Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1755 - 924: Walking Out

For two full years, the Phantom Doppelgänger, meticulously controlled by the Half-step Great Power Lian Lei, showed no signs of recovery from its injuries.

However, the condition of Half-step Great Power Lian Lei himself was far more dire. Through the phantom's eyes, Li Shiming could clearly observe Lian Lei's increasingly aged appearance.

Lian Lei's skin was now visibly sagging, and age spots—an anomaly for any cultivator—had begun to emerge on his flesh.

Nearly all of his hair had vanished, and the few remaining strands were brittle, white, and withered.

Yet, what truly seized Li Shiming's attention was Lian Lei's life force, which resembled a guttering candle flame, susceptible to being extinguished by the slightest breath of wind.

"Li Shizhen, it appears I lack the luxury of waiting any longer!" Half-step Great Power Lian Lei's voice trembled as he spoke.

His inability to even maintain a steady tone was a stark indicator of his absolute frailty.

Li Shiming recalled a piece of cultivation lore: after reaching the Nascent Soul Stage, cultivators gained control over their physical aging. However, as their life span neared its conclusion, the effects of aging would inevitably become more pronounced on their bodies.

The sight of Half-step Great Power Lian Lei before him confirmed this notion—it was scarcely believable that this was a cultivator on the very precipice of the Cultivation World's peak.

"Your lifespan has run its course. Do you intend to drag me to the abyss with you?" the Phantom Doppelgänger inquired calmly.

"To escort a genius such as yourself to the underworld would be a death without regret!" Half-step Great Power Lian Lei responded with a strained smile.

He was, of course, loath to meet such an end. His mission was not to eliminate Li Shiming, but rather to apprehend him and deliver him back to the Yuqing Sect.

"My sentiments precisely. To see you perish along with this vessel would make for a death most worthy!" the Phantom Doppelgänger declared with a hearty laugh.

Half-step Great Power Lian Lei felt an nagging sense that the Phantom Doppelgänger's words held a hidden meaning, yet repeated examinations yielded no clue.

"As my life draws to a close, will you grant me one final request and reveal the location of the 'Shenxiao Thunder Pearl'?" Half-step Great Power Lian Lei implored, utilizing the last vestiges of his strength.

"Indeed, I am aware of the 'Shenxiao Thunder Pearl's' whereabouts. That treasure is secured within a private dimension of mine. Should I perish, the 'Shenxiao Thunder Pearl' will vanish forever!" the Phantom Doppelgänger replied, a smile gracing his lips.

His answer, while not entirely unexpected, presented Half-step Great Power Lian Lei with a profound quandary.

Dispatching Li Shiming here and now would be a simple matter, as Li Shiming was completely within Lian Lei's grasp.

The crux of the issue, however, was that if Li Shiming were to die, the 'Shenxiao Thunder Pearl' would be lost eternally, precluding Great Power Luo Yuan from ever obtaining it.

Conversely, if Li Shiming remained alive, even if Half-step Great Power Lian Lei failed in his current endeavor, Great Power Luo Yuan would still possess the possibility of retrieving the 'Shenxiao Thunder Pearl' from him.

With this realization dawning, Half-step Great Power Lian Lei found himself reluctant to kill Li Shiming. Yet, allowing him to escape felt deeply unsatisfying.

His remaining years had been dedicated to capturing Li Shiming, a pursuit that had consumed all his remaining time and energy.

To simply let Li Shiming go would leave a deep-seated restlessness in his heart.

"It appears I hold greater value alive, wouldn't you agree?" the Phantom Doppelgänger interjected at that precise moment.

"No, I shall join you in death. Even if Ancestor Luo condemns me, he will find no fault with my actions!" Half-step Great Power Lian Lei vehemently shook his head, proclaiming loudly.

A predatory glint flashed in his eyes; he would hesitate no longer. The elimination of the Phantom Doppelgänger was now an absolute necessity.

"Before you strike me down, would you grant me release from these restraints? Allow me to face my final moments in a dignified battle," the Phantom Doppelgänger requested.

"Very well. Prepare yourself to witness the chasm separating a Great Cultivator from a mere Half-step Great Power!" As this was to be his final confrontation, Half-step Great Power Lian Lei did not refuse the Phantom Doppelgänger's plea.

A sensation of lightness washed over the Phantom Doppelgänger as the bindings suppressing his Cultivation vanished.

He drew a deep, invigorating breath of the Spiritual Energy permeating the Grotto Heaven. He could feel the Nascent Soul within him actively processing the Spiritual Qi, a sensation that revitalized his entire physical form.

"Unleash your full might! Show me the true strength of the cultivator hailed as the strongest among the Great Cultivators!" Half-step Great Power Lian Lei declared, his voice resonating with a newfound vigor.

With a wave of his hand, the Phantom Doppelgänger summoned forth the top-grade fourth-level 'Heavenly Strike Thunder Hammer' from within his being.

"No, where is your life-bound spiritual tool? This 'Heavenly Strike Thunder Hammer' is not your life-bound spiritual tool. Could it be you're contemplating conserving your strength at a moment like this?" Half-step Great Power Lian Lei gazed intently at the 'Heavenly Strike Thunder Hammer' produced by the Phantom Doppelgänger, questioning him with a profound tone.

This was his Grotto Heaven, and as a Thunder Cultivator at the Half-step Great Power realm, his familiarity with a spiritual tool like the 'Heavenly Strike Thunder Hammer' vastly exceeded that of Li Shiming.

Upon the emergence of the 'Heavenly Strike Thunder Hammer', he observed that the Phantom Doppelgänger had not retrieved an energy-fused life-bound spiritual tool, but rather a materialized 'Heavenly Strike Thunder Hammer' from within an energy-fused soul crystal ring.

"I do not possess a life-bound spiritual tool. You could say this is my life-bound spiritual tool!" the Phantom Doppelgänger responded with a slight smile, gesturing towards the 'Heavenly Strike Thunder Hammer'.

"You are not Li Shizhen. Who exactly are you?" It was at this juncture that Half-step Great Power Lian Lei began to genuinely doubt the identity of the Phantom Doppelgänger.

According to the intelligence gathered, Li Shizhen's life-bound spiritual tool was indeed a top-grade fourth-level 'Heavenly Strike Thunder Hammer', a fact acknowledged by numerous cultivators who had previously faced Li Shiming in battle.