I tore into the Wraithlord's flesh like a madman. The Wraithlord kept shattering my form, and I knew time was running out. I'd already consumed a massive amount of his flesh—my body was past its limit. If I stayed in this world any longer, I wouldn't survive.
But my only choice now was to devour as much of the Wraithlord's flesh as possible. That way, his ghostly soul would be damaged—not just his ghost body or soul, but directly affecting his Three Souls and Seven Spirits. If I could consume more than half of those, he would never again threaten this world.
My body kept being shattered by the Wraithlord's power, but thanks to the Hell Mark, I reformed again and again. The Wraithlord's right hand was now just bone. I bit down hard, snapping off a chunk. He punched me in the mouth, but my body healed instantly as it broke. The power of Hell kept growing stronger, and Hell's will realized I could devour the Wraithlord—solving a massive problem for it.
Lan Yin was in dire straits. He seemed to be forcibly overturning his own instincts to suppress the Wraithlord's primal world.
"You won't be left with anything, Ethan Zhang. Even if you devour me, the result is the same. I'll crush your consciousness—and even Hell itself!"
I said nothing, still gnawing at the Wraithlord's body. His condition was worsening—the ghost body was in ruins. He was still powerful, but couldn't stop my devouring. Some of Hell's power was consumed by the Wraithlord's released energy, but that sensation faded as I ate more of his flesh, second by second.
"Devour him, Ethan! Even if it costs you your entire future—if you don't risk it all, nothing will ever change!"
Blood began to stream from Lan Yin's eyes. I noticed his body was rapidly aging—he seemed blind, clutching his chest as blood dripped from the corners of his mouth.
"Hahahaha..."
Lan Yin burst into manic laughter. The golden humanoid still pressed down the burning black figure—his overturning completely suppressed the Wraithlord's primal instincts.
The pounding grew louder. My consciousness began to blur, as something foreign seeped in—a deep hatred and rage. I could feel it: the part of the Wraithlord that I had devoured was desperately resisting, trying to tear itself free from my body.
With a thunderous crash, I was hurled backward, my body shattering. But the moment I recovered, I steadied myself and lunged at the retreating Wraithlord.
"You and I—I'll never accept just the two of us!"
I roared, charging at the Wraithlord again. Lan Yin had become an old man, his hair white as snow. He knelt on the ground, his face twisted in agony.
"Eat him, Qingyuan. Devour everything he has. This time, we're both staking our futures!"
I howled, unleashing a ghost's piercing shriek. I had already gnawed off one of the Wraithlord's arms; much of his body was stripped to bone. I lunged at him, heedless of the mounting agony within me. It no longer mattered.
I no longer needed the future of Ethan Zhang. Past or present, all I could do was focus on the moment before me, to finish what I must.
Lan Yin lay prone on the ground. The Instinct Overturn still fiercely suppressed the world, and the Wraithlord's ghostly aura weakened as his flesh diminished. Now, I could withstand his attacks without my form shattering.
I tore at the Wraithlord's body, biting and swallowing chunk after chunk. His flesh and bone were crushed in my jaws and devoured.
Crimson Hell Imprints spread out around me, radiating in all directions. Power surged inside me—the Wraithlord's resistance was fading. I clung to his body, gnawing at him with wild abandon.
Little by little, the world not far from us began to fade. The instant the golden humanoid returned to Lan Yin's body, I let out a furious howl and opened my jaws wide.
With a sickening crunch, I swallowed the Wraithlord whole. His aura vanished instantly. I flew toward Lan Yin, caught him in my arms, and escaped the pit, landing on the black sand. Lan Yin gazed at me, barely alive, his presence growing weaker.
"Take this, Qingyuan. If it were Rachel Lan, she could preserve it."
A glint of gold—Lan Yin held a golden orb in his hand. It was the Instinct Overturn Orb.
"The future may still need this power. I've done all I can."
I grunted in response. Lan Yin and I were the same—both of us had sacrificed all our future time for this power. I should have been forcibly expelled from this world, but I traded my future for the strength to devour the Wraithlord.
