Four-Star Chaotic Doppelganger, Stop Pretending, You're Already Dead

What does a Four-Star Chaos Avatar signify?

Though Chen Yi had yet to refine an initial Five-Star Violet Heaven Avatar, he believed his Four-Star Chaos Avatar should be on par with it!

Before his eighty-second clash with the Heavenly Tribulation, even his true form—tempered only by the essence of Violet Heaven Divine Lightning—would struggle to suppress the Four-Star Chaos Avatar without exerting ninety percent of his strength!

Even after being tempered by the origin of Chaos Divine Lightning, his true form would still need to unleash at least seventy percent of its power to crush it outright!

If measured by the chat group’s combat evaluation system, the Four-Star Chaos Avatar’s power would be classified as an "anomalous state." The system’s upper limit was capped at 300 billion, yet the avatar’s strength far surpassed that!

Fortunately, the temporal-spatial laws here were resilient enough to withstand the avatar’s overwhelming pressure—otherwise, the entire secret realm would have shattered instantly!

"Come on, try resisting again. Let’s see what you’ve got!"

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow and charged forward once more.

By now, the repulsive force from the Temporal-Spatial Law Origin Lake had weakened—or rather, it wasn’t that the force had diminished, but that the Four-Star Avatar had grown stronger!

What was once a contest of strength had turned into a one-sided domination. With a single push, the avatar forced the very fabric of space and time to retreat!

Hum~

Chen Yi smoothly entered the core region.

Brilliant radiance shimmered around him, and the weight of temporal-spatial energy grew denser, yet it barely fazed him.

The Four-Star Avatar advanced methodically, probing every inch of the deeper space, leaving no gap unchecked. It was determined to capture the elusive Temporal-Spatial Law Origin!

After painstakingly scouring a hundred miles ahead, another barrier—this one shimmering in nine colors—blocked his path.

Unlike the azure barrier outside, this one was paper-thin, serving only to isolate internal and external pressures without hindering entry.

"Tsk… What’s with all these gimmicks in this Retrospection Secret Realm?"

"If I’m not mistaken, the Temporal-Spatial Law Origin must be hiding behind this nine-colored barrier. Don’t tell me I have to clear another trial? I only brought so many avatars in here. If you keep this up, I’m leaving!"

Frowning, Chen Yi tentatively extended a hand and poked forward.

Plop!

The thin barrier parted effortlessly. Beyond it, there was no crushing pressure—only a warm, almost fiery sensation against his skin.

Hum~

Without hesitation, he stepped through after confirming the absence of danger.

The space beyond the nine-colored barrier was vast.

A sapphire sky stretched overhead, crowned by a blazing sun. Below, an endless grassland rolled into the horizon, caressed by a gentle breeze carrying a faint briny scent.

The serene scenery was enough to soothe the soul.

But Chen Yi remained vigilant. His divine sense unfurled, stretching to the ends of this miniature world before sweeping forward in a meticulous search.

Scenery meant nothing to him—he was here for the Temporal-Spatial Law Origin. His goal was clear, and no distractions would sway him!

Soon enough, a lake emerged at the heart of the grassland.

Like a blue gem embedded in the earth, its crystal-clear waters were perfectly still, mirroring the sky above without a single ripple.

Chen Yi’s eyes flashed with piercing light, dispelling all illusions to reveal a crystalline palace resting at the lake’s depths.

Yet the moment his gaze landed on it, an immense, ancient, and profoundly mysterious Dao Aura erupted from the palace, dissolving his vision and cloaking itself once more.

"Oh? Shy now? Let me take a closer look!"

With a smirk, Chen Yi took three swift strides and dove headfirst into the lake, sending up a great splash.

The water was salty but carried an inexplicable fragrance, suffused with an omnipresent, weighty Dao Aura.

At the palace’s entrance stood a translucent jade pillar, inscribed with intricate Dao Patterns—flamboyant yet indecipherable to Chen Yi.

Still, the aura it emitted conveyed its meaning:

[Lingxiu Palace]

[A fleeting light crosses the Boundary Sea; a mustard seed holds the heavens, embracing ten thousand calamities.]

"Tch. Sounds impressive, but how did you still end up dead?"

Chen Yi shook his head with a sigh.

These lines revealed the palace master’s identity.

The first verse, "fleeting light," symbolized mastery over time, while the second, "mustard seed holding the heavens," referred to folding space to contain endless epochs—proof of the master’s ability to warp time and space. Truly formidable!

Yet no matter how formidable, they had still returned to dust.

Like the Illusory Dream Secret Realm, the master of this Temporal-Spatial Law Origin had long since perished.

The only difference was that the Illusory Dream Secret Realm lacked such extravagance, while this Retrospection Secret Realm clung fiercely to its former glory.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Your legacy… I’ll put it to good use."

With a firm shout, Chen Yi dispersed the Dao Aura shrouding the palace gates and strode inside.

The main hall was saturated with dense temporal-spatial energy and a faint, lingering fragrance.

But death was death—no amount of concealment could mask the wisp of decay clinging to the air.

At the center of the hall hovered a crystal coffin.

Inside lay a breathtakingly beautiful woman clad in a pristine white gown.

Her skin was fair, tinged with a youthful blush, so delicate it seemed one touch might bruise it.

A crimson cinnabar dot graced her forehead, and her long lashes seemed almost alive, lending her a playful air. Her high nose bridge and soft, pink lips—like jelly—invited the urge to take a bite.

She rested there peacefully, exuding vitality as if merely asleep.

"Enough pretending. Dead is dead—no amount of effort will bring you back."

Chen Yi’s blunt words shattered the illusion.

In the next instant, the woman in white sat bolt upright, her vacant, beautiful eyes brimming with resentment as she hissed:

"Am I truly dead?"

"No! You lie!"

Hum!

A translucent sword materialized in her grip, and with a swing, devastating temporal-spatial force surged forth!

Chen Yi stood unmoved, hands behind his back, calmly meeting the woman’s contorted gaze.

"Little Temporal-Spatial Law Origin, stop struggling. Let go of this lingering obsession—free yourself."

"Silence! How dare you shake my Dao Heart?!"

The woman ignored him, continuing her frenzied assault.

"Sigh. Must you force me to resort to violence?"

Chen Yi shook his head and slowly drew his halberd.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. To wield despair as a blade is to walk the path of the departed!"

With a single sweep, the halberd shattered her temporal-spatial sword!

Ssshh—

"I… I’m not dead. I refuse to believe… I…" Staggering back, the woman’s form began to dissolve.

Then, in her final moments, clarity flickered in her fading eyes. Like a last spark of life, she nodded at Chen Yi and whispered:

"You… are of the Purple Star yet not of it… Whoever you are… thank you. I am finally free… My name… was Chen Lingxiu…"