Chapter 1726: I Was Really Stupid

As they charged towards Zhao Hao in the center, General Guo Zhi, the Right Imperial Guard, roared, attempting to lead his imperial guards to his rescue. They knew well that the physical body was extremely vulnerable when the soul left it, requiring a place of absolute safety.

However, the Taoist masters would not let them have their way. A group led by Elder Xuandu and Monk Jieshe desperately blocked their counterattack, preventing them from providing support.

Both sides were also keeping an eye on the situation, and they witnessed two new figures suddenly appear in the arena. One was a handsome middle-aged man in a loose robe, with a striking circle of stubble around his mouth and a self-satisfied, devilish smile that gave him a roguish and somewhat greasy aura. The other had a somber expression, with lightning flashing around his body. He carried a tortoise-shell-like sword scabbard on his back, and eight precious swords danced around him.

Guan Chouhai was startled. He had considered ten thousand possible ways Zhao Hao might react, but never this situation. Why did this person look exactly like him? The face, the build, the temperament, even the clothes and weapons were identical. Not to mention others, even he himself, or his women, couldn't tell the difference. And where had Zhao Hao gone? Could it be an illusion?

Just then, the "Guan Chouhai" opposite him waved his hands forward. Numerous afterimages of the Vajra Bracelets shot out, directly clashing with the Vajra Bracelets he had just launched. Clink, clink, clink! A series of crisp, rapid clangs echoed as the Vajra Bracelets were knocked flying in all directions.

Guan Chouhai's heart sank. He realized that the figure opposite him was not an illusion but a tangible entity. However, he couldn't comprehend why the other party also possessed identical Vajra Bracelets, which were treasures passed down through generations of the Lihentian sect. Could it be that there weren't just a pair of Vajra Bracelets, but four? If he could acquire the other pair as well, wouldn't his power greatly increase?

Before he could ponder further, the "Guan Chouhai" opposite him suddenly spun rapidly, then darted through the center of the flying Vajra Bracelets, attacking him almost instantly.

"Poison Dragon Whirl?" Guan Chouhai immediately recognized it as his unique secret technique. But at that moment, the opponent's hands, like drills, had already reached him. He had no time to think and could only hastily raise his hands to meet the attack. Having created this move himself, he naturally understood its intricacies and weaknesses. He swiftly intervened, prying open the opponent's palms, pulling them behind him, then stomping his foot on the ground. Using the power of the earth, he unleashed the profound art of "Star Shifting Stride," not only deflecting the opponent's entire attacking force but also adding his own. Even Xuan Bajing would likely be severely injured by this move.

To his surprise, the "Guan Chouhai" flipped his body, planted his feet on the ground, and then his body writhed like noodles. An immense force rebounded from his opponent's hands once again.

"Star Shifting Stride?" Guan Chouhai was aghast. This was a secret technique of Lihentian, never passed on. How did he know it too? His body automatically executed the Star Shifting Stride, returning the force once more.

With a tremendous boom, both were sent flying in opposite directions by the immense impact. Guan Chouhai felt a sweetness in his throat, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. The rapid, back-and-forth rebounding of such immense force, even he found somewhat unbearable. The only thing worth celebrating was that the opponent also had a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth, clearly indicating a similar degree of injury.

On the other side, Xuan Bajing was equally bewildered. While Guan Chouhai could still wonder if there was another pair of Vajra Bracelets, most of Xuan Bajing's eight swords, apart from a few ancestral ones from Kunlun Xu, were acquired by him over the years through extensive searching and great effort. How could the opponent possess eight identical swords? "This must be an illusion!"

However, a flying sword immediately cut through his sleeve, and a trickle of blood spurted out. Xuan Bajing: "???" Although he suspected it was an illusion, he dared not risk letting the opponent attack. If it turned out not to be an illusion and a sword cut off his head, he wouldn't even have time to cry. Left with no choice, he could only manipulate his own flying swords to meet the attack.

