I leaned against the tree trunk, while Isabelle Frost watched me quietly. Inside, I was conflicted—just as The Engineer and I had discussed before. I am a mass of contradictions, a person who, by all rights, should be grateful not to have lost my mind entirely.
One thing after another has weighed on my heart for far too long. Ever since I first encountered John Chou, these burdens have piled up—at first it was just a small mound, but now it feels like a mountain crushing my chest. It's heavy, and if it all comes spilling out, I might not be able to bear it.
This fruit truly is a mirror, reflecting the depths of my heart with brutal honesty.
"What is it? Still don't want to talk, Ethan Zhang?"
I was silent for a long time before Isabelle Frost spoke. Then I began to talk—after those green mists had faded, I entered the world after ghost death. There, I saw Lily Wu and Nathan Li, and a guy named Damien. In the end, it was Lily Wu who saved me and got me out, but Damien found me.
"So you're saying there's another space in this place?"
"Maybe. But I overheard something—the key to entering is that the dead ghosts have someone they miss."
As I spoke, I clenched my fist. I wanted to go in again, to see Lily Wu one more time. At the very least, I needed to explain everything face to face. The Earthly Soul, Ethan Zhang, is not me.
"Let me try going over there again."
As I spoke, I slowly spread my wings. The only way to reach the front of this towering forest, where those green pustules grow, was to use my baleful energy to create wings and fly. Isabelle Frost rode the Tri-tailed Lynx, following behind me.
Back beneath the eerie red tree, I saw that only a few of its fruits remained. The group was gathered around the tree—Felix Zhou was still eating, and the others looked satisfied. Even Kane was eating with gusto.
"Where are we going, Blackfang?"
Ghost Painting Book Immortal glanced at me and Isabelle Frost, asking the question.
"Miss Frost and I are heading up ahead to confirm something. Once I've figured it out, I'll let everyone know. Sorry."
As Isabelle Frost left, she picked a fruit, munching on it contentedly along the way. About half an hour later, we reached the entrance to the towering forest. The green, pus-filled blisters were still throbbing.
"Tri-tailed Lynx, do you know how often these things release green mist?"
Tri-tailed Lynx shook his head. Isabelle Frost and I waited quietly on the wooden bridge.
Speaking of the green mist earlier, Isabelle Frost told me it lasted less than ten minutes before dissipating. It looked like mist, but it was actually dust sprayed by a parasite on the tree trunks. They inhaled it, but nothing strange happened. Only after the mist faded did they realize I had vanished.
We'd waited a long time, but the green mist still hadn't appeared. Growing impatient, I flew over to one of the green blisters, reaching out my hand. Suddenly, a small hole on its surface opened wide, turning into a mouth. A pink, tongue-like thing shot out, wrapped around me, and tried to pull me inside. Alarmed, I slashed twice, severing the sticky appendage.
After cutting it off, green liquid splattered everywhere, but nothing unusual happened. There was no powder inside.
"Looks like we just have to keep waiting, Ethan."
I nodded and lay down on the bridge. Isabelle Frost sat cross-legged on Tri-tailed Lynx’s back, gently stroking his forehead.
"I came to the riverbank of the Bridge of Despair to find someone's ghost."
Her words startled me. I looked up at Isabelle Frost—who was worth such effort to find? I was deeply curious. There was a hint of helplessness on her face.
"He’s my biological father, Yin Youcheng. You must have seen him in your memories."
I nodded.
"I only learned this after growing up and joining the Yin family. Yin Youcheng’s grave was empty. Later, Yin Choujian told me that his corpse had been stolen, and a note was left behind. It said: 'Sorry, my children.'"
I swallowed, staring at Isabelle Frost.
"I have no memory of Yin Youcheng. Still, he’s my father. As for the note—what did it mean? It’s as if he knew there were two children from the start."
Isabelle Frost’s words made me stand up. She was right.
"Maybe Elder Zhuang knows something."
Isabelle Frost shook her head.
