"Ethan, be careful. Don't touch that thing."
Suddenly, Spirit Snake shouted and shoved me aside. I tumbled to the ground as Spirit Snake transformed into a giant black python, charging at the thing lunging toward me, coiling around it in an instant.
Only then did I see clearly—it was a black dog with white fangs protruding from its mouth and red eyes, about three or four meters long and over two meters tall. Spirit Snake held it tightly.
"Serpent Saint, it's been centuries since we last met. No need to treat an old friend like this, right?"
The giant dog spoke, its voice cold and sinister. I stared in shock.
"Heh, Celestial Hound, what are you really up to now? When did you start lurking in here?"
Spirit Snake asked viciously, its forked tongue flicking as its jaws aimed at Celestial Hound's head.
"Why do you think I wouldn't be here? Heh."
His words sent a chill down my spine. I clutched my head—had my memories been tampered with, too?
"My master never ordered me to touch your memories. Besides, you possess the instinct for coexistence—tampering with you would be tricky. But you brought this on yourself, Ethan Zhang."
Suddenly, I raised Belle and charged at Celestial Hound, my eyes burning with rage. In a flash, I sliced off Celestial Hound’s head, sending it flying and crashing far away. But then its body turned into something like black sludge, quickly reformed, and its head reappeared. It twisted its neck with a loud crack.
"Ethan Zhang, that was excessive. I never expected you, Serpent Saint, to side with ghosts."
"Spirit Snake, why did you keep this from me?"
I glared fiercely at Spirit Snake. This thing could devour memories, and Spirit Snake was supposed to be one of the Twelve Zodiac Saints, just like it—yet he never told me.
"Ethan, I didn’t mean to hide it from you. It’s just that things need to be handled step by step. I didn’t want to burden you too much all at once."
Spirit Snake spoke, turning its serpent head toward me. Its golden-red eyes stared at me. I smiled faintly and sighed—he wasn’t lying, my instincts told me so.
"Sorry, I just..."
"Ethan, have you ever heard the saying? 'Memory eaten by a dog.'"
I nodded. The elders used to say that about kids with bad memories—'memory eaten by a dog.'
I walked slowly to Spirit Snake’s side. I understood why he warned me not to touch that thing—Celestial Hound could devour memories, so Spirit Snake wanted me to stay away.
"Was it you? The thing with Vivian Ouyang?"
Furious, I raised Hell's Sentinel. My Ghost Souls had already surrounded Celestial Hound.
"Why so aggressive? I only came to talk, Ethan Zhang. I figured, if I got lucky and bit you, maybe I could erase some of your memories—make things easier. But I surrender, for now."
Just as I was about to rush forward, Spirit Snake grabbed my hand and shook his head.
"Ethan, that thing's true body isn't here. It's just a fragment of memory."
Spirit Snake said, and I slowly lowered Hell's Sentinel.
"Let me put it this way, Ethan Zhang—leave this place alone. I have a way to get you out. You must have seen them—the two people trapped here."
"What way?"
I immediately asked, but Celestial Hound just laughed.
"Even if I told you, you probably wouldn't believe me. Heh. Those two here aren’t stupid—they want to use you, Ethan Zhang. They know exactly how to get you out, yet they keep you trapped. Why do you think that is?"