Where do souls go after death? Do they return to the underworld, linger in the mortal realm, or perhaps something even stranger? There is a peculiar theory that after death, all souls return to a place called the Spirit Domain...
Jay stared out the window, lost in thought, reflecting on the past. He would have dismissed such an outlandish idea as absurd before.
But over the past few years, strange things kept happening to him. Every night when he fell asleep, the same dream would appear—a giant door. The dream never changed, night after night. He would knock on the door every time, believing that only by opening it could he uncover the answers he sought.
And just now, yes, he finally opened that door. Behind it, he found seven separate houses, each standing independently. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't open the doors of these houses. Yet he could feel an overwhelming presence behind them—terrifying souls that stirred a primal instinct within him to bow in submission.
Jay gazed out the window, lost in thought, and mused to himself:
"Perhaps there are countless incredible existences in this world. But if I want to open some of these doors, what should I do?"
"If the Spirit Domain really exists, does that mean I could see the souls of those who have passed away?"
After a pause, he sighed.
"Never mind, it's best not to disturb them. Everyone has their own life to live."
Jay let out a light sigh and turned his gaze to the bright moon outside.
"It's only midnight. I might as well go out and grab something for tomorrow's breakfast."
He stood up, got dressed, and headed out. The streets were brightly lit, bustling with life. People were all working hard, striving for their futures, struggling with their own challenges.
The streets were crowded, filled with people brushing past each other. Suddenly, Jay bumped into someone, and a fleeting chill ran through him. Quickly apologizing, he continued walking, dismissing the momentary oddity as he pressed forward.
The man remained where he was, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips. His long white hair accentuated his mysterious aura and regal demeanor.
He gazed in the direction Jay had left and murmured to himself:
"So, an unawakened Spirit Host? And this level of spiritual energy... Upper Rank? Or perhaps already Initiated? To have reached such a stage without awakening a Guardian Spirit... how intriguing."
Meanwhile, Jay was completely unaware that someone had already taken an interest in him. He was focused solely on finding breakfast for the next morning.
The convenience store shelves were stocked with a wide variety of three-day shelf-life products—chicken sandwiches, steak meals, and more—all neatly arranged for customers to choose from.
Just as Jay was deciding which food to pick, a slow, calm yet whispering voice suddenly sounded behind him, almost instantaneously:
"An unawakened Spirit Host... you'd better be careful. In your current state, it's easy to attract trouble. Let's hope your Guardian Spirit surprises me."
"Who's there?!" Jay turned around in shock but saw no one.
"Uh... sir? Are you okay? Do you need me to call an ambulance or...?" The store clerk approached, cautiously asking.
"Oh, no, no, it's fine. Sorry about that." Jay quickly apologized, grabbed what he needed, and hurried out of the store.
In the darkness of the night, Jay walked further and further, unaware that something was drawing him in, guiding him, and slowly leading him off his original path.
As he walked, he glanced around at his surroundings. It was obvious this wasn't the way home. But why had he ended up here?
After walking for what felt like an eternity, he suddenly noticed the scenery around him change. The modern structures vanished in an instant, replaced by a massive stone gate. On the gate, the words "Ghost Surge Street" were etched.
"Ghost Surge Street? There's a place like this? How have I never heard of it?"
He hesitated for a moment before shrugging.
"Well, since I've come all this way, I might as well take a look. Not exploring would be totally uncharacteristic for a hardworking guy like me from the 21st century."
With that, Jay strode straight into Ghost Surge Street.
The moment Jay stepped into Ghost Surge Street, the temperature plummeted sharply.
Suddenly, the beings within the street caught a faint whiff of living flesh. Like a bursting spring, they surged toward the entrance in droves, a dark, roiling tide.
Unaware of the danger he had walked into, Jay noticed nothing amiss. In fact, he thought the place seemed rather empty—no shops, no people, just eerily quiet.
Too quiet. Not even the sound of the wind could be heard.
As Jay looked around the desolate street, a thought crossed his mind: had he really wandered into the gates of the underworld?
Impossible. Absolutely impossible. If this were truly the underworld, why hadn't he seen even a single ghost?
But the scene that unfolded next would become etched in his memory forever.
Not far ahead, a shifting tide of figures began to move closer. Leading the throng was something—or rather, someone—no longer human.
The creature stood several meters tall, its hollow, vacant eyes brimming with an insatiable hunger.
"Shit ! There really are Ghosts !" Jay screamed as the spun around and bolted for the entrance. But a translucent barrier blocked the door , sealing him inside with no escape.
The evil spirts surged toward him like a relentless tide.
"Fine ! If I'm gonna die, I'm talking a few of you bastards with me to meet God!"
In that moment , jay's consciousness was suddenly pulled into a dreamlike spac . A familiar door appeared in his mind , and from within it came a deep , commanding voice:
"Boy, do you have the courage to open this door?"
Without hesitation , Jay threw all his strength into pushing the door open and shouted:
"What there to be afraid of ? If I die , so be it !But if I survive ,not a single one of these spirits is getting away— I kill every last one of them !
A booming laugh echoed from behind the door .
"I shall stand behind you , and I will protect you for the rest of your life!
Yes, the spirit behind that door was none other than [Ares],the God of War!
Ares, the Greek God of War, embodies the violence and chaos of battle, revered as a symbol of courage and strength!
Jay never imagined that the Guardian Spirit he awakened would be none other than Ares from ancient Greek mythology.
But what could be behind the other six doors?
"Whatever comes, let it come. First, I'll obliterate these pests in front of me!"
Looking at the swarm of malevolent spirits, Jay thought to himself:
"Ares, are you here?"
"At your command, Master. What do you require of me?"
Ares appeared behind him, his towering, muscular figure radiating an overwhelming aura of dominance. His handsome yet cold face exuded an air of aggression, and his piercing gaze carried an undeniable sense of conquest. In his hand, he held a long spear, a symbol of his reign over war.
"Good. Ares, since you've placed your faith in me, then become my strength. Let's cut through this Ghost Surge Street together!"
With unwavering determination, Jay fixed his gaze on the approaching tide of evil spirits.
On the other side, a man lay on a rooftop, gazing at the starry sky. Suddenly, he sat up and muttered to himself:
"This presence... it can't be from a mortal Spirit Host. That person must be inside Ghost Surge Street. Interesting..."
He smirked.
"The Spirit Domain has been restless lately. I'd better take a look. If I can recruit him, it could be a huge boost to our Dragon King's Hall.
However, the number of evil spirits in Ghost Surge Street... never mind. If it's truly a Divine Spirit, and we manage to bring him in, our strength will rise to a whole new level."
---
In the Spirit City, within the grand hall, dim light cast shadows of several figures, each emanating an aura of authority.
"There's movement in Ghost Surge Street. That presence might be from a Divine Spirit. What are your thoughts?"
one figure asked, looking at the others.
Another replied,
"Ignore it for now. The Longevity Gate's seal is nearing its limit, and Da Yutian hasn't matured yet. If those people break free when the seal ends, we'll have trouble on our hands. Have the Dragon King's Hall pay closer attention to the Four Barrier Trees and Spirit Street."
A third, leaning back in his chair, spoke slowly:
"Recently, many mysterious factions have been emerging. It seems they're all after the Divine Orbs. You must safeguard what we have. That's all. Let's see who will become the true ruler of the Spirit Domain in the coming chaos."
---
In an ancient castle, a man leaned against the wall, his eyes burning as he stared out the window.
"The outcome is impossible to predict now. Among the forces that have surfaced and those lurking in the shadows, there are formidable individuals and powers. In these turbulent times, seizing dominion is proving harder than ever."