Chapter 154: The Real and Fake Lu Chen

"Reverse Execution of the Three Corpses? I've heard grandpa mention that secret manual. It's said to be powerful enough to transform a cultivator's body into a saintly vessel."

Nantian Wan'er frowned as she studied the manual in her hands. "But wasn't this supposed to be lost long ago? The Nantian Sect doesn't even have fragments of it. Where did you find it?"

The first avatar replied gently, "I brought it out from the small world. I awakened my mind earlier than the others. A few days ago, while you were away in battle, I reviewed every manual I could find in there. By my reckoning, it's been nearly two years.

"I've spent a full year studying this manual and am only now beginning to grasp its entry-level teachings."

He slowly sat cross-legged, and a faint image of his Divine Psyche Incarnation emerged behind him. "Strictly speaking, the three of us correspond to the Three Corpses. I am the Self Corpse. The other two are the Good Corpse and the Evil Corpse, each shaped by different obsessions and facets of the Original's mind."

"

Ah...

I understand now," Nantian Wan'er said as she gazed at the manual, gradually piecing together the distinctions among the three avatars. "Have you told Lu-gege any of this?"

"The Original already knows," the avatar answered. "We are one entity. Any insight gained by one of us is immediately shared with all."

"That's a relief," Nantian Wan'er's lips curved into a gentle smile. "Lu-gege, you really are extraordinary. Even my brother can't compare to you when it comes to talent."

The avatar chuckled. "The Original has already studied the manuals on the first floor. It's time for us to move up as well."

He raised a hand and tapped the foreheads of Jun Laoye and Nantian Yijian. "They've mostly recovered. Let's wake them."

A soft green light of spirit qi flowed from his fingers, seeping into their veins. Color returned to Jun Laoye's face, and his eyes fluttered open.

"Wan'er? Is that you? Where... where are we? Ugh, I feel so weak, I can't muster any strength."

He tried to push himself up, but after being unconscious so long, his body gave out. The spirit stones he carried spilled across the floor.

The avatar noticed but didn't move.

"Brother Jun, we're safe now," Nantian Wan'er said softly. "This is the first floor of the Scripture Hall. The person here earlier was from the hall itself. Luckily, he knew Uncle Jun, so nothing happened."

"

Ah...

he knew Second Uncle?" Jun Laoye rubbed his forehead, gradually regaining control of his body. He squinted at the figure in front of him. "Is that Little Lu? But... something feels off."

Then he spotted the stones scattered on the floor. "

Huh

, my spirit stones fell. Little Lu, aren't you always fond of using them to trade for land? Pick them up. With these, you could buy thousands of acres."

He reached for the stones, but his arm shook too much to grasp them. He could only point and urge Lu Chen to collect them, not yet realizing this was not Lu Chen but an avatar.

"Fond of?"

The avatar stared blankly at the stones, utterly puzzled. He hadn't inherited Lu Chen's small quirks, so he had no idea why he should pick them up and use them to buy land.

The small world had allowed his mind to mature, but as an avatar born only recently, he lacked the habits and preferences of a human. He simply couldn't understand what Jun Laoye meant.

"Little Lu, why aren't you moving? You—"

Before he could finish, Nantian Yijian suddenly began trembling violently. His limbs shook as if he were reliving some nightmare. His hands clawed at the ground until he finally latched onto Jun Laoye's arm, and only then did he begin to calm.

Nantian Yijian jolted upright, his eyes snapping open with panic still lingering within them. "Boss... run!"

Then, seeing the avatar before him, his fear slowly eased. "Boss? Where are we? Has that black-robed Daoist left?"

"He left. We're in the Scripture Hall. The others have gone off to read," the avatar replied stiffly, his right hand resting behind him. "Since you're awake, we should join them. But before that... What does 'fond of' mean?"

"Alright, boss, let's go," Nantian Yijian braced himself against the wall, rubbing his back as he prepared to follow. "I don't see any wounds, but why does my whole body ache? Wait... where's Little Jun? Hasn't he woken yet?"

"I'm awake. Little Jian, hold on... I don't think that's Little Lu," Jun Laoye drew in a sharp breath and roared. "Heavenly Dao!"

He slammed a hand to the ground, sprang upright, and summoned a divine spear, leveling it at the avatar. "Speak! Who are you? Where is Little Lu?"

"Brother Jun, he is—"

"Wan'er, come here first! Don't let him deceive you!"

