The Steward Demonic Emperor

Chapter 1231: Shadow

Proofreader: Papatonks

Against imminent death, Zhuo Fan responded with the same deadly attack, his eyes flashing gold and black respectively, as he unleashed a Thunderflame Void Annihilation of his own.

Bam!

The resounding explosion sent black flames swirling everywhere, actually burning the water to nothing.

Zhuo Fan got flung a thousand meters, his eyes burning as blood trickled down.

While the copycat…

[Blast it, he’s still in the same spot and mocking me.]

Zhuo Fan’s heart sank.

[He’s godlike, knowing both my skills and ending up way stronger than me on top.]

The longer he fought, the worse it would be. Zhuo Fan was at an impasse.

The copycat laughed at his conundrum, “Where did all that bluster go? Didn’t you think it was going to be easy than the first trial?”

“Senior, why must you go so far? What do you get out of this?”

“Oh, you still think I won’t kill you, ha-ha-ha…”

The copycat smiled, “Do you know how long I have been in this place? Without a body, I am stuck in this Nether Sea for all eternity.”

“Doesn’t Nether Sea have reincarnation? Why haven’t you tried yet?”

“Reincarnation?”

The copycat’s eyes turned vicious, his smile mocking, “Reincarnation means relinquishing everything. It’s impossible for me who has so many things I’m clinging on to. I have my own way, reborn without reincarnating. I’ll just destroy a human’s spirit and possess his body. Alas, no such specimen has darkened my door. Now that you’re here, I’ll kill your spirit and take your body and be reborn, hi-hi-hi…” 

The copycat cackled while dashing for Zhuo Fan while unleashing Sundering Sword, Heaven-sealing Sword, Soaring Sword, Vaulting Sword and Decimating Sword strikes to obliterate him.

Zhuo Fan jumped back again and again, dodging out of the whirlwind of death. The close calls and the thick bloodlust he sensed from the slashes had him shudder.

Plop~

Zhuo Fan got struck by three sword waves. One through each hand and one through the shoulder. The pain was agonizing, a pain felt in the soul.

Zhuo Fan was used to it by now, though, the problem was how to deal with the relentless copycat.

Zhuo Fan brightened just then, finding hope in one aspect.

[The copycat has taken all my skills, but does that include my recent insight as well?]

Zhuo Fan halted his movements under the rain of sword energy, stilling his mind.

At extreme power, tyranny obliterated in an instant! 

Qilin fist!

Zhuo Fan punched, with the tip exploding in a brilliant red. 

Boom!

The space warped around him as the Nether Sea roiled. The horrible power crushed all in its path as it went for the copycat. Not even the sword energies could withstand it.

The tyrannical path he gleaned in at the first trial matched the Qilin’s power to a degree that it could take on a Saint.

The copycat merely smiled, shocking Zhuo Fan by punching as well, using the exact same motions Zhuo Fan did.

[He can copy even this…]

“Ha-ha-ha, I told you, I’m you. I have what you have!” The copycat smashed forward, “But far stronger!”

Bam!

The punches met and the water boiled. The black cracks around them spread in every direction, but the strongest shockwave came straight for Zhuo Fan.

The copycat had crushed his attack again!

Zhuo Fan couldn’t believe this was happening. 

[Am I helpless against some pretender?] 

Bam!

The aftermath flung him half a mile, making his entire body feel pain and weakening him. As he slumped to the ground, he was too weak to even get up.

[The only saving grace is I’m a soul without innards, or I’d be turned to paste by now.]

Whoosh!

The copycat flashed before him with a savage grin, “Ha-ha-ha, you lost and couldn’t pass the trial. I will now use your spirit to be reborn, ha-ha-ha…”

Huff~

Zhuo Fan panted, struggling to get up, only to sprawl back down in weakness. He closed his eyes, giving up.

The copycat laughed harder as he placed a hand on Zhuo Fan’s head.

[It’s over, Zhuo Fan!]

“Divine Eye of the Void 8th stage, Blink!” 

Zhuo Fan flashed his eyes open and his right eye shone in eight golden rings.

The copycat’s chest sported a hole in it as he froze in place. Zhuo Fan glared at him and his shaking hand, “Didn’t you have all my skills and strength? Don’t you know the Divine Eye of the Void 8th stage can transfer any of my attacks to you through space?” 

“Ugh…”

The copycat frowned then sneered, “Of course I did, I just didn’t care.”

Zhuo Fan stared hard.

The copycat mocked, “Take a look down.”

Zhuo Fan stared and found his chest having an extra breathing hole as well, in the same spot as the copycat.

Looking up at the copycat, the chest was healing.

Zhuo Fan was perplexed.

“Ha-ha-ha, who do you think I am?”

The copycat cackled, “I told you that I’m you. Harming me is harming yourself. Kill me and you kill yourself. All harm you do to me you do to yourself. You can do nothing to me!”

Zhuo Fan shuddered, “No way! Why then are you fine with all the wounds you caused me?”

The copycat gave an insufferable grin.

Zhuo Fan was so confused, he didn’t know what to do. 

[I can’t harm the copycat no matter what I do. He’s even stronger than me.]

[How am I even supposed to win?]

Since this was a trial, there had to be a way to pass it.

Zhuo Fan frowned hard in thought.

The copy sneered, floating a hundred meters above and pointed at Zhuo Fan, “Main, farewell. From now I’m Zhuo Fan, ha-ha-ha…”

Zhuo Fan was still puzzled even as the killing move came for him.

[Why does he have my Divine Eye of the Void and apocalyptic thunderflame? He even has my recent insight on the tyrannical fist.]

[It’s like seeing another me. No one else can have my insights to such flawless degree. Not even a Sovereign can do it…]

Zhuo Fan looked up at the same face marred by the savage grin and spread his arms as he gambled.

The copycat’s sword strike ran through Zhuo Fan’s chest and the two bodies clashed, with the heads facing each other. The copycat didn’t look happy at his win, while Zhuo Fan was calm.

“When did you notice?” The copycat spoke.

Zhuo Yifan said, “Just now. I can’t kill you since I get wounded instead. This means we’re one. You’ve also been going on that you are me as well, Zhuo Yifan.”

“You won, Zhuo Fan. It looks like I won’t be able to be reborn like last time by taking over your body, ha-ha-ha…” The copycat turned into a black mist and entered Zhuo Fan.

Zhuo Fan’s eyes were vague. When he snapped out of it, he found himself sitting down and unharmed before a broken wooden gate. There was not a trace of battle around.

His shadow floated away, forming a man in black three meters away as he congratulated, “Zhuo Fan, you passed…”