Clone Technique

"I failed. The fifth level of the illusion was incredibly difficult. I couldn't fight back at all."

Inside the palace, Yu Duan's consciousness returned from the virtual universe. He looked rather unhappy, clearly dissatisfied with his performance.

The Eighteen Levels of Life and Death were a series of illusions. Overcoming each level represented an improvement in one's willpower.

The first three levels corresponded to the willpower of universe-level experts.

The fourth through sixth levels corresponded to the willpower of domain lord-level experts.

Overcoming the fourth level was enough to bring one's willpower up to the average domain lord level. Beyond that came excellent and then peak.

"Hahahaha... Disciple, the fact that you made it through the fourth level has already made me very proud."

King Qinghuan appeared before Yu Duan, a warm smile on his face. He gazed at Yu Duan with deep satisfaction.

When it came to taking on disciples, King Qinghuan valued willpower above all. The dozen or so disciples under him all had strong wills.

But Yu Duan was a stellar-level warrior whose willpower had crossed the great divide to the universe level, rivaling that of an ordinary domain lord. That was more than merely strong—it was exceptional.

"Teacher!"

When Yu Duan saw King Qinghuan appear, he hurriedly stood up.

King Qinghuan waved a hand. "You've heard that the genius tournament is about to begin, haven't you?"

Yu Duan nodded slightly. "Yes, Teacher. I've heard, and I'm preparing for the tournament."

"Good. I told you before that if you could take first place in the genius tournament, I'd ask your senior uncle to help you secure a tremendous opportunity. I wasn't joking."

"An opportunity like that can't be measured in money. Even your senior uncle would have to petition the race to obtain it."

"But you need to be exceptional for the race to approve the petition. Otherwise, it'll be rejected."

Yu Duan nodded. He thought it over for a moment, then finally asked, "Teacher, could the opportunity you mentioned be... the ability to create a clone?"

This time, King Qinghuan was a little surprised. He looked Yu Duan over, but didn't deny it. "I didn't expect a youngster like you to have heard of the ability to create a clone."

"I heard about it by chance. They say that even among undying gods, this secret technique is extremely rare—one in ten thousand, if that. Even after the genius tournament, I'll only be a universe-level youngster. Would I really be qualified to obtain it?"

Generally speaking, there were only two ways to acquire the ability to create a clone.

The first was to seize another's body.

The second, naturally, was through a special opportunity.

He could forget about a special opportunity. For Yu Duan, the best chance of gaining a clone was to seize another's body.

Hearing Yu Duan's question, King Qinghuan couldn't help laughing. "How could you possibly get one at the universe level? You really dare to dream."

"If you take first place in the genius tournament, I'll ask your senior uncle to pull some strings and grease a few palms."

"Then you can wait a few hundred thousand years. You might have a chance to seize the body of a super lifeform with the ability to create a clone once you reach the world lord level."

For humanity as a whole, capturing and enslaving powerful lifeforms with the ability to create clones wasn't particularly difficult.

The race's treasury held more than one dormant "resource" suitable for body-seizing.

But finding one at the universe level was extremely difficult—far more difficult.

The universe-level youngsters of the various powers were nurtured in the core territories of their respective domains. Those with the ability to create clones were especially precious talents, and wouldn't be sent out lightly.

Without venturing outside, they couldn't be captured. That meant universe-level beings had almost no hope of acquiring a clone.

Another factor was the short lifespan of universe-level lifeforms. Even if one were captured as a "resource," it would be difficult to keep for long; it would soon be used up.

There were somewhat more domain lord-level lifeforms, but they were still rare, and competition was fierce.

World lord-level lifeforms were even more plentiful among the "resources" stockpiled by the race.

Lifeforms at this level had begun honing themselves beyond their domain's borders, making them more likely to encounter powerful members of the race. And with their long lifespans, they could be kept in storage for a while if captured.

But almost all world lord-level lifeforms with the ability to create clones had already produced clones to improve their chances of survival.

So even if someone seized the body of one of these super lifeforms, they wouldn't be able to choose its clone.

Seizing the body of an "infant" Golden Horned Beast with all three clone slots still unused, the way Luo Feng had, was an incredible stroke of luck.

Even the City Lord of Primal Chaos had called it a high-grade opportunity.

The City Lord of Primal Chaos was an ancient, super-powerful being who had lived for over a trillion eras. If even he considered it a high-grade opportunity, one could see just how rare it was.

"Teacher, what would I have to do—or what achievements would I need—to have a chance of gaining the ability to create a clone at the universe level?"

Yu Duan had the Book of Karma with him. At worst, he could spend tens of thousands of years cultivating at the universe level and show off talent powerful enough to defy the heavens. Perhaps then he'd have a chance.

King Qinghuan laughed. "It's difficult. Your senior uncle and I don't have that kind of influence. I've already told you that the temporal origin law has 108 deeper fundamental mysteries."

"If you fully comprehended all 108 of those fundamental mysteries at the universe level and caught the eye of an even greater being than your senior uncle, you could gain the ability to create a clone at the universe level."

Mastering all 108 fundamental mysteries of the laws of time?

Yu Duan knew at once how difficult that would be.

Fully comprehending the fundamental mysteries of the laws of time would count as a high level of law comprehension even among undying commanders.

If a universe-level being had that level of law comprehension, they would be able to pass the legendary universe-level Primal Heavenly Mountain.

Only someone with talent of that caliber would catch the attention of a great being who surpassed the universe lords.

Seeing Yu Duan actually begin to ponder the matter, King Qinghuan couldn't help laughing.

"My boy, don't reach too high. You have good talent, but geniuses of that caliber appear only once every tens of millions—or even hundreds of millions—of eras across all of humanity."

Heeding King Qinghuan's advice, Yu Duan bowed slightly. "Don't worry, Teacher. I won't reach too high. I just wanted to understand how difficult it is."

Hearing this, King Qinghuan nodded in satisfaction.

He had always been very pleased with Yu Duan's temperament.

"The genius tournament is almost here. Is there anything you need or any plans you have? I can help you prepare."

His youngest disciple had rarely asked him for anything. With the genius tournament approaching, King Qinghuan had come to ask him himself.

"Plans..."

Yu Duan's eyes shifted. After a moment, he cupped his hands and said, "Teacher, I plan to go home for a visit. After this genius tournament, I don't know how many years it'll be before I can return."

Yu Duan wasn't entirely without affection for Origin Star.

But for someone who had been reborn in another world with memories of a past life, it was difficult to regard Origin Star—a place where he had lived for only a dozen years and had no parents or relatives—as his true home.

The next time Yu Duan returned to Origin Star might be thousands, or even tens of thousands, of years later.

By then, there wouldn't be many people left on Origin Star whom he knew.

The protagonist will get a boost during this trip home—a small opportunity, if you will. Feel free to guess what it is.