Laws!

Xing Yao's heart pounded wildly. Without another moment's hesitation, he immediately sent a sharp summoning command beyond his mental world.

"Clone No. 2, Clone No. 3, return immediately!"

Two figures flashed into view almost instantly, entering the mental world one after the other and standing respectfully before him.

Without wasting a word, Xing Yao directly mobilized the enormous store of resentment points within him, turning it into two surging torrents of pitch-black energy and driving them forcefully into Clone No. 2 and Clone No. 3.

Vast resentment surged through them, scouring and reshaping the two clones' foundations as their energy levels soared.

In just a few breaths, two crisp sounds of breakthrough rang out simultaneously-

Clone No. 2 and Clone No. 3 had both successfully advanced to the first tier!

Exactly like the earlier transformations of Clone No. 1 and Clone No. 4, an invisible force instantly lifted the two figures into the air of the mental world, where the energy around them spun, circulated, and resonated wildly.

"Bang-!"

"Bang-!"

Two muffled booms erupted in succession, and the entire mental world jolted violently. Its spatial barriers thickened and strengthened once more, and the Law of Space became clearer and more solid at a visible speed. The whole expanse of heaven and earth seemed to have been tempered anew, becoming more stable and more vast.

Xing Yao stared fixedly at the two figures in midair, his breathing coming in frantic gasps.

He could already foresee what would come next-

Clone No. 2 and Clone No. 3 would likewise merge with this small world and gain the ability to resurrect twenty-four hours after death.

A truly undying legion of clones was taking complete shape before his eyes.

Xing Yao threw back his head and laughed-hahahahahaha!

His laughter was wild, unrestrained, and utterly exultant, filled with irrepressible ecstasy and arrogance. It echoed madly throughout the mental world, making the surrounding space tremble faintly.

His smile was outrageously brazen, domineering, and brimming with sinister menace. His eyes shone with frightening brightness, full of the confidence and ruthlessness of someone in control of everything.

In mere moments, he had not only mastered a means of reaping rewards by using resentment to duplicate cards endlessly, but had also raised Clone No. 1, Clone No. 2, Clone No. 3, and Clone No. 4 to the first tier in one go. Every one of them was now completely bound to this mental world, possessing the undying ability to resurrect twenty-four hours after death!

With every additional clone, this world grew a little stronger. The Law of Space became increasingly stable, and the embryonic form of a small world grew ever clearer.

From now on, no matter how powerful the opponents or how perilous the situations he encountered outside, his clones could run wild, charge ahead, and fight as recklessly as they pleased, without any fear of death!

Xing Yao laughed until his chest shook, brimming with high spirits as he looked down upon all around him.

Only today had the era belonging to him truly raised its curtain!

Xing Yao raised a hand and beckoned. His personal mask, pitch-black and adorned with ghostly blue patterns, slowly emerged from the depths of the mental world into his palm.

He gently put on the mask. Its black surface concealed most of his expression, leaving only his clean-cut jaw and the cold, sharp corners of his lips exposed. The dark-blue patterns at his forehead and beside his eyes shifted faintly, like dormant lightning or cold glimmers in the deep sea.

He no longer laughed aloud. Only a faint, cold curve lifted the corners of his lips, while the aura he radiated was steady, biting, and unfathomable. There were no ostentatious cries or overbearing expressions, yet every trace of his presence carried the certainty of someone commanding the entire situation, as though all things beneath heaven lay in his palm and every cause and consequence was within his grasp. Beneath the mask, his gaze was as still as an abyss. Though he stood motionless, the entire mental world submitted to him. The Law of Space flowed with his breath, and the clones stood with bowed heads, not daring to make the slightest untoward movement.

This utterly restrained presence was more oppressive than any display of arrogance, silent but deadly, its majesty arising naturally and inspiring awe at a glance.

Yet no entrance, however imposing, could escape that old saying-cool for no more than three seconds.

Three seconds later.

The power of laws within all four clones surged simultaneously and fused deeply. As though struck by a massive hammer, the entire mental world suddenly began shaking and swaying violently, with layer upon layer of spatial ripples bursting outward.

One moment, Xing Yao had been standing with his hands behind his back, his presence as deep as an abyss; the next, the shaking threw him off balance, and his body lurched half a step forward uncontrollably. He hurriedly reached out and clamped down on the black mask with blue patterns that was about to fly off, pressing so hard his fingertips turned slightly white. His other hand flailed blindly at the air before he barely managed to steady himself.

The mask was pressed crookedly against his cheek, half covering his eyes and brows and half exposing his taut jawline. His unfathomable presence from a moment ago shattered completely in an instant.

