"Time to switch, brother."
John Chou said as he pressed one hand on the Spectral Crescent Blade in my right hand.
Shapeshifting Ghost Martial Arts—not bad, it's enough to handle what's ahead.
I looked at John Chou in confusion. The moment his wolf paw touched my Spectral Crescent Blade, the blade slipped from my grip, began to shrink, and finally turned into a tooth. John Chou grabbed the tooth, and I watched as it changed shape.
A stream of white energy flowed along John Chou’s arm toward his claws and limbs. Gradually, I saw that his hands now held a pair of razor-sharp straight blades, and his feet grew white claws, sharp as knives.
Brother, I'm leaving.
John Chou said, lifting me with one hand. Suddenly, we shot upward. Before I could react, I heard slicing sounds, and the Oscar Knox spirits above us were cut into pieces. John Chou pulled me out of the pit, looked around, and tossed me to the ground.
Watch closely, brother. Ghost Martial Arts are two different things—having it and not having it. My ghost aura isn't strong, but my control over it is decent.
I swallowed, watching as John Chou crouched, then with a whoosh, transformed into a streak of red light and charged into the group of ghost spirits.
John Chou’s wolf form split into ten, each fierce wolf flying out in all directions. The Oscar Knox spirits were sliced apart; the whole process was as effortless as chopping vegetables. The Oscar Knox group that had just chased us was instantly torn to pieces, and John Chou reformed into one body.
With a whoosh, John Chou flew back to my side. I noticed the ghost spirits around us had stopped moving, then began to disappear one by one.
In the blink of an eye, the ghost spirits vanished before my eyes.
Standing before us was an ox, its body crimson, purple flames burning on its horns, eyes cold, and breath heavy. It was Oscar Knox. Its forelegs had transformed into hands, and a purple glow revealed a massive square-headed hammer gripped tightly.
Not bad. That's only natural—those ghost spirits could never be my match, no matter how many there are.
With a whoosh, Oscar Knox charged at us, trailing crimson flames. The massive hammer was already raised above John Chou's head.
With a boom, John Chou and I leapt in opposite directions. The whisker Tabby Cat King had given me was trembling violently at my lips.
John Chou leapt from the ground, charging through the air toward Oscar Knox. The ground was smashed into a huge pit. As Oscar Knox turned, John Chou's claw blades stabbed forward.
Clang, clang—Oscar Knox deflected John Chou's attack, then suddenly swung the hammer, sending a stream of purple energy toward John Chou. Instantly, it enveloped him, leaving him unable to move. Alarmed, I flew over immediately.
Brother, don't come over.
John Chou's voice held a trace of laughter; his hand moved slightly. Oscar Knox still held the hammer aloft, the purple energy connecting it to the hammer.
I saw the purple energy stream contracting toward the hammer like a bag, gradually pulling John Chou closer to it.
Do you think the same trick will work on me a second time?
John Chou spoke calmly, his body suddenly exploding with a crack, scattering into blood-red particles. Instantly, the red particles permeated the purple mist. As he emerged, I saw a red streak flash behind Oscar Knox, and in that instant, John Chou’s claw blades stabbed into Oscar Knox’s shoulders.
With a squelch, Oscar Knox howled in pain, swinging the hammer back forcefully. John Chou crossed his hands with a bang, blocking the hammer, and sped toward me. I rushed forward, bracing my round belly and gathering ghost aura, intending to stop John Chou.
Bang! John Chou crashed into my belly, and we both fell to the ground together. With a rumble, we shattered the rocks and finally stopped. John Chou stood up, but was unsteady—he had exhausted his ghost aura too much.
Do you want me to transfer my ghost aura to you?
I immediately asked, as Oscar Knox angrily pursued us.
Better not, brother. Your ghost aura is different from before, and its purity isn't enough. Previously, I could extract high-purity ghost aura from your instincts, but now I can't. That little bit of ghost aura you have is just a drop in the bucket.
John Chou said, then with a whoosh, darted forward again. This time he didn't take the hit directly; instead, as he neared Oscar Knox, he flipped to dodge the hammer and landed behind Oscar Knox.
