Chapter Twenty-Six

Li Yu, not wanting that disgraceful moment to last any longer, quickly shifted his focus to something else. His gaze landed on the newly unlocked System features. Ding! Clone Archive has been unlocked. With a thought, Li Yu opened the Clone Archive.

He was honestly surprised by what he saw. The Clone Archive wasn’t some simple storage page. Instead, it contained a complete compound of information regarding his clones. Currently, there was only one clone listed within the archive.

Seeing the information connected to the calm-faced version of himself, Li Yu immediately decided to read through it. Clone Description: Born with an affinity for the Verdant Lightning Path, this clone is calm, composed, and naturally kingly in both speech and presence.

Unlike the Host’s reckless nature, this clone prefers calmness, absolute control, and carefully calculated actions. Its combat style is efficient, elegant, and terrifyingly precise.

Origin: In another world drowned in endless war and chaos, he was a king who spent his entire life restoring peace and order through calm judgment, precise power, and unwavering leadership. Just when his world had finally settled into the era of peace he had spent his entire life fighting for, everything changed. He was suddenly summoned across realities by a far more dangerous and mentally unstable parallel self.

Host possesses an innate bond and control over all clones.

Li Yu blinked once. Then blinked again. "Wait. Are these clones actual people?" Li Yu asked. The System replied almost immediately, as though it had been waiting for that exact question. Yes, Host. They are. Or rather... they used to be.

The System paused before continuing. The deeper workings of the System cannot yet be revealed. Host has not reached the required level of power. For now, simply understand that the clones were real individuals before becoming reflections connected to you.

And do not feel guilty about their current circumstances. Li Yu shook his head. "No, Sys. I think you’ve misunderstood me. I’m not upset that they’re stuck with me. I’m just shocked. I thought they would simply pop into existence. Poof. Like magic. Instead, they have personalities. They have histories. They even have their own origins." He paused briefly.

Then a grin slowly spread across his face. "Honestly? That only makes everything a lot more memorable." The System fell silent. Though Li Yu could almost hear it muttering to itself. I almost forgot Host is completely insane. Li Yu ignored it entirely. Instead, he focused on the rest of the information concerning his green-haired kingly clone.

There wasn’t much more written. Yet what little he discovered was enough to make him green with envy. As fate would have it, this clone had possessed an extraordinary talent for the sword back in his original world. In fact, he had been so talented that he was granted the title: Sword King. Not only that .

The green lightning surrounding the clone wasn’t ordinary lightning at all. It was something called Verdant Heavenly Lightning. A rare and terrifying power. According to the description, the lightning possessed absurd abilities.

Some of them even appeared to have a relationship with time itself. Time. The very concept alone made Li Yu’s scalp tingle. The more he learned, the more inferior he felt. Still... At the end of the day, it was his clone.

Li Yu glanced toward the green-haired figure standing calmly nearby. The clone had remained silent throughout everything. His expression was calm. Gentle. Almost amused. And at the same time strangely curious. Even the air itself seemed to respect his presence.

Li Yu groaned internally. Seriously. It felt like he was the inferior version. And that was extremely annoying. He immediately tore his gaze away from the clone’s absurdly handsome face and continued exploring the newly unlocked features. Soon his attention landed on another section. Synchronization.

The moment he opened it, he found something extremely interesting. Skill Unlocked: Mind Swap. Host may transfer his consciousness between himself and any active clone. Current limitation: 1-kilometer distance. Distance limitation decreases as Host levels up.

Skill Unlocked: Mind Connection. Host may communicate directly with clones through telepathic connection. Current limitation: 1-kilometer distance. Distance limitation decreases as Host levels up.

Skill Unlocked: Merge. Host may temporarily merge with a clone, combining both powers into one body. While merged, Host receives increased perception, enhanced combat instincts, greater mental processing speed, and a temporary increase in cultivation realm and combat power.

Skill Unlocked: Call. Host may summon clones regardless of distance. Host may also return them to their previous location. Distance limitation: None. That was all currently available. The remaining functions were locked. They would only become accessible after Li Yu reached higher levels.

