I immediately raised both arms. All around me, black mist began to condense into ice. At that moment, I saw the Daoist suddenly split into nine, each wielding a Trigram Sword, stabbing at me from different directions.
The Specter Web I released had already been burned away across a wide area. I hated this golden light—it was like poison to ghosts.
"No, it's impossible to defend against! Ethan, dodge!"
Zhang Jizheng shouted again. Whooshing sounds filled the air. I could see the attacks coming, but dodging them was nearly impossible. I flew backward, and at that moment, I saw the Daoist raise his sword with his right hand while his left formed hand seals.
"The nine blades are merging, Ethan! Don't hesitate—charge!"
I cried out and quickly drew Hell's Sentinel. As expected, the nine identical Daoists merged into one. In an instant, a surge of overwhelming power rushed toward me, threatening to crush me. I swung my arm, my cloak billowing, unleashing a torrent of ghostly energy.
Hell's Sentinel was enveloped in thick ghostly energy. Gripping it with both hands, I lunged at the Daoist.
"Don't hesitate, Ethan! Use your full strength!"
Zhang Jizheng shouted again. Without thinking, I roared and charged.
"Ghost Soul, unleash..."
With a thunderous boom, my body began to swell. Thick Deathbane Aura surged out, shrouding the sky around me and, in an instant, eclipsed the golden light.
I roared and thrust my weapon forward. With a metallic clang, sword tip met blade tip, and a tremendous force tore toward me.
I gritted my teeth, gripping Hell's Sentinel with both hands.
"Hold your strength, Ethan! When the Starfall Blade weakens, strike immediately!"
I nodded, continuously releasing Deathbane Aura, enveloping the Daoist before me.
But as my Deathbane Aura tried to envelop him, it immediately sizzled, dissolving into wisps of dust and smoke within the golden light.
"I need your support."
I roared, and at once, gusts of yin wind whipped up all around me, tearing through the surrounding forest. Behind me, Deathbane Aura surged like a raging torrent. I felt as if I were standing atop monstrous waves.
Gradually, I sensed the Daoist's immense power beginning to wane. I roared, and with a clang, the Daoist was sent flying backward. My Deathbane Aura instantly rushed back into my body, and in a flash, I appeared before him.
"Don't be reckless, Ethan."
I was now directly in front of the Daoist. He released his sword, both hands forming a completed seal, and I saw a blinding golden radiance.
With a bang, the golden light exploded. I immediately shut my eyes, but wasn't harmed. When I opened them, I stared in surprise at my surroundings.
Everything was blurry, as if I were watching shifting reflections on water. My head spun, and my Specter Web's senses became chaotic.
"It's the Mindbreaker Hex. Be careful, Ethan. That guy is about to unleash his killing move."
I grunted, looking up. The golden Trigram had no other colors, just spun rapidly. The Trigram itself blends yin and yang, but I couldn't identify the yin sector.
"Ethan, let your Ghost Souls out to hold him off. Quickly, realign your Ghost Souls."
I let out a response, the sound of wind rushing past. My six Ghost Souls all flew out, and soon I heard the sounds of battle all around me. But I couldn't see clearly—sometimes I could hear it, sometimes not.
I sat down, focusing on the chaotic Ghost Souls within me. I realized my Thirteen Ghost Gates were misaligned—shocked, I began using my ghost web to bind and adjust each gate in turn.
My connection with the Ghost Souls was vague and indistinct. I couldn't tell what they were doing. After a long while, the feeling gradually faded as I continued adjusting the Thirteen Ghost Gates.
Things grew clearer. My six Ghost Souls were taking turns attacking the Daoist, even coordinating with each other—something I never expected. I slowly stood up.
Just then, with a boom, I saw my six Ghost Souls all knocked away. I clutched my chest, feeling intense pain.
"Come back quickly!"
With a rush of wind, my six Ghost Souls returned to my body. Gasping for breath, I looked up to see a massive golden Trigram spinning above me. Shafts of golden light rained down, and my whole body began to sizzle and burn.
"It's the Trigram Sword Array, Ethan. You need to distinguish yin and yang. Attack the yin—the weakest spot—and you'll break the formation."
