188: Mirror

The moment he was enveloped by the crimson-gold light curtain, Chen Linsheng felt the surrounding scenery distort violently.

The scorching heat of the volcano platform, the scent of sulfur, and the various auras emitted by the other eight people all receded in an instant.

In their place was an indescribable sense of weightlessness and deep darkness.

But this darkness did not last long.

In his field of vision, points of starlight lit up one after another.

Sparse at first, they then spread surging like a tide. Within a breath, Chen Linsheng found himself situated in a vast and boundless starry sky illusion.

Beneath his feet was no longer solid rock, but a grayish-white platform about three zhang in diameter floating in the void. The platform's surface was smooth as a mirror, reflecting the flowing radiance of the billions of stars overhead. Surrounding him was the vast and limitless deep Universe, with nebulae like gauze and the Milky Way like a ribbon—quiet, cold, yet containing an indescribable and vast power.

In the center of the void surrounded by the nine platforms, four things floated.

The most dazzling was a phantom of a jade volume, neither metal nor jade, with a pale golden halo flowing throughout its body. It moved automatically without wind, slowly flipping its pages, each appearing to carry the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, emitting an ancient, noble, and intensely blazing aura—it was precisely the Great Sun Burning Heaven Physique inheritance jade volume.

Beside the phantom, three physical objects floated in a triangular formation:

On the left was a crystal about the size of a fist, entirely crimson-gold, its surface covered with patterns like natural blood vessels. It pulsed slowly like a living thing; with every contraction and expansion, it released a life aura and fire power as vast as the sea and as fierce as the sun. That was the 'Blood Phoenix Essence,' rumored to be a supreme treasure formed from the essence blood of the ancient Divine Beast Phoenix after its fall, tempered by ten thousand years of earth fire, containing the mysteries of Nirvana and Rebirth.

On the right was a Fangtian Painted Halberd about eight feet long, crimson-red like a raging fire. Countless complex and ancient fire runes were inscribed on the halberd's body, the blade's cold light flowed, and there were faint signs of spatial distortion at the edges, emitting a terrifying Evil Qi that could cleave the firmament and burn the eight directions. Although only a replica, the aura of this 'Burning Heaven Halberd' already far exceeded any weapon Chen Linsheng had ever seen.

Below was a classic carried in a red Jade Slip. Fire swirled on the surface of the Jade Slip, condensed into six ancient seal characters: 'Elementary Explanation of Fire Element Daoist Magic.' Although only an 'Elementary Explanation,' the flow of Daoist rhymes and Laws within caused the Heart Fire Qi Vortex in Chen Linsheng's five viscera to leap in resonance.

If any of these three treasures were to fall into the outside world, it would be enough to trigger a bloodbath.

And now, along with the Great Sun Burning Heaven Physique inheritance, they hung in the center of the starry sky, awaiting a master.

Chen Linsheng looked around.

The other eight people were also each floating on an identical platform, distributed with him in a Nine Palaces formation. They were separated by about thirty zhang, with deep void and invisible barriers between them; they could see each other's figures from afar, but could not sense each other's auras or cross over.

Every face bore shock, greed, and deep vigilance.

The Northern Desert Wolf Clan Shaman's eyes flickered with a nearly mad longing, staring fixedly at the pulsing Blood Phoenix Essence; Yan Chen's gaze was locked onto the Burning Heaven Halberd, crimson-gold air currents churning endlessly around him; Xiao Zhan's expression was solemn as his sight drifted between the jade volume and the halberd blade; Mu Qingxue gazed at the Elementary Explanation of Fire Element Daoist Magic, seemingly in thought; the Student of Tingtao Academy had a clear gaze, focused on studying the fire runes on the Jade Slip's surface; the two White Lotus Cult Agents breathed rapidly, their eyes flickering uncertainly; and that Black-Robed Rogue Cultivator... remained hidden in shadow, his expression unreadable.

