The noise gradually subsided. The Underworld Denizens used a certain power to repair the damaged houses—I'd witnessed this power before, and it was truly strange. Many homes now had their lights on. Having just finished dinner, I glanced at Grandmaster Mingde, who had been sitting beside me for quite a while.
Grandmaster Mingde didn't join them for dinner, nor did he speak. He simply sat quietly by my side.
"Aren't you hungry?"
I asked, but Grandmaster Mingde still didn't answer. I gave a bitter smile and gazed toward the distant mountainside. In truth, I desperately wanted to know what was happening inside, but for now I could only endure and wait for Yin Choujian and the others to finish their business and come over.
No matter how strong Tan Tian's power was, he was no longer a match for the Wraithlord. After watching so many days, every technique Tan Tian used had been countered by the Wraithlord one by one—he simply couldn't inflict any harm.
To keep dragging things out meaninglessly would only make the situation worse. The Emperor God’s movements were still unknown, and the missing Immortality Society—no one knew when they'd stab us in the back. At such a critical moment, whoever makes the first move might lose everything.
Though I wasn't sure about the state of the Underworld Court, in this tense moment, the Wraithlord had already been resurrected, while the Underworld Court hadn't made any move. I seemed to have guessed something, but couldn't be certain for now.
"Ethan Zhang, do you still remember what I once told you about the word 'inner disposition'?"
I looked at Grandmaster Mingde. I'd indeed talked with him several times before, but every time this old monk would say a bunch of things that, to me, felt meaningless.
"Amitabha. What is it that we truly face now?"
"You seem so at ease, Mingde. If that thing breaks free and we still haven’t found a solution, it’s all over for us."
"You seem pretty relaxed, Mingde. If that thing gets out and we still haven't found a solution, everything will be finished."
"Sorry, Master. Whatever we do now, it’s likely too late. This is a fight to the death—if we lose, there’s nothing left, and no second chance."
"Even if he does come out, what can we do as mere humans?"
I didn't understand what Mingde meant. He smiled and stood up, his empty right sleeve fluttering in the wind.
"For centuries, people have been trapped by their inner disposition, unable to move forward. It's the same now, Ethan Zhang. Misfortune and fortune come and go—so does this world. What is it we're really seeing right now?"
I didn't reply to Mingde. He shook his head, his eyes bright as he looked at the mountainside, still smiling.
"What must come will come. Since there's no escape, we must face it. What happens afterward, I don't know. But I do know that facing something that can kill you—that kind of fear—is hard for us humans. Yet there are always those who can do things we can't. People with heart are everywhere, aren't they?"
I smiled helplessly. It was clear Mingde had already made up his mind about something. He radiated a calm acceptance—not a forced calm, but as if he were watching all this from beyond the world. I stood up and floated, shaking my head at Mingde.
"Sorry, Master. Whatever we do now, it's probably already too late. This is a battle with no retreat—if we lose, there's nothing left, and there won't be another chance."
Mingde formed a Buddhist mudra with his only hand, quietly gazing at the mountainside from the rooftop, as if waiting for something. Smiling, I left and returned to the center of the square, where I saw Roxie Lan and her daughter Lan Qinmo drinking in a small tavern on the left.
"Truly leisurely."
I spoke, picking up a jug of wine and taking a sip. Roxie Lan held a cigarette between her fingers and a glass of wine in her hand, looking rather spirited.
"No matter what we do, it's useless. Many people won't say it out loud, but they're scared to death. Who could face something like that? With just a wave of its hand, it could crush us—it's so powerful, we can't even stand against it. Heh."
Lan Qinmo looked at me, her lips curling up with a hint of bitterness.
"We'll just take it one step at a time."
I looked at Lan Qinmo and asked.
"You and Yin Choujian have been scheming for a long time. Is there really no way?"
Lan Qinmo laughed, and Roxie Lan immediately glared at her.
"Even if you ask, she won't tell you. Always sneaking around with Yin Choujian, up to something."
