Victor Wei smiled broadly at Lord Shenyan, his gaze fixed on the Ghost Vanquisher effigy on Shenyan's chest.
"Nathan Chung, the Yama judges of each tribunal have been searching for you for a long time. I didn't expect to find you in a place like this. Let me help you out."
My heart skipped a beat. Lord Shenyan was no match for Victor Wei—especially now, when he was but a shadow of his former self. There was no way he could win.
With two sharp swishes, red light flickered as Victor Wei thrust his long awl several times. Lord Shenyan dodged warily—whatever Victor held was clearly dangerous. Even from a distance, I could feel the invisible pressure Victor released.
Suddenly, I saw a mass of crimson flame descend from the sky. Victor Wei looked up, panic flashing in his eyes. He quickly produced a token and drew it above his head. Instantly, a massive red barrier blocked the flames outside. Yet, there was no explosion.
"It's..."
"Hellfire from the Underworld..."
Lord Shenyan sneered, raising a hand and slicing downward. With a thunderous roar, a pillar of crimson Hellfire engulfed Victor Wei in an instant. The raging fire serpents danced wildly, incinerating everything around them. Yet, what amazed me was that I felt no heat—the flames were strange, able to burn away even Lord Shenyan's own ghostly aura.
This shocked me. Lord Shenyan, gasping for breath and clutching his chest, mouth agape and body bent, looked utterly exhausted. As the flames gradually faded, Victor Wei reappeared, his whole body charred, most of his official robes burned away. With a snap, he tore off the scorched sleeves from his arms, tossed aside his hat, and let his long hair fall.
"This amount of Hellfire—I can still withstand it."
With a hiss, Victor Wei spat out a mouthful of black smoke, his face twisted in agony—he was clearly hurt. Lord Shenyan gave a bitter smile. In a flash, Victor was right in front of him, brandishing his long awl, and Lord Shenyan had lost all strength to resist.
With a clang and a creak, I crossed Belle in both hands and blocked Victor Wei’s awl. He glanced at me sideways.
"Stay out of this."
With a thunderous crash, I felt my body struck by an overwhelming force—my Ghost Soul nearly shattered. I spat out a mouthful of black blood, gritted my teeth, and roared in defiance, gripping Belle with all my strength. The creaking intensified, the pressure mounting. Victor Wei seemed to use no special power, yet the awl in his hand felt impossibly heavy.
With a bang, I plummeted to the ground, hitting hard and leaving a deep crater. Lord Shenyan landed nearby. Victor Wei did not pursue, only watched us in silence.
"Are you okay?"
I got up, wiped the blood from my mouth, and floated to Lord Shenyan’s side, supporting him. He kept clutching his chest, clearly in pain.
"Don’t push yourself, Lord Shenyan. Your ghostly aura isn’t strong enough to wield Hellfire now. If you keep going, your Ghost Soul will be damaged—and I’ll be affected too."
The Ghost Vanquisher’s effigy on his chest began to move. Victor Wei watched Lord Shenyan, looking thoughtful.
"Nathan Chung, so you can speak. Why didn’t you say anything before? Why did you help them?"
Victor Wei demanded.
"Hmph. Victor Wei, I don’t need you meddling in my affairs."
"Just stay put for now."
Victor Wei appeared before us in a flash. I immediately drew the Spectral Shotgun from my back and aimed at him—but with a thud, I took a kick to the chest and was sent flying.
Half-squinting, I stared at Victor Wei. He extended his hand, and a rope like living flame shot out from his palm, turning red as it wrapped around Lord Shenyan. With a crash, Lord Shenyan was slammed to the ground.
"Given your condition, I can’t help you, Nathan Chung. I’ll take you to Judge Samson—maybe he can find a solution."
"Wait, Victor Wei."
The Ghost Vanquisher called out. Victor Wei smiled.
"Whatever the reason, the law is the law. Even you, Nathan Chung, cannot defy it. They are enemies of our Underworld Court. I’m simply doing my duty."
Suddenly, I saw Victor Wei rush toward me, almost at a sprint, his movement like a blur. He appeared right in front of me in an instant. I saw his trajectory and floated to the side, but again, Victor Wei was there in a flash.
There was no time left for surprise. I was facing one of the top masters of the Netherworld; even a moment's lapse would mean defeat. Deathbane Aura surged violently from my body, freezing everything around me into solid blocks of ice.
