"You really do have a twisted sense of humor."
I said, and The Wraithlord laughed.
"All these years, they thought I'd been completely sealed away, that as long as they kept it up, everything would remain peaceful. Unfortunately, that illusion was just something I let them see."
I grunted in response, then asked.
"So your other two souls—the Heaven Soul of the Wraithlord and the Earth Soul of the Wraithlord—are also aware of everything?"
The Wraithlord turned his head, smiling broadly, and nodded.
"Of course they know. My Heaven Soul of the Wraithlord has been wandering outside all this time, hasn't it? Naturally, I know exactly what's happening out there. You're only the second person I've found interesting enough to talk to; otherwise, I would've killed you long ago."
I chuckled and leaned back, deciding to stay. The book before me contained the secrets I needed; as long as I kept reading, I could keep growing stronger.
"By the way, who was the first person you found interesting?"
I asked, and The Wraithlord looked at me and answered.
"Xu Fu. That guy was pretty interesting. When he was trapped in the place where my Earth Soul was sealed, he was the first to realize I'd already regained all my memories. So I talked to him for a while. But he was far too arrogant—though to be fair, he had the right to be. For a human to become that powerful is no small feat."
I immediately asked.
"So, how big is the gap between me and Xu Fu?"
The Wraithlord shook his head.
"With your current strength, you can't beat him. In fact, you wouldn't stand a chance against any of the thirteen members of the Immortality Society."
I sighed, tilting my head back and laughing.
You're cruel, acting this way.
The Wraithlord got out of bed and stood. I noticed something odd—he didn't actually need to sleep. So what was he doing when he slept?
Suddenly, something clicked. I watched The Wraithlord in silence.
When you sleep, does your consciousness go to the other two souls?
I asked, and the Wraithlord nodded, not bothering to hide anything.
At that moment, I thought of Ethan Zhang, then looked seriously at the Wraithlord and asked.
"What about Ethan Zhang?"
The moment I mentioned him, the Wraithlord's expression darkened. He stared absently outside for a long while before finally speaking.
"I used to think he was pretty interesting, but before I knew it, I started to feel an uncontrollable urge to crush him."
I swallowed hard as the Wraithlord walked over, waved his hand, and the book on the table returned to his grasp. He held it up, silently watching me.
"I've talked with him about a lot of things before, but he's far too naive. That naivety hasn't changed to this day. If I have to say, I'm actually looking forward to seeing him next time—maybe he'll have changed again."
I stared coldly at the Wraithlord.
"You really shouldn't underestimate him. His power now might be enough to suppress the Human Soul of The Wraithlord."
The Wraithlord nodded.
"I don't really understand what happened in the Illusory Realm, but Mother Goddess Nuwa has pinned her final hopes on Ethan Zhang. She must have her reasons, but I can't fathom what that guy really wants."
I shook my head helplessly.
"Even if you destroy everything here and nothing remains, what are you trying to prove?"
The Wraithlord shook his head.
"I just want to destroy everything, that's all. As for proving something—there's no need. You should know some things about the past and the future, and so do I."
I stared in shock, eyes wide, as the Wraithlord began to pace slowly around the room.
"In both the past and the future, I've died twice at Ethan Zhang's hands. You said I underestimated him, but that's not true. If I can't stand with him, then we're enemies. What happens to this world in the future doesn't matter anymore. I'll do what I need to do, but I'll wait for the right moment—maybe a few years, maybe decades. First, I need to comprehend the contents of this book and then unite my three souls."
"Where is your last soul fragment?"
I asked, and the Wraithlord gave a wicked smile and shook his head.
"Even if you knew, you couldn't get it with your current abilities. As I am now, I probably couldn't even defeat the Infernal Judge or the Ghost Sovereign."
I stared at the Wraithlord in astonishment. He turned to look at me.
"Do you think you've seen the full extent of the Ghost Sovereigns' power? Actually, you haven't. Those guys are scheming, after all, they're all evil ghosts—especially John Chou, that one's a real problem. Hehe, but that's what makes it interesting. Otherwise, this world would be far too boring."
"What exactly did you mean by the ultimate instinct you just mentioned?"
