"Who are you, really?"
Lan Yin's voice was sharp, but Ironmask's eyes glinted with a teasing smile. He watched Lan Yin approach and shook his head lightly.
"Who I am doesn't matter. Shouldn't you be thanking me?" Ironmask replied, his friendliness edged with a hint of mockery.
Ironmask spoke without a trace of courtesy. Lan Yin's face remained taut, refusing to show gratitude.
"What should we do now, Old Moe?"
I stood and called out to Old Moe, but he only shook his head, his ghostly presence flickering in the dim light.
"There's nothing more I can do. Right now, I've only used a few spells to barely hold back what's inside from devouring the girl. It's just a drop in the ocean." Old Moe's form shimmered, a sign of his possession and the struggle within.
"You told me before about destroying the Trial Marriage Stone—what does that really mean?" I pressed, watching Old Moe's spectral features shift as another spirit flickered through him.
Ironmask burst into eerie laughter, his form rippling with unnatural energy.
"It's exactly what it sounds like, Ethan Zhang. If you want to save Rachel Lan, you have to destroy the Trial Marriage Stone. But do you think they'll let you?" Ironmask's words crackled with elemental power, the air shimmering around him.
As Ironmask spoke, several Ten Guides closed in. Their eyes reflected the overwhelming, destructive force radiating from him, sparking open hostility.
"Heh, looks like someone's getting anxious in there now," Old Moe remarked, a note of grudging respect in his voice.
Old Moe gripped his cat-headed cane and twisted it hard. The blue membrane wrapping the Hades Stone darkened, completely obscuring Rachel Lan's condition.
"The Will of Hades wants nothing more than to expel this one," Old Moe muttered, as strange, ghostly particles whirled through the air, spreading confusion.
Old Moe appeared suddenly, stepping out from behind the Ten Guides, his presence unsettling the air.
"What's really going on, Ironmask?"
Su Yuanjie grew anxious, feeling the chill of a curse draining his life force, the oppressive energy thickening.
"This Trial Marriage Stone is precious to Hades, isn't it?" Old Moe said, as the spectral energy around him began to siphon off the living warmth from those nearby.
As Old Moe spoke, Miles Mo stepped forward, the curse radiating from him like a physical force.
"That's right. The Trial Marriage Stone is a treasure to us in Hades. We won't allow anyone to destroy it so easily," Miles Mo declared, his form shifting with the supernatural effect, skin mottling with ghostly marks.
Tension crackled in the air as both sides prepared for conflict. The people of Hades would never let us destroy the Trial Marriage Stone without a fight, their curses poised to unleash dire consequences.
"You stubborn old fools, haven't you noticed? The Will of Hades is leaking out from this thing, seeping into you, controlling your every move. Are you really content to be slaves to it?" Old Moe's words sent a ripple of shock and uneasy laughter through the crowd.
Old Moe spoke, but the Ten Guides eyed him with deep suspicion, refusing to believe his warnings. Ironmask and Ethan Zhang exchanged tense glances.
"If you won't believe me, then we'll have to settle this by force," Old Moe said coldly.
Old Moe looked anxious, but his voice was hard as iron.
"Hmph, Martin Lane, don't think your powers and your control over certain things make you our equal," Miles Mo sneered.
Miles Mo shouted, while the other eight Ten Guides stayed calm, their anger held in check. Their focus was on Ironmask.
Time was running out. There was no chance for another fight before the Trial Marriage Stone could be destroyed. I stepped forward, meeting the gaze of the nine Ten Guides, and bowed my head.
"Please, I just want to save my wife," I pleaded, voice heavy with desperation.
"You don't need to bow your head, Ethan Zhang. Hmph, if it's a fight they want, none of them can defeat me," Ironmask declared, his voice resonating with dark power.
Ironmask's voice was thick with rage. In an instant, I saw his body begin to change—rings of black vortexes appeared on his skin, like miniature black holes, and a sense of utter despair slowly radiated from him. The nine Ten Guides immediately readied themselves. A battle could break out at any moment.
"Please, everyone, stop fighting. Sometimes, fighting doesn't solve anything."
I decisively stepped between the two sides. Old Moe smiled at me, nodded, but said nothing.
"We can agree to one condition in exchange for letting us destroy the Trial Marriage Stone."
I stated this clearly, but I could see Miles Mo, Zhao Yan, and Jason Su all looked ready to fight at any moment.
