Chapter 2042: Entering the Maze
A Clone?
The people from the Imperial Beast Sect understood that Zhao Hai was using clones to attack. However, these clones weren’t made from the Clone Stage, but instead clones created using a clone technique.
To be honest, techniques like the Cloning Technique weren’t necessarily good things in the True Spirit Realm. So as soon as they saw the clones that were attacking them, the people from the Imperial Beast Sect felt that their lungs were about to explode. They never thought that they would suffer such heavy losses against a backwater technique like the Cloning Technique.
The leader’s eyes turned red. Just as he was about to go mad, he suddenly noticed someone near him being heavily injured by an Undead. HIs complexion changed. Then he took a deep breath to calm himself.
After calming down, the leader discovered that Zhao Hai’s clones were different from the clones created by other clone techniques. In the True Spirit Realm, clone techniques were divided into two. The first type was illusion clones. The clones created by these techniques would look like a real person. However, these clones were merely projections without any offensive means. If you attack them, the attack would only pa.s.s through.
The second type of clone technique created physical clones. These clones could attack people. However, their attacks weren’t very strong. They also won’t disappear like illusion clones.
However, Zhao Hai’s clones were neither of the two. Unlike the two types of clones, Zhao Hai’s clones were as strong as him. They could attack and their offensive strength was quite strong. This was the first time the leader saw clones that were this strong.
In addition to having a physical form, Zhao Hai’s clones could also be hidden, which was an ability that physical clones don’t have. Physical clones, once separated from the owner’s body, couldn’t be hidden. These clones would usually be on the side of the cultivator and act under their command. However, Zhao Hai’s clones could appear anywhere in the battlefield and attack people, before disappearing. Such clones weren’t seen before.
Lastly, the clones that were created by Zhao Hai’s cloning technique were very hard to detect using spiritual force. It must be known that the spiritual force of the leader wasn’t weak. Ordinary cultivators wouldn’t be able to get close to him without being detected. He could pinpoint the location of anyone within several kilometers. Even if someone suddenly appeared beside them, his instincts would immediately activate and move his body. However, Zhao Hai’s clones were different. His clones were very difficult to detect. It seems like the clones had a natural cloaking ability.
Now, the leader understood how his comrades got killed. Such clones were very good for sneak attacks.
The leader looked at Zhao Hai who was still being besieged. Zhao Hai didn’t look fl.u.s.tered at all, let alone showing signs of being tired. The leader knew that they would never be able to do anything to him. Not to mention Zhao Hai’s other skills, his clones were enough to cause a headache. The clones prevented them from using all of their focus on offense. At the same time, Zhao Hai’s defenses were formidable. In this case, it was impossible to do anything to Zhao Hai.
Although he was very unwilling, the leader knew that if they didn’t retreat at this time, more and more people would fall. When the time comes, even retreating wouldn’t be possible.
In the leader’s opinion, the reason they couldn’t deal with Zhao Hai wasn’t because their strength wasn’t enough, but because they didn’t know what cards Zhao Hai had. Therefore, they weren’t prepared. If they were allowed more time, then they might be able to complete their mission.
Thinking of this, the leader clenched his teeth and said, “Brothers, it’s time to stop. Zhao Hai, don’t be proud. Remember this day. I’ll make sure to return this disgrace twofold. Let’s go!”
After saying that, the people from the Imperial Beast Sect retreated. Similar to the Sword Hegemon Sect, Zhao Hai didn’t pursue them. He won without exposing too much of his cards. If he pursued and provoked the people from the Imperial Beast Sect, then he might suffer some losses.
In fact, the clones that the Imperial Beast Sect cultivators saw by the end were specifically set up by Zhao Hai. Although creating clones was easy, their offensive strength isn’t as strong as clones created from dao avatars. Zhao Hai did this to convince the people from the Imperial Beast sect that he was using clone techniques, not dao avatars.
Zhao Hai’s multiple clones were his ace, so naturally he wouldn’t expose it this early. He used his clones in this way so that the attackers couldn’t comprehend which was true or false.
