"Thanks, brother."
To my surprise, I found myself standing behind John Chou, back to back with him.
Just now, it must have been my ghost soul. The moment I sensed John Chou was in danger, my ghost soul had already moved behind him, ready to respond.
"Are you all underestimating me, John Chou? Have you forgotten who I am?"
With a sudden scream, I saw Troy Duan cry out in terror. Dark red spots began to appear on his face. Then, John Chou roared, yanked the Dragon's Roar out from his body with a sharp motion, and snapped it with a loud crack. He kicked Troy Duan hard, sending him crashing to the ground.
"It's Bloodbane Power! Everyone be careful, don't get any closer!"
Zane Zhao was the first to shout, quickly retreating. Miles Mo also started to distance himself from us, both clearly wary of the Bloodbane Power.
"Take one down first."
John Chou smiled. I saw Troy Duan, collapsed weakly on the ground, struggling desperately to get up but powerless. Just as he tried to support himself, he suddenly seemed to lose all strength and fell back down.
With a wet gasp, Troy Duan began to cough up blood. Then, streams of dark red blood trickled from his seven orifices, and he kept spitting out mouthfuls of fresh blood.
Hmph, useless. Facing a fiend like John Chou, you think you can win without activating your Azure Dragon Armor? That's naive, Troy Duan. Trying to impress Wendy Hsieh, but failed miserably. Serves you right.
Miles Mo said venomously. At that moment, I saw Felix Fu, the child, release a red silk that wrapped around the dying Troy Duan below, pulling him back. Then, with a twist, he grabbed Troy Duan's head, and with a creaking sound, a brown scab formed over Troy Duan's body, encasing him entirely.
Watch your mouth, Miles Mo. If Troy Duan hadn't taken the hit up front, you'd have been the first one taken out by the Bloodbane Power.
Kid, stay out of this.
Miles Mo said, smiling as he looked over. Meanwhile, John Chou's face was twisted with anger.
How have you survived this long, always hiding and sneaking around?
John Chou's words were aimed at the Underworld Court official. The little mustached man just smiled.
Lord John Chou, I'm simply carrying out Emperor Song's orders. After all, Emperor Song has sent me to look for you twice.
Want to keep going?" John Chou said, glancing at Zane Zhao and Miles Mo, who stayed at a distance, clearly not planning to come any closer.
With a bang and the sound of a dragon's roar, I saw Troy Duan, encased in brown scabs, emerge surrounded by an azure glow. To my astonishment, Troy Duan's body was completely enveloped by an Azure Dragon.
Troy Duan was inside the body of the Azure Dragon, clutching the broken Dragon's Roar in his hand as he slowly drifted toward us.
Hmph, you almost fooled me, John Chou. This isn't Bloodbane Power at all.
Troy Duan said, while John Chou burst into hearty laughter.
That's right, he's still suppressed by the Three Paths. There's no way he could use Bloodbane Power.
Miles Mo immediately caught on. I sensed trouble; even together, John Chou and I weren't their match. And now, I couldn't find Rachel Lan anywhere.
Panic began to rise in me. Things were looking grim. I could feel that something was constantly shifting in this place. Deep down, my instincts kept warning me—time was running out.
Brother, what do you think Rachel Lan feels for you?
John Chou asked, then immediately raised his Bloodied Wrath and charged at the approaching Troy Duan.
Hurry and look for her, brother. Calm yourself—you can find her.
I didn't hesitate. I quickly moved away and returned to the maze, where the walls seemed invisible on all sides, releasing spectral webs again and again.
I closed my eyes, sensing everything my spectral webs touched. But all I could perceive were those yellow humanoid figures—they were all people of the Yellow Springs. Beyond that, I felt nothing.
Inside, I was growing desperate. Then I noticed the range of my spectral webs was expanding rapidly. Both of my ghost souls had appeared far away, helping me search.
My mind's vision now covered most of the battlefield.
Sima Ying was locked in combat with Lu Junchi. I found it strange—Lu Junchi was wielding Tiger's Roar, but just moments ago, Tiger's Roar was in Troy Duan's hands. Somehow, the two had swapped weapons, and even their fighting styles had changed.