"Wait..." After a long silence, Lan Yin finally spoke. He smiled. He'd been watching Ironmask and me, his gaze shifting back and forth as if pondering something. For a long time, he'd said nothing.
"Lan Yin, what are you planning? You're not really going to agree to their terms, are you?"
Miles Mo spoke up. Lan Yin nodded, then looked at Old Moe.
"If you want us to believe you, fine. But at least show us something first. Give us some reassurance before we do anything. After all, if the stone is destroyed and something happens to the people of Hades, the ten of us can't bear that responsibility. You understand that, don't you, Martin Lane?"
"Alright, alright, Ancestor. I get it. Let me show you what I've learned about the power of Hades during my years outside. Maybe then you'll understand."
Old Moe glanced around, then smiled.
"Martin Lane, it's a little early, but maybe it's time for us to spar a bit."
Suddenly, John Chou transformed into a streak of red light and flashed out from the Ten Guides' chair.
"Another fight?" I shouted, but Old Moe just smiled.
"If these guys don't see the power of Hades for themselves, they'll never believe it. And I've wanted to fight John Chou for a long time. This is my chance."
"Old Moe, what about Ruoxi...?"
"Ethan, don't worry. Their fight will be over quickly. I'll do what I can with the time we have."
We all retreated to the platform. In the arena below, only John Chou remained standing.
"I took a beating earlier, but now I want to see for myself what you can do with the so-called power of Hades, Martin Lane. You'd better take this seriously, or..."
John Chou paused, gave a cold smile, and continued.
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"Otherwise, you might die."
"I know that, John Chou. Since you're my opponent, I won't hold back. Be careful yourself."
My heart was pounding. Back in the dream world, Old Moe had said he'd love to fight John Chou, and John Chou had said he wanted a real battle with Old Moe. At the time, I was almost excited, but now I just felt tense. Both of them were important friends—I didn't want to see them fight.
"Brother, watch closely. This is how ghosts fight."
At that moment, everyone around me stared intently at the lone man and ghost below, eager for the coming battle.
"Ghosts can float."
As John Chou spoke, he suddenly floated into the air, light as a feather. He raised a hand, and with a thunderous crash, a massive stone from the ground was lifted and suspended in the air.
"Without any outside help, a ghost can lift tangible objects with its own power."
As soon as John Chou finished speaking, the huge stone crashed to the ground. He landed swiftly, then instantly slipped into the earth. When he reappeared, he was standing behind Old Moe.
Old Moe smiled at the corner of his mouth.
"You've worked hard, haha."
John Chou laughed.
"Same to you."
Then John Chou looked at me. It seemed like he wanted to tell me something important.
"Ghosts can pass through walls and slip into the earth. They're formless, yet they exist. That's true freedom."
Suddenly, John Chou entered Old Moe's body. Instantly, I saw Old Moe's eyes change, his face showing a half-smile as he looked at me. John Chou had possessed Old Moe.
"A ghost can also possess and enter anything with a physical body."
As John Chou spoke, he reappeared in the sky, his gaze fixed on me.
"Lightning, wind, rain, water—ghosts can control all these things."
As John Chou spoke, he raised his hand. Suddenly, fierce ghostly winds howled, thunder rumbled, and a rain cloud appeared above him. Streaks of red lightning flashed, and drops of crimson rain fell from the sky.
"Impressive. No wonder you're the strongest among the seven Ghost Sovereigns."
Beside me, Lan Yin couldn't help but praise him. Then John Chou waved his hand, and the storm, clouds, and lightning all vanished. He extended his hand.
Tiny red particles floated out. I had no idea what John Chou was planning.
"Watch closely, Ethan Zhang."
Ironmask suddenly spoke. I nodded.
"A ghost can even drain a person's yang energy, or cast a curse—these things are possible too."
As John Chou spoke, I saw gentle, golden streams of energy pouring from Old Moe's body toward John Chou—that was yang energy.
"Brother, this is what a curse really is. Watch closely—this is a ghost's curse."
With a snap of his fingers, John Chou sent Old Moe flying. He spun in the air, as if controlled by some force, and in an instant, Old Moe's clothes ripped apart and his muscles swelled to several times their normal size.
"A curse means the one cursed obeys your commands. You can kill them, or make them serve you. Ghosts are creatures of yin, brother—do you understand now?"
I gasped, while Ironmask burst out laughing.
"John Chou, even if you explain everything to Ethan Zhang, some of these methods he'll never use, not even in death."