I stood quietly on the surface of Gray Lake, its gray waters beneath my feet. Everything around me felt peaceful—the forest swayed gently in the breeze, rustling softly as I gazed at the brightly lit city below the mountain.
I drifted forward slowly. I have no idea what just happened—all I know is that after swallowing that thing, I ended up here. On the calm lake, my reflection appears clearly, as if the water were a perfect mirror. I quietly watch myself.
This is the place where I came into being. It gives me a sense of indescribable comfort. Maybe everything was fated from the start. I can vaguely feel what I need to do now, and why.
I slowly stepped out of the lake and sat down beside the forest, smiling faintly as I looked at the distant city. The city of people is as lively as ever, and what draws me in are the lights shining from within—laughter, tears, everything about humanity attracts me.
Looking back on everything, so many years have passed without me even noticing. I’ve even started to forget—how every day, I’d sit at the mountain top with those two guys, watching the city below, year after year, day after day. Every evening, we’d gather by the lake, laughing and joking, sometimes imitating human behaviors, though back then we didn’t know what any of it meant.
“Humans really are such mysterious beings!”
I muttered to myself, then stood up again and drifted slowly toward the city. Thinking back, before Redmond arrived, we never dared go down the mountain—we just watched those gathered lights, almost envious, but also afraid of being burned by them.
Ksitigarbha closed his eyes, as if silently reciting something. I kept watching the people around me, feeling a bit envious.
People get angry or sad over the smallest things, and can be satisfied or disappointed just as easily. Sometimes, a moment of happiness can make them forget their pain entirely. I look at my own hands—they no longer resemble human hands, just the shape of hands.
At that moment, a monk in a pale blue robe walked toward me from the distance. I watched him quietly.
I turned my head and looked at Ksitigarbha, shaking my head.
The monk before me looked gentle, his eyes filled with unmatched devotion. He sat down cross-legged in front of me.
I quietly watched Ksitigarbha, but in a split second, he changed into a stooped old man with two white mustaches, staring at me with a calm expression.
Laozi, please, do something. This is my last request. I hope you can lend me all your power—these incredible powers born from humanity itself. Only you can help me overcome what lies ahead.
I said this while quietly watching Laozi. He nodded slightly.
I nodded.
"What I will always remember is the warmth given to me by the woman who guided me when I first became human. It was human warmth."
I slowly stood up. In that moment, Laozi and Ksitigarbha separated, both quietly watching me.
"How wonderful!"
"Is there anything you still want, in the end?"
I turned my head and looked at the Saint of the Underworld, shaking my head.
"Everything I ever wanted has already come true. What I desire is simply what people desire—neither you nor anyone else can give me that."
I quietly watched the Saint of the Underworld, but in a split second, he changed into a stooped old man with two white mustaches, staring at me with a calm expression.
"Mr. Eli Lear, please, do something. This is my last request. I hope you can lend me all your power—these incredible powers born from humanity itself. Only you can help me overcome what lies ahead."
I said this while quietly watching Eli Lear. He nodded slightly.
"Since your heart is already set, I have nothing more to say."
At that moment, dazzling fireworks rose into the sky. Everyone watched as the sky was lit up, cheering until their voices faded. The colorful bursts kept rising, turning into brilliant points of light that shone on every face—some joyful, some sad. But in that instant, everyone’s heart was the same, completely captivated by the fireworks. All worries, sadness, and happiness disappeared in the glow.
I slowly stood up. In that moment, Eli Lear and the Saint of the Underworld separated, both quietly watching me.
I nodded slightly, turned around, and waved my hand.
"Goodbye, both of you."
Xu Fu's wicked laughter gradually echoed in my ears, growing clearer and clearer. Everything before my eyes returned—I saw it all, felt it all. My eyes widened as my body began to undergo incredible changes: black and white merged and twisted across my skin, forming a pattern like a Taiji symbol. Fiery red light appeared on my cheeks, and two large swastikas emerged on my face. I lifted my head.
