"Sometimes, even a tiny grain of sand in your shoe can make it impossible to move forward. I think you understand this better than I do. So why haven’t you killed Yuna Ji? With your current abilities, killing her should be easy, shouldn’t it?"
Even through the glass of the jar, I could feel the rage emanating from Wraithshade. He was already beyond furious.
"It seems you know a lot about me."
I nodded.
"After all, I still have some connection to Ethan Zhang. I can see his memories when his emotions surge, and after witnessing everything Yuna Ji suffered, his feelings were intensely stirred—anger, perhaps. That battle between your tribes, the one that led to Yuna Ji’s death and the destruction of her nation, you were the main culprit, weren’t you?"
Wraithshade calmed down, sitting on the ground, one hand covering his forehead as if recalling something distant. There was a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.
"You’re right, as you said, it’s a stain on my life. I’ve died three times, all because of Yuna Ji. I never underestimated her. You say I fear her—perhaps I do, just a little. After all, we’re human, not gods. That’s why I won’t kill her. If we fought now, one of us would surely die."
I nodded in agreement.
"Heh, so you can only endure it? Even with the enemy who ruined your perfect life right in front of you, the one you hate so much it makes your teeth ache, you can’t act? It’s not that simple, is it?"
I stared steadily at Wraithshade.
"It’s Tan Tian, isn’t it? Am I right?"
Wraithshade’s eyes lit up with excitement. Beneath the black cloth, his mouth stretched wide in a grin, and he kept laughing.
"Go on."
Wraithshade spat out two words.
"It’s Yuna Ji’s instinct, isn’t it? Why would Tan Tian support her? Why would he stand by her side when she was at her weakest, protecting her from being killed outright by the Infernal Judge in their domain? He gave Yuna Ji the greatest shelter, and in the end, let her unite with Luna Quay, who still had lingering feelings. The real reason is, Tan Tian found a way to restore his emotions. But Ethan Zhang disrupted everything, though hope still remains. So the real reason you don’t dare act is that you’re afraid of that zombie—monster-like, able to travel anywhere freely, able to defeat the Infernal Judge."
Wraithshade didn’t say anything. He was silent for a long time, then burst out laughing.
"You’re half right. Tan Tian did find a way to restore his emotions, and he needs Yuna Ji’s instinct to win the ultimate battle. That’s why he hates Ethan Zhang to the bone. Even with our interference and the Immortality Society’s meddling, he still chose to try to kill Tan Tian. You don’t know about that battle in the Infernal Judge’s domain, do you?"
I nodded. Indeed, I’d never heard anyone mention that battle before, not even the Heavenly Soul.
"During that battle, another Ethan Zhang appeared. When Tan Tian was about to kill Ethan Zhang again, this other Ethan Zhang showed up and shattered a piece of Tan Tian’s corpse jade with a single blow."
My eyes widened. Excited, I looked at Tan Tian and grinned.
"Just one strike? How strong do you have to be for that?"
Truly impressive—the future Ethan Zhang, father of Sylvia, husband to Rachel Lan.
I tilted my head back and sighed helplessly. A tremor stirred in my heart as I pressed my hand to my chest. I couldn’t stay here any longer. In all the years I’ve done nothing in this place, Ethan Zhang might have already gained some new insight in the darkness. I could fall behind.
I clenched my fist and stared quietly at Wraithshade.
"Let me tell you something else. Earlier, I sent out the Hunter—not just to bring Rachel Lan back, but for another mission: to eliminate Ethan Zhang. By coincidence, one of the Founding Emperors was awakened. The Hunter died in that dark forest. Now, Ethan Zhang should be with one of the Founding Emperors. In a few months, even if you regain your Endbringer’s Instinct, you won’t be his match anymore."
In an instant, I stood up, both hands pressed against the glass jar, glaring angrily at Wraithshade. I knew he was provoking me, but I refused to lose. I would rather die than lose to Ethan Zhang. That’s everything to me now—I cannot lose to someone like him.
"Yes, that’s the look. Hostility. Do you know why I want so badly to erase Ethan Zhang? Tan Tian is part of it, but more importantly, I just hate that type of person. People are supposed to be independent, with no real ties. Feelings fade with time, but he’s different. The longer time goes on, the stronger those things become, and now he’s even steadier. I hate seeing that, so I want to erase him. But I can’t anymore—I’m no match for the Founding Emperors."
