I quietly stared at the black mist relentlessly pressing against the Specter Web. The immense and heavy Disaster Force continued to bear down on me. I knew very well I would not retreat even half a step—this was what I came here to do. Ever since arriving and learning the truth, my resolve had never wavered.
At this moment, memories from long ago surfaced. Everything from that time was still vivid in my mind. I had never backed down, no matter the situation. From a young age, this was how I’d always been. It was the most important lesson my father taught me: when facing ghosts, if you flinch, you lose—and the ghost will devour you.
From fearing ghosts to finally daring to confront them, I changed in just a few years as I grew older. I gradually understood that if we cannot face what’s before us, we lose as humans.
"Can you still hold on?"
I asked, noticing that the power of the three Head Priests was extremely weak. They had likely borne an unimaginable amount of Disaster Force for the many lamas, leaving them severely depleted. Otherwise, those lamas would have died long ago.
Logan smiled and nodded.
"I’ve always been like this—my endurance is strong."
Logan spoke with a smile as powerful ghost energy poured into the Specter Web surrounding the rear half of the Golden Temple. The mighty ghost energy completely suppressed the Disaster Force—those corrupt miasmas could not breach it and continued to press from outside. We were like castaways on an isolated island; everywhere beyond this patch of ground had already collapsed.
I didn’t know if a miracle would come, but I wanted to try. I had witnessed many miracles with my own eyes—again and again, on that man. I turned and walked slowly; Logan glanced back.
"You’d better be careful. The ghost underground is nothing good."
I grunted in response, my senses instantly sharpening. I could now feel ghost energy besides Logan’s. Though I was worried, I still planned to go underground and investigate. Logan could only hold out for a short while, but the ghost below was a real problem.
As soon as I reached the first underground level, I found all the cell doors wide open. The cells were empty, and black ghost energy flowed across the floor. I started running. By the time I reached the third level, I could already hear fierce fighting.
When I got to the sixth underground level, I finally sensed it—a terrifying surge of ghost energy pouring from the room where Zachary Lee was imprisoned. I rushed over quickly.
The clang of metal echoed. Tammy Blade had emerged, gripping her gleaming silver Tibetan knife and repeatedly attacking Zachary Lee, who was shrouded in black mist. At that moment, Zachary Lee brandished a pitch-black broadsword. The two clashed fiercely.
"Zachary Lee, what are you trying to do?"
I shouted angrily, raising Belle in my hand as flames erupted from my body again. Tammy Blade glanced at me.
"Stay back."
My eyes widened in shock. She was panting, glaring at Zachary Lee with burning hatred.
"He killed my people, my wife, everyone in my tribe. This must end by my hand. Roxie, go upstairs and help the monks."
Zachary Lee let out a bizarre laugh, turning his bloodshot eyes toward me.
"It’s all over, Roxie. I think you should leave. I didn’t intend to kill her, but she wants to kill me—there’s nothing I can do. A pact is a pact, and I promised that evil ghost."
A sharp clang startled me. Tammy Blade slashed furiously, but Zachary Lee blocked her attack with ease. Over the years, he had absorbed too much Buddhist power, transforming it into ghost energy. His ghost body was now incredibly strong, and his ghost energy was of high quality.
"If you keep going, I really will devour you."
As Zachary Lee spoke, he suddenly became a fierce mass of black energy, darting past Tammy Blade. Her body was slashed open in many places, but then her eyes glowed gold and her body was enveloped in golden light. I stared in astonishment as the dense ghost energy around Tammy Blade was instantly purified. She turned, glaring at Zachary Lee. The smile vanished from his eyes, and the black energy covering his body disappeared.
I saw a long gash on Zachary Lee’s chest, black blood flowing from it. Tammy Blade laughed coldly, glaring at him through gritted teeth.
"It seems you’ve grown much stronger over the years. Yes, I slaughtered your husband, your child, and your people—but you survived. Do you know why?"
