I stared down at the Snake Spirit below, its eyes locked onto mine.
"Hmph, little bird, you'd better keep quiet. If you can have it, why can't I?"
The Snake Spirit spoke, then burst into wild laughter.
"What does it want?" I asked. Suddenly, the Vermilion Bird spread its wings wide. Perched on its back, I was shaken violently as fiery wings struck at the Snake Spirit.
A series of bangs erupted, flames exploding across the Snake Spirit's massive body. Smoke billowed up, but as the haze cleared, the Snake Spirit showed no reaction, still staring at me and flicking its crimson tongue.
"I've decided. I'll choose this kid as my successor—he's born under the snake sign. As for Mason Yu, once we're out of here, I'll eat him. I'll leave something behind for now, and when I return, we can talk more. Kid, you've encountered the Spirit Snake Platform before, haven't you?"
As the Snake Spirit spoke, a memory flashed in my mind—when we were confirming Li Zuodong's identity, the Blind Granny and the Old Man brought out that thing. The spirit snake on it had once coiled around me and helped us find Li Zuodong.
"What do you mean?"
"Back then, I sensed it—the special quality in you. But now, you've grown so much. Let me help you become even stronger. First, I'll go out and devour Mason Yu, sever all ties with him, and then we can talk more, Ethan Zhang."
"I'll beat you into submission!" I roared. Suddenly, the Vermilion Bird threw me off its back, and in that instant, I gripped two swords—one black, one white—in my hands.
"You three, stop hiding and get over here to help!"
The Vermilion Bird screeched, its claws blazing with fire, grabbing hold of the Snake Spirit's body and lunging at it with its beak.
"Doesn't hurt at all, little bird. Try harder!"
Suddenly, the Snake Spirit bit down on the Vermilion Bird's neck, then began to coil around it, trying to bind the Vermilion Bird.
"Swallowing you right now wouldn't be bad either."
I shouted and charged at the Snake Spirit, swinging both black and white swords at its head. But its hide was so tough my hands went numb—there wasn't the slightest reaction.
"It's useless, Ethan Zhang. You're just too weak right now."
Suddenly, with a thunderous boom, I saw flames erupting from the Snake Spirit's belly. It howled in agony.
"If the outside won't work, I'll go from the inside."
The Vermilion Bird, caught in the Snake Spirit's jaws, vanished. The flames that burst forth gradually reformed into the shape of the Vermilion Bird, its wings flapping. Meanwhile, the Snake Spirit whimpered, collapsing to the ground in pain, its belly charred and pierced with a gaping hole.
"Hmph, if I weren't at half strength, would you, a Vermilion Bird almost forgotten by everyone, really be my match?"
The Snake Spirit roared in fury. I saw its body shrivel as if withering—shedding its skin. I'd seen this once before. Now, its skin slowly turned to ash and vanished.
"Ethan Zhang, sever your connection to Instinct. You three, move fast—find that guy and beat him down."
I stared in shock. As the dust cleared, I saw a figure identical to me, but with a longer, snake-like face. He flicked his tongue, his eyes red and vertical—utterly bizarre.
At once, I willed it and severed my link to Instinct. The Vermilion Bird, shrinking amid flames, took my form and stood by my side, burning all over. The Resentful Ghost and Tong Ghost came over too, and even my shadow drew close.
"Everyone, attack together—take him down!"
The Vermilion Bird shouted. I roared, raising my black and white swords, but the four others had already charged ahead. Creaks rang out as the ground froze rapidly—Tong Ghost at work, trying to pin down the Snake Spirit at once. Black ice blossoms drifted in the air.
The Snake Spirit's feet froze instantly. The Resentful Ghost braced its hands on the ground, and my shadow slipped behind the Snake Spirit, its hands morphing into spikes and stabbing downward.
The Vermilion Bird swung its flaming fist at the Snake Spirit's face, while Tong Ghost turned into a black mist, swirling around the Snake Spirit's body.
A hissing sound erupted. The Snake Spirit opened its mouth, its long tongue instantly splitting into four, each transforming into a snake. In a flash, each of my four allies had their throats bitten.
I was halfway there, rushing to help, when my whole body suddenly went weak. I stumbled and fell to the ground.
"Don't you know snakes are poisonous?"
