The entire world seemed to fall into silence. Black, seductive matter had completely engulfed Gourd Village. Gasping for breath, I stared at the manifestation of fear below, which could not be fully destroyed. At this moment, my parents and I stood atop the roof.
"Roxie, don't go down there."
My mom grabbed me. At that moment, a chill kept rising inside me. I glanced back at the screen on the mountain wall, where the Wraithlord was laughing madly. His battle with Tan Tian was still raging on.
"I should have stopped him."
I muttered, lowering my head. On the nearby rooftops, many people were standing as well. Of the original thousand-plus, fewer than three hundred remained. Most had already been devoured by the manifestation of fear below.
I looked at the members of the Ghost Burial Squad not far from me. Only Vivian Ouyang and the others were left. Hu Tianshuo sat at the edge of the rooftop, silently smoking, his expression relaxed as he watched everything below, but his eyes were strange, as if he had already decided to accept the current reality.
Only the people of the Zen Order remained unaffected. They were still quietly meditating in a spot beneath the mountain wall, but it seemed they wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. I looked at Grandmaster Mingde behind me.
"Master, is there really no way?"
I asked, but Grandmaster Mingde didn't answer, only shaking his head. I clenched my fists as waves of burning pain surged inside me again.
The Earth Soul was already dead, struck down by the Wraithlord in a single blow. I couldn't understand why he went in—he knew there was no chance of winning, and entering was nothing but suicide.
"Maybe that guy is still alive."
At this moment, my dad spoke. I turned to look at him, but he didn't explain why. He just smiled and said,
"It's fine. Although the Wraithlord is indeed strong, Tan Tian, who can keep fighting him, isn't weak either. He won't let the Earth Soul die. Maybe he's hiding somewhere now, waiting for a chance to find the root of desire."
"Maybe I shouldn't have said those things."
I lowered my head and sat down. The Earth Soul knew full well that even if my power could hurt the Wraithlord, I still wasn't his match. He very much wanted to leave, to go to Snowridge Springs. I didn't understand why the Earth Soul was so confident, thinking he could stand before the Wraithlord ten years later.
"Maybe we should leave this place."
At that moment, I heard a voice drift over. I immediately turned and walked toward it. Miles Mao and Dalton Fang sat on the ground, heads hanging low. Howard Lee stared helplessly into the distance, while the other members of the Ghost Burial Squad—those trapped in the Outcast Village for twenty years—seemed more accepting of reality than anyone else.
"Roxie!"
Seeing me, Vivian Ouyang nearly burst into tears. I noticed a blackness emerging on her body.
"Vivian Ouyang, if you keep this up, we'll have no choice but to leave you behind."
I glanced back at a member of the Ghost Burial Squad—Leo Liu, one of the forty rescued from the Man-Eating Outcast Village by Past Ethan Justice. Now, they seemed no different from usual, as if they'd long grown used to hopeless situations like this.
I comforted Vivian Ouyang, patting her back and repeating that it was okay. But in truth, I no longer felt any confidence myself.
It was clearly daytime, yet the entire sky was a dull, gray-black. The force of fear covering the town below was growing stronger. No one could do anything about it—even if some spellwork could purify a portion, the fear would just keep breeding, trying to drag the survivors down. Whoever stayed here long enough would eventually be consumed by fear and die.
Fear was like a flood, accumulating ever more under the influence of desire. We couldn't hold out much longer here. Soon, we might have no choice but to retreat.
Suddenly, everyone turned toward the entrance of the village. At that moment, Vivian Ouyang's lips curled into a sinister smile.
"Roxie Lan, why are you holding me?"
With a strange, mocking tone, I quickly let go of Mona Ouyang. Just then, waves of powerful ghostly energy surged toward us. John Chou landed beside me first. I looked over—he carried a short sword on his back, its broken blade radiating blood-red particles. He gazed at me with a half-smile.
"Remember what I said, Roxie Lan. Look back at everything you've been through. If hope truly exists, it only lives in all you've carried from the past up to now."
My eyes widened as a flame drifted past me. Lord Shenyan was already standing by the mountain wall, his back bearing two swords—one red, one black, their hilts gnarled like tree knots. His expression was grave. Many in the spellcasting world, seeing the arrival of the Ghost Sovereigns, visibly relaxed a little.
"If you're ready, let's go."
Yuna Ji carried a long green spear with black patterns, still smiling. Redmond followed, pressing down his head of red hair.
"If you're so eager to die, go ahead."
Yvonne May appeared silently beside Lord Shenyan. Everyone was quiet, especially many in the spellcasting world, whose faces were grim. In the end, it was these Ghost Sovereigns who had to help—a truth that weighed heavily on many hearts.
But now one figure was missing—Basil Bertram had vanished. I watched the Ghost Sovereigns drift to the mountain wall, while Mona Ouyang sat on the ground.
"Take care of this body, Roxie Lan."
I nodded. With a swirl of purple energy, another Mona Ouyang appeared behind the Ghost Sovereigns.
"Once you're ready, you can go in. Before you do, let me ask—have you arranged everything for after?"
Mona Ouyang said this, and I looked gravely at the Ghost Sovereigns.
"You're such a jinx."
Yuna Ji said this, sticking out her tongue at Mona Ouyang. Redmond pressed a hand on Yuna Ji's head.
"You're the one we can't trust most. If you let the Wraithlord rile you up, you won't be able to do anything."
"John Chou, what's the situation in the Netherworld?"
My father asked. John Chou shook his head.
"The fighting has stopped for now. Emperor God hasn't launched any more attacks. But what must come will come. Martin Lane, don't forget—stay with your daughter!"
As John Chou spoke, a crack opened in the mountain wall. It slowly widened, and on the other side, the Wraithlord burst into laughter, clearly ready for the Ghost Sovereigns' arrival.
I stared at John Chou, not understanding the meaning behind his sudden words. My father smiled and nodded.
"That Earth Soul might still be inside."
My father said, and John Chou nodded with a smile.
"Everyone, get ready. As I've told you before, if we really manage to destroy the Wraithlord's ghost body, Tan Tian will open the Nether Syndicate's entrance. Then it's all up to you."