Chapter 2: The Rise Begins
Chapter 2: The Rise Begins
The air crackled with energy. Across the slums of Blackstone City, a million clones of Shen Ziyan sat in perfect silence, cultivating under the moonlit sky.
The world had never seen anything like it.
Hidden beneath the broken shrine at the city's edge, the real Shen Ziyan stared at the glowing system panel before him. His heart pounded as the numbers surged upward.
---
Clone Progress:
200,000 Clones: Qi Condensation (1st Layer) – 50%
500,000 Clones: Qi Condensation (2nd Layer) – 40%
300,000 Clones: Qi Condensation (3rd Layer) – 10%
---
"At this rate…" Shen Ziyan clenched his fists, a wild grin spreading across his face. "I'll surpass ordinary cultivators in days, not years!"
He could feel it—power slowly building in his clones, and once they reached new cultivation realms, that power would flow directly to him.
And soon, no one would ever dare touch him again.
But first, he needed to settle an old score.
His eyes burned with cold determination. Wei Feng—leader of the Iron Wolf Gang. The one who had made his life a living hell.
"System," he commanded, "recall 10,000 clones at Qi Condensation (1st Layer)."
[Acknowledged.]
A surge of warmth flooded through his body as the system absorbed the clones' cultivation. His veins throbbed with energy as his weak, mortal shell transformed.
[Cultivation Synchronized: Qi Condensation (3rd Layer – 5%)]
Shen Ziyan exhaled slowly, clenching his hands. His once frail body now brimmed with power. The bruises from yesterday's beating faded, and his senses sharpened.
"I'm no longer that helpless orphan," he murmured. "Now… I strike back."
---
Iron Wolf Gang's Hideout – Midnight
The gang's base was a crumbling manor on the outskirts, its walls covered in grime. Inside, laughter and the clinking of wine cups echoed through the air.
Wei Feng lounged on a wooden throne, his muscular frame draped in a blood-red cloak. His scarred face twisted into a cruel smile as he toyed with a dagger.
"Boss," a thug bowed, trembling. "We couldn't find Shen Ziyan. He's probably dead."
Wei Feng sneered. "Dead? I'm not satisfied until I see his corpse. He dared to talk back—I'll tear out his tongue next time."
At that moment, the temperature dropped. A chilling wind swept through the hall.
"What the hell—"
BOOM!
The main doors shattered into splinters.
A figure stepped through the smoke, his black hair whipping in the wind, eyes gleaming like cold stars.
It was Shen Ziyan.
"You…" Wei Feng's eyes widened in disbelief. "You should be crawling in a