Seeing that the Imperial Beast Sect cultivators have been hoodwinked and left, Zhao Hai let out a long breath. His face finally showed a weary expression. When he was fighting against the Imperial Beast Sect, he made sure that he seemed relaxed to fool them. Now that Zhao Hai was safe, he finally showed his exhaustion.
However, the weary look on Zhao Hai’s face quickly vanished. He took a deep breath and rushed back towards Maze Town. This time, he used a movement technique. Before long, he returned to Maze Town.
After returning to Pleasant Stay Inn, Zhao Hai walked inside and then went to the innkeeper. When the boss saw Zhao Hai, he immediately welcomed him as he bowed and said, “Mister has come back. This old man has been worried to death. This old man thanks Mister for his great kindness. Mister, please accept this old man’s bow of grat.i.tude.”
Hearing the innkeeper, Zhao Hai couldn’t help but smile faintly and said, “Boss, you don’t need to be polite. Actually, I don’t even need to make a move. That person can’t act unreasonable for long. After all, this is the territory of the Tyrant Blade Sect.”
The innkeeper smiled bitterly and said, “Mister might not know, although the Tyrant Blade Sect protects us, but the person just now left after the fight. The Tyrant Blade Sect won’t know where they went. They won’t be punished for hara.s.sing mortals like us. We encounter such things once in a while. But those people don’t dare kill people in the town. If they kill someone, the branch master will deal with them.”
Zhao Hai nodded, “It’s good that Boss is protected. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be heading to my room.” The innkeeper nodded and then led Zhao Hai upstairs to his room.
Upon returning to his room, Zhao Hai sat on his bed and controlled his breathing. He wanted to restore his peak condition as soon as possible. At the same time, he paid attention to his clone inside the s.p.a.ce. The dao avatar has already been condensed and is now being turned into a clone. Once this clone produces its own dao avatars and condensed it, Zhao Hai would have another clone.
Ever since he thought of this plan, Zhao Hai paid great attention to his clones. Zhao Hai knew that the better he cultivates his clones, the stronger he would be in the future.
Nothing happened in Maze Town in the next several days. However, more and more cultivators arrived in the town. Naturally, all of them were here to enter the underground labyrinth.
Zhao Hai spent most of his time in his room, cultivating. And finally, on the day before the auction for the underground labyrinth, Zhao Hai managed to create another clone.
With the creation of this clone, Zhao Hai now has three clones. In addition to his main body, this meant that Zhao Hai now has four bodies that can cultivate. Naturally, his cultivation speed would be significantly increased.
Only Zhao Hai could be so brazen to create three clones. If other people split their souls four ways, they would no doubt die.
However, after condensing this clone, Zhao Hai wasn’t planning to create another one in a short time. First, because he needs his soul to recover. Second, he needs to adapt to the feeling of controlling multiple clones at the same time. Otherwise, he would be left with a lot of clones without knowing how to make full use of its advantages. This would be wasteful. So Zhao Hai planned to take things slow.
While Zhao Hai was getting used to his clones, the bidding for the underground maze slots quietly arrived. This bidding didn’t happen in an auction room, but instead on the square in front of the Tyrant Blade Sect’s branch hall.
The square in front of the Tyrant Blade Sect’s branch hall was very big. Even ten thousand people wouldn’t be able to make it crowded. When Zhao Hai arrived, there was already a sea of people. There was a hum of discussion but the square wasn’t noisy. This was because the square was surrounded by two teams from the Tyrant Blade Sect. The two teams might only comprise 40 people, but they were disciples of the Tyrant Blade Sect. n.o.body dared to be boisterous and offend them.
Zhao Hai found a spot for himself on the square and looked at the branch hall of the Tyrant Blade Sect. The branch hall wasn’t big, but it had a decorative archway as its entrance. On the archway were the characters for ‘Tyrant Blade Sect, Maze Town Branch Hall’.
