If it weren't for Rufina Howard's petite body lying motionless in the distance, my heart would have already plummeted to the bottom.
"Hurry up, what are you standing there for? You really want to kill that woman now, don't you? Once she's dead, we can cooperate properly."
In my mind, the thought of killing Lydia Howard appeared, along with the idea of cooperating with the Thought Ghost.
"By the way, if we cooperate, you have to listen to everything I say."
My gaze never left Rufina Howard's body, and the strength with which I gripped the Thought Ghost did not weaken in the slightest.
"What's wrong, Ethan Zhang? Hurry up and move—you really want to..."
"Shut up."
I roared in anger, turned my head, and glared at the Thought Ghost.
"If you keep trying to occupy my mind, then I will become a monster..."
I spoke each word clearly. The Thought Ghost's eyes widened.
"You won't get away unscathed either, Ethan Zhang."
I burst out laughing wildly.
"I'll crush you—get out of my mind! Thought Ghost, get out..."
A stream of white energy flowed out from my body, and on the ground of the courtyard, clusters of white trees began to appear.
The sound of creaking echoed; I gasped for breath, my mind already a tangled mess.
My mouth split open, my skin turned like old tree bark, white fangs slowly protruded, and black saliva dripped onto the Thought Ghost's cheek.
"Die—for everything you've done, for thousands of years, you've suffered, haven't you? It's been painful, struggling all this time..."
"Don't even think about it, Ethan Zhang."
With a whoosh, the two thoughts from before vanished in an instant, and the Thought Ghost I held in my hand gradually disappeared as well.
With a thunderous crash, I slammed both fists onto the ground. Violent baleful energy tore the earth apart, and everything around me was annihilated by the aura. I roared, my consciousness slipping away, descending into complete madness.
"Qingyuan..."
Suddenly, a voice echoed in my mind. I tried my best to suppress it, speaking haltingly.
"Roxie..."
A smile appeared in my mind. Beneath golden light, I saw a smile—though I couldn't see the face, I felt an overwhelming warmth.
"Cross over the past, no matter what happens. I'm waiting for you—everyone needs you. Don't let tragedy repeat itself, please."
I cried out and slowly stood up.
"I never want to lose anything again. Give it back to me, Thought Ghost."
With a roar, a black evil ghost appeared on my back. In an instant, I located the Thought Ghost. With the baleful energy sword in my hands, I struck at the Thought Ghost—he screamed in agony, shattered into pieces, and immediately turned into black mist, vanishing.
"Until you give it back to me, I won't let you leave."
With a tearing sound, I pinpointed the Thought Ghost again. My hand pierced into his abdomen, and he appeared to be in great pain.
"Give it back to me..."
I roared, and with a tearing sound, I ripped the Thought Ghost apart before me. He screamed in agony.
"Even if you kill me, it's useless. What's dead can't come back."
I stared coldly at the Thought Ghost.
"Then go die."
"Impossible, Ethan Zhang, you..."
"I've found your origin. It's true—I can't kill you, but as long as I seal your thoughts and let my killing intent shatter them, I can destroy you. And luckily, there's someone inside me who can restrain you. As long as you have consciousness, you have desire."
A flash of bright white light emerged from my body. The Desire Ghost appeared instantly behind the Thought Ghost, raising her hand, while my killing intent surged throughout my body.
The Desire Ghost pressed her hand onto the Thought Ghost's head.
Suddenly, the Thought Ghost was completely enveloped by the white stream of energy. He looked at me in terror.
"You've suffered for so many years—now, go die..."
In an instant, surging killing intent enveloped my body. In my heart, there was only one thought: destroy him. A wicked smile flashed through my mind, and suddenly I stopped, one hand hovering quietly in front of the Thought Ghost's head.
"What exactly do you want, Ethan Zhang?"
I clutched my head and stared wide-eyed. Just then, the gentle voice of Mother Goddess Nuwa came through.
"There's still hope. Go and recover everything for this girl, in the vortex of the past."
"Thank you, Ethan Zhang."
Lydia Howard appeared at my side. I saw a faint blue glow, and with a gulping sound, the Thought Ghost screamed in agony.
"You will regret this, Ethan Zhang. You will definitely regret it..."
Amid shrill screams, the Thought Ghost was sealed within the pale blue orb of water released by Lydia Howard's left hand. She opened her mouth and sucked it in—I watched in astonishment as she swallowed the pale blue orb.
"I never expected your willpower to be so strong. I've never seen such rock-solid resolve."
