Alpha Reborn!

Evan approached the barrier and swung his sword unremarkably. The tips of his sword glimmered a bright purple, imbued with the full power of his Blade Master skill crystal. The attack struck the defensive shield that enveloped Darian, cutting through it with ease as if it were a knife slicing through soft butter.

What happened next caused the spectators to stand up in disbelief.

"That\'s impossible! How could he slice through that shield like it\'s nothing?"

"I\'m almost a hundred years old, but I\'ve never seen anything like this before!"

"I can hardly fathom it! How could this even be possible? Ancestor Darian\'s defensive shield is renowned as one of the most robust defensive techniques in the empire, yet it was sliced apart as though it were nothing more than a mere breeze!"

"It\'s simply incomprehensible."

Their mouths opened wide in shock, and their eyes popped out as they watched Evan\'s sword slice through the defensive shield with ease, as if it were made of paper!

Darian, who had been standing confidently behind the shield, was equally shocked. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stumbled back, barely managing to stay on his feet. He had never imagined that someone could break through his shield so easily, let alone with such a casual swing of a sword.

Amazingly, Evan accomplished the task, defying all odds and beliefs!

For a moment, Darian simply stood there, staring at Evan in disbelief, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Actually, he simply didn\'t want to believe it.

The clone\'s personality was modeled after Darian, and he was a haughty individual, so how could he simply accept that Evan had effortlessly conquered his most powerful maneuver? It was too hard a pill to swallow for him.

With the barrier gone, Darian was left defenseless.

Seizing this opportunity was precisely what Evan had been anticipating.

To be specific, even before the fight started, he was aware that Darian was far from trustworthy, yet he had agreed to his challenge.

Why?

The answer was twofold: firstly, to make a point, and secondly, to be prepared to take advantage of this very moment!

\'I am certain that he wouldn\'t give up without a fight. However, I was not interested in engaging in a battle with him. So let\'s end it here. If I fail to act now, I will live to rue this rare opportunity to secure an easy win.\'

Thus, while Darian was still grappling with the shock of his shattered shield, Evan seized the moment and thrusted his sword forward with remarkable precision.

Puchi!

A sickening squelch echoed as if the very ground had recoiled from the sound. It was a sound that no one could mistake, the sound of flesh being torn apart, of bones being crushed, and of a heart being stabbed.

Evan\'s sword has found its mark, impaling Darian!

Thud!

With a loud thump, Darian\'s body hit the ground.

On his knees, Darian looked up at Evan, who stood silently towering over him. Suddenly, Darian\'s eyes flickered, and the grey color of his eyes changed to an unnaturally bright hue, giving off an eerie impression that he was possessed by some mysterious force.

Evan inspected Darian closely, hoping to uncover any clues about his identity or intentions, but his efforts proved fruitless. It was like trying to unravel a puzzle that refused to be solved. Why was it like that? He could easily guess that it could only be because the latter\'s level had suddenly skyrocketed, becoming many times greater than his own! 

As he looked at Darian, a thought struck Evan.

He wondered if he was standing in the presence of the True Darian - the third most powerful founder of the Imperial Frost clan, who had left the Black Eye Galaxy behind and ascended to a higher realm more than 100 years ago!

Darian laughed. "Hahaha, interesting. I... I didn\'t think anyone in the Soul Manifestation Realm could break through my shield." 

Blood was flowing out of his mouth, but he was acting like he couldn\'t feel pain. 

"Dear ancestor, there\'s a first time for everything," replied Evan with a nonchalant tone, his gaze fixed upon Darian.

"How did you do it?" Darian said while coughing blood. The clone was made to be extremely realistic. 

"It\'s simple," Evan replied. "I trained my crystal to reach its full potential, unleashing its second form, which ultimately led to your defeat."

His words left the lip-reading experts in shock. What he said was so unexpected that it caught them off guard, and they struggled to process the implications of his statement. Despite their expertise, they were taken aback by the sheer magnitude of his claim.

Darian also appeared skeptical. "But how? You\'re only a Soul Manifestation Realm Cultivator. How could you possibly unlock the true potential of a skill crystal?"

"I may be a mere Soul Manifestation Realm Cultivator, but I am not limited by expectations," Evan retorted with a smug expression. "Unlocking the true potential of a skill crystal might be solely based on one\'s level of cultivation and the amount of effort and determination they put into the act. But for me, it\'s as simple as inhaling and exhaling air. Believe it or not, It comes to me naturally."

Evan wasn\'t bullshitting. After all, a single skill upgrade card was more than enough for him to unlock the true potential of his skill crystal!

Hearing his words, Darian seemed taken aback. 

After a moment, he couldn\'t help but say, 

"I can see that you have recently awakened. There\'s no other way to explain it, so I trust you. Common sense cannot be applied when it comes to you, and you have an unusual way of thinking. I guess you\'ll eventually find your way to the higher realm. I look forward to seeing you in the Holy Ground of cultivation - the Flying Empire."

Darian\'s eyes lost their shine the moment he finished speaking. He seemed to have died!

Evan hurriedly checked Darian\'s pulse but to no avail. As he suspected, Darian had passed away.