The recent burst of laughter did not anger Lord Shenyan. In John Chou's eyes, he saw neither contempt nor disdain. In the past, whenever he uttered these words, he would always be met with mocking ridicule from those nearby—he never responded, nor did he take any action.
But the man before him—John Chou—was different. It was as if he truly understood him, and this left Lord Shenyan somewhat stunned.
Zane Zhuang sat helplessly at the table beside them, looking exhausted as he cradled his wine glass, clearly uninterested in interrupting the conversation between John Chou and Lord Shenyan.
"This road has no end."
John Chou spoke to himself, and Lord Shenyan neither nodded nor shook his head, continuing to drink.
"And what about you? For what do you exist beneath heaven and earth?"
John Chou smiled, appearing deep in thought, but quickly shook his head.
"Perhaps for family, perhaps for myself, or perhaps for something else. I just want to find a little amusement in these dull days."
Lord Shenyan regarded John Chou with curiosity. He had met all sorts of people before, but John Chou drew his attention for one reason: they were alike—not driven by money or fame, nor possessing the arrogant gaze of those in power.
For the first time, Lord Shenyan felt shaken inside. Always a lone wanderer in this world, he now found himself uncertain, confronted by this enigmatic man.
"That's a rather vague definition."
Finally, Lord Shenyan replied calmly.
"I suppose so. After all, I have to fight for my family's rights, reputation, and wealth. It's starting to wear me out."
Zane Zhuang immediately turned around and shot John Chou a look.
"Young Master, if Old Master heard you say that, he'd be furious!"
John Chou laughed easily.
"Just kidding. Of course I'm like anyone else—chasing status, fame, and fortune. Oh, and beautiful women."
Zane Zhuang nodded repeatedly.
"Young Master, it's getting late. You should rest. Tomorrow you have to meet your betrothed!"
Lord Shenyan continued to watch the master and servant pair. He noticed the steward sitting beside them, and it was easy to see that everything revolved around John Chou—except that John Chou himself seemed shrouded in mist, completely inscrutable.
"Uncle Zhuang, if you're tired, you should go get some rest. I want to stay here a bit longer."
After speaking, John Chou casually took the wine jar from Lord Shenyan, filled his cup, took a sip, and stretched lazily with his head tilted back.
"Do you still remember how many people you've killed up to now?"
John Chou gazed at Lord Shenyan, amusement gleaming in his eyes.
"I don't remember."
Lord Shenyan said this as he took back the wine jar and drank from it.
"Is it really that important to know how many people you've killed?"
John Chou's words reminded Lord Shenyan of what Mo Di had asked him before dying—it was the first time he killed, and he had killed so many.
"If you want to forget something, it's nearly impossible for us humans, you know. Even if you act nonchalant and drink your wine, whenever you remember, you still feel tired, don't you?"
For a moment, Lord Shenyan's expression froze. He glared at John Chou, while Zane Zhuang behind him clenched his fists, ready for a fight.
He saw through it. In a short span, Lord Shenyan kept slaying evildoers, his hands drenched in fresh blood. He truly couldn't remember how many he'd killed, but he never grew numb—instead, age only made him more clear-headed. Only after drinking did certain things within him settle down.
"Isn't it?"
He admitted it honestly. Lord Shenyan couldn't feel anger toward the man before him—this was the first person to ever say such things to him. To outsiders, he was just a cold-blooded butcher, without blood or tears.
"You'd be better off finding a woman. Having a woman by your side would make life easier."
As John Chou spoke, Lord Shenyan turned to look at him.
"What about you? When you meet your fiancée tomorrow, will it be just a formality for you too?"
"It's for the family. I have to go—it's just a ritual, but also to continue the Chou family line."
Lord Shenyan burst into laughter.
"Coming from someone as cunning as you, those words sound awfully harsh."
Gradually, Lord Shenyan realized John Chou was cunning, even a bit sinister. Everything he'd said was a guess, and only when Lord Shenyan admitted it did John Chou confirm his suspicions, as if he were toying with him. This unsettled Lord Shenyan, but he still wanted to drink with John Chou; he was fascinated by this unpredictable man.
"The game of justice."
Just then, John Chou suddenly spoke. Lord Shenyan looked at him in surprise, then smiled casually.
"You sound a lot like someone I know."
"Your mentor, perhaps?"
