Replica Clone
The goateed cultivator stared in astonishment for a few breaths, then smiled contemptuously. "I don't care how you saw that my actual cultivation is at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer. That bottle of Spiritual Qi is mine, no matter what!"
Without another word, the goateed man lightly stamped his left foot and vanished underground.
The desert within a three-li radius immediately became like a swamp, its surface rippling constantly like water and sinking underfoot.
Tang Yuan, who was having trouble keeping his footing, frowned slightly. He immediately threw out eight iron-colored talismans and set up the [Eight Trigrams Earth-Fixing Formation].
Blade held crosswise, Tang Yuan stood tall in the center of the formation.
Whoosh!
Before the sound reached Tang Yuan's ears, the goateed man was already in front of him, blade raised.
Tang Yuan immediately raised a Golden Light Shield and held his blade crosswise to block.
But the goateed man did not attack at all. He merely feinted with his blade, then immediately withdrew and vanished into the sand again.
Whoosh!
The goateed man attacked again, and Tang Yuan swung his blade again, only to cut nothing.
Whoosh!
The goateed man attacked yet again, and once more Tang Yuan cut through empty air...
When the [Eight Trigrams Earth-Fixing Formation] lost its effect, Tang Yuan had no choice but to throw out more talismans and set it up again...
This went on for nearly half an hour, with Tang Yuan swinging his blade at empty air.
Every time, the goateed man merely feinted and vanished into the sand, using up very little strength.
By now, however, Tang Yuan was panting slightly, and his blade had grown sluggish.
He had no choice. He had to keep his Golden Light Shield active the whole time.
Unable to tell whether the goateed man's attacks were real or feints, Tang Yuan had to put all his strength into every swing.
As this went on, he used up a great deal of strength and True Qi.
"Pfft!" Tang Yuan spat blood again and dropped to one knee, panting as he propped himself up with his blade.
The goateed cultivator emerged from the sand again and smiled faintly. Sure enough, it was better to be careful.
This Devil Cultivator managed to kill someone at the third layer of Qi Refining while he was only at the first. He might have some kind of finishing move.
He was injured and spat blood just now at the Purple Moon Lake Market, and now he's spat blood again. It looks like he's nearly exhausted both his True Qi and his strength.
It's time to send him to hell.
"You cowardly rat, you look like a body cultivator.
Do you dare fight your Grandpa Tang for three hundred rounds, with real blades and spears?" Tang Yuan steadied himself, removed the little dark spoon hanging around his neck, and glared at him.
The goateed man looked at Tang Yuan, who could barely stand, and sneered. "No need. One round will be enough.
Let me show you how formidable a body cultivator of the Golden Sand Sect is!"
The goateed man dropped the treasured blade in his hand, golden light spreading over his body as he raised his fists and charged at Tang Yuan.
"What shitty Golden Sand Sect? Let's see how hard your Grandpa Tang's fists are!" Tang Yuan also dropped the devil blade in his hand and charged with his fists raised.
The two collided like bolts of lightning.
Tang Yuan threw a punch, but the goateed man tilted his head and made him hit nothing.
"Body cultivators really are skilled at close combat," Tang Yuan said with a cold snort.
"You flatter me." The goateed man punched out.
Pfft!
With that single punch, Tang Yuan's chest was pierced through.
Their faces pressed together, the goateed man grinned viciously. "My punch was reinforced with True Qi. Even if you Devil Cultivators have the Blood Healing Technique,
that wound won't heal anytime soon."
"I don't know the Blood Healing Technique...
But you fell for it." Tang Yuan wrapped both arms around the goateed cultivator and leaned in for a kiss.
"Fuck you!
Don't you Devil Cultivators care about gender when you practice yin-yang dual cultivation?
Damn it!
Disgusting!..." The goateed man was so disgusted that he forgot for a moment to use his spiritual power to shake Tang Yuan off and merely struggled desperately.
