The clamor in the Hall of Malice came to an abrupt halt. Everyone stared at Lord Wraith’s strange behavior. His entire face was twisted with rage, biting his lower lip so hard that blood dripped onto the floor.
“Lord Wraith, perhaps that’s just how things are in this world. Hundreds of years ago, you tried to gain a position under the Judges (the ruling authorities of the Underworld Court), but after all these years, you’re still stuck in your own little domain. That’s fate. People say fighting others is fun, but fighting the heavens is a dead end. You’ve lived for over a thousand years—why belittle yourself? You want to become a Ghost Sovereign, to break through the limits of your kind? You have no idea how much more brutal the Sevenfold Ghost Sovereigns have endured. Why not just stay honest and content?”
It all happened in an instant. I had no time to react, only able to stare blankly as Lord Wraith’s hand reached my face.
But just as Lord Wraith was about to grab my head, his hand stopped.
“If you move again, you’re dead.”
“Hmph, John Chou, maybe I feared you before, but now you’re just a Blue Wraith (a lesser rank among ghosts, subordinate to Ghost Sovereigns)—hardly a Ghost Sovereign.”
“Oh, Lord Wraith, you’re not even qualified to be up here. What, trying to piss me off?”
“Redmond, the Eleventh Judge of the Underworld Court, please allow me to duel John Chou.”
Suddenly, John Chou stood up, smiling coldly. He walked over and leaned his head close to Lord Wraith’s face.
“It’s tolerance. As a ghost, your tolerance isn’t even as good as a human’s. Ha! You want to be a Ghost Sovereign (one of the Sevenfold Ghost Sovereigns, the highest echelon among spirits)? Don’t make me laugh. Get out!”
“John Chou, times have changed. Don’t think you can act like before.” Suddenly, Lord Wraith lifted his head and glared fiercely at John Chou.
“Lord Wraith, perhaps that’s just how things are in this world. Hundreds of years ago, you tried to gain a position under the Judges, but after all these years, you’re still stuck in your own little domain. That’s fate. People say fighting others is fun, but fighting the heavens is a dead end. You’ve lived for over a thousand years—why belittle yourself? You want to become a Ghost Sovereign, to break through the limits of your kind? You have no idea how much more brutal the Sevenfold Ghost Sovereigns have endured. Why not just stay honest and content?”
With a casual remark, John Chou instantly transformed into a cloud of blood-red mist. Accompanied by a flash of red light, he appeared outside the Hall of Malice, sitting cross-legged in midair.
All the ghosts outside immediately watched with excitement. After glancing at me, Lord Wraith walked out, then turned into a streak of green light, flying toward John Chou and stopping right in front of him.
Suddenly, Lord Wraith roared furiously. With a thunderous crash, the whole Hall of Malice shook. Green light radiated from his body, as if he could no longer restrain himself.
“Hmph, John Chou, maybe I feared you before, but now you’re just a Blue Wraith—hardly a Ghost Sovereign.”
“Don’t let me see you again. Get out!” Redmond roared. Lord Wraith seemed to come to his senses, fear in his eyes. He bowed and slowly retreated.
“Eleventh Judge, please allow me to duel John Chou.”
Suddenly, Quentin Yin stood up, smiling coldly. He walked over and leaned his head close to Lord Wraith’s face.
“It’s tolerance. As a ghost, your tolerance isn’t even as good as a human’s. Ha! You want to be a Ghost Sovereign? Don’t make me laugh. Get out!”
“Quentin Yin, times have changed. Don’t think you can act like before.” Suddenly, Lord Wraith lifted his head and glared fiercely at Quentin Yin.
“Yes, times have changed. Want to try me? Step outside.”
With a casual remark, Quentin Yin instantly transformed into a cloud of blood-red mist. Accompanied by a flash of red light, he appeared outside the Hall of Malice, sitting cross-legged in midair.
