A warm yellow glow spread across the surroundings. Gradually, my eyes widened as I watched—Julian Lu, who had already fainted, slowly regrew his legs. He opened his eyes and crawled to his feet.
A sound of sobbing rose up. I looked over to see Wendy Hsieh clutching the dazed Troy Duan, crying uncontrollably.
Ethan Zhang is safe now.
Uncle Mo's loud shout came from nearby. I stared, stunned, and saw not only Uncle Mo but also Helen Lane had recovered. The wounds on the dying Ten Guides around us were all healed. Noises erupted from the outskirts—some crying, some cheering with excitement.
"Now that's more like it! Hahaha, cheer up! Though you all hated this curse of immortality while alive, when death comes, each one cries their heart out. Hahaha..."
[Irrelevant passage omitted]
Rachel Lan ran toward me, her face lit up with joy as she helped me up. A stream of bright, white energy slowly flowed into my body, and I felt a bit better.
All around, shaken Underworld Denizens moved through the rubble, edging closer. But when they saw the Will of Hades floating in the air, they immediately stopped in their tracks.
Faces filled with terror—this was the truest reflection of the Underworld Denizens at this moment. More and more people began to sob. Uncle Mo and Helen Lane walked over to us.
"Can you finally tell us, Will of Hades—what exactly are you planning?"
Uncle Mo had just reached my side when he looked up and shouted. The Will of Hades in the sky slowly descended, sitting atop a massive stone. It seemed he no longer intended to fight me.
"Listen up—the ancestors of your Ten Families, the founders of Hades Circle, once made a pact with me. They swore The Oath that, no matter how many years passed, someone would fulfill it. But I've waited so long, and still, not a single one of you has managed to complete it. So I'm a little angry!"
As the Will of Hades spoke, he glanced at us and then burst out laughing.
Lan Yin said you and that girl could be the ones to fulfill The Oath. Hahaha! If he can't do it himself, he just dumps it on someone else. Looks like that's all it is. But you, Ethan Zhang, are interesting.
I slowly got to my feet, staring blankly at the Will of Hades.
"What exactly is The Oath?"
"That, you'll find out once you reach Oath Island. Ethan Zhang, I can't wait to see what you'll look like after you return from the Dark Banquet!"
A jolt of shock ran through me, and I quietly stared at the Will of Hades. He clearly knew something.
"You want to know, don't you? I know all about the Dark Banquet, hahaha..."
I clenched my fists and stared at the Will of Hades. He crooked a finger at me, beckoning.
"If you want to know, beg me, Ethan Zhang."
"That's enough!"
At that moment, Yan Jun stepped forward and said coldly. Hades immediately raised both hands and nodded repeatedly.
"Consider this a reward for your actions this time. Don't let yourself be devoured by the Dark, or you'll never come back. If you can't stomach it, don't eat it—the dishes at the Banquet, especially on the first night, can very well decide life and death!"
Hades stood up, his figure gradually dissolving into a stream of yellow energy, slowly fading away.
"That's all I have to say. As for the rest, you'll have to guess for yourselves."
The moment Hades vanished, the area erupted in noise. Uncle Mo silently stared at his right hand, then picked up a shard from the ground and sliced his palm. Everyone immediately looked over; the wound healed quickly, as if nothing had happened.
"Lan Yin failed. The curse of Hades is back on all of us in the Circle."
Lu Junchi walked over slowly. The other Ten Guides busied themselves comforting the Hades Circle Born who kept moving closer. Su Yuanjie sat heavily on the ground; I couldn't tell what he was thinking, but his expression was complex.
"You've been to Oath Island, haven't you?"
I asked. Suddenly, Su Yuanjie looked up at me, terror in his eyes.
"How do you know?"
Lan Chuhan glared at Su Yuanjie, hatred written all over her face.
"Only Ten Guides know that secret—or rather, only a few of us. Right now, I'm the only one left who knows, aside from Lan Yin. Come with me, I'll tell you a few things."
As Su Yuanjie spoke, a golden thread appeared at his feet. Lan Ruoxi supported me as we stepped onto it. Uncle Mo looked at Lan Ruoxi with a grave expression.
"If my daughter doesn't want to..."
"It's fine, Dad. I won't back down. Since Lan Yin entrusted all this to Qingyuan and me, whatever it is, we'll face it together."
This was where the Ten Guides lived. Su Yuanjie's home was on the far left; a large plaque read "First Hall." We landed. Three long houses stood there, looking ancient. Su Yuanjie walked up, and the door creaked open.
Inside, all the furnishings were wooden. As we entered, the door closed immediately. I saw two paper figures bring over tea and some pastries.
"Sit."
Su Yuanjie spoke, and I nodded, sitting with Lan Ruoxi on the left-side chairs. Su Yuanjie took the main seat, sipped his tea, and let out a long breath.
"The only thing I know is that the pact between Hades and our ancestors is precisely the origin of our Hades Circle. I don't know the exact nature of the Oath. When I inherited the position of Guide, this secret was passed down to me. As you know, each of the Ten Guides corresponds to one of the Ten Judges, and we privately report to them from time to time. But I'm different—not only do I report to the First Judge, I also report directly to Hades."
"What exactly is Oath Island?"
I asked again. Su Yuanjie nodded and replied.
"That place..."
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Suddenly, Su Yuanjie clutched his head, looking at us in confusion, then muttered.
"I can't remember."
I let out a sound of surprise. Su Yuanjie, deeply puzzled, stood up and began pacing back and forth.
"Has your memory been erased?"
I asked at once. A streak of black energy flowed from my shoulder—it was the Thought Ghost. He chuckled and transformed into a black vapor, swirling around Su Yuanjie.
"Indeed, someone tampered with his memory."
I immediately looked around, alert. Su Yuanjie then collapsed into a chair, deflated like a punctured ball.
"The only thing I still remember is that, at the time, Hades designated Leonard Lane and ordered me to take him to Oath Island, saying he was the only one who could fulfill the Oath."
"You don't remember how to get there either?"
Lan Ruoxi immediately asked. Su Yuanjie nodded.
When we left Su Yuanjie's house, I saw everyone waiting for us.
"Did you learn anything, Qingyuan?"
Uncle Mo asked. I told him what had just happened. Earthly Soul chuckled.
"Looks like that guy isn't planning to let you know about the Oath just yet, haha."