Chapter 60: The Other Lothe

The enormous chamber remained silent.

Lothe stood motionless, his gaze fixed on the black coffin suspended at the center. Countless Runes covered its surface, circulating with faint traces of Qi.

With his newly awakened [Qi Sight], he could clearly see the flow of energy. Yet despite seeing the Array so clearly, he couldn’t understand most of the Runes.

They were far more complicated than the basic Runes he had just learned.

He could recognize certain patterns. He could follow the movement of the Qi. But the true purpose behind most of the Runes remained beyond his current understanding.

Even so, one thing was obvious.

They were suppressing something inside the coffin.

So this is what a higher-level Array looks like...

For the first time since awakening his Array/Talisman Subclass, Lothe understood how vast the path truly was.

His gaze shifted toward the four enormous beast statues.

The winged lion.

The gigantic bird.

The ancient tortoise.

And the coiling dragon.

All four statues were connected to the coffin through invisible Qi pathways. Whatever was sealed inside was not something he could afford to provoke.

"Let’s not get any closer," Lothe said seriously.

Seana nodded immediately.

Neither of them had any desire to find out what was inside the coffin.

Instead, they turned their attention toward the chamber’s surroundings.

That was when Lothe noticed something.

"Wait."

His gaze moved toward the walls.

"There are doors."

Two enormous stone doors were embedded into opposite sides of the chamber. They had been carved so carefully that they almost blended into the surrounding walls.

Seana walked toward the one nearest to her.

"This place gets stranger by the second."

Lothe approached the other door.

There were no handles or visible hinges. The only unusual feature was a strange symbol carved into the center.

His [Qi Sight] activated instinctively.

Purple streams of Qi flowed through the stone door.

Lothe narrowed his eyes.

There’s something inside.

Before he could inspect it further—

Click.

The door suddenly opened.

A dark passage appeared beyond it.

At the same time, the door behind Seana opened as well.

She glanced toward Lothe.

"Looks like we’re being invited."

Lothe frowned.

"I don’t like invitations from anything unknown."

Seana smiled faintly.

"Then what do you suggest?"

Lothe glanced back at the black coffin.

"We can’t return through the way we came."

His gaze shifted toward the passage.

"And whatever lies beyond these doors is probably the only way forward."

Seana nodded.

"Then we go."

Lothe hesitated for a moment before stepping toward his doorway.

"Be careful."

"You too."

Their eyes met briefly.

Then they entered separate passages.

The moment Lothe stepped inside—

BOOM!

The stone door slammed shut behind him.

Lothe immediately turned around.

"Of course."

He sighed while looking ahead.

The passage was completely dark.

But darkness was no longer a problem.

His [Qi Sight] revealed faint purple currents flowing through the walls. The streams twisted through the stone like countless invisible rivers.

Lothe moved forward cautiously.

One step.

Then another.

The deeper he went, the quieter the passage became.

There were no insects.

No wind.

Not even the sound of his footsteps echoed properly.

Lothe’s expression gradually became serious.

Something was wrong.

He stopped and tightened his grip around his spear.

Then—

A faint light appeared ahead.

Lothe approached slowly.

The passage opened into a small, circular chamber.

There was nothing inside.

No treasure.

No exit.

Only a smooth stone floor.

Lothe frowned.

"Is this some kind of test?"

Before he could investigate further—

Whoosh!

A figure suddenly appeared on the opposite side of the chamber.

Lothe’s pupils contracted.

Someone stood there.

The figure was tall, with a straight posture and broad shoulders. Dark purple robes covered his body, their wide sleeves hanging elegantly from his arms.

The fabric moved naturally with every slight motion.

The robe was unmistakably imperial—regal and majestic. Faint golden patterns traced the edges of the sleeves and collar, while long dark hair fell behind the figure’s shoulders.

And in his hand was a spear.

Lothe froze.

His gaze moved slowly across the figure.

The face. The hair. The eyes. The clothes.

Everything was identical.

It was him.

No.

Not him.

An exact copy, a doppelgänger.

