"Haha, Ms. Yi, I’ve found you!"
Fiona Fox’s sharp voice cut through the air. With a thunderous crash, Dominic Bixby followed her, stepping into my Shadow Realm.
"Ethan, seal the Shadow Realm quickly and strengthen the Deathbane Aura!"
I immediately willed it—Deathbane Ghost shot out of my body with a whoosh, instantly repairing the fractured Shadow Realm. Black Deathbane Aura seeped across the floor. Now, Fiona Fox and Dominic Bixby had noticed me—or rather, Mr. Brown beside me.
"So that’s it—the old steward of the Chou family is here too. Things just got more complicated."
"Ms. Fox, we should head out and assist the others..."
With a whoosh, Mr. Brown vanished from my side and appeared right before Dominic Bixby, fist raised. Green light flickered, thunder rumbled, and cracks instantly spread across my Shadow Realm—on the ground and in the air.
"Since you’re here, don’t even think about leaving."
"Deathbane Ghost!"
I shouted. Chains rose from the ground with a crash. A massive green glow erupted in my Shadow Realm—a giant wave of light swelling instantly.
A deafening tiger’s roar, a force so violent it nearly tore my body apart—I could only curl up midair, struggling to stabilize my Shadow Realm.
After a while, everything faded. My Shadow Realm was stripped bare. Where the Apartment Building once stood, two figures remained: Fiona Fox stared coldly at Mr. Brown and Isabelle Frost across from her. Dominic Bixby knelt, one hand pressed to the ground, his gray-and-white robes shredded, blood streaming from his forehead and wounds. He could barely stand. Fiona Fox immediately placed a hand on his shoulder, patting him gently.
"You’re such a fool. You could’ve just run, but you insisted on protecting me."
"Ms. Fox, how could I let you get hurt?"
"Ethan, reinforce your Shadow Realm. Don’t let those two escape."
Mr. Brown spoke, and I nodded. Then he turned to Isabelle Frost.
"Miss, you know I don’t hit women. That woman’s yours. As for that guy—Ethan, you go first."
I let out a cry. Dominic Bixby rose, staring at me in silence, then broke into a smile. Anger surged up inside me.
I looked at Mr. Brown, confused, but suddenly understood: he couldn’t make any big moves, or my Shadow Realm would collapse. That last attack wasn’t even his full strength—my Shadow Realm nearly shattered. In the final instant, Mr. Brown had restrained his ghostly energy, saving my realm.
"Do you remember what I taught you?"
I landed beside Isabelle Frost and nodded.
"Just support me, Ethan Zhang. I’ll make sure neither of them leave alive."
Dominic Bixby’s wounds healed. Fiona Fox fixed her cold gaze on us. Mr. Brown had vanished, returning to the room with the Lake of Deathbane—he seemed busy. Suddenly, I realized: it was a Sanzu Force issue. He was making sure the Sanzu Force couldn’t reclaim the Bloodbane Power of the Chou family.
Petals of Red Spider Lily danced before my eyes, suddenly scattering toward the two enemies. I crouched, pressing both hands to the ground.
In an instant, Fiona Fox and Dominic Bixby leapt up as crimson chains shot from the ground. Red Spider Lily petals sped toward them.
Clanging sounds rang out as the petals were struck down, while my curse-powered chains kept trying to snare the two.
"Don’t rush in yet—just wear them down and wait for the right moment."
Isabelle Frost said, and I nodded. Deathbane Aura began to surface on the ground of my Shadow Realm, morphing into guns. Suddenly, bullets fired at the two airborne foes.
As expected, they easily deflected every shot. Isabelle Frost kept manipulating the petals, while I recalled the curse chains and focused on controlling the Deathbane guns. The bullets couldn’t pierce their skin, but with so many guns and such a barrage, it had to wear them down eventually.
Isabelle Frost’s face was icy, motionless except for her hands, which directed the petals. But the two seemed to sense something. Suddenly, Fiona Fox raised a foot high overhead and, with a whoosh, slammed it down toward us.
Isabelle Frost and I drifted in opposite directions. With a boom, the ground split away. The moment Fiona Fox withdrew her foot, she broke through the petals and bullets, landing right in front of me, both legs kicking at once.
"Go for the weakest first, Old Dominic."