Soon, sixteen flying swords clashed in a chaotic battle. Xuan Bajing was renowned for his flying swords, wielding his eight with incredible skill. Yet, no matter how exquisite or tricky his swordplay was, the opponent's swords always managed to block and counterattack in time. He used to relish the sight of his enemies scrambling awkwardly against his elusive flying swords, but now it was his turn to be flustered by them. His heart was filled with frustration; it felt as if he were fighting himself, unable to determine a victor.

However, as a sect leader, he quickly composed himself. There was no reason he should lose to an imposter. "You can imitate my face, you can imitate my swords, but can you imitate my thoughts exactly?" he mused. So he suddenly recalled his eight flying swords. They merged into one colossal sword, which he thrust towards the opponent. The opponent's eight flying swords, upon striking this giant sword, were instantly knocked away.

The "Xuan Bajing" opposite hastily beckoned, and his eight swords flew back to him. He too conjured a giant sword and met the attack. The two colossal swords were about to collide. A head-on clash of this magnitude allowed no room for faking; it typically resulted in one dead and one injured, or, if their cultivation levels were truly identical, a mutually destructive outcome.

Just then, a strange smile flickered at the corner of Xuan Bajing's mouth. The next second, with a flash of lightning, he vanished. Simultaneously, his giant sword, now without a wielder, dissipated into thin air. Without a target, "Xuan Bajing's" full-force sword thrust hit nothing but air. The resulting surge of chaotic energy within him instantly made him feel extremely unwell.

It was during this momentary weakness that a streak of lightning appeared beside him; Xuan Bajing had materialized there. "Thunderbolt Flash!" A sword in his hand, fast as lightning, thrust directly towards a vital spot between the opponent's ribs. "Xuan Bajing" shimmered with lightning and instinctively attempted to teleport away, but he was half a beat too slow and was pierced by the sword.

Xuan Bajing gave a self-assured smile. He didn't know where this imposter came from, but an imposter was an imposter—no match for him. The "Xuan Bajing" opposite looked down at the wound on his ribs. Instead of showing any panic, he raised his head and gave a strange smile. Seeing the opponent's smile, Xuan Bajing frowned, unable to understand why he would react that way.

Just then, his expression suddenly changed. He looked down at his own ribs, where a blood spot suddenly appeared on his clothes, quickly spreading and soon staining half of his garment red. Xuan Bajing felt a sharp pain, then lost his footing, collapsing to a half-kneeling position. He barely managed to prop himself up with his long sword to avoid falling completely. "How is this possible!" He was utterly baffled. His sure-kill move had clearly struck the opponent, yet the wound was on his own body. Even if it were an illusion, he wouldn't wield his sword to stab himself. With his years of cultivation and experience, he simply couldn't comprehend how the opponent had achieved this. An Earth Immortal truly was unfathomable…

Seeing Xuan Bajing fall, Guan Chouhai was terrified. At this point, he no longer hoped to harm Zhao Hao's physical body. Only one thought remained: "Escape!" However, even as he tried to flee, the "Guan Chouhai" opposite him showed no intention of letting him go. The Vajra Bracelets in its hands transformed into countless bracelet afterimages, entangling his feet. Left with no choice, he had to deal with this imposter first. But the thought of Xuan Bajing having seemingly defeated the imposter, only to end up severely wounded and incapacitated himself, filled his heart with despair.

In a blink, the two exchanged dozens of moves. Suddenly, an idea struck him: if Xuan Bajing was wounded by striking the imposter, wouldn't doing the opposite allow him to harm the imposter? "Embrace death to find life!" Such principles were not unknown in the Taoist sect. As soon as this thought occurred to him, he acted immediately, slamming his palm heavily onto a vital acupoint on his own chest. He dared not strike his head, fearing he might actually kill himself, but his strike was still very heavy. He hoped to catch the opponent off guard before they could react and prepare.

"Ugh!" A large mouthful of blood spewed out. He felt his qi and blood surging violently and his meridians throbbing with intense pain. Ignoring his own injuries, he looked at the opponent with eager anticipation. To his shock, the "Guan Chouhai" opposite him was completely unharmed and instead revealed a mocking smile.

"Damn it, I acted too rashly. I'm such an idiot, really..." Guan Chouhai, overcome with anger and frustration, fainted.