He slowly and stiffly straightened the mask, his fingertips brushing its edge awkwardly. He even gave a deliberate little cough and set his jaw, trying to act as though nothing had happened, though the tips of his ears quietly grew a little hot.

Meanwhile, Clone No. 1, Clone No. 2, Clone No. 3, and Clone No. 4 all turned their heads away in unison, their eyes wandering toward the empty space. Every one of them stood rigidly straight and silently recited in perfect accord:

Don't know him. I don't know him.

Clone No. 2 said steadily:

"Because the laws were reshaped, all our previous abilities disappeared. I awakened the dark attribute and can devise skills related to darkness. I only have four skill slots right now, since I'm only at the second tier. Each tier I advance will add two more empty slots for devising skills."

"All my previous skills are gone too. I awakened the dark attribute and can simulate any skill."

Clone No. 1, Clone No. 3, and Clone No. 4 also spoke in unison:

"Same for us."

Xing Yao froze on the spot, his pupils contracting sharply, his face filled with shock.

He had never imagined the clones would awaken such heaven-defying abilities. Xing Yao hurriedly used resentment to copy all the clones' skills over to himself. The corners of his lips rose involuntarily, and barely containable delight surged in his eyes.

Clone No. 1 said slowly, "I may know the reason. I can clearly sense that the Law of Space within me has formed an invisible barrier, firmly separating the peak of the first tier from the second tier. No matter how the resentment pounds against it, it can't break through. It seems that external power alone is useless for advancing to the second tier. We must thoroughly understand and completely master our own law abilities, allowing the law barrier to dissipate on its own, before we can truly break through and enter the second tier."

Refusing to believe it, Xing Yao used resentment points to raise Clone No. 2, Clone No. 3, and Clone No. 4 to the peak of the first tier in turn. But the result was plain: all the clones were stuck at the same point. No matter how he drove his power, he could not make them break through to the second tier.

After pondering for a moment, Xing Yao told the clones in a low voice, "In that case, stay here and focus on comprehending your laws. Don't interfere too much with outside matters for now. First, thoroughly grasp your own law powers and stabilize your cultivation."

Clone No. 4 immediately spoke up. "Then how're we gonna make money and earn resentment points?"

Clone No. 2 chimed in, "Yeah, weren't we planning to make our black-market stall business bigger and stronger and reach new heights of glory?"

Xing Yao said calmly, "What's there to worry about? I'll just make a few more clones."

He glanced at the resentment points remaining within him and immediately created two brand-new clones, helping them awaken their talents while he was at it. Then he asked, "What talents did you awaken?"

The two new clones silently examined their own power for a moment.

Clone No. 5 spoke first. "The ability isn't particularly strong. All I have is a powerful physique."

Clone No. 6 answered as well. "Mine's about the same. My talent is very ordinary, just basic strength amplification. No special abilities."

As Xing Yao looked at Clone No. 6, an image involuntarily surfaced in his mind: a person with his feet planted on the boundless earth, holding up the vast heavens with one hand, a Heaven-Opening Axe standing quietly beside him, his imposing presence magnificent beyond measure.

He shook his head sharply, quickly sorting out his tangled thoughts and suppressing that inexplicable image.

Clone No. 3 cut straight in. "You call that weak? A powerful physique! Once you reach the first tier and condense a law, that means a diamond-indestructible body, attaining sainthood through the flesh, taking attacks head-on with your physical body!

Then he turned toward Clone No. 6, his tone growing even more excited. "And you, Clone No. 6! That basic strength amplification looks ordinary, but once you pair it with a law, it means breaking ten thousand arts with a single force, exactly the same path as Pangu. And you still call that weak?"

Clone No. 5 and Clone No. 6 exchanged a look, both finding it hard to believe, and said in unison, "No way. Isn't that way too exaggerated?"

Clone No. 3 glanced at them with the frustration of someone disappointed that iron would not become steel, then said gravely, "What do you know? Laws aren't ordinary power. They extract the very core essence of your talents and draw out their full potential. Once you truly comprehend your laws, a powerful physique can become a diamond-indestructible body, and strength amplification can achieve breaking ten thousand arts with a single force. Then you'll know how terrifying they are."

Xing Yao looked at his dwindling resentment points and shook his head helplessly. "Forget it. There isn't enough resentment, so I won't raise your levels for now. Take over watching the stalls from No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 first. Ask them about the specifics of what to do next."

With that, he withdrew his consciousness and returned directly to the real world. Lying on his bed, he recalled the day's experiences, his mood rising and falling.

Just then, he suddenly heard a disturbance from the mental world, followed immediately by Clone No. 1's mischievous voice. "Hey, listen, guys. Just now, the original was over there trying so hard to look cool, and then..."

Xing Yao was struck speechless, but he did not bother taking issue with him. He rolled over and fell fast asleep.