Sima Ying's attacks were accompanied by swirling cherry blossom petals, sharp and chilling. Lu Junchi gripped Whistler, reacting swiftly to block the hidden killing intent that sometimes flashed through the beautiful blossoms.
The two seemed to be sparring. I saw a faint current rising beneath Lu Junchi's feet, shielding him from the flurry of cherry blossoms. Amidst the petals, his swordplay looked almost like a mesmerizing dance.
Thunderous rumbling echoed from Yuna Ji's side, where the massive Grimclaw stretched out its claws, fending off attacks from Wendy Hsieh and Jason Su. The beast tried to seize them, but the two moved nimbly through the air, never giving Grimclaw a chance.
The pair attempted to break through Grimclaw's defenses. Meanwhile, Yuna Ji had settled inside Grimclaw's body, seemingly resting and not planning to fight any further. She sat cross-legged among the bones in Grimclaw's belly, grinning as she watched Wendy Hsieh and Jason Su's attacks in the sky.
The clash of weapons rang out again and again from the other side of the battlefield. It was Purple Maple and the woman named Mu Yun, locked in combat. I could only hear the sounds, unable to see their figures. Barely, through my spectral webs, I glimpsed traces of their battle.
I kept searching for Rachel Lan, but even with my two ghost souls and spectral webs covering the area, all I sensed were those yellow humanoid figures. There was no sign of Rachel Lan at all.
John Chou was in dire straits—three Guides were attacking him in turns. He could only defend and dodge, clearly wary of the small red spike the Underworld Court official had just handed to Zane Zhao. That thing gave me a very bad feeling.
The situation kept getting worse. High above, the massive formation diagram seemed to be constantly shifting.
Purple Lightning Thunder... surging like a flood...
Suddenly, I opened my eyes. From behind and to my right, I felt an overwhelming force—streams of purple lightning surged like raging rivers, drowning out John Chou's voice. Amidst the massive, visible bolts of lightning, Troy Duan raised the Dragon's Roar high. His Azure Dragon Armor had swelled to several times its normal size.
Crackling sounds erupted everywhere as purple lightning spread out in all directions—an apocalyptic force. Strangely, near the edges, this power seemed to be blocked by invisible walls.
John Chou, even if you recover quickly, if this keeps up, your ghost soul will be forced out. The moment it appears will be the moment you die.
Troy Duan shouted furiously.
Then, with a bang, a sound came from Yuna Ji's side. I turned my head and saw Grimclaw whimpering—its skeletal body was cracking inch by inch, the massive form collapsing.
In the sky, a Vermilion Bird as large as Grimclaw was crying out, soaring past Grimclaw. Yuna Ji leapt from Grimclaw, transforming into a streak of green light and dodging desperately. The Vermilion Bird slowly folded its wings, then spread them wide in an instant.
A surge of fiery red light swept in like a stampede. Flames rushed toward us, and just as I was about to escape, I saw that at the line marked by the Trial Stone, the fire crashed into invisible walls, curling back like waves smashing against cliffs and recoiling.
A wave of terror swept over me. Through my spectral webs, I sensed their power growing. The strength of the Ten Guides was now worlds apart from what I'd felt before—so immense it defied imagination.
Suddenly, I looked up and saw the thirteen bright orbs in the sky had changed form and shifted positions. The battle between John Chou and Yuna Ji stayed in the middle, on either side of the Trial Stone, never advancing or retreating.
Just then, John Chou's words echoed in my mind. I seemed to understand what he was trying to tell me—Rachel Lan's feelings for me.
I began to think carefully, calming myself. Yuna Ji was wrapped tightly in golden silk, unable to break free, while John Chou's body was being destroyed and restored again and again by the relentless purple lightning, unable to escape its range.
I couldn't afford to panic. I kept myself calm and continued searching. Suddenly, a clang rang out—it was Purple Maple and Mu Yun. For a moment, an image flashed through my mind.
It was Purple Maple. She stood behind Mu Yun, her blade already sheathed. Mu Yun looked terrified, blood streaming from her mouth as she collapsed limply to the ground.
It's over.