With Belle in my left hand, I drew the shotgun from my back with my right. The three figures wrapped in black had already vanished, reduced to scattered sludge by my attack.
Though I hadn't sensed it before, I was well aware of one issue—Lan Miu and Wraithshade had warned me in my Ghost Domain: their time in this world was running out. Their sudden disappearance from my domain meant their physical forms could no longer persist here.
After I lost my power and was captured, I couldn't sense these three at all. Just now, I thought it through—the only explanation for their presence in this world was some kind of medium that allowed their consciousness to cross over.
That medium came from these two zombies. Luo Yichen once said that zombies serve as porters for the Dark Banquet.
When I fought Rachel Lan before, I felt a similar power—some of it came from the zombies.
The splattered sludge on the ground confirmed my theory. As beings of the Unyielding Bone class, this was their bare minimum ability.
Luo Yichen and Luo Yu reformed their shapes once again.
"Did you aim for our Golden Soulstones? How did you figure it out?"
Luo Yichen looked at me, puzzled. I laughed—this was all thanks to Miss Mo Yu, who once told me that the crystal cat sealing Xu Fu was made of material similar to the Golden Soulstone.
The moment I touched their bodies, I sensed the Golden Soulstone and struck immediately. But Belle still couldn't cut through it, and Luo Yu moved his Soulstone within his body just as I attacked.
"Everything's ready. I'll ask you again, Ethan Zhang—right now, it's two versus four. You have no chance of winning. If you know what's good for you, wait quietly. In three days, go to the Dark Banquet. There, you'll be treated with respect. You'll gain power greater than you have now. Then, defeating the one sealed in the crystal cat is only a matter of time."
I shook my head and smiled.
"I won't compromise. And it's not four versus two. In fact..."
I paused, my expression darkening, then continued.
"It's four versus nine."
For a moment, Luo Yichen looked behind him, confused. Then Phantom Sage waved his hand, and in the scene, the seven sleeping figures—including Ghost Painting Book Immortal—closed their eyes, leaning against Huang.
"They won't wake up anytime soon. Don't get your hopes up, Ethan Zhang."
"Oh, is that so? Heh."
I stared at Luo Yichen, as well as Sylvia Yan and Phantom Sage. Their eyes grew icy cold. I took a deep breath and shouted.
You bastards! You said you'd fight to the death to hold these monsters back, but look at you now—how long do you plan to sleep? Miss Yi is still fighting. As the only woman among the Blackfang, what are we men doing? Get up, all of you!
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"It seems you have some understanding of this poison. The two zombies went to great lengths to get it from a certain monk. It's very potent—especially effective against ghosts."
I was startled, but quickly laughed.
"Is it the Ghostworm Monk?"
Luo Yu stepped forward slowly, black feathers drifting around his body.
"You don't need to interfere. Let me handle Ethan Zhang myself."
Just then, Sylvia Yan's expression changed. I smiled. With a thunderous boom, a huge gap opened in the ground—a massive werewolf burst out, grabbed Luo Yu by the throat, and with a crack, Luo Yu exploded into sludge.
I glimpsed a streak of brown—the Golden Soulstone. The newcomer was Deathcurse, who saw it too and roared, his sharp claws reaching for the Soulstone.
"Die! Piercing Curse... Screech..."
To my surprise, ripples of black energy formed in Deathcurse's hand, striking the Soulstone gathering in the sludge. Suddenly, Luo Yichen appeared before Deathcurse. With a huge explosion, Luo Yichen shielded Luo Yu from the attack. Sylvia Yan and Phantom Sage rushed over, trying to restrain Deathcurse.
"Old Book Sage!"
Deathcurse shouted. Two green lights shot through the air, instantly forming barriers around Deathcurse, blocking Sylvia Yan and Phantom Sage.
"Rot..."
Confronted with Deathcurse's assault, Luo Yichen roared, then stretched out a hand—his hand transformed into a writhing mass of black maggots. Deathcurse froze.
"Not good."
Ray Lin spoke, then suddenly vanished from my side.
"Open the path."
Appearing behind Deathcurse in an instant, Ray Lin pulled him back toward us. The black maggots, swollen and ready to burst, writhed everywhere.
"Projection..."
Continuous shutter clicks echoed. Photos glowing green floated in the air as Ray Lin and Deathcurse returned to our side.
With a loud crack, the photos exploded in midair, spraying black liquid. As soon as the liquid hit the ground, it sizzled, rapidly dissolving large patches of earth.
Seeing the furious crowd about to charge again, I raised a hand and shouted.
"Wait a moment."
"Oh dear, my reputation is ruined—completely ruined! If Miss Yi or the others in the Ghost Path find out, where will I put my old face?"
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Ghost Painting Book Immortal looked heartbroken, shaking his head helplessly, his face twisted in anger.
"Old Book Sage, enough. What's pride worth?"
"You two, stop bickering."
I shouted, and only then did they shut up. I turned to Luo Yu and Luo Yichen.
"The Nether Syndicate has found someone who can save the zombies. Don't you want to hear about it?"
"Impossible, Ethan Zhang."
Luo Yichen immediately retorted. I shook my head.
"It's a girl named Rufina Huang. You should remember her—she's the one the Immortality Society desperately wants to capture."
Sylvia Yan looked at me suspiciously, then her face turned to shock.
"That bloodline should have been wiped out."
"See Sylvia Yan's reaction? I suggest you hurry back to your world. Those three—Yueque, Tantian, and Bloodfiend—if they find you, they'll kill you for sure."
"You're right, Ethan Zhang. The three clan chiefs have labeled us traitors to the Nether Syndicate—they'll never let us go. But everything we've done was for the future of the Nether Syndicate."
"You mean for yourselves."
Ray Lin stepped forward with a cheerful grin, looking at the two zombies and sneering.
If a fight breaks out, I know these two zombies will be tough. They may not be as powerful as Deathcurse or Ghost Painting Book Immortal, but their methods are unusual. And we know far too little about zombies.