"I asked Elder Zhuang in detail a thousand years ago. When Yin Youcheng died, Elder Zhuang buried him personally. Yin Youcheng was definitely dead, but something strange happened. Elder Zhuang said he saw Yin Youcheng return one day to visit Yin Choujian. Because Elder Zhuang could see ghosts, but he said Yin Youcheng wasn’t a ghost then—he seemed alive."
I looked at Isabelle Frost in confusion. Was she really just trying to figure this out? Or did she want to see her father, whom she’d never met? I didn’t press further; her expression had already changed. I forced a smile and said,
"Alright, Miss Frost, if this isn’t working, let’s just go. Who knows when those green clouds will spray again."
I was about to get up—Isabelle Frost and I had already waited more than two hours. Just then, I noticed the blisters on the tree trunks behaving oddly, swelling as if filling with air.
"Get ready, listen up, Ethan Zhang. This is my ghost thread. If you end up in that world, break it."
With that, Isabelle Frost handed me a fresh green ghost thread. I took it and waited quietly. It began—the green mist spraying everywhere, soon covering the surroundings in thick green dust. Isabelle Frost was only a meter or two away, but quickly, I couldn’t even see her.
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Mouth open, I gulped down the green mist. Suddenly, the fog vanished, and I found myself here again. No one was around.
"Why bother running away, only to come back?"
A sinister voice came from behind. I quickly used Deathbane Aura to form wings. It was Damien, smiling and holding a folding fan.
With a flourish, Damien snapped open his fan. Suddenly, nine black-and-red little dragons burst out around me. I was shocked, but then everything grew blurry. I couldn’t move—like an invisible force was holding me.
A hand clamped around my throat—I couldn’t even make a sound.
"So you have instinct, huh? But even with instinct, entering this world isn’t easy. Heh, come with me and meet Emperor God."
I couldn’t fight back or struggle—my whole body was powerless. Then I remembered, and hurriedly yanked the ghost thread Isabelle Frost had given me, snapping it.
Suddenly, a red light flared at my chest, and a huge otherworldly flower bloomed—a pale, slender hand reached out from its center, glowing with green light.
"Die one more time."
It was Isabelle Frost. Suddenly, red flower-shaped marks appeared on Damien’s body. He spat blood and was sent flying. I was free to move again.
"Come here, Ethan. Don’t act rashly. That world isn’t what you think."
Isabelle Frost reached out, grabbed my collar, and pulled me into the flower. My body began to shrink—I stared in amazement.
Damien clutched his chest, coughing up blood. He glared at me, then started laughing.
"If you care about her, that woman will die. If you know what’s good for you, come over yourself."
Eyes wide, I suddenly found myself back on the wooden bridge. Isabelle Frost was gripping my collar—I was dazed, my gaze blank. Then I looked at the fresh green blisters. Suddenly, Isabelle Frost pressed both hands to the sides of my forehead.
"Ethan Zhang, don’t get excited. In that world, you can use your powers, but the beings there are very strong. There are at least a thousand who are stronger than you. Even if you go, it won’t help."
My heart sank. Isabelle Frost spoke slowly and clearly.
"There are at least eleven stronger than me."
A wave of unease washed over me. Head down, I was filled with helplessness. Isabelle Frost climbed onto Tri-tailed Lynx’s back. Soon, we returned to the red fruit tree—everyone was waiting, but not a single fruit was left.
"Did something happen, Blackfang?"
Lin Rui patted my shoulder. I shook my head and said nothing. Ghost Painting Book Immortal laughed heartily and walked over.
"If there’s something on your mind, just say it, Blackfang. No need to hold back. Right now, we all trust you."
I stared wide-eyed—everyone was watching me. I smiled.
"Let me explain."
Isabelle Frost began to speak, carefully avoiding any mention of what happened between me, Lily Wu, and Nathan Li. Instead, she told everyone about the other world that exists here.
"Oh, Miss Frost, eleven are stronger than you? Then I guess there must be twelve to fifteen stronger than me. Heh, the strongest here is the old man with the books. Looks like things aren’t looking good in that world."