Deep inside, it felt as if a voice was telling me exactly what I needed to do. I kept forcing Deathbane Aura out of my body, and gradually, I could stand up again.
I could feel the murderous intent from the Azure Dragon that Martin Ouyang had conjured in the sky. Maybe it was just a feeling, but it was strikingly real—no mere illusion, but a genuine Azure Dragon manifesting in this world.
Instinct—Coexistence, Synchronization, Condensation, Azure Dragon...
I roared, my whole body creaking, my consciousness nearly melting in the heat that surged through my mind, leaving me soft and unfocused. At that moment, my thoughts were filled with the sight of the Azure Dragon lunging down from the sky.
Black Deathbane Aura swirled around me like a tornado, then began to shrink, gathering closer and closer. Slowly, I rose into the air.
Gradually, the Deathbane Aura began to take form—a long, serpentine body, rumbling constantly. Its eyes glared, whiskers hung down, and four claws with three fingers each extended. Its roar was like thunder rolling across the sky.
With a mighty roar, I smiled and sat atop the head of a black dragon formed from Deathbane Aura. It was identical to the Azure Dragon descending from the sky. I roared again, riding the dragon's head, charging straight at Martin Ouyang.
"Impossible!" Martin Ouyang shouted.
The two dragons unleashed deafening roars, shaking the heavens as if they might tear the world apart. Black and azure light collided in an instant.
The thunderous crash was deafening. I spread my wings, planting my feet firmly on the dragon's head. With a shout, I raised Hell's Sentinel and charged toward Martin Ouyang.
Martin Ouyang immediately drew a long sword and slashed at me. With a clang, our weapons clashed. Beneath us, the two dragons were locked in a deadly struggle—my black dragon bit into the Azure Dragon's neck, while the Azure Dragon's claws dug into the black dragon's body. They tore at each other, howling and tumbling through the air.
All around, the falling rain was blown aside by the force of our clash. In the sky, I kept swinging Hell's Sentinel, breaking Martin Ouyang's weapons one after another as he retreated.
I ignored everything else, unleashing torrents of Deathbane Aura. The wings on my back shifted constantly as I struck at Martin Ouyang again and again. The effort had drained me too much—I couldn't let Martin Ouyang catch his breath. I had to end this.
I roared again, swinging Hell's Sentinel. With a clang, Martin Ouyang's blade—used to block my attack—was sliced in two. He quickly retreated, purple light flaring as he prepared to draw another weapon.
At once, I willed a mass of black Deathbane Aura to appear behind Martin Ouyang, spreading out like a net to block his escape. He spun around, trying to cut a path open with his blade.
"Don't even think about running."
I roared, and the net of Deathbane Aura instantly fired black arrows through its gaps at Martin Ouyang. He was completely trapped. Seizing the moment, I lunged with Hell's Sentinel, aiming for his heart.
Unable to defend himself, Martin Ouyang was struck. I succeeded—Hell's Sentinel pierced straight through his chest. I roared, pulled the weapon free, and raised it again. Just then, Martin Ouyang let out a furious shout, his eyes blazing with purple light.
"Don't get cocky, Ethan Zhang."
With a thunderous boom, fiery red light erupted below us. Thunder rumbled across the sky. A massive pillar of fire shot up from the ground, instantly engulfing the two dragons still locked in combat.
I had to get out of there. Instantly, I adjusted my stance and flew away as fast as I could.
"Fall into nightmare, Ethan Zhang."
Right then, a massive gray maw appeared before my eyes. I hadn't noticed it at all—one moment, and I was swallowed whole by that gray mouth.
Darkness surrounded me. I couldn't feel anything. It was as if I had landed in a space with no sense of direction, no way to tell east from west—no sensation of anything at all.
"Martin Ouyang, where are you?" I shouted, Hell's Sentinel in hand, searching all around. But from every direction at once, Martin Ouyang's chilling laughter echoed.
"Don't you know, Ethan Zhang? Every Soulreaper Ghost has its own ghost domain. But a Ghost Sovereign? You've never seen one, have you? Let me show you—the domain of nightmare. I can't fully control it yet, but you've made me angry, Ethan Zhang."
