"Heh, Lord Dreadstar, you certainly make fine material for ghost refinement. But, unfortunately, all we can get from this kid is his Earthly Soul. With only the Earthly Soul, the threefold soul is incomplete. If you want to refine a ghost, you'll have to think it through carefully."
The old man emitted the sound of a crying infant, sending chills down my spine. I was terrified by what they were saying—the threefold soul is incomplete.
"Why did we fail this time, Howling Elder? Wasn't this something you should have personally intervened in?"
Dreadstar, his supernatural aura flaring with anger, looked furious as he glared fiercely at Howling Elder.
"Lord Dreadstar, we've already sent out our best Soul Hunters, but we didn't expect John Chou to still be alive. He was supposed to be on the verge of death, yet he forcibly stopped the Soul Hunter. And those Nether Syndicate Operatives got involved too..."
"I don't want to hear your excuses, Howling Elder. Don't give me reasons."
Howling Elder lowered his head, looking helpless. At that moment, Dreadstar turned to me and beckoned with a claw-like hand.
"Come here."
I stood still, unmoving.
"Why are you capturing me? Let me go back."
A burst of wild laughter—Dreadstar's laughter chilled me to the bone. Suddenly, a green chain appeared in his hand, wrapped around my neck, and dragged me over.
Go back? There's nowhere for you to return to. You've already been abandoned—abandoned by that person named Ethan Zhang.
My heart trembled—I didn't understand what Dreadstar meant. His gaze sent shivers down my spine.
I stared at him in shock, completely unable to understand what he meant by abandonment.
Dreadstar began to explain: Humans have three souls—the Human Soul, the Heavenly Soul, and the Earthly Soul. I am merely the Earthly Soul among Ethan Zhang's three souls. Now, the living Ethan Zhang has been saved by that evil ghost, John Chou.
The ritual performed has completely severed my connection to Ethan Zhang—I am now a wandering soul, and have even become a ghost.
You're lying, I—I...
I had no words to refute him, and in my mind, that strange image appeared—what was it, really?
You decide on the ghost refinement plan, Howling Elder.
Dreadstar spoke, and Howling Elder began to laugh. The sound of a crying infant grew even more piercing.