My back burned with searing pain as the battle raged on. The Wraithlord's attack failed to land, and Luna Quay slipped away, using a corpse shroud to dodge the Wraithlord’s fist.
"What the hell is going on?"
I muttered, watching the Wraithlord’s fist pass through Luna Quay’s body, growing hazy. Luna Quay’s face twisted, his body already beginning to shatter. For the second time, I saw the Wraithlord strike Luna Quay, who existed in another dimension. The scattered corpse fragments glowed silver-white, instantly shooting away like meteors.
But just as the corpse fragments started to reassemble, the Wraithlord crashed down. Luna Quay hadn’t even finished reforming before the Wraithlord struck again, scattering him. Silver-white meteors streaked out in every direction.
I glanced back at the black substance coating the wall of the space behind me. A layer of darkness radiated from it, freezing cold yet burning to the touch. These nameless materials stabilized the space Luna Quay had created, preventing it from collapsing. The Wraithlord, it seemed, didn’t want anyone knowing his location—at least for now.
The Wraithlord had sealed off the entire place. I’d sensed something strange before entering, but now I understood: the Wraithlord knew the boundaries of this space from the start, and wrapped it with an even larger one, cutting it off completely from the world of Yin and Yang. The blackness leaking from the walls was the power from the Wraithlord’s own domain, ready to devour this space.
I’d once witnessed the Wraithlord seize the entire Realm of Desire. That moment is still burned into my memory.
Luna Quay can’t hold out much longer. Even with his immense power, every time the Wraithlord crushes him, he burns more energy to reassemble. I don’t get why the Wraithlord doesn’t just finish him off—he clearly can. Doubt gnawed at me.
I can’t shake the feeling that the Wraithlord has another motive. He’s not just after the Corpse Jade of Tanh Tian to destroy it. Luna Quay has already broken free of me. When he falls, I’ll have to find a way to stall the Wraithlord—but I doubt he’ll listen.
Now, the Wraithlord had stopped attacking. He sat suspended in midair, resting his chin on his palm, watching Luna Quay slowly reassemble in the distance with a playful smile. The Wraithlord hadn’t unleashed his full power. It felt like he was waiting for something.
I began to drift slowly toward the Wraithlord. At the same moment, Luna Quay reformed herself, swiftly appearing before the Wraithlord.
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
Luna Quay asked, but the Wraithlord simply shook his head.
"Luna Quay, think carefully about what Tan Tian has done to you, or what he means to you. Even if you claim to have no emotions, something this simple should be clear to you!"
Luna Quay drew her weapon again, clearly unwilling to continue the conversation. In an instant, a flash of silvery light erupted as her spear thrust toward the Wraithlord. But the Wraithlord only shook his head, catching Luna Quay’s powerful strike with a single hand.
I hovered in the air, stunned. The Wraithlord treated this battle as if it were a game. Clenching my fists, I didn’t move any closer.
The immense force unleashed by Luna Quay’s attack surged wildly in all directions, but as it neared the edge of the space, it was instantly absorbed by the surrounding black substance.
"Everyone has a past they’d rather not look back on, and you’re no exception. Anything with a mind is like this—even you zombies aren’t exempt. Heh."
Luna Quay tried to pull her spear back, but I saw the tip was less than a centimeter from the Wraithlord’s fingers. The spear seemed caught, no matter how hard Luna Quay tried to retrieve it. The moment she let go, a violent black smoke erupted behind the Wraithlord, and the spear instantly crumbled to dust, as if corroded, hissing as it disintegrated completely.
"The reason I haven’t killed you isn’t because I can’t do it in an instant. Before you die, I want you to understand something—every life has its own meaning, even you zombies are no exception."
I stared at the Wraithlord, more confused than ever. Luna Quay’s expression remained icy, unleashing wave after wave of silvery beams at the Wraithlord. Yet the Wraithlord was like an impenetrable, towering wall—no matter what attack Luna Quay tried, her power was crushed the instant it touched him.
Though I couldn’t see clearly, I suddenly realized something terrifying—the Wraithlord’s power possessed its own consciousness.
