It was just like when I fought that flying revenant before—the power I absorbed from this chaotic Corpse Realm was overwhelming and impossible to bear. Sure enough, my skin began to crack, splintering like fractured stone.
A tremendous force surged over me. I raised both hands, trying to contain it, but the energy was already turning violent. I was losing control—it was far harder than I imagined.
“Ethan, what are you doing? Mixing so many kinds of power together—your soul and your Specter Web will be crushed by it!”
Rufina Howard shouted. I forced a smile at her and kept my focus, gathering the energy with all my concentration.
My body was already reaching its limit. Last time, I could barely hold on for a minute or two before collapsing. But now, I released every strand of my Specter Web into the ground. The moment I sensed even a trace of energy, I started absorbing it.
I always believed in my instincts—that I could withstand all of this, that I could achieve a delicate coexistence. But gradually, my vision began to blur.
The sky was already changing. Yuna Ji crouched low, gripping her spear, ready to charge at the massive force gathering in the heavens.
Don’t go—I kept screaming inside, teeth clenched so hard they creaked. Suddenly, I felt a powerful pull from the ground, and my knees slammed down with a bang, leaving two dents in the earth.
“Ethan, let me help you.”
Rufina called out, running toward me. She took out two long brown talismans and stuck them to her feet. She was still floating above the ground.
“Stay back, girl.”
Rufina Howard had barely gotten close when her coat was shredded by an invisible force. She raised her small hand and began chanting.
“Strength weighs a thousand catties; if the gods are with me, then…”
Rufina, who had been floating, now landed on her feet. She struggled to walk in a circle around me, step by step.
“Divine weapon as fire, Southern Sea shikigami, swift as flame—Flame Charging Bull…”
As Rufina chanted, her eyes turned golden. She raised her hand, and with a whoosh, a golden-glowing scroll appeared. Instantly, a Flame Charging Bull burst forth from it, bellowing as it landed, igniting a wide swath of fire.
Rufina moved as if dancing. The Flame Charging Bull circled around us, its hooves pounding, and in an instant, a ring of fire formed.
“Ethan, if you want to bear this immense power, you need a Foundation. Build your Foundation, or you’ll never control it.”
I stared at Rufina in surprise. Ever since the Flame Charging Bull appeared, my body felt much lighter. Through my Specter Web, I sensed that some of the most violent energies within me were being devoured by the flames.
Rufina frowned, sat cross-legged behind me, raised her hands, closed her eyes, and her whole body shimmered with golden light.
“What do I do?” I shouted immediately.
“Ask your instincts, Ethan. Your instincts will tell you.”
In an instant, darkness swept over my vision, and my consciousness began to fade.
I found myself once again in this black-and-white, interwoven space. My golden-eyed self stood in the distance, arms crossed.
Streams of multicolored energy appeared, swirling chaotically through the black space. Suddenly, a blue current rushed toward me.
I froze for a moment, and suddenly it felt like someone grabbed me by the collar and yanked me away from the blue current.
“What are you doing?” It was my golden-eyed self.
“Zhang Qingyuan, do you have a death wish? You’re almost unable to suppress these things. I’m warning you, don’t do anything reckless.”
I shook my head and shouted back.
“Instinct, coexistence—tell me, how do I build the Foundation?”
After a while, muffled laughter echoed from the sky, as if someone was laughing behind a closed door.
“You decide for yourself, Zhang Qingyuan. I am your instinct—called Coexistence. Listen to my voice, think carefully. What you possess isn’t just me.”
Suddenly, something appeared in the distance, blurred. My golden-eyed self grabbed me, dodged streams of energy, and led me toward it.
Gradually, I saw it clearly—it was my apartment building. I stared in surprise as the black-and-white space began to fill with scenes created by my instinct. Seeing it all made me puzzled.
“The many powers you’ve built and connected—this is what you possess, Zhang Qingyuan. Tell me, what are they? And what are you?”
I stared wide-eyed at the apartment, at the ghosts playing inside, at the people and ghosts laughing and walking through the streets. My golden-eyed self gave me a push.