A shriek tore through the night. We bolted toward the sound—a man doubled over in agony, black vapor pouring from his mouth, eyes, and nose. His face contorted in terror. Xuanyuzi gripped the young Taoist, chanting frantically to calm him, but within minutes, the young man was dead.
I swept my gaze over the crowd gathering around. Fear was etched on every face. Black vapor curled from several bodies. The Underworld Denizens quietly gathered the dead Taoist’s soul.
Roxie Lan’s remedy was only temporary. When the shock wore off, the fear remained—and kept building, threatening to crush them. I couldn’t fathom what the Wraithlord had done; this power defied belief.
Roxie Lan had once spoken of fear made manifest in Snowridge Springs, but this place was different. Another scream split the air—a sect leader clutching his head, wild with pain, running and howling like a madman.
Suddenly, I caught the faint trace of desire in the air. I lunged after it—just as the man collapsed. Black, flame-like vapors erupted from his body, flickering along his spine. He died, his body shriveling as if drained. No soul escaped; the instant it appeared, the black fire devoured it.
At that moment, something strange happened.
"Everyone, be careful."
Xuanyuzi reacted instantly, rushing to the corpse. She drew a red-handled Taiji sword from the spine, bit her finger, and began to draw symbols in the air.
A huge Taiji symbol appeared in the sky, golden light pouring down. But then I noticed a black tentacle shooting out, instantly burrowing into someone's mouth. In a flash, that person died just like the others.
"Everyone, spread out."
Su Yuanjie shouted. Strands of golden silk instantly appeared, forming walls that isolated the area. The black tentacles growing from the dead man's body gradually faded in the golden light, but the corpse of the next victim was completely wrapped by the tentacles, which writhed menacingly in the air.
Suddenly, I sensed a presence and teleported to Roxie Lan's side. Black, baleful energy erupted in all directions. Two practitioners standing near Roxie Lan had just sprouted black tentacles from their bodies; I destroyed both them and the tentacles at once, then grabbed Roxie Lan and teleported to the rooftop.
Roxie Lan’s eyes narrowed. "What are you doing?" she demanded, suspicion edged in her voice.
"This place is about to fall," I said, voice low. "Everything until now was just the calm before the storm. Come with me—to Snowridge Springs."
As I spoke, more and more people collapsed. The Taoist practitioners tried to help, but no matter what they did, black manifestations of fear kept emerging from people's mouths. I looked up at the sky.
"Maybe the Wraithlord did something before entering the Bone Realm. This place is strange—I can sense the power of desire."
"Let go," she said coldly.
Roxie Lan glared, golden flames licking up her body. I raised my hands and backed away.
"I won’t run," Roxie Lan said, her voice fierce. "I’ve never turned away—not even when Qingyuan died. I’ve faced everything. I’m not your Earth Soul."
A flash of fire streaked before my eyes, accompanied by the cry of a Vermilion Bird. Roxie Lan's golden wings trembled on her back, sending a flurry of flaming golden feathers flying. Instantly, the feathers ignited, transforming into small flaming Vermilion Birds.
The black manifestations of fear were instantly reduced to ashes in the golden flames. Roxie Lan hovered in the air like a miniature sun, her radiance enveloping the entire Gourd Village. I smiled quietly, watching it all unfold.
I hadn't forgotten Yin Choujian's instructions. Glancing back at the mountainside, I let my power fade. The Wraithlord smiled at us, as if he could see everything here. By now, Tan Tian was nowhere to be seen.
"The farce should end now."
With the Wraithlord's voice, I realized this place was now shrouded in desire. This power could ignite the strongest emotions in people's hearts—right now, fear had been triggered. The manifestations of fear, turned to ashes, began to flare up again across the ground like bamboo shoots after rain. Roxie Lan kept fighting, but she couldn't destroy them fast enough. There were still nearly a thousand people here, all their fears ignited.
Many practitioners had already sat down to meditate.
I looked at the Wraithlord.
"Tan Tian, let me in."