Chen Tian and the Illusion Demon locked eyes. Neither could gain the upper hand. Both were hesitant to strike, existing in a state of near invincibility. A direct clash would only result in them passing through each other. Without a second thought, their intentions aligned.
The standoff continued. The Illusion Demon, with a sigh, spoke, "Kid, if you're so bold, let's fight fair and square without using that ability."
"Good!"
This was exactly what Chen Tian had been waiting for. He had maneuvered the Illusion Demon into voluntarily giving up that particular ability. As for whether the demon would honor its word, Chen Tian wasn't worried. If it reneged, he would simply continue the stalemate. He didn't believe the Illusion Demon had the patience to outlast him. However, Chen Tian was concerned about his clone. From the feeling resonating from his origin, the clone was struggling against the Evil Spirit race. Chen Tian hoped to finish this quickly and return to the Dark Realm. The Evil Spirit race absolutely could not be allowed to escape.
The Dark Realm connected all the planes and worlds. If the Evil Spirit race were to develop from within, the Dark Realm would become their transit hub, leading to the doom of all the myriad realms. Chen Tian and the Illusion Demon's bodies then became corporeal. The Illusion Demon's form gradually shifted into a human appearance, closely resembling Chen Tian's. It conjured a human body based on Chen Tian's likeness, as maintaining its original form was pointless without the use of their special ability.
Chen Tian and the Illusion Demon's gazes met. Chen Tian initiated the attack, and the Illusion Demon followed suit, its form a blur. Chen Tian appeared before the demon and threw a punch, a strike imbued with immense force that descended heavily. The Illusion Demon crossed its arms, blocking the blow. Chen Tian's punch landed on its arms with no effect, and the demon didn't even flinch or retreat.
The Illusion Demon lowered its crossed arms. Chen Tian's fist instantly changed its trajectory, retracting and transforming into an open palm. A light flashed, and this palm strike, much like the first ray of light in the sky, passed directly through the Illusion Demon's body. The demon was forced back three steps. A wicked smile curved the Illusion Demon's lips as it was enveloped by a black aura. The Demon Qi spread, forming four or five clones that attacked Chen Tian from all directions. Each clone exuded a distinct aura, making it impossible for Chen Tian to immediately discern the true body.
His eyes blazed with light, and he quickly identified the Illusion Demon's original form. The one to his left was the true body. Without hesitation, Chen Tian threw a punch, a blow that pierced through the Illusion Demon's body. As an attack from behind struck Chen Tian, he stiffened, a barrier shielding him. Despite this, he still stumbled back a few steps.
Chen Tian watched as the surrounding Illusion Demon figures began to flicker and fade. Sinister laughter echoed around him. Chen Tian understood the demon's tactic: the main body and the clones would switch positions, and as long as the clones remained intact, the main body could freely relocate.
Chen Tian's previous attack had passed through a mere afterimage clone. The main body had been there initially, but the Illusion Demon had swapped its position with the afterimage. Dealing with this proved to be quite troublesome for Chen Tian.
Chen Tian's solution was simple: clone versus clone.
Elemental clones emerged from within him, five Chen Tians of different colors surging towards the afterimage clones. Chen Tian's true body then sought out the Illusion Demon's original form. Upon witnessing Chen Tian employ a similar clone technique, the Illusion Demon was stunned but remained confident in its own power, not taking Chen Tian seriously at all.
Chen Tian's elemental clones clashed with the Illusion Demon's afterimage clones. The Illusion Demon's afterimages were no match for Chen Tian's clones, each possessing fifty percent of the original's strength and mastery over elemental power. Each of Chen Tian's five clones wielded one of the five elemental forces. The Illusion Demon's clones, however, were merely illusory afterimages, possessing no combat capability and serving only to intimidate.
The afterimage clones exploded. The battle between Chen Tian and the Illusion Demon raged on, their bodies colliding continuously. Chen Tian's fists rained down like a tempest, each blow connecting with flesh and bone, his strength steadily increasing. The Illusion Demon's claws moved fluidly, seeming to cope with the onslaught with ease.
Seeing the Illusion Demon's apparent ease, Chen Tian intensified his assault. The Illusion Demon mused inwardly, *Is this guy still holding back?*
"It seems he's a monstrous talent. Then I can't hold back either."
The Illusion Demon made up its mind to fight seriously. Peculiar wings unfurled from its back, its claws sharpened, and its entire body became encased in armor.