“Hmph, John Chou, I remember it well. Years ago, you led Quentin Kue and Lord Shenyan to my territory. My hundred ghosts died or were wounded, and I suffered for years. I thought you’d vanished in that war, but you’ve returned. Hmph.”
We rushed outside as well. Instantly, streaks of green light kept flying in—Basil Bertram’s subordinates. Blue Wraiths surrounded the area, looking expectant but also a bit afraid.
As soon as John Chou finished speaking, Lord Wraith swung his fist blades at John Chou’s neck. John Chou stretched out his limbs and leaned back, dodging the attack.
“Just as I thought, John Chou, your power isn’t what it used to be. Ha!”
Lord Wraith shouted, suddenly twisting his fist blades downward. With a slash, John Chou’s body split apart, dissolving into a mist of blood.
“Don’t think you can escape, John Chou.”
Lord Wraith floated forward, fist blades raised. With a swish, he chopped off John Chou’s head. Just as John Chou was about to dissolve into blood mist again, the red particles around his body suddenly recoiled, unable to disperse.
Ghosts began to gather, and even members from the major sects rushed over, apparently having caught wind of something.
“Wraith Fistblades…”
“Didn’t expect to actually catch John Chou’s true form.”
With a bang, before I could see what happened, John Chou crashed to the ground, leaving a deep dent. Lord Wraith descended from above, his fist blades stabbing into John Chou’s chest with a hiss.
“John Chou…”
I stood up. I’d never seen John Chou like this—so battered, his usual mocking smile gone, replaced by a heavy seriousness.
Blood trickled from the corner of John Chou’s mouth.
Lord Wraith shouted, suddenly twisting his fist blades downward. With a slash, Quentin Yin’s body split apart, dissolving into a mist of blood.
“Don’t think you can escape, Quentin Yin.”
“What’s wrong, John Chou? In this state, are you still John Chou? Hahaha, take a good look—this is the infamous John Chou…”
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John Chou’s hand suddenly conjured a massive blade of baleful energy, swinging it at Lord Wraith. The blade struck Lord Wraith, but instantly dissolved into black mist and vanished.
“Didn’t expect to actually catch Quentin Yin’s true form.”
Lord Wraith spoke, suddenly lifting John Chou and hurling him toward us. With a bang, John Chou crashed at Redmond’s feet, blood pooling everywhere, the two gaping wounds in his chest refusing to heal.
“His ghost soul is wounded,” Rufina Howard said. I immediately grew anxious and hurried over, looking at the barely breathing John Chou, my heart full of sorrow.
John Chou’s eyes were unfocused as he lay on the ground, expressionless.
“Sigh, John Chou, if you’ve been hit, hit back.” Redmond said softly. Yuna Ji’s face was grave, Basil Bertram too, and even Vivian Ouyang looked displeased.
“Just a little tired…”
John Chou murmured, and I hurried over.
“Awake yet, John Chou? Today, I’ll disgrace you in front of ten thousand ghosts.”
All around, the Blue Wraiths wore expressions of indescribable melancholy and helplessness, as if something was wrong.
John Chou’s hand suddenly conjured a massive blade of baleful energy, swinging it at Lord Wraith. The blade struck Lord Wraith, but instantly dissolved into black mist and vanished.
“Using such childish tricks to attack me—what a joke.”
Lord Wraith spoke, suddenly lifting John Chou and hurling him toward us. With a bang, John Chou crashed at Redmond’s feet, blood pooling everywhere, the two gaping wounds in his chest refusing to heal.
“His ghost soul is wounded,” Rufina Howard said. I immediately grew anxious and hurried over, looking at the barely breathing John Chou, my heart full of sorrow.
John Chou’s eyes were unfocused as he lay on the ground, expressionless.
“Sigh, John Chou, if you’ve been hit, hit back.” Redmond said softly. Yuna Ji’s face was grave, Basil Bertram too, and even Vivian Ouyang looked displeased.
“Just a little tired…”
John Chou murmured, and I hurried over.
“Awake yet, John Chou? Today, I’ll disgrace you in front of ten thousand ghosts.”