Chapter 217

He pulled out a bamboo chair, sat down, and looked up at Xu Jintang with an inviting smile.

Xu Jintang pondered for a moment, quietly withdrew the spiritual power in his palm, regained his relaxed state, and walked into the courtyard.

There wasn't a trace of spiritual energy on the old man.

One possibility is that the other party genuinely lacks the ability to cultivate.

Another possibility is that the opponent's strength is so overwhelming that she naturally cannot perceive the opponent's specific strength.

If the latter situation occurs, Xu Jintang will likely have no chance of resisting and can only wait and see.

Xu Jintang walked to the bamboo table, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

The old man sat opposite her and smiled. Then, with a wave of his hand, a tea set appeared on the empty bamboo table.

Steam rose from the spout of the teapot, and the delicate aroma of tea was refreshing and delightful.

The old man smiled kindly, picked up the teapot, poured a cup of hot tea, and handed it to Xu Jintang, "Have a taste?"

Xu Jintang was somewhat surprised by the old man's ability to suddenly conjure objects.

Since the other party possesses such abilities, he cannot be an ordinary person. Therefore, this old man is likely exceptionally powerful and has completely overwhelmed her.

Xu Jintang didn't think much of it and took a sip of tea.

The rich aroma of tea quickly filled my mouth.

Then, a warm current flowed into her body, and her previously calm mental sea suddenly became active, and her mental energy began to operate automatically.

"My bamboo hut is always bustling with visitors. Every guest is incredibly hospitable and reluctant to leave." The old man took a sip of his tea and continued with a smile, "Look at this young lady, so young yet possessing abilities far exceeding those of her peers; her life is sure to be extraordinary."

Xu Jintang put down his teacup and looked at the old man. "He's alright, just an ordinary person."

"Would you like to experience the fun of my bamboo house?" the old man asked, casting an inquiring glance.

Xu Jintang paused for two seconds, "How do I experience it?"

The old man laughed heartily, pointed to the bamboo house behind him, and said, "You'll see when you go inside."

A few seconds of silence followed.

As soon as Xu Jintang got up, she stepped towards the bamboo house without hesitation.

Upon entering the bamboo house, the surrounding environment instantly darkened.

Then a familiar feeling of weightlessness washed over me.

Xu Jintang's body began to fall endlessly, and he didn't know how long it lasted before the feeling of falling disappeared.

At the same time, a figure that was both incredibly familiar and utterly unfamiliar appeared in front of her.

Chapter 217

It was herself.

A look of surprise flashed across Xu Jintang's eyes as she stared at the stranger opposite her who looked exactly like her.

Her appearance, demeanor, and temperament are completely her own.

However, under normal circumstances, it is impossible for a person to be in face-to-face contact with themselves for a long time, so the "Xu Jintang" opposite them is both familiar and unfamiliar.

"It seems you're surprised to see me." Xu Jintang across from her spoke with a smile, a hint of amusement in her expression, her tone and attitude no different from hers.

Xu Jintang quickly calmed down. "So, defeating you is the only way to pass this trial?"

"Smart, just as I expected." Xu Jintang smiled and praised from across the table.

The conversation ended, Xu Jintang's face turned cold, and without wasting any more time, he clenched his fist and struck.

Xu Jintang on the opposite side quickly raised his hand to block, and with a wave of his hand, he summoned a Ice Blade Storm that slammed down.

It turns out that fighting with yourself is a bit difficult.

All the moves and techniques are the same, making it impossible to know where to begin.

After several exchanges, Xu Jintang's arm was numb from the impact, and he was forced back several steps.

Xu Jintang on the other side didn't fare any better either, and was forced to retreat along with him.

The situation has reached a stalemate.

Neither side could gain the upper hand, but a winner would eventually have to be decided.

Xu Jintang took a couple of breaths, gathered his mental strength again, and his body shot towards the other side.

"Bang--"

This time, Xu Jintang directly mobilized the Power of Dragon Blood within his body, causing his physical strength and destructive power to surge.

However, Xu Jintang on the other side also activated the Power of Dragon Blood, just like her.

The two were tied again, neither willing to back down.

Xu Jintang, who had been repelled, bent down slightly, his hands resting on his knees, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Xu Jintang on the other side had the same reaction.

She rested for a moment, then slowly stood up, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Don't waste your energy. You can't beat me. How can a person possibly defeat themselves?"

After regaining his composure, Xu Jintang looked up at the opposite side and said, "So the reason why this level is so difficult for anyone to pass is because you have to overcome yourself?"

"Of course. Everyone who comes here is initially surprised, but ends up exhausted and desperate."

Has anyone succeeded?

