Amid roaring bursts of flame and explosions, everyone had already cleared away from this bustling street. One by one, Phantom Sage's minions turned to ash in the fire I unleashed. Standing atop the rooftop, my crimson wings stirred gently, scattering sparks. Golden arrows of flame circled around me, vaporizing any who dared approach.
I crossed my arms, with Belle casually set aside. I could control this golden, undying flame by sheer will, and Phantom Sage’s minions were no match for me.
All I wanted now was for Phantom Sage and his crew to come out on their own. If I kept waiting like this, who knows when it would end? I wasn’t some emotionless corpse—Tan Tian still hadn’t shown up, but he was probably nearby.
I stared at the ever-growing, seemingly endless number of Phantom Sage’s minions. Golden flame arrows darted around me at high speed. These Yinfolk couldn’t get close—any who touched the fire were instantly reduced to dust. But dragging this out wasn’t a solution, either.
"I already told you to keep quiet, Rachel Lan."
Tan Tian’s voice echoed in my mind, and I felt an itch flare up on my left forearm again.
"Quiet, my ass. It’s burning hot here, not cold. You can stand it, but I can’t."
Pressing my hand to my chest, I spoke up. I noticed the number of Yinfolk in blue robes around me was starting to dwindle—they’d stopped trying to approach, now keeping hundreds of meters away.
"Careful. Phantom Sage is coming. The Severed Realm will open—I’ll send part of my consciousness ahead first."
I grunted in reply and glanced back. If we’d done this sooner, it would’ve all been over already—no need to wait so long.
I felt the air around me shift violently. Curse Wolf slipped out from my body as I turned to stare toward the high tower. A fierce beam of blue light shot in my direction, twisting and spiraling as it passed through the Severance Barrier. Moments later, a pale blue glow landed on the rooftop right before my eyes.
With a swirl of blue dust, I gradually saw Phantom Sage now sitting before me. He lounged casually on the rooftop, his water-blue eyes fixed on me.
"Finally willing to show yourself?"
"You’re quite the surprise, Rachel Lan. Why are you here?"
Phantom Sage looked at me with confusion. I sat down, gripping Belle’s hilt and gave a cold smile.
"You’ve started making new people already? Is this your test result?"
I asked. Phantom Sage nodded, not even trying to hide it.
"Join us, Rachel Lan. You shouldn’t be on the opposing side."
I shook my head.
"Save your breath."
I stood up and drew Belle. The wings on my back grew larger, flames coursing over my skin. I watched Phantom Sage warily—he was tough to handle. I wasn’t his equal, but now that the Severance Barrier had opened, Tan Tian should’ve sent his avatar through and might already be investigating, tracking down Phantom Sage’s minions on the other side. I just needed to stall for a bit.
With a whoosh, I swung Belle at Phantom Sage, but he blurred like mist, his form drifting. I slashed rapidly, but the blue haze before me was his true body, and my attacks couldn’t touch him. I flew backward as golden flame arrows, guided by my will, instantly riddled his mist-like body with holes.
"Who did you come here with, Rachel Lan?"
I didn’t answer. The explosive force of the flame arrows leveled the building under Phantom Sage’s feet. I gathered up the golden flames and landed gently on a rooftop across the street. Attacking Phantom Sage was pointless now. I didn’t know how he made his body mist-like, but with Curse Wolf, I could see his current state.
His real body was like mist—flickering, half there and half gone. I didn’t know what this power was, but it was nothing like a ghost. Even ghosts in mist form could be grabbed, but Phantom Sage couldn’t be touched at all.
I glanced at my left forearm—still no response from Tan Tian.
"Forget who you came with, Rachel Lan. Take us into Snowridge Springs."
I shook my head.
Suddenly, I sensed a faint shift in the air around me. I flew backward as blue mist instantly gathered where I’d just been. Phantom Sage vanished, and in a flash, everything around me was engulfed in white fog—I floated upward.
I’d once asked Tan Tian just how strong the Wraithlord’s three children really were. He told me that if all three had bodies, he might not be a match for any of them. Back then, if they hadn’t been at odds, there’s no way they’d have lost to the Ten Judges. During the old Hell uprising, Hell only fanned the flames.
But now, even though Emperor God and the others have bodies, those vessels in the living world can’t contain their true power. So they’ve scattered their strength across other realms.
I didn’t know how strong Phantom Sage was now. All I could do was stall for time and wait for Tan Tian’s results.
I watched everything around me carefully—at the slightest shift in the air, I’d move instantly.
"You’ve gained several different powers, Rachel Lan, but you’re still no match for me. Did you really think you escaped just now?"
Phantom Sage’s voice rang in my ear. Suddenly, everything around me warped and shifted—I was back on the rooftop. The flames on my wings hardened, crackling. An icy blue current swept over me, and I couldn’t feel a shred of strength.
"I had you from the start. No matter where or when, if I want to catch you in this world, it’s easy."
My eyes widened. I was back on my rooftop—even though it had just been destroyed. Belle started to crack in my grip, then shattered with a bang, dissolving into pink shards of light. I couldn’t move; the icy blue currents locked away my power, freezing me in place.
"I’m just severing your connection to your instincts for now, Rachel Lan. I won’t harm you. Just take us into Snowridge Springs."
I struggled with all my might. I really wasn’t Phantom Sage’s match—and Tan Tian had said he was the trickiest and hardest to deal with of the three.
Gradually, something felt off. In the blink of an eye, I was at the edge of the Severance Barrier. Phantom Sage raised a hand, as if preparing to open the Illusory Realm.
Suddenly, I glimpsed a shadow, dark against the ground. In an instant, Phantom Sage’s chest was pierced by a hand—Tan Tian stood before him.
With a crack, the icy blue mist swirling around me hardened and shattered. My power returned—I could move again.
"You got careless, Phantom Sage. Didn’t think about who brought Rachel Lan here, did you?"
Phantom Sage’s eyes widened in disbelief, blood streaming from his lips. I saw Tan Tian’s left hand—buried in Phantom Sage’s chest—covered in black teeth. Phantom Sage looked terrible, and his body was crumbling bit by bit.
"I’m not like the others—I don’t drag fights out to test things. Once I’m ready to kill, I don’t show mercy."
With a crack, I stared in shock as the pale blue Central Tower split open. Thunder rumbled—the ground shook violently. Phantom Sage’s body petrified, then shattered with a snap. The blue tower collapsed, its fragments raining down on the city below.
Thunder rolled—the ground kept shaking. I stared at Phantom Sage, now shattered like a stone on the ground.
"Did you really finish him off?"
Tan Tian nodded.
"Phantom Sage in this world is gone, but we still can’t cross over. I was going to go myself, but then I realized if I did, you’d definitely get caught by him."
I swallowed. Tan Tian started walking. The sunlight was weak—it was already dusk.
"What do you want for dinner tonight?"
"Barbecue."
I walked on, realizing there were only buildings left—everyone seemed to have vanished in an instant. Maybe with Phantom Sage’s death, everyone near the Central Tower had disappeared. The collapse continued, but the flying debris couldn’t cross the Severance Barrier; it just hit the wall and stopped.
"When will I ever be able to do what you do?"
I muttered. That last blow had truly shocked me. Tan Tian didn’t reply, just busied himself in the kitchen. After a while, he finally spoke.
"It’s not about when—you have to reach my level, or Zhang Qingyuan will kill you."
I stared at Tan Tian.
"That’s impossible in such a short time, isn’t it?"
"That’s why I’ll teach you everything I can. When I’m done here, I’ll send you to the Nether Syndicate."
I asked in confusion.
Why?
Because that place is better suited for training you.