“Okay. So, let’s go over what just happened,” Tang Tiantian said.

The battle was over. Wu Jian and his group had emerged victorious and were now sitting in a circle, having decided to use what happened both as a means of taking a break and to discuss the battle. Wu Jian sat between Tang Tiantian and Lili Ling. Master Yun Chi was on the other side, and the other bodyguards in their group were arrayed between the four of them.

“First things first, those things we fought. Do we have any idea what they are?” asked Wu Jian. “I’ve never seen anything like those before. They looked just like the Master Ruong Cho’s bodyguards. Not only did they have the same likeness, but all of their skills were the same as well.”

Wu Jian was not the most well-traveled individual present, but he had seen a lot during his two years of travel since the Wu Clan’s destruction, and this was a brand new situation.

“This is my first time seeing something like this, too,” Tang Tiantian confessed. She had her legs crossed and was leaning forward, tapping one finger against her knee. “Here is what I do know. Those clones had all the skills of the originals. They were just as strong, too.”

“We can also assume the clones killed the originals,” Wu Jian said with a sigh. “That means they might be even stronger?”

“No… I don’t think that’s it.” Tang Tiantian tilted her head. “If these things are really clones, they wouldn’t be able to make them stronger than the originals.”

As he and Tang Tiantian continued talking in circles, Master Yun Chi sighed. That brought the conversation to a halt. Everyone turned to him.

“I believe I know what it might be… though I cannot confirm as I have never seen it for myself,” he said after a moment.

“What do you think it is, Master?” asked Lili Ling.

“It’s called Echoforge Essence. It is a mystical entity that has been described in documents, though it has not been seen for over a thousand years. They are magical beasts born in areas that are heavy with chi and strong emotions. Unlike most magical beasts, they are like nothing you can find in nature. Echoforge Essences exist as a confluence of arcane energy. They coalesce into a sentient force and possess the ability to manipulate the fabric of reality.”

Everyone listened to Master Yun Chi, leaning forward as though enraptured.

Wu Jian had never heard of a magical beast like this before. Most magical beasts were creatures based on animals. The difference that often separated a magical beast from a normal animal was the monster core inside of their bodies. This sounded like something else entirely.

“So… this Echoforge Essence has the ability to create clones by manipulating reality?” asked Wu Jian for clarification.

Master Yun Chi nodded. “Correct. It has the power to materialize tangible replicas of those who trespass in its domain. I do not know how it works. I don’t think anyone actually understands how it works. However, the historical documents I saw state that it takes the memory and likeness of those who trespass in its domain to create precise replicas that contain all the power and skills of the ones it is replicating.”

“That sounds like a troublesome foe,” Tang Tiantian said as she cupped a hand to her chin.

“If it’s created a replica of everyone within its domain, then that means it has also created replicas of all of us,” Wu Jian said.

“Oh. You’re right.” Tang Tiantian blinked. “I’m surprised we haven’t run into our own replicas yet.”

Master Yun Chi tilted his head. “I would wager our replicas are currently chasing after Ruo Chong and her apprentice. I suppose we should be grateful. I would not want to run into Jian Wu’s replica, if I am being honest.”

Wu Jian had the power to manipulate space, an esoteric and powerful dao that few people ever learned how to wield. It was this very dao that allowed him to fight against opponents stronger than himself. What’s more, he had many hidden abilities that none of the people present knew about. The idea of fighting against himself when he used Body of the Celestial White Tiger made him shudder with excitement…

“Jian Wu… is something wrong?” asked Tang Tiantian.

“No, I was just thinking this foe will be very troublesome to defeat,” Wu Jian said. He was so glad his mask prevented everyone from seeing his smile. He wasn’t sure he could contain it.

Fighting against myself. Isn’t that the perfect opportunity to see how strong I’ve become?

“So…” Tang Tiantian decided to get back on track. “Did that document say how we can beat this thing?”

“The only way to beat an Echoforge Essence is to destroy it’s body,” Master Yun Chi said.

“How are we going to find its body though?” asked Wu Jian.

“That’s the difficult part,” Master Yun Chi confessed. “This magical beast’s body is weak. Even a Hunger Realm cultivator could destroy it easily. It’s ability to create replicas is part of its defenses. However, it can also move freely within its domain.”

“It will be difficult to find if it’s constantly on the move,” Tang Tiantian muttered with furrowed brows.

“Does it ever stop moving?” asked Wu Jian. “I’m sure it doesn’t roam all the time. It has to stop and rest eventually, right?”

Master Yun Chi sighed and shook his head. “That I don’t know. What I just told you is all I remember.”

Every magical beast had a weakness and Wu Jian believed the Echoforge Essence was no different. Obviously, its greatest weakness was its body. However, after what they had been told about its abilities, that didn’t seem like much of a weakness. After all, it did not matter how weak the body was if they couldn’t even find it.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“It’s possible that it will stop moving after we defeat all of the clones it has created,” Tang Tiantian suggested.

Wu Jian nodded. “Creating clones must take a lot of chi. If we destroy all the ones it’s currently made, it might need to stop moving in order to charge up enough chi to recreate the clones. It’s also possible that it can only create the clones of someone who enters its domain once.”

“If that’s the case, defeating the clones will be the easiest way to resolve this.” Tang Tiantian paused. “By the way, what do you think happened to Master Ruo Chong and her apprentice.”

Master Yun Chi’s smile was decidedly vicious. “I imagine she’s not having a good time right now.”

***

Ruo Chong was not having a good time. Her troubles all started after she entered this maze. She and her servants had spent hours walking around in circles, and even after they realized the problem and solved it, their problems didn’t end because several clones of them had appeared and killed all of her servants. She and her apprentice had managed to flee. However, just as it looked like they might escape with their lives, more clones appeared.

