Black and white mists began to swirl around the world, intertwining, yet I felt nothing at all. John Chou’s body was slowly dissolving, and I stood up, a bit worried. The Undying behind me seemed much better now, all quietly watching everything unfold before us.
John Chou’s body looked as if it were being corroded by acid, sizzling and emitting wisps of blue smoke. His skin and cheeks had begun to rot. I swallowed hard—this was the first time I’d seen such a thing. Vitality and Death Energy, when so violently entwined, could dissolve anything.
Ronan Wu stood quietly in front of John Chou, staring coldly at him.
"I told you, unleash your ghost soul, John Chou. You should have already reclaimed your Bloodbane Power."
Most of his body already dissolved, John Chou managed to force a smile.
"There are many powers in this world you haven’t seen yet. Little Ronan, you’re just too quick to jump to conclusions."
At that moment, I noticed Belle, still floating in the air, shimmering with a faint pink glow. Suddenly, the light flared violently.
With a thunderous boom, an explosion erupted. A pink, cloud-like mass spread outward in all directions.
My eyes widened and I cried out in shock. A vast, pale pink mist appeared in the sky, dreamlike and suspended above us—and in the midst of it, a woman appeared.
Her figure was graceful and light. Her pale jade feet were slightly arched, draped in a white and violet-pink gauze robe, with ribbons of white silk slowly swirling around her. Her face, as radiant as peach blossoms, held a cold gaze. I rubbed my eyes—she looked a bit like Isabelle Frost, but more mature, steadier, and exuding the allure of a grown woman, every gesture tinged with a fox-like charm.
On her forehead was a blood-red diamond mark. I kept swallowing nervously—no matter how I looked at her, this woman was undeniably John Chou.
The black and white mist had been completely blocked outside the pink current. I stared at the woman in disbelief; by her aura, she was indeed John Chou.
"So, you’ve manifested the Soulreaver Blade, John Chou. But even if you do this, what’s the point?"
With a whistling sound, black and white threads shot toward John Chou. But as they entered the pink current, just before striking him, they ricocheted away. Surprise flashed in Ronan Wu’s eyes.
Then Ronan Wu raised Ghostfang and attacked. Clanging sounds rang out—his Ghostfang struck what felt like an invisible wall.
Razor-sharp currents instantly sliced through the space around John Chou, yet he remained motionless, poised atop the pink current, his cold gaze fixed on Ronan Wu.
"There’s no such thing as absolutes in this world. The Vitality and Death Energy your special ghost soul creates can suppress most powers, dissolve or absorb ghost energy. But against this force, you’re powerless—because there are countless things between life and death."
Ronan Wu, furious, kept swinging Ghostfang at John Chou, but every attack was deflected. I noticed the seawater had returned, and with a cracking sound, the black-and-white armor around Ronan Wu shattered and vanished.
With a whoosh, a flash of green light streaked by. John Chou, still in the air, began to dodge, moving to the other side. The ribbons swirling around him suddenly lashed out at the now unmasked Ronan Wu.
With a flurry of sounds, the flying ribbons shattered and vanished. John Chou floated gently in the air, like a celestial maiden, and something nameless stirred within me.
With two metallic clangs, Ronan Wu, wrapped in green light, attacked again. John Chou raised both hands and blocked every blow. Sparks flew off his body. What surprised me was that, even in this woman’s form, John Chou himself seemed as sharp as a blade.
John Chou kept raising his hands in the air, moving gracefully. With the swirling ribbons around him, he deflected Ronan Wu’s attacks again and again.
At that moment, I noticed the island was returning to its original state. Vitality and Death Energy returned, rebuilding everything.
Suddenly, after dodging Ronan Wu’s Ghostfang, John Chou’s pale jade foot swept toward Ronan Wu’s abdomen. With a swish, Ronan Wu was sliced in half at the waist. Instantly, he became a streak of green light, reappearing behind John Chou, thrusting Ghostfang forward.
Sparks flew through the surrounding space.
