The figure before me whimpered in agony, then quickly shattered into fragments of black stone, dissolving into black particles that vanished into the air.
I sat quietly on the ground, unable to recall how many Dark Banquet creatures I'd faced. All around me stretched a bizarre forest—resembling willows, yet not quite. Each tree was black, with withered branches hanging down like willow twigs. I reached out to touch one; it felt soft, just shriveled in appearance.
Feeling somewhat exhausted, I sat down and leaned against a tree. Many of these trees had already been reduced to ashes during my recent fight.
I kept fighting my way down the corridor, unable to suppress a smile.
These guys are only this strong—I wonder how Ethan Zhang and the others are doing.
Just a moment ago, I sensed intense ghostly energy from above, but it quickly vanished. The Ghost Sovereigns must have done something—the battle with the Immortality Society has likely begun.
I wish I could join them. That bastard John Chou really loves dumping all the troublesome things on me.
I glanced around—those destroyed black, twisted trees had already started growing back. The oppressive atmosphere weighed heavily on me. With a hateful snort, I drew Endbringer and stabbed it into the ground with a sharp clang.
Looks nasty, doesn’t it, Endbringer?
A crackling sound filled the air as countless black bolts of lightning shot out in all directions. In an instant, tree after tree was reduced to dust. Within minutes, the only tree left in the thousand-square-meter area was the one I leaned against.
My view widened considerably, and my mood eased. I clasped my hands behind my head and leaned comfortably against the tree.
After dozens of clashes, I heard Endbringer's voice—so powerful. For someone who has always pursued strength, this is rare and the best reward. I decided to keep going, no matter who I face, I'll cut them down with Endbringer.
Why did it take me so long to understand such a simple truth?
I grinned with excitement, but my eagerness to face the Immortality Society hadn't faded at all. The battle must be fierce now. Just thinking about Ethan Zhang, watching the fight up close, made my teeth itch. This is crucial for growing stronger—even if you don't think about it at the time, what settles into your body through constant exposure is invaluable.
There was no wind. I even found myself missing the feeling of a breeze after a fight.
My heart burned with heat. I could hear Endbringer's voice clearly. After each deadly battle, I had become stronger.
Before, using Endbringer's power required a certain transformation, but now it's always within me. I raised my hand slightly—crackling black lightning danced in my palm.
That's enough—time to move on.
I stood up and walked slowly toward the only door ahead. This was a vast underground world, with every path spiraling downward, and special rooms stacked below each other.
I reached the doorway and raised my hand, when suddenly something strange happened behind me. The sandy ground, already reduced to dust, swelled up. With a crash, a huge figure burst out in an instant.
Let me...
With a whoosh, before the creature could speak, I was already at its side, pressing a hand against its head.
I don't care about your name. Die.
With a thunderous roar, a massive pillar of black lightning shot out. The place where I had entered was blasted open. I landed slowly, kicked open the heavy stone door, and walked inside. The giant creature collapsed behind me with a thud.
I kept walking downward, quietly savoring the indescribable sensation in my body, while starting to ponder John Chou's motives.
Since he's been sneaking in for months, he must have learned a lot. If his powers weren't sealed, maybe he'd choose my method too—using sheer strength to pry open everything in this world.
The path ahead was as dark as ever, but I could still see. After circling around, I reached another stone door. With a thought, I sent a bolt of black lightning at it—the door exploded instantly.
Inside, the scene changed again. The air bubbled with noise—it was a vast swamp, and the black walls were far away.
A foul stench rose up. Disgusted, I spat, then floated into the air. The smell grew even worse—I didn't want to fight in a place like this.
Let's make this quick.
I muttered, when a shrill laugh rang out. Instantly, I sped toward the source—a splash of mud erupted. I shot upward, determined not to touch the foul-smelling black sludge.
The stench was unbearable. Pinching my nose, I shouted loudly.
Come out, whoever you are—hurry up.
But after a while, there was no response. I flew to the other side, only to be surprised—there was no door. I circled the vast swamp, searching for a way down, but found nothing.
Stop searching. This is the deep layer. If you've made it here, it means you've defeated everyone above.
A stream of black sludge slowly rose from the center, taking on a humanoid form. Instantly, I flew over—a bolt of black lightning crashed down from above.
The humanoid figure burst into splattering mud, which hissed and evaporated. An even worse stench filled the air. I quickly flew back the way I came, pinching my nose and looking back.
The mass of sludge surged toward me, suddenly appearing just over ten meters away. The mud creature emerged again.
Show your true form and save me the trouble.
Pinching my nose, I stepped back several times—the stench of the swamp was unbearable. The creature before me let out a series of shrill laughs and shook its head.
I'm not your enemy.
I snorted coldly, watching the creature warily. He showed no hostility, but I felt no goodwill toward him—just wanted to deal with him quickly and either go back up or keep searching for a way down.
You're thinking I must be hiding the way down, so you want to finish me off first and then look for the path, right?
The creature saw right through me and chuckled as he spoke.
13,976 days—I've been imprisoned here that long. My name is Luo Zhihui. What's yours? Haven't seen anyone in ages, even if you're a ghost.
I looked at Luo Zhihui in surprise—his voice was filled with joy.
Ethan Zhang, Earth Soul.
I'll just call you Earth Soul, since you're not really Ethan Zhang, are you?
My eyes widened in an instant.
How did you know?
Luo Zhihui raised his hand and pointed at my shoulder. I glanced over—there was a drop of mud, which I quickly shook off. The stench eased a little.
Sorry, I read everything about you. I mean no harm.
You...
I glared angrily at Luo Zhihui, but soon grew curious about him.
Are you saying this really is the deepest layer?
Luo Zhihui nodded and moved a bit farther away. The mud on the ground surged away like a tide.
I'm just one of the residents trapped in darkness, unable to leave or withstand its power. I died when I arrived, but my corpse and soul were used for experiments, then discarded in this swamp. Miraculously, I survived.
I looked at him in surprise.
That's why I said I'm not your enemy—or rather, we share a common enemy: those who don't listen to reason. This door hasn't opened in 13,976 days. When I first came back to life, I screamed and begged for help, hoping they'd pull me out. But they had no interest in an experimental subject like me who hadn't truly died.
So you were locked up here?
Luo Zhihui nodded and chuckled.
For some reason, I can't break these walls, so I can't get out. Today is truly a lucky day—thank you, Earth Soul.
I grunted, watching him surge toward me, and quickly stepped back.
Sorry, I've been here so long that I reek, and my body has become part of the swamp.
What exactly are they doing here?
I asked, excitement in my eyes. Luo Zhihui walked out slowly, gesturing for me to go first.
Soon, we returned to the upper chamber. The trees hadn't regrown—the ground was still bare sand.
I ran to the tree in the center. Luo Zhihui, upon arriving, ran excitedly, then knelt down and kissed the soil.
Finally free—it's wonderful to see the outside world.
Luo Zhihui said excitedly, stopping about sixty or seventy meters away from me.