"Stop struggling. The more you struggle, the more excited I get." Tang Yuan gripped the goateed cultivator's head with both hands.
Watching Tang Yuan's lips draw closer, the goateed cultivator broke out in goosebumps all over, but he also remembered to use his True Qi.
Before the goateed cultivator could circulate his True Qi, however, Tang Yuan spat out a blood-red bead the size of a chicken egg.
The goateed man recognized it: this was some kind of [Blood Skeleton Technique Lightning] from the Devil Sects. It could directly drain a cultivator's flesh and blood, reducing him to a pile of broken bones.
Even though he was a body cultivator with copper sinews and iron bones, facing the bizarre [Blood Skeleton Technique Lightning] at such close range meant certain death.
Specks of purple light were already flashing on the [Blood Skeleton Technique Lightning].
It was about to explode!
Tang Yuan held the goateed cultivator in a death grip. Even if he broke free, he would still be caught in the blast.
A Devil Cultivator was a Devil Cultivator after all, choosing to perish together with his enemy to keep anyone else from reaping the benefits.
The goateed man smiled faintly and frowned slightly. A small pinch of golden sand flew out from between his brows.
The golden sand swiftly enveloped the goateed cultivator's entire body.
?
What was that?
As Tang Yuan wondered, the [Blood Skeleton Technique Lightning] exploded.
Sizzle!
Bang!
Tang Yuan turned into a skeleton and fell stiffly to the ground.
The goateed cultivator, however, was not seriously injured, though he was covered in blood and his splendid clothes had been reduced to rags.
"Devil Cultivators really are vicious!" The goateed cultivator immediately went to pick up the Storage Bag Tang Yuan had dropped, but he could not open it.
Could the Devil Cultivator still be alive?
Had the one who died just now been Tang Yuan's clone?
Impossible. As a body cultivator, the goateed man could feel every punch strike flesh, and he was certain that the one who had just died was Tang Yuan's true body.
It definitely was not a clone formed from Spiritual Qi, nor was it a flesh puppet.
Only upon reaching Foundation Establishment could one possibly split off a short-lived clone.
Clearly, Tang Yuan had not reached Foundation Establishment, and the one who had held the goateed man just now was no ordinary clone, either.
Before the goateed man could puzzle it out, Tang Yuan suddenly flew out of the little dark spoon on the ground, a blade in each hand.
Clang!
Clang!
With the two blades in his hands, Tang Yuan struck from left and right, intending to slice the goateed cultivator into three pieces.
But the devil blade aimed at the goateed man's neck snapped cleanly in two, while the one aimed at his waist only managed to sever his right hand.
"Ah!" The goateed man howled in pain and jumped back several dozen zhang.
"A body cultivator's head, neck, and upper body really do have iron bones and copper sinews. They're hard to cut through." Tang Yuan cast aside his devil blades in disappointment, put the little dark spoon back on, and picked up the goateed cultivator's severed arm.
The goateed cultivator looked at the white skeleton on the ground, then at the very much alive Tang Yuan opposite him, momentarily baffled.
"Stop thinking about it. You won't figure it out.
I'll tell you the truth. The one who turned into a skeleton was called Tang Jia. He was a perfect copy of me, Tang Yuan. You can also call him a [Replica Clone].
I have another thousand Replica Clones like him in this little spoon.
Hurry over here and stretch out your neck so I can chop it." Tang Yuan smiled contemptuously.
[Tang Yuan, would it kill you not to brag?
We agreed that although I can use [dragon skeleton jade mud] to make countless Replica Clones of you,
every Replica Clone I make costs you a portion of your lifespan.
Besides, as you are now, you can only fully control one Replica Clone at a time.] The Earth Flood Dragon's voice came from the Mystic Spoon into Tang Yuan's ear.
"I'm just trying to scare this goateed fellow into surrendering without a fight, to save myself the trouble.
