"Earthly Soul, since when did you start speaking so evasively?"
I asked again. The Earthly Soul before me was no longer the one I knew. I understood clearly that his transformation was because Zhang Qingyuan's overwhelming power—far beyond his reach—had deeply scorched his heart. He wanted to become stronger, but this desperate pursuit of strength was nothing but an illusion.
Earthly Soul seemed unaware of this. Only by walking his own path could he truly gain power. I didn't know what he hoped to learn from the Wraithlord, but his approach left me chilled.
"Heavenly Soul, what are you really here for today? I'm just training alone in the Forest of Desire."
"Training? Then why not let me test what you've gained from it? I can be your opponent."
I spoke lightly, but at that moment, Earthly Soul was on guard. I knew he didn't want anyone to know about the Wraithlord, and though I was aware, I had no intention of exposing it for now.
"Your End of Instinct doesn't seem particularly impressive. Earthly Soul, just what are you training for here?"
Earthly Soul smiled and sighed helplessly.
"Do I need to report to you what I'm training for? Just go back, Heavenly Soul. When I finally leave this forest where Zhang Qingyuan once stayed, I'll be unimaginably powerful."
I smiled helplessly.
"Powerful? Do you know why Zhang Qingyuan became so powerful?"
I asked, and a hint of surprise flashed in Earthly Soul's eyes. I continued speaking.
"Mona Ouyang has already found Zhang Qingyuan, in the Illusory Realm. She also said that Zhang Qingyuan is now incredibly powerful."
Earthly Soul stood up and walked over slowly, suspicion in his eyes.
"Heavenly Soul, be honest—what are you here for today?"
His gaze no longer avoided mine. At that moment, Earthly Soul seemed to realize my purpose for coming here.
"The Wraithlord."
As soon as I said those two words, Earthly Soul's expression changed dramatically. He looked at me in disbelief.
"How did you know?"
"It doesn't matter how I know. Earthly Soul, do you really plan to rely on the Wraithlord to become powerful?"
Earthly Soul seemed relieved. I hadn't explained everything, and perhaps he thought I didn't know that the Wraithlord had long since regained his consciousness.
"He's strong, so I naturally have to find a way to defeat him, and become stronger than him. Only then can I truly become powerful myself."
I stood up and quietly watched Earthly Soul. My mind was filled with memories of everything we'd experienced by the lake on that mountain, and the lessons I'd learned under John Chou's guidance—absorbing knowledge, everything flashed through my mind.
For some reason, a part of me felt inexplicably sad. Suddenly, I sensed a heavy weight, and as I looked again, my chest began to petrify. Earthly Soul seemed to notice my intense emotional turmoil.
"Adjust your mood quickly, Heavenly Soul. Otherwise, your body will absorb too much Desire Force, and you'll turn to stone."
Earthly Soul shouted. Gradually, the petrified part of my chest began to crack and fall away. I quietly watched Earthly Soul, unsure what to say to him—or even if there was anything left to say. He still refused to tell me everything. For the first time, I felt truly uncomfortable inside.
"What's wrong with you, Heavenly Soul? Normally, you don't care about anything... You..."
"What are you going to do about the Forsaken? You gathered them, didn't you? Weren't you going to use them as your fighting force?"
Earthly Soul's expression grew instantly serious, his eyes cold as he spoke.
"I don't need them anymore. Do as you wish, Heavenly Soul. I'll say this only once: you can stay here, but don't interfere with me."
I walked slowly up to Earthly Soul.
"Do you have some kind of deal with the Wraithlord?"
I asked, and Earthly Soul shook his head.
"What kind of deal could there be? He's completely insane, impossible to communicate with. Every day, he just stares at that book."
I smiled helplessly.
"So what does that make you, keeping company with a lunatic?"
I fixed my sharp gaze on Earthly Soul. The smile on his face froze.
"Heavenly Soul, did you come here just to argue with me today? When did you become so talkative?"
I shook my head and drifted upward, settling on the rooftop of Isabelle Frost's small building. I sat quietly, gazing at the distant massive crater, the mountains, and the Lake of Desire beyond. I wanted to go take a look.
"Maybe they mean nothing to you now, Earthly Soul. But 001 still misses you, and hopes you'll come back."