A tense silence fell over the scene. The two figures stood motionless in the center, neither making a move. Basil Bertram’s face was grave, lost in thought as he weighed his next strategy.
"That bastard used to be so much stronger than he is now. So it really is true, huh... Heh..." Redmond muttered, his tone laced with disappointment. Mona Ouyang nodded in agreement, her eyes reflecting the same sentiment.
Redmond muttered under his breath, and Mona Ouyang nodded beside him in agreement. Their eyes were filled with a sense of disappointment, as if the fight had already lost its thrill.
"It's true, Basil Bertram has completely regressed. He doesn't even know how to fight anymore," Mona Ouyang added, her voice tinged with disappointment.
I let out a quiet gasp, watching the two of them. Their eyes held only boredom, as if the outcome was already decided. The oppressive atmosphere pressed down on me.
"It can't be that bad, can it? Basil..." I said, uncertainty creeping into my voice as I glanced at Basil Bertram.
"If you were in that situation just now, what would you do, Ethan Zhang? You’d be suppressed in an instant, barely able to fight back." Mona Ouyang’s words cut through the silence.
I thought for a moment before answering, searching for the right words.
"If I couldn’t break through with sheer force, I’d either risk everything for a desperate attack or look for the opponent’s weakness to exploit."
I glanced at Basil Bertram again. His approach seemed similar—maybe there was nothing wrong with it after all.
"Idiot, of course you try to find a way to escape. How can you not understand something so simple?" Mona Ouyang sneered, her sarcasm biting.
Mona Ouyang let out a sarcastic laugh. I made a sound of surprise, but as I thought it over, she was right. In that situation, you had to break free, put some distance between yourself and whatever threatened you most.
"When Lord Shenyan first unleashed his Hellfire, there were plenty of chances. But Basil couldn’t make a decisive move. His judgment isn’t what it used to be. All the trouble that followed was because he’s too familiar with both friend and foe. He had the strategies in his head, but after years without practice, his power just felt different when he tried to use it. The moment he arrogantly thought he could handle it, he’d already lost. If it hadn’t been Lord Shenyan... well, forget it. I got my hopes up for nothing."
Yuna Ji sighed helplessly, then quietly added, "If you want to fight, find your own place. Was that really necessary, Lord Shenyan?"
"It won’t be long before a winner is decided. With Lord Shenyan in his current state, it’ll happen in a flash. Watch closely, Ethan," Yuna Ji said, her voice low and steady.
A faint rustling rose up. Black tendrils crept over Basil Bertram’s body, slowly winding around him. From his right hand, a thicker tendril extended outward like a whip. Basil stayed still, watching and calculating.
Lord Shenyan crouched motionless, his left hand gripping the Sinblade, its tip pressed to the ground. His right hand held the Founder's Sword across his chest, ready.
"I'm going to win, Basil Bertram," Lord Shenyan declared, his voice unwavering, confidence radiating from him.
Lord Shenyan spoke with absolute confidence. I watched closely, noting how he gripped his sword—when I tried to mimic it, the stance felt awkward. But Basil Bertram didn’t seem fragile at all; those black tendrils were tough, and Lord Shenyan hadn’t managed to sever them.
"Come, Lord Shenyan," Basil Bertram called, his voice steady yet full of challenge.
As soon as Basil Bertram finished speaking, the black tendril in his hand lashed out. In an instant, more slender tendrils sprouted as they approached Lord Shenyan, writhing and twisting, quickly sealing off all possible avenues of attack.
At that moment, Lord Shenyan closed his eyes, his body shifting slightly forward. As the tendrils wrapped around him, he opened his eyes and stepped forward.
There was a swishing sound. I saw two sword auras—one red, one black—intertwined and visible to the naked eye, striking toward Basil Bertram. The black tendrils split the black sword aura in two. With a boom, I saw only a dark shadow—Lord Shenyan had leaped high and landed steadily ten meters behind Basil Bertram.
With a boom, I saw a thin crack splitting the ground, stretching all the way outside my ghost domain. My domain had been cut open, and the black tendrils slowly fell to the ground and dissipated.
I stared in confusion at what had just happened. It was all over in an instant, just as Yuna Ji had said—Basil Bertram had lost. With a soft thud, Basil fell to the ground, his gaze peaceful. Lord Shenyan sheathed his sword.
Impressive, that guy. Just as I thought. Back at Luoyin Temple, I wanted to test him in a fight.
The Sha Ghost emerged from the ground before me, but said nothing. Lord Shenyan walked slowly to Basil Bertram and reached out, pulling him up from the ground.
I lost, Lord Shenyan.
Basil Bertram said calmly. Lord Shenyan nodded.
Let's continue tomorrow.
Lord Shenyan spoke, and Basil Bertram nodded.
I let out a sound. Redmond's face didn't look so good, and he suddenly stood up.
If you want to fight, find your own place. Was that really necessary, Lord Shenyan?
Sorry, Redmond. I couldn't control my strength.
Sitting in the small pavilion in the middle of the apartment building, I brought in some tea. It had been a while, and Basil Bertram was still holding his teacup, staring blankly at the cherry blossom tree in the distance.