Fiona Fox shouted. I was caught off guard but quickly swung my Deathbane Twin Blades. Suddenly, a hand grabbed my collar—Isabelle Frost yanked me back, then raised a bunch of Red Spider Lilies to gently block the attack. Fiona Fox’s kicks landed as if striking cotton—soft, powerless.
Dominic Bixby closed in on me. I roared, raised my hands, and a rocket launcher appeared on my shoulder. Instantly, I pulled the trigger.
A piercing screech rang out as a rocket blasted toward Dominic Bixby. I tossed the launcher aside and dove into the ground.
With a boom, the explosion erupted in midair. I burst out from the ground, Deathbane Twin Blades slashing at Dominic Bixby—two sharp clangs.
My Deathbane Twin Blades shattered. I instantly let go—the broken blades vanished, and my hands disappeared too. Dominic Bixby was startled at first, but then his hands swept back, forming knife edges.
Two sharp clangs—Deathbane Twin Blades appeared behind Dominic Bixby and were sliced apart. He flashed a smug grin at me, then his hand-knives darted like lightning for my throat.
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At the critical moment, I raised both hands, twisting my body. Bang! The hand-knife struck my shoulder hard. I gritted my teeth—my left hand suddenly turned into a Deathbane Serpent, snaking along Dominic Bixby’s arm.
Suddenly, Dominic Bixby withdrew his right hand and chopped off the head of the Deathbane Serpent with his left. Instantly, the serpent’s body split, forming a new head—green fangs sank into Dominic’s hand. He kicked at me.
Bang! I was sent flying and crashed to the ground. A huge noise erupted behind me—Fiona Fox shrieked as she flew past, slamming into the recently restored Apartment Building.
Dominic Bixby’s arm turned green. He glared at me, then, without hesitation, sliced off the whole limb.
Within seconds, Dominic Bixby’s arm regrew. He shook it, about to charge, but Fiona Fox grabbed him.
"This isn’t a game. It’s a fight to the death—underestimating any opponent could cost us everything."
"I know, Ms. Fox."
Dominic Bixby and Fiona Fox glanced around, searching for Mr. Brown’s shadow. Fiona Fox grinned.
"That old man’s busy for now. We’d better finish this quickly."
"Be careful, Ethan Zhang."
Isabelle Frost spoke. I stared intently at the two enemies—their bodies began to change, skin turning red, black streaks tinged with dark crimson.
"What an ugly sight, haha. But there’s no other way."
"Don’t worry, Ms. Fox—it’ll be over soon."
Whoosh, whoosh—Isabelle Frost raised her hands, ghostly energy pouring out. Suddenly, green shapes appeared before me—leaves of Red Spider Lily, not yet blossomed, enveloping us completely.
Bang, bang—the leaves pulsed, hammered by violent blows from outside. Isabelle Frost crouched low.
"Summon your Curse Ghost, quickly!"
I responded, and with a thought, whoosh—the Curse Ghost appeared beside me. Isabelle Frost stared quietly at her.
"It’s too dangerous to use this kind of curse power in Ethan Zhang’s Shadow Realm."
"If you know, then there’s no need to say more. We’re not here to play—just keep Ethan Zhang’s Ghost Soul stable."
The Curse Ghost nodded and, with a whoosh, entered my body. Instantly, red root-like tendrils crawled across my skin—a powerful restraining force surged through me, fueled by my Deathbane Aura. I didn’t know what the Curse Ghost was planning.
"I’m going to send those two straight to the Bridge of Regret."
Isabelle Frost sat cross-legged on the ground, her gaze icy. The ghostly energy stopped abruptly, and blood-red marks began spreading across the floor.
"What exactly are you doing, Ms. Yi?"
"Didn’t I make myself clear, Ethan Zhang? I’m going to deal with those two outside."
More and more red marks appeared—I felt something was very wrong, panic rising in my chest.
"Red Spider Lily—its leaves and flowers never meet. Have you ever seen one with both at once?"
I swallowed, watching Isabelle Frost. She held a bunch of Red Spider Lilies in her left hand, a faint green glow in her right. Sweat beaded on her face.
"It’s too dangerous—the structure of this curse could kill Ethan Zhang, and you could be hurt too."
Suddenly, I spoke—my body, borrowed by the Curse Ghost, shouted urgently.
Isabelle Frost gave a cold, mocking smile.
"Don’t underestimate me. I know exactly what you are, Curse Ghost. You may have seen a vast world, but your methods are far too narrow."