"Ah? Big bro? I-I just beat that hateful devil, but he disappeared." Julius said, his eyes trembling in confusion. But the comforting pat of his big brother helped him calm down.
"It was an illusion," Adam said, raising his thumbs with a smile. Then he added, winking, "That last strike was truly incredible." The three-meter-long line running through the rocks reflected Julius' and his gladius' strength, both in the middle of the second tier. Yet its power was on par with some tier-three spells already.
'I wonder if I can boost this attack's power?' Adam pondered, interest flashing in his eyes. If the strength could be elevated to the limits of the third tier, he had no doubts Julius could cut through steel with it. 'I'll think about ways later,' he thought before gazing at the stunned boy.
"Retrieve the essence and use a talisman. We'll resume our exploration in a minute." He said, clutching his Luminous Wildblade. The pontianak's abilities reassured him since she was a melee fighter and a seductress, causing him to unsummon it. What a blunder. It was his only rampart against the ghosts' evil powers. 'I must keep it in hand,' he thought.
As he pondered, Julius came back and threw the essence to Morgane before returning to his position, his cheeks red in embarrassment.
Upon seeing him, Adam giggled and said, "At least you beat your opponent. I couldn't even move against them before Morgane slapped me."
In shock, Julius raised his head, a soft smile stretching his lips, and asked, "Really?"
"When did I ever lie? I'm the most honest person in the world, even when I scam people!" Adam answered, his chest puffed, causing the boy to facepalm. Yet, he felt grateful for the encouraging words, and his heart lightened a little.
"By the way, you fight the next one. I'll Keep reading on NovelHub - where stories come alive!" Adam added, willing for the boy to gain experience fighting stronger enemies.
"I don't think I can handle them..." Julius replied, shaking his head. Despite his improvements with the Qingming sutra and martial techniques, he didn't feel ready to fight such dangerous creatures.
But Adam's following words forced his eyes to glow. "You can do it. You are far more courageous than me, and nothing can bend your will."
"I'll try! Follow me!" He exclaimed, his confidence uplifted after receiving his big brother's recognition.
Simultaneously, Morgane nodded, smiling softly and thinking, 'So, that's what real brotherhood looks like.' She never witnessed something remotely close to their relationship in the royal palace. Every kid was an enemy they had to guard against to earn an opportunity.
With a sigh, she dismissed her memories, returned to her emotionless face, and followed behind Julius.
As they travelled through the damp mist, feeling the ambient cold lick their skin, Adam broke the silence.
"How long is that canyon, and are there ghosts above the third tier?" He asked, curious what adversaries they would face.
Morgane pensively tucked her fingers around her chin before answering. "The furthest recorded exploration is four kilometers and a half. What lay beyond are only legends and suppositions, but I believe a tier four ghost stands guard."
Icy sweat instantly covered Adam's forehead as he yelled, "I'm no confidant in beating at tier four ghost!" He knew more than anyone how wide the gap between the apprentice and mage tiers was. After all, he cheated by detonating tens of beast cores to freeze Thomas and won against Ignatius solely because Misha messed up his DNA and guided him.
"You don't need to defeat him, only restrict his movements. If everything goes according to my plan, we'll have a chance to communicate and learn about what he is guarding." Morgane responded, her emotions eluding him.
"I hope you know what you are doing because if your plan fails... Well, I don't need to continue, right?" Adam said, causing an icy shiver to course down Julius' spine.
"If he refuses to communicate, he'll still be weakened. I believe you can help his soul rest in peace," she said before jerking her head to the right. "Another one found us." She added, causing the group to stop and prepare for battle.
Julius swiftly unsheathed his gladius, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily when he suddenly heard cryptic whispers. Spoken by a haunting voice, they caused his hair to bristle and his pupils to enlarge as his emotions boiled chaotically.
"Don't listen! It's a haunted soul!" Morgane yelled, covering her ears as her legs trembled in fright. Unlike the Poltergeist, the haunted soul couldn't actively use his negative energy to manipulate objects. Yet, it was much more terrifying.
Alarmed by her reaction, Adam narrowed his eyes, peering into the mist. Soon, he saw a translucent silhouette covered in red ethereal mist. Covering her, a black mage robe, tattered by the passing of years. Then, he saw her delicate face and empty eye sockets emanating an ominous glow and dripping blood-red tiers.
"Julius back off. She is too dangerous!" Adam shouted, unwilling to let Julius face such a daunting opponent.
However, the boy shook his head. Already under the evil ghost's nefarious influence, he screamed righteously, "I need to save her from her torments!"
"Shit! Come back, fool!" Adam screamed in panic, torn between launching himself before the boy or protecting the trembling girl. Sadly, he had no time to think.
Julius charged in, his calves' size doubling under the blood influx, reaching the apparition in a flash. His arm's veins crisscrossed like pythons as he swung it, using Qi to enhance the strike's destructiveness.
The blade travelled at breakneck speed, slashing through the ghost like paper and shattering the rocks below, causing rumbling noises to echo in the passage.
However, the rattling sound of chains rapidly followed as the haunted soul counter-attacked. Her ethereal form unharmed by the physical attack, she outstretched her chained hand to grab the boy and use her most vile ability.
Simultaneously, Morgane screamed, her emotionless face distorting into one of panic. "Don't let her touch him, or he'll be doomed!"