"Heavenly Lock..."
Heavenly Soul roared in fury. From all directions, white chains shot out from the swirling white currents around Justin, binding him tightly. The thunderous rumble echoed all around. An immense force kept surging from Justin's body. I was still crouched in front of Earthly Soul—he was recovering slowly. Though his wounds looked mostly healed, he hadn't regained consciousness yet. He needed more time.
Heavenly Soul raised both hands, struggling in the air before us, still suppressing the power that threatened to erupt from Justin's body. The atmosphere was unnaturally heavy, an eerie force pressing down on everything.
I quietly considered my options. Nothing could stop Justin—not even Heavenly Soul. The absolute suppression from the Heavenly Dao was already starting to lose its effect. In the face of time, all things are powerless. The darkness seemed to grow thicker around us, swallowing hope.
Justin was the embodiment of time itself. Just then, Earthly Soul opened his eyes, whimpered, and struggled to his feet, clutching his forehead.
"That bastard..."
"We have to come up with something. Black Moon, do you have any ideas?"
I called out immediately. Black Moon descended. I noticed that the ground beneath us—the interwoven black-and-white liquid—had vanished. All that remained was scorched earth, nothing left behind.
"When you got close to that guy just now, BOSS, I noticed something."
Black Moon spoke up. Earthly Soul and I turned to him. Heavenly Soul's body was starting to twist and contort, creaking under some crushing force, bulging in places—he couldn't hold out much longer. We had to find a way to suppress Justin before it was too late.
"When you charged at him, BOSS, I felt he was wary of something. He could've instantly retreated into that vortex, taking all of Earthly Soul's time, but he didn't. So I think maybe you, BOSS, are affecting him. Didn't he say before that your presence disrupts time, so time needs to correct itself? And that correction means erasing you completely—wiping out Ethan Zhang, erasing you from existence."
I stared wide-eyed, raising a hand.
"My instincts—I'm begging you. Help me suppress the evil ghost within."
No matter what, I could only let my instincts manifest now. If I didn't, I'd just be a burden to the two of them.
"Good luck, BOSS. I'll step in when things get critical."
Black Moon said, flashing a wicked grin as he stood and walked away. Earthly Soul got up, shook his head, and slapped his face.
"Such unbelievable power—time itself."
"Stop forcing it, Heavenly Soul. You'll get yourself killed."
Earthly Soul shouted. In an instant, the white chains binding Juchen Realm vanished. Heavenly Soul turned into a wisp of white vapor and rushed to our side. When his body reappeared, he immediately dropped to one knee, clutching his chest and gasping for breath.
"Stronger than I imagined—that guy."
"Ah, you don't need to tell me. Even my strongest technique can't change anything. His power is terrifying. You find a way to protect Ethan Zhang. I'll attack. You two assist me from the sides."
Heavenly Soul and I nodded at the same time.
Juchen Realm lowered his head, seething with rage. He hunched over, arms dangling in the air, head twisting, his jagged mouth slightly open. One black, one white eye stared at us, unblinking.
"Ready. If we can shatter his manifested form and keep the head, then sever its connection to that vortex, we'll have a chance. Can you do it?"
As he spoke, Earthly Soul turned to look at Black Moon on the black platform.
"Strange. How do you know that?"
Earthly Soul snorted coldly.
"Do whatever you can. If we go down, you won't walk away unscathed. That guy wants to wipe out everyone except Ethan Zhang."
With a whoosh, Juchen Realm was suddenly right in front of us, head creaking as it turned, mouth splitting in a twisted grin—almost as if he were laughing.
With a crash, the three of us were thrown in different directions. I looked down at the gaping wounds all over my body, green blood spraying everywhere. Heavenly Soul and Earthly Soul braced themselves, but their just-healed bodies were again battered and torn. Still, Juchen Realm's power wasn't as overwhelming as before.
"Be careful—Heavenly Soul, he's after you."
Earthly Soul shouted the moment he landed. As Heavenly Soul steadied himself in midair, Juchen Realm was already there. A massive hand appeared behind Heavenly Soul, grabbing him tight.