I let out a sound of acknowledgment, then looked up. The golden Trigram had no other colors, only spinning rapidly. Trigrams blend yin and yang, but I couldn't tell where the yin was.
"It's coming, Ethan."
At that moment, whooshing sounds filled the air as golden swords shot out with the Trigram's rotation. I quickly raised Hell's Sentinel, deflecting several swords with a series of clangs. Their speed kept increasing—I struggled to keep up.
"There are sixty-four swords in total—their power will only grow stronger. You can't dodge them all, Ethan. Watch the Trigram's rotation, the interplay of yin and yang. You're a ghost—you should be able to sense it."
I flew upward, dodging the radiant golden swords—there were so many. Even though I avoided most, I suffered several wounds.
At this point, the swords shot from the Trigram spun even faster. The blades stuck in the ground began to form a shape—gradually, I saw it was the character for 'Dao.'
The character on the ground grew clearer, and the swords raining down had left my body battered and broken. My Specter Web kept burning—I couldn't sense the flow of yin and yang within the array at all.
With a swish, the final sword came. I raised Hell's Sentinel, and with a metallic screech, the golden blade sliced across my chest. Instantly, black blood spurted out and evaporated on contact.
All around me, thunderous booms echoed. Still, I couldn't reach the Trigram at the top of the formation.
Suddenly, I felt my body freeze—a powerful suction force stretched me out painfully, making me scream in agony.
"Instinct... is called..."
Just then, with a bang, the walls of light shattered. Mr. Brown had transformed—three heads, six arms, his face twisted in rage.
"Ethan, your Specter Web is far too weak."
As Mr. Brown spoke, he swept in front of me and charged upward. In an instant, his six fists hammered the center of the golden Trigram. With a thunderous boom, everything around us began to fade away.
"Hurry up! I've finished my side—just waiting on you. The young master's side is almost done too."
Gasping for breath, I watched as the Daoist flew toward me. Mr. Brown dissolved into wisps of green smoke and vanished—this was a Ghost Soul he had split off.
With two clangs, the Daoist and I clashed several times, then retreated. He raised his sword and began forming hand seals again. After the last exchange, the Daoist's soul power had weakened.
But I was badly injured too. Zhang Jizheng seemed to be thinking of a solution.
Go all out, Ethan. As long as you stab your sword into his brow, you can cut off the flow of his soul power.
Hurry up, Ethan. Both my side and the young master's are done.
Mr. Brown's voice echoed in my mind. I nodded, then with a whoosh, turned into a wisp of black smoke and charged forward.
At that moment, I understood why Zhang Jizheng said that. The guy was strong, but he had no consciousness—he was like a robot.
Sure enough, when I charged in, the Daoist raised his sword and counterattacked. I didn't block with Hell's Sentinel; instead, with a crack, I turned into a mass of black mist. My Ghost Soul was pierced, and I screamed in pain.
My right hand emerged from the top of the black mist, aiming for his brow and stabbing at it. Powerful baleful energy wrapped around Hell's Sentinel. With a clang, my attack was blocked.
I roared, grabbing the sword that had pierced my Ghost Soul. I wrapped the soul power with baleful energy—even as it was quickly dispelled, I kept releasing more.
Gradually, cracks appeared on the soul's brow. I roared and, with a crack, stabbed Hell's Sentinel into it. Suddenly, a surge of yin energy burst out.
Slowly, the soul before me began to dissipate. With a whoosh, it turned into a golden orb and flew into the pillar.
I breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, thick fog appeared all around me—I was stunned.
Not good, Ethan! The other souls are activating—hurry!
I gasped, but immediately sensed Mr. Brown’s location—he’d placed a Specter Web on me. I quickly followed his direction and flew over, though my Ghost Soul was in pain.
Hurry, Ethan!
I passed through the fog and saw Mr. Brown standing at a cave entrance. Yin Choujian had already entered. Just then, the fog trapped me—I could barely move.
With a whoosh, Mr. Brown pulled me into the cave. The exit vanished, leaving us in darkness. Yin Choujian kept smiling.