Sobs echoed around my ears. I refused to let go of Ethan Zhang before me; his outstretched hand finally pressed against my back.
I quietly leaned into Ethan Zhang’s embrace. Though he claimed to be a wraith, I knew he was Ethan Zhang—even if only a part of him. Everything now felt like surviving a catastrophe; joy and sorrow flooded my heart. I wanted to tell Ethan Zhang so much, yet the words stuck in my throat. All I wished was to rest quietly in his arms for a moment.
Ethan Zhang seemed to sense this. He held me in his arms, comforting me as if I were a child.
At this moment, my mind was blank. But soon I frowned, rage flaring up from deep within— that bastard, Martin Lane.
“My dad is really too much, Ethan. He knows everything but refuses to tell me.”
“Uncle Martin may have his own reasons.”
I murmured in response, my cheeks flushing. It’s been so long since I’ve seen him, and once again Ethan Zhang saved me. In this moment, I savored everything. All around, the sobbing grew louder—the hungry ghosts were closing in. I could feel my vitality ebbing away; I had to go back.
Long ago, my father Martin Lane told me he had one soul left to collect, reserved for Ethan Zhang. In case something went wrong one day, there would be a backup plan.
I never expected my father to foresee Ethan Zhang’s death. Still, I felt uneasy—he should have told us sooner; maybe it could have been avoided. Suddenly, I shook my head and looked up at Ethan Zhang. Determination shone on his face as he placed a hand on my cheek.
“Roxie, no matter what happens, you have to stay strong. Be yourself. Don't let anything change your beliefs or your purpose. I will come back.”
My eyes widened as I nodded slightly. The hungry ghosts around us multiplied, and Ethan Zhang shoved me away.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Until Uncle Martin delivers his promise to the Yellow Springs, I can live here safely and wait for my chance to return to the world of the living.”
I murmured in response. Ethan Zhang gave me another push, and I realized if I didn’t leave now, things would go badly. Even without the hungry ghosts devouring my vitality, I’d die anyway—yet my feet wouldn’t move.
“Watch out for Isabelle Frost, especially the one you mentioned at the past terminal. Why did she give you the Red Spider Lily that leads to the Luminous Path? The only explanation is she’s already connected to the Eye of Time. Leave quickly, Roxie.”
I stared at Ethan Zhang in surprise. He turned away, a smile appearing on his face.
“How did you know?”
“The Coexistence Instinct told me. Please, Coexistence Instinct, I’m counting on you.”
A gentle hand pushed me forward. I sank into the white light behind me, my consciousness growing fuzzy. Ethan Zhang’s silhouette faded in the dim glow—I lost consciousness.
I jolted awake, gasping for breath. Sweat soaked my body. Everything before me was blurry. Two hands pressed down on me—one burning hot, the other icy cold.
I snapped awake—I was still in Lady Meng’s house. A faint, ghostly fragrance drifted by. Before me stood a large incense burner, its stick nearly spent. Nearby, Past Ethan Zhang and Future Ethan Zhang wore grave expressions.
“Are you fully conscious, Miss Rachel Lan?”
Past Ethan Zhang asked. I murmured in reply, pressing a hand to my head—still dizzy—and another to my chest, feeling my faint heartbeat slowly grow stronger. My body was cold, but as a warm current surged within, I began to feel warmth again.
I had just died once—not a pleasant experience. Yet everything I went through in that forest made me strangely happy. I saw Ethan Zhang, and the corners of my mouth couldn’t help but lift.
“Did something good happen?”
Future Ethan Zhang seemed to notice something and asked. I quickly shook my head, lips pressed tight to hide my smile. I didn’t plan to tell anyone—only my father and Yin Choujian knew. What chilled me most was Lady Meng behind me; she probably knew too. Isabelle Frost gave me the Red Spider Lily, guiding me toward the Luminous Path of reincarnation. If Ethan Zhang hadn’t stopped me then, I would truly have died.
I shook my head again, glancing at Lady Meng. Sure enough, suspicion flickered in her eyes as she studied me. I said nothing, only wanting to return to the correct timeline as soon as possible.
