Chapter 125: True and False Lei En

"Legendary Element!"

Ha Erken's avatar wore an expression of unparalleled astonishment, his voice a bit hoarse.

He lowered his head to appraise the body he was currently simulating: bare‑chested, muscles solid and proportioned, like a steel statue meticulously crafted by a master sculptor, flawless in form, its interior brimming with boundless power.

Not only was the strength formidable, but the strange state in his mind left him even more stunned.

Every thought, every action, even each heartbeat, was under his control, making him the master of his own mind.

The world he saw with his eyes was entirely different from before.

The dark cavern became bright as day, shadows receded, distant places became visible, everything rendered in fine detail, all particulars captured in his sight and reflected in his mind, yet without any confusion, as if he could see the world's true nature.

At the same time, he learned the simulated subject's extraordinary profession and strength.

"So you're a combat Wizard, only Level Three!"

Ha Erken was at a loss for words; he had never imagined a Level Three Wizard could possess such overwhelming power.

Under normal circumstances, a Level Three transcendent with four or five Elements is already impressive.

This young man called Lei En had seven Elements in his soul, not only numerous but each extraordinarily remarkable.

One Legendary Element, one Superlative Element, and the remaining Elements were at least Rare level; even the most ordinary "Strength" Element was enhanced to Level Five!

Even though he was a Mid-stage legendary transcendent who had once used the Mimicry Element to simulate countless individuals, he had never felt this kind of power and did not possess a Legendary Element.

This wondrous sensation intoxicated Ha Erken.

Even so, jealousy rose within him!

Ha Erken looked at Lei En, his gaze filled with amazement and greed.

He resolved to kill the young combat Wizard, harvest his soul, and thereby be able to maintain a long‑term simulated form without the temporary, time‑limited simulation.

Ha Erken's thoughts raced, and under the influence of Truth Will, his mind was crystal clear.

He didn't rush to act, smiled, and said, "Lei En, I already know your background; you're so young, limitless in potential—dying like this would be a waste. You'd better surrender to me; I can spare your life and let you join Shadow Blade."

Lei En saw through Ha Erken's intent in a single glance, seeking to stall for time.

"You just called me a blasphemer," he pretended to hesitate, as if he truly didn't want to oppose Shadow Blade.

Ha Erken's expression shifted slightly.

He had long sensed the Conflict Mark on Lei En, which had slipped out during a previous battle, and clearly Lei En hadn't forgotten.

"My lord is a magnanimous and benevolent deity; as long as you earn merit, I will petition the lord for your forgiveness, and the Conflict Mark will not be an obstacle," Ha Erken said earnestly.

"Puff! Hahaha…" Lei En suddenly burst into laughter.

The deceiver Luo Xi, long famed for his narrow mind, being called magnanimous and benevolent was nothing short of a cold joke.

If Luo Xi could be considered magnanimous and benevolent, then the entire Ai Lun E Si would be good people.

Lei En had intended to keep up the act, but he couldn't hold back.

Through his Soul Eye, he had already confirmed Ha Erken's condition: only his soul Elements were simulated, and the MutatedPhone was not.

"Mimicry" is a Superlative Element, the core ability by which a Trickster ascends to Legend, allowing simulation of a target's soul Elements but not the MutatedPhone.

The MutatedPhone is not an Element; it is a product from Diqiu.

Nevertheless, whether Ha Erken simulated the MutatedPhone or uncovered his secret, Lei En had no intention of making peace; he would definitely kill him!

Ha Erken's complexion darkened.

His devotion to Luo Xi was deeply sincere, and Lei En's mockery was a great insult.

"The lord's majesty tolerates no desecration; die!"

Ha Erken shouted and launched a charge.

The oddly shaped short sword in his hand elongated, becoming a longsword.

Mimicry can, to some extent, alter a weapon's appearance to make the simulation more accurate, but it has limits; the disparity between a short sword and a war hammer is too great, and forced simulation yields only a façade, unable to function as a true war hammer or deliver combat power.

Ha Erken was not adept with war hammers, so to kill Lei En swiftly he transformed it into the most convenient longsword.

During the charge, the longsword spawned countless sword phantoms, enveloping the front.

Bang bang bang, the gunfire rang.

Zuo Er Tan's soul gun fired; he still used Armor Penetration rounds, but when they struck Ha Erken, the bullets shattered, leaving only finger‑sized white marks.

In an instant, Ha Erken surged to Lei En's front.

Lei En seemed momentarily stunned, standing still, but at the instant the longsword was about to strike, his foot moved, his figure swayed, and he deftly evaded the charge.

Simultaneously, using his left foot as a pivot, he swung the war hammer forward with force.

Bang!

A violent blast roared as the war hammer struck Ha Erken's chest; his body was flung backward, crashing into the stone wall of a building outside the temple, the massive force toppling half the wall and burying him within.

