"Brother, take those two and get out of here first."
As I spoke, I immediately drifted to Rachel Lan's side, wrapped an arm around her, then floated to Emperor Yan. He instantly understood and grabbed my arm, and I took the two of them, flying out of the thicket all the way to the barren land outside the forest. Only after I set them down—
"Be careful, I have to go back and help them."
With a thunderous boom, a dazzling pillar of seductive red light erupted from the center of the forest. Like a column of crimson fire, I transformed into a streak of black, shooting toward it.
"Hey, hey, hey, Isabelle Frost, what on earth are you thinking?"
The moment I arrived, my eyes widened in shock. Isabelle Frost stood motionless. On her back was a red humanoid figure, its cold, merciless eyes brimming with murderous intent. The figure's body fluttered like crimson cloth, while petals of red spider lilies drifted all around—growing ever more numerous.
"It's the Funeral Rite. We're in trouble."
Yuna Ji muttered, while Redmond sat on the ground, his body battered and torn.
"We need to find a way to take that staff from her hands."
John Chou reached out a hand and glanced at me. I nodded, and with a thought, the staff was already tossed toward him. Once John Chou gripped it, he dashed off with a swoosh.
Redmond looked grim. The immense ghostly energy carried by Isabelle Frost's instinct left us helpless. Though I'd recovered much of my strength, defeating this instinct was impossible.
There was no other way. Yuna Ji bit her lip, then crouched low, pressing both hands to the ground.
There was no other way. Yuna Ji bit her lip, then crouched low, pressing both hands to the ground.
With a crackling sound, white skeletons crawled out from the ground all around her, each wielding a bow and arrow.
Arrows whistled through the air, raining down on the Funeral Rite. John Chou was nearly upon Isabelle Frost when, suddenly, Funeral Rite swept a hand—petals of red spider lilies instantly knocked every arrow aside, then drifted toward Yuna Ji.
With a clattering sound, sturdy skeletons emerged, raising their shields.
Three pairs of eyes turned to me. I nodded, letting Deathbane Aura wrap around my body like armor, tortoise patterns appearing across its surface.
"Wait for the right moment to snatch the staff from Isabelle Frost's hands. I'll try to draw Funeral Rite's attention from the front," I said.
"That's all I've got. You saw it yourselves—it's up to you now."
With that, Yuna Ji patted Redmond's back. Redmond, grumbling in anger, let out a huff and transformed into a mass of black flames, disappearing.
I rushed forward, swinging my swords of baleful energy to deflect some of the petals. John Chou was already badly wounded, a mass of black flames enveloping him. Then, in a blur, John Chou vanished—only to reappear behind me.
"Come here, brother."
John Chou called out. I fought as I retreated. Funeral Rite seemed to have quieted down. We stood a hundred meters away; she didn't look like she wanted to attack us, her eyes vacant as she stared into the sky.
"We can't communicate with her like this, but if it goes on, it's going to get dangerous."
"What do you mean?"
I asked, as John Chou coughed and struggled to his feet.
"If the Promise of the Unreal really is the entrance to the birthplace of instinct, then where do you think Funeral Rite wants to go?"
"Return to the Unreal?"
I swallowed, suddenly anxious. If Funeral Rite left Isabelle Frost's body, Isabelle Frost would be in grave danger.
"Neither of us can use our instinct, and our power is so limited. What should we do?"
Red Hair looked grim. The immense ghostly energy carried by Isabelle Frost's instinct left us helpless. Though I'd recovered much of my strength, defeating this instinct was impossible.
"How about this, Yuna Ji—can your Nine Nether Generals manage to show up, even just one? If we could get that guy Zhao Peng in, we'd still have a shot."
John Chou asked. Yuna Ji blinked and pointed at herself.
"Don't joke. With this little ghost energy, how could I possibly summon one? John Chou, don't ask the impossible."
Just then, I noticed that the Funeral Rite on Isabelle Frost's back seemed to have risen higher. She was staring up at the sky, just as John Chou said—things were not looking good.
"It's up to you, brother."
Three pairs of eyes turned to me. I nodded, letting baleful energy wrap around my body like armor, tortoise patterns appearing across its surface.
"Wait for the right moment to snatch the staff from Isabelle Frost's hands. I'll try to draw Funeral Rite's attention from the front."
With a whoosh, I darted out. Instantly, a cacophony of clangs sounded—the petals swarmed to attack me, just as expected.
I kept swinging my baleful swords, knocking away wave after wave of petals. Funeral Rite finally noticed me, raising both hands and controlling the petals. I worried that if she used any other power, I'd be instantly suppressed. Behind me, John Chou, Yuna Ji, and Red Hair had already split up, sneaking in from three different directions.