Zhao Hai looked around the square and discovered that most of the partic.i.p.ants were at the Clone Stage and the Soul Fusion Stage. Occasionally, there would be Rebirth Stage Cultivators, but they were few and far between.
At this time, a group of people came out from the branch hall. The person in front of the group was an old man. But he wasn’t that old, probably only 50 years old. Of course, to cultivators, you can’t judge their age from their appearance.
When the group reached the archway, the old man scanned the square. There were several thousand people present, it was a lot of people.
The old man gave a nod as he gave a happy expression. Then he said, “Everyone, I believe you already know the process. If you want to enter the underground labyrinth, there are only two rules. The first is that you must be under the Earth Monarch Stage. And second, you need to bid for the slot. Then I will no longer waste my breath. We’re accepting bids for the first slot.”
Just as the old man finished speaking, a voice was heard, “One hundred jade essence!”
“Two hundred!”
“Three hundred!”
“Five hundred!”
“A thousand jade essence!”
To Zhao Hai’s surprise, the bidding ended here. He thought that the several thousand people would fight tooth and nail for the quota. Who would have thought that people would no longer increase the price once it reached a thousand.
The Tyrant Blade Sect Elder was very satisfied with the price. He said, “Friend who bid a thousand jade essences, please come and get your token. Congratulations, you have obtained a slot to enter the underground labyrinth.” There was a cheer among the crowd. A cultivator immediately went to the old man. He handed a spatial bag to the old man and received a token in exchange. Then a cultivator from the Tyrant Blade Sect invited the man to the branch hall.
Seeing this, Zhao Hai knew that the person was going to use the branch hall’s transmission formation to enter the underground labyrinth. Zhao Hai didn’t think that they could enter the labyrinth the moment they paid for their slot.
After the man left, the elder continued, “The second slot!”
The crowd didn’t hesitate as someone announced, “Three hundred jade essence!”
Zhao Hai didn’t wait for the others to bid, he immediately shouted, “A thousand jade essences!” After Zhao Hai announced his bid, the crowd turned quiet. People turned to Zhao Hai with an angry look. Naturally, they were discontented with Zhao Hai ramping up the price so quickly.
Zhao Hai didn’t care. He looked around the crowd to see if there was anyone else who wanted to increase the price. But everyone kept quiet. At this moment, the elder said, “Friend who bid a thousand jade essences, please come here to take your token.”
Zhao Hai smiled faintly, then he went to the elder and handed a spatial bag. After the elder received the spatial bag, he gave a jade token to Zhao Hai. After that, Zhao Hai was taken into the branch office by a Tyrant Blade Sect disciple. Zhao Hai could see that the person who was taking him was an inner disciple. He had a blade token on his waist. Moreover, his strength was at the Earth Monarch Stage.
The Tyrant Blade Sect’s inner disciple didn’t speak a single word. On the contrary, his face had a proud expression. As he looked at Zhao Hai, he couldn’t help but let out a small laugh, but he didn’t say any word.
Sure enough, as he expected, when the two entered the branch hall, a row of transmission formations was seen. Each formation wasn’t big, just enough for one or two people. The inner disciple of the Tyrant Blade Sect pointed towards the transmission formation and said, “Enter the transmission formation. Remember, you can stay in the labyrinth as long as you want. If you want to come out, you can crush the jade token. Once inside, you will be responsible for your life and death.” Zhao Hai nodded and then stood on the transmission formation. The inner disciple immediately activated the formation and with a flash of white light Zhao Hai disappeared.
The next moment, Zhao Hai appeared inside a large cave. Seeing the cave, Zhao Hai couldn’t help but stare. This was because the cave looked much like the caves that had been dug out by the Bug Race. There were also plenty of transmission formations in the cave. There were even bloodstains on some of the formations. Zhao Hai’s pupils couldn’t help but shrink. He took his blade and then carefully looked at his surroundings.
At this time, a malevolent wind approached the back of Zhao Hai’s head. Zhao Hai dodged to the side, then he used his blade to slash towards the attacker!