Comparison

"Those two devoted themselves to cultivation all day long, without a stray thought in their heads, sitting there like old monks deep in meditation. Their strength quietly shot up, steadily, and they never thought about any of that filthy, rotten nonsense!

Were they anything like you two? Huh?!

Did they chase me around every day asking for computers?!

Did they have so much time on their hands that they squatted on the ground playing with mud?!

Did they shamelessly ask for entertainment equipment the moment they broke through?!"

The more Xing Yao spoke, the more worked up and confident he became, until spittle was practically flying from his mouth. He pointed at the two clones before him, who had let their breakthroughs go straight to their heads, his tone heavy enough to smash a crater into the ground:

"Now take a good look at yourselves!

One of you-Clone No. 1! You never did an honest day's work. Whenever you got bored out of your mind, you played with mud. You'd barely drained me dry of resentment points before you turned around and dared to ask me for a computer to play games. Where's your shame? Your dignity? Your original aspiration as a cultivator?

And the other-Clone No. 3! I thought you were so aloof, so composed, so dependable, but what happened? You'd barely fused with the earth element origin law, your seat wasn't even warm yet, and the first thing out of your mouth was, 'Buy a few computers. I want to play too.' Your aloof persona shattered more thoroughly than shards of glass!

All you two ever think about is eating, drinking, having fun, and killing time! You haven't got a shred of initiative when it comes to cultivation! Not a shred of the self-discipline a powerhouse should have!

Both of you need to learn from Clone No. 2 and Clone No. 4! See what focus means! What hard work means! What a truly gifted contender looks like!"

Xing Yao's words rang out with resounding conviction, his momentum surging like a rainbow, stirring the heart and soul!

All his earlier embarrassment, frustration, and stifled anger vanished like smoke at that moment. He felt as though he had instantly reclaimed every scrap of prestige belonging to the original, and he was positively floating. All that was missing was for him to plant his hands on his hips and throw back his head in laughter.

But who could have imagined-

Heaven's wheel turned in due course; who had the heavens ever spared!

The face-slapping came faster than lightning!

Just as Xing Yao stood with his hands behind his back, swaggering so much that his nostrils practically pointed at the sky, convinced he held an absolute advantage and was about to pull off a perfect comeback kill, the entire mental world suddenly shook with a thunderous tremor, without the slightest warning!

"Rumble-!!"

Although this tremor was not as wild and overbearing as Clone No. 3's breakthrough, it was gentler and more concentrated. Like a clear spring gushing from underground, like rivers flowing into the sea, an aura of law that was supremely pure, restrained to the utmost, yet incomparably weighty swept through the entire mental space before anyone could cover their ears against the thunder!

The energy in the air surged wildly. Gentle ripples spread across the previously calm void, and even the distant energy clouds began to rise and fall softly.

Clone No. 1 and Clone No. 3, who had been scolded so badly by Xing Yao that they could not lift their heads, snapped their heads up almost reflexively. Both pairs of eyes turned toward the same direction, filled with shock, surprise, and a hint of... anticipation from spectators who never minded a bigger spectacle.

And Xing Yao's face, so smug and high-spirited just moments before, froze solid!

The finger he had extended in midair to lecture them remained pointing. He stood utterly motionless, as though a bolt of heavenly lightning had struck him and a supreme immobilization spell had been cast on him. His pupils contracted wildly, and the smugness drained from his face at a visible speed, replaced bit by bit with utter astonishment, stiffness, and an ominous premonition.

Stiffly, slowly, mechanically, he turned his head-

There stood Clone No. 2, whom he had just praised to the skies as an unparalleled model of diligence, the very pinnacle of positive examples. An exquisitely soft layer of pale golden radiance was slowly rising around the clone!

Fine patterns of law, flowing like water and lustrous as jade, gently circulated and flickered across the clone's skin. That previously steady aura now shot upward like a rocket, soaring wildly at a speed visible to the naked eye!

Steadily, smoothly, without the slightest obstruction or bottleneck, it shot straight through the shackles of the first tier with a swish!

There was no earth-shaking roar, no flashy phenomenon.

Yet the second-tier pressure of a successful breakthrough was clear, real, weighty, and beyond doubt!

At this most embarrassing, most devastating, most face-slapping moment, Clone No. 2-

Had! Also! Broken! Through! To! The! Second! Tier!

But it was not over yet!

Almost in the very same second!

Beside Clone No. 2, Clone No. 4, who had remained silent and low-key all along and had also been held up by Xing Yao as an example, suddenly erupted with brilliant light of law!

That aura surged explosively, patterns encircled the clone's entire body, and power climbed higher and higher!

Clone No. 4 followed close behind, breaking through to the second tier at the same time!

Two lights of breakthrough bloomed together, one gentle and one steady, one tranquil and one concentrated,

Clone No. 2 and Clone No. 4 had both broken through!

Gentle yet steady power of law slowly spread outward, making the entire mental world even more stable.

The two slowly opened their eyes, their gazes clear as water, untainted by a single speck of dust. Their entire bodies had already fused perfectly with their respective origin laws, their auras restrained yet unfathomable.

Xing Yao: "..."

His mouth hung slightly open, wide enough to fit an egg, yet he could not force out so much as half a word.

The confidence, pride, smugness, and authority on his face were Utterly! Gone!

All that remained was astonishment and stiffness, so full they were about to overflow, along with the suffocating sense of imminent catastrophe.

One second, he had been praising Clone No. 2 and No. 4 as peerless paragons of diligence.

The next, both had broken through right where they stood, their strength crushing his, the original's.

Well, this was just great.

Clone No. 1-second-tier breakthrough.

Clone No. 3-second-tier breakthrough.

Clone No. 2 and No. 4-both had broken through to the second tier!

Four clones, every last one had broken through!

And he-Xing Yao, the genuine, bona fide original!

Was still marching in place.

But who was Xing Yao?

The original's dignity could not be lost!

Even if the sky fell, he still had to keep up appearances!

He forcibly suppressed the emotion in his heart that was on the verge of collapse, forcibly inflated his confidence once more, and straightened his back again. Pointing at Clone No. 2 and Clone No. 4, who had just broken through together and now carried a cool, aloof air, he continued loudly berating Clone No. 1 and Clone No. 3, his voice carrying a trace of confidence he had forced himself to feign:

"Open your eyes wide and take a good look!!

Look at how Clone No. 2 and Clone No. 4 behave!

The moment they broke through, their first priority was to quiet their minds, stabilize their realms, and consolidate their cultivation. Not a single stray thought, let alone asking for computers or playing games!

Now look at you two embarrassments!

Clone No. 3, you started thinking about playing the moment you broke through! Your skin's thicker than a city wall!

Clone No. 1, you loaf around all day, either playing with mud or asking for computers. You haven't got a single ambition!

It's like heaven and earth! You're worlds apart!"

The more Xing Yao spoke, the more forceful he became, and the more he felt he was in the right. He was just about to press his advantage, firmly establish the original's authority, and lecture these two clones into complete submission.

Just then-

Clone No. 2 and Clone No. 4, their bearing cool and their manner composed after their breakthroughs, suddenly stepped forward at the same time and calmly walked toward Xing Yao, one step at a time.