"I actually agree with you. That guy is still so naive. Provoking me won’t work. There’s a long road ahead. If he gets stronger, that’s fine. I’ll work ten or a hundred times harder, and in the end, he’ll still be weaker than me."
Wraithshade sighed and shook his head helplessly. My emotions surged violently inside me. I’d lost my strength for so long, but today, under Wraithshade’s provocation, it hurt more than ever. I clutched my chest.
Suddenly, I saw from the Replicator’s perspective. He stared in terror at the black lightning crawling all over his body.
Now the Replicator was running toward the giant pillar, looking completely panicked.
"Looks like we’re about to have a visitor."
Wraithshade said lazily, rising to his feet. Suddenly, a black shadow darted in.
"Isn’t that the Replicator himself? What’s wrong, looking so panicked? Is it..."
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"Cut the nonsense."
Crackling sounds echoed as black lightning wrapped around the Replicator, black smoke rising. Endbringer was self-destructing, and the Replicator’s power was being dismantled and fading away.
"Ethan Zhang, did you do something?"
The Replicator immediately demanded harshly. I shook my head, watching him quietly, smiling.
"You’ve already stolen my instinct and implanted an artificial soul. I can’t even use my baleful energy anymore. I’ve been in this big jar for over 200 days—what could I possibly do?"
The Replicator looked deeply troubled, lost in thought. Wraithshade walked over.
"Looks like you’re suffering backlash from the instinct."
"Mr. Wraithshade, do you have any solution?"
Wraithshade nodded, then immediately raised a finger. A crimson glow appeared as he floated in front of the Replicator, drawing a formation in the air with strange symbols and shapes.
The formation was quickly completed. Wraithshade pressed his palms together and began forming seals rapidly, squatting down. With a sharp clap, his hands came together.
A violent explosion erupted, sending both of them flying. Black lightning shot out from the Replicator, crackling as it struck the jar. The lightning didn’t dissipate but wrapped around the jar, flowing slowly. I reached out my hand and moved slightly, and the lightning outside gathered at my fingertips.
"Earth Soul—it really was you. You’d better..."
With a whoosh, Wraithshade rushed to the Replicator and blocked him with an outstretched hand.
"Better extract your instinct first, or your life will be in danger."
Wraithshade spoke, and the Replicator nodded, looking at his hands, which were already twisted and fading from the lightning. I quietly watched Wraithshade as he took out a black stone from his coat and pressed it to the Replicator’s chest.
I noticed the black lightning began to gather toward the black stone, quickly absorbed by it. I concentrated the black lightning at my fingertips and, with a thought, sent a surge of it buzzing toward the two of them.
"Stop struggling pointlessly."
The Replicator sneered, and the black lightning instantly sank into the instinct stone. I glared angrily at the two of them.
"If I get out, the first thing I’ll do is smash your face in."
I looked at the Replicator’s contemptuous expression. He laughed heartily, and after a while, the black lightning on him disappeared. I could still sense a trace of Endbringer’s power, but it was much weaker than before—almost gone.
"Why do things like this exist in the world? Instinct—if you’ve never tasted true despair, you can’t understand it, can’t comprehend it."
Bang, bang—I pounded on the big jar, anger and unwillingness flaring up inside me. The Replicator walked over.
"Earth Soul, stop shouting. You’re finished. Just stay in this jar for the rest of your life. In the face of darkness..."
"Do you understand darkness? True darkness?"
I laughed coldly, then widened my eyes, staring at the instinct stone in Wraithshade’s hand, calling Endbringer’s name over and over in my heart.
"Darkness, huh? This is darkness—and we are its masters."
"True darkness is inside the human heart, you bastard. Scum like you could never understand the loneliness and despair in darkness. If you can’t understand it, you don’t deserve instinct. The ones truly without talent are you—a bunch of losers who only know how to hide and skulk in the shadows..."
The Replicator glared at me in anger. Suddenly, I felt the water around me change color, turning black, a sensation of drowning overwhelming me. I shut my mouth as the Replicator raised a hand.
"That might backfire."
Wraithshade called out.
I clamped my hands over my mouth, glaring angrily at the Replicator. Behind me, Wraithshade put away the instinct stone. My consciousness began to blur, and my connection to Endbringer was completely severed.