Wade’s face stiffened, his eyes widening in disbelief. "How... is that possible?"

The ghost, being much smarter, retreated.

Its limbs bent unnaturally as it turned and began to flee.

"Now!" Lana shouted.

The massive energy sphere was complete.

She glanced at Axel. He nodded.

Without hesitation, Axel and two of the strongest mystic cultivators stepped forward, their combined strength stabilizing the overwhelming energy before they hurled it forward.

The sphere tore through the air and slammed into the ghost.

A deafening explosion echoed.

The ghost’s body was thrown violently to the ground, cracks forming along its form as it let out a distorted scream.

For a moment, it lay still but then...it moved. Slowly.

It began to rise again.

The attack had damaged it heavily, leaving visible wounds across its form, but it was not enough to completely destroy it.

Otherwise, the earlier combined efforts of the priests and Celestial Masters would have already succeeded.

Meanwhile, amidst the chaos... Wade slipped away.

His movements were subtle and calculated.

He blended into the panicked crowd, lowering his presence, masking himself as just another frightened student trying to escape.

Step by step...he approached the exit.

’Almost...’ he thought, a faint smirk forming on his lips.

But then, he stopped.

Because standing a few steps ahead of him...was Lana.

His expression darkened instantly. "How...?" he muttered, his voice low and dangerous.

Then his eyes shifted. The jade bracelet was gone.

The crow that usually accompanied her... was nowhere to be seen.

A slow smile spread across his face. "So... you’re finished this time."

Without hesitation, he raised his hand, the black nail gleaming ominously as he pointed it directly at her.

Lana reacted instantly.

A protective barrier formed around her body just as a surge of power crashed against it.

Her breath hitched slightly.

’If only... I could absorb others’ energy...’ she thought bitterly. ’Once I reach the Heaven rank... maybe then ...’

But now...there was no time for such thoughts.

She focused. Her gaze locked onto Wade.

In the next instant, she formed a mystic sphere in her own hands and hurled it straight at him.

Wade chuckled, already preparing to dodge, but then, his expression froze.

Because Lana had already moved again.

With a flick of her fingers, she activated a teleportation talisman.

The talisman shot forward, straight toward the incoming mystic sphere.

And then, both vanished. Wade’s instincts screamed.

He turned abruptly...but it was already too late.

The mystic sphere reappeared behind Wade in a flash of distorted space and struck.

The force lifted him off his feet and hurled him forward before crashing him into the ground with a deafening thud.

Wade coughed violently, blood spilling from his lips as his body trembled from the impact.

His fingers clawed against the floor as he forced himself to lift his head, his gaze locking onto Lana with pure, unrestrained hatred.

"You..." his voice rasped, low and venomous, "you think... this is enough to stop me?"

Lana stood there, her chest rising and falling steadily, her expression calm yet cold.

’He’s still conscious... even after that?’ she thought, her eyes narrowing slightly. ’This man... is far more dangerous than I expected.’

Without hesitation, she raised her hand again.

A pure white sphere began forming above her palm, its glow far brighter than before.

At that very moment, a sharp, instinctive thought pierced Wade’s mind...

’If that attack lands... you will die.’

His pupils shrank. For a brief second, fear flickered within him.

But then...his jaw tightened.

’The mission...’ he reminded himself, his teeth grinding together. ’No matter what happens... I cannot fail.’

Snap.

At the exact moment Lana hurled the white sphere toward him, he closed his eyes and flicked his finger.

The black nail gleamed ominously as he directed it toward her.

The two attacks crossed paths in the air.

The white sphere tore through space with overwhelming force, while the black nail shot forward like a streak of darkness.

Lana frowned slightly, her instincts screaming at her that something was off. "What is he..."

But before she could finish, the black nail stopped mid-air.

Then, it began to dissolve.

Piece by piece, it turned into fine black ash, dispersing into the air.

The particles didn’t vanish; instead, they spread outward, forming a dense, shadowy veil around Lana.

In an instant, a black barrier enclosed her.

Lana’s breath hitched. ’What... is this...?’

The next moment, something slipped inside.

It was subtle, almost imperceptible. But she felt it.

A cold presence. Invading.

Her vision blurred, the world around her tilting unnaturally.

She blinked repeatedly, trying to steady herself, but her thoughts became sluggish, as if something were wrapping around her consciousness.

Meanwhile, Wade’s body was struck by the white sphere.

The explosion engulfed him completely.

When the light faded, his body lay collapsed on the ground, motionless... yet...a faint smile lingered on his lips.

’I... succeeded...’ his final thought echoed silently.

Lana, however, staggered back, clutching her head.

A familiar sensation crept in, one she had experienced before.

Her eyes widened in horror. ’No... not again ...’

’This... was his plan all along...’ she realized, her breath turning uneven. ’It was never about killing us... it was about me...’

Panic surged within her.

She immediately channeled her mystical energy inward, trying to purge the invading darkness from her body.

But it was useless. The darkness was too strong.

It spread relentlessly, coiling around her core, tightening its grip with every passing second.

Her body began to twist unnaturally, her limbs jerking as if pulled by invisible strings.

’I... can’t... hold it ...’

A deep sense of regret filled her heart.

’If only... I hadn’t left the jade bracelet ...’

Her breathing became ragged as despair crept in.

’Please... finish that ghost quickly...’ she silently pleaded. ’If not... I won’t be able to come back ...’

Her vision darkened. Her pupils slowly turned pitch black. And then, she smiled. But it was no longer her smile.

It was twisted. Creepy. Unnatural.

The possessed Lana lifted her head, scanning her surroundings before suddenly darting forward, her movements erratic and inhuman.