With the Illusion Demon Armor augmenting its form, its aura surged. Chen Tian's attack struck the Illusion Demon's front, but it was halted by an invisible barrier. His punch could not advance further.
"Oh!"
Chen Tian exclaimed, widening the distance and observing the Illusion Demon. Had it finally decided to get serious?
Chen Tian crossed his arms, making cracking sounds, and stretched his body. The warm-up was over. "Let's see what your true strength is, Illusion Demon."
Chen Tian entered a serious state, his aura now matching the Illusion Demon's. They fixed their gazes on each other, neither making the first move, both searching for an opening.
Simultaneously, the Illusion Demon and Chen Tian moved. Two streaks of light collided, and Chen Tian and the Illusion Demon flashed back and forth across the sky. Lines of light connected them, indicating a fierce, evenly matched battle.
Chen Tian unleashed a punch, and the Illusion Demon extended its claws. Fist met claw, unleashing waves of energy and churning the sky into a storm. Chen Tian lifted his left leg, delivering a powerful kick towards the Illusion Demon's face. The Illusion Demon blocked it with its right hand, firmly grasping Chen Tian's leg. As its arm began to move, Chen Tian spun and twisted his body. The Illusion Demon, helpless, released its grip and immediately retaliated. Chen Tian, just recovering from his spin, was met with a punch that a normal person could neither dodge nor resist.
However, Chen Tian possessed terrifying predictive abilities. This scenario was already accounted for in his calculations. The punch struck Chen Tian's body, but he dissolved into a stream of air – it was an afterimage.
"When?"
The Illusion Demon sensed danger from behind and swiftly extended its claws, striking backward. Boom!
A blast of light erupted, and the Illusion Demon was sent flying. Chen Tian stood in the sky, having repelled it.
The Illusion Demon appeared unharmed, but only it knew it had sustained damage, though it was minor and inconsequential.
What astonished the Illusion Demon was how Chen Tian had managed to create an afterimage.
By normal standards, after spinning and twisting, a person would need a second or more to readjust their balance and position. The Illusion Demon had timed its attack for this moment, only to hit an afterimage.
When had he become an afterimage?
Was his speed that incredible?
Chen Tian mused with a sigh, "As expected of a being created by my third incarnation. Their abilities and strength are so monstrous. It seems I must subdue the Illusion Demon race."
Having fought for so long, Chen Tian was certain of the Illusion Demon race's power. If the Illusion Demon could be brought under his control, it would be a formidable trump card against the Evil Spirit race.
Chen Tian decided to probe further. He sensed that the Illusion Demon had not yet used its full strength, and he himself had not either.
He wanted to see just how powerful the Illusion Demon could become.
Chen Tian and the Illusion Demon raised their hands simultaneously. On Chen Tian's palm, the five elements condensed into a massive wheel of light. The Five Elements Light Wheel grew larger and larger, as if it were about to cleave the sky in two.
The Illusion Demon sensed the shift in the world, the raging, terrifying energy, and did not dare to be careless.
It appeared this was about to be a decisive blow.
The Illusion Demon's palms met. In the center of its palms, Demon Qi clashed and collided, producing crackling sounds akin to electricity. Ripples of Demon Qi formed on its palms, creating a barrier as its arms widened into an arc.
Chen Tian brought his arm down, and the Five Elements Light Wheel shot towards the barrier. The wheel and the barrier collided, sparks flying.
The Illusion Demon had to acknowledge Chen Tian's formidable control over energy, transforming invisible elements into a tangible wheel of light.
The barrier struggled to withstand Chen Tian's Light Wheel, and cracks began to appear. Suddenly, the Illusion Demon's eyes snapped open, its arms moved in a peculiar motion, and its palms converged. It unleashed a palm strike.
The barrier changed, its entire form converging at a single point. A beam of light shot out, colliding with Chen Tian's Light Wheel.
*Bang!*
An explosion erupted in the sky. As the blast subsided, Chen Tian and the Illusion Demon stood in the sky. The Illusion Demon was about to attack again, but Chen Tian raised his hand and said calmly, "There's no need to continue. I recognize your strength."
"Kid, what do you mean?"
The Illusion Demon couldn't fathom Chen Tian's intentions.
After fighting this hard, he was suddenly saying enough? Was there such an easy way out? Moreover, would he let the Illusion Demon go?
After all, it was his food.