Chapter 148 I am still myself, I am only myself

Li Ren looked at the Skeleton King standing opposite him. The waves of familiarity and oppressive aura emanating from the creature kept his nerves tightly strung, not daring to relax even the slightest bit.

After all, the fellow on the opposite side was essentially another Li Ren, and one far more terrifying than himself; that separated half of the soul fire had, after all, once completely belonged to his past.

Perhaps it could be said that this was his previous incarnation, though as for what had actually happened back then, he still did not have the slightest clue to this day. Perhaps it was because he harbored too much aversion toward that period of experience that he had deep down always cast those matters aside, right up until this outburst.

"Wait." Fan Yunshan looked at the two before him, his throat feeling somewhat dry as he licked his lips.

"Who... exactly are you guys?" His tone carried a sense of anticipation, yet also incredulity, mingled with a rare and profound panic.

"It's not very far off from what you've guessed." The Skeleton King smiled indifferently, seemingly unbothered by what Fan Yunshan had just uttered.

Yet, upon hearing words that sounded so much like an admission of fact, the expression on Fan Yunshan's face became remarkably colorful. He looked at Li Ren, then back at the Skeleton King, unable to squeeze out a single syllable for a long time. His slightly trembling body reflected just how utterly turbulent his inner state currently was.

"But... but..." He stammered for ages without being able to voice the rest of his sentence. Landis and the others merely felt that Fan Yunshan was acting exceedingly bizarrely, having no inkling whatsoever of the earth-shattering thoughts running through his mind!

"Very well, there is nothing for you here at the moment. Fall back. Once this matter is concluded, the affairs on that side should be brought to a close as well." The Skeleton King waved his hand. Though Fan Yunshan still seemed to want to say something, he ultimately let out a sigh and immediately retreated.

"Now it comes down to you. What a pity." The Skeleton King looked at Li Ren, who was staring fixedly at him, his tone carrying undisguised disappointment and a sigh. Why this would evoke such complex emotions within him remained a complete mystery to the onlookers, leaving them with no choice but to keep watching.

Yet as they watched, everyone had also secretly prepared themselves. The moment Li Ren fell into any danger, they would swarm forward en masse. Even if they could not defeat the Skeleton King, they were determined to protect Li Ren at all costs.

Naturally, Li Ren was unaware of what was passing through their minds. At this moment, his heart was entirely consumed by the Skeleton King's words and a swirling chaos of fragmented thoughts.

If he were being completely honest, the emergence of this day was indeed not entirely unpredictable. Yet when it truly manifested right before his eyes, it was undeniably agonizing.

Although that split-off portion could be considered a part of himself, that part felt so utterly alien, so incomprehensible, making it impossible to accept for a Li Ren who had always simply wanted to live a peaceful life and play his games in tranquility.

Watching the confusion flash through Li Ren's eyes, the Skeleton King's pale blue flames grew increasingly cold and powerful. With a flick of his bone blade, his figure vanished instantly from where he stood.

"Watch out!" Landis cried out sharply. Dressed in white, her alluring light-blue eyes shimmered with overwhelming concern. Her curvaceous figure was like the finest masterpiece of the heavens, and her slightly heroic face exuded a unique and captivating charm. The intense worry she displayed for Li Ren the instant the Skeleton King launched his surprise attack added an unapproachable radiance to her already flawless visage.

As if drawn by this brilliance, Li Ren turned his head. He gazed steadily at this supremely gorgeous woman, looking past the lingering, usual detachment on her face. Li Ren smiled. Even though he was essentially a paralyzed poker-face who could rarely express facial expressions, at this very moment, everyone present could clearly perceive that he was smiling.

Immediately following this brilliant smile of Li Ren's, the Skeleton King's bone blade slashed fiercely across his body.

"I hardly seem that fragile. What do you think?" The bone blade sliced the figure before it cleanly in two, yet those two severed halves eerie remained standing right in place. A purple blade, thin as a cicada's wing, had already quietly rested against the Skeleton King's neck.

"Moreover, I seem to have discovered some things that rightfully belong to me. I think this place suits me a little better after all." The Purple-Gold Divine Wing sliced mercilessly across the neck, yet without pausing, instantly swept in a semicircle to hack fiercely behind him.

A section of a bone blade abruptly materialized out of the previously empty void, and the two clashed violently together.

"If you hadn't resisted, I would have found it truly dull. But with just your current level, wanting to accomplish what you've done is quite impossible! Do you wish to pursue what you desire?" The Skeleton King's body materialized behind the bone blade, accompanied by a voice tinged with a hint of surprise and excitement.

"Hmph! There's no need for you to speak in that tone. I have no interest in your toys. Besides, acquiring what I wish to obtain is quite simple—it just requires another slash, doesn't it?" Li Ren sneered, pressing the Purple-Gold Divine Wing down fiercely.

Blown away instantly by the sudden surge of immense force, the Skeleton King's body was sent flying, sliding across the ground for several meters before finally coming to a halt.

"If you have the ability, feel free to come try another slash! Though this time, it's hard to say who will be doing the cutting!" The Skeleton King's voice grew equally frigid.

The battle between the two instantly escalated into even greater intensity. Landis and the others could only wait on the sidelines, forced to retreat further and further back just to evade the shockwaves generated by their combat. Before long, the sounds of clashing weapons echoed throughout the entire hall, stone dust flew wildly from the massive pillars, and the great hall was battered beyond recognition. If players were to learn of this battle scene, it was impossible to tell what kind of impact it would cause; after all, the scale of their confrontation already far exceeded the limits of what any game could contain, completely transcending so-called skill restrictions and reaching an entirely different realm of existence!

"They... they are actually capable of wielding such power within this realm! This game world is constrained by unknown rules, permitting only a fraction of one's original strength, with the vast majority restricted to execution through game-rule skill limitations. But the two of them..." Fan Yunshan was too shocked to finish his sentence.

He was not the only one shaken; the others shared the exact same reaction. Most of them vaguely knew something about the situation. In truth, reckoning it properly, Li Ren also knew a thing or two, only he wasn't very clear on the specifics.

Thus, he could understand Shadow's habitual secrecy. Yet the events unfolding now were genuinely beyond the anticipation of individuals who were always accustomed to staying a step ahead. One could only say it had all happened far too suddenly.