With a boom, three hands pressed against my body at once—Emperor God, Phantom Sage, and Sylvia Yan had charged in. But in an instant, all three stared in shock; their hands were drawn into my body and completely absorbed.
"This is the power of Buddhism and Taoism, evolved from human faith."
"Hurry back!"
Tan Tian shouted. I raised my hands, and in an instant, the three of them were sucked into my body. Immediately, Tan Tian appeared before Emperor God and the others, severing their connection to me. The four quickly returned to the Divine Law above, which had shrunk and was almost half gone.
"What exactly..."
Emperor God stared at me in disbelief. Xu Fu's laughter stopped, and everyone from the Immortality Society stared blankly at us. I was already standing behind Emperor God and the others, raising one hand.
With a boom, the red clouds scattered around vanished completely. The buzzing continued, and Emperor God suddenly seemed to crash into something, stopping abruptly. With a whoosh, I appeared before Emperor God.
I raised a finger and pressed it to Emperor God's forehead. Instantly, his body was under my control.
"This is the end, Emperor God."
"You..."
The sound of rushing wind—Sylvia Yan and Tan Tian had already flown over, while Phantom Sage appeared at my feet.
"It's useless. Now, none of this means anything to me anymore."
Suddenly, Emperor God screamed. His body twisted violently, and, guided by my finger, gradually shrank into a small golden orb at my fingertip. I opened my mouth and swallowed it whole.
"What have you done, Ethan Zhang?"
Phantom Sage appeared before me. Instantly, a pale blue mist enveloped everything around us. I was completely shrouded, attacked from all directions—yet none of it mattered. Every attack sank into the mist, swallowed up as if by the ocean.
"Did you really think so little of me, Ethan Zhang?"
Emperor God's voice rang clear in my mind. Suddenly, I saw a hand emerge from my abdomen; with a whoosh, Emperor God flew out of my body, transforming into a massive golden dragon that stood before me.
Sylvia Yan had completely turned into scattered flames, encircling me. Tan Tian moved to the surface of Divine Law, apparently to deal with what remained. Dense mist, red clouds, and the massive golden dragon surrounded me completely.
"Fearless. Thoughtless..."
I quietly closed my eyes. When I opened them again, I was already behind Tan Tian. In the instant he turned his head, my finger had pierced his body.
With a boom, I gently moved my hand and a brownish Golden Soulstone flew out of Tan Tian’s body. I instantly caught it; his body collapsed, sizzling, wisps of blue smoke rising. The Golden Soulstone in my hand slowly dissolved.
With a roar, the golden dragon that Emperor God had become charged at me from behind, jaws wide. In one bite, he swallowed me whole.
"This world has always been like this—so spectacular. Hahaha."
Xu Fu laughed excitedly, his laughter echoing. Emperor God was still trying to suppress me, but my power was everywhere and nowhere—they couldn’t harm me.
With a swish, I felt a strange pang in my heart—the Golden Soulstone in my hand had vanished. It was Sylvia Yan; panting, she threw the Soulstone aside. Tan Tian reappeared, but this time he was in bad shape, half his body like mud, barely able to maintain human form.
I was still inside Emperor God, who was still trying every way to suppress me.
With a hum, a golden light rippled out in all directions. Instantly, Emperor God’s body began to collapse. I stood quietly in midair, appearing once more before Tan Tian and Sylvia Yan, raising both hands and gently striking at them.
Bang, bang—both of them flew away. In an instant, I lost sight of everything; only pale blue remained before my eyes. I felt something invading my consciousness—it was Phantom Sage.
"It's useless."
I landed directly on the surface of Divine Law. The cracked Divine Law slowly began to heal, merging with a thunderous sound. I ignored Phantom Sage, who was trying to seal my consciousness, and pressed a hand to the surface of Divine Law.
The swastikas on my left and right cheeks crawled down my body, quickly attaching to the surface of Divine Law, expanding bit by bit, growing ever larger.