Chapter 439: Infinite Clones

Chapter 439: Infinite Clones

Outside Elder Mountain in District 1.

As Lu Wu took a step forward, the previously timid and respectful elders suddenly launched their attack.

Their actions were not impulsive or haphazard; instead, they were calculated and executed with a meticulous plan for a sure kill.

Zhao Xuen and Zhang Mingrui, both Epic Rank 3 powerhouses, acted in unison. One sealed the space, while the other controlled Lu Wu's energy.

The combined might of two Epic Rank 3 beings was more than enough to suppress Lu Wu, who was only at Epic Rank 2.

At the precise moment when Lu Wu was most relaxed, he was caught off guard and instantly subdued.

Simultaneously, the remaining two elders struck as one.

One severed Lu Wu's arm, causing the refined Gateway Shard to detach from him, while the other directly attacked and destroyed Lu Wu's body.

This series of actions, though seemingly delayed, was executed in a single instant.

Lu Wu, who had just been in control, vanished in the blink of an eye.

This was the power of the four elders.

After all, they were among the Twelve Elders, standing at the pinnacle of the Alliance for over a century.

Their experience with conspiracies and life's trials far exceeded the grains of rice Lu Wu had eaten.

Such beings were not easily manipulated by Lu Wu.

Their previous submissiveness was merely a ploy to lure Lu Wu out, to shift the battlefield away from the laboratory, and to preserve Fei Yinghao's experience in refining the Gateway Shard.

Once Lu Wu was lured out, they swiftly dealt with him, as if it were a simple task.

However, as they watched Lu Wu's body dissipate inch by inch, the elders couldn't help but furrow their brows.

"Is it just a clone?"

This wasn't the outcome they desired, but it was within their expectations.

"A clone is a clone. At least the shard remains. If he had taken it with him, the consequences would have been unimaginable!"

As the elders spoke, their gazes fixated on the shard Lu Wu had left behind.

To be precise, Zhao Xuen and Zhang Mingrui, both Epic Rank 3 powerhouses, had a gleam in their eyes.

It was a glint of desire for the shard.

This shard was not unrefined; it had just been refined and held the power to grant a wish.

Possessing such an item could bring unimaginable benefits, and both Zhao Xuen and Zhang Mingrui wanted it for themselves.

But this was a delicate matter.

The two powerhouses stared at each other, hesitating to speak.

However, an unsettling atmosphere began to brew between them.

As they seemed poised to clash over the shard, the other two elders couldn't remain idle.

"I propose we use this shard to find Lu Wu. He's a major nuisance, and if we don't deal with him quickly, we might follow in Old Fei's footsteps," suggested the Fire Old Man.

"I agree!"

Zhao Xuen and Zhang Mingrui nodded simultaneously.

Their swift agreement relieved the Fire Old Man, but just as he exhaled, he saw Zhao Xuen and Zhang Mingrui simultaneously reaching for the Gateway Shard.

"I knew it, Zhao, you're all talk and no action!"

"You made the first move, don't play the victim!"

As they saw each other's actions, they cursed and struck out with their palms, one towards their opponent and the other towards the shard.

Just as the two powerhouses, who had worked together to subdue Lu Wu, were about to fight each other to the death, a sharp 'crack' reverberated through the air.

A mysterious force rippled forth, causing the elders to react with alarm.

Even Zhao Xuen and Zhang Mingrui, who had been focused on the shard, retreated cautiously, their gazes fixed on the Gateway Shard.

As they watched, the shard began to vibrate violently.

It was like a volcano about to erupt, an intimidating sight.

The elders' tension reached its peak, and just as it did, another 'crack' sounded, and the Gateway Shard shattered into a useless rock.

"What just happened?"

Zhao Xuen and the other elders were stunned. They rushed over to inspect the shard, and their expressions changed upon closer examination.

They had confirmed once again that the piece they had kept was not a fragment of the gateway but merely a worthless rock.

"How could this be? How did the gateway fragment turn into this?" Fire Old Man was utterly perplexed.

Zhao Xuen and Zhang Mingrui also frowned, deep in thought.

They pondered where the problem lay.

When did Li Wu switch the gateway fragment?

Suddenly, the two elders had an epiphany.

"There!" they exclaimed.

Without hesitation, they rushed towards Elder Mountain, specifically towards the laboratory.

"Old Zhao, Old Zhang, why are you in such a hurry? Have you figured out where the problem is?" Fire Old Man asked, following them with a puzzled look.

"The problem lies in the laboratory," Zhao Xuen narrowed his eyes.

"Do you remember how many people were in the laboratory?" Zhang Mingrui interjected.

Fire Old Man recalled, "Apart from Li Wu and Fei Old Man, there's also a group of breeding masters who are almost invisible."

"Yes, that group of breeding masters. Since Li Wu could disguise himself as Wood Old Man and infiltrate, it wouldn't be difficult for him to disguise himself as one of them."

"But isn't he already disguised as Wood Old Man?"

"Who said he can only disguise himself as one person at a time?" Zhao Xuen said coldly.

Fire Old Man suddenly understood, "You mean Li Wu created two clones, one disguised as Wood Old Man and the other as a regular researcher."

"Yes, while he was explaining his abilities to us, he secretly found an opportunity to hand over the Gateway Fragment to the other clone. Simultaneously, he used the Panorama of All Existences to mimic the aura of the gateway fragment, drawing our attention to the Wood Old Man clone while the other one seized the chance to escape!"

"Furthermore, I highly suspect that this last clone is not a duplicate! He's already deployed three clones in a short time. Even with his extraordinary abilities, there's a limit."