Just as the minds of all nine were captured by the treasures in the center—

From the dome of the starry sky, that ancient, majestic, and completely emotionless voice once again resounded in the depths of everyone's Divine Soul:

"The inheritance chooses its master; it cannot be obtained without struggle."

"The nine of you have all passed the Secret Realm screening and are qualified to participate in the final trial."

"The trial is divided into two stages."

"The first stage: Defeat yourself."

Before the voice had even finished, a mass of blazing white light rose from the center of each of the nine platforms.

The light distorted and condensed, finally transforming into a figure identical to the platform's owner.

The same appearance, the same build, the same clothing and equipment, even the aura fluctuations and Realm cultivation were not different in the slightest. The only difference was those eyes—hollow, indifferent, devoid of any emotion, like the most precise killing machine.

"The mirror images possess all of your cultivation, Martial Skills, and even combat experience. There is only one difference: they do not fear death, they have no emotions, and their combat instincts have reached your own theoretical limits."

"Only by defeating the mirror image can you obtain the preliminary qualification to touch the inheritance."

"Time limit: One stick of incense."

"The losers will have this memory erased and be teleported out of the hall, never to enter again."

"Now... begin!"

While the echo of the word 'begin' was still reverberating in the starry sky, the nine mirror images moved simultaneously!

No testing, no hesitation; every mirror image erupted with the starting Move the platform owner was best at, pouncing in the most sharp, precise, and cold-blooded manner!

Chen Linsheng's pupils shrank suddenly.

The moment the voice fell, his mirror image had already deployed the Crane Ape Illusory Wind Steps, its figure turning into nine afterimages that were hard to distinguish from reality, closing in like a ghost! At the same time, the fingers of its right hand curled slightly, a pale golden luster flowing in its palm as it boisterously struck with the 'Suppressing the Mountain' form of the Mountain Suppressing Seal, the palm wind as heavy as a mountain, blocking all his paths of retreat!

Even more terrifying was that the mirror image's left hand was hidden in its sleeve, where a strand of sharp gold Qi condensed like silk was already poised to strike—it was a hidden Move combining Python Dragon Strength with Lung Gold Origin Qi. Once 'Suppressing the Mountain' was blocked, this strand of Qi would strike like a venomous snake exiting its hole, aiming straight for the throat!

Identical cultivation Realm, identical Martial Skill combinations, and even the combat thinking completely replicated the fighting style Chen Linsheng was most accustomed to and effective with.

But, just as the voice had said, the mirror image's combat instincts had been extrapolated to their theoretical limit.

Its Movement Technique transitions were without any stagnation, its strength circulation was flawlessly smooth, its Move connections were seamless, and its killing intent was pure and cold, without the slightest distracting thought.

This pounce and seal were actually half a point stronger in power than when Chen Linsheng performed them himself!

Nowhere to hide!

Cold light exploded in Chen Linsheng's eyes as he advanced instead of retreating!

He also deployed the Crane Ape Illusory Wind Steps, and the nine afterimages collided and dissipated! He raised his right palm, meeting it with the same 'Suppressing the Mountain' form, and the pale golden palm seals clashed!

"Boom—!"

As the palms met, an airwave exploded!

Chen Linsheng felt a massive force, no less than his own and even more condensed and pure, surge toward him like an overturning mountain and sea, shaking his blood and Qi and making him take half a step back. The mirror image only swayed slightly, not retreating even half a step, and that strand of sharp gold Qi in its left sleeve had already silently shot out, piercing straight toward Chen Linsheng's right Jianjing Point!

In the nick of time!

Chen Linsheng's right shoulder sank slightly, and the pale golden 'Golden Garment' Qi membrane on his body surface instantly condensed at a single point. With a 'chi' sound, the Qi energy pierced half an inch through the membrane, bringing a stinging pain, but failed to completely break his defense.

But alarm bells rang in his heart.

The mirror image had not only replicated his strength but had also optimized his combat style to the extreme! Even more troublesome was that it had no emotions, would not make mistakes, and would not hesitate; every attack was the optimal solution.