Jun Laoye quickly pulled Nantian Wan'er behind him. "Wan'er, do you see those spirit stones on the ground? Little Lu has always been fond of using spirit stones to bargain for land. If this really were him, his first move would be to pick them up, not stand here talking."

The avatar glanced at the stones again, his expression even more bewildered than before. "Again with this 'fond of'... what does it even mean? And why would I pick up your spirit stones?"

Hearing Jun Laoye's words and seeing the avatar's puzzled look, Nantian Wan'er stepped forward and picked up the stones. "Brother Jun, he really is—"

Jun Laoye cut her off. "Wan'er, we'll talk later. I need to subdue him first. Lightning Shock Sutra!"

He gripped the Heavenly Dao Spear in both hands and thrust it toward the avatar's forehead. Lightning surged along the spear, crashing against the barrier before the avatar. Yet even after doubling his strength, the spear didn't advance an inch.

Jun Laoye muttered in shock, "What? Impossible... How did the Lightning Shock Sutra fail?"

The avatar stared at the weapon, his confusion deepening. "What exactly is 'fond of'? Is it something you only feel by imitating the Original?

"You've grown stronger, Little Jun," the avatar said softly, catching the spear tip with two fingers of his left hand while mimicking Lu Chen's tone. "But look closely. Are you certain I am not Lu Chen?

"Green Sovereign Divine Tree! Hunyuan Greatsword!"

With a shout, the avatar summoned the Hunyuan Greatsword in his right hand and the Green Sovereign Divine Tree behind him. Dozens of vines burst forth, coiling tightly around Jun Laoye's legs.

Jun Laoye's eyes narrowed as he saw the familiar weapons and techniques. "The Green Sovereign Divine Tree? And the Hunyuan Greatsword? Who are you, and why do you have these?"

Still wary, he forced more power into the spear. Lightning reinforced his strike, driving it forward and ultimately managing to pierce through the avatar's defenses.

The avatar lifted the Hunyuan Greatsword, blocking the spear before it reached his brow.

The clash between the two sent sparks into the air. Nantian Yijian rushed forward and placed himself between them. "Maybe you're mistaken, Little Jun. Perhaps the boss simply didn't notice the spirit stones? He wields the boss's weapons and knows his techniques. How could he not be the boss himself?

"Wan'er has been with the boss all along. She must know whether or not that's him. Wan'er, don't you agree, Wan'er?" Nantian Yijian turned to Nantian Wan'er but received no response. "Wan'er, why aren't you saying anything?"

"No need to ask," Jun Laoye said grimly. "Even if I misjudge, my Heavenly Lightning Eye never lies."

A mark glowed on his forehead, and an eye slowly opened between his brows. "It doesn't matter if he can use the Hunyuan Greatsword and Green Sovereign Divine Tree. Weapons can be seized, techniques can be copied, but he can never imitate Little Lu's spirit."

"Still not convinced? Then what about this?" The avatar took a step forward, and the Innate Bagua Diagram unfurled beneath his feet. "Dao Art, Spirit Light Chains. Dao Art, Stone Wall Formation."

Chains of light snaked out, binding the Heavenly Dao Spear, while a small stone wall formation rose to seal it.

Jun Laoye felt the connection between his spirit qi and his spear snap. His expression darkened. "He severed me from my own weapon? Could this be Little Lu's second divine ability?"

Though he recognized the technique, he still refused to believe the figure before him was Lu Chen.

"Now do you believe me? If not, what about this?" The avatar let out a soft shout. "Wind Dragon! Return! Nantian Dragon-Slaying Sword!"

Wind Dragon turned into a streak of light as he returned to the Hunyuan Greatsword. Blazing dragon-shaped sword qi erupted straight from the sword guard.

"

Huh?

What's going on? Why am I back inside the sword?" Wind Dragon's phantom emerged from the sword and stared at Jun Laoye. "Little Jun, why are you pointing a spear at me?"

Jun Laoye quickly put back his weapon and bowed. "Wind... Senior Wind Dragon... Why are you with him? Could he really be Little Lu?"

"This must be what you mean by 'fond of'!" The avatar straightened his posture, testing the words cautiously. "Yes... This must be it. None of you noticed anything different about me earlier, right? That's what 'fond of' is, isn't it?"[1]

Jun Laoye's face twisted with exasperation. "What? You pretended to be Little Lu just to figure that out?"

He had never imagined being toyed with over something so trivial by the fake Lu Chen.

1. The avatar basically had no understanding of what "fond of" meant. ☜