Chapter Sixty-Five: The Celestial Realm

“Damn it, where is the master?” Shadow couldn’t help but complain once again. Lantis stood quietly in place, her brows tightly furrowed, occasionally glancing up at the sky.

In the realm of waters, amidst the azure sea, the two of them stood upon a patch of land that was never particularly large to begin with.

“You’d do better to talk less and use your brain more,” Lantis spared him no courtesy.

Yet Shadow was indifferent to Lantis’s scolding, though he cared greatly for its content. He clamped his mouth shut.

Meanwhile, the place where Li Ren found himself was even more bizarre.

An empty room, an inescapable sense of familiarity, and outside the window, the garden’s peach tree—long unseen—was in full bloom.

Here…

“I must admit, this really is a nice place,” Li Ren sighed.

“Since you’re already here, why hide and play tricks?” he called out.

The silence persisted, and the empty room echoed with lifeless replies.

“Huh? Did I guess wrong? No one’s here?” Li Ren murmured in confusion, sneaking a look out the window. Sure enough, not a single soul could be seen.

“So I really thought something strange was happening, that sending me back was meant to ambush me. Looks like I was wrong. But then, why send me back at all? I just don’t get it!” Li Ren muttered to himself.

He spoke as he naturally rose and went to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and took out a bottle of juice.

“Oh, was I just dreaming? This is ridiculous!” He shook his head, pressed his back into the soft sofa behind him, letting his body sink deep into its cushions.

The room fell into a tranquil lull.

Not far from Li Ren, a strange figure stood, its gray-white shape blurred and constantly shifting, as if it had no definite form.

Right before his eyes, yet Li Ren seemed blind to its presence—a truly peculiar sight.

The gray-white shadow stared at Li Ren for a long while before finally relaxing.

“Hmph! Looks like he really doesn’t know I’m here. He’s so outlandish he’s even doubting his own memories. He nearly caught me out at first—how amusing!”

With this thought, the tension in its mind gradually eased. “I can’t imagine what those above are thinking, sending me directly to deal with this kid. Is it really necessary? I’d say even those guys, Man and Earth, could easily handle him.”

It mused irritably, not noticing the fleeting scorn on Li Ren’s lips.

After merging with the divine bird Vermilion, Li Ren’s eyes could pierce through any illusion. Yet this fellow dared to act so brazenly beside him. Li Ren didn’t mind playing along, curious to see what information he might gain.

“Let me end you here and now, consign you to eternal slumber!” the shadow murmured, its indistinct hand slowly rising.

“Isn’t it said that even if you die here, you can come back to life?” Li Ren suddenly asked.

“Hm?” The shadow froze, as if caught by a spell.

“I’m asking you: isn’t it possible to revive after dying here?” Li Ren grew impatient; staring at this fellow for so long had become tiresome.

The shadow said nothing, but with a swift motion, it swung its raised hand fiercely toward Li Ren.

A mist of gray-white, interwoven with chaotic rainbow hues, rushed toward him at incredible speed.

“Hmph! Truly arrogant!”

Li Ren snorted coldly. Now restored to his human form, a flame suddenly appeared in his hand.

The pure white fire was flawless.

With a twist of his wrist, the flame condensed into a small sword, which instantly left his palm, darting straight toward the shadow.

Along its path, the gray-white mist was devoured, and the blade arrived before the gray shadow in a blink.

The gray shadow clasped its hands together, gray energy surging, barely holding the sword three inches from its chest, unable to let it advance further.

The little sword was strong, but inevitably its power waned.

In that brief moment, Li Ren did not act further. Though outwardly indifferent, he was inwardly on guard.

To perfectly recreate a memory scene and bring him here without his knowledge—such a power was truly astounding.

Eventually, the gray mist was burned away by the sword, and the gray-white shadow revealed its true form.

It was a person—a man identical in appearance to Li Ren. Seeing Li Ren’s astonished expression, the stranger’s lips curled into a sinister smile.

“I never expected you could command Heavenly Fire to this level. As a member of the Skeleton Clan, you really are remarkable.”

“Cut the nonsense. Who are you, and why do you look exactly like me?” Li Ren was deeply shocked.

“Do you think I owe you an answer? Hahaha!” Shadow Li Ren laughed arrogantly, his twisted, wild face deeply provoking Li Ren.

“You will pay dearly for your choices!” A fierce glint appeared in Li Ren’s eyes, agitation roiling inside him. “Tell me! What is this place, and where are my companions?”

“Hmph, how laughable your demands are. Why should I answer you? If you want to know, beg me! You weak-minded fool!”

“What did you say?!” Li Ren was startled.

“Do I really need to spell it out? You know your own situation perfectly well.”

“Nonsense! How could you possibly know?”

“Hah! If you could get here, why shouldn’t I know? In a sense, we’re essentially the same person. Does that help you understand?”

“Bah! Stop pretending to be mysterious. Tell me where Lantis is, and I’ll spare your life!” Li Ren roared.

“Haha, so you really are guilty at heart. Why so desperate to find Lantis? Deep down, are you planning to rely on her strength? Think finding her means you’ll be safe? Perhaps even the presence of Shadow, whose powers are less than yours, brings you some mysterious sense of security?”

“You’re talking nonsense—”

“Nonsense? Hahaha, how amusing. Take a good look at yourself: your character is weak, you seem loyal and passionate, but you lack the courage to act. You crave victory, but lack the guts to pursue it. Hardly admirable.”

“Consider your own history: reborn as a skeleton, your first battle with the wild pheasant seemed bold and fearless, but inwardly you were lost. Life felt aimless and meaningless—perhaps you didn’t care if you died. Later, you met Mo Ran; she changed some of your outward behavior, but not your inner self. You’re wrapped in a great unknown fear, hoping to find her and finally learn the truth? Or is it just your excuse to give up, because you can’t accept it any longer? Even now, you’re still the same. If you ask me, your soul has grown—there’s another spirit inside you!”

Li Ren was so shaken by this doppelganger’s words that he was speechless, unable to argue.

All words paled before they could leave his lips. Yes, he really was like this.

“Perhaps, what he says is true? But if so, what meaning is left for me?” Li Ren’s heart trembled violently.