Now, all we could do was wait—and every passing second was torment. I stood up and walked toward the entrance of the apartment block.
I soon reached the entrance. The building completely sealed off the ghostly aura outside, so I was temporarily safe. I didn't know what was happening inside, but worry gnawed at me. I knew Ethan Zhang, Earth Soul, wouldn't die—he would only be expelled by the world's laws as time passed.
"I'll be honest with you—Ethan Zhang, Earth Soul, has absolutely no chance of winning."
The Earthly Soul beside me muttered. I grunted, heavy and subdued, continuing to wait. Ethan Zhang, Earth Soul, was still struggling, but only I would journey into the past.
"What are you going to do?"
I asked. The Earthly Soul smiled and shook his head.
"You're right, Rachel Lan. Once the Ghost Ancestor has dealt with everything, he'll destroy us too. Honestly, all of us together are no match for him. But right now, we're in a place he can never reach."
I hummed in response. The black ghostly aura slowly seeped into the massive cube ahead, growing thicker and heavier. The probing ghost energy drifted closer. Far away, Hell had grown eerily silent—there was not a single trace of life.
"Do you really want to negotiate with him, Rachel Lan? They're the enemy—there's nothing left to discuss."
What I couldn't understand was Seven—why was she with members of the Immortality Society? Staring at the scarred, ruined earth, I longed to know what was happening elsewhere.
I had too many questions—why did the Immortality Society betray us at this critical moment? What kind of pact did they strike with the Ghost Ancestor, the Divine Emperor, and the Dark Banquet? But right now, what mattered most was Seven—the child of mine who exists in the future.
"No, that's not it. If they're not truly human, it's meaningless. I'll give you some time to think, Rachel Lan. Once the Hell Imprint collapses, if you agree, I promise I'll help you leave this world."
"Where will you go? To the River of Falling Snow?"
"It's a pity, Rachel Lan. The only ending waiting for you is death here. And as for the hopes others placed on you—your decision is foolish."
"To the world of shadows."
"Don't doubt it. If you want the truth, it's because you failed as parents, so Seven chose us. That's all there is to it. And the connection started hundreds of years ago."
"Isn't there nothing left in that world?"
The Earthly Soul shook his head and replied.
"I just think a world of emptiness suits me best. Once things are settled here, I’ll go. As for the Heavenly Soul, that fool still hasn’t shown up anywhere."
I forced a bitter smile and shook my head. Jiuchen inside me kept trying to pull me away, always searching for a way out. But the Ghost Ancestor had sealed off everything in the Yin-Yang World. I couldn’t escape.
Now, all we could do was wait—and every second was agony. I stood up and walked toward the entrance of the apartment block.
I soon reached the entrance. The building completely sealed off the ghostly aura outside, so I was temporarily safe. I didn't know what was happening inside, but worry gnawed at me. I knew the Lost Mediator wouldn't die—he would only be expelled by the world's laws as time passed.
The massive red-and-black cube before me felt uncanny. After looking away for just a moment, I realized it had changed.
"It's slowly growing, absorbing the ghostly aura from outside."
The Earthly Soul stood beside me and spoke. We saw a streak of black light appear not far away, inching closer. The light split open, revealing a void. Instantly, I clenched my fists. The Earthly Soul surged forward, black lightning crackling around him. With a thunderous crash, Xu Fu sneered, caught his fist with one hand, and flung the Earthly Soul back.
"Enough, Earthly Soul. I'm not here to fight. I'm here to talk. I have a proposal that benefits us both."
"You shameless bastards. There's nothing left to talk about."
The Earthly Soul spoke, raising the Endbringer Blade he had just conjured. I grabbed his arm.
"Do you really want to negotiate with him, Roxie? They're the enemy—there's nothing left to discuss."
Xu Fu sneered at us.
I had too many questions—why did the Immortality Society betray us at this critical moment? What kind of pact did they strike with the Ghost Ancestor, the Divine Emperor, and the Dark Banquet? But right now, what mattered most was Qi—the child of mine who exists in the future.
