In the airspace Heng had flown to before quickly flying away, the two Xuans had seen his arrival, as well as the person he was carrying on his shoulder. They noticed his arrival, but neither had any response, allowing him to speed off. However, the frequency of their attacks increased.

“Is that the trap you hid? A final killing move, a hidden bomb to be carried by Heng to Zheng’s main battlefield... a controlled clone Ming Yanwei?” Xuan frowned slightly. He had immediately know Heng’s situation when he flew over, as well as clone Yanwei’s. Although he could only unleash ten to twenty percent of the Bell of the East Emperor, it was enough for him to sense the space, time and energy within fifty kilometers. There was a mechanical controller in clone Yanwei’s brain. He had made one before, but it was an external model. It had been what he used to control and easily kill the original Hao Tian in Lord of the Rings.

Clone Yanwei having one in her brain meant that... clone Xuan had already taken her as a chess piece even before the final battle began. And the one who picked up this chess piece... was team China’s Zhang Heng!

Clone Xuan didn’t give a response, instead shooting power of faith at him again. He only spoke when this energy was stopped by the Bell of the East Emperor, “That’s what the final battle is. Everything is but a chess piece, so how could we chess players ignore using them? Or, have you been corrupted by feelings, my original, and are no longer truly me?”

Everything is but a chess piece, and it was better to lose a few than lose the initiative. Rather than to hold the pieces dear and seek survival, wasn’t it better to abandon them for victory? That was what clone Xuan had been doing from the start of the final battle. In comparison, Xuan had chosen an entirely different path...

“When clone Yanwei reaches the main battlefield, the controller will immediately execute the order you prearranged. Unprepared, Heng, a main combat force, will surely perish. At the same time, regardless of whether there are more of team team China or team Devil there, a chaotic battle is unavoidable. Team China will surely lose then. Truly, you are my clone...” Xuan sighed, his eyes closing, before suddenly opening, “I told you from the start! You lost from the start when you treated all of your team as chess pieces! People aren’t chess pieces, chess pieces aren’t people! My clone, you’ve lost!”

𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

“Is that so? Let’s watch with bated breath then, what exactly is the so-called feelings to you and I...”

What were feelings...

An opportunity to become strong?

Or the excuse of the weak?

***

“The time had come. Are you ready, my original?” Clone Zheng suddenly looked at the sky. The clouds were billowing as if the sky was about to fall. Although the two hadn’t used their full power, the power that had leaked out had already filled the Omnidirectional Samsara Formation up. This had resulted in the plot of ground they were, with a circumference of fifty kilometers, to rise several hundred meters into the air and thus forming a strange, upright, cylindrical pillar. The two Zhengs were battling on its peak.

Ever since Yinglong had laid the Omnidirectional Samsara Formation, clone Zheng had seemingly lost the intent to do his utmost in battle. He only defended, allowing Zheng to attack as aggressively as he wanted. He let the black flame be struck into scattering before it reformed again and again. His Light of the Soul seemed to be infinite as Zheng’s Instant Destruction was unable to break it no matter how awesome it was.

Zheng’s original intention had been to immediately enter Dragon Transformation, then use Destruction. His attack power would increase more than a hundredfold then, enough to break through the black flames. However, for some reason his mind kept recalling how his clone talked about ‘him’ and how the time hadn’t come yet. Although he didn’t know what those words meant, uncertainty had still formed in his heart. Thus, he hadn’t used that level of power yet, allowing the battle to fall into a stalemate again. It was only now that a tyrannical aura and killing intent burst out of clone Zheng like an erupting volcano. Although he didn’t take any action yet, the pressure made Zheng take half a step back involuntarily.

“You really are strong, my clone. What level had you reached?” Zheng inspected the half step he had retreated, before bursting out in laughing, “Don’t worry. I definitely won’t be losing to you regardless of how strong you are!”

“Is that so?” Clone Zheng looked silently at him, continuing after a long pause, “I haven’t reached the level of being transcendent and unfettered by emotion yet. Still, you’re not my opponent. Let me see it, what kind of power is supporting you. What kind of insignificant power are you using to block my way and fight me. Let me see it, that power of yours!”

“As you wish! THIS is my power!”

Flames rushed to the sky. The black flames were capable of burning all, and even the clouds seemed to be being incinerated. The team China members, including Wangxia and the just arrived Cheng Xiao, as well as the team Devil members, those who had tried to block Zheng, all saw the spectacular scene of flames burning the sky. However, the flames only persisted for seconds before an enormous force collided with it, scattering it. Then, there was another loud boom that shook all their hearts despite dozens of kilometers separating them from it.