For once, Li Yu wasn’t annoyed by the restrictions. Instead, his heart was pounding. Especially after reading the Synchronization abilities. Without wasting another second, he activated Mind Swap. Instantly, a strange sensation washed over him.

It wasn’t painful. Nor was it uncomfortable. It simply felt... Different. Like slipping into another set of clothes. Or stepping into another body. A wave of unfamiliar familiarity swept over him. Then suddenly... His perspective shifted. Li Yu opened his eyes.

He immediately realized something had changed. He could see himself standing several meters away. The original Li Yu stood there wearing only a battered pair of trousers. Nearly naked. Meanwhile, Li Yu could feel luxurious silk resting against his skin. Soft. Comfortable. Expensive. Very expensive.

A grin slowly appeared on his face. Or rather... The calm face of the green-haired clone twisted into a feral grin. "Yes. Yes. It works."

Li Yu couldn’t help smiling. He raised one hand. Immediately, strands of emerald lightning began dancing between his fingers. The energy moved elegantly from one hand to another. Swift. Controlled. Beautiful. And terrifying.

Li Yu’s eyes gleamed dangerously. Slowly, he pointed a finger toward a nearby mountain wall. Then he fired. A compressed beam of Verdant Lightning shot forward. Swoosh. Shink. There was no explosion. No thunderous roar. No dramatic destruction. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Only a nearly silent sound. But the aftermath was anything but silent. A perfectly clean hole appeared within the mountain wall. Finger-sized. Smooth. Precise. It looked less like damage and more like reality itself had been pierced.

The edges were so flawless that it resembled something created by an ultra-precise laser. Li Yu stared at the result. Then looked at his finger. Then back at the mountain.

A smile slowly spread across his face. "Crazy. Absolutely crazy." If this was what he could accomplish with a casual flick of his finger, without even trying... Then what he could achieve when truly using the power of this Verdant Heavenly Lightning... Might be utterly terrifying.

And that realization made his grin widen even further. Li Yu clenched and unclenched his fist in rapid succession. Emerald lightning crackled around his frame with shocking might and power. It was insane. And it felt incredibly good.

The sensation of wielding such a terrifying affinity made his blood surge with excitement. "Wait... Now that I think about it." Li Yu suddenly paused. His gaze shifted toward his original body, which was currently staring back at him with a calm expression. Those familiar dark eyes carried a faint trace of amusement. That alone irritated him.

"That bastard king clone of mine must be inside my body right now, isn’t he?" After all, they had swapped minds. If Li Yu was currently inside the clone’s body, then the clone had to be occupying his own. That much was obvious. Li Yu carefully observed his current body again.

This clone was definitely at the same cultivation realm and stage as him. That was only natural. It was his clone. Yet despite that, he could clearly feel a difference. As he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists, testing the body’s limits, he quickly realized something.

The physical strength wasn’t on the same level as his own. It wasn’t an overwhelming difference. But it definitely existed. A noticeable gap. At least if Li Yu wasn’t imagining things. "Hey, Sys. Tell me why this is happening. Why isn’t this body as strong as mine?" Li Yu asked. He half expected the System not to answer. A

fter all, he was currently inside another body. Yet two seconds later, the familiar voice echoed within his mind. Actually, Host should already know the answer to that question. Li Yu nodded. He had already formed a guess. "It’s my physique, isn’t it?" Correct. The System immediately confirmed. Host possesses the Primal Tyrant Physique while this clone possesses none.

Most of Host’s monstrous physical power originates directly from the physique itself. This clone lacks such a physique entirely. Li Yu nodded. That explanation made perfect sense. Then another thought suddenly appeared in his mind. Wait. He distinctly remembered seeing an option earlier.

The option to transfer the Primal Tyrant Physique to his clone. That raised a serious question. "Hey, Sys. How is that even possible? The Primal Tyrant Physique is a Divine-Grade Physique. How can something like that be copied and given away so easily?"

