"If Elder Shadostar doesn't believe me, you can take a look at the information I sent you regarding Lu Sheng." Zi Yanxin took a deep breath; in the space of just a few breaths, she seemed to come back to life. "In fact, I can even take you up there to say hello to him."
The Elder's expression shifted constantly. Suddenly, as if refusing to believe it, he swiftly pulled out his communication device, opened the file Yanxin had sent earlier, and began scanning it rapidly. After just a few glances, the look on his face became quite something.
"Impossible. How could this be?"
He could hardly believe it. The data she transmitted revealed that the martial arts prodigy named Lu Sheng—whom she had recruited using thirty Third-tier Star Cores—looked exactly like the young man standing before him, the one who was the center of attention and whom countless people called "Dilius."
"So, Lu Sheng is Dilius, and Dilius is Lu Sheng?!"
Elder Xingying was instantly dumbfounded. But he quickly snapped back to his senses. Dilius, the legendary possessor of a Sovereign-level Blood, naturally couldn't have two identities. Then, the only explanation was...
A mistake! He—and all of them, the onlookers— From start to finish, they'd completely misidentified the person at the center of the storm—the one who'd just broken through to level 13. They'd actually been cheering and applauding a "fake" Dilius!
The Elder's expression immediately turned grim. This was undoubtedly the biggest blunder the Hunting Bow had made in recent years. Even he had been unwittingly swept up in it. The main reason was that Dilius had only been in the spotlight for a very short time—a mere few years.
While the reputation of the Sovereign-level genius was well-known, details regarding his appearance and other personal information were incomplete and hadn't reached the point of being widely recognized. Few people had actually seen Dilius in person.
However. The news of Dilius ascending to level 13 within the Celestial Serpent's heart was undoubtedly accurate. The incredibly shocking cosmic energy tidal vortex that had engulfed nearly the entire area was no fabrication either. Why, then, was there such a massive discrepancy regarding the identity of the one who had broken through?
And then there was this martial arts prodigy before him, Lu Sheng. He had merely grasped a single Extreme Rank Law. What talent? What bloodline? How could he possibly trigger such a magnificent phenomenon, deceiving everyone—even him—into believing it? For a moment, countless thoughts raced through Elder Xingying's mind, leaving him in disarray.
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"Dilius! Dilius!"
The golden giant stared with fervent eyes at the handsome young man emerging from the center of the energy vortex, a surging battle intent rising from his body in an instant. But he quickly forced himself to suppress it.
"Rumor has it that Dilius has a violent temper, is cold and domineering, and is willful and rebellious. But looking at him now, he doesn't seem quite that vicious." The bat-suited youth at his side commented.
The golden giant glanced at him and said indifferently, "Can you really tell someone's personality just by looking? Since you're both at level 13, why don't you go challenge him and see if his temper is really as bad as the rumors say?"
The youth shook his head. "Are you trying to send me to my death? Just a single glance from him makes my blood run cold and my body feel like it's being torn apart. I'm only at the peak of the Immortal realm—the gap between me and a Sovereign-level Blood is just too vast. Truly, he is Dlius."
"Haha…" The golden giant chuckled twice, his face betraying an expression that seemed to say, "At least you have some self-awareness."
The thoughts of the other onlookers were similar to those of the two. There were no shortage of prodigious geniuses among them, all drawn by the fame of Dilius and the colossal energy vortex that dominated the void. Now, Dilius finally revealed his true form.
His might lived up to the rumors! Though he didn't display a shred of his power, merely standing before everyone, those facing him felt an indescribable sense of terror and oppression. Dilius was like a monarch seated upon a throne, coldly looking down upon them.
These latecomers, who had dared to challenge the majesty of the throne, might harbor defiant thoughts, but under the king's gaze, they had no choice but to bow their heads and submit.
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"Di... Dilius?!"
At this very moment, the four traveling with Lu Sheng were likely the most bewildered of all. Zoe and Anon were completely thrown off balance. For some inexplicable reason, Lu Sheng had become the legendary "Dilius". Listening to the earnest gasps and whispers of the people around her, Zoe was beginning to wonder.
"Could this young man I happened to meet aboard the Star Spirit Flower really be the legendary Dilius?"
After all, none of them had ever seen Dilius in person. Haiji Dao and Pablo, meanwhile, were stunned. They were stunned by the immense commotion caused during Lu Sheng's ascension breakthrough.