The Vermilion Bird looked to be in great pain, then roared in anger.
"Bullshit! You little worm. Ethan Zhang, do something—he's devouring our strength and trying to link up with your Instinct to create a ghost soul!"
I shouted, climbing to my feet and swinging my black and white swords at the Snake Spirit's head. The blows landed with a metallic clang, and I realized its strength was only growing.
"Snakes are clever, little bird. If you help Ethan Zhang create a ghost soul this way, I can do it too. Forget about Mason Yu—I'll just stay here. Once I become Ethan Zhang's ghost soul, that kid will disappear on his own."
"Damn it."
I roared, feeling as if my legs were weighed down with lead, growing heavier and heavier. My arms could barely lift.
"Calm down—this is your domain, Ethan Zhang."
My shadow glared at me. I stopped swinging and started to sense everything within my Instinct. Sure enough, a powerful force was devouring my original strength, about to take over.
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But this power posed no danger to me. Instead, it felt as if it wanted to help. Suddenly, I understood—I released my grip on the black and white swords and began to accept the power flowing from the Snake Spirit.
Suddenly, I raised my hand and unleashed a surge of baleful energy. It condensed into a snake-headed sword in my grasp. I roared and swung the tongue-shaped blade at the Snake Spirit's neck.
"Damn, Ethan Zhang, you..."
With a swift slash, I severed the Snake Spirit's head. Its head soared through the air, and in an instant, the four allies it had restrained were freed.
"Take back your strength—finish him off."
The Vermilion Bird shouted. Instantly, I saw the four allies tear the Snake Spirit, now in my form, limb from limb, with Tong Ghost devouring the remains.
With a gurgling sound, the Snake Spirit's head rolled to the ground. I walked over step by step.
"I didn't expect you to be so clever, Ethan Zhang—using my own power against me."
"Hmph, you brought this on yourself. Let Mason Yu go, or I won't hold back."
The Snake Spirit flicked its crimson tongue and burst out laughing.
Suddenly, I saw the Resentful Ghost grab its head and kick it up, then pass it to Tong Ghost. The two of them kicked the Snake Spirit's head back and forth like a ball.
"Are you done fooling around yet?"
I watched the two celebrating their victory, dancing around. They stopped, while the Snake Spirit, furious, flicked its tongue.
"You two bastards, remember this—if I get the chance, I'll get you back."
"What will it take for you to let Mason Yu go?" I asked. I now understood that if I killed him, Mason Yu outside would probably die too.
"Impossible. He betrayed me and broke our agreement. Now those eleven are all laughing at me behind my back. I can't let this go."
I squatted in front of the Snake Spirit and looked at him seriously.
"If you promise to let Mason Yu go, I'll agree to become the successor of the snake sign."
I spoke each word slowly and deliberately.
"No, Ethan Zhang."
The Vermilion Bird immediately shouted. The Resentful Ghost, Tong Ghost, and even my shadow came over, all voicing their disagreement with my decision.
"It's natural for you to object. If I force myself into Ethan Zhang's body and become his ghost soul, he'll die instantly—he can't handle such immense power yet. But don't worry, even if I'm inside his body, I won't unleash any power. Is that acceptable?"
"And what about the kid outside? If you sever your link with him, he'll die immediately."
The Vermilion Bird quickly added.
"Is there any way to ensure Mason Yu doesn't die?"
I asked.
"Impossible. Once the snake sign is inherited, he and I become one."
Suddenly, I found myself in a dilemma. I could feel clearly—the Snake Spirit desperately wanted to merge with my Instinct, refusing to return to Mason Yu's body. He was lying to me.
"Here's the deal: if Mason Yu dies by accident, you can enter Ethan Zhang's body. But you can't kill him yourself or stand by if he's in danger."
At this critical moment, the Vermilion Bird proposed a condition I thought was fair. In the end, the Snake Spirit agreed.
Then I reconnected with my Instinct, and the Snake Spirit gradually faded from this space.
"What are you afraid of, Ethan Zhang? Once your power grows, that big worm won't be able to cause trouble, right?"
I laughed.
"Thank you, Vermilion Bird."
"Heh, I told you already—if you're good, I'm good, everyone's good. All right, let's get out of here. Don't linger in this space too long."