Chapter 225: Realm of the Mirror Image
Shen Daoxing was in no hurry. He waited until everyone else had vanished before slowly stepping onto the Celestial Ladder. The surrounding scenery blurred rapidly, and his vision was filled with a blinding white light. When his sight returned, he had already arrived on the sixth level.
Shen Daoxing looked around and found himself high in the sky, a vast Cloud Sea stretching out beneath his feet. He took a step forward. Ripples spread out from where his foot landed, as if he were treading on an invisible floor.
In the distance, the morning sun was slowly rising, its brilliant rays illuminating the Cloud Sea and painting a beautiful vista.
But beyond that, there was nothing. He couldn’t see anyone else, either.
Shen Daoxing glanced up. Directly above him hung a single, large word: "Me." There was nothing else.
Shen Daoxing scanned his surroundings again, but there was still nothing. ’He had no idea what kind of trial this level held.’
Just then, Shen Daoxing saw something suddenly swell up from the Cloud Sea before him.
Then, a figure slowly emerged from below. It was a young man in flowing white robes with a jet-black greatsword strapped to his back—an exact copy of Shen Daoxing.
Shen Daoxing froze, stunned. He cautiously took a step forward. The figure did the same.
Shen Daoxing smiled. The figure smiled back.
Shen Daoxing’s expression turned to one of shock.
The figure’s expression mirrored his.
Shen Daoxing looked up at the word "Me" hanging in the sky. The implication was unmistakable.
Suddenly, Shen Daoxing drew the Great Ming Demon Sparrow from his back and leaped into the air.
The figure drew the greatsword from its back and leaped up as well.
CLANG!
The two swung their greatswords simultaneously, the blades crashing together in mid-air with a burst of brilliant sparks.
Shen Daoxing was shocked to discover that his opponent didn’t just look identical to him—his strength was the same as well.
Refusing to accept it, Shen Daoxing tapped his toes lightly on the ground and shot upward again like an arrow loosed from its bow, bringing the Great Ming Demon Sparrow down in a vicious chop.
The figure also leaped up, meeting his attack with a ferocious smash of its own greatsword.
BOOM!
The two greatswords collided, erupting in a shower of fiery sparks. The surrounding clouds scattered from the force of the impact, drifting away into the sky.
Shen Daoxing’s gaze narrowed. Roiling Demon Fire, like an erupting volcano, surged from the blade of the Great Ming Demon Sparrow.
Incredibly, the same roiling Demon Fire surged from the figure’s greatsword.
Shen Daoxing was aghast. ’It didn’t just copy me... it copied my Great Ming Demon Sparrow, too!’
Suddenly, Shen Daoxing pushed off with both feet, launching himself high into the air as he raised the Great Ming Demon Sparrow before him.
"Forbidden Sword Technique! Heaven-Reaching Fire!"
In an instant, a seven-colored light flared from within Shen Daoxing’s body as he brought his greatsword down in a savage strike.
A tidal wave of red flames surged from the Great Ming Demon Sparrow, forming a massive curtain of fire that blotted out the sky. The entire Cloud Sea turned crimson as the immense power rolled outward.
Across from Shen Daoxing, the figure also shot high into the air and brought its greatsword down in a vicious chop.
An identical, world-enveloping curtain of red fire burst forth, turning the sky crimson once more and bathing the Cloud Sea in a brilliant, fiery light.
RUMBLE!
The two identical curtains of fire collided violently, erupting in a brilliant flash of light, as if the sky itself had blossomed into a field of crimson.
’It can even copy a Forbidden Sword Technique?’
Shen Daoxing landed, his heart reeling with shock. Suddenly, he launched himself into the air again. "Then how about this!"
"Venerable Taboo! Kunlun Duanyue!"
The Seven-Colored Profound Platform within his body spun rapidly. In an instant, black arcs of electricity flickered as threads of Venerable Power emerged, coalescing on the Great Ming Demon Sparrow in his hands.
CRACKLE!
Black arcs of electricity crackled around the Great Ming Demon Sparrow, causing the surrounding space to distort as Shen Daoxing brought the blade down.
A colossal beam of sword light, powerful enough to cleave mountains and span the heavens, shot forth. It annihilated everything in its path, leaving a trail of crackling black electricity that scarred the sky like a fissure in reality.
However, the figure opposite him once again launched itself from the ground.
Venerable Taboo! Kunlun Duanyue!
Crackling black arcs of electricity suddenly flickered across the greatsword in its hand, and it, too, brought the weapon down.
An identical beam of sword light, powerful enough to cleave mountains and span the heavens, shot forth, obliterating all in its wake and leaving behind a chain of black sparks.
BOOM!
The two heaven-spanning beams of sword light collided violently. The surrounding Cloud Sea was instantly blasted away, leaving nothing but empty space.
Shen Daoxing was aghast. ’It can even copy Venerable Power?’
’Not just my power, weapon, and abilities—everything has been replicated!’
’In other words, my opponent is exactly as strong as I am. It’s impossible to defeat myself. I’m going to be trapped here until I die.’
’No!’
But Shen Daoxing felt no fear. Instead, he began to laugh with excitement.
’Didn’t Elder Blood Dragon say I needed a catalyst to achieve a breakthrough? This is the perfect opportunity!’
Without a trace of fear, Shen Daoxing suddenly leaped high into the air once more.
ROAR!
A draconic roar echoed through the heavens as the colossal figure of a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon materialized behind Shen Daoxing.
Across from him...
ROAR!
An equally earth-shattering roar rang out as a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon appeared behind the figure as well.
Shen Daoxing didn’t stop there. The brilliant, seven-colored light within his body flared as he gathered his Venerable Power.
Venerable Taboo! Kunlun Duanyue!
The mountain-cleaving, heaven-spanning beam of sword light shot forth once more, trailing black arcs of energy.
The figure opposite him.
Venerable Taboo! Kunlun Duanyue!
With an identical, mighty slash, it too unleashed a mountain-cleaving, heaven-spanning beam of sword light.
The two attacks collided violently, producing a massive explosion that seemed to shake the very heavens. The dense Cloud Sea that had once surrounded them was now completely gone, utterly dissipated.
But Shen Daoxing only grew more ferocious with each exchange. Since his opponent was his perfect equal, there was no reason to hold back. The surging Spiritual Power in his body gushed forth without reservation.
BOOM!
Shen Daoxing suddenly charged forward, crashing violently into the figure with a burst of brilliant sparks. They were instantly thrown apart, only to slam into each other again—over and over, holding nothing back.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
They clashed for an unknown length of time, until the Spiritual Power in both their bodies was completely exhausted. The wide, sweeping attacks from the beginning had devolved into a brutal, close-quarters brawl.
BAM!
You smash a fist into the left side of my face.
BAM!
I smash a fist into the left side of your face.
I kick you in the stomach; you kick me in the stomach.
Eventually, their strength was all but spent. The two greatswords had been cast aside long ago, and not an ounce of power remained in their bodies.
It was a strange sensation—one of relief, yet also emptiness; of immense hunger, yet also utter weakness.
Above all, it was a feeling of unparalleled exhilaration, because he had never before been able to fight with such complete and utter abandon!
BAM!
Shen Daoxing summoned every last ounce of his strength for one final, determined punch, his fist colliding heavily with his opponent’s.
THUD!
With a muffled thud, both of them collapsed to the ground at the same time.