"Don't shout, Old One-Eye. You're making it sound like I'm already dead."
Dreadstar stood up, a large patch of charred skin on his chest gradually fading away. His entire body was a reddish-brown, and an evil grin hung on his face.
"Hmph, I don't know where you got that Vermilion Bird Robe, Ethan Zhang, but let me show you the difference between heaven and earth. I've just obtained the Wooden Contract Stone, so let's unleash a little of my original power, shall we?"
"Absolutely not, Lord Dreadstar. That's just a newly-formed robe. With this kid's current strength, he hasn't even reached Nirvana. Let me handle him."
Old One-Eye spoke, then floated into the air. Without hesitation, I spread my wings and charged at him.
"Hmph, brat, I told you not to get cocky."
Suddenly, I saw Old One-Eye reach out and place a hand on his right eye's eyepatch. Flames burned around me as I flew forward, my claws aimed straight at him.
"Devour him, Ghost Pit..."
Old One-Eye shouted, tearing off his eyepatch. Instinctively, I sensed something and stopped my attack, dodging out of his line of sight. Still, I was a step too slow—my left wing lost a huge chunk, as if it had simply vanished.
I plummeted toward the ground. Just as I landed, three feathers at my feet fluttered, and a burst of flame erupted. I leapt backward.
"Think you can run? It's not that easy."
Old One-Eye tore off his eyepatch again. There was no sound, but to my shock, the spot where I'd just stood disappeared—a huge chunk of ground was gone, revealing a pitch-black void beneath.
"Nightmare Power, attack..."
I stared in shock as Old One-Eye shouted. A chill crept up behind me. Just as I tried to turn, I felt my wings clamped down by something.
With a loud bang, flames burst from my skin. Then I felt a massive force strike my back—a heavy punch sent me crashing to the ground. As I struggled to rise, I saw a black wraith clutching a flaming wing torn from my back, grinning wickedly.
Then it released my wings, and the flaming feathered wing turned to embers, scattering into the air.
"It's not over yet, kid." Old One-Eye's voice came from behind.
With a thought, flames ignited along my spine and my wings reappeared. Accompanied by a phoenix's cry, I soared into the air in an instant. Another patch of ground beneath me vanished.
"You're quick to react, kid." Old One-Eye lowered his eyepatch again. This move of his was terrifying, as if it could devour anything. I had to stay alert, or I'd be finished.
Just Old One-Eye alone was this troublesome, and there was still Dreadstar watching with a wicked grin. Beneath the execution rack, Bertram clutched Jing Le in confusion, staring at me. I had to get both of them out first.
Suddenly, I took a deep breath. The beak before my eyes opened wide, and with a whoosh, a torrent of crimson flames spewed toward Old One-Eye. I seized the moment to turn around—sure enough, Nightmare Power was already behind me, his fists swinging at me.
I reached out with both claws and blocked his fists, but Nightmare Power only smiled. In an instant, he turned into a semi-transparent black sludge and slipped around my body, locking me in place from behind.
Flames exploded at my command, but Nightmare Power was completely unharmed—he just tightened his grip on me.
The flames below gradually faded, and Old One-Eye's figure reappeared.
"Ethan Zhang, this time, you won't escape. Nightmare Power, hold him tight."
I struggled. Nightmare Power's hands felt like chains, locking me tightly in place. I grew desperate, watching as Old One-Eye pulled off his eyepatch.
The moment Old One-Eye tore off his eyepatch, Nightmare Power vanished from where he held me.
My mind buzzed, and I screamed in shock. Most of my chest—half my body—was gone, replaced by a massive, hollow crater.
My consciousness grew increasingly hazy. Everything before my eyes blurred, and I plummeted toward the ground.
"Rebirth in flames—each time, the power unleashed is even greater than before. Ethan Zhang, what do you think?"
"Is it over? Bertram, how long are you going to keep watching?" Dreadstar said, suddenly charging at Bertram.
I opened my mouth wide, wanting to roar, but with my lungs completely gone, not a sound came out.
Nirvana...
With a thunderous boom, my entire body was once again engulfed in flames. I resolved to follow my own will—even as my body creaked, ready to shatter and turn to dust. Deep down, I knew Nirvana was incredibly dangerous; a human body simply couldn't withstand it.