Despite Lydia Howard's praise, I felt no happiness in my heart. I immediately rushed to Rufina Howard, who lay on the ground as if asleep, completely still. I scooped her up in my arms.
"Kid..."
In an instant, I turned angrily and glared at Lydia Howard. She walked straight into the house without looking back.
"Wait..."
I roared in anger. For this cold and heartless woman, all I felt was rage.
"Ethan Zhang, the dead cannot return. I must now seek a suitable candidate to once again bear an heir for the Howard family."
I gritted my teeth and stared motionless at Lydia Howard as she disappeared through the doorway.
Rufina Howard's body was already cold, her breathing so faint it was undetectable. Earlier, Mother Goddess Nuwa had told me to go into the vortex of the past and retrieve everything for Rufina Howard.
I stood quietly in place. At that moment, a stream of bright white light appeared beneath me. I opened my eyes wide, and when I looked again, I was back in front of the Gaia Statue.
"Mother Goddess Nuwa, what does it mean—the vortex of the past?"
"That guy is coming."
With a crack, the head of the Gaia Statue split open. I sensed an extremely powerful ghostly aura and stared wide-eyed.
The sound of rushing wind—four spirit horses instantly floated out of the water and charged past me from behind.
"Trash, get out of my way..."
With a boom, I turned my head just as the four spirit horses nearly vanished, flying toward me.
"Redmond."
I had never seen Redmond so furious. Wisps of black smoke drifted around his body, and clusters of black flames ignited. I felt a suffocating chill in the air.
"Sorry, I..."
With a crash, the head of the Gaia Statue instantly turned to dust, and Redmond sat on the broken spot.
"You let them play you for a fool, Ethan Zhang. These trash—how are you going to take responsibility? If you can't find a solution to this, I'll clean up your entire branch myself and make sure you never set foot in the human world again."
"What's going on, Redmond..."
I stared at him in shock. With a bang, a fist struck my cheek. I stood still, not dodging, as the blow left a dent in my face.
"Sorry."
I lowered my head. That was all I could say. Redmond's eyes were filled with sorrow as he looked at Rufina Howard.
"Don't make that face, Redmond. It doesn't suit you."
Yuna Ji appeared in a flash of green light, standing behind Redmond.
"Shut up, you bitch."
Redmond touched his drooping long hair and glanced at the four spirit horses, who had somewhat recovered from the shock. Donghuang lowered his head apologetically.
"What exactly happened? Say something."
I roared in anger.
Redmond reached out and gently stroked Rufina Howard's cheek in my arms.
"Ethan Zhang, this girl rushed to help you without hesitation when she heard you needed it. I always wondered why she had to return and accept her origin. And who came up with the method for ghosts to enter the Realm of Four Saints?"
I stared at Redmond in shock.
"So that's it? With so many out there eyeing the bloodline of the Ancestor of Humanity, once we leave, there may be places none of us can reach—just like this time. But this girl wants to help you, Ethan Zhang."
"Let me explain."
A black aura appeared before me, and Noah Grimm stood in front of us.
"Ethan Zhang, earlier your subordinate Death Curse went to the Netherworld to investigate. When the ghosts wanted to enter the Realm of Four Saints, they originally had to go straight to the Cursed Land of the Realm. But Su Yuanjie proposed another method: let Rufina Howard recover her origin. Only she can allow ghosts to enter the Realm of Four Saints without fear of being destroyed by the Four Saints' power."
I swallowed hard.
With a bang, Redmond swung his hand back, and the Gaia Statue exploded instantly. Except for Donghuang, the other three spirit horses charged forward again.
"Die, you trash."
With a boom, Mr. Brown suddenly leapt over and blocked Redmond's attack. The ghostly aura from his back repelled the three spirit horses.
"What do you mean, Mr. Brown?"
"Don't be impulsive, King Redsky. Now that things have happened, we have to resolve them. The young master once said, good and evil alike will make this girl the center of their schemes."
Redmond slowly lowered his hand. In that instant, I seemed to understand: these people, for a certain purpose, made Rufina Howard leave the Hall of Malignant Thoughts. They couldn't take her from there, but if it was for my sake, she would definitely come out to help.
"Nuwa, the thing you were worried about—the seal has loosened, hasn't it? That's why you panicked and let those bastards from the Realm of Four Saints use Ethan Zhang's desire to enter the realm, prompting Rufina Howard to come out and reclaim her origin. But what you didn't expect was that the ghost who set eyes on this girl fifteen years ago took advantage of it."