The scenery around me began to blur. A chill crept over my skin. As I turned, a pair of blood-red eyes stared at me, unblinking.
"Ms. Yi, please calm down."
A crackling sound echoed. The images I saw twisted and blurred. With a bang, darkness returned all around. Isabelle Frost's cold eyes fixed on me.
Suddenly, I felt myself returning to normal. The presence surrounding Isabelle Frost was now completely different from the unfamiliar sensation before.
"Don't pry into my memories, Ethan Zhang."
I smiled awkwardly and nodded.
"Ms. Yi, let's stop for now. Let's see what they're planning."
"Ethan Zhang, we are not opponents."
Her words shocked me deeply. Right now, everyone except Felix Zhou was full of energy, but spoken from Isabelle Frost's lips, the statement rang true.
"But we can't just sit and wait for death."
As I spoke, Isabelle Frost laughed. I scratched my head awkwardly.
"We can't fight head-on now, so we have to rely on cunning. By accident or design, our consciousnesses are inside your instinct space. I noticed something interesting in that Tri-tailed Lynx fellow."
My heart skipped a beat as I looked at Isabelle Frost. She continued speaking.
"This world isn't completely under the control of those three. It exists according to a certain will, and because of that will, things gradually became like this. The three of them are, at best, just the managers of this world."
Isabelle Frost went on to tell me that during her time with the Tri-tailed Lynx, she couldn't sense anything special or communicate, but one night...
To be precise, it was the night before I lost my instincts. That Tri-tailed Lynx suddenly lost self-awareness and started moving. Isabelle Frost followed it and discovered it was heading toward the edge of the Ethereal Isle.
She tracked it for a long time, but eventually lost sight of the Tri-tailed Lynx. She searched everywhere and found a certain space. Before that, Isabelle Frost had planted a spell in the Tri-tailed Lynx's body, so even in different spaces, she could still sense its whereabouts.
After searching for a long time, Isabelle Frost found a space existing between the islands. She broke through the space and entered, discovering many things identical to the Tri-tailed Lynx. Not just one—inside a vast space, countless Tri-tailed Lynxes were displayed like someone's possessions, each with a different form but all immobilized.
Isabelle Frost found the Tri-tailed Lynx she had spent a long time with. After it entered, it began to draw out Yin energy from its body for a mass of black substance at the top.
Within that Yin energy, Isabelle Frost sensed consciousness—a powerful, overwhelming will, the kind that belongs at the top, the kind a king should possess.
"Is something like that even possible?"
I muttered, not that I doubted Isabelle Frost, but it all seemed unbelievable.
Then that Tri-tailed Lynx was replaced. When another Tri-tailed Lynx left, Isabelle Frost followed it out.
The Tri-tailed Lynx that left the forest seemed different. It didn't recognize Isabelle Frost at all and acted like a wild beast, foraging and facing attacks from stronger creatures. After many near-death encounters, it gradually grew stronger, eventually becoming king of the isle.
"This process probably keeps repeating. The strong carry a kind of aura, not innate, but forged through hardship and struggle. Those with keen senses can detect this aura."
Isabelle Frost's detailed explanation made me think. It was true—before, I could only judge strength by what I saw and by sensing ghost energy. But now, when I see the strong, I can feel it immediately.
"Then why do you say this world follows someone's will? Ms. Yi, what else did you find?"
Isabelle Frost shook her head, then looked at me.
"After you were reborn as that beggar, we knew, so I rushed over. At that time, it was Old Tom who suggested we leave you be for now. He saw the unrest in your heart and hoped you'd understand that when faced with choices, it's not just left or right. Sometimes you have to look up, and the ways to choose aren't singular."
I responded with a simple 'oh' and looked at Isabelle Frost. She closed her eyes, as if sensing something unseen.
"What's really going on? Let's just ask directly. If those three go all out, we have no chance. The reason they aren't is tied to everything on the isles. More precisely, it's someone's will commanding them to hold back."
"That's what you said earlier, Ms. Yi. They're just managers, but the real ruler of this world is someone's will. So, why do you think that?"
Isabelle Frost looked at me, then spoke.
"When I fought Emperor God in my ghost domain, he could have defeated me several times, even finished me off. But at crucial moments, he always stopped. There was no reason, but that's a woman's intuition."
I smiled awkwardly.
"Intuition again, huh. Heh."
Isabelle Frost glared at me. I quickly waved my hands in surrender.
"So, what's the plan, Ms. Yi?"
"They probably need something—like the aura I mentioned, the kind strong people possess. It's impossible to describe in words, only felt. We really do have it, and maybe it can be our bargaining chip. By the way, Ethan Zhang, did Xu Fu ever tell you anything?"
Isabelle Frost looked at me suspiciously. I replied with an 'oh' and told her that Xu Fu and I once had a deal, but I refused. He wanted to use the chaos to get something crucial for this world.
"Good. Once we're out, make sure everyone calms down. We lost the first fight, but the second will take time to prepare. Only by touching the core of this world do we stand a chance of winning."
My and Isabelle Frost's consciousness began to fade from my instinct space.
Suddenly, I opened my eyes and found myself standing with Isabelle Frost. My body was still pierced, one hand on her shoulder. All around us, a massive formation had appeared—Ghost Painting Book Immortal and Deathcurse were watching us.
"It's fine now, everyone. Ms. Yi is awake."
"Hey, Yvette, don't be so reckless."
Ghost Painting Book Immortal spoke. I grinned, watching a streak of red fade from my body. I sat on the ground, gasping, and looked at Emperor God, who stared at us sternly.
"I'll ask you again—if you don't cooperate, the three of us won't hold back next time."
I was about to speak, but Isabelle Frost stopped me and stepped forward.
"Cooperation must be built on equality. If you want Ethan Zhang's instincts to help you, then you need to offer something equivalent. That's what real cooperation is."
"Has the formation changed?"
Ray Lin chuckled quietly behind me, muttering under his breath.
"Now the initiative is in our hands, not yours. I..."
"Enough, Emperor God. Little girl, just as you said—three days from now, we'll show you the core of this world."
As soon as Sylvia Yan finished speaking, Emperor God strode up to her, glaring fiercely.
"Are you insane?"
Phantom Sage burst out laughing nearby.
"Emperor God, do you really think mutual destruction is better than laying your cards on the table and making a deal? It's in everyone's interest. Let's not repeat the same mistakes."
After a long moment, Emperor God looked at us.
"You have three days. Go wherever you like; I'll grant you permission."
"That's even better."