Excitement flickered across John Chou's face. The more he observed the man before him, the more extraordinary he seemed. Others might see him as a madman, but John Chou found him fascinating—it was the first time he'd met someone like this.
"Young Master."
Zane Zhuang urged him again from behind, but John Chou still showed no intention of leaving.
"What's this called?"
John Chou looked at the oddly-shaped red sword Lord Shenyan had placed aside and asked.
"Sin."
John Chou clapped and laughed.
"That's a fitting name for someone like you!"
Lord Shenyan knew well that once he felt guilt, he could barely move forward. But if he forgot the lives he'd taken, he'd become a walking corpse. He didn't want to be either.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Shenyan."
As John Chou spoke, he extended a hand. Lord Shenyan placed his hand over it, and John Chou's expression grew somber.
"If one day I become what you deem evil, what will you do?"
"I'll kill you."
Zane Zhuang abruptly stood up and glared fiercely at Lord Shenyan.
"Just kidding, it's only a joke. One last time—what are you really after?"
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"Justice."
All surrounding images vanished; now, hints of yellow shimmered within the blue. Currents of yellow and blue intertwined. I felt it—two forces that once fiercely resisted were beginning to merge. Seated on the ground, I drove the Beauty into the earth with a clang. Black ghost threads unfurled, and gradually, blue and yellow became one.
"Instinct... coexistence..."
I roared, and with a rush, a powerful current surged skyward. I felt an immense force gathering, condensing.
Gradually I stood up. The surface of the lake beneath me had become a blend of blue and yellow, peaceful and harmonious. An image appeared.
"What is that?"
Xu Fu stared in astonishment at the blue currents erupting like a storm, sweeping through Swordspire City and beginning to cover every corner.
I was surprised by everything happening before me. The clones and originals kept fighting, but what amazed me most was that even when struck, they didn't die immediately. Lord Shenyan floated in the air, arms outstretched, with Sin quietly hovering beside him.
Everything felt so unbelievable. Every ghost in Swordspire City now carried the same ghostly energy. I was stunned—it was as if Lord Shenyan had collected all the ghost energy in the city and redistributed it equally. Now, there was no difference between the Green Dread Ghosts and lower-level ghosts; each possessed identical ghost energy, and even their ghost souls had grown stronger.
Faced with the unbelievable, I was shocked. Xu Fu had already stood up, holding Zhanlu. I panicked, but couldn't leave yet—I had to help Lord Shenyan stabilize this hard-won, merging power.
"Go, Ethan Zhang. I'll help you."
A voice sounded behind me—it was my shadow, golden eyes fixed on me.
"I'm counting on you."
I spoke and closed my eyes, my consciousness fading in the instinctual space.
In a daze, I regained consciousness and drifted toward Xu Fu. With a clang, I swung the Beauty at him. Strangely, Xu Fu's power was not overwhelming. Surrounded by blue currents, my strength returned, and Xu Fu's power seemed to match my own.
Xu Fu withdrew, not attacking, but instead laughed and patted me repeatedly. I watched him warily.
"Ethan Zhang, you've awakened another incredible power. This is wonderful! I never imagined such strange forces existed in the world. Is this really how it is?"
A sly glint flashed in Xu Fu's eyes. I swung the Beauty at him twice with a clang, and Xu Fu blocked my sword, landing atop the cracked sword character.
"You've really opened my eyes. This trip was worth it."
With a gulp, a black space opened behind Xu Fu. I stared in surprise as he put away Zhanlu and waved at me with a grin.
"Speaking of which, I really should thank you, Ethan Zhang. You've given me plenty of chances to witness miracles. Haha, excellent, truly excellent. I look forward to our next meeting."
"Enough talk—get in here!"
A deep voice rang out, and a pale hand reached out, grabbing Xu Fu by the collar and pulling him inside. A flash of silver swept past.
"Is that Yue Que?"
I shouted. In the darkness, a stunningly beautiful face appeared—Yue Que gazed at me silently.
Xu Fu entered the black space and vanished. I understood immediately—they were able to come here with help from someone in the Corpse Realm.
"Yue Que!"
I shouted again, drifting closer. The black space shrank bit by bit. Yue Que stared at me coldly, then suddenly broke into an icy smile.
My outstretched hand grasped only emptiness—there was nothing before me.