But I had no choice. I watched as Dreadstar laughed maniacally, charging at Bertram and Jing Le.
A phoenix's cry rang out, and I roared with all my might.
"Flame Impact..."
In an instant, I appeared at Dreadstar's side. He turned, staring at me in disbelief.
"Go to hell."
My claws clenched into fists, and this time I landed a solid blow on Dreadstar's face. His head stretched long, almost torn off by the force, and reddish-brown blood sprayed from his mouth.
My left claw locked onto Dreadstar's hand. Furious, I roared, my rage turning into flaming fists that pummeled Dreadstar's body again and again.
"Qingyuan, that's enough. Take my daughter and go, quickly! If this keeps up, your body won't be able to take it..."
(Irrelevant system message skipped.)
Bertram shouted, and I gradually realized I was about to fall apart.
"Abyssal Ghost Halberd..." Suddenly, it was Nightmare Power—his voice rang out behind me. I turned to see a long halberd shrouded in black mist thrusting toward me.
"Qingyuan..."
Bertram cried out, releasing Jing Le and throwing himself in front of me. The halberd pierced Bertram's body—I screamed in shock.
"Where are you looking, Ethan Zhang? You're hurting me so much..."
As I turned, it was Dreadstar—his face was unrecognizable, sunken in patches like a heap of rotten flesh. With a shrill screech, a leech shot out of his head. A tremendous force struck me, slamming me hard into the execution rack.
I crashed to the ground. Bertram's figure slowly dissolved into tiny points of light, fading away.
"Qingyuan, this is my final request—take my daughter and leave this place..."
"Bertram..." I shouted. Dreadstar had already returned to normal, laughing wildly.
"Finally dead, Bertram? Hahaha! Ghost Sovereign—ha! I took down a Ghost Sovereign! Hahahaha..."
"Had enough laughing?" A cold voice rang out. Then, beside the fading Bertram, a black flame ignited. Gradually, Red-Hair's figure appeared at Bertram's side.
Suddenly, the place fell silent. Dreadstar stopped laughing.
As soon as Red-Hair appeared, he turned sharply toward me and pointed a finger.
"Malice, eat that thing."
I screamed in agony as black flames enveloped me. The fire on my body gradually disappeared, devoured completely. When it was all gone, I collapsed to the ground.
"Ethan Zhang, do you want to die? If I'd been a moment later, the power unleashed by your Nirvana would have torn you apart."
Red-Hair said sternly, then turned away. The ghost called Nightmare Power stared in shock, his wicked grin gone, as Red-Hair gripped the halberd that had pierced Bertram.
"Can a toy like this really kill you? Bertram, damn it, answer me! Shit."
Suddenly, Red-Hair shouted in anger. With a crack, the black halberd shattered. Red-Hair reached out and placed a hand in front of Nightmare Power's face.
"Disappear, trash..."
A tremendous wailing rose up. Nightmare Power clutched his head, writhing in agony, flailing wildly through the air.
Old One-Eye hurriedly floated over.
"Nightmare Power, get into the Ghost Pit! Malice has locked onto you—hurry!"
Old One-Eye shouted frantically, tearing off his eyepatch. Nightmare Power kept expanding, his body about to burst, then vanished in an instant.
"I wonder, Lord of the Eleventh Palace of Yama, what brings you here?"
I stared in surprise as Dreadstar bowed respectfully, and Old One-Eye landed, head lowered in deference.
Bertram slowly fell to the ground, completely still. Only his head remained; the rest of his body had vanished.
Red-Hair turned away angrily, glaring at Dreadstar. With a crack, the space beside me split open, and Hu Tianshuo and Huang Jun burst in.
"Red-Hair, finish them off. Don't let them escape!" Huangfu Ruofei was the first to rush in, hurrying to my side and quickly slapping two long red talismans onto my chest.
"Qingyuan, don't move! Red-Hair, do it now!"
"Oh, Lord Yama, you wouldn't bully us, would you? So many of my subordinates have already died at your hands."
Red-Hair glared fiercely at Dreadstar, his whole body radiating murderous intent. Black flames blazed around him, his anger on full display, nearly ready to explode.