Li Yu’s brows furrowed. If the System could casually replicate a Divine-Grade Physique, then he honestly didn’t know what to think anymore. Wouldn’t that make the System ridiculously broken? No. Broken wasn’t enough. It would be broken beyond being broken.

The System answered shortly afterward. Actually, Host’s thoughts are mostly correct. However, it is easier to think of the System as a photocopy machine. Li Yu blinked. The System continued. As long as the original exists, the System can create a perfect copy for the clones. Currently, this function is limited strictly to physiques.

Other categories may become available in the future, but for now only physiques can be duplicated. Li Yu fell unusually silent. He carefully digested everything the System had just explained. Several moments later, he finally spoke. "It’s still broken."

The System wisely chose not to argue. Then another thought suddenly flashed through Li Yu’s mind. His eyes instantly lit up. "Hey, Sys. Tell me something." The System already had a bad feeling. "If me and this clone fought each other right now... Who would win?"

Li Yu asked curiously. The question genuinely interested him. After all, he possessed the Primal Tyrant Physique but lacked an elemental affinity. Meanwhile, the clone possessed a rare and powerful affinity but lacked a physique.

Both stood at exactly the same cultivation realm and stage. So who would win? The System analyzed the situation for exactly one second before replying. Based on current data, it would be a very close battle. Li Yu immediately became interested.

Then the System finished its sentence. However, Host would ultimately win. Li Yu instantly beamed. Good. At least he remained superior in the area that truly mattered. His pride finally received some much-needed healing.

Unfortunately, fate clearly hated him. Because the very next moment another thought appeared inside his head. A terrible thought. An evil thought. A thought that should never have existed. What if the clone possessed the Primal Tyrant Physique too?

The exact same physique. The exact same advantages. Then who would win? Li Yu frowned. The answer seemed obvious. Yet a stubborn part of his pride refused to accept it. Who knew? Maybe he would still win. After all, he was special. He was the chosen one. The honored one.

Right? Unable to suppress his curiosity any longer, Li Yu finally asked. "Hey, Sys. What if the clone had the Primal Tyrant Physique too? Who wins then?" The System immediately fell silent. For a long moment.

As though questioning whether Host was seriously asking this. Li Yu quickly urged it on. "Come on. I’m curious." The System sighed internally. Then asked anyway. Host, are you absolutely certain you want to hear the answer? Li Yu nodded confidently. "Of course. Give it to me."

Sure, there was a possibility he might lose. But he was still himself. Surely there was a chance. A small chance. Right? After hyping himself up, Li Yu patiently waited. The System performed an analysis. Not that it actually needed one.

The answer had been obvious from the start. Still, a second later the System calmly replied. Host. If the clone possessed the Primal Tyrant Physique in addition to his current talents... Then what happens between the two of you could no longer be called a battle. Li Yu’s smile slowly froze.

The System continued mercilessly. It would be bullying. The smile vanished entirely. You would be the one getting bullied. Li Yu immediately opened his mouth to protest. The System cut him off before he could utter a single word. Host, do not delude yourself.

Your clone possesses superior combat instincts. Superior combat experience. Superior swordsmanship. Superior judgment. Superior affinity control. The System paused. Then delivered the killing blow.

And now you want to give him your physique too? Li Yu suddenly felt uneasy. The System’s voice remained calm. Far too calm. Actually, if that happened, Host’s chances of winning would not simply be low. They would be negative. Li Yu’s eye twitched.

The System wasn’t finished. The clone would beat the nonsense out of your skull. Another twitch. He would beat the living hell out of you. Another twitch. He would beat you purple. Twitch. Then green. Twitch. Then colors that have not yet been discovered by humanity.

Li Yu’s face froze. The System delivered the final strike. Host would essentially become a training dummy. Li Yu’s eyes twitched so violently they could have been classified as a medical emergency.

Or perhaps a grand seizure. Either way... His pride had just suffered catastrophic damage.