"What do you really want from me? What is your true purpose?" I roared, my voice raw with pain, the echoes of the Wailing Ghost's withdrawal still clawing at my soul.
I shouted again, demanding answers. In my hands, two Deathbane Aura Blades materialized, but I immediately sensed something wrong—my left hand and right foot felt stiff, unresponsive. The reason became clear in an instant.
"Just as I thought, something's wrong, Ethan Zhang. Heh."
Cao Wanzhi's laughter rang cruelly through the darkness. He lowered his left hand, his finger stabbing toward me like a curse. The agony in my body intensified—the Spirit Snake and Vermilion Bird screamed within, their suffering echoing through my veins, while the Wailing Ghost's mournful wails twisted my nerves.
"Your left hand and right foot—they're completely gone, aren't they? The human parts of you, in other words, you're crippled now. And because of that, even your ghostly side is affected. After all, your body can't withstand a second Nirvana. That snake just saved your life, didn't it?"
I didn't argue. Cao Wanzhi was absolutely right. My left hand and right foot had been burned away, and at the critical moment, it was the Spirit Snake and the Wailing Ghost who instantly devoured the Vermilion Bird's power, saving my life. Without them, the surge of force after Nirvana would have torn my body apart.
I no longer had the strength to land a fatal blow on Cao Wanzhi. If I got close to him now, my body would burn away like dye dissolving in water. That would be the end for me—I'd die and become a ghost myself.
There was still no sign of help—only emptiness. Suddenly, a vicious green light slashed through the gloom as Cao Wanzhi lunged at me, his European sword—cold and merciless—driving straight for my chest.
A sickening rip—his blade tore a gaping wound through me. I howled in agony, my body shredded as Cao Wanzhi ripped the sword free. I was utterly helpless; my defenses crumbled, and I was hurled across the room. Black blood spattered the air, the stench of death thick around me.
I crashed to the ground, pain flooding my senses. Through the haze, I saw Cao Wanzhi's twisted grin—he regarded me as nothing, his contempt suffocating.
"You just said that Claire Zhang is an important tool for you. What exactly do you mean by that?"
"You'll have to imagine that for yourself, Ethan Zhang. As for you, I'm done wasting words. My partner's assignment clearly can't be completed now. I may be timid, but when the time comes, I never hesitate. And those people—how they operate is even more complicated than me. Heh, no point talking further."
In an instant, Cao Wanzhi was right in front of me. All I saw was a flash of green light as his European sword thrust toward my head. I raised my Deathbane Aura Blade to block, but I was a step too slow. The blade of his European sword grazed my cheek.
With a loud bang, the European sword struck my cheek, sending me sprawling to the left. I instantly transformed into mist and released the Resentful Ghost and Wailing Ghost.
Cao Wanzhi was too fast—at this point, I couldn't react at all.
"Unleashing your ghost allies only weakens you, Ethan Zhang. You're just throwing an egg at a rock—isn't that obvious to you?"
As Cao Wanzhi spoke, he stabbed at me again. I immediately conjured a black ice wall in front of myself, trying to block his attack. Meanwhile, the Wailing Ghost had already become a cloud of mist swirling protectively around me.
Suddenly, with a loud crash, the ice wall shattered. I dodged in time, but my left shoulder was pierced, and I was lifted off the ground.
"Such a naive way to fight, Ethan Zhang. What have you learned from following John Chou?"
With a snap, I turned into mist again. In an instant, my right hand emerged from the haze, gripping the Deathbane Aura Blade and slashing at Cao Wanzhi. With a ringing clang, Cao Wanzhi was suddenly beside me, standing parallel. He raised his European sword horizontally, blocking my strike, then slid it forward. Suddenly, with a sharp crack, I felt a blow to my neck.