Lothe stared at the figure for several seconds. The other Lothe stared back.

Neither moved.

Then Lothe’s expression slowly changed.

"...Seriously?" He tilted his head slightly.

"I really am handsome."

The doppelgänger remained expressionless.

Lothe stepped closer and carefully examined its face.

The same sharp jaw.

The same dark eyes.

The same features.

Even the cold expression was identical.

Lothe shook his head. "I knew I looked good."

He raised a hand and touched his own face. "But seeing someone else with my face..."

A faint grin appeared on his lips.

"Yeah."

"I’m really handsome."

The doppelgänger didn’t react.

Lothe’s grin widened. "Whoever created you has excellent taste."

Silence filled the chamber.

"...Though your clothes are pretty good too."

Lothe looked over the doppelgänger’s imperial-style robes. The wide dark-purple sleeves gave it an imposing appearance, making it look less like a cultivator and more like an emperor standing above his subjects.

Lothe glanced down at his own purple robes.

Then he looked back at the doppelgänger.

"Hmm."

He nodded approvingly.

For several seconds, the atmosphere remained strangely ridiculous.

Then Lothe’s smile disappeared.

The playful light vanished from his face, replaced by cold focus. His fingers tightened around his spear.

"Enough."

The doppelgänger finally moved.

It raised its weapon.

Lothe’s expression became serious.

The moment the spear entered his vision, he noticed something.

Void Qi.

The weapon was surrounded by the same dark, distorted energy that usually gathered around his own spear.

Lothe’s pupils narrowed.

So it has my abilities too.

His grip tightened.

If this creature truly possessed his techniques, then this wouldn’t be an easy fight.

The doppelgänger lowered its stance.

Lothe immediately recognized the posture.

His posture.

The spear angled forward.

Void Qi gathered around the spearhead, and the space surrounding the weapon began to distort.

Lothe’s eyes narrowed.

"Void Spear Art..."

The doppelgänger’s Qi condensed further.

A thin spatial crack appeared around the spearhead.

"First Form... Rift Thrust" Lothe’s voice turned cold.

The doppelgänger disappeared.

Lothe’s instincts screamed.

He twisted his body sideways.

SHING!

The spear tore through the space where his chest had been a moment earlier. A thin spatial rift remained suspended in the air.

Lothe’s expression changed.

Fast.

Too fast.

He spun around as his Soul Weapon, the Void Spear, appeared in his hand.

[Rift Thrust!]

BOOM!

Void Qi erupted from his spearhead.

The two spears collided.

CLANG!

A violent shockwave tore through the chamber.

Lothe’s purple robes fluttered as he was forced several steps backward. Across from him, the doppelgänger slid across the stone floor before coming to a stop.

Both raised their weapons.

Both stared at each other.

Lothe’s gaze became colder.

So it can use the same technique.

His mind raced.

If the doppelgänger possessed his abilities, brute force wouldn’t be enough. He needed to understand the rules of this place.

The doppelgänger suddenly moved again.

Its spear swept sideways.

Lothe ducked.

The weapon passed over his head.

He countered with a thrust toward its abdomen.

The doppelgänger twisted, allowing the spear to pass narrowly beside its body.

A second thrust followed.

Then a third.

Each movement was precise.

Familiar.

Too familiar.

Lothe suddenly understood the problem.

Fighting this creature felt like fighting himself.

Every attack was something he already knew because he was the one who had created those movements.

Every technique was familiar, but the same was true for his opponent. The doppelgänger knew him just as well.

Lothe’s expression grew more solemn, this wasn’t simply a battle of strength.

It was a battle against his own instincts.

The doppelgänger raised its spear again, as Void Qi gathered around the tip.

Lothe’s gaze sharpened.

Again.

Rift Thrust.

Space began to distort around the doppelgänger’s spearhead.

Lothe lowered his center of gravity. Void Qi gathered around his own weapon.

Two identical figures.

Two identical spears.

Two identical techniques.

Neither was willing to retreat.

The next clash would decide which of them truly understood the Void Spear Art.​