At night, the shop was bustling again. Isabelle Frost was helping me carry plates, and I couldn't help but be surprised—she used to be the heiress of the Henderson Family, surely with the temperament of someone born to privilege. You’d never expect her to do these chores.
Everything Isabelle Frost said to me in the Shadow Realm still needs time to sink in. In the end, I have to master it—right now, it’s all about the Specter Web.
After several attempts last night, I realized my control over the Specter Web was pitifully weak. No wonder the enemy could avoid it so easily. If I want the Specter Web to relay the enemy’s position or strength, it must connect with my mind. Most threads are dormant, and I can only control three, which react quickly. The rest are slow, passing information to me only after a delay.
"Ethan Zhang, the food’s burning! What’s up with you tonight? Need a break? Let me handle it."
Rachel Lan called out, and I rushed to flip the food. Tonight, I planned to spar again with Isabelle Frost, pushing myself to train the Specter Web and learn to control the Deathbane Aura. Though I mainly fought with Deathbane Aura, I was now half-ghost, so every time I used my powers, ghost energy spilled out. If I didn’t control it, anyone who knew how could counter me in an instant. One slip, and I could be struck—maybe even fatally.
What worried me most now was how to use my power without letting so much ghost energy leak out. Problems loomed over me—especially with John Chou leaving his Deathstone in my Shadow Realm. After inspecting it, I felt the Deathstone was drawing power from the Sixfold Blossom, while the Deathbane Aura in my Shadow Realm kept feeding the Sixfold Blossom.
It’s a closed cycle: the Deathstone absorbs power from the Sixfold Blossom, then uses the death energy inside, mixed with my body’s yin energy and other ghostly negative auras, to keep generating Deathbane Aura. My Deathbane Aura keeps piling up—far beyond my control.
"Can you focus? The customers are waiting."
Isabelle Frost’s cold face appeared right in front of me, plate in hand. I forced a smile and hurried back to grilling.
After closing up, I made a big meal with all the leftovers, as usual. Sylvia Blue ate her fill, then leaned back in the lounge chair, patting her belly in satisfaction.