My heart skipped a beat. I looked around, gripping Hell's Sentinel tightly.
Still, I couldn't feel anything in this dark space.
"Have my five senses been sealed off?" I muttered.
"All people dream—dreams born from the heart. First, true dreams. Second, nightmares. Third, longing dreams. Fourth, sleep dreams. Fifth, joyous dreams. Sixth, fearful dreams. In the midst of dreaming, one does not know it is a dream. Illusory yet real, delusions not to be dwelled upon. Absurd, grotesque—dreamers are unaware, lost in dreams, drowned in the dreamscape. Surrender your heart, drown in the Nightmare Realm. Open..."
After that long incantation, Martin Ouyang roared, and in an instant, everything around me changed.
I stared in shock as waves of heat surged from all directions. Everywhere was a sea of fire. Smoke billowed from the scorched ground beneath me. All around, as far as I could see, flames raged endlessly.
The whole space was searingly hot. I felt the temperature rising, as if I might be steamed dry. I tried to fly upward, but it was just as hot everywhere. My clothes began to smoke, nearly catching fire.
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I looked at the strange scene—there wasn't a single person in sight. I kept flying a while longer, but I couldn't hold on anymore. It felt like I was about to melt, and the burning ground below drove me to keep flying higher.
Suddenly, I stopped. Looking up, I'd reached the top. Above me were red-hot, glowing stone pillars, sharp and pointed, with a constant bubbling sound.
Suddenly, I dodged to the side. A drop of molten lava fell from above—I barely avoided it.
The bubbling sounds kept coming. I quickly flew downward, just in time to see those stone pillars at the top begin to melt, hot lava dripping steadily from above.
I beat my wings furiously, dodging the falling lava. Maybe it was all an illusion, but as I darted out of the way, a drop of molten lava grazed me—my clothes instantly caught fire.
I screamed, clutching my burned arm, flapping my wings desperately to keep dodging.
Something was wrong. Even as I kept dodging the lava dripping from above, the amount kept increasing. In this blazing red space, I couldn't see any way out.
Desperate, I raised Hell's Sentinel, slashing at the falling drops of lava. I kept swinging, but the lava never seemed to lessen.
With no other choice, I sped upward toward the top. In my left hand, I gathered Deathbane Aura. Life or death—I had to try breaking through the rocky ceiling above.
I was nearly at the top. Roaring, I endured the searing heat. The Deathbane Aura in my left hand had condensed into a formidable force. I raised my fist and punched upward.
With a thunderous boom and a burst of black light, a huge, pitch-black opening appeared. It felt like hope—I dove into the darkness.
As soon as I entered, everything was pitch black. I felt around and found walls, then kept flying upward. Gradually, I saw light.
With a rush, I shot upward. All around were dark brown stones, but their shapes were strange—each one thin as a blade, shaped like sharp knives jutting out from the walls.
"Martin Ouyang, where are you?"
I shouted. A gust of wind swept past, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Looking down, the dark hole I’d come through had vanished.
But suddenly, my heart clenched. I felt a rush of heat on my face, then all over my body. I shot upward urgently and looked at my arm—already raw and bloody, the flesh sliced away. My cheek had been cut too.
Terrified, I looked around and slowly descended. The moment I touched down, I felt a rush of heat at my feet. Looking down, I saw my pants torn open—much of the flesh on my thighs had been sliced away.
Without hesitation, I spread my wings and flew upward again, heading for the ceiling lined with blade-like stones. I couldn't stay here—my instincts screamed it.
As I flew up, it felt like invisible blades were slicing me all over. I gritted my teeth and kept going—my hands were already stripped to the bone.
Suddenly, I raised Hell's Sentinel to block to the side. With a series of metallic clangs, I seemed to see countless sharp blades deflected by my weapon.
"It's the wind."
As soon as I said it, I raised Hell's Sentinel and hacked at the wind sweeping in. Metal clanged, and more flesh was stripped from my body.
"Hahaha, Ethan Zhang, let's see how long you can last."
Martin Ouyang's voice drifted over.