At night, I lay in bed, unable to fall asleep for a long time. Too many things weighed on my mind—especially matters concerning John Chou. For some reason, every time I closed my eyes, I saw that face of his, half-smiling, half-mocking.
I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. My thoughts drifted to Rachel Lan. Though we'd been apart for only a day, I truly missed her.
Eventually, I picked up my phone and dialed her number, my heart pounding with anticipation. But the call didn't go through—her phone was off. Frustrated, I hung up.
Earlier that afternoon, while we were eating, Hugh Thompson told me about a supernatural incident at Dongming Estates. There was a female ghost who wandered there day and night—Tina Yu. The Ghost Burial Squad had already tried to talk to her, but it was useless. Since Tina Yu was a ghost from our building, they didn't push further, hoping I could handle it when I had time.
As for Yuna Ji, I had no idea when she'd be back. I planned to head over first thing in the morning.
I always kept my distance from Tina Yu. She was unfamiliar with the other ghosts in the yard and preferred to be alone. I’d even scared her once before—when I was helping her find her body, I realized she harbored a deep resentment, far greater than most.
When I was helping Tina Yu find her body, she told me a bit about her story. But I suspect what she shared was only a tiny fragment of a long tale filled with bitterness.
But thinking about it more didn’t help—especially the issue with John Chou. No matter how much I dwelled on it, I couldn’t find a solution. Even Redmond was at a loss.
Eventually, I drifted off, slipping into a dream.
Suddenly, I jolted awake. I found myself in a bustling city, but everything—the people, the buildings—seemed distorted and twisted. Stunned, I looked around. Aside from myself, the scenery was like a reflection in water, rippling and warping endlessly.
"Soon, that guy will come looking for you."
A ghostly voice came from beside me. I turned my head and saw Ironmask, his eyes glinting with amusement as he looked at me.
"Where is this?"
"This is the dream space, Ethan Zhang. Heh, did you think your Sevenfold Tribulation—your second ordeal—was already over? Heh."
I stared at Ironmask in surprise, and suddenly, a familiar trace of deathly aura seeped from his hand.
"The price is steep, Ethan Zhang. I can't believe you actually trusted that guy."
I tried to ask, but Ironmask just smiled and refused to answer. Suddenly, I saw the aura in his hand slowly condense into the shape of a sword.
"You don't even realize you've been set up, do you? Ethan Zhang, you're still too naive. Heh."
I looked at Ironmask, completely baffled.
"What are you even talking about?"
As soon as I finished speaking, Ironmask raised the sword formed from deathly aura and slashed at me. I scrambled to dodge, staring at him in shock.
"What are you doing?"
"Heh, it won't be long now, Ethan Zhang. With John Chou gone, that guy will definitely come for you. Let me teach you a thing or two."
I perked up at his words and looked at Ironmask with excitement.
"Take out your sword," Ironmask said. I responded, but I had no idea how to summon the Phoenix Blade. I asked timidly, "How do I do that?"
"How do I do that?"
Without another word, Ironmask reached for my chest. I stared in disbelief as his hand passed through a ring of fiery light and plunged into my chest.
With a boom, Ironmask pulled the Phoenix Blade from my chest. The sword blazed with flames in his hand, crackling loudly as his skin turned black and charred.
"Oh, this thing really rejects me. Heh."
Ironmask tossed the Phoenix Blade to me. I caught it—it had no weight, though I could feel it in my hand. The flames burning on the blade didn't feel hot at all.
"Do you know? Yang energy is the most fundamental thing in a person. From the moment you're born, you carry it. But you're different, Ethan Zhang."
I stared at Ironmask in surprise.
"Don't you feel anything? Think carefully, about that time with Lord Wraith, Ethan Zhang. If you don't get stronger, you'll be devoured."
I stared blankly at the Phoenix Blade in my hand, silently pondering what Ironmask had said. But after a long time, I still didn't know what to do.
"Why are you doing this, Ethan Zhang? What is it that you truly want? Think about it carefully."
With a clang, I stabbed the Phoenix Blade into the ground, following Ironmask's advice and thinking hard. Why am I on this path among ghosts? There's no turning back now. All I can do is keep moving forward.
At first, I was simply afraid—terrified of ghosts. But as I became more involved with them, my fear only grew. Every time, I worried that someone close to me would die because of me.
My parents, my friends, my lover—I feared that one day they'd vanish before my eyes. Just like John Chou. I'd always thought he was incredibly strong, but this time, he was subdued because of me.
"It seems you still don't understand anything, Ethan Zhang."
As he spoke, Ironmask swung his black aura sword at me. I hurriedly raised the Phoenix Blade to block, but things didn't go as I'd hoped—the Phoenix Blade was cleaved in two by Ironmask's sword.
My eyes widened as the aura sword slashed into my body, tearing a huge gash across my chest.
Blood spurted out—this was the first time Ironmask had struck me. Clutching my chest, I glanced at the Phoenix Blade still burning on the ground.
"You really are weak, Ethan Zhang. You managed to get something so powerful, but you're just too weak. Ethan Zhang, die here."
Suddenly, black energy seeped in from all directions, a chilling cold sweeping over me. The flames on the Phoenix Blade gradually died out, and the broken sword began to disintegrate like sand.
I stared in shock as black wings unfurled from Ironmask's back with a slicing sound. He flew toward me, his black aura sword spewing dark smoke, a deafening roar emanating from the blade.
"Die here, Ethan Zhang."
With a ripping sound, a huge hole was stabbed through my chest. I stared blankly at the black aura sword embedded in me, hearing the crack of breaking. I turned my head and saw a massive fissure, shimmering with multicolored light.
In agony, I gripped the aura sword lodged in my chest. The cold—so intense it was hopeless—kept pouring into my body.
My consciousness grew fuzzy, my body cold. With a ripping sound, Ironmask drew out the aura sword, staring at me coldly.
I lay on the ground, blood streaming from my body.
"Since ancient times, people have always been like this. Heh, so easy to die, so easy to feel sadness and anger. But humans are just too weak, Ethan Zhang. I forgot to tell you—this isn't just a dream, it's real. You'll die if you don't remember why you're fighting."
My consciousness faded, my body numb. Why have I survived until now, again and again?
"In this world, there are no true strong ones. Heh, I'm weak too, Ethan Zhang. Fear isn't a sin—it lets you recognize your own weakness. Only by understanding weakness can you become strong and gentle. Do you think what you have is enough to face everything?"
I struggled to prop myself up, slowly rising to look at Ironmask.
"Yes, I'm too weak. I'm not strong at all. Most of the time, I just don't want to lose my family, my friends, the people I love. So I'm weak..."
"You've finally realized, haven't you, Ethan Zhang? You're still afraid—afraid of losing what you have. That's why you're weak. Let go of those things. You don't need them; they're just obstacles. Becoming strong isn't as simple as shouting it out."
Ironmask walked toward me, black aura swirling out and wrapping around me.
Suddenly, flames erupted around me. My mind buzzed, and with the fire's appearance, the aura Ironmask sent my way was instantly dispelled.
"It's not so easy to let go of those things. To me, they're more important than my own life. I once had nothing, but now it's different. No matter what hardships come, I'll protect them myself..."
My wounds vanished, and I was filled with strength.
"Is that so? Heh, Ethan Zhang, one day we'll become enemies."
I let out a cry, looked seriously at Ironmask, and nodded.