"We're here."
In front of me stretches a vast, dazzling forest filled with enormous mushroom-like plants. Strange-colored gases drift through the woods, like mist. As I drew a little closer, I felt it immediately. I raised a finger, and the moment it touched the mist, my fingertip began to sizzle. The flesh quickly dissolved, exposing the bone, which turned black.
I stepped back a few paces. This mushroom forest is saturated with deadly poison. The three fragments of the Wraithlord's Blood Jade are inside. In this bizarre place, he can barely escape, and no one else can easily enter. This area is unique within the entire Mirage. The moment I awoke in this world, I sensed it—the power of Karmic Force had already revealed everything to me.
I smiled faintly. Now, the only thing left within my body is this power, since my sole vessel in the Living World has already been reduced to ashes. I quietly observed everything in the forest. Although I've become an individual within the Mirage, a being akin to a supernatural beast, if I recklessly enter, I will die.
No supernatural beasts linger around the edges of this forest; they won't come near. After observing for a while longer, I found a solution. I raised my hand, and a breeze swept by, carrying two streams—one black, one white—into the mushroom forest. Instantly, the poisonous gases suspended in the air returned to the vibrant, giant mushrooms beside me, opening a path. After analyzing the makeup of these streams, I used Karmic Force to restore them to the mushrooms.
Not just the air—even beneath my feet, sharp spikes are hidden in the grass. I tread carefully, constantly using Karmic Force to open passageways one after another.
"I was too impatient before."
I said with a smile. If I want to devour everything, I must break through the laws of the world. No matter what kind of world it is—this one, or every world of the past and future—only by connecting them all can I devour everything.
If I rush too much to accomplish everything, I'll lose the opportunities I've caught. So I've decided to have a proper talk with the Wraithlord. Gradually, I see a massive mushroom—red, blue, and black—towering dozens of meters high. That is where the Wraithlord's Blood Jade is kept.
As I draw closer, I begin to float, since the ground is littered with spikes hidden beneath the grass. At this moment, I notice that beneath the enormous mushroom, on a black stone, Mother Goddess Nuwa sits quietly. There is no trace of mist around her.
"I sensed you the moment you entered this world, Ethan Zhang."
I nodded and slowly landed in front of Mother Goddess Nuwa. This time, her face seemed less cold. I guessed her attitude toward the Wraithlord had changed.
"So, why are you waiting for me here, Mother Goddess Nuwa?"
I asked, and Mother Goddess Nuwa quietly stared at me.
"I've changed my mind, Ethan Zhang."
"So that's how it is."
I smiled and quietly stared at Mother Goddess Nuwa.
"Are you planning to support your son now, Mother Goddess Nuwa?"
Mother Goddess Nuwa nodded, and I reached out a hand.
"I hope we can cooperate. That's why I returned to this world and came straight here. Wraithlord, don't you agree? Or do you still intend to oppose me? If we remain enemies, neither of us will see a good outcome."
With a faint blue glow, the Wraithlord slowly appeared before me. He placed a hand on mine, and when I gripped back, he flashed a sinister smile.
"Cooperation means betrayal, Ethan Zhang. Do you think I'd believe your lies?"
The Wraithlord's voice was low. I smiled, but he abruptly shook off my hand and continued speaking.
"If you were the original Ethan Zhang, I might have trusted you. But you're different now. Let's hear it—what's your proposal for cooperation?"
"Divide and conquer."
I smiled, raised my hand, and extended a finger. A spherical stream of air appeared, clear and three-dimensional, resembling a Taiji symbol. All the worlds were included within it. At the center, black and white dots represented the Yin-Yang Realm, while the surrounding white and black represented the Living World and the Shadow World. The dividing line in the middle was the Yin-Yang Realm. The outermost layer was wrapped in black mist, representing the Dark World. Beyond the Dark World, lightning, floating stones, and various colors marked the Mirage, and further out lay utter darkness.
As I traced my finger across the sphere, a red line appeared, splitting the worlds apart. The Wraithlord stared at me with a grave expression.
"Is this your so-called divide and conquer?"
I hummed in response. The black dot at the center of the sphere represented Hell—the origin of everything.
