I kept vomiting uncontrollably, my mind a complete mess. Master Autumn didn't take advantage of my collapse to attack—instead, he stood across from me, watching with a smile on his face.
After a long while, my head was still buzzing, my heart pounding, nerves on edge. I felt unbearably awful, and I still had no idea what sort of technique Master Autumn had used.
"Every generation of the Nether Syndicate is like this. The elites who truly stand out each have their own techniques, building upon the vast foundation of arts created by the Syndicate to forge new ones. That's how we've surpassed other sects in just a few centuries."
"It's sound, Ethan Zhang. His technique is sound. Under its influence, your senses grow dull—even your sight is affected."
Spirit Snake's voice echoed in my mind. My ghost soul was severely damaged—I wouldn't be able to recover anytime soon.
"You've come this far and still haven't collapsed? Then let's continue. This time, I'm coming for you," Master Autumn said.
With a swish, Master Autumn's blade was suddenly at my neck. I had no chance to react—could only watch as the blade swept across my throat.
Yet, to my surprise, the blade seemed solid but passed through my body like light. I turned my head in shock, staring at Master Autumn.
"You shouldn't be able to get up after this strike. Just stay put, Ethan Zhang," Master Autumn said.
A cracking sound echoed—the sky began to split, and so did the ground. I stared in disbelief as everything around me slowly fractured. My ghost domain was collapsing.
No sound could escape my throat. It had been ages since my ghost soul suffered such a brutal injury—just now, it was split in two.
With a soft thud, I collapsed to the ground, staring blankly as my ghost domain slowly faded, exposing the outside world. Master Autumn turned and slowly approached me.
"If sound is controlled properly, it becomes a terrifying weapon. Well, the Celestial Hound should be finishing up soon. Just stay put. Even if you lose this time, there's plenty of time left—you'll get another chance to defeat me."
I forced a smile, bracing myself bit by bit as I struggled to stand.
"Your ghost soul is already in this state, Ethan Zhang. If you keep going, I can't promise what might happen."
Master Autumn pointed his blade at me, a rustling sound filling the air. I raised a hand as a stream of pitch-black death energy surged across the ground.
"What is this..."
Master Autumn's eyes widened in surprise. I opened my mouth wide, lifting the Sixfold Blossom in my hand.
"A relic from the feud..."
A crunch sounded as I chewed up the Sixfold Blossom, swallowing it in one gulp.
With a whoosh, I floated upward, and the collapsing ghost domain around me began to repair itself in an instant.
"My power is restored... it's almost unbelievable..."
"Maybe so."
I drew Belle and pointed her at Master Autumn.
"Heh, looks like I'll have to split your ghost soul once again."
I roared and charged at Master Autumn. He gave a cold smile and swung his blade toward my neck.
With a swish, Belle sliced through empty air—Master Autumn was suddenly behind me again, deflecting my attack with sound. Now I was even more certain.
Behind me, Master Autumn mouthed words, as if declaring it was over, just like before.
I stood still, slowly turning around. I couldn't hear anything. Master Autumn looked at me, puzzled.
With a boom, I thrust Belle at Master Autumn. An invisible current blocked my attack—sure enough, those irregular, transparent waves around his body were sound. Unfortunately, my hearing had been forcibly stripped away; now, I couldn't hear a thing.
Master Autumn stared at me in astonishment, mouthing words. I roared, and with a flurry of sound, chaotic streams burst forth. The defensive layer of transparent air was blown away, and I stabbed Belle toward his neck.
Sure enough, his blade had no substance. He grabbed Belle with one hand—blood splattered. I stared at him coldly.
"I won't fall here, no matter what. If you want to treat me like a toy, you'll pay the price."
The surroundings fell silent. Belle pierced Master Autumn's neck—he stared at me in disbelief, releasing his grip. The short dagger vanished the moment it left his hand.
I gasped for breath, and gradually, I heard the wind—my hearing was returning.
"Thank you, Curse Ghost..."
"Don't be so reckless next time. While I can temporarily use curse power to take away your hearing, once the senses are stripped, even if they recover, there will be lingering effects."
