I stared in astonishment at the Wraithlord—he was already floating in midair. I couldn't sense anything at all; where was his power coming from?
This is what puzzles me most. The power within my body has completely vanished, and now the Wraithlord is nothing but a fragment of ghost soul—he shouldn't have any source of strength left.
Emperor Yan was still seated on the ground, silent and unmoving. He watched me quietly, a look of indescribable sorrow in his eyes.
"Long ago, when you were just born, my direct bloodline—Yvonne May—foresaw the worst possible future within your body."
My eyes widened. Emperor Yan stood up and looked at the Wraithlord hovering in the air, his sharply defined, stone-like face filled with silent fury—clearly enraged by Emperor Yan's previous words.
"I don't wish to fight you, Wraithlord. There's no point in it."
"Kid, the choice isn't yours to make now."
Emperor Yan nodded, glancing around at the surroundings.
"You truly are formidable, Wraithlord—to calmly convert the power of darkness in this forest into your own strength. Even for me, just managing that would be no easy feat."
"There's no point in saying more."
With a sudden swish, I stared in surprise at the Belle sword now gripped in the Wraithlord's hand—how did it end up with him?
"Just borrowing the Belle sword for a moment—it won't be harmed. Just watch quietly."
"Such a fragile lifeline has become your last hope, Wraithlord. But your Seven Souls and Three Spirits can never be reunited. You should start thinking about your future instead of being trapped in the pain of your past."
With a whoosh, a streak of icy blue light flashed to Emperor Yan's side. He leapt back, then swung his hand—the Bush Knife that had fallen to the ground was now in his grasp. Crimson cracks appeared along its black blade, and flames burst forth, intertwining like tiny dragons.
The flames on Emperor Yan's body gradually receded into his skin, sinking into the black cracks across his flesh. I'd seen this before—John Chou once used it and said he'd learned the technique from Lord Shenyan.
The flames on Emperor Yan were different from any fire I'd seen before—they seemed alive, almost emotional. I could sense his will within them; these flames inspired hope and resilience.
"Divine fire, is it? Heh. Interesting."
The Wraithlord silently observed Emperor Yan, raising the Belle sword. The smile in his eyes vanished, replaced by icy, murderous intent.
At that moment, Rachel Lan and I slowly floated up, landing softly on the ground nearby. A faint glow of fire appeared beside us, forming a protective shield before gradually fading away.
With a metallic ring, a dagger trailing a tail of flame embedded itself in the ground before us.
Emperor Yan raised the Bush Knife, gripping its blade with both hands and holding it horizontally before him. A stream of flame slowly transformed into a dragon, coiling around his body—the dragon's head resting on his shoulder.
"Interesting."
The Wraithlord spoke as he walked over, frost swirling around him. The ground was instantly covered in icy blue.
The Wraithlord asked in a low voice. Emperor Yan nodded, then smiled slightly, looking at me and Rachel Lan.
Suddenly, the Wraithlord stepped forward, releasing a surge of cold air. In an instant, he drew his sword—a dragon's roar echoed as the fiery dragon coiled around Emperor Yan's neck lunged at the Wraithlord.
The Wraithlord smiled, turning into a faint blue mist that sank into my body. With a thud, Emperor Yan collapsed to the ground, as if asleep. I looked at Rachel Lan beside me—her breathing had returned, and she slept peacefully.
With a metallic ring, the Wraithlord slashed upward with Belle. Emperor Yan blocked with the Bush Knife, then quickly retreated.
A streak of icy blue appeared on Emperor Yan's forehead. Blood welled up, only to freeze instantly and fall to the ground as tiny ice crystals. Emperor Yan pressed a hand to his forehead, still holding the Bush Knife with both hands.
So strong. I only knew the Wraithlord's power from before—when he fought John Chou, he always suppressed him in technique. They never truly competed in strength. But now it's different: the Wraithlord has converted the power of darkness into his own.
"So you've seen through my level, then?"
The Wraithlord nodded.
"No need to hide anymore. These eyes of mine have witnessed the rise and fall of worlds, the birth and death of all things in nature. Do you think such petty tricks could fool me?"
Emperor Yan shook his head. Suddenly, the moment he let go of the Bush Knife, the world around us turned fiery red. Flames shot up from the ground, while those near the Wraithlord were instantly frozen, crackling and vanishing as ice shards.
