Adrian felt an invisible force blocking his path, catching him off guard. He froze, momentarily stunned by the unexpected resistance. Trying to move backward, he found himself paralyzed. When he attempted to push forward, it was equally futile.Just as Adrian searched for a way out, a cyan light shot toward him with deadly precision. As the light closed in, his expression darkened. "What is this? Isn’t this a bit excessive?"The cyan light showed no signs of stopping, ignoring Adrian entirely. The latter summoned all his strength, his immense power surging to resist."Don’t underestimate me!" he roared, his energy flaring wildly as he fought back. But his efforts backfired. The force rebounded with terrifying strength, slamming into him."Ugh!" He coughed up blood, his energy thrown into turmoil. Desperately, he tried to break free, but the cyan light wrapped around him, leaving him in agony. Without a moment to recover, violent winds and a crushing force hammered him relentlessly.

Adrian's expression became increasingly grave as he failed to detect any abnormalities in the surrounding space. But the very absence of change terrified him more than anything. If he could sense the space shifting, it would mean he had some grasp of the situation. But now, with no clues to work from, he felt uneasy and on high alert.Staring into the void, doubt flickered in his eyes. Just moments ago, he had been immobilized, and now he was free to move. He couldn't decipher what the Phoenix Tree was planning, and the uncertainty gnawed at him. If this dragged on much longer, he feared he would be worn down completely.Adrian mused darkly, recognizing the Phoenix Tree’s power far exceeded his understanding. One wrong step could mean his death."I didn't mean to intrude. Please, let me go. I'm a straightforward and honest person," Adrian called out, but the void offered no response. He tried a different tactic. "How about we make a deal? That Prism Stone outside is valuable. How ab

As Adrian briefly lost himself in thought, the beast charged again. Without hesitation, he kicked out with full force. With a loud boom, the creature was sent flying once more.Everything became clear then—Adrian’s physical strength far surpassed that of the beast.The creature, driven by primal instinct, was incapable of using its more dangerous attacks. This puzzled Adrian. What was the Phoenix Tree trying to accomplish with this duel? Was it merely testing his strength? These questions lingered, though he couldn’t fully understand the purpose.Regardless, Adrian knew what had to be done. He had to eliminate the beast.Golden light surged from his hand as he focused on the creature. "Beast! Since you’re so eager to die, don’t blame me!"Adrian sensed the creature’s core pulsating deep within its body. If he could extract and consume it, his power would likely surge to new heights. Though such a method seemed ruthless, it was a necessary step on his path to greater strength.His

Despite the opponent's power, Adrian saw him as nothing more than an imposter. If this fake wanted to fight, he’d need more than mimicry. Copying Adrian’s techniques wouldn’t be enough. Psychological warfare couldn’t be so easily replicated, and Adrian knew this gave him a distinct advantage.Smirking, Adrian sneered. “You’re just a monster hiding behind mimicry, too afraid to show your true self. Do you really think you can turn the world upside down?” He unleashed a powerful surge of energy, his physical strength bursting forth alongside it. “Die! Heavenly Body Training Art!”The terrifying force erupted, and the fake surprisingly activated the same technique, his body shining with radiant energy.‘He knows this technique too?’ Adrian’s eyes narrowed in surprise. He hadn’t expected his opponent to have mastered it as well. This was becoming troublesome. The fake’s physical power matched Adrian’s own. Killing him would not be easy.Clang! Clang! Clang!They clashed fiercely, like

Whoosh!Adrian’s immense power struck the fake Adrian squarely, who didn’t even have time to react. The Soul Devouring Sword slashed down mercilessly, piercing deep and leaving a massive, bloody hole in the imposter’s chest.The fake’s eyes widened in shock, clearly stunned by the sheer force that had boosted Adrian’s strength so dramatically in an instant.Adrian, equally surprised but regaining his composure, looked down at his opponent and sneered. “I told you, your Soul Devouring Sword is a fake.”The fake smirked slightly. “Yes, I am indeed a fake. I didn’t think you’d actually figure it out.”“Did you really believe a few spatial tremors and that little display would fool me?” Adrian replied coldly. “This whole space is under your control, but I’m not gullible enough to trust you.”At that moment, Adrian’s Soul Devouring Sword radiated another surge of violent power. “Die!”He vanished, only to reappear above the fake, launching another frenzied attack from above. He was c