With a thunderous crash, golden humanoid figures seemed to overlap within Tammy Blade’s body. She swung the Hidden Saber down; Zachary Lee tried to block, but his black broadsword was split in two and his head was severed.
"Because I decided there was no need to kill you anymore."
With a whoosh, Zachary Lee turned into black mist. Tammy Blade roared, chasing after him with her Hidden Saber raised.
"Get upstairs, quickly—the situation is bad."
The rumbling continued, and I saw a trace of evil in Zachary Lee’s eyes.
I glanced at Tammy Blade once more, then turned and ran. Cracks had appeared in many walls; I quickly made it back to the surface. Logan was sitting on the ground, looking miserable, while the lamas had closed their eyes and begun praying.
"Things are bad down there, aren’t they?"
I grunted. Zachary Lee shook his head helplessly.
"It’s the same here—I can barely hold on."
Thick black mist had already swallowed the surrounding walls and parts of the buildings, compressing toward us.
"These forces want to return below. Unless there’s an absolutely overwhelming power to destroy them, we’ll be crushed too."
Logan spoke as I gazed into the distance. I didn’t know if the Hades Circle had completed the Fourfold Beast Array, but the situation could not wait any longer.
"What do you want to do?"
Logan asked. I walked over slowly, closed my eyes, and called out in my heart. It was just like that day at Ghost Tomb Mountain—when I called to the Sacred Spirits, they answered, and I gained immense power, saving Ethan Justice.
I still remember everything I’ve experienced, even now. Many things have become memories of the past. I don’t know what I can accomplish today, but I know I have to do something.
Specter Web strands snapped before my eyes. Logan looked like he couldn’t hold out much longer. I gripped Belle, quietly staring at everything before me.
I just needed to do it one more time—I needed to break through this darkness.
I began to call out the names of the Four Saints in my heart. I’d met them before, but now I prayed more than ever. When darkness descends and the world collapses, only faith—unyielding faith—can carry me through.
"Listen, Roxie. Listen to the rhythms all around you."
My eyes widened as a woman’s voice echoed in my mind. A small flame burst from my palm.
I immediately closed my eyes, feeling quietly. The power of coexistence began to spread outward. I knew clearly—at this moment, the Specter Web was snapping and could no longer hold.
"Do you believe?"
I opened my eyes and smiled.
"Ah, I believe—always, unwaveringly. Because belief brings hope, and hope is what I need as a human."
As I spoke, the Specter Web snapped in front of me. Logan looked at my side, eyes wide in disbelief.
The rumbling grew louder as black mist pressed toward me. I smiled slightly. Suddenly, four beams of light appeared around me, illuminating everything. Turning my head, I saw the shadows of the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise slowly manifesting beside me as the light expanded.
With a thunderous crash, the light spread out, suppressing the black mist. For a moment, everything seemed frozen, and the lamas opened their eyes.
I glanced at them, pressing one hand to my chest.
"You have unwavering faith. Let me show you mine—it’s every bit as strong as yours."
With a roar, blazing flames erupted behind me, and a massive Vermilion Bird floated in the air. The ground beneath me rose, and a sturdy Black Tortoise lifted me upward, halting the cracks in the earth.
A fierce wind howled, slicing the black mist like blades. I raised my hand, and Belle burst into red flames. With a crackling sound, white lightning circled around us. The Azure Dragon’s massive body grew larger, encircling us.
"If we want to resolve this, we need the strength of many. The Hades Circle outside is still preparing—leave this to us."
I nodded. The White Tiger landed before me, roaring as violent wind blades sliced the advancing black mist. The Vermilion Bird’s embers continued to burn the surrounding darkness.
It was the Black Tortoise who had just spoken. His eyes showed a trace of emotion as he looked at me.
"This is the promise we made with Ethan Justice. We’ve kept our word—protect everything well."
My eyes widened as the Four Saints nodded to me.