And these ones were stronger.

“Haaah… aaaaahhh… why… why is this happening to me?!”

Ruo Chong wanted to cry even as she and her apprentice ran from the group of clones following after them. They were the members of Yun Chi’s party. While all of them were very strong in their own right, the ones giving her the most troubles were Jian Wu and Tang Tiantian. Those two had powers that put them in a league of their own. Jian Wu was particularly troublesome. He had the ability to instantly teleport to any area within his line of sight. Ruo Chong and Xaio Wei were already littered with wounds from barely missed attacks. The only reason they had even survived this long was because Ruo Chong was at the Realization Realm.

If I was even one realm lower, we would already be dead.

Ruo Chong was not a combatant. While she did have some self-defense techniques and a few attacks, she herself had no experience fighting. She spent the majority of her days locked in her refinement room, creating pills, and when she wasn’t refining, she was spending the night with her apprentice or some random man she had seduced. Even when she ventured out for ingredients, she never did any fighting. That’s what all of her manservants were for. Fighting was inelegant, or so she believed.

“M-Master… I don’t think… we can keep going on… like this…”

Xaio Wei was huffing and puffing beside her. Like Ruo Chong, he was not a fighter, and he was even weaker than her. He was only at the Deva Realm.

“Don’t talk! Just keep… running--”

It happened in an instant. Jian Wu appeared before her like he usually did, and she reacted with the quickness of a Realization Realm cultivator. She grabbed Xaio Wei and yanked him backward just as Jian Wu swung his massive greatsword. It would have easily cleaved through them both had it struck. She shuddered as the currents of air pushed against her body, but they had both avoided bisection.

However, now they were pinned down. Jian Wu stood on one side, his greatsword resting on his shoulder. Behind her was Tang Tiantian, Yun Chi, Lili Ling, and the four other bodyguards who had come with them.

It looks like we really have reached the end of our rope…

Ruo Chong was afraid. She was shaking like a leaf. This was why she didn’t like traveling to attain ingredients herself. She disliked fighting and hated feeling helpless. It reminded her of her childhood, back when she was powerless to protect herself and her family, when she had nothing but the rags on her back.

Long before she became a cultivator, Ruo Chong had been a poor girl who lived with her poor family. The only thing she had been blessed with was her good looks. Ruo Chong had been born beautiful. Everyone in the small village where she grew up had complimented her appearance when she was younger.

However, being beautiful was not always the blessing many might think it was.

Thinking about her family made her shudder. She still remembered her father’s touch as he undressed and abused her body, like a stain on her soul. The sting of her jealous mother’s slap was a phantom pain on her cheek. The abuse she had suffered at their hands was something she had nightmares about even now after centuries had passed.

Ruo Chong often wondered if that was why she had become so promiscuous. Perhaps she was trying to cope with what happened by attaining a sense of control over those she slept with, or maybe she just wanted validation and acceptance. She always felt better after seeking out a partner. Even if they didn’t love her, she enjoyed how they desired her, how so many were willing to do whatever she wanted just because she slept with them.

Is this really the end? I can’t believe I’m going to die here. Dammit. I never even… got to experience a real love…

Ruo Chong’s true feelings slipped out as tears spilled from her eyes. Yet before she could wallow in misery, Xaio Wei stepped in front of her.

“Master… I-I’ll clear a path for you, so please, use that chance to run…”

“What?”

Ruo Chong stared in shock as Xaio Wei. He was shaking like a leaf, clearly afraid, and yet, he was standing protectively before her and offering to sacrifice himself for her sake.

“Why would you do that?”

Xaio Wei looked back and smiled. “Why? Because I love you.”

Ruo Chong felt like she had been struck through the heart with an arrow. She had always known Xaio Wei adored her because he would do anything she asked him to. However, she had not believed his love for her ran any deeper than that of a master and apprentice. Certainly, she had not done anything deserving of his love. She taught him alchemy, but that was it. The only other thing she did for him was use him to satisfy her own sexual cravings.

He… loves me? Why? I don’t understand…

Ruo Chong didn’t understand why he would love her, nor the warm feelings that were currently rushing through her, but she understood one thing.

She didn’t want Xaio Wei to die.

“Get ready, Master! I can only create an opening once!”

“What? Wait!”

Ruo Chong stretched out her hand as Xaio Wei rushed toward Jian Wu. He had determined that a single opponent was better than multiple opponents, but it wouldn’t change the outcome. He would die. Ruo Chong wanted to stop him. She was powerless, however. It felt like he had suddenly stepped out of her reach.

Xaio Wei’s hands were lit ablaze with fire. They were pale purple flames. It was a type of Heavenly Flame called Violet Blaze Flames. They were low ranking heavenly flames and not very powerful, but they did have one unique ability, which was the power to transmute and transform matter. Anything enveloped in these flames would undergo a rapid metamorphosis according to the alchemist’s will.

But that meant very little here. Jian Wu had far more chi than Xaio Wei, so his flames would not work. She already knew this, which was why she wanted to stop him.

“NOOOOOOO!!!!”

Ruo Chong screamed as Xaio Wei tried to attack Jian Wu, but like she thought, it had no affect. He was kicked to the ground, pinned in place with a boot, and Jian Wu raised his greatsword above his head, ready to bring it down.

And just as she finished her scream, another figure appeared, one identical to the young man about to kill her apprentice. He spread his feet wide, lowered his body, and thrust out both fists. A loud sound like crashing thunder echoed around them as the Jian Wu clone was blasted backward. The clone dug his sword into the ground. It cleaved through the legacy tomb’s floor, but it eventually stopped his forward momentum.

Standing to his feet, Jian Wu summoned his own greatsword and set it on his shoulder.

“Phew. Looks like I arrived just in time,” he said with a chuckle.