The situation before us is still dire. Although the Four Guardians have arrived, their full power cannot pass through; it’s been completely cut off by this black mist. Our only hope now is to withstand the ever-growing force of this impending Cataclysm.
"Where are Rachel Lan and John Chou? Why can’t we see them anywhere?"
At this moment, the Black Tortoise beneath me asked a question. I shook my head.
"I’m not sure either. That guy left me here alone and hasn’t come back since."
Suddenly, I looked over at Logan the Living Buddha, feeling a bit uneasy. After all, he’s a ghost, and right now the power of the Four Guardians is without a doubt the greatest threat to him.
"Come here for a moment."
I called out to Logan in the corner. He shook his head, so I jumped off the Black Tortoise’s back and quickly ran over to him.
"What exactly is John Chou trying to do?"
I asked again. Logan sighed.
"Other than wanting this ghost here, I don’t really know what else he’s after. He’d never share his plans with me anyway."
“This Black Mist has developed consciousness. It wants to destroy this place and kill all the lamas, so naturally it will try every possible way to break through.”
I swallowed hard, gazing at the gaps in the Vermilion Bird's burning flames surrounding us. The surface of the Black Mist began to bulge again, but before the black spheres could fully form, the Vermilion Bird flapped its wings and sent a shower of flaming feathers that pierced straight through the mist.
For a moment, everything grew calm again. I walked over to the Black Tortoise.
“What should we do? Is there any way to reconnect the ley lines that have been blocked here, and let this Corrupt Miasma flow back into the earth?”
The Black Tortoise shook its massive head, but just as it was about to speak, the serpent on its shell cut in.
“Of course that's impossible. If your arm and leg were severed, could you simply reattach them perfectly? If anyone is to blame, it's these lamas. They only thought about resolving this calamity, never considering whether they could withstand it. Cataclysms in the mortal world are natural phenomena—using human strength to resist nature is pure folly. Only by obeying nature can anything work; this is an eternal truth. The laws of nature do not tolerate interference.”
I swallowed hard.
“So there's really not even a single way out?”
“Unless you can consume all the cataclysmic power that's been accumulating here for centuries. You think you've purified it, but really you've only repelled it temporarily. That power will sink back into the ground and surge up again. Only by devouring it can you truly be rid of it.”
I stared in shock at Logan in the corner.
“Can you eat it slowly?”
I joked, but Logan just waved his hand.
“Miss Lan, I think while the Four Guardians still have strength, we should break out now. Otherwise, we’ll be in real trouble—we can’t hold out much longer.”
I glanced at the nearby lamas—each one was barely clinging to life. I swallowed hard.
“What if you could draw on your full power here—what would happen?”
I asked, and the serpent on Black Tortoise's back replied.
“What do you think? At best, we could drive back the cataclysmic force. But in a few months, it would return all over again. Only if these lamas who keep the disaster at bay are gone will the force truly dissipate.”
My eyes widened, and I bit my lip. It seemed there really was no way out. But since I was already caught up in this, I had to find a solution.
I tried to recall everything the Yanhuang Emperors had told me. They mentioned the laws—absolute, unbreakable. Even the darkness itself has its own laws. Anyone not acknowledged by the will of darkness cannot enter.
Earlier, Ouyang Meng told me he had seen Zhang Qingyuan in the illusion, but he could only enter with the help of the beasts native to that world. He could stay only briefly before being expelled.
Now, the lamas had been using their power for centuries to block the flow of the ley lines here. If the energy kept flowing, the cataclysm would erupt and many would die. But now, the force had built up for so long, it was like a flood about to burst through a dam.
“There is a way.”
Suddenly, the serpent spoke. I stared at it in surprise, and it nodded.
“Find tens of thousands of ghosts—or hundreds of thousands, if possible. At least they must be vengeful spirits. Have them all devour the Black Mist together. But only if they're willing, since this stuff will affect their bodies.”
As it spoke, I looked over at Logan.
“As long as they don't eat too much, it's still possible.”
“What about the Red-Haired One? Isn't his power calamity?”
My eyes widened instantly.
“The power of calamity and the power of cataclysm are different. Calamity is man-made; cataclysm is naturally formed. Get that clear.”
I lowered my head, deep in thought about what to do. Finding tens of thousands of ghosts was hardly realistic, but the Four Guardians' power was already fading. Cracks were appearing in the ground. I swallowed hard—the Vermilion Bird, Azure Dragon, and White Tiger had already retreated further. Time was running out. I had to act.
“I'll inject my power into you all.”
As I spoke, I raised my hand, but the serpent on the Black Tortoise's back bit down and stopped me.
“Your meager power would be drained by us in an instant, and you'd die. Don't bother, Rachel Lan. If anyone can solve this now, it's John Chou.”
I stared in shock, noticing a strange look in the Black Tortoise's eyes.
“What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?”
Before I could finish, a thunderous crash split the ground before me, revealing a gaping black pit. A surge of black liquid gushed out. I jumped in fright, and the Vermilion Bird shrieked as it swooped over.
Its massive body landed at the edge of the pit, and its flames instantly evaporated the black liquid. But in the distance, the Black Mist pressed against the Azure Dragon's coiled body, rumbling loudly as everything collapsed. I watched in silence, anxiety gnawing at my heart as I desperately tried to think of a solution.
"Weren't you told to stay put? Why can't you follow orders?"
Suddenly, John Chou's voice echoed in my mind. My chest tightened, and a spray of blood-red particles burst from my mouth, slowly coalescing into John Chou's form. He stood before me, smirking, and slapped his hand against my forehead.
“What are you doing?”
“I told you to stay put.”
The moment John Chou arrived, Elder Samuel, Master Neil, and Master Brian all opened their eyes.
“You fiend—this sacred...”
Elder Samuel was cut off as John Chou laughed.
“At a time like this, don't waste your breath. Prejudice is easy to catch, but almost impossible to get rid of. I'm only helping you because of Rachel Lan. I could wait until you're all dead and then show up, but right now, there's no other way.”
As John Chou spoke, he pressed a hand to the ground. A green glow appeared—I sensed Yuna Ji's aura.
“What a hassle.”
A green door opened, and I saw a swarm of ghosts pouring out from Netherhell. In an instant, they rushed at the Black Mist, biting and devouring the Corrupt Miasma. Some ghosts looked to be in agony.
“You should've done this sooner. Was all that effort really necessary?”
Yuna Ji stepped out of Netherhell, and more green doors appeared all around. More and more ghosts flew out from the doors.
As the ghosts multiplied, the air grew frigid and black ice flowers bloomed across the ground. The Azure Dragon began to move.