If this continued, let alone defeating it, he would likely be ground to death by this 'perfect version' of himself!

In a flash, Chen Linsheng's thoughts turned rapidly.

Purely competing in Moves, strength, and Movement Techniques, the mirror image held the theoretical advantage. To win, he had to break the framework of 'replication' and use things the mirror image did not possess—

For example, the insights from a Breakthrough in the heat of battle.

For example, the mental fortitude accumulated from living two lives.

For example... that extraordinary perception, almost a prototype of a 'Divine Ability,' which he hadn't fully mastered after his mental Realm was sublimated in the Heart Refining Bridge just now!

At this thought, Chen Linsheng took a deep breath and stopped clashing with the mirror image over Move details.

The footwork beneath his feet changed; he no longer pursued the extreme agility of the Crane Ape Illusory Wind Steps, but instead became condensed and heavy. Every step he took secretly matched a certain rhythm, moving like a mountain—slow but steady.

At the same time, he pushed his Tracking Perfection perception to the limit, his mind becoming infinitely clear as he threw all his spirit into observing the mirror image.

Under his extraordinary perception, the mirror image's movements seemed to be slowed down and disassembled.

He could 'see' every minute trajectory of the blood and Qi circulating within the mirror image, 'hear' the tidal sound of strength rushing through its Meridians, 'smell' the imperceptible energy fluctuations before a Move was launched, and even faintly predict the point of impact and force changes of the mirror image's next strike!

This was not a judgment based on experience, but a direct capture and analysis of energy and information flow that was close to 'intuition'!

The mirror image pounced again, striking with continuous palms, the palm shadows like mountains. This was exactly the small-scale killing Move combining the Mountain Suppressing Seal and Python Dragon Strength—'Thousand Mountains Suppressing the Sea'!

Normally, Chen Linsheng could only meet it head-on with the same Move or use Movement Techniques to maneuver around it. But now, under his extraordinary perception, he 'saw' a extremely obscure and tiny delay caused by the conversion of blood and Qi within this killing Move—it was a flaw that was theoretically unavoidable, but in actual combat, because the speed was too fast and the Moves too dense, it was almost impossible to capture and exploit.

But Chen Linsheng captured it.

He did not meet it head-on, nor did he completely dodge.

Instead, at the final instant before the palm shadows reached him, his body moved like a swimming fish, sliding through that imperceptible flaw gap by a hair's breadth! At the same time, he pressed his right index and middle fingers together, and a strand of Origin Qi condensed to the extreme—fusing the intensity of Heart Fire and the sharpness of Lung Gold—was pointed like a needle at three inches below the mirror image's left ribs, which was a secondary node in the strength flow of 'Thousand Mountains Suppressing the Sea'!

"Puff!"

The Qi energy penetrated!

The mirror image's body suddenly stiffened, its continuous palm strikes abruptly interrupted, and the blood and Qi circulation in the left half of its body experienced a moment of disorder.

Although it adjusted instantly, this moment of flaw was enough for Chen Linsheng!

His figure followed like a shadow, no longer sticking to the fixed Moves of the Mountain Suppressing Seal or Python Dragon Strength, but instead using whatever came naturally—palms, fingers, fists, and elbows were launched at will.

Sometimes a palm strike would be as heavy as a mountain, only to transform into a spiraling penetrating drilling force at the moment of contact; sometimes a finger would seem to point out lightly, but inside it contained the heavy momentum of Suppressing the Mountain; sometimes his movement would be like an ape leaping, yet in his maneuvers it secretly matched the light and agile trajectory of a crane's dance... He fused everything he had learned—the Foundation of the Hunyuan Pile Posture Technique, the Five Elements cycle of the Five Viscera Absorbing Essence Art, the defense and force-shedding of the Golden Robe Skill, the agility of the Crane Ape Illusory Wind Steps, the momentum of the Mountain Suppressing Seal, the strength of the Python Dragon Strength, and even the physique and will tempered on the Bone Forging Road and the Heart Refining Bridge—all into one furnace, no longer distinguishing between them, possessing only the purest combat instinct and understanding of martial arts.