With a hiss, I pulled Belle free. Master Autumn flashed a sinister smile—the aura radiating from him was utterly evil.
"Looks like you're just like that ghost bug monk. Birds of a feather flock together—you're both cut from the same cloth. Drop that fake righteous act, it's disgusting."
Master Autumn burst into loud laughter.
"When did you notice?"
"You love using this kind of technique, slowly torturing your opponent to death. I can feel it—the resentment clinging to you, left behind by the ghosts who died at your hands."
Master Autumn's body slowly turned to dust as he glared at me coldly.
"Next time won't be so easy. But you surprised me, Ethan Zhang. After all this emptiness and loneliness, it looks like something finally fills the void."
Master Autumn vanished before my eyes. At that moment, I couldn't help but recall events from long ago—how Blind Granny and Old Man helped me seal the feud, and how it broke loose, with threats from Nether Syndicate members actually working. Back then, what they truly feared was probably the Nether Pit itself.
[Irrelevant reading prompt skipped.]
From the start of my fight with Master Autumn, I realized he was treating it as a game—his eyes held the look of someone toying with their favorite plaything.
After years trapped in the Nether Pit, it's no wonder the minds of those inside are warped to some degree.
To retain full awareness in this place without a future, endlessly wandering—it's torture for these powerful beings, worse than death.
I landed in an apartment building. Strangely, the next opponent in the Nether Pit hadn't arrived yet. In a little over two hours, Corpse Ethan Zhang would show up, and my only means of escape was the Corpse Road.
According to the zodiac, the next opponent would be the Rabbit. Instantly, an image of a little white rabbit hopping around popped into my mind.
"If it really is a little white rabbit, that wouldn't be so bad!"
Slaughter actually smiled, half-joking as he spoke. I gave him an awkward look—the same smile as Yin Choujian, only stiffer.
Half an hour passed. I stared at the timer—two hours left. As I stepped outside, I glanced around. If not for the Sixfold Blossom restoring my ghost soul in an instant, I wouldn't have been able to get up.
But the Sixfold Blossom can't be taken in excess—I realized this after eating it. My ghost soul feels a bit off now. I'll have to ask Zhu Zigui about it later, since he cultivated the flower based on Yin Choujian's design.
I tried to spread ghost web throughout my ghost domain. If anything abnormal happened, I'd notice immediately. Its sensing ability is much stronger here than outside, where interference is common. In my ghost domain, only death energy exists—if it fluctuates, I'll sense it right away.
"Why hasn't the opponent attacked yet? What are they waiting for?"
I muttered irritably.
"You've revealed too much already, Ethan Zhang."
With a whoosh, Spirit Snake emerged from my body. I glanced at him and nodded.
"It's only going to get harder. I'm a ghost myself, but the Nether Syndicate's techniques are all designed to attack ghost souls directly. When the time comes, I'll have to fight head-on. Less than two hours left—let's hope things go smoothly."
"You can set up some things first, Ethan Zhang. When something happens, they'll be ready to unleash their power."
I grunted in acknowledgment, but thinking it over, I still don't fully understand how to use my ghost domain. All I know is that inside it, my movements aren't restricted, my power is boosted, and enemies are heavily limited, with nowhere to hide.
"You seven, spread out and lie in wait. When the fight begins, act as the situation demands."
With a rush of wind, the other six ghost souls emerged from my body, while Thought Ghost was firmly bound to my shadow in my instinctual space—no need to worry for now.
"All of you, go absorb Deathbane Aura first and build up your strength. If a fight breaks out, unless I call you, don't come out."
As I spoke, Resentful Ghost shot me a glare.
"You think you can beat the enemy without us? If your ghost soul gets split again like before, all seven of us will be hurt too."
I smiled and replied.
"When the next enemy appears, I won't be so reckless. Just stay alert and act when the time is right."
As I spoke, I noticed Desire Ghost had crawled to the edge of the balcony, looking left.
"What's going on over there?" I asked.
Desire Ghost pointed in that direction.
"Ethan Zhang, why are there so many big holes over there?"
My heart skipped a beat. Instantly, I rushed to the wasteland and found several holes about two meters wide. When did these appear? I had no idea.