Victor Wei vanished from my sight, but I could still track his movements—Spirit Snake had already shared his vision with me.
I raised Belle with a crisp clang, blocking Victor Wei’s stiletto. He was right behind me, and the immense force sent me flying forward. I hit the ground, rolled several times, and instantly raised my weapon again.
"Mirror."
With a rush of wind, I was airborne. Victor Wei stabbed my shadow on the ground. I released Belle, gripped two streams of Deathbane Aura, and instantly conjured twin Spectral Gatlings.
The air filled with the rattling of gunfire as Deathbane bullets rained down on Victor Wei. Metal clanged—he flew toward me, the bullets dissolving against the red shield surrounding him.
I kept firing relentlessly. Victor Wei was already in front of me.
"Hold him off for me."
I roared, the wind howling. My Ghost Souls burst from my body the instant Victor Wei approached, lunging at him. In a flash, I swapped places with my shadow on the ground.
Thunder rumbled overhead. Victor Wei looked at me in surprise but could only fend off attacks coming from every direction. I rushed to Lord Shenyan’s side, extending a hand as dense Specter Webs shot out, wrapping around the rope binding him.
Lord Shenyan was in dire shape, his ghostly energy fading fast. The rope looked anything but ordinary—at my first touch, it felt like an electric shock, and the Specter Webs were instantly incinerated.
"That's a Soul-Binding Lock. You can't undo it. Ethan Zhang, have your Ghost Souls hold him off. Get us out of here—you're no match for him."
I didn’t need Ghost Vanquisher to tell me. Four of my eight Ghost Souls were already wounded. My whole body ached, but I had no choice—I reached out, hoisted Lord Shenyan, gritting my teeth against the pain as I carried him skyward, flying toward the vast wasteland. I had to find a way to break the rope; Ghost Vanquisher might know something.
"Where do you think you’re going?"
With a heavy thud, I took a kick head-on and was sent flying. Lord Shenyan crashed to the ground. Victor Wei raised both hands, and with a sharp whistling sound, seven red stilettos pierced Lord Shenyan’s body. He screamed in agony.
I hit the ground, my Ghost Souls retreating back into me. We were no match for this guy—not even close.
"I’ll hand you over to Ethan Zhang of the Fifth Palace. I owe the Black and White Brothers a few favors. As for Lord Shenyan, I’ll take him back for judgment by the Third Palace. Just stay put—I won’t do anything else."
Victor Wei spoke seriously, then floated toward me, dragging the rope behind him.
My strength was gone. The damage my Ghost Souls took in the assault was far worse than I’d expected. I gripped Belle—there was only one way left to kill Victor Wei: Bloodbane Force. But I needed a chance. Against someone of his caliber, missing that chance meant instant defeat—and I’d be paralyzed for a long time.
"Prepare Bloodbane Force for slaughter."
I muttered in my mind.
"You’d better not use it again. One day, you really will end up crippled. No one but Yin Choujian can control that power."
"There’s no other way, is there? Let’s just get through this first."
Victor Wei brought Lord Shenyan right up to me.
"Ethan Zhang, don’t move. I know what you’re planning. If you really try it, I’ll instantly restrain your Ghost Souls and cut off all your power. You could die."
Victor Wei said sternly. I stared at him in surprise. Suddenly, Lord Shenyan burst out laughing.
"What are you planning?"
Ghost Vanquisher asked urgently.
"You think you’ve got me figured out, huh? Zhong Zhengnan, what would you do in this situation?"
Victor Wei’s face suddenly changed; he let go of Lord Shenyan. I saw a streak of crimson fire ignite on Lord Shenyan’s body, patterns like red clouds spreading across him, gradually covering Ghost Vanquisher’s image and those black chains.
Streams of red energy began to rise and boil.
"Lord Shenyan, is this really necessary?"
Victor Wei glanced at him. Lord Shenyan just laughed.
"Bitter cold, shattering flesh—enter the red lotus..."
Gradually, the red energy gathered above Lord Shenyan. The stilettos embedded in his body shattered one by one, turning to ash—only the rope binding him remained.
Thunder roared. Lord Shenyan slowly straightened, then bent forward, struggling. He roared, unleashing a surge of ghostly power. Victor Wei grabbed my collar and yanked me away.
"Red lotus... karmic fire..."
Streams of red light flowed like water, gathering above Lord Shenyan’s head. With a crackling sound, the ropes binding him snapped one after another, consumed by the crimson flames.