Just as I was about to kick the door open, it creaked and swung open on its own. A bluish light glowed inside. The ghost sat on a broken, old chair.
Holding the Deathbane Aura Blade, I stepped inside. The door shut behind me.
"Not fun. You found me so quickly."
"Let those children go."
The ghost started laughing, louder and louder.
"Oh, you've grown bold. Seeing me now, aren't you afraid, Ethan Zhang?"
I stared at him, stunned. For a moment, I was almost swallowed by fear, but my conviction kept me clear. I knew exactly why I came—to kill this ghost.
With a thunderous crash, the house shook violently. The ghost laughed and gradually faded away. I looked around, not closing my eyes, gripping the Deathbane Aura Blade. Slowly, the shaking subsided.
It was the courtyard. I found myself standing outside, the dim sun shining down—it was nearly dusk.
"Ethan, do you think Xiaoxia and the others were eaten by the ghost?"
Two children sat in the desolate courtyard. One was me, the other was Yolanda Zhou.
The younger me kept shaking my head, eyes vacant, while Yu Jiao stared at the big tree behind Yolanda Zhou. The ghost crouched in the branches, glaring at her with a wicked grin.
"Ethan, I need to go home for a bit. Tonight, let's go to the neighborhood over there and find my friends to play. Wait for me, okay?"
"Don't go, don't go."
I muttered to myself.
The younger me glanced once, then hurried home without saying anything.
"Ah..." A shrill scream pierced the air. The scene shifted. The ghost had grabbed Yolanda Zhou, reaching out and gouging her eyes out while she was still alive.
"Ah..." I screamed, knowing full well it was an illusion, but I couldn't suppress my cries.
The scene kept shifting. The ghost used cruel methods to gouge out the eyes of these children, as if showing off for me.
"Are you really not afraid of me?" Suddenly, a voice rang out behind me. Trembling, I quickly pulled out a Purple Talisman and slapped it onto my forehead.
The hallucinations vanished, and I was back in the room. I spun around and kicked open the door. With a rush, the ghost floated right in front of me.
"That damned old Taoist, he said we should mind our own business."
Suddenly, my neck was grabbed. With a boom, flames erupted on the ghost's back.
Waves of heat rushed at me. Without hesitation, I raised the Deathbane Aura Blade and stabbed at the ghost. Suddenly, a child's scream rang out—a little ghost clung tightly to my Deathbane Aura Blade.
I couldn't move, glaring furiously at the ghost.
"What? Weren't you going to kill me? Go on, do it!"
"You..." I felt like I was suffocating, stretching out my leg, letting Deathbane Aura seep out. I kicked the ghost hard. He screamed and let go, and I immediately swung the Deathbane Aura Blade at him.
In an instant, several little ghosts appeared in front of the ghost, mouths wide, reaching out toward me.
"Shit." I shouted, stopping my attack. All around me, little ghosts surrounded me.
Two balls of flame hurtled toward me. I couldn't move; four or five little ghosts clung tightly to my legs.
With a bang, I swung the Deathbane Aura Blade, scattering the flames. Deathbane Aura surged from my body. After knocking away the little ghosts around me, I lunged at the ghost, brandishing the Deathbane Aura Blade—immediately, two little ghosts blocked my way.
My eyes burned with murderous intent, not planning to stop at all. The ghost seemed panicked and floated away to dodge. Just as I was about to stab the two little ghosts, I let go—the Deathbane Aura Blade vanished. Quickly, I pushed aside the two little ghosts, kicked open the wooden door, and jumped down the corridor.
I raced madly down the stairs.
"Ha ha ha, Ethan Zhang, running away again? This time, you won't escape!"
The ghost's shout echoed behind me as I buried my head and ran down the stairs.
Several little ghosts emerged from the walls, blocking my way. I stretched out my hands, Deathbane Aura flowing from them, and pushed them aside. With a leap, I was back in the courtyard.
Suddenly, something grabbed my foot. I crashed face-down to the ground—it was Yolanda Zhou. Instantly, several little ghosts pounced, pinning me down.
"Aren't you good friends? Ethan Zhang, are you going to abandon him again? Heh, I decided long ago to save you for last, to let you suffer in fear over and over. If your parents hadn't found that Taoist to interfere, you'd have ended up just like them!"
The ghost stood a few meters in front of me. I started to laugh.
"I'm not running." I reached into my pocket and pulled out the Blood Jade. The ghost was now standing just in front of the array I'd set up.
"Will you let them go, now that I've caught you today?"
The ghost laughed and shook his head.
"I told you before—they're already mine. And now, so are you. Come on."
The ghost spoke, walking toward me. I kept my eyes on him. As he stepped into the array, I surged Deathbane Aura, knocking the little ghosts away. I gripped the Blood Jade and hurled it at the ghost.
"Die!" I roared.
With a crisp ding, as the jade landed in the array, a surge of emerald light erupted. Streams of green energy rose up, instantly wrapping around the ghost. With a sizzling sound, the ghost began to dissolve bit by bit.
I raised the Deathbane Aura Blade and slowly walked over.
"Ethan Zhang..." the ghost roared. Instantly, little ghosts flew over, clinging to me and biting. I ignored them and kept walking.
A hint of red appeared on the ghost's chest. I started to laugh.
"That's your Ghost Soul, isn't it?"
Suddenly, the ghost began to struggle, but it was useless. Green energy currents wrapped around him, his limbs already melting away bit by bit.
With a stride, I entered the array, raising the Deathbane Aura Blade and pointing it at the red spot on the ghost.
"Maybe I was afraid of you before—even tonight, I was scared. But now, I understand..." I paused, then continued.
"What I was truly afraid of wasn't you, but that weak, cowardly, useless self. Tonight, let's put an end to everything from the past!"
"Hahahahahaha..." The ghost cackled madly.
"If you kill me, those children will die too. Ever heard of ghost thralls?"
My Deathbane Aura Blade hovered before the ghost's Ghost Soul. For a moment, I was thrown into chaos. Behind me, the little ghosts kept crashing into the array, like props, oblivious to the parts already dissolving.
"Let them go." I threatened the ghost fiercely. He glared at me, eyes full of contempt.
"What if I say no?"
Without a word, I grabbed his head with my left hand, raised my right, and let Deathbane Aura gather into a long needle. I stabbed it into his eyeball.
"Ah...!" The ghost screamed, yellow-green fluid splattering as he shrieked and struggled.
"Let them go," I said, twisting the black needle in my hand. The ghost kept screaming, but showed no sign of releasing the children.
I let go, the Deathbane Aura Needle dissipating. Then I smiled, conjured another Deathbane Aura Needle, and this time aimed it at his Ghost Soul.
"Ethan Zhang..."
The ghost screamed again, and this time, terror showed on his face. I stabbed the Deathbane Aura Needle into his Ghost Soul. With a boom, the ground shook, waves of howls echoed, and the ghost struggled violently. The green energy currents began to loosen.
I twisted the needle.
"Will you let them go?"
I roared, glaring fiercely at the ghost.
"Fine, I'll let them go."
I released my grip, the Deathbane Aura Needle vanishing. The ghost looked as if a weight had been lifted, mouth agape as green fluid poured from it.