weak. After all these years, the old punching technique has been refined for centuries. That’s why I’m stronger."
At that moment, I saw a glimmer of a smile in the Black Mask’s eyes.
"Third Layer Ultimate..."
Suddenly, with a thunderous crash, the Black Mask’s fist broke through the Blue-Faced Man’s defense. The force shoved aside his raised arm, and the punch landed squarely on his face.
With a bang, the Blue-Faced Man was sent flying, landing hundreds of meters away. The friction generated intense heat, igniting flames across the ground.
When the Blue-Faced Man got up, cracks had formed on his blue mask, though he seemed mostly unharmed.
"What move was that? How can you unleash Third Layer Ultimate at such close range?"
The Blue-Faced Man looked puzzled, touching the cracked mask on his cheek and staring in shock.
"You actually managed to break a mask made of this special material."
"Yes, it’s been centuries. The Immortality Society has only grown stronger. But with help from four friends, I’ve learned a lot and... I’ve broken through my limits."
Suddenly, with a roar, the Blue-Faced Man charged at us, kicking up clouds of dust. He swung his fist, and in a blur, their punches collided, white smoke rising with every impact.
With a bang, I saw the Black Mask fly toward us. The sharp screech of boots scraping echoed, then a tearing sound—his shoulder, clothes ripped, a chunk of flesh gone, blood spraying everywhere.
The Blue-Faced Man wasn’t faring much better—his left arm was streaming blood, his sleeve completely gone. Both men tore off their jackets and shirts, charging at each other again.