"If you want to know about Qi, I can tell you—we didn't force him to join the Immortality Society. He came to us of his own accord."
"What do you mean?"
I asked, anger flaring inside me. The liar before me had no credibility left—every word he spoke could be a lie.
Xu Fu raised his hands in a dismissive gesture.
"Don't doubt it. If you want the truth, it's because you failed as parents, so Qi chose us. That's all there is to it. And the connection started hundreds of years ago."
"Keep bluffing, Xu Fu. Why not claim it was tens of thousands of years ago? You've lost all credibility here. We'll treat everything you say as garbage."
The Earthly Soul mocked, never lowering the Endbringer Blade.
"If it's about this incident, let me apologize in advance. Even if we hadn't betrayed you, it would only mean the pointless death of tens of thousands of our people."
I stared at Xu Fu with a heavy gaze. He burst out laughing.
"I won't argue with you any further. Years ago, when we entered dreams, we sensed a youth wandering through countless dreamscapes. That was when Qi first contacted us. As for why, we don't really know. What I can tell you is, because of you, he finally has a body—and we provided it."
My eyes widened. Xu Fu sat there, cross-legged and at ease.
"After all, you're his mother, so I have a duty to inform you. Now, let's be direct, Roxie. I can help you break free from the Ghost Ancestor's instinctual world, let you leave the Yin-Yang World and reach the terminus of the past. But you'll have to trade me something in return."
"Shameless to the core."
The Earthly Soul spoke; I nodded and spat out two cold words.
"No deal."
Xu Fu looked at us, disappointed.
"Do you really think this world can still be saved?"
Xu Fu asked. Neither I nor the Earthly Soul answered.
"So where did you go?"
The Earth Soul asked, and Xu Fu replied.
"It's very simple. All we need is a sample of your Bloodbane Power."
Xu Fu spoke, and I immediately laughed and shook my head. Xu Fu sneered and shook his head as well.
"It's a pity, Lan Ruoxi. The only ending waiting for you is death here. And as for the hopes others placed on you—your decision is foolish."
Xu Fu spoke as he stood up, looking ready to leave. There was no way I'd ever give him even a trace of this Bloodbane Power, born under the influence of new forces.
The Earth Soul raised the Endbringer Blade, pointing it at Xu Fu.
"Say your piece and get lost. If you don't, I'll kill you myself."
With a whoosh, the Earth Soul turned into a streak of black lightning the moment he finished speaking.
With two loud bangs, Xu Fu's fists were burned, exposing the white bone beneath. After blocking the Earth Soul's attack, he retreated a little into the inner space.
When the Earth Soul tried to attack again, he found his power couldn't break into the black space. I stared curiously at the space before me—it was like a corpse membrane, incredibly strange, and I could sense the power of a zombie within it.
I now utterly loathed everything about the Immortality Society. If they'd helped when the Divine Emperor attacked the Yanluos, Hell would not have fallen completely. Now, the Ten Yanluo Kings and King Kṣitigarbha are gone. Even Meng Po is gone.
The only survivor, Yi Xuehan, has vanished. But I know she must still have a way—she would never run away.
"I'll be honest with you—Zhang Qingyuan has absolutely no chance of winning."
I stared coldly at Xu Fu. He smiled faintly, not planning to leave yet.
"And what about you? Once the Ghost Ancestor finishes everything, he'll wipe you out too."
I spoke, and Xu Fu nodded.
"You're right, Lan Ruoxi. Once the Ghost Ancestor has dealt with everything, he'll destroy us too. Honestly, all of us together are no match for him. But right now, we're in a place he can never reach."
I looked at Xu Fu in confusion. He tried to persuade me again.
"My proposal is for all humanity. We don't want humans to be wiped out. If humanity truly perishes, our grand plan for immortality can never be realized."
"Haven't you already achieved immortality? By constantly searching for compatible bodies and transferring souls into them."
Xu Fu shook his head.
"No, that's not it. If they're not truly human, it's meaningless. I'll give you some time to think, Lan Ruoxi. Once the Hell Imprint collapses, if you agree, I promise I'll help you leave this world."