The sun was setting in the west as I descended the mountain with Ethan Zhang from the past, walking along the main road toward the town. He seemed to be in a very good mood.
By now, I was almost certain: this dream didn’t belong to me, but to Ethan Zhang from the past. In the dream, he was a highly skilled Taoist priest. Fortunately, this dream would soon come to an end.
Looking at the Ethan Zhang of the past before me, I was completely puzzled, because I had never had such a dream about becoming a Taoist priest myself.
"Priest, I heard people say before that you’re a fake Taoist. What’s the truth behind that?"
Past Ethan Zhang smiled and shook his head, the slanting sunlight casting across his skin. He looked full of energy as he spoke.
"Didn’t I just tell you? There are three kinds of people I won’t save. In these forty-odd years, the people I’ve met are mostly the third kind—the utterly hopeless. They never think they have any hope left, having already given up on themselves. Since they’ve abandoned themselves, where could hope possibly come from? Yet they still expect others to save them. People like that, I absolutely refuse to save."
I nodded and kept following. I didn’t know what the situation with the Ironhide Revenant in the town was now—probably almost ready to break free. Every night, its power gradually returned, so we had to hurry. But the Ethan Zhang of the past walked slowly, as if he were savoring the moment.
"Please walk faster, Priest. If we’re late, that Ironhide Revenant..."
"There’s no need to rush. You have corpse energy on you, so even if the Ironhide Revenant escapes, it will follow the lingering corpse energy on you and come straight for you—to kill you."
I swallowed hard, but I wasn’t as nervous now. The Ethan Zhang of the past made me feel so safe and reliable. It was strange to think that, but that’s just how it was.
I was ready to pull out the Wish Balloon (Purple) to collect the dream as soon as it turned into a good one.
"Ethan Timms, why did you come looking for me? Was it only because you were desperate?"
I shook my head and replied.
"No, Priest. I really am powerless. I don’t know how to explain it to you, but all of this is just a dream."
As soon as I finished speaking, Ethan Zhang from the past laughed and shook his head.
"Dream or not, that’s how this world is, Ethan Timms. I know your origins, your past, and your future. But you are you, and I am me."
Suddenly, my eyes widened in surprise. The face of Ethan Zhang from the past changed abruptly, turning serious. The sky had completely darkened, and we were still strolling leisurely on the main road. I didn’t know how long it would take to get back to town. But since Ethan Zhang said so, I felt at ease. Once the Ironhide Revenant was dealt with, I’d ask him some things and then collect the dream and leave.
After walking for an hour, night had fully fallen. All I could see was a dazzling white light coming from the sword on Ethan Zhang’s back. The lower half of the scabbard glowed with a soft white light, like a lamp, illuminating the surroundings without being harsh.
The night was pitch black, with no moonlight and heavy clouds overhead. Gradually, the outline of the town became visible. The Ironhide Revenant hadn’t come out yet. I followed Ethan Zhang from the past and quickly returned to town. Then I led him straight to the entrance of the Governor's Manor. Wailing sounds came from within—the Ironhide Revenant was still struggling.
Ethan Zhang from the past walked over slowly. The Ironhide Revenant didn’t look at him, but instead stared at me with wide eyes. The corpse energy around it was even thicker. The ground cracked, the cement holding it in place split and was squeezed out, and the huge iron block on the outside bulged upward.
"Heaven has a virtue for cherishing life. You were enslaved for a long time, used for many evil deeds, and accumulated too much resentment. Today, I’ll let you go."
Suddenly, Ethan Zhang from the past stomped his left foot on the iron block outside the Ironhide Revenant. With a loud bang, I stared in shock as the fused iron block instantly split apart. A deafening roar and a cloud of dust filled the air, and with a wailing cry, the Ironhide Revenant shot out, appearing right in front of me.
"I don’t want to kill you. Go."
In the blink of an eye, Ethan Zhang from the past stood beside me, his left hand raised, two fingers pressed against the Ironhide Revenant’s forehead. I saw terror in its eyes—it couldn’t move at all. Ethan Zhang lowered his head in silence.
"That’s how this world is. Many things don’t go as we wish. If you understand, then leave the world of the living and return to your own. No matter the era, the human heart always decides everything."
