Staring at the Deathbane Ghost before me, I recalled the Deathbane Aura I had used previously. Indeed, it contained traces of vitality mixed within. At that time, I was neither human nor ghost, and now my state feels even stranger.
Lately I've noticed it too—the Deathbane Aura is still usable, but its power has greatly diminished. Without the Deathbane Ghost's assistance, my aura feels sluggish and difficult to wield.
"It seems you've noticed as well, Earthly Soul. Your Deathbane Aura is nearly depleted."
I grunted in response, stood up, and asked.
"This connection between life and death you speak of—how exactly are the two linked?"
The Deathbane Ghost looked at me and smiled calmly.
"Do you remember the Deathbane Aura waterfall beneath Hidden Falls Temple?"
I nodded. It was there that I first met the Deathbane Ghost, and he had taught me many things.
"There's a reason that waterfall flows upward. True, potent Deathbane Aura can't exist without vitality. If it's only death and murderous intent, it's merely a sharp blade. But with vitality mixed in, it becomes not just any blade, but a peerless one capable of cutting through anything."
I swallowed. Thinking back, the Deathbane Aura Zhang Qingyuan wielded was exactly like that—sharper than the black aura, able to slice through almost anything with ease.
Yet I still can't grasp the true meaning of vitality. Even though I understand what Deathbane Aura is, it's still only a partial understanding. Vitality is something only the living can produce. Strictly speaking, I may not be dead, but in reality, I'm no different from the dead.
"The reason that Deathbane Aura waterfall flows upward is because Elder Frank Yuan used the Buddha Statue of Visions technique there, constantly releasing vitality. As I told you before, Deathbane Aura is born from humans, from living things. So, in the end, it must return to its source, and vitality is the best guide for Deathbane Aura to do so. Your body, affected by Endbringer's Power, can no longer produce vitality."
I looked at the Deathbane Ghost in confusion. It seems my feeling wasn't wrong—he's fading away, or perhaps about to leave my body.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
I asked, feeling a bit helpless.
"Even if I had, it wouldn't have helped. You can't change anything. I can't draw any vitality from you, and the Spirit Snake is the same—unable to gain any power from you. This is the essential difference between you and Ethan Zhang, Earth Soul."
I nodded and gave a helpless smile.
"If you disappear, will you return to the base of the waterfall?"
The Deathbane Ghost nodded.
"If I leave your body, once I awaken, I will return to the base of the waterfall and continue everything—acting as a medium, endlessly channeling Deathbane Aura from the world of the living, guiding it upstream to return to its source."
"Sorry."
I shook my head helplessly. There was nothing more I could do for them. I sensed this not long after inheriting Ethan Zhang, Earth Soul's legacy—even back on that island, even in Ronan's Shadow Realm, when I observed the mix of vitality and death in the ghost domain, I vaguely felt they were about to vanish.
But the other ghost souls in my body—Yin Ghost, Desire Ghost, Zhu Tang, Curse Ghost, Grievance Ghost, Sorrow Ghost, and Thought Ghost—can still draw a bit of power from me, enough to maintain their forms.
As their medium, that's my role. Even in this land of desire, Desire Ghost can't absorb the power here naturally, but must do so through me. My own strong desire for power helps her, but the other ghost souls are beginning to deteriorate—not just in strength.
The best off now is Yin Ghost; she can still draw some yin energy from my power, since I still have ghost souls within me. Grievance Ghost and Sorrow Ghost only get a little yin energy as sustenance. Zhu Tang and Curse Ghost are in bad shape. And the last one, Thought Ghost, is still sealed—I have no idea how he is, but that one absolutely must not be released.
"Ultimately, I don't really know how to define Deathbane Aura. I only became aware of it when I gained consciousness. You don't need to blame yourself—it's just fate."
I nodded.
"You two have said so much today. It seems time won't allow you to remain in my body any longer."
The Deathbane Ghost nodded.
"I'm glad you understand. You're not like Ethan Zhang, who has the instinct to coexist. That instinct now resides in Rachel Lan, but she's human, and we are creatures of darkness—we can't merge with her, or it would harm her. Once we leave, your power may even grow. For you, our presence is an obstacle. When we each depart, the power within your body will become stronger, because there will be no more hindrance."
I nodded. Maybe deep down, I realized it too—I am not the same as them, not really a match. It's something I still don't fully understand.
"Earthly Soul, all these days we've been watching you, and we all agree—you might be a bit like him."
I looked at the Deathbane Ghost in confusion. He pointed toward the center of the lake.
"You mean the Wraithlord?"
I looked at him in surprise. The Deathbane Ghost nodded and smiled faintly.
"You and he are alike in some ways. You can comprehend the Blank Desire Tome—it's not a coincidence. I've lived for countless years and seen countless people, so I know for sure."
The Deathbane Ghost slowly floated upward.
"You prefer to be alone, to do everything by yourself—whether it's sadness, anger, or even joy, you never share it with others. You only pursue power. In our eyes, that's the kind of person you are—completely different from Ethan Zhang, Earth Soul."
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I smiled helplessly, then floated into the air.
"Although we don't know exactly what you experienced or saw in the world inside that book, we all understand your true nature. Maybe you do too. Consider what made you who you are, Earthly Soul. Think carefully about why you stand here, what you've been through, and what kind of person you really are."
I looked at the Deathbane Ghost in surprise. The Spirit Snake, who had recently returned to my body, was the same—he spoke a lot to me today. It felt like both of them were saying goodbye.
At this moment, I could clearly feel the ghost souls in my body acting strangely—they were about to leave.
"The day you all saw Ethan Zhang again, it really seemed that way."
Thinking back to that day in the world of causality, after I saw Ethan Zhang, I released these ghost souls. But when they saw him, they said nothing and just watched from the side. I realized then they intended to leave, to return to where they came from—especially Desire Ghost, even though this is her domain.
Yet Desire Ghost never came out on her own, and the other ghost souls had no real connection with me. At this moment, I seemed to understand what the Deathbane Ghost was trying to say.
"I think I understand what you want to say. Thank you, Deathbane Ghost."
As I spoke, with a thought, the eight ghost souls appeared at my side. I quietly looked at them and smiled faintly.
"Thank you all for everything during this time."
As I spoke, Curse Ghost waved his hand. I felt something strange—a red chain was pulled from my body by Curse Ghost, binding a black mass tightly. It was Thought Ghost.
"We wanted to tell you directly, but it felt a bit too harsh."
Zhu Tang said this, and I shook my head.
"Are you two really going to be alright?"
I asked, most worried about the Spirit Snake and Zhu Tang. Neither are ghosts—they're Saint Spirits. Now, after being tainted for so long by ghost power, they've turned black. If they leave me, there will be nowhere for them to draw power from.
"Worry about yourself first. We're your greatest obstacle. Once you understand the source of resistance, your power can reach a new level—instead of dragging us along like burdens."
Zhu Tang smiled and said. I nodded in response and stopped thinking about it. There will always be a way. More importantly, I started to remember what I used to be like. In a way, I really am a bit like the Wraithlord.
"I guess I've been influenced by Ethan Zhang."
"Sorry, Earthly Soul."
Desire Ghost said this, a bit shyly.
"Go on."