Trial of the Mirror Arena

Unlike the other players who eagerly clicked on an icon, Xia Yuan decided to take a different approach.

He began walking forward, curious to see the boundaries of this strange white space.

After walking several dozen meters, he realized something was off. Despite continuing forward, his position hadn't changed. The two floating icons behind him remained at the exact same distance as before.

"Could it be that these icons move with me?" Xia Yuan wondered, a faint smile of helplessness crossing his face.

Eventually, he gave up on exploring and returned to the two icons. After a moment of deliberation, he reached out and clicked the icon shaped like a small tower.

The world shifted again.

The pure white space vanished, replaced by a dim, black void. In front of him stood two structures: a small arena and a small tower.

After some thought, Xia Yuan walked toward the arena.

"You have selected the arena mode. No opponent has been chosen. Would you like to activate the mirror challenge?"

"Mirror challenge?" Xia Yuan frowned. Another unfamiliar term.

He sighed lightly and replied, "Activate it."

"Arena mode charges one hundred spirit crystals. Do you wish to continue?"

Xia Yuan chuckled to himself. "Even in a virtual space, they charge fees? How interesting."

Spirit crystals meant little to someone of his status, so he nodded. "Continue."

"Challenge successfully activated. Map loading... Mirror generated... Transmitting map..."

The scenery around him changed in an instant.

Xia Yuan now stood in the heart of a volcanic landscape. Rivers of molten lava flowed all around him, and the ground itself seemed alive with fire. Towering plumes of flame burst forth from the cracked earth, painting the sky in a fiery red hue.

Despite the oppressive environment, Xia Yuan remained calm. He reminded himself that this was all virtual—a creation of the VR device.

"Huh? What's this?"

He noticed a mall-like icon in the corner of his vision. Curious, he clicked it.

A translucent menu appeared before him, filled with countless options for weapons and abilities, all organized by realm. To his surprise, all of these options were free.

After browsing for a moment, Xia Yuan chose a heavenly sword. The weapon materialized in his hand, perfectly balanced and radiating an aura of sharpness.

"Do you wish to start the mirror challenge?" another prompt appeared.

"Yes," Xia Yuan answered confidently.

As soon as the words left his mouth, the space in front of him shimmered. Rays of light coalesced, forming the outline of a figure.

In just a few breaths, another Xia Yuan stood before him, identical in every way. The figure even held an identical heavenly sword.

Not only was this mirror image at the Pathseeker realm, but its aura perfectly matched Xia Yuan's own—strong, unyielding, and full of battle intent.

Xia Yuan's eyes lit up with excitement. "Hahaha! So this is the mirror mode? Fascinating! Let's see just how identical you truly are!"

Without waiting for a reply, Xia Yuan moved.

In a blur of motion, he launched himself forward, leaving cracks in the scorched ground behind him. Lava bubbled up from the fissures as his explosive speed sent shockwaves rippling through the air.

"Die!" Xia Yuan roared as he swung his sword down in a devastating arc.

The mirror image remained eerily calm. In an instant, it raised its sword and blocked the attack.

Boom!

The clash of swords rang out like thunder, sending a massive shockwave of spiritual power outward.

The resulting impact triggered a chain reaction. Nearby volcanoes erupted violently, spewing rivers of lava and clouds of ash high into the sky. The once-still molten landscape turned into a chaotic inferno.

Xia Yuan landed lightly on the ground, his expression bright with excitement. His gaze remained fixed on the mirror image, whose expression mirrored his own calm determination.

"Impressive!" Xia Yuan exclaimed. "You even react as fast as I do!"

The battle had only just begun, and already Xia Yuan felt his blood boiling with anticipation.

"Let's see who comes out on top, me or my reflection!"