The night was thick, and a layer of mist enshrouded heaven and earth, like an invisible curtain that swallowed the mountains, fields, and the Taoist temple in boundless silence. Inside the main hall of the Taoist temple, the embers left after the soul lamp was extinguished were still slowly rising. Wisps of green smoke lingered in the air, like unyielding obsessions, swirling restlessly.
The Soul Reaper knelt on the ground, breathing faintly. His face was as pale as paper. Although the bleeding from the wound on his chest had stopped, wisps of black qi were still oozing out. It was as if the remaining power of the Soul Nightmare was still eroding his vitality. Darlene crouched beside him, gently pressing her delicate hand around his wound. A faint golden light emerged from her palm, attempting to seal the escaping yin qi.
"Hold on... Soul Reaper, you can't fall," she said hastily, her brows furrowed tightly. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead. Clearly, she was doing her utmost.
Lucas stood at the entrance of the hall, with his back turned to the two of them. His long sword hung by his side, and his gaze was fixed on the distant night, a hint of worry clouding his brows.
"Soul Reaper, his aura is weakening," Lucas said in a low voice. Beneath his calm tone, there was suppressed anger. "You just sealed the Soul Nightmare with your own blood. Although you managed to survive barely, was it worth such a price?"
The Soul Reaper slowly opened his eyes. His gaze passed through the entrance of the hall and landed on the distant mountains. His voice was as soft as a drifting breeze. "If I hadn't done this... he would have already broken free. If the soul lamp had been destroyed, the entire Taoist temple would have been devoured. Sacrificing one life to save hundreds—any way you calculate it, it's worth it."
"But you're the only Soul Reaper who can truly suppress him," Lucas turned around, his gaze like a blade piercing straight at the Soul Reaper. "If you die, who will guard this land in the future?"
The Soul Reaper smiled faintly, a touch of self - mockery in his eyes. "I can guard it today, but who can guard it tomorrow? The disaster of the Soul Nightmare has already occurred, and the doom has not been dispelled. Even if I won today, I may not escape the cycle of karma tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, the golden light in Darlene's hand paused slightly. A complex expression flickered across her face. "You mean... the Soul Nightmare hasn't been completely eradicated?"
The Soul Reaper slowly shook his head. "He's been suppressed, but his remaining soul still exists."
As he spoke, he slowly raised his hand. In the palm of his hand, a faint black crack was visible. The crack seemed to be embedded in his flesh and blood, wriggling like a living thing, exuding a strong aura of evil.
Lucas's pupils shrank slightly, and his face became even more solemn. "He left a mark in your bloodline?"
"The Soul Nightmare has dispersed, but the nightmare mark has been implanted in my body," the Soul Reaper's voice was low, and his eyes were slightly downcast. "The poison of the soul mark is more insidious than I imagined."
Darlene's fingers trembled slightly. Her gaze shifted to the Soul Reaper's palm. Where her fingertips touched, a bone - chilling coldness spread along her arm, causing her to withdraw her
hand subconsciously. "This power... it doesn't seem like ordinary evil qi of the Soul Nightmare."
The Soul Reaper's gaze was profound. He said in a low voice, "It's the source of the nightmare spirit."
At these words, Lucas's face instantly turned ashen. "The source of the nightmare spirit? You mean... the Soul Nightmare not only attached itself to the soul lamp but has already reached the level of a nightmare spirit?"
The Soul Reaper nodded. His gaze turned towards the ceiling of the hall, as if recalling something. "The soul lamp began to nurture the seeds of the nightmare spirit ten years ago. Using the lamp's light as a shell, it continuously absorbed the soul power from the outside world, transforming itself into an immortal and indestructible being... It's all my fault."
The atmosphere was suffocatingly silent. Darlene opened her mouth, but in the end, she swallowed back the words of consolation that hadn't been spoken.
Lucas slowly walked up to the Soul Reaper, looking down at him. His voice was cold and firm. "Since you're well aware that you've been contaminated by the source of the nightmare spirit, you shouldn't shoulder this alone."
The Soul Reaper looked up and stared quietly at Lucas. "This is my karma. You've already been drawn too deep into this. There's no turning back."
Lucas snorted. "Turning back? Do you think we're here for an escape route?"
He slowly crouched down, his gaze level with the Soul Reaper's. "The seal beneath the Taoist temple isn't completely stable yet. Although the Soul Nightmare was defeated, the source of the nightmare spirit still exists. Once the moon rises again at night, this mark will awaken once more. By then..."
Before he could finish, Lucas's long sword suddenly unsheathed. The tip of the sword pointed directly at the Soul Reaper's forehead. The sword qi stagnated abruptly between the two of them, and the killing intent was on the verge of erupting.
Darlene was shocked. She quickly stood up and blocked in front of the Soul Reaper. "Lucas, are you crazy?"
Lucas's gaze didn't waver. He said coldly, "Darlene, you should know that I'm not seeking revenge."
Darlene furrowed her brows tightly, standing sideways in front of the Soul Reaper. She said solemnly, "There's indeed the source of the nightmare spirit in his body, but he hasn't completely fallen into a nightmare spirit. If you kill him now, it will only enrage the mark and make it wake up prematurely."
Upon hearing this, the tip of Lucas's sword moved slightly downward, but his gaze remained fixed on the Soul Reaper. "Can you control it?"
The Soul Reaper chuckled softly. "I can still suppress it for a while."
The air seemed to freeze instantly.
Lucas slowly sheathed his sword and let out a long sigh. "I hope what you said is true.
Otherwise..."
The Soul Reaper nodded slightly. "Otherwise, I'll end it myself."
A cold wind blew in through the entrance of the hall, extinguishing the remaining candles on the ground. The Taoist temple instantly became darker.
Lucas sheathed his long sword and looked up at the night outside. His voice was low. "Dawn is approaching. Let's call it a night for now."
Darlene helped the Soul Reaper up and settled him on a straw mat on one side of the hall. After a moment of silence, she said slowly, "This turmoil is far from over. We need to find the real source of the nightmare spirit as soon as possible. Otherwise..."
There was a hint of unspoken worry in her words. Lucas silently looked at the faint white glow gradually appearing on the horizon, his eyes filled with deep vigilance.
Dawn was approaching. Although the soul lamp was extinguished, under the night sky, the shadow of the nightmare spirit was still lurking in the dark.