"Fire God..."
In an instant, Emperor Yan roared and raised the Bush Knife high, slashing down at the Wraithlord. The flames leapt up, wildly converging on the blade in his hands.
The Wraithlord chose to retreat. With a roar, a massive blast echoed through the air and a ball of fire shot out—this time, it wasn't frozen.
The Wraithlord swung Belle, slicing through the flames—he cut every blast aimed at him into pieces, and the fire quickly vanished into the air.
With a sudden thrust, the Wraithlord stabbed Belle at Emperor Yan. With a metallic clang, Emperor Yan blocked with the Bush Knife. In that instant, the Wraithlord stood tall, raising a hand—a deep blue light instantly formed a pillar, crashing down.
A crackling sound echoed, like giant blocks of ice crashing to the ground. I felt a violent tremor—the fiery world beneath us split with cracks, and the exploding frost instantly froze the flames.
A crackling sound rang out—the icy pillar freezing Emperor Yan shattered. Their weapons clashed; with a snap, Emperor Yan turned into a meteor-like burst of flame, only to quickly recondense into his form. The Wraithlord's sword was at his eyes; he tilted his head to dodge, then struck back with the Bush Knife.
Two metallic clangs rang out—their blades parted. Emperor Yan crouched on the ground, right hand braced on the Bush Knife, his gaze growing heavier as he stared at the Wraithlord.
"So strong, and it's just one soul fragment?"
"If you're only planning to test me, next time I'll kill you."
Emperor Yan stood up, silently staring at the Wraithlord. For a moment, neither moved.
I couldn't understand the Wraithlord's intentions. He wasn't simply enraged by Emperor Yan and lashing out—he had another purpose.
"Wraithlord, your power is beyond imagination. Even if I gave it my all, I'm not your match. Can we talk?"
The Wraithlord replied coldly, then looked at me.
"Do you think I'm wrong, Ethan Zhang?"
I looked at the Wraithlord in surprise. The moment he turned his head, he lunged at Emperor Yan—once again, their weapons clashed with a thunderous boom, and this time the Wraithlord was sent flying backward.
I saw a translucent shield of flame around Emperor Yan, dissolving the frost.
With a crash, the Wraithlord hit the ground. He got up, glaring coldly at Emperor Yan.
"Looks like you're finally serious."
Emperor Yan said nothing. His hair and beard burned, floating slightly in the air.
I pondered the Wraithlord's earlier question. He wanted to force Nuwa to love him again—there was nothing wrong with that, if it were just a child seeking his mother. But his methods were wrong.
Suddenly, the Wraithlord turned to me, his gaze icy cold.
"Such an ambiguous answer, Ethan Zhang. Heh. Wrong is wrong, right is right. Seeing the world in black and white is the simplest way to survive. If everything is gray, then nothing matters."
Gradually, the flames around us faded, and the fire on Emperor Yan's body began to die down. His skin slowly healed and returned to its normal color.
"We can't keep fighting. You realize that too, Wraithlord. If we wake what's lurking in this darkness too soon, war will break out early. That won't help Ethan Zhang and the others—they might die in this darkness. Neither of us wants that, do we?"
The Wraithlord chuckled, the blue light fading from his body. He sheathed Belle and returned to my side, sitting down next to me.
"Utterly ridiculous, utterly foolish—such is the nature of humans and ghosts. Things this laughable have no reason to exist; the world should return to its beginning, survival of the fittest, the law of nature."
"We are people and ghosts who should never have existed in this world. The future shouldn't be ours to control—it should be left to those living now. That's why, Wraithlord, I think this is something we really need to discuss. Recklessly interfering in everything means nothing to you or to us; it will only backfire."
"After so long in this darkness, don't you find this lightless world dull? Don't you long for the light at all?"
The Wraithlord asked in a low voice. Emperor Yan nodded, then smiled slightly, looking at me and Lan Ruoxi.
"Let's leave things as they are for now. Don't tell my other soul everything about me—I will sleep again, and so will you, Wraithlord."
The Wraithlord smiled, turning into a faint blue mist that sank into my body. With a thud, Emperor Yan collapsed to the ground, as if asleep. I looked at Lan Ruoxi beside me—her breathing had returned, and she slept peacefully.