"If you use this instinct, everything that was meant to happen can be wiped away. But..."
"I'll bear it all. If our friends can come back, if the world can return to what it was, I'll take on everything."
Lan Yin smiled and nodded, quietly looking to the side. Just as I was about to speak, a breeze swept past, and Lan Yin's body vanished before my eyes. I turned and flew straight toward the apartment building.
I was grateful I still had time—a chance to change everything. Soon, I saw the apartment building, half-collapsed, a sign my time was running out. The structure kept crumbling, turning to dust, vanishing bit by bit.
"Qingyuan!"
Rachel Lan cried out. As I landed, the Earthly Soul smiled and reached out a hand. I grasped it.
"Congratulations, Ethan Zhang. You did it!"
I shook my head.
"It's alright, Rachel. I've resolved everything, the problem is solved. But..."
I looked around and nodded.
"Jiuchen!"
As I spoke, a swirl of black and white energy appeared beside me, forming a door.
"What are you doing, Qingyuan!"
I shook my head, took Rachel Lan's hand, and placed Lan Yin's Instinct Overturn Orb in her palm.
"Keep this safe, Rachel..."
I didn't know what to say, but Rachel Lan's eyes widened as she stared at my body. Cracks had started to appear—I would soon vanish from this world.
"I don't know what troubles may come, but it's alright, Rachel. Whatever happens, remember everything we've been through together!"
A single tear slid from Rachel Lan's eye. I let go of her hand without looking back and stepped into Jiuchen's realm.
In an instant, the door closed behind me. I stared at the sky, then shot upward, mouth agape as streams of black energy surged into my body. Jiuchen's realm was saturated with the Wraithlord's power. I'd anticipated this—the power now desperately sought to return to its master.
Jiuchen watched silently as I raised a hand. The six Soulstones of the Ghost Sovereigns appeared beside me. Jiuchen caught them and quickly left.
Gradually, the black sky in Jiuchen's realm turned blue. The last trace of darkness surged into my body, and I instantly moved to Jiuchen's side.
I looked at the frozen figures in time: Yin Choujian, Ji Yun'er, Yun Mei, Ouyang Meng, Shen Yanjun, and Redhair—the six Ghost Sovereigns. Only Bo Ziran was missing. The six Soulstones had returned to each Ghost Sovereign.
"Transfer everything of theirs into my body."
Hell Imprints tightened around my body like ropes. Jiuchen nodded, and streams of colored energy shot into me. My body began to swell, but under the force of the Hell Imprints, it shrank again.
"Let time correct itself. Restore peace to the Yin-Yang Realm, and whatever consequences arise from the correction—let them all come to me."
Jiuchen nodded.
"As you wish, Ethan Zhang."
At that moment, I noticed Yin Choujian's eyelids twitch in the frozen time, as if consciousness was returning.
"Hurry, Jiuchen."
Streams of black and white energy intertwined, pouring into my body. Cracking sounds echoed—the Hell Imprints binding me began to fracture.
A persistent consciousness hammered at my mind—the Wraithlord's will had awakened, trying to devour mine. My body was gradually falling under his control. I knew I had to finish everything before he overwhelmed my mind.
"It's done, Ethan Zhang. The damaged parts of the Yin-Yang Realm have been filled with the intact ones, and all the resulting karma has been sent to you."
"Open the door, Jiuchen!"
With a surge of black energy, I willed myself to the place where Bo Ziran had fallen. The withered tree was still split, but soon I felt sunlight and the scent of flowers. I walked over, placed the Wood Contract Stone into the cracked trunk, then took out Starshroud and Starwatch, placing them inside. The trunk creaked and closed.
"One day, it will be needed. This is all I can do for you, Bo Ziran. If you can hear me, don't ever give up! When spring returns to the withered tree, it will be the day the Ghost Sovereigns reunite. Farewell!"
I slowly drifted upward, my form cracking and fading in the sunlight, dissolving into a wisp of ash.