This was what I was most desperate to understand right now. I knew all too well that the power of the apocalypse was still too weak. Things couldn't go on like this, and I couldn't find a way to strengthen my instincts.
"You want to know? I can tell you, or even show you what really happened in the Avici Hell back then."
I immediately laughed, while the Wraithlord stared at me in silence.
"Let me ask you first: if I taught you everything, what would you do?"
"Of course I'd lead this world to its end—that's my goal, after all."
The Wraithlord's eyes widened with excitement. My smile vanished, and I spoke coldly.
"You too."
"Then why would I teach you anything? If I do, and you kill me, wouldn't that be a loss for me?"
I burst out laughing.
"Didn't you say this world is only interesting because of things like this?"
The Ghost Sovereign nodded, then took out the Blank Desire Tome and handed it to me.
"Remember this, Earth Soul. If you want to master power, you can't do it in your current state. Power must be whole. In your half-human, half-ghost condition, it's impossible—unless you can comprehend a new power that's truly suited for you. But as I've said, wholeness is the foundation of power."
(This chapter isn't over yet ^.^, please click next page to continue reading!)
Suddenly, I understood. Humans have souls, ghosts have ghost souls—both are complete. But right now, I'm neither ghost nor human. My ghost soul isn't truly a ghost soul, either.
"There's a method for Forsaken to increase their power, and it's recorded in this book. Make good use of that girl you found. She's special—she can twist and fuse your completely uncoordinated body into a whole."
I immediately shook my head.
"I don't really like the word 'use.' Remember this, The Wraithlord—our relationship is just cooperation. I won't tell anyone else your secrets. After I deal with Ethan Zhang, it'll be your turn next."
The Wraithlord looked at me with delight, then burst out laughing.
"That's more like it. Things need to be methodical. I'll leave everything to you. If Ethan Zhang can't even handle you, then he doesn't deserve to face me."
I stood up. The Wraithlord moved in an instant, and I followed him. We arrived at the surface of the lake.
"Instinct is something you can't understand in your current state. But I can show you something interesting. Back in Avici Hell, I saw everything that happened. Those seven guys—clearly strong enough to challenge me—but this era doesn't belong to them anymore. When I get out, they'll be the first ones I deal with."
I watched the Wraithlord in silence, feeling a discomfort deep inside. But that feeling quickly faded. I wanted to chase power, no matter the cost—I wanted to be the strongest.
At that moment, the Wraithlord crouched by the lake, pressing one hand quietly against the calm water.
"The place I was imprisoned was in Avici Hell. One day, I met those seven guys. Unlike most ghosts there, they had a strong sense of self—very unusual, since those locked in Avici Hell aren't supposed to have consciousness. For ghosts, that place is pure torment."
I swallowed hard. The lakeshore began to stir, but suddenly I remembered something.
"Didn't you get out before, and then get trapped in Mount Wuliang?"
The Wraithlord turned and smiled.
"Nine Yin, Nine Yang—the place below is only a part of Avici Hell. Otherwise, they couldn't have trapped my Earth Soul."
The surface of the lake began to spin wildly, shimmering with rainbow colors. Gradually, both the Wraithlord and I started to sink, as if entering something else. My consciousness grew hazy.
Slowly, I found myself standing on a patch of black earth. In the distance, a pale blue pillar of light shone, and beside me stood the Wraithlord.
"This place is called the Realm of Truth—it's a memory of mine."
I nodded in response. Sure enough, once we arrived, I saw the Earth Soul of The Wraithlord striking the pale blue pillar with all its strength.
"Back then, I really was like an idiot. But none of that matters now. I'm much stronger than I was, and for that I have to thank my mother—Mother Goddess Nuwa. The power I created over the years, I never had the chance to absorb it all. My three souls and seven spirits split, I lost consciousness, and went mad."
I nodded.
"I never expected the Human Soul of The Wraithlord to unconsciously record the powers I created, and even comprehend them to the extreme. Now, all I have to do is follow what was unconsciously written and keep comprehending it—I can get even stronger."
"You must be immortal, right? After all, Mother Goddess Nuwa once bestowed you with such power."
The Wraithlord nodded.
"But it's not true immortality. My power has its weaknesses too."
I looked at the Wraithlord in shock.