Have you figured it out yet, Basil Bertram?
Redmond muttered, and only then did Basil Bertram come back to his senses, shaking his head.
For some reason, I feel like I have strength but can't use it.
Mona Ouyang immediately burst out laughing.
Basil Bertram, you've been living pretty carefree these past few centuries—drinking, singing, enjoying life, ruling the forests, hunting wild game, sipping morning dew wine. You're like a modern-day local emperor. How strong do you think you can really be?
Mona Ouyang's words were tinged with sarcasm, but Basil Bertram seemed to calm down. Instead of getting angry, he nodded honestly.
"I really am a bit out of practice."
"It's not just being out of practice!"
At that moment, Lord Shenyan spoke. We all looked at him as he stared at Basil Bertram, lost in thought.
"Being rusty is only temporary. You can recover in a short time. After all, years of experience don't fade with time; it's etched into your body. Once you bring it out, there's no real problem. The only issue is grasping opportunities and feeling out the right response. It's like a musician who hasn't touched their instrument for a long time—at first, things feel off, the tone is strange, but the years of practice aren't wasted. Give it time, and the music will be beautiful again. The only thing off about you now is your confidence."
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Redmond looked thoughtfully at Basil Bertram, then responded with an 'oh.'
"No wonder you're so hesitant. 'Out of practice' doesn't really cover it. Confidence is crucial in battle. Right now, you're weaker than ever—I bet you couldn't even beat Ethan Zhang."
I made a sound of protest and shot Redmond a glare. Basil Bertram actually nodded, and I quickly raised both hands and shook them.
Honestly, you might not even be a match for Ethan now. From now on, I'll spar with you every day—until the Dark Banquet begins.
Yuna Ji glanced at the Cangluan lying by the pavilion, then walked over with a mischievous smile and suddenly wrapped her arms around its neck.
"Hehe, my family used to have a bird kind of like you, called the Nine-Feathered Bird."
The Cangluan resisted, immediately pecking Yuna Ji on the forehead and pushing her away.
"Don't be so heartless—let me pet you!"
"Don't even think about making a move on that thing, Yuna Ji. I know exactly what you're plotting."
Mona Ouyang had barely finished speaking when Yuna Ji snorted, stood up, and stormed over, slapping Mona Ouyang on the shoulder.
"What are you talking about? Have you recovered your strength yet?"
Mona Ouyang ignored Yuna Ji and continued with a cold laugh.
"Seriously, what do you think Yin Choujian is up to—heading to the Dark Banquet so early, and even staging such a clumsy scene?"
"Who knows, and who cares? When we get there, he'll tell us something anyway. That works out well enough—at least we'll have the advantage."
I sat down on the steps as Yuna Ji crouched nearby, reaching out cautiously toward the Cangluan, still trying to get close. Suddenly, with a swift motion, she plucked a feather from its body.
The Cangluan shrieked in outrage, instantly rising up and pecking furiously at Yuna Ji, who scrambled away, clutching her head and running toward us in panic.
"Ah! I just thought the feather was so pretty, I... I just..." Yuna Ji stammered, trying to defend herself as she dodged the angry bird.
"Enough, stop messing around. If you want a feather, I can get you a few," Lord Shenyan said, his tone calm but commanding.
As Lord Shenyan spoke, the Cangluan quieted down, but lifted its head and glared fiercely at Yuna Ji, who stuck out her tongue in defiance.
"You're much easier to talk to, Lord Shenyan. Not like those other guys—one's stingy as hell, the other's always so gloomy and weird," Yuna Ji complained, pouting.
Redmond didn't get angry; instead, he burst out laughing, the sound echoing in the tense air.
"Money's a good thing, Yuna Ji. Last time you tricked me, I still haven't settled that score!" Redmond shot back, grinning.
"What's wrong with being gloomy? At least I know how to be thrifty," Mona Ouyang retorted, her tone sharp.
Yuna Ji stomped her feet in frustration, hugging her arms and leaning against a pillar, sulking as the argument faded.
Just then, Basil Bertram stood up again, finished his tea, and looked at Lord Shenyan.
"I've remembered a few things—stuff I'd forgotten long ago. Let's continue, Lord Shenyan. I'm almost fully recovered now," Basil Bertram said, determination flickering in his eyes.
Lord Shenyan immediately stood up as well. I watched them both, my own ghost energy not yet fully restored, and Basil Bertram still looking a bit worse for wear.
"Looks like we don't need to worry too much for now," Redmond muttered, glancing around.
Redmond muttered, then told me to open the ghost domain. I nodded and opened it, finally noticing Redmond’s subordinates busy outside. The whole building had been sectioned off—no wonder Redmond was upset earlier.
"I should be leaving soon too. Ethan Zhang, bring Lan Ruoxuan over tomorrow morning, okay?" Mona Ouyang called out. I nodded. As I left the ghost domain, two chilly strands of ghost energy appeared behind me. I smiled and shook my head, stepping out into the night.
I left the ghost domain, the night pressing in around me, and the last echoes of our conversation lingering in the air.