I looked up at the sky, where only a full moon hung. The night seemed especially bright. I lay at the edge of the forest; just a moment ago, when I tried to ambush Isabelle Frost, I was already thrown to the ground before I could even react.
Climbing out of the pit, I spat several times, ridding my mouth of dirt. With a splatter, a mouthful of black blood burst from my lips. Just as I thought—Isabelle Frost, the instant I attacked her, she instantly retaliated.
"Did she use her power?"
I muttered in confusion, but then reconsidered—it couldn't be. Isabelle Frost didn't use her power; she relied solely on her Specter Web and Ghost Aura to attack, and I couldn't even react.
I started pondering the relationship between the two, but after a long time, I could only get up. Clearly, those childish tricks were useless here—no matter how I tried, they had no effect.
I had no choice but to head toward the Octagonal Tower. Under the night sky, the Forest of Desire exuded a silent, tranquil beauty. Here, aside from the unchanging trees and stones, there was nothing else. Precisely because of this, I could finally calm my mind and gradually master my own strength.
I finally understood why John Chou sent Isabelle Frost to teach me a few things. After walking for a while, I sat down beside a tree and gazed at the sky. I had no idea what the situation was like outside. After the last major upheaval, the people from the Immortality Society would surely keep a lower profile.
As for the Ghost Burial Squad members captured by the Immortality Society and Ghost Mound, I had no idea how they were doing. This was my greatest worry.
That guy, Ghost Fiend Star—given his intelligence, he probably has no idea where Grandpa Crybaby and the others are headed. And as for my cousin and the rest, I have no clue how they're doing either.
As I dwelled on these thoughts, certain memories began to stir from deep within. I stood up, planning to return and continue tomorrow. No matter what, I had to find a way—not to land a hit on Isabelle Frost, but to evade her attacks.
As always, all I could do was keep trying, one attempt after another. Now things were even tougher than before. Back in bed, the Octagonal Tower was still pitch dark—clearly, Isabelle Frost hadn't woken up; she was still asleep.
Before long, I drifted off to sleep.
Early the next morning, I got up and continued to follow Isabelle Frost, planning to get some breakfast. No matter what, I was still determined to attack later, but I had to either defend or dodge Isabelle Frost’s strikes—the moment I attacked, I could only defend.
After breakfast, Isabelle Frost seemed intent on returning to the Octagonal Tower to read. I watched her quietly as she walked toward me. My nerves were stretched tight; I was already preparing to attack. Isabelle Frost strode over, cold and indifferent, getting closer and closer.
Suddenly, I shouted, and a surge of deathbane aura erupted from beneath Isabelle Frost’s feet. Immediately, a layer of solid ice formed on my body’s surface. With a crash, I took a blow head-on and was sent flying backward. I hit the ground with a thunderous thud, and when I opened my eyes, I’d been knocked sixty or seventy meters away—Isabelle Frost stood there holding a large club.
Still too slow. Just as I managed to form a protective layer of ice, and as the yin energy merged with the deathbane aura to become ice, my face was struck before I could react.
"Are you going to keep going?"
Isabelle Frost asked. I nodded, then immediately drew Hell's Sentinel. With a whoosh, deathbane aura surged around me. In an instant, I rushed to Isabelle Frost, slashing Hell's Sentinel. But after taking a blow to the head, I collapsed to the ground again.
Isabelle Frost hovered above me, holding her green club, looking down at me.
With a whoosh, I used my reflection to appear above Isabelle Frost, facing her with Hell's Sentinel raised. All around, blades of wind had already formed, launching at Isabelle Frost. Yet again, I was struck—an immense force in my chest sent Hell's Sentinel flying far away.
The wind blades had dissipated. In an instant, I severed the Specter Web controlling the wind blades, but still suffered a heavy blow. Clutching my chest, I looked at Isabelle Frost—she floated before me, utterly motionless.
At this point, I no longer cared how she managed it. Rather than wait to be beaten, I might as well unleash every move I know. Maybe I’d discover a way forward.
I raised my hand and, through the Specter Web, summoned Hell's Sentinel from afar. I caught it as it spun toward me, deathbane aura surging from my body. In my left hand, black flames burned; on my back, a pair of enormous black Vermilion Bird wings unfurled.