I really didn't expect that after using up a replica body I traded ten years of my lifespan for, I'd only manage to wound him lightly.
That golden sand that flew out from between his brows just now must be a treasure too," Tang Yuan transmitted to the Mystic Spoon.
"Fellow Daoist Tang, I'm Zhang Yang of the Golden Sand Sect, the sect leader's son.
Everything just now was a misunderstanding. As they say, you don't get to know someone until you've fought them.
As long as you return my severed hand,
we can become sworn brothers right away.
If you trust me, come back to the Golden Sand Sect with me.
A wisp of fourth-grade upper-tier Spiritual Qi is worth around four thousand Spirit Stones.
I'll have my father buy that bottle of Spiritual Qi for five thousand Spirit Stones.
As for all the restrictions, we can discuss them." The goateed cultivator made a gesture of respect with one hand. He really was somewhat worried that Tang Yuan had more than one Replica Clone.
Body cultivators below Foundation Establishment did not have the self-healing cultivation methods of Devil Cultivators,
but as long as their heads were not cut off and at least thirty percent of their bodies remained,
their other organs and limbs could all be reattached or transplanted using a sect's secret techniques.
But no matter how good a transplanted organ or limb was, it was never as good as reattaching one's original.
That was why Zhang Yang was so desperate to get his severed hand back.
"Forget becoming sworn brothers. If you're willing to be my grandson, I can consider giving your severed hand back." Tang Yuan smiled contemptuously and tossed Zhang Yang's severed hand into his own Storage Bag.
"You've gone too far!
Do you think I'm really afraid of you?
This is the desert. I have an earth Spirit Root, and I'm at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer.
Even if you really do have a thousand Replica Clones, I'm not afraid. I'll smash every one of them into meat paste!" Zhang Yang roared in fury and burrowed underground again.
Bang!
Zhang Yang flew out of the sand and punched at Tang Yuan.
Tang Yuan gripped his blade with both hands and chopped down with all his might.
Clang!
Sparks flew, and Zhang Yang burrowed into the sand again.
Bang!
Clang!
The two fought for nearly another half hour. Zhang Yang grew fiercer as the battle went on, while Tang Yuan gradually began to struggle.
The devil blade in Tang Spoon's hand could not break through the body cultivator Zhang Yang's defenses at all, while the blade itself had been notched more than a hundred times.
Even when he was struck, Zhang Yang did not lose a hair.
But if Zhang Yang landed a single punch, Tang Yuan's true body would surely be finished.
Zhang Yang had also used a Law Technique to send yellow sand flying through the sky. The sand contained Spiritual Qi, making it impossible for Tang Yuan to determine the direction of Zhang Yang's attacks with either his eyes or his Divine Sense.
Several times already, Zhang Yang's iron fists had brushed past his face.
[Tang Yuan, if this drags on, you might be finished.
I don't want you dying so early. If you do, my investment will have gone down the drain.
Twenty percent. I only want twenty percent of that bottle of [great kun moonlight], plus Zhang Yang's soul.
If you agree, I'll step in and save you.] The Earth Flood Dragon's voice came from the Mystic Spoon into Tang Yuan's ear again.
"Ptoo, ptoo..." Tang Yuan spat the sand out of his mouth and shouted, "I agree! I agree!"
"Tang Yuan, you agree to give my severed hand back?" Zhang Yang's figure was hidden in the sandstorm.
"To hell with you! I agreed to kill you!" Tang Yuan said with a contemptuous smile.
"You!
Fine...
Tang Yuan, prepare to die." Zhang Yang roared and circulated True Qi into his left fist, intending to punch Tang Yuan to death.
The instant Tang Yuan turned his head, Zhang Yang's left fist was already inches from his head.
Bang!
A tremendous bang rang out beside Zhang Yang's ear, but he did not see Tang Yuan's head shatter.
"Ah!" Zhang Yang felt a sharp pain in his chest and looked down. A huge black claw had pierced through it...