Lei En scored a hit, laughing confidently.

Mimicry is not invincible; Ha Erken can simulate his own bodily strength and possess identical Elements, but he cannot simulate his combat experience, and even with Truth Will assistance, flaws remain.

During a charge, Ha Erken cannot alter direction; he can only rush straight ahead.

Power has never been judged solely by Elements; what truly determines superiority is who wields the Elements better, whose experience is richer, and who can manifest stronger effects. It's like a small child suddenly given a strongman's body—hard to adapt instantly, requiring a period of training.

If Ha Erken refrained from simulating himself and fought solely with his innate Trickster abilities, Lei En would find him more troublesome.

After the simulation, however, it gave Lei En the chance to kill this avatar.

Boom—, the broken stones scattered.

Ha Erken rose from the collapsed ruins, his chest caved in, blood spilling from his mouth.

Lei En's strength exceeded fourteen thousand pounds; after augmenting with Dragon Power Technique, his full‑force strike caused the war hammer to unleash over thirty thousand pounds instantly, a level that even a Tier‑Two steel body struggled to endure, resulting in immediate injury.

However, Ha Erken felt a surge of excitement at being wounded.

It was his first time experiencing such formidable defense; even as a Mid-stage legendary entity, that single hammer could have pulverized him into meat paste, yet now it was only a minor injury!

Zuo Er Tan, witnessing the scene, was instantly at a loss for words.

"Lei En, your body is way too hard, huh?" he said, looking at Lei En and complaining. After so many contacts with Lei En, he had never realized Lei En's defense was so strong; his soul spear couldn't pierce it, rendering it useless.

He sheathes the soul spear, takes off the double‑edged battle axe on his back, and prepares to go in for melee combat.

Lei En, while bestowing dragon technique power on Zuo Ertan, warned, "Watch his spell, the rainbow beam; don't get hit, or it'll be trouble."

"Got it," Zuo Ertan said, his scalp tingling after just witnessing the spell's power.

While they were talking, Ha Erken leapt out of the ruins and charged again.

Lei En surged forward with a head‑on charge; like the previous four charges, but his speed was greater, his trajectory an arc as he swung his war hammer to strike Ha Erken from the side.

Ha Erken ducked to avoid the hammer but couldn't dodge Lei En's collision.

Boom!

A deaf‑piercing roar sounded, like two steam trains colliding.

The ground trembled, the surrounding air blasted into a shockwave, raising clouds of dust.

Ha Erken couldn't unleash his full strength, immediately fell downwind, was knocked back seven or eight steps, and relied on Truth Willpower to control his body and keep his balance.

Lei En stepped back only two paces before halting, then surged forward again with a fierce charge.

His figure moved as fast as lightning.

This time Ha Erken couldn't evade; a kick struck his knee, throwing him off balance, followed by a heavy hammer blow to his head.

Bang, Ha Erken was smashed to the ground, his vision flashing stars, his heavy body carving a large crater into the earth.

He rolled to the side, and at that moment Zuo Ertan also charged in just in time.

Dwarves are born warriors; after training, most can master the charge, though not as fast and far as Lei En, yet sufficient.

Zuo Ertan charged to the other side, raised his double‑edged battle axe and slashed.

Clang, sparks flew.

The axe hacked several times; its fierce force knocked Ha Erken down, yet inflicted little damage, leaving only a few shallow scratches on his hard body.

Zuo Ertan's hands went numb from the hacking, and he shouted loudly in frustration.

"Get out of the way!"

Lei En shouted.

Before his words finished, a rainbow beam materialized out of thin air.

Zuo Ertan reacted instantly, crouched and rolled away on the spot; the straight beam swept over his head, cutting off a tuft of red hair.

He ran his hand through his rooster‑comb hair, breaking out in a half‑body of cold sweat.

Lei En stepped forward two paces, caught up with the rolling Ha Erken, swung his war hammer across; it seemed about to hit, but with a swish it struck empty air.

Ha Erken used his charge to break free from the attack.

"Damn!"

Lei En couldn't help shouting a curse; it wasn't at Ha Erken, but at himself.

It's all thanks to myself.

That heavy hammer blow on someone's head would have burst like a watermelon, yet the opponent only got injured; with Truth Willpower there was no dizziness, and in an instant they sprang up and fled.

This goddamn thing is way too hard to beat!

Swearing aside, Lei En also launched a charge to pursue.

Mid‑charge, he saw Ha Erken had no intention of stopping; he activated the rainbow beam, a rainbow ray bursting from his fingertips toward Ha Erken's back.

The phantom head of a giant dragon descended, and Ha Erken promptly applied dragon technique to himself.

He let the rainbow beam hit his back; an illusory layer of dragon scales appeared, weakening the ray, leaving a coin‑sized wound about two centimeters deep, bleeding but not fatal.

When the charge stopped, Ha Erken suddenly turned and faced back.

