With a rush of air, I exerted force and Ronan Wu was sent flying backward. Her eyes were cold as she stared at me. To my surprise, the soul within her, once pure white, began to turn black. Gradually, her entire essence darkened, and an evil aura surged toward me. I watched Ronan Wu in silence.
"Stand down, or I can't guarantee I'll be able to hold back my strength."
I spoke with a hint of menace, and Ronan Wu burst into laughter.
"Ethan Zhang, you used to fight for others. Now, what about you? The Abbot beside you is no ordinary man. Your death and many other things are all intricately tied to the monk at your side! Do you want to hear it?"
I didn't look at Abbot Fortune beside me, but shook my head.
"So what if I listen? Fight for others? Heh, sounds like a decent reason to fight!"
My eyes began to change. My left eye transformed into a blood-red Cycle Sigil, while my right eye became a Yin-Yang Symbol.
"So that's it. This is the power you gained at the cost of your own death, isn't it? Heh!"
Ronan Wu hunched forward and suddenly lunged at me, faster than before. The tip of her sword was already inches from my left eye, but with a clang, her attack was stopped at the last instant. She looked at me in astonishment.
"Surprised? I can see it!"
As I spoke, my slightly open hand suddenly clenched into a fist. Ronan Wu's eyes widened as my fist struck toward her chest, but she managed to dodge—at the cost of an arm.
The entire world fell silent. My power caused no destruction; like the Blueflame Warden, I compressed my strength within my body, releasing it only at the moment of impact. Ronan Wu's right hand, which held the short sword, now lay to the side, black blood dripping steadily.
"Doesn't seem like you're bluffing, Ethan Zhang."
"Go ahead!"
I replied, not intending to attack, but rather hoping Ronan Wu would retreat on her own.
"Interesting, Ethan Zhang."
Gradually, Ronan Wu's arm regenerated. With a gesture, her short sword returned to her hand, and her body seemed to become impossibly light.
With two swift sounds, I dodged Ronan Wu's airborne attacks in succession. She raised her short sword and thrust at my chest. I straightened, and with a hum, a swirling current appeared before my chest, instantly neutralizing Ronan Wu's powerful assault.
Once again, I gripped Ronan Wu's short sword. She glared at me, gritting her teeth, and suddenly clenched her left fist.
"Collapse Fist."
With a thunderous crash, a fist landed on my right shoulder. I felt a powerful impact surge through my body—cracks appeared on my skin, and my whole body shuddered violently. I staggered back, stepping into the dirt.
"It didn't work?"
Ronan Wu's voice was tinged with doubt. She withdrew her short sword and leapt backward. With a crash, the ground behind me split into pieces, as if cut apart by something. The cracks on my body healed as well.
"This power really is incredible, Ethan Zhang."
Ronan Wu continued, gripping her short sword tightly. It looked simple, but after several clashes, I knew for certain—it wasn't made of ordinary material.
Ronan Wu still showed no intention of leaving, as if she was probing me. Her intent was unmistakably clear in my mind.
"Ethan Zhang, let me give you some advice: you'd better not trust the old monk behind you."
As she spoke, Ronan Wu attacked again. This time, I noticed a savage aura in her short sword. Sensing this, I instantly pressed both hands toward Ronan Wu.
With a swish, a twisted black sword light pierced straight through my back, impaling my body. Blood spurted from my mouth as Ronan Wu's short sword stabbed into my chest. It felt as if two different swords, with identical force, had struck me at once.
I stared at Ronan Wu in shock. She looked back at me, expressionless.
"The outcome is decided, Ethan Zhang."
I smiled faintly and shook my head.
"Do you want to see just how strong my power really is?"
I asked. Ronan Wu, a bit surprised, drew her short sword and turned to dash away.
With a rush, I moved to the front of the Ritual Array, one foot landing on it. With a hum, a twisted black-and-white vortex appeared beneath me, swallowing the entire Ritual Array in an instant.
Ronan Wu stopped right in front of me, glaring with clenched teeth.
"Was this how you used to do things too, Miss Ronan Wu? I don't know what grudge I had with you before, but I am angry with you all."
I raised my hand, and a streak of red light flowed from my left eye, instantly forming red patterns across my skin. The markings, like flowers, spread over my entire body.
"Wait..."
With a boom, everything before me was swallowed by a blood-red world—nothing remained. Ronan Wu floated silently in the dust, her body battered and torn, her weak breath forcing her head up to look at me.
"I didn't expect you to be so strong."
I let out a soundless sigh, looked at Ronan Wu expressionlessly, and withdrew my hand. The entire mountain had vanished, leaving only dust swirling in chaotic currents of power. Abbot Fortune was nowhere to be seen.
"Tell me, what exactly are you all..."
Suddenly, I noticed Ronan Wu's body slowly shattering, the multiple souls within her disappearing one by one. Ronan Wu gave a cold smile.
"Saw something interesting, Ethan Zhang. I think Xu Fu will be very pleased!"
With a crackling sound, Ronan Wu's body turned black, smoke curling off her. Then she petrified and crumbled, vanishing quickly.
"So that's it—not the real body."
In the instant of Ronan Wu's death before me, I sensed it: those multiple souls, at the moment of death, revealed Ronan Wu's true form. It was only a small fragment of her soul, manipulating this powerful body and the tightly twisted souls within.
"Such a cruel method, Immortality Society, isn't it? Abbot Fortune?"
I looked up and located Abbot Fortune. He sat quietly in midair. Instantly, I appeared before him, and he looked at me in disbelief.
Just as I was about to take it, I turned around, raising a hand. With a swish, the short blade in Ronan Wu's hand slashed toward me once more.
"Sorry, Miss Ronan Wu, I've already told you—you're no match for me."
Without a moment's hesitation, I gripped Ronan Wu's neck. With a sizzling sound, her body was slowly devoured by a violent, black-and-white vortex.