With a whoosh, the hammer swept over John Chou's lowered head. He stabbed at Oscar Knox with his claw blades, but with a clang, Oscar Knox's body was like an iron plate—the blades couldn't pierce it. I quickly realized it was because the ghost aura was depleted, unlike the earlier attack that pierced Oscar Knox's shoulders; the ghost aura used now was much less.
John Chou, who had been attacking aggressively, switched to defense. He dodged Oscar Knox's attacks with agility. I didn't know what was happening outside, but things here were dire.
I had to do something, but facing Oscar Knox, whose ghost aura far surpassed mine, if I got hit even once, I’d be finished.
I desperately tried to recall what Xuehan Yi had said, but in the heat of battle, I couldn’t think of a solution. Was I really, as John Chou said, just a drop in the bucket...?
No.
My eyes widened as I seemed to realize something. I floated up. John Chou was still struggling to hold on, his speed and strength dropping rapidly. I had to do something. Was the one fighting John Chou really Oscar Knox—or was it really this Specter Domain?
I looked around, releasing strands of green ghost web to carefully probe everything nearby.
With a boom, John Chou crashed to the ground again. There was no more time.
Even a Specter Domain has a core.
I swallowed, suddenly realizing something. I looked around; the ghost web now covered a wide area. This time, I sensed a massive flow of ghost aura.
With a whoosh, the moment I sensed the source, I rushed toward the place where ghost aura was pouring out. I landed before a giant bull horn embedded in the ground—the ghost aura was coming from there. It was just like my own Specter Domain, where the apartment building was the core, Room 410, my former home, was the domain’s heart. Several times, when the building was destroyed, only Room 410 would automatically hide or move within the domain, evading attacks and never getting hit.
I don’t know why I only remembered these things now, but I’m sure this is the core of Bullhorn King’s Specter Domain. But with such immense and solid ghost aura, destroying it would be a fool’s dream. I thought hard, but I had to act—John Chou was nearly finished, his ghost aura almost gone.
I raised my fists and rushed toward the bull horn. Bang! Before I could strike, the ghost aura bounced me back—it was as if an invisible wall blocked my way.
What should I do?
I racked my brain, thinking of the most powerful attack I’d ever used—a gun.
A shotgun appeared in my mind’s eye, and my eyes widened.
I can only try.
As I spoke, I raised my right hand. Strands of green ghost web appeared from my hand, intertwining and multiplying, gradually forming the shape of a shotgun. But it felt different from when I used baleful aura—like it could scatter with a single breath of wind.
Sure enough, my ghost web quickly unraveled like scattered yarn, completely falling apart.
Ephemeral.
Suddenly, the phrase John Chou had said to me earlier echoed in my mind—this is the power of ghosts. I stared at my hand; the scattered ghost web was like smoke, like a dream.
What is it really...?
I murmured, closing my eyes. A green shotgun appeared in my mind. When I opened my eyes again, the ghost web began weaving together, like threads forming a shotgun. I felt I’d grasped something important.
So-called ephemerality has a foundation, and that foundation is the ghost web. The ghost web isn’t just for probing or fighting—it can also condense.
As this thought appeared in my mind, I felt the ghost web in my hand become increasingly agile, weaving according to my will. I’d practiced constructing a shotgun with baleful aura over a million times.
A faint green glow appeared in front of my hand—a semi-transparent shotgun radiating green light. My ghost aura kept flowing into it, and soon I felt it was about to explode, but within the ghost web, it was perfectly stable.
Very good, brother. The changes in form are indeed intricately connected to the ghost web. Looks like you understand now.
John Chou was already beside me, battered and bruised. Oscar Knox rushed over in the distance, looking anxious. My eyes widened as I pulled the trigger.
Boom! My ghost web scattered like flying ribbons, and the shotgun’s form collapsed instantly. But a surge of powerful ghost aura shot through the bull horn, and through the breach, I saw the wasteland outside. John Chou grabbed me and flew us out of the hole.
Well done, brother.