With a loud splash, water sprayed everywhere as I fell in. In that split second, I wrapped myself in Deathbane Aura and crossed my twin blades in front of my chest, but the impact left my arms numb. Instantly, my Deathbane Aura was shattered.
"Not bad at all," John Chou praised.
My eyes widened—a giant green flower, with Julian Chu standing atop it. Beneath the flower, thick vines stretched out, clawing and writhing in every direction.
"This is my Ghost Soul, Zhang Qingyuan. You cannot touch me."
Suddenly, I glared and rolled to the side, punching out. With a crack, a vine struck the ground, sending water and gravel flying—a tremendous force.
"That was just one vine, and you had to dodge. What if there were two?" Julian Chu mused. A whistling sound cut through the air, and two vines lashed toward me at once.
I scrambled to my feet and darted away. The vines cracked down behind me, then slithered forward like monstrous snakes. I raised my Deathbane Aura Blade, spun, and slashed hard at the two vines.
With a swift strike, I severed the vines—they landed on the ground and withered away. It works, I muttered to myself.
In an instant, all the fallen vines sprang upright, weaving into a net that swept toward me. I roared, my Deathbane Aura Blade shifting and lengthening until it became a massive saber, nearly two meters long. I swung it at the oncoming vines.
With another slash, I carved a gap in the vines. My blade shrank back to normal size, and I charged at Julian Chu.
In that instant, I caught the cold smirk at the corner of his mouth. I braced myself, but Julian Chu vanished, replaced by a monstrous flower—its gaping maw ringed with razor-sharp teeth. The flower sprang up, jaws snapping toward me.
I raised my Deathbane Blade and swung down, but as soon as it reached the flower's mouth, it was swallowed whole.
Without hesitation, I leapt back. The flower bit empty air with a loud snap.
"Did you forget something?" Julian Chu called from above. Suddenly, I felt a scorching pain on my back—his strike sent me flying forward, crashing to the ground.
"Oops, missed," Julian Chu said. I ignored the burning pain, scrambled up, and rolled to the side.
Suddenly, I bumped into something soft. Looking up, I saw a swollen flower bud, pulsing as if breathing.
On guard, I tried to get up—bam! The bud burst open, releasing a sweet fragrance. Sparkling dust billowed out. I held my breath, but some still got in. My head buzzed.
"It's over. That Bone-Eater Incense—I've even used a lighter dose. Otherwise, you'd be dead in moments," Julian Chu said.
My head grew heavy; I struggled to breathe, something clawing at my throat. I coughed violently, vision fading. My limbs went limp, and I collapsed into the water.
"Is that so?" Yuna Ji said, giggling.
"Miss, you know, out of all the people I've used this on, only this guy can still hold out for a while."
My consciousness started to blur, but Yuna Ji burst into wild laughter, as if she'd just heard the funniest thing.
"Qingyuan, I don't recall ever raising you to be such a coward."
Suddenly, the dizziness vanished. All the strange sensations disappeared. I stopped coughing, though I was still sprawled on the ground.
"You'd better keep your word. I'll knock him out right now," Julian Chu said, stepping up to me.
Suddenly, I lifted my head and spoke to Yuna Ji.
"I don't remember ever being raised by you."
Julian Chu's eyes widened, while a smile crept onto my lips. Hissing sounds erupted as black Deathbane Aura sharpened into spikes, bursting up from beneath Julian Chu's feet.
Missed. Instantly, I sensed Julian Chu's position—he'd dodged with lightning speed and reappeared atop the monstrous flower.
With a thought, I sent black Deathbane Aura racing across the water toward the flower. With a crack, the monstrous bloom was riddled with holes by the spikes.
Julian Chu turned into a ball of green light and shot toward me at incredible speed.
"Looks like I have to get serious." He appeared before me in an instant. I raised both hands, Deathbane Aura already forming sharp spikes in my palms, and thrust them at Julian Chu. He dodged nimbly, and I saw his entire face turn green.
Startled, I leapt back, putting distance between us. My Deathbane Aura shifted into a longsword, but I was starting to feel drained—using Deathbane Aura was getting harder.
Suddenly, Julian Chu's body began to change, melting and turning sticky. Droplets of green liquid dripped into the water.
I stared in shock as, with a splash, Julian Chu's body collapsed into a puddle of green liquid, like water spilling from a cup.
"Oh, a very special Ghost Soul, brother. You'd better think carefully, or you'll lose badly. Where is he, anyway? Heh."
The green liquid spread out, and all around me, green flowers began to bloom on the water's surface. With a splash, a monstrous flower opened its jaws, its tendrils spinning like bullets and shooting toward me.
I crouched, raised my Deathbane Aura Blade, and slashed upward. Green sap splattered as I sliced the flower in half.
I'd already realized that I had to avoid the flower's jaws—otherwise, my Deathbane Aura would be devoured easily.
The tendrils beneath the flower curled, and more monstrous blooms readied to strike. I let go of my blade and pressed both hands to the ground.
"You've already lost. With this many flowers, you don't stand a chance. Give up," Julian Chu's voice echoed from all directions.
John Chou was laughing, but something felt off. Suddenly, I spotted a much larger carnivorous flower, its petals tightly shut.
I recalled what John Chou had said—urging me to think carefully. In a flash, Deathbane Aura surged from beneath my feet, racing toward the giant flower.
Thunderous noises erupted as carnivorous flowers launched at me, jaws wide and teeth bared. I guided my Deathbane Aura toward the large flower, not stabbing from below but encircling it, spikes rising all around.
Suddenly, the aura formed sharp black spikes, curling and stabbing toward the giant flower.
A burst of pink—cherry blossom petals swirled around me. As the flowers attacked, the razor-sharp petals sliced them into pieces, scattering them across the ground.
"Master Ethan wins!" Samantha Simons stood before me. Instantly, pain shot through my body. I hadn't thought—just acted on instinct, twisting the Deathbane Aura.
"Impossible." Julian Chu stood nonchalantly atop the giant flower, a wide gash torn through his green-gray robes.
"Sigh, Ethan, that was dangerous. If you hadn't noticed, that guy was always attacking around that flower. You really would have lost badly." Wayne Harris said, rushing over and grabbing my hands to check them.
Most of the pain in my body came from my hands.
"You've ruptured quite a few meridians, Ethan. This move is too dangerous—you really shouldn't use it. Your human body can't handle the strain."
Julian Chu stared blankly at John Chou.
"Your Ghost Soul is special, but your use of it is far too narrow. Can't blame you—after all, you've just become a Blue Wraith." As soon as John Chou finished, his eyes widened. In a flash, he turned into a streak of red light, appearing before Julian Chu, his Hell's Sentinel pointed at empty air.
"I told you, everything is fair. If you gamble, you have to accept the loss, right?"
Like a mirage, Julian Chu's form flickered in and out of sight. All the ghosts, except Yuna Ji, looked shocked.
"How did he get over there?" Evan Zhao muttered as he drifted over. Julian Chu was now seven or eight meters from the giant flower.
"Kid, lying isn't good. Even I was almost fooled. Turns out, you're a doctor too. When you got close, I smelled it—the scent of medicine."
Wayne Harris spoke as he tended to my hands, sniffing the air.
"Boss John, you're the real expert. So, what now—do we finish him off?"
"W-wait..." I managed to say.
"Rest up, brother. He'll talk—whatever we need to know, we'll get it out of him," John Chou said with a smile.
"My garden is short one gardener. You have two choices: tell me about the Immortality Society and help tend my garden, or—well, if you talk, you can go free."
Julian Chu nodded in terror.