"You can’t hold out much longer, John Chou. After all, this Wraith Armament and your power are entirely different things."
With a swish, John Chou floated backward again, waving both hands. Ronan Wu dodged and attacked, and I saw invisible strikes slicing through the air around him—though unseen, Ronan Wu could see them clearly.
I didn’t understand why John Chou had taken on this woman’s form, but it was clear that the power Ronan Wu just used—Vitality and Death Energy—had been neutralized by John Chou. Several times, Ronan Wu’s attacks, mixing Vitality and Death Energy, were redirected elsewhere at the last moment and couldn’t hit John Chou’s true body.
In the night sky, John Chou was like a stern blade, exchanging attacks with Ronan Wu, who calmly swung Ghostfang.
I could feel John Chou was almost at his limit. Ronan Wu’s attacks weren’t like before—though blocked, the invisible strikes were landing more and more frequently, sparks flying around John Chou, and the pink mist that once shrouded him was starting to draw in.
Suddenly, after missing an attack, Ronan Wu raised Ghostfang. A streak of green light flashed, and he thrust the blade forward. In an instant, the serrated edges of Ghostfang twisted and extended, stabbing into John Chou—his body was riddled with holes in the blink of an eye.
With a whoosh, the woman who was John Chou vanished. In the cold night sky, Belle spun toward me, its blade now cracked. With a metallic ring, Belle landed at my feet.
"Here, take it. Rachel Lan, I never got the hang of this sword."
I swallowed hard. Belle radiated an unusually seductive aura, but it also seemed to be asking for my help. I gripped Belle, and suddenly a faint white glow appeared on my skin. Belle began absorbing my Vitality, and the cracks on its blade slowly started to heal.
I looked up. John Chou was crouched in midair, his wounds healing slowly, while Ronan Wu’s ghost energy remained strong.
"Hold on to it."
As he spoke, Ronan Wu suddenly tossed Ghostfang toward John Chou, who caught it with one hand.
"Looks like you’re not planning to use the Bloodbane Power. Then let me show you, John Chou—I’m nothing like I used to be."
"Aren’t you going to keep using your Vitality and Death Energy?"
John Chou sneered and asked, and Ronan Wu laughed.
"If I can’t defeat you with that power, then it’s pointless. Besides, it took hundreds of years to accumulate all this Vitality and Death Energy—using it all at once would be such a waste, wouldn’t it?"
After standing up, John Chou weighed Ghostfang in his hand and smiled.
"No need. Here, take it back!"
With that, John Chou casually tossed Ghostfang away, and it vanished into the air as a streak of black light.
"Let’s begin—the second round of ghost versus ghost. This time, it’s a real fight!"
John Chou nodded, his form blurred, transforming into blood-red particles. These particles surged forward in an instant, enveloping Ronan Wu’s body. But Ronan Wu smiled, suddenly reaching out with one hand.
With a bang, John Chou’s surprise punch was caught by Ronan Wu’s hand.
In an instant, both roared, thunder rolling. Green ghost energy and red ghost energy collided violently. Ronan Wu hurled John Chou toward the sea, then became a streak of green light, crossing his arms as he rushed after.
With a swish, just as John Chou was about to hit the water, Ronan Wu suddenly swung both arms forward. John Chou shielded himself, and the seawater below was instantly sliced into blocks.
Their ghost energies continued to clash violently. I watched quietly, knowing that anyone entering such a fierce ghost energy clash would be obliterated in an instant.
The two seemed to be probing each other, fighting hand-to-hand above the sea, neither yielding, their attacks relentless.
The clash of ghost energies grew fiercer. I saw cracks appear in the sky and on the sea. This was Ronan Wu’s Shadow Realm, but with such intense force, it wouldn’t hold much longer. I swallowed hard—the fight would end soon.
"Miss, could you plead with the young master for us?"
I turned around—the Undying had gathered behind me, looking at me pleadingly.
"This is your own problem, Uncle Lee. If you truly want release, go speak to John Chou yourselves!"