"Do you want the left side or the right? We can decide now. If we reach an agreement, I'll help you, Wraithlord. You can cleanse the Yin-Yang Realm and shape your ideal world. As long as you can merge it, no one in the world will be your match—except for me."
I stared coldly at the Wraithlord. He seemed to be weighing his options. Mother Goddess Nuwa watched us in silence. Though I couldn't quite read her thoughts, I knew one thing: she wanted to leave this world soon, to follow the path of the gods.
"It is a decent proposal. I control half the world, and you devour the other half."
I shook my finger in disagreement.
"Not devour, but preserve—wait until the time is right."
"It's true, it sounds good, but I don't trust you, Ethan Zhang. If you stab me in the back when I'm about to succeed, things will turn ugly. After all, if you break free from Hell, I'm no match for you."
The Wraithlord spoke, and I shook my head.
"Do you really have a choice now?"
I sat cross-legged, looking up at the Wraithlord. He was still deep in thought, so I continued.
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"Rachel Lan has already gone to the Shadow World. As for what's happened now, you should know well enough. Your son, Phantom Sage, was killed in the Shadow World by Tan Tian. You have no way out, Wraithlord. If you keep going, you'll lose your hard-earned chance to merge. And if you want to merge, you'll need the Earth Soul."
The Wraithlord's eyes widened. I'd noticed his plan long ago, though I hadn't exposed it. Ever since he approached the Earth Soul, I knew he was up to no good—he wanted to use the Earth Soul as his chance for resurrection. Unfortunately, that opportunity may slip away from him now.
"Because I've already taken the End from the Earth Soul's body, you're out of options, Wraithlord. You can still rely on the Earth Soul, but compared to your original plan, this one falls short."
I stood up, brushed the dust from my clothes, and walked around the Wraithlord to stand before Mother Goddess Nuwa.
"The vessel you prepared for the Wraithlord's Three Souls and Seven Spirits is this, isn't it?"
Mother Goddess Nuwa didn't evade, just nodded slightly. I looked up at the giant mushroom before me and laughed.
"The time is ripe, Wraithlord. If you keep hesitating, you'll miss your chance."
I continued, and at last the Wraithlord nodded.
"Good. Our deal is set. All I need you to do is control everything in the Yin-Yang Realm. If anyone tries to stop me from rising out of Hell, destroy them—no matter who it is."
"It's hard to imagine—the you from the past and the you now are completely different."
I shook my head.
"I've never changed. The Ethan Zhang you saw was just a facade. Now, Rachel Lan must have received help from Yuna Ji's subordinates, so the Shadow World is finished. Your two children can't stop it."
"What did you do?"
The Wraithlord stared at me suspiciously. I smiled and shook my head.
"I did nothing."
"Tell me your plan, Ethan Zhang. You said you could help me—how exactly?"
I raised a finger and spoke.
"Hell Imprint—what do you think, Wraithlord?"
Instantly, the Wraithlord glared at me in fury. Then, he suddenly turned and grabbed my collar.
"Are you trying to control me? If I'm branded with the Hell Imprint, I'll have to obey you!"
I nodded.
"It's not a bad deal. It's like we've made a pact—neither of us can betray the other. That's how things work in this world. If we're not bound together, you won't trust me, and I won't trust you."
Gradually, the Wraithlord released his grip. Mother Goddess Nuwa drifted toward the center of the giant mushroom.
"If you've made up your mind, we can start now."
I smiled slightly. The Wraithlord was still hesitating.
"You've been locked away for so many years—you must want to see the Yin-Yang Realm again. As long as I brand your vessel with the Hell Imprint, and then brand each of your Seven Spirits in turn, don't forget—Snowridge Springs was created by my own hand in the past. That place is the manifestation of the Hell Imprint in the Living World, so I can control it. When your Seven Spirits merge in this vessel, you'll be able to act. But you don't belong to this Mirage, and its laws won't allow your existence—they'll expel you, and you'll return to the Living World. Once you're back, your Three Souls will naturally gather."
I laid out my plan. The Wraithlord nodded.
"Fine, I'll work with you. But Ethan Zhang, if you do this, the you from before..."
I shook my head and looked up, smiling. At that moment, cracks began to appear on the surface of the giant mushroom.