"I told you already, I don't know."
I immediately replied with a firm tone. The Sleeper shook his head and smiled, then stepped aside. Wraithshade sat down cross-legged, leaning against the large jar behind him. My cousin was still struggling, but I smiled and shook my head, signaling him not to worry.
I saw small clumps of soul fragments being drawn from Howard Zhang's body, then it stopped. The soul fragments floated in the water.
Wraithshade's voice was resolute, his eyes locked on me. Then he raised a finger, pointing at the big jar behind him.
"Ethan Zhang—his soul, with our technique, can be extracted at will. If you don't believe me, we can try now. Let's start by extracting a portion."
"You bastard!"
As I spoke, I lunged forward. With a bang, Deathcurse blocked my way. A wave of killing intent struck, sending me flying to the ground. His eyes darted side to side, signaling me not to act rashly.
"Ha! Ethan Zhang, just watch. This is only a demonstration, so don't get so worked up. We'll start by extracting one third of your cousin's soul."
The Replicator, go elsewhere. You're not needed here, and your presence only gets in our way...
Excitement flashed in Wraithshade's eyes. He burst out laughing, turned around, and raised a hand. Gradually, the soul fragments floating in the water returned to Howard Zhang's body.
"This is our cemetery's laboratory. You are outsiders, so of course I have to keep an eye on you. Besides, you're not trustworthy."
The Sleeper smiled silently, his eyes narrowed. At that moment, I noticed a flash of white—different from the clarity of the liquid in the jar. My cousin Howard Zhang clutched his neck in pain, whimpering as if drowning, then his hands went limp.
At that moment, The Sleeper came up behind us. With a whoosh, Earthly Soul flashed past, swinging Endbringer.
"I've extracted the soul from Howard Zhang's neck and hands. It's not yet a third, so he won't die for now. But if it stays out too long, it will affect other parts of the soul. Isn't it a perfect technique? Ethan Zhang, compared to sorcery, the technology here is far more precise, far more incredible—something spellcraft can't even compare to in terms of perfection and accuracy."
"I told you already, what more do you want from me?"
I kept speaking, but my patience was at its limit. Wraithshade stood up.
"Once I've extracted Howard Zhang's soul, there's no way to restore it. I'll ask you one more time: where exactly are John Chou and the others?"
Deathcurse's eyes narrowed. In an instant, I was sent flying, landing right in front of Wraithshade, staring at him in shock.
"Put my cousin's soul back, and I'll tell you."
Excitement flashed in Wraithshade's eyes. He burst out laughing, turned around, and raised a hand. Gradually, the white bubbles floating in the water returned to Howard Zhang's body.
In an instant, as Wraithshade turned around, I darted past him. With two sharp whooshes, Deathbane Ghost and Spirit Snake flew off to either side.
With a crash, the jar shattered. I grabbed Howard Zhang with one arm, while Deathbane Ghost and Spirit Snake scooped up Grandmaster Mingde and Master Jianyun. In that moment, my body began to turn into a shadow.
Wraithshade turned in astonishment and immediately floated up, trying to stop me, but I'd already taken everyone and sunk completely into the ground.
"You think you can escape, Ethan Zhang? Although your power has recovered, which surprises me, your shadow transformation was quick, and you used those two ghosts to help the monks shadow-shift too. But I know the principles of shadows better than you."
A hand gripped my neck, yanking me out of the ground in an instant. Wraithshade's eyes gleamed with amusement. I glared back in fury as a cracking sound rang out—red chains appeared on my skin, and a trace of gray Deathbane Aura formed in my palm. Wraithshade's eyes widened.
"That is, if you can kill me in one blow."
I roared, swinging the gray Deathbane Aura sword and slashing off Wraithshade's head. Instantly, I dragged Howard Zhang down into the ground again. I saw the giant pillar once more, panting and wide-eyed. Deathbane Ghost and Spirit Snake flew up with Master Jianyun and Grandmaster Mingde, and I pulled Howard Zhang along at full speed.
"Careless, Ethan Zhang. The power you command is... interesting."
It was Wraithshade's head, floating right in front of me. A whimpering ghost emerged from his skull, then turned to ash.
Three Wraithshades blocked the paths of me, Deathbane Ghost, and Spirit Snake. Each held a black spear. The one in front of me, now just a head, had its body stitched back together.
"Bastard! If you want a fight, I'm ready anytime."
"It's true, your power has grown, Ethan Zhang."
Wraithshade sneered and continued.
"Too bad you're still no match for me."
With a thunderous crack, a blinding bolt of black lightning exploded in the city behind us—Zone Eight. In an instant, it turned to ash, flames raging, shouts echoing from all directions. Wraithshade stared in shock as the three Wraithshades merged into one and shot backward.
A sizzling sound rang out. Earthly Soul stood before me, grinning wickedly.
"Earthly Soul, what are you trying to do?"
"Sorry for ruining your precious specimen. Ethan Zhang, do you really think the people in this city are human?"
Earthly Soul turned and glanced at me. I swallowed hard as a gust of black wind burst from my body. Yin Ghost grabbed Howard Zhang and followed Deathbane Ghost and Spirit Snake out of the pillar's range.
"I'm not as gentle as Ethan Zhang. I'm going on a killing spree—I'll destroy every last one of your puppets."
With a deafening boom, this time it was Zone Seven. Countless dark residents poured out of the city, shouting everywhere. I stared in shock at Wraithshade across from me—he was furious beyond words.
"Can you stop for now, Earthly Soul?"
At that moment, The Sleeper came up behind us. With a whoosh, Earthly Soul flashed past, swinging Endbringer.
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With a bang, The Sleeper's aged hand gripped Endbringer. Sizzling sounds erupted as black lightning instantly destroyed The Sleeper's hand. He vanished into shadow behind us, then reappeared, blocking Wraithshade, who was trying to fly over.
"You spit on my goodwill. This has long been war. I've endured long enough—now let my rage fall upon the fruit of your centuries of labor."
My eyes widened as masses of black lightning shot toward the city.
A rumble echoed as a black, semi-transparent shield appeared around the city's outskirts, dispersing the bolts of lightning.
"Let's see how long you can endure, how long you can last. If you're dissatisfied, kill me—if you can do it now."
Black lightning surged around the giant pillar, pressing toward the ring-shaped city in all directions.