“What really happened? Young lady, tell us.”
Lady Meng spoke, but I shook my head.
“It’s nothing, Lady Meng. Let’s go—Juchen should be here, right?”
I asked, and Past Ethan Zhang and Future Ethan Zhang exchanged glances, then stared at me in unison, their eyes filled with suspicion. They helped me to my feet without further questions and settled me into a chair. Past Ethan Zhang stepped outside and gazed up at the sky.
“Are you sure nothing happened, young lady?”
Lady Meng asked again. I shook my head.
In the distant sky, a swirl of black and white currents approached. Soon, I saw Juchen standing silently at the doorway, gazing into the room.
“It’s time to return to the correct point in time.”
I walked out slowly. Future Ethan Zhang leaned in and whispered in my ear.
“When you get back, take my blood and drip it on the ground.”
I looked at Future Ethan Zhang in confusion. The vial of his blood he gave me was still on me; I’d only drunk one drop before losing consciousness, and there was plenty left. I didn’t know what he intended, but I nodded slightly. Now, the only ones I could trust were him and Past Ethan Zhang. Though they were very different from the Ethan Zhang I knew, they were still reliable—their interests aligned with mine.
Juchen opened the Time Gate. We stepped up to it, and as I crossed the threshold, I felt myself spinning upward. Layers of dazzling, crystalline walls surrounded me, glowing softly in every color.
Everything before my eyes began to shift and blur. Suddenly, I felt dizzy and snapped my eyes open. I was back home—in my own room. Past and Future Ethan Zhang were both there. Future Ethan Zhang stared at me. Without hesitation, I took out the vial of blood and dripped it onto the floor.
As drops of blood fell, I was stunned by an incredible sight: time had frozen. The black, snowflake-like splatters of blood hung motionless in the air. Everything around me was still—the curtains frozen as if caught by the wind.
“Has time stopped?”
My eyes widened. Past Ethan Zhang gave a helpless smile and sat cross-legged on the floor.
“Why bother with this little trick?”
“You should know why. Isabelle Frost in your world is suspicious. The petals she gave Rachel Lan were hiding something from the start. And now that Rachel Lan’s returned, something has clearly happened.”
Future Ethan Zhang said this, and I nodded. Suddenly, Past Ethan Zhang’s eyes widened.
“That Red Spider Lily can guide someone to the other shore or back—did you walk the Luminous Path?”
Past Ethan Zhang asked urgently. I nodded and began to explain how, in that world, the wraith form of Ethan Zhang saved me at the critical moment. Both Ethan Zhangs stared at me in disbelief.
“I never expected that Martin Lane—back then, he told me the same thing. If I died, he’d use the power he gave to the Yellow Springs to reserve a final soul-collecting spot for me. That way, if my wraith appeared in that forest at the moment of death, it could be preserved, giving me a chance to exist in this world. As long as there’s a wraith connecting life and death, there’s a chance for resurrection. But in the end, I never truly died.”
After Future Ethan Zhang finished speaking, Past Ethan Zhang prepared to go downstairs.
“Martin Lane should be downstairs. Should we bring him up? Though you’re at the time point right after Ethan Zhang’s death, he should believe what we say.”
“It’s best not to.”
Future Ethan Zhang immediately stopped Past Ethan Zhang.
“My power can only maintain a stable spacetime. Doing this won’t affect time itself, but if we bring anyone else in, time will sense it.”
I noticed the blood splatters on the floor slowly began to move—it seemed time was flowing again.
“We have one hour to prepare. This time, Juchen must send us to the moment before The Wraithlord escapes hell.”
Future Ethan Zhang spoke, glancing all around as if checking something. After a moment, he reached toward the window and suddenly pulled a swirl of black and white currents from thin air—Juchen appeared before us instantly.
“How did you do that? You can actually control time.”
When Juchen appeared, he immediately noticed we were in a frozen moment. Past Ethan Zhang pondered quietly for a while, then smiled.
“It’s a simple trick. I can do it too.”