Heavenly Soul turned into a streak of black lightning and shot away. I followed close behind. Juchen Realm twisted his head, vanishing in an instant. With two thuds, Earthly Soul plummeted straight down.
With a crash, Earthly Soul hit the ground. I noticed most of the black-and-white liquid covering the ground had disappeared. Earthly Soul seemed battered by immense force but his ghostly essence wasn't harmed like before.
Creaking noises rang out. Saplings sprouted from the surface of the multicolored hand gripping Heavenly Soul. The entire hand shattered into fragments. Heavenly Soul instantly rushed to my side, holding a stream of white energy that gradually became radiant, like a long spear, gripped tightly in his hand.
"Instinct... coexistence..."
With a roar, a green, translucent Evil Ghost appeared on my back. The moment it emerged, the Evil Ghost raised its left hand and grabbed at the air. With a snap, Juchen Realm was caught by my instinct.
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"Now!"
Earthly Soul shouted from afar, rushing toward us. Heavenly Soul was already at my side. I willed my Evil Ghost to release its grip. With a ripping sound, Heavenly Soul stabbed the radiant spear into Juchen Realm's chest, then grabbed me and dragged me away.
With a thunderous crash, Juchen Realm was pinned to the ground by a spear of radiant light. His arms and legs shook violently, his jaw grinding with a harsh creak.
I lay face down on the ground, feeling the Evil Ghost on my back growing heavier, nearly crushing me. My hands were pressed deep into the dirt, my knees starting to sink.
"Finish him now while you can."
Earthly Soul gripped Endbringer, ready to strike, but Heavenly Soul stopped him.
"Don't rush in recklessly—unless you want to taste the end of your life in an instant again."
A shrill, piercing scream erupted. Juchen Realm's mouth gaped wide, his head splitting open. The sound was so agonizing we all clutched our ears. Meanwhile, the radiant spear pinning Juchen Realm began to twist and fade.
"This is bad. Fall back!"
Heavenly Soul called out, and the three of us immediately floated up, retreating into the distance.
The white on Juchen Realm's body slowly faded, his exterior turning pitch black. Two pitiless white eyes locked onto us.
"I've told you before—there's no reasoning with them. There are no rules to share. We have ours, they have theirs. But their rules are affecting time itself, so they must be eliminated. It's not just one—you're too soft, Jiuyuan."
Juchen Realm muttered to himself, body still hunched like a beast ready to strike, radiating a chilling, predatory aura.
"Things are getting more complicated."
Heavenly Soul remarked. Earthly Soul burst out laughing.
"Just the way I like it."
With a crash, as Juchen Realm charged, Earthly Soul met him head-on. My only option was to use my instinct to restrain Juchen Realm, while Heavenly Soul and Earthly Soul worked together to hold him down.
"Don't let up—hold on, Ethan Zhang!"
Heavenly Soul called out, his feet dissolving into flowing white vapor, which drifted around me. The earth churned, and soon the whole ground began to rumble.
"We're going up, Ethan Zhang. Hang on tight."
Heavenly Soul shouted. My eyes widened as the earth beneath me turned to liquid mud. Suddenly, something round and solid rose up beneath me, and with a booming roar, I shot into the air.
Astonished, I looked down at the giant beneath me—a massive figure made of earth, dirt crumbling from its body. I was sitting on its shoulder. Suddenly, the giant turned its faceless head, mouth gaping wide, and a stream of mud shot out, pulling me into its mouth. But I immediately sensed it was Heavenly Soul's power guiding the earth here.
Now I was completely sealed within a space of Heavenly Soul's pure power. Juchen Realm clearly wanted to take me out first. I could still see everything outside—Earthly Soul swung Endbringer furiously at Juchen Realm, but no matter how hard he struck, the unleashed force was devoured by Juchen Realm.
With a swish, Earthly Soul seized an opening and slashed at Juchen Realm's head, but Juchen Realm had already vanished.
With a rip, I stared in shock—a black hand appeared before me. With a bang, the earthen giant's head exploded.
"Don't even think about it."
Countless Specter Webs erupted from my body, wrapping tightly around me. The Evil Ghost on my back began to grow black bones, becoming fully corporeal.