Xu Jintang, sitting opposite him, paused for a moment, then smiled slightly, "Yes."

I will become one of them.

After speaking, Xu Jintang stood up again, his palms rapidly gathering spiritual energy.

A sudden downpour of snow and ice caused the air temperature to drop.

A cool breeze blew past my ears.

A massive Ice Blade Storm slowly formed before her, a faint mist of ice spreading around her, and delicate, small Ice Lotus emerged.

The entire area was instantly transformed into a world of ice and snow.

"Don't waste your energy. We both have ice-type abilities; your attacks can't defeat me," Xu Jintang said with a stern face.

"Who knows?" Xu Jintang replied calmly, then intensified his mental exertion once more.

The temperature dropped even lower, creating a chill that seemed to freeze everything around it.

The bone-chilling cold made one shiver uncontrollably.

Seeing that she was still persistent, Xu Jintang across from her also turned cold and began to activate his supernatural abilities.

The battle between ice and ice began instantly.

An aura of impending destruction emanated from the two of them.

Half a minute later, the two attacks collided, producing a piercing, sharp sound.

The entire area began to tremble from the damage caused by the explosion.

It was yet another clash where neither side gained the upper hand.

Xu Jintang's body kept moving backward, the shock reaching her chest, and a sharp pain emanated from within her body, followed by a faint taste of blood in her mouth.

Xu Jintang, sitting opposite him, also frowned, his face grim.

After catching their breath for a few seconds, the two launched another attack.

This time, the fight was even more intense, and the duration of the battle also increased.

Xu Jintang's spiritual energy began to be consumed rapidly.

After a full half hour, both sides had exhausted most of their mental energy, yet neither had gained the upper hand.

"I've already told you, you can't beat yourself." Xu Jintang on the other side mocked again, as if she was certain that she would lose today.

Undeterred, Xu Jintang regulated his breathing and attacked again.

As before, neither side gained the upper hand.

Round after round of fierce fighting gradually exhausted both sides.

Xu Jintang's patience was wearing thin.

"If this continues, we can only wait until both sides' mental energy is exhausted at the same time."

Undistracted, Xu Jintang focused intently on her opponent, continuing his rhythmic and sustained attack.

Each attack is a light tap followed by a quick retreat, which conserves energy and avoids being entangled by the opponent.

As the fight dragged on, Xu Jintang on the other side began to show weaknesses.

Sometimes her reactions weren't quick enough, and her counterattacks weren't flexible enough. Under Xu Jintang's continuous attacks, she began to seem a beat slower.

Upon realizing this, Xu Jintang smiled knowingly.

From the very beginning, she wondered if there really existed someone in this world whose thoughts and consciousness were completely identical to hers.

Not only are their strength levels and attack techniques the same, but even their thoughts are identical—isn't that a bit too overpowered?

So from that moment on, she began to speculate that the person opposite her who looked exactly like her might just be a figment of her imagination or someone else in disguise.

In fact, there will certainly be some differences in their thinking and judgment.

"When did you find out?" Xu Jintang, who had been forced back, coughed up blood. She clutched her left chest, her face pale, and stared at him as she asked.

Xu Jintang smiled slightly, "The first time I saw you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Jintang realized that his pretense was no longer effective.

For some reason, she felt relieved, then smiled slightly. When she stood up again, her body had returned to its original form.

Like a slow-motion movie, her facial features and figure began to change slowly until she became the white-bearded old man that Xu Jintang had seen in the bamboo house courtyard.

"Congratulations, you have passed my test." The old man smiled kindly and casually waved his hand.

As the old man waved, the surrounding scenery changed once again.

The pitch-black world vanished, and Xu Jintang returned to the lush, green bamboo forest.

A gentle breeze blew, blowing on her cheeks and bringing a refreshing coolness.

The old man reappeared, leaning back dignifiedly in the bamboo chair, his face still bearing that kind smile.

"Go, return to the real world you should return to." He waved his hand, his tone carrying a lingering, resonant quality.

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Jintang seemed to be guided, and his body turned around uncontrollably, walking out of the bamboo house courtyard and continuing to walk into the depths of the bamboo forest.

"Go, return to the real world you should return to..." The old man's voice kept echoing in my ears.

Xu Jintang continued walking blankly, not knowing how long he had walked, until it was almost dark.

Suddenly, a knocking sound rang out on the door.

Xu Jintang, who had been sleeping soundly, was startled awake and suddenly sat up in bed.

"The takeout is here! Is anyone home?!" A loud voice came from outside the door.

Xu Jintang rubbed his temples in a daze, opened his eyes, and looked around at his surroundings with a puzzled expression.