The powers not released from the Wraithlord’s body would erupt within him, creating an intense pressure that instantly formed a defense, dispersing the opponent’s force. Luna Quay’s mighty strength was nothing before the Wraithlord.
"Earth Soul, you’re a clever one. Surely you understand why I haven’t finished off this zombie yet!"
I shook my head, completely lost as to what the Wraithlord meant. At that moment, the Wraithlord stood up.
"Long ago, when my three souls were scattered, I had many conversations with that zombie. My question was always: What was he fighting for? He had nothing left to believe in, nothing to protect—he was cold, emotionless. Yet somehow, he always seemed to be working toward some plan."
The Wraithlord smiled. Luna Quay stopped her attacks, her face tense.
I fell silent, lost in thought, unable to grasp the Wraithlord’s motives.
"Luna Quay, do you remember what it felt like when you first woke up?"
Luna Quay didn’t answer. The Wraithlord continued speaking.
"I imagine there was both sadness and anger. And when those feelings faded from your body, what was left? Sadness? Resignation? Or rage?"
Luna Quay hunched over, seemingly preparing to attack again, but the Wraithlord smiled and shook his head.
"Why ask such a boring question? Haven’t you ever wondered why that zombie keeps turning others into zombies, expanding their ranks? What do you think his purpose is?"
With a thunderous crash, Luna Quay unleashed an even greater force against the Wraithlord, but the result was the same—the Wraithlord easily neutralized her attack.
"Let me tell you something simple and blunt: you’re nothing but sacrifices for that zombie. All he wants is to grow stronger, to regain his emotions. In the end, you’re just tools in his hands. Sorry, I’ve said so much, but it seems you still can’t understand or feel it—because you’re just a corpse without emotions."
Suddenly, my eyes widened as I looked at Luna Quay—something was wrong with her body. The Wraithlord laughed coldly, then stood up. In his hand appeared a brown, perfectly-formed hexagonal corpse-jade. I stared in shock. Luna Quay was in agony, clutching her head, black energy pouring from her as she curled up in pain.
"What did you do?"
I asked, watching as the Wraithlord gripped the corpse-jade, then laughed.
"There’s only one place zombies can hide something—the heart!"
The Wraithlord looked at the suffering Luna Quay, whose form was gradually dissolving into silvery light, barely able to maintain her shape.
"It’s a shame, Luna Quay. I wanted to let you go, but you’ve clung to a shred of emotion all along. In Wind and Snow River, I learned far more than I ever expected—things I never imagined exist in reality. Now I’ve succeeded, and it’s time for you to rest forever. As a corpse, it’s time to sleep."
As the Wraithlord spoke, he suddenly opened his mouth and swallowed the brown corpse-jade whole. Luna Quay staggered to her feet, her face grave and furious as she glared at the Wraithlord. I couldn’t understand what in the Wraithlord’s words had provoked Luna Quay’s last trace of emotion.
"It’s not what you think. There’s no need to look back—all of it is meaningless now."
Suddenly, the world was flooded with intense silvery light. I saw a massive Moonlight Tree appear in the sky, and in an instant, the entire space became a moonlit black earth. Luna Quay charged toward the Wraithlord.
The Wraithlord raised a hand, clenching it into a fist.
"What I needed, I’ve already obtained!"
With a deafening crash, I stared wide-eyed as Luna Quay’s form slowly turned to dust in the silvery glow. On the Wraithlord’s fist, a silver corpse-jade appeared, already cracked and splintering. Luna Quay gazed at me quietly, her expression calm. In her final moment, she smiled.
A streak of ash flashed before my eyes, and everything around us began to fade away. The Moonlight Tree in the sky was now withering and dying.
"Not a hint of hesitation?"
I asked, and the Wraithlord nodded.
"Now that I’ve obtained that corpse-jade, I hold the right to control everything. That zombie can no longer threaten me."
I stared at the Wraithlord in silence as he burst into wild laughter. I watched the world crack and collapse back into darkness. The last trace of silver ash vanished into the void, the Wraithlord’s laughter echoing. The genuine corpse-jade—the moment the Wraithlord claimed it, I noticed Tan Tian’s immense power within.