Obsession is a terrifying thing. It can disrupt the path a person is meant to follow, even trap them in a mire from which they cannot escape. Everything I’ve told you, and my duel with John Chou, is simply to help you understand the true nature of your power.
Sylvia Blue quieted down, sitting beside me, her chin resting on her hand as she watched us.
These are things you must truly and thoroughly understand in the days to come. Only then can your power grow. Right now, you’re trapped in a misconception, and only by grasping the essence of why this misconception exists can you move forward.
I nodded, quietly reflecting on everything I’d experienced over the past two nights. The Wraithlord’s words echoed in my mind. After my two matches with John Chou, I realized something—there’s no way I can do what they do. The only thing I can do is keep fighting the way I always have, though I’ll need to fill in a lot of gaps.
I noticed The Wraithlord was watching Sylvia Blue with interest, a smile playing on his lips.
"You’re very clever, young lady. But this isn’t a place you should stay. You’d better head back."
"I’m not going back."
Sylvia Blue immediately shouted, then made a face at The Wraithlord before turning into a streak of silvery light and vanishing from my dreamscape. The Wraithlord sighed meaningfully, then glanced at me.
I blinked and looked at John Chou. He was grinning mischievously, gazing off into the distance as if someone familiar was approaching.
"Captain, don’t worry. Everything that needs to be prepared is ready."
“Good, good! You’ve done well, kid. You’re promising material. Give it some time and I’ll promote you—maybe let you manage The Dreadhold.”
John Chou nodded and bowed, as if seeing someone off, while The Wraithlord snorted coldly.
"I advise you not to underestimate that group."
John Chou turned and nodded.
"I’ve never underestimated them. I’ve always walked the razor’s edge."
John Chou came over, patted my shoulder, then looked at The Wraithlord and asked:
"You’re teaching Ethan Zhang these things for a reason, aren’t you?"
The Wraithlord nodded without hesitation.
"Anyone with a heart—human or ghost, including you—is driven by purpose. Right now, our interests are bound together, and that’s the only reason I bother explaining these things."
Those words stung a little. I looked quietly at The Wraithlord. No matter what, the fog in my heart had cleared quite a bit. At least now I understood my fundamental advantages.
"Alright, John Chou, no need for extra words. We both know what’s going on. It’s better not to break the illusion. I’m going to get some sleep—I’m tired."
As he spoke, The Wraithlord slowly faded into a streak of violet light and disappeared before us. John Chou seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, quietly staring at the spot where The Wraithlord vanished.
"You can’t handle that old guy. His motives are simple—he’s using you to find his other soul fragments, then letting someone capable take them and revive him."
I felt conflicted. I didn’t need John Chou to spell it out—I already knew. But The Wraithlord has helped me three times now: at the Curse Lake, during my rebirth, and these past two nights. Even if I only half-understood what he taught me, I’ve learned some crucial things.
"So what’s your plan, brother? If you don’t move forward, you’ll fall behind. But right now, you’re stuck. If you hand over the Blood Jade, you’ll lose the feelings you’ve regained. But if you don’t, another fight awaits—and it could drag others into the fray."
John Chou had pinpointed the root of my hesitation. On this, I had no idea what to do.
"There’s still a ways to go before you can leave here. Before that, you’ll have to make a decision, brother. No one can help you—only you can do this. Stop thinking you can always move forward with the ones you love. That’ll only put them in danger. Or maybe..."
I lowered my head, and John Chou fell silent, his hand resting on the back of my head as he stared ahead.
"Do you have a way to break through this darkness?"
"No."
"The difference between lowering your head and raising it is simple: when you look down, you see the ground. But when you look up, you can't see the sky."
John Chou stood up, smiling, then gradually faded into blood-red particles and vanished before me. Darkness swallowed the world.
When I came to, it was still dark outside. I glanced out—not true darkness, but black clouds gathering overhead, making the snowy world dull and gray. I looked at Rachel Lan and Sylvia Blue on the bed; both were still asleep. I raised a hand, feeling a little restored.
Suddenly, I stood up. There was something under the bed. I peered down, hearing a rustle as Spirit Snake slithered out. There were some fruits on the table.
"You didn’t wait for me."
Awkwardly, I pointed at the door. Spirit Snake and I walked outside. Beyond the house, I looked into the distance—the wasteland was already covered by dark clouds.