Beneath my feet, black whirlwinds swirled and roared. My shadow sank into the ground, spreading a large patch of darkness, within which a pair of cold, merciless eyes gleamed. In a brief moment, my setup was complete.
Isabelle Frost smiled, glancing at the ground.
"You've made a little progress, but this time, I won't wait for you to attack."
As soon as Isabelle Frost finished speaking, I raised Hell's Sentinel, trying to block her attack. But I was still a step too slow—the moment I lifted my weapon, her green club was already at my forehead. With a crash, I hadn’t even managed to use my reflection to escape into the ground before I was sent flying.
Suddenly, two streams of black deathbane aura connected my feet to the ground. The wings on my back flapped desperately. As I managed to halt my downward spiral, volleys of black flaming feathers shot toward Isabelle Frost ahead.
A massive black python opened its jaws, lunging at me. I thought that if Isabelle Frost struck me, it would swallow her up. That was my plan.
But by then, Isabelle Frost was already right in front of me.
"How are you even moving like that?"
I cried out in surprise. Then, with a crash, the giant black python I’d unleashed swallowed me whole. Instantly, my head buzzed and everything around me went pitch black.
"Hopeless, Zhang Qingyuan. Sigh, fighting like this, you’ll never beat her."
The Spirit Snake muttered. With a snap, I gasped for breath as I crawled out from the snake’s belly. The giant python formed from deathbane aura slowly faded away. I looked up at Isabelle Frost floating in the air, raising her club. This time, I saw her movement—the Specter Web sensed it too.
I raised Hell's Sentinel, bracing for defense. But at that moment, Isabelle Frost didn’t attack. I stared at her in surprise—she was still hovering in the air. Just now, I’d distinctly felt her intent to strike, so I reacted first. But in reality, she hadn’t attacked.
This feeling—I’d experienced it before, fighting Zhao Yuyang in Zhu Zigui’s ghost domain. It was a thought. Now I realized, the Specter Web can read the opponent’s mind. If you want to, you can sense their intent.
Gradually, I seemed to understand something. Suddenly, I saw Isabelle Frost attack again—her speed was terrifying. In an instant, she was right in front of me, club raised, and with a crash, she struck down. I had no way to respond, no time to react.
Another exchange—cold sweat broke out all over me. I tried again to read Isabelle Frost’s thoughts, and saw myself being struck by her again and again. Drenched in sweat, I stood up. I couldn’t rely on the Specter Web to read her attacks. Now I truly understood—she could easily use my Specter Web to show me illusions, then attack by other means.
"A Green Specter with ghost domain powers almost never uses the Specter Web to read the enemy’s thoughts. Instead, they rely on instinct and observation to respond. The Specter Web is for controlling power. Zhang Qingyuan, want to continue?"
I nodded, having decided not to use the Specter Web to read Isabelle Frost’s intentions anymore. Now all I had to do was defend—just once would be enough, to block Isabelle Frost’s attack.
Raising Hell's Sentinel, I floated up again. The wings on my back blazed with fierce black flames. Aiming at Isabelle Frost, I charged forward—two swift slashes, and I saw two wind blades. Then, suddenly, my whole body ignited in flames, and with a snap, I dissolved into mist.
With a thunderous crash, I emerged from the black mist and slammed hard into the ground, face first, leaving a deep pit. Struggling to my feet, I rubbed my forehead, then took to the air again, determined to continue. Isabelle Frost showed no mercy—she sent me flying once more.
All day long, I kept getting beaten down, crashing to the ground again and again, until I was utterly exhausted. Only when the moon rose did I finally return to my sleeping spot.
My whole body was covered in wounds—it hurt. Though I was healing slowly, the ghost souls inside me seemed to be deliberately silent. I understood their intentions: they wouldn’t help me. Only after I truly understood and managed to hit Isabelle Frost would they speak to me again. For now, I could only rely on myself.
Once again, I was in a complete deadlock. Soon, it would be a full year. I had no idea when I’d finally manage to land a hit on Isabelle Frost. The earlier phases had taught me fine control over my power, with little waste. But what was this phase supposed to be?
Suddenly, I sat up, as if I’d found a clue, and smiled with delight.
"Let me become more familiar—what is a ghost, really? This phase now."
I muttered to myself, now certain of one thing: Isabelle Frost hadn’t used her power, but she must have used technique—a technique worthy of being called ghostly.