If the person who had previously challenged the 13th level alongside Lu Sheng, vying for cosmic energy, was indeed the rumored Dilius, wouldn't that mean that Lu Sheng... had just suppressed a super-genius endowed with a Sovereign-level Extraordinary Physique. In certain aspects, his talent... was even stronger than that of a Sovereign-level genius?!
This conclusion was too much of a shock for the two of them—so much so that even as veteran level 13 powerhouses who had lived for tens of thousands of years, they found it difficult to accept and process in an instant. They could only stand there, at a loss for words.
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As the crowd in the arena was "worshipping" the legendary Dilius, a streak of light shot toward them from the distant reaches of the starry sky, carrying boundless thunder and storms. Within it stood a three-eyed youth wielding a long-handled battle spear.
In the blink of an eye, the youth descended upon the scene. The overwhelming killing intent and malevolence that followed instantly engulfed the entire starry sky. In an instant, the numerous onlookers in the crowd were filled with dread, nearly scattering on the spot.
The three-eyed youth wielding the war spear charged straight toward the handsome young man at the center of the crowd. The war spear in his hand stirred up boundless momentum; thunder and storms coalesced into tangible force, striking down with ferocious force.
"Boom!"
The two figures collided violently. Terrifying energy ripples swept across the starry sky, drawing waves of gasps from the onlookers. A great battle began. In the starry sky, the two figures engaged in rapid combat. The three-eyed youth wielding the spear was ferocious beyond compare, his aura as terrifying and rampaging as the thunderstorm.
Meanwhile, "Dilius" remained composed, his jet-black hair fluttering slightly behind him. With just his bare hands, he effortlessly parried every attack from the three-eyed youth. After a brief moment of astonishment, the crowd's emotions instantly surged with excitement.
"Dilius" had only just ascended to level 13, yet he was already being ambushed by another. That someone actually dared to challenge the authority of a Sovereign-level ruler—how could this not stir excitement and fervor?
"It's that person—that Monarch-level being!"
The golden giant watching the fray spoke rapidly, "He deliberately chose to break through to level 13 alongside Dilius. He challenged Dilius once before, only to be utterly crushed and have his energy tide seized. Now that he's broken through, he actually dares to issue a second challenge to him. That takes real courage."
"Failing to clearly recognize the gap between oneself and others—is truly a tragedy." The young man accompanying the golden giant shook his head.
At that moment, the battle in the starry sky was drawing to a close. "Dilius" was enveloped in white light; his long black hair turned pure white inch by inch, and a crown-like white glow emerged on his forehead. He looked like a true god walking among mortals. With a mere flick of his wrist, he tore the three-eyed youth—who had dared to challenge his authority—to shreds.
As the once-fierce three-eyed youth dissolved into dust amidst thunder and storm, vanishing completely into the starry sky, a profound sense of awe welled up in the hearts of every onlooker.
"Truly worthy of the name Dilius!"
The might of that three-eyed youth wielding the battle spear was plain for all to see; as a master of thunder and storm, he was undoubtedly a standout among level 13s. Yet, under "Dilius's" hand, he couldn't even hold out for a few breaths. Although it was merely a Dao Projection, "Dilius" crushed his opponent with the ease and grace of eating and drinking.
"Dilius's" terrifying power was plain for all to see. After tearing the three-eyed youth to pieces, a flash of light flickered in the eyes of the god-like "Dilius." He suddenly shot off in the direction from which the three-eyed youth had come, vanishing into the vast expanse of the starry sky in an instant. Witnessing this scene, the onlookers in the arena grew instantly excited.
"Now this is going to be a show!"
The golden giant's eyes flashed, and a strange radiance shone across his golden face.
"Dilius has been provoked. He who has repeatedly defied the majesty of the King is destined to bear the wrath of the King." With that, the golden giant moved, following in "Delius's" footsteps as he hurried after him. The others did the same, all following the path of the "King" they spoke of.
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Translation notes by dhoo
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"Dilius"
Since people are mistaking Lu Sheng for Dilius, in this chapter "Dilius" means "the person who people think is Dilius but who's in fact Lu Sheng.
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Dao Projection
道神念分身: 道 dao 神 magical/divine 念 thought 分身 avatar
What Lu Sheng (called "Dilius") defeated is only an image of Dilius, like the Dharma Projection often used in previous arcs. 道神念分身 is a concept used only once, I'll skip this complicated name.