"Looks like we need to move quickly."
Spirit Snake glanced at me. I leaned against the door, gazing up at the sky, my expression bleak. Spirit Snake moved close, staring at the side of my forehead, lost in thought.
"Have you made up your mind? You should tell that girl soon."
I lowered my head and grunted in response, heavy with emotion.
But not right now. For now, I just want to watch Rachel Lan.
We started moving again, trudging through the snow. After a while, we reached a slightly brighter spot. The dark clouds behind us weren’t moving fast.
Ethan, what’s wrong?
Rachel Lan must have noticed the gloom on my face. She asked quietly. I turned and forced a smile, shaking my head.
"If there’s something you can’t get past, don’t keep it bottled up. Tell me, and I’ll face it with you..."
Thank you, Rachel. I’m fine—really.
Rachel Lan hesitated, then gave up on pressing further. My heart was in turmoil. I wanted to tell her something, but the words wouldn’t come.
Sylvia Blue was especially quiet today. Other than a few casual words to Rachel Lan, she said nothing else.
There’s no telling how long this journey will last. Just when everyone was getting bored, a flash of green appeared ahead. Sylvia Blue immediately ran toward it, delighted.
"Hurry up, you guys!"
Sunlight streamed down inside the Devouring Woods. After a short walk, we reached the edge. Sylvia Blue had vanished somewhere, so we waited quietly at the forest’s border. Rachel Lan moved closer, holding my hand—she hadn’t given up yet.
Rachel Lan’s cheeks were flushed as she leaned quietly on my shoulder, her eyes flickering toward me.
Ethan, when we get back, let’s go meet your parents...
I made a sound of acknowledgment and looked at Rachel Lan in confusion. She lowered her head, her palm sweaty, clearly wanting to say something but struggling to get it out.
"When we get back, we... we..."
Rachel Lan’s voice grew softer. Suddenly, there was a noise behind us. I jumped up, startled, as Sylvia Blue ran out, grinning.
"I found the marker!"
Rachel Lan stood up, a look of bittersweet emotion on her face.
What is it, Rachel? If there’s something you want to say, just say it.
Rachel Lan lowered her head, sniffled, then shook her head and smiled.
"It’s nothing."
Sylvia Blue peeked over, then seemed lost in thought for a moment before giggling.
"Let’s get going."
With that, Sylvia Blue grabbed my hand and started running.
"Slow down, Sylvia."
As dusk approached, we stopped. We’d spent half the day in sunlight before finally reaching the Snowpeak Mountains where Entity 004 resided. A massive, colorful cloud slowly floated down the mountain. Rachel Lan ran over, excited, and pinched the cloud when it landed.
Suddenly, Sylvia Blue hugged Rachel Lan from behind and tossed her onto the cloud.
"What are you doing, Sylvia?"
Rachel Lan looked at Sylvia Blue in alarm, but she couldn’t help smiling.
The cloud felt like an elevator, carrying us up to the palace where Entity 004 lived. Once inside, Rachel Lan couldn’t help but gasp—anyone would be awestruck by the sight, as if we’d entered a fairyland.
"I can only shelter you for three days. Sylvia, I’m sorry—I don’t want any trouble."
Entity 004 spoke with a hint of helplessness. Sylvia Blue stepped forward to thank him. Entity 004 glanced at us, then waved his Ceremonial Whisk and floated away.
"In three days, that girl should recover quite a bit. Her soul and body should reach nearly ninety percent fusion."
"Is it because of Entity 001?"
Sylvia Blue asked, but Entity 004 shook his head.
"Not that one. It’s the will of this world itself that intends to destroy you all."
I swallowed hard. Sylvia Blue glanced back at the vast blue sky behind us.
"I knew it was too much of a coincidence—all these disasters keep finding us. Those black clouds are following us."
Spirit Snake muttered under his breath.
"Sir, do you know any way to reach the world of the living from here?"
I asked, just as Entity 004 was about to leave. He turned and shook his head.
"We’re not like the Sacred Spirits; we only enter, never leave. They’re different—they use this world for brief rest, then abandon it. Now that all the anomalies have been cleared out, only you remain."
Entity 004 quickly flew into his own statue and vanished. Things were far worse than we’d imagined.
"We’ll just have to take things one step at a time."
Spirit Snake muttered again, and I nodded.