"This wave of cloning has taken a significant toll. It will take him years to recover, so I'm certain that the one in the laboratory is eighty percent likely to be his true self!" Zhang Mingrui's eyes flashed.

The other elders' spirits lifted upon hearing this.

They all understood what this meant; they had a chance to resolve the Li Wu problem in one fell swoop.

Hence, they rushed forward with even greater determination.

As they charged, they issued orders to seal off Elder Mountain. Not even a fly could escape without their permission. They were determined to keep Li Wu confined within.

They anticipated a challenging task.

At the very least, they didn't expect Li Wu's true self to be so easily found.

But they were wrong. When they reached the laboratory, they saw trembling researchers and breeding masters, and Li Wu examining various data reports in the center.

The moment they laid eyes on Li Wu, the group of elders was taken aback, but they quickly recovered, their eyes filled with caution.

Li Wu, on the other hand, remained calm. He even checked the time.

"Three and a half minutes, almost as I expected. I must say, your reaction time is a bit slow."

Zhao Xuen and the others' expressions changed, about to speak, but Li Wu put down the documents in his hand and turned to face them.

"By the way, I seem to have only introduced my Epic Power to you earlier. I forgot to mention my pet's Epic Power."

"In the 69th book, there's a look at the Epic Power of my pet.

Hmm, you should know about the process of creating clones, right?"

Li Wu's topic-hopping was a bit abrupt, and the elders struggled to understand how he could casually discuss his pet's Epic Power and then jump from that topic to clone creation.

Without waiting for them to comprehend, Li Wu continued, "Creating clones, in essence, involves two key elements: energy and spirit.

In theory, with infinite energy and spirit, one could create an infinite number of clones.

But this is just a theory; realizing it is extremely challenging.

After all, finding compatible energy materials is difficult, and the pain and damage caused by mental splitting are immense.

Hence, most Epic-level cultivators have at most one or two clones, and it takes years or even decades to create them.

Those with slightly more clones, usually no more than five, do so at the risk of diminishing their strength."

"But I'm different!" Li Wu declared, his voice echoing through the chamber as he looked up at the group of elders before him. With a toothy grin, he continued, "My Epic Power, the Panorama of All Existences, allows me to create clones from any material, no matter how useless it is. It's just a matter of using it for a shorter duration."

"My grandpa's Epic Power, on the other hand, grants me the ability to squander spiritual energy."

In other words, the precious clones that you value so highly are of little worth to me.

Creating clones above the Epic Level requires some effort, but for those below it, I can effortlessly create as many as I desire..."

As Li Wu spoke, his current clone began to collapse.

And in another corner of the room, Li Wu's voice echoed again, "I can create as many as I want."

This sudden shift startled Zhao Xue'en and the others, their faces turning pale.

But this was just the beginning. Before they could even process what was happening, Li Wu's figure changed once more.

"You know what this means, right?"

"It means that..."

"Whenever I wish..."

"I can appear anywhere, at any time, in any identity you can't even imagine..."

"By your side."

"It also means I'm beyond your grasp."

"And finally, congratulations, esteemed elders, you've made it into my little book."

"We'll meet again!"

With each sentence, Li Wu manifested a new clone.

In the span of a conversation, Li Wu effortlessly utilized nearly ten clones, leaving the elders of the Council of Elders utterly bewildered.

Especially chilling were Li Wu's final words, which even caused Zhao Xue'en and Zhang Mingrui, both Epic Rank 3 beings, to feel a deep-seated sense of fear.

They understood why Li Wu had suddenly revealed his trump card.

His intention was clear: to instill fear and doubt in this group of elders.

With countless clones and an indistinguishable simulation ability, it meant that anyone they encountered from now on could potentially be Li Wu himself.

The mere thought of this was enough to drive one to despair, let alone experiencing it.

"Seal the mountain! Seal it immediately!"

"Pass down the order, the Elder Mountain will be sealed to the highest degree. No one is to enter or leave without our direct command!"

Zhao Xue'en's final words left no doubt that the elders were in a state of panic.

...

Meanwhile, in the Changping Mystic Realm, within the Bone Burial Grounds, Li Wu's true self slowly opened his eyes. He rubbed his swollen eyes and couldn't help but groan in suppressed pain.

It had been more challenging than he let on to manipulate the elders so effortlessly.

The final act of switching clones consecutively had taken a significant toll on Li Wu. For a while, he would need to be more conservative with his clone usage.

Fortunately, Li Wu had accomplished what he set out to do.

"After witnessing that final display, the elders on Elder Mountain will likely be too afraid to venture out for a while.

Unless something unexpected happens, they should focus all their efforts on refining the Gateway Shard using the method I left them."

Indeed, when Li Wu returned, he didn't bother to erase the refinement method.

It was a simple task for him, a mere trifle.

Why erase it? Leaving it for the elders was a good idea. Li Wu was counting on them to refine the shard for him.

With the elders now completely under his control, Li Wu decided to be magnanimous.

He would not only leave them the refinement method but also assist them in refining the Gateway Shard.

Once they made progress, he would pay them a congratulatory visit.

Of course, if they were sensible and insisted on giving him the Gateway Shard, Li Wu would reluctantly accept it. But that was a matter for another time.

For now, Li Wu had a more pressing concern: the shard from Fei Yinghao. He had already obtained it, and within a day, it would be delivered to him, allowing Li Wu to resurrect Dudu.

Li Wu struggled to contain his excitement at the prospect of reviving Dudu. If he wasn't feeling unwell, he would have rushed to retrieve the shard himself...

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end