Suddenly, I saw a flash of green light beneath my feet. My eyes widened, but it was too late to dodge—a fresh green vine whipped around my ankle. Instantly, I shielded my body with both arms; a cacophony of clangs rang out as my Deathbane Aura shattered under the frenzied assault of red spider lily petals.
John Chou and the others closed in on Isabelle Frost in an instant. Sure enough, Funeral Rite noticed, and I had to find a way to buy them time.
I roared, letting my Deathbane Aura explode violently. As I forced the petals back, I charged straight at Funeral Rite. She raised her ribbon-like hands, winding them around my body. My Deathbane Aura was completely gone. Eyes wide, I felt a wave of icy cold invade my body, and I began to shiver uncontrollably.
Sneaking up from behind, Yuna Ji grabbed Isabelle Frost, pinning her arms. John Chou and Red Hair each grabbed one of Isabelle Frost's hands, tugging at the staff. I felt a surge of wild, furious anger—Funeral Rite was utterly enraged.
Clangs rang out as John Chou used the beauty in his hand to fend off the oncoming petals. The three of them pulled with all their might, but Isabelle Frost's grip didn't budge. I was still resisting the curse energy trying to invade my body.
Thunder rumbled as cracks appeared in the ground, streaks of red light flaring up. Clusters of red spider lilies bloomed everywhere.
Clangs rang out as John Chou used the staff in his hand to fend off the oncoming petals. The three of them pulled with all their might, but Isabelle Frost's grip didn't budge. I was still resisting the curse energy trying to invade my body.
Suddenly, I saw Yuna Ji let go of Isabelle Frost's hand. She opened her mouth and bit down on the back of Isabelle Frost's hand. With a swoosh, John Chou and Red Hair yanked the staff from Isabelle Frost's grip.
In an instant, everything around us turned into drifting red dust, slowly fading away.
The suffocating cold inside me vanished. With a thud, I hit the ground, and Isabelle Frost collapsed limply as well. John Chou caught her, and both he and Red Hair released their grips at the same time. Yuna Ji kicked the staff away.
"That was close."
Red Hair sighed helplessly. If Yuna Ji hadn't bitten in the nick of time, we might've been in real danger.
Isabelle Frost looked as if she'd fallen asleep. We all stared at the multicolored staff.
"Seems like holding it doesn't do anything to us."
Red Hair muttered, then cautiously picked up the staff. Yuna Ji and I moved closer, ready to restrain Red Hair if needed. But after a while, nothing strange happened like with Isabelle Frost. John Chou laid Isabelle Frost on a leaf, breathed a sigh of relief, and handed the beauty back to me.
"Why did this happen, anyway?"
Red Hair said, handing the staff to John Chou. After a while, we all tried holding it—nothing happened at all. Even with the staff in hand, our instincts didn't run wild.
"Maybe it's because it hasn't been replaced yet."
John Chou said, continuing his explanation.
Isabelle Frost was only afflicted with the Stilled, but over at the thirteen pillars, the Dark Banquet descended, black light enveloping us. The moment they tried to implant artificial souls, Isabelle Frost and Death Curse had everything prepared and responded accordingly.
"Let's not worry about all that for now. Sigh, what are we supposed to do with this thing?"
Suddenly, Isabelle Frost, who'd been lying on the leaf, sat up. Her eyes were wide and furious as she glared at us.
"What's wrong? Just now you were..."
"This has nothing to do with you. Give me back the staff. I need to return to the Unreal."
It was Funeral Rite. We walked over in surprise, keeping a wary eye on Isabelle Frost, whose consciousness had been replaced by Funeral Rite.
"How can it have nothing to do with us? If you go back to the Unreal, my idiot sister will be doomed."
Funeral Rite chuckled.
"Have you never noticed? Your sister's nature, and everything about her—John Chou, this is your failure as a brother."
"What do you mean?"
John Chou's smile instantly vanished, and Funeral Rite shook her head helplessly.
"Do you know why I used that killing move just now? I didn't want you to stop me. The entrance to the Unreal opened, but now it's closed. Who knows when it'll open again? If I'd gone all out, you four would be powerless—just waiting for death."
"Why go back to the Unreal?"
John Chou asked again. Funeral Rite slowly controlled Isabelle Frost's body, standing up, and a vertical, closed eye appeared on her forehead.
"Your sister's instinct isn't complete. Haven't you realized? Because you used to be one person—after you died, and after your sister died, things were completely different. Because of certain reasons, her instinct is incomplete. So I need to return to the Unreal and complete Funeral Rite."