The lights in the Taoist temple flickered gently. After narrowly escaping a catastrophe, an oppressive atmosphere lingered in the air, refusing to disperse. The ethereal figure had been suppressed back into the soul lamp, yet the unsettling ripples continued to haunt everyone's hearts, refusing to fade away.
Lucas slowly lowered his sword, his brows furrowed. His gaze remained fixed on the soul lamp, as if it could erupt again at any moment. Darlene stood at the side, her expression cold and solemn. The spell seals in her hands hadn't been fully withdrawn, and her guard remained up.
The Soul Reaper stood in front of the sacrificial table, looking indifferently at the lamp. His eyes were filled with coldness and detachment.
"This isn't over," Lucas said slowly, breaking the silence. "That thing is just lying low for now. When the time is right, it will break free from the seal."
Upon hearing this, the Soul Reaper's lips curled slightly, a scornful smile on his face. "Indeed, it will return. But do you think this soul lamp alone can hold it back?"
Darlene narrowed her eyes, her gaze sharp as a sword. "Do you know what it is?"
The Soul Reaper turned to look at her, a fleeting, unfathomable glint in his eyes. "I know, but I won't tell."
Lucas's eyes turned icy cold. He lifted the tip of his sword half an inch. The intent of the sword condensed around him, and the air seemed to freeze instantly. A sense of oppression filled the entire Taoist temple. "This isn't something you can keep hidden. Soul Reaper, you should understand that we're not on opposite sides."
The Soul Reaper met his gaze without flinching, sneering. "You're not on opposite sides, but you still may not trust me."
The air was filled with a brief standoff. In the glow of the fire, the shadows on the Soul Reaper's face grew deeper.
The Taoist priest stepped between them, trying to break the deadlock. He sighed. "Well, since we've come this far, Brother Soul Reaper, if there's still a shred of our past bond left in your heart, tell us the truth."
The Soul Reaper was silent for a moment. He slowly retracted his gaze and fixed it on the soul lamp. His voice was low. "This soul lamp didn't originally belong to me."
Lucas and Darlene were slightly taken aback, waiting for him to continue.
"Years ago, I was just an ordinary Taoist priest, practicing under my senior brother. One day, my senior brother found this soul lamp in the mountains," the Soul Reaper's voice seemed to echo from the past, filled with desolation and coldness. "He was extremely obsessed with the soul lamp. Every day, he refined it with souls. Eventually, the soul lamp took its current form."
The Taoist priest's expression changed subtly. His voice was low. "That's a forbidden art. You knew it was wrong, yet you let your senior brother fall into evil ways?"
The Soul Reaper slowly raised his head, his gaze like a blade piercing the Taoist priest. "I tried to
stop him. But what about you? You were the eldest disciple, the master's direct apprentice. Why didn't you intervene back then?"
The Taoist priest's expression changed suddenly. His eyes betrayed a hint of guilt that he couldn't hide, yet he didn't refute.
Lucas sensed that something was amiss. He furrowed his brows. "So, your senior brother is the true owner of this soul lamp?"
The Soul Reaper nodded slightly. "Yes. Back then, my senior brother used the soul lamp to collect wandering souls and refine them into his own power. He wasn't a Soul Reaper, yet he was more cold - blooded than a real one."
Darlene said solemnly, "What happened next?"
"Next..." The Soul Reaper's eyes flickered with pain and complexity. A bitter smile appeared on his lips. "I killed him with my own hands."
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire Taoist temple fell into a deathly silence. It seemed as if time had stood still for a moment.
The Taoist priest stood rooted to the spot, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. "What...?"
"He had gone too far. He even attempted to bring wandering souls back to the world and resurrect dead demons," the Soul Reaper slowly closed his eyes, his voice hoarse. "I had no choice but to act."
Darlene stared intently at the Soul Reaper, her gaze cold. "But even though you killed him, the soul lamp remained."
"Yes," the Soul Reaper opened his eyes, a hint of self - mockery in his eyes. "I killed him, yet I kept the soul lamp, because I knew... he hadn't truly died."
Lucas's gaze darkened slightly. His fingers tightened around the sword hilt. "His soul is hidden in the soul lamp?"
"You're right," the Soul Reaper's voice was tinged with exhaustion. "So, the projection that manifested earlier wasn't his soul, but a remnant I projected through the soul lamp."
Darlene bit her lip, her gaze growing more complex. "So, the ethereal figure in the soul lamp is both your senior brother's obsession and evidence of you killing him?"
"Precisely," the Soul Reaper's voice was low, filled with pain. "The soul lamp didn't disappear. Instead, it became his final hiding place."
The Taoist priest's lips trembled. His voice was barely audible. "So that's it... No wonder you haven't destroyed the soul lamp until now..."
The Soul Reaper sneered. "Destroy it? I've tried countless times. But do you know? The soul lamp can't be destroyed at all. It's like his clone. No matter how many times it's destroyed, it can regenerate on its own."
Lucas's brows furrowed deeply. After a moment of thought, he asked, "So, you returned here today to..."
The Soul Reaper stared quietly at the soul lamp, his voice icy cold. "To put an end to all of this."
Darlene narrowed her eyes and said solemnly, "But you know very well that once the soul lamp is completely opened, your senior brother's soul will be fully released. The consequences will be disastrous."
The Soul Reaper looked up, his gaze sharp as a knife. "That's why I need you."
Lucas and Darlene exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with confusion. "What do you need us to do?"
"Suppress the souls," the Soul Reaper's voice echoed slowly in the Taoist temple. "You're responsible for setting up a soul - suppressing formation. I'll draw out my senior brother's soul completely and sever it."
Upon hearing this, the Taoist priest's face changed. He said urgently, "No! The soul projection in the soul lamp has already taken shape. If his soul leaves the lamp again, it may go completely out of control. You won't even be able to protect yourself."
The Soul Reaper sneered. "So what? Since I killed him once, I don't mind doing it again."
The air fell into a deathly silence once more. Only the flames on the soul lamp flickered faintly, casting light on the four faces. Each person's expression was complex and solemn.
Lucas tightened his grip on the sword hilt and said slowly, "Are you really sure about this?"
The Soul Reaper nodded quietly, his eyes determined. "It's too late to turn back now."
Darlene pondered for a moment and finally sighed. "Since that's the case, we'll help you."
The Taoist priest opened his mouth but didn't say anything in the end. He slowly closed his eyes and began to lay down soul - suppressing talismans on the ground.
In the Taoist temple, the four figures, illuminated by the firelight, busied themselves tensely in the silence. It was as if a storm was about to break, and they were nothing but solitary figures before the tempest, stepping into the abyss of doom, facing the unknown.