With a boom, I saw a streak of bright white energy as Ethan Zhang pushed the Ironhide Revenant away. He looked pale.
"What happened?"
"I saw the Ironhide Revenant’s past. He was once a poor man, but after death, he was made into a zombie. Then, for greater profit, people kept refining him, pushing him to this state. It’s tragic, really. Those who refined him were killed by his own hand, but the resentment in his chest couldn’t be dispelled. That’s what zombies are—especially the mindless ones. Even in death, they don’t know what they’re hating."
I swallowed hard. In the distance, the Ironhide Revenant roared in anger. Though it feared Ethan Zhang from the past, its hatred still drove its actions. Even without emotion or consciousness, it was compelled by a resentment it couldn’t even understand.
Suddenly, the Ironhide Revenant spun around and leapt high, clearing the house behind us in an instant. Ethan Zhang from the past chased after it in fury, jumping up and floating lightly, his feet stepping on streaks of white light. I quickly ran after him.
A few minutes later, I circled around to the back street. The Ironhide Revenant was clutching an old man, biting into his neck and greedily sucking blood. Instantly, its murderous aura flared. Its body creaked as it moved, growing more excited after feeding. Its blood-red eyes stared at me.
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"The tragedies of the past have shaped everything now. I’m sorry."
Ethan Zhang from the past walked over slowly without a word. The Ironhide Revenant suddenly turned, floating in midair with its hands raised, flying at me. I saw a blood-red film—corpse membrane—covering me in an instant.
With a whoosh, Ethan Zhang was suddenly right in front of me. I stared in disbelief as he easily broke through the corpse membrane. He pressed two fingers together against the Ironhide Revenant’s forehead.
Streams of white energy surged along his arm as Ethan Zhang chanted under his breath. With a boom, the Ironhide Revenant shattered into countless fragments. The white energy swirled in the air, weaving together like dragons and serpents, quickly devouring the corpse pieces, which turned to black smoke and vanished.
With a bang, a blood-red corpse jade shattered before my eyes, then turned to dust and scattered on the ground.
I swallowed hard. For a brief moment, I saw Ethan Zhang from the past looking sad, but his eyes were filled with murderous intent.
Then Ethan Zhang walked over to the old man, pressing two fingers to the nearly severed neck. A stream of white energy flowed into the old man’s body, and the wound gradually disappeared.
Ethan Zhang immediately took out a golden talisman. I stared in amazement as a dazzling golden light enveloped the old man on the ground. He came back to life, completely unharmed and breathing steadily. Ethan Zhang carried the old man into the house, then came back out.
"It’s over."
I responded with a hum and was about to take out the Wish Balloon (Purple), but suddenly realized I couldn’t feel anything. My body was just ordinary—I kept searching myself, but Ethan Zhang from the past simply smiled at me.
"Let’s find a place."
I led him to my house. After Ethan Zhang from the past came in, we sat in the courtyard.
At that moment, I was extremely anxious. The dream should have ended, but it hadn’t. My consciousness was still inside this body—what was going on?
"Want a drink?"
Ethan Zhang said, finding two small bowls and pouring out two servings of wine. The aroma filled the air. I couldn’t help but be drawn in, took a small sip, and found it tasted great. Then I drank a big gulp and actually felt a little drunk.
"You said you know me, but you’re not me. What’s going on? Isn’t this a dream?"
I asked urgently. Ethan Zhang from the past shook his head.
"Dream or not, for you, this is a dream of your past existence. For me, this is the real world where I, Ethan Zhang, exist."
"Why is it like this?"
"I don’t know the details either. All I know is, ever since Yin Choujian and the others died, everything here changed—until you arrived."
I stared wide-eyed at Ethan Zhang from the past.
"What era is this?"
"It’s about two hundred years before the present you know."
I gasped, thinking hard. I only gained a bit of intelligence when I reached the modern era, but what exactly is happening now?
A hand comfortingly patted my shoulder.
"How can I go back?"
I asked immediately. Ethan Zhang from the past shook his head.
"I’m not entirely sure about that. I know you’re Ethan Zhang, but to me, you’re a completely different Ethan Zhang from a distant past. Think carefully—what did you do when you arrived here?"