My body is bearing the immense, overwhelming pressure of desire. I can't get up at all; I can't even move a finger. The desire here is so vast that I stare blankly in confusion. The Desire Ghost is already busy going back to play mahjong—she hasn't told me anything, leaving me to figure things out on my own.
My Specter Web has completely retracted into my body. The desire here, in an instant, almost caused my consciousness to collapse. All kinds of desires keep flooding this place.
And at the center of the lake, those bubbling, constantly emerging bubbles—I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong.
The bubbles are growing denser and denser, clustered tightly together right in the center of the lake. I can't help but grow anxious—I can't move at all.
"Instinct... Coexistence... Synchronization..."
I closed my eyes and slowly began to release my Specter Web, but a force of Five Elements oppression blocked it, like a solid wall with no gaps. This is the power of desire—in front of this wall called desire, my Specter Web can't break through.
After struggling for a long time, I opened my eyes, panting heavily. I couldn't achieve coexistence—this is the first time I've felt this way. No matter what I do, I can't get past the lake's edge. The wall formed by all these desires is stopping me.
I have to come up with something, or I'll be stuck here with no way forward or back. The only thing I can do is desperately suppress my own desires. Right now, my body feels like iron, and the ground is like a magnet—I'm stuck fast to it.
Now I can barely control my desires and release a small amount of Specter Web. Although I can't get through the desire, I can only keep trying. My stomach is starting to growl, making things even harder. I can only resist the desire at the bare minimum, just to avoid being crushed by it.
The sky has darkened—the last ray of sunlight disappears. I cry out in pain as the desires around me, relentless and pervasive, begin to attack madly, trying to invade my body. I've reached my limit.
Just like in the Forest of Desire, the desires at night are even fiercer than during the day. I clench my fists and grit my teeth, enduring an even greater pressure of desire—my cheeks are pressed into the ground. My Ghost Soul is wailing, compressed together like a deflated ball, ghost aura leaking out. My body is on the verge of collapse.
All my consciousness is focused on everything I've experienced over the past year—the trials that have tempered my mind and body. I keep recalling these experiences, and my body instinctively begins repeating those processes over and over.
I must hold on, or I'll break—body, Ghost Soul, everything. I grit my teeth and scream in agony under the crushing weight of desire.
Desire has started to invade my Ghost Soul, staining my mind with other colors—love, hate, passion, all of it. Human and ghostly desires flood my brain; my consciousness is about to shatter.
My consciousness is like a TV that suddenly loses signal—the screen flickers and blurs. My head buzzes painfully. Now, my awareness is splintering, like a windshield slowly cracking apart, bit by bit, turning into fragments.
"What are you longing for?"
At that moment, a deep voice echoes in my mind. Suddenly, my fading consciousness recovers a little.
"To survive. I long to survive."
I shouted, and in my mind, the only thought was to stay alive. At that moment, Rachel Lan's gentle smile appeared in my mind. Instantly, I opened my eyes.
"I absolutely cannot disappear here... Not here... Never... Never..."
I roared, and suddenly, a burst of violet light exploded—a wave of purple flames shot out from all around me as I shouted and stood up.
Amazed, I looked around—clusters of purple flames seemed to protect me. The flames kept burning, pushing back the desires that pressed in from all sides.
Around my neck, the Purple Crystal Pendant floated gently in the air. I stared with wide eyes, reaching out with a trembling hand.
"Rachel..."
I called out softly, but at that moment, the pendant slowly descended. I grabbed it with one hand as the flames around me began to withdraw and fade. Desire pressed in again—I gripped the Purple Crystal Pendant tightly, staring coldly at the desires around me.
"Thank you, Rachel. You protected me just now, didn't you..."
Choking up, I looked around at the now-vanished desires and roared. Black currents began to surge from my skin. Bowing my head, I stared at the Purple Crystal Pendant in my palm, mouth agape.
"You won't need to worry about me anymore, Rachel. I'll survive, no matter what happens."
In an instant, I lifted my head, put down the pendant, and stared coldly at my surroundings.
"Instinct, called... coexistence..."
Suddenly, black energy surged all around, gradually flowing like water, condensing around me. Slowly, it formed into a black Evil Ghost with only an upper body. With a roar, the Evil Ghost opened its mouth and screamed.
"As you wish, Ethan Zhang—keep calling out. All of this is born from illusion. Great power will guide you here..."
Suddenly, the black Evil Ghost on my back stretched out its thick black arm. With a bang and a sizzling sound, the desires around me were instantly blocked.
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Black lightning crackled around me, fending off the assault of desire. I straightened up and walked step by step toward the lake's edge.
The black Evil Ghost behind me kept roaring. It was the manifestation of my instinct—an Evil Ghost, just like I am now.
I reached the lakeshore and looked at the clear, shallow water. There was nothing beneath it, only muddy lakebed—not very deep.
I saw my reflection on the lake's surface—completely different from before. I looked much calmer, even my smile seemed a bit cold.
With a tearing sound, the Evil Ghost on my back seemed to rip something apart. Instantly, black Specter Web spread from my body, covering the entire lake surface.
Instantly, I achieved coexistence with the desires that wanted to attack me. Gradually, the Evil Ghost on my back dissolved into wisps of black smoke and vanished. Step by step, I walked across the lake surface toward the bubbling center.
There really is something here—I can feel it. The moment I reached coexistence with the Lake of Desire, I sensed it.
"Who is it, over there?"
I shouted, but everything was silent—the lake surface was like a mirror.
Now I noticed something strange: the lake center was bubbling, but there were no ripples. Except for the bubbling spot, the rest of the lake reflected the gray sky in utter stillness.
"Who are you, really? If you can hear me, please come out."
I kept shouting, and gradually, I noticed the bubbles at the lake's center were decreasing. I swallowed—something is coming. I can feel it.
"Be careful. That one—their identity is unknown."
My reflection in the water spoke. I nodded.
The bubbles were almost gone. After a while, they disappeared completely. I clenched my fists and waited quietly.
Suddenly, a pale hand shot out from under my feet. I screamed as it grabbed my leg and dragged me into the water. I immediately clamped my mouth shut—unable to breathe, only the sound of gurgling.
Dragged down by that hand, I kept sinking. I forced my eyes open—this lake seemed bottomless, and I kept sinking deeper.
I couldn't do anything. As soon as I entered the water, all my strength—everything—was suppressed.
With a sudden cry, I felt a chill beneath me—like I'd stepped on something hard.
"Stop shouting. Open your eyes and look."
I heard a gentle voice. Instinctively, I opened my eyes wide in shock. All around was water—I looked up and saw the sky, inside a room made of water.
Looking around, I saw a small bed, a desk, and a man with disheveled hair in white clothes, holding a book made of water. Everything here was made of water—and we were at the lake bottom.
"Who are you..."
Suddenly, the man turned his head. I stared in surprise at his face—so finely carved, not handsome but sharply defined, almost not human. Looking closer, it seemed molded, like a clay figurine.
"This is the first time someone can hear my voice. Strange—you are clearly a ghost, yet you have human parts—a heart."
The man stood up, and I got up too, continuing to look around.
"Who are you, really?"