Chapter 373: The Replica

Taking a deep breath, Tang San let his emotions gradually calm down.

With his current abilities, it was evident that he couldn't interfere with these matters yet.

Only by becoming stronger first, would he have the right to reach for these things.

He had already obtained the tokens from two Sacred Mountains; next were the others.

Tomorrow, he would visit the Crystal Palace.

Gu Li's encounter today had piqued Tang San's interest. As the strongest in the entire Ancestral Court and even the whole Daemon Continent, what kind of wonders could the Crystal Demon Emperor bring?

Tang San also wanted to see what would happen if he was replicated. Would all of his abilities be copied, or just a part?

Few climbers have climbed the Crystal Sacred Mountain, but if one could genuinely ascend it and arrive before the Crystal Palace, what kind of token would they receive?

Thinking of this, he had already decided to take a trip to the Crystal Sacred Mountain tomorrow and see his own reflection.

He focused his thoughts, gradually meditating, digesting the day's gains, and restoring his spiritual power.

Whether it was the Sword Saint Palace or the Celestial Fox Palace, the two days of climbing had been most beneficial for his spiritual power.

Spiritual power nurtured his divine consciousness, the most crucial aspect of all Tang San's cultivation. Only when his divine consciousness was truly strong would it become his trump card, allowing him to summon the power from his previous life when necessary.

Although he had only been in the Ancestral Court for a few days, Tang San already felt that this trip was worthwhile. Everything he saw, heard, and experienced gave him a deeper understanding of this world and brought him many benefits.

It seemed that he indeed needed to stay a bit longer this time.

As the first ray of sunlight fell into the room from outside in the morning, Tang San woke up gradually in the cultivation chamber.

His mind was serene, and everything seemed so incredible.

The divine consciousness at the core of his spiritual power seemed to become more refined, and all his spiritual power was denser and more solid.

If a powerful individual could see his sea of consciousness at this moment, they would find that the spiritual power had completely transformed into a viscous liquid, several times denser than ordinary spiritual power. His sea of consciousness had also become wider, with ample space for more.

In terms of intensity, his spiritual power was still at the peak of the ninth order, but in total amount, it surpassed the combined spiritual power of three peak ninth-order practitioners.

Such immense spiritual power naturally provided better nourishment for his divine consciousness.

Even though the conversion efficiency might be no more than one in ten thousand, Tang San was still pleased with it.

After breakfast, his companions were all in high spirits. The past few days of climbing had indeed been wonderful, despite spending a bit more money.

On their next departure, Wu Bingji and Cheng Zicheng still went to the Sword Saint Palace, while Du Bai could only go to the Celestial Fox Palace.

This time, however, Tang San and Gu Li got off the carriage in front of the Crystal Sacred Mountain of the Crystal Palace.

The carriage sped away, taking Du Bai to the Celestial Fox Palace.

Tang San looked up, gazing at the number one palace in the entire Ancestral Court.

The Crystal Sacred Mountain, where the Crystal Palace was located, was very tall, seemingly even taller than the Celestial Fox Palace. Clouds and mist hidden the upper part of the towering peak, making the actual Crystal Palace invisible.

Therefore, the real Crystal Palace could not be seen either.

The mountain had a hazy beauty, with a special kind of misty radiance that exuded a faint glow.

This glow was mysteriously diffused into the air, impossible to see through no matter how one looked. It was filled with a sense of mystery.

Gu Li was also looking at the Crystal Sacred Mountain before him, his expression somewhat complex.

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

To be honest, his gains yesterday were the least. He inexplicably lost and was eliminated, wasting ten naturae coins just like that.

At least, in his view, it was a waste, so he had been pondering all night how he could defeat a replica of himself.

If he couldn't even defeat himself, how could he continue forward?

"Let's go," Tang San's voice said beside him. Gu Li quickly followed him.

When the two arrived before the Crystal Sacred Mountain, guards naturally stopped them and collected the fee. As Tang San paid, he even felt a hint of pity in the guards' eyes.

Just then, a male who seemed to be from the Tiger Demon clan walked out with a look of frustration. His expression and eyes revealed that his previous climb had not been pleasant.

But this only made Tang San more curious about the Crystal Sacred Mountain.

He asked the guard, "Is it just as difficult for a Demon King-level expert to climb the mountain?"

The guard replied coldly, "According to the rules, all Sacred Mountains are the same. Demon Kings and above are not allowed to climb. Don't you even know this basic fact?"

Tang San honestly didn't know this. Upon hearing it, he said, "I see. We're from out of town and just arrived, so we weren't aware. Thanks for the information."

"Go on in," the guard said, not saying much more as he stepped aside.

Tang San and Gu Li had to pay twenty naturae coins to enter. At this moment, Gu Li was already gritting his teeth, clearly determined to beat himself no matter what.

"Senior brother Gu Li, relax a bit. Since the opponent you face has all the same abilities as you, their weaknesses will naturally be the same too. I think you should start from that angle. Only you truly understand yourself. While your mirror image may have the same abilities and might even use them more perfectly, it's still not you. It can't have as much insight."

Hearing Tang San's words, Gu Li's eyes lit up. "I think I get it now. Little Tang, you go ahead and start climbing. I'll stay here and think for a bit. I feel like I've figured something out."

He was naturally intelligent; otherwise, he wouldn't have grasped the mysteries of time. After Tang San's reminder, he had clearly caught onto something.

Tang San smiled and nodded, then naturally stepped forward. Soon, he arrived at the front of the Crystal Sacred Mountain.

Up close, the hazy, misty feeling gradually disappeared, revealing stairs carved like crystal. They were magnificent, and the refracted light from the crystal stairs was dazzling and mesmerizing.

Tang San naturally wouldn't be disturbed by the light. Focusing his mind inward, he stepped forward, already ascending the first step.

At that moment, his body suddenly trembled. Tang San clearly felt an inexplicable force approaching his body.

No, using the term "invade" was somewhat inaccurate. This strange energy didn't bring him any pain or impact. Describing it as a scan might be more appropriate.

Tang San smiled slightly. The Blue Silver Emperor's imprint radiated brilliantly in his dantian. Under his deliberate stimulation, the Blue Silver Emperor's brilliance covered his entire dantian, overshadowing the light from the other imprints.

Then he took the second step, stepping onto the second level of the staircase.

This time, an invisible energy descended from above. It was a mental force wanting to penetrate his sea of consciousness directly.

Tang San guarded his mind internally, causing his sea of consciousness to spin violently under his control. It emitted the aura of a peak ninth-order spiritual power, yet he prevented the energy from truly entering his sea of consciousness.

Then he took the third step, ascending the step that had blocked Gu Li's path yesterday.

In that instant, his body seemed to become transparent, giving him a feeling of complete exposure. Immediately after, the surrounding scenery underwent a dramatic transformation.

Tang San found himself in a unique space. The ground was made of sparkling crystal, and in the distance, everything seemed to fade into nothingness, making it appear that this space was boundless.

Looking down, he saw his own shadow on the crystal floor. Then, he watched as the shadow slid away into the distance, moving several tens of meters before suddenly standing upright, appearing right in front of Tang San. The shadow on the ground vanished.