Everything around me had become ruins. Beneath the gray-black sky, I drove along the straight ring road circling the city. On the roadside, I could still see many small flags planted—these were formations set up by the Taoists, able to filter out some of the miasma.
My mind was a chaotic mess. The entire H City had been destroyed, and only the ring road remained as a route. I was heading straight for Universal Temple, unwilling to deviate even a step. The stabbing pain in my heart made me irritable, and I slammed down on the accelerator.
The car sped forward, but the road ahead was becoming harder to navigate. The vehicle started to jolt and wobble on the uneven surface.
With a screech, I stopped and glanced toward Huluvillage. The weather there was still bizarre—dark clouds pressed so low they seemed about to touch the ground.
Everyone urged me to leave—there was nothing more they could do. Only I, with my coexistence instinct, could reach the endpoint of the past. It was the only place left to be saved, the only escape from the Wraithlord.
I was unwilling, yet powerless. The Ghost Sovereigns were strong, but even they couldn't harm the Wraithlord. Mr. Brown had collapsed again; though disaster erupted within the Wraithlord, he could still endure it. Neutralizing the calamity inside him was only a matter of time.
I felt terrible. Raising my hands, I stared at my trembling fingers. In that instant, I unleashed my strongest power, injecting the blood-fiend force born within me into the Wraithlord's body—yet it was all in vain.
I opened the car door and gazed at the devastation all around—like a nightmare, but far more real than any dream.
After a while, I returned to the car. Ahead, I could see the road leading to Universal Temple. Though narrow, it was still unaffected for now. I maneuvered past some obstacles and got onto the road—I planned to find Yvonne May first.
The road smoothed out, and I accelerated. The world ahead was starkly different from the devastation behind me. Beams of light pierced the clouds, growing stronger as I neared Universal Temple. I could feel a gentle force permeating everything nearby—here, the miasma was temporarily kept at bay, slowly purified as it seeped in.
The closer I got to Universal Temple, the stronger the light became. I hadn’t seen light in a long time. Driving slowly, I spotted a faint emerald mist in the distance—I could sense it was Yvonne May’s aura.
Drawing nearer, I eased off the accelerator. Gradually, I approached the emerald mist, stopped the car, and stepped straight into it. Immediately, I saw an ancient inn—the sign read 'Soulbound Inn' in bold characters.
I walked in slowly. The place was deserted, but in the blink of an eye, Yvonne May stood before me. The sliding door behind slammed shut, candles flickered to life in the corridor, and I moved forward.
"You just need to stay here. This inn will take you to the endpoint of the past at the final moment."
"Tell me, Miss Yvonne May, what did you see?"
I asked, knowing Yvonne May possessed the Juchen instinct, which let her see the future.
"A barren world. Nothing remains. That is our future—everything will perish, and no one can stop it."
I hesitated, looking at Yvonne May, and asked another question.
"What about Qingyuan?"
Yvonne May shook her head.
"In the future I saw, Ethan Zhang no longer exists. He doesn't belong to this world, and he won't exist here. Listen, Rachel Lan—the Juchen instinct is yours now. It will help you escape."
As she spoke, a swirl of black and white mist surged toward me, merging into my body. I felt dizzy, but quickly regained my senses. In an instant, countless images flashed through my mind—scenes of the Wraithlord rampaging after emerging from the Nether Syndicate.
"The worst future has arrived. It's different from the endpoint of the past and the endpoint of the future you know—this world has no future."
I stared at Yvonne May, feeling miserable. But she seemed very calm. I sat down on a chair in the inn, my mood sinking. Only I could survive.
"What does this even mean?"
I muttered. Yvonne May slowly approached, crouched before me, and placed her cold hand on mine.
"It means nothing, Rachel Lan. Maybe you'll feel pain, but from now on, you have to keep living alone. This is your responsibility."
I shook my head bitterly.
"If I really leave, I'll never see everyone again, will I?"
Yvonne May nodded.
"When you can control the Juchen instinct, you’ll naturally be able to return here. But when you do, no one will remain. What this place will become, I cannot see. Long ago, I felt there was no hope left in life."
I looked at Yvonne May in surprise. Her expression softened, and she smiled lightly—I had never seen her smile like that before.
"You can’t see anymore, can you?"
I seemed to understand—Yvonne May had given me the Juchen instinct. She nodded.
"Seeing the future is incredible, but it’s also deeply troubling. Rachel Lan, don’t hesitate. I once had countless chances to defy fate, but I followed the path destiny laid out for me."
I looked at Yvonne May in confusion as she stood up, still smiling.
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"Back when I was alive, my only chance to change my fate was when I left the Grant Domain. Yuna tried to persuade me to stay, but I saw that staying would hasten the domain’s destruction. So I chose to leave and accepted my tragic destiny. Maybe if I’d resisted, my memories would be different now."
I said nothing as Yvonne May slowly floated upward.
"We are all dying—or perhaps we’ve long been dead. Years ago, I used the power of time to keep everyone here. Basil Bertram’s departure was a wake-up call for us all—we’ve been dead for ages. When you leave, we’ll turn to dust. Our final struggle is the power we release after death. Maybe it will affect the Wraithlord, but I’m not sure. Rachel Lan, don’t hesitate—leave before the end begins."
I watched as Yvonne May slowly turned to dust. I wanted to ask her something more, but she had vanished. Swallowing hard, I rushed over and tried to open the door—only to find nothing outside. All I could see was the inn’s interior; the outside had disappeared. When I tried to pass through, I ended up back inside, facing the same direction, with nothing out of place.
"Why is this happening?"
Pressing my forehead, I hurried upstairs. Soon I reached the second floor and entered an old room. I opened the window and saw everything on the mountainside. I tried to get out, but just like before, I was sent back inside the inn.
The Ghost Sovereigns rose again. This time, I noticed that in the crowd near the mountainside, Vivian Ouyang had awakened. She looked on in terror at everything inside, and I could hear the Wraithlord’s manic laughter.
"It’s useless. You’ll all be dead soon. The powers still affecting my body will soon vanish."
The Wraithlord looked fully recovered, laughing and shaking his head, wild joy written across his face. I regretted coming here, but had no choice—I could only watch everything unfold and choose to escape.
Everyone will die. Realizing this, sadness welled up inside me. John Chou kept smiling, completely fearless. The remaining six Ghost Sovereigns stood before the Wraithlord—the final battle seemed about to begin.
"Leave, Rachel Lan. There’s no reason to stay any longer."
I heard a voice, and when I looked, Juchen had appeared at my side.
"I can’t do it!"
I slowly crouched down, curling up as Juchen appeared before me.
"When you leave, the Ghost Sovereigns will die. All the injuries they've suffered will erupt at once, transforming into a tremendous force—maybe it will help a little."
"Tell me, Juchen, is there truly not even a glimmer of hope left?"
I looked seriously at Juchen. He shook his head.
"Going to the endpoint of the past is the best choice. The Wraithlord cannot follow you there. When I leave, time in this world will stop, and only continue at the endpoint of the past—within you. When you’re strong enough to face the Wraithlord, I’ll bring you back."
I bowed my head, feeling dizzy, and gradually lay down on the ground.
"Don’t be stubborn, Rachel Lan. Staying here is meaningless. Only by leaving can you take the last shred of hope from this world."
I shook my head. I never wanted to leave, even at the very last moment.