Lei En hammered down with a single strike.

Ha Erken was already prepared; his gaze fixed on the war hammer, and without any technique he used his hand to hard‑catch the hammer head, disregarding the burst of frost power, and was smashed down again by a hammer blow.

But this time, the hammer was first blocked by his hand, missing the head and landing on his shoulder.

Before falling, Ha Erken clutched the hammer's handle tightly, entangling with Lei En, attempting to seize the hammer.

If the hammer were gone, Lei En couldn't unleash his greatest power; his combat ability would drop sharply, making it hard to break the defense of a Level‑2 steel body.

Ha Erken could also leisurely stall for time.

Lei En hadn't expected that move; he tugged hard a few times but couldn't break free immediately.

Ha Erken seized the chance to close the distance; with one hand holding his longsword and the other gripping the hammer, he stopped attacking and directly rammed his head.

Boom!

Lei En's jaw took a direct hit; sparks flew, and his head involuntarily tipped backward.

He refused to stay weak and immediately retaliated with a headbutt.

Both tangled, each vying for the hammer and attacking each other in the most savage way, but the Level‑2 steel body's defense was so strong that no blows could even scratch it.

Zuo Ertan rushed over, only to see two Lei Ens fighting wildly.

It was like a clash between two humanoid behemoths; wherever they passed, the ground bore footprints, walls collapsed, dust billowed, as if an earthquake had struck.

"This..."

Zuo Letan stared dumbfounded, almost unable to tell which Lei En was real and which was fake.

He quickly stepped back to avoid friendly fire.

Amid the chaos, Lei En thought of a plan; a thought sparked, activating the enchantment on his dragon‑skin strap, the Hand of Acquisition triggered, and the war hammer vanished between the two.

Ha Erken was stunned for a moment.

"Get out of the way."

Lei En kicked Ha Erken down, re‑activated the enchantment, and the war hammer reappeared in his hand, raised to smash.

Bang!

Fragments of stone flew sideways, and the ground was hammered into a hole.

Ha Erken seized the moment while Lei En withdrew his war hammer, sprang up for a charge, and widened the gap. Another person wouldn't react so swiftly; this is the ultimate mastery of Truth Willpower over the body, plus a degree of premonition, making him rarely passive in battle.

Lei En's head throbbed, finally understanding how hard to deal with he is.

He stood where he was, unable to help feeling a bit deflated.

Ha Erken finished his charge, glanced back, saw that Lei En hadn't caught up, hesitated briefly, and kept running forward.

He decided to retreat first, waiting for the other clones to arrive before acting together.

"Lei En, hurry and chase!"

Zuo Ertan charged past him, shouting loudly.

Lei En realized Ha Erken's plan, his heart sank, and he quickly charged to catch up.

Each charge must have intervals; it cannot be launched endlessly, or the strain on the body will increase, and after a few times the body will be injured and collapse.

Ordinary transcendents need at least a dozen seconds between charges to act again.

Ha Erken was in mimicry; this wasn't his true body, so he didn't fear the load and plunged forward with a fierce charge.

Although Lei En's charge range was longer and his stamina could sustain it for a long time—two or three uninterrupted charges were fine—after more than three, each charge grew harder, his body ached in many places, and the distance shortened.

For a moment, Lei En couldn't catch up immediately, but he also wasn't left behind.

In less than half a minute, Ha Erken fled to the edge of the Throne Hall Cavern, about to enter a stone passage.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed from the passage.

A figure emerged, white hair covering his head, bearing twin swords, a vertical scar over his left eye—none other than the legendary Demon Hunter Luo Jie.

Ha Erken halted, his expression shifting slightly.

Lei En and Zuo Ertan quickly caught up, and upon seeing Luo Jie, Lei En was instantly overjoyed.

Zuo Ertan hesitated, unsure whether Luo Jie was genuine, but Lei En showed no hesitation, shouting, "Master Luo Jie, he is Ha Erken's clone."

Luo Jie drew his steel sword but did not strike at once, turning his gaze toward the speaking Lei En.

Clearly, he trusted neither of the two Lei Ens.

Lei En instantly understood; he had to mention something only the real Lei En would know to prove his identity, and he shouted a name: "De Lai Er Sha."

Hearing that, Luo Jie had no further doubts.

A terrifying aura radiated from him; his pupils were filled entirely with black, as if possessed by a Demon, and the wolf‑tooth blade of his steel sword ignited with fierce flames. In a flash, moving faster than the eye could follow, he instantly landed before Ha Erken.

This was the first time Lei En saw Luo Jie fight at full power.

He thought for a moment, tried to open his Soul Eye to observe Luo Jie, and found that, as expected, he would not suffer backlash; he could already see Luo Jie's soul clearly.

"Level‑12 Demon Hunter, Supreme Element 'Devouring Demon Mutation'!"

(End of chapter.)