This was not a Move recorded in any Secret Manual, but an 'Art of Practical Combat' that belonged solely to Chen Linsheng, bursting forth under the pressure of life and death at this moment.

The mirror image remained precise, efficient, and cold, replicating all of Chen Linsheng's past combat patterns. But facing this attack that transcended routines and was completely natural, its 'theoretical limit' combat instinct showed stagnation for the first time.

Because it was replicating the 'past Chen Linsheng,' whereas the current Chen Linsheng was transforming, sublimating, and surpassing himself in battle.

"Bang!"

A palm struck the mirror image's chest, shaking it back three steps.

"Chi!"

A finger swept across the mirror image's throat, the pale golden Qi membrane rippling violently.

"Boom!"

A fist collision occurred, and for the first time, the mirror image's arm was shaken until it was numb, its offensive slowing down.

Chen Linsheng grew more courageous as he fought, his spirit becoming more empty and clear, and his perception more acute. He even began to try to guide the mirror image's attacks, using subtle movement changes and strength pulling to make the mirror image's 'optimal solution' attacks fall into his preset rhythm and traps.

In the center of the starry sky, that Great Sun Burning Heaven Physique jade volume phantom seemed to brighten slightly for an instant.

On the other eight platforms, the battles had also reached a fever pitch.

On the platform where Yan Chen was, crimson-gold air currents clashed crazily with those of his mirror image, like two small suns fighting in the starry sky; the scorching airwaves could be felt even across the void barrier. Yan Chen roared repeatedly, his Moves wide and sweeping, while the mirror image countered with the same fierce attacks, making it difficult to distinguish a winner for a time.

Xiao Zhan's saber light was like snow, weaving with the mirror image's saber Qi into a forest of cold light. Both of their saber techniques were military killing skills—simple, sharp, and lethal—and every collision was extremely dangerous. Xiao Zhan's face was cold and stern, his saber momentum gradually carrying the iron-blooded Evil Qi of thousands of troops charging into battle, attempting to suppress the mirror image's 'perfect' replication.

Mu Qingxue's sword light was like autumn water and cold frost, entangling with the mirror image's sword shadows. Two icy sword domains cut and eroded each other, and ice crystals on the platform condensed and shattered. Her shoulder injury had not yet healed, and her face was pale, but her Sword Intent became increasingly condensed and pure, with faint signs of a Breakthrough.

The Northern Desert Shaman was the most bizarre. He did not engage in close combat with the mirror image but sat cross-legged on the platform, the red fire crystal ring in front of him shining brightly as it clashed across the air with the mirror image's red fire crystal ring. Both were chanting ancient incantations, and the confrontation at the spiritual level was dangerously unpredictable; blood had already seeped from the Shaman's seven orifices, yet he appeared mad.

The Student of Tingtao Academy used a jade brush to write and draw in the air, his pure Qi runes colliding and annihilating with the mirror image's runes, like two scholars using heaven and earth as paper and Origin Qi as ink to play a game, with hidden dangers lurking.

The two White Lotus Cult Agents appeared much more pathetic. Their Cultivation Techniques were sinister and treacherous, specializing in sneak attacks and schemes, but facing a mirror image that completely replicated their methods and was unafraid of death, these tricks were much less effective. Multiple wounds had already appeared on their bodies, and their eyes were panicked.

The most unreadable was that Black-Robed Rogue Cultivator. On his platform, a deep darkness spread, swallowing the mirror image within it. From the outside, one could only see the darkness churning like a tide, with occasional muffled impacts and heart-palpitating hoarse low laughs, yet the battle situation inside was completely invisible.

The time of one stick of incense passed quickly.

The duel between Chen Linsheng and his mirror image had reached its conclusion.