“No one can become a king alone, Zhang Qingyuan. Take a good look—what kind of city have you built so far? Is it unbreakable, or easily shattered?”
I quietly watched the place where I lived, filled with laughter. Thinking back, I’ve met so many people and ghosts along the way—far more than before I met Yin Choujian.
“So, that’s how it is?”
I murmured to myself, then looked at the streams of energy surging toward me.
“Why be afraid, Zhang Qingyuan?”
My instinct spoke again as I stared blankly at everything before me.
You built these bonds yourself, yet you’re afraid—don’t you want their help? What are you still afraid of?”
I quietly looked down at this peaceful place beneath my feet. Suddenly, streams of energy surged toward me, and I roared, charging straight at them.
In an instant, two swords—one black, one white—appeared in my hands. I faced the dense streams, shouting as I slashed and scattered them.
With a bang, a corner of the apartment was blasted open by a yellow current. Shocked, I furiously kept swinging at the oncoming streams.
“What do you want to protect? What is your wish, Zhang Qingyuan?”
My instinct asked again. I roared, and murderous energy surged from my entire body.
“All of this—humans and ghosts together—this is a place where they coexist. What I want to build is a world where humans and ghosts live together.”
I shouted clearly.
“As you wish, Zhang Qingyuan. Take a good look—your Foundation isn’t as fragile as you think. Layer upon layer, bond after bond, these unbreakable connections are your Foundation.”
“Ethan…”
I heard voices calling out. Suddenly, I turned and saw both humans and ghosts I knew, all smiling at me. At the front stood Lan Ruoxi, whom I hadn’t seen in ages.
“Go, Ethan—do what you want to do. We’re always here, no matter where or when. We’re all waiting for you…”
Suddenly, I snapped back to consciousness.
“Girl, move aside. I’m about to use all my strength.”
Instantly, the multicolored energies mixed with murderous aura in my hands began to stabilize, no longer as chaotic as before.
With a boom, a massive black-and-red beam shot from the sky toward Yuna Ji and us. The destructive force was overwhelming—Yuna Ji had already charged at it.
I roared, and multicolored wings unfurled from my back. Instantly, strands of multicolored Specter Web burst from my body, linking to the ground.
“Yuna Ji, move aside. I’ll hold it back. Find that old monster’s true body—his instinct is above that big hole. Let’s finish him together.”
I roared, my whole body radiating with multicolored light, quickly catching up with Yuna Ji. She stared at me in shock and stopped.
Gradually, I drew closer to the massive black-and-red beam descending from the sky. Shouting, I stretched out my hands, and the mingled powers within me erupted through my arms with a thunderous crash.
I could feel the oppressive force of the black-and-red beam, but I was truly able to hold it back. With a bang, I watched as the skin and flesh on my hands were stripped away bit by bit when I touched the purple-red beam.
Gradually, only bare bone remained of my hands. The immense force kept pushing me back—I was nearly at my limit. Desperately, I absorbed more power from the ground, struggling to resist.
“Ethan, that’s enough! Move aside—your soul and Specter Web are already damaged!”
Yuna Ji shouted, rushing toward me.
“I won’t move, Yuna Ji! Watch closely—find that old man’s true body.”
I shouted, channeling wild power through my body. Just then, a figure appeared in the purple-black beam—it was Tan Tian.
“Stay out of this, Zhang Qingyuan.”
Suddenly, I felt my Specter Web completely snap, and a massive force slammed me into the ground.
“Yuna Ji!” I shouted. In that instant, I saw Tan Tian inside the purple-black beam, reaching out to stab at Yuna Ji.
“Yuna Ji…”
With a clang, the jade-green spear in Yuna Ji’s hand snapped. I cried out in horror, watching as Tan Tian’s hand drove toward her heart.
“Yuna, don’t be so stubborn. If you keep this up, no one will ever like you.”
At that moment, a gentle voice rang out. I saw Luna Quay holding Yuna Ji in his arms. With a tearing sound, I saw Tan Tian’s hand pierce Luna Quay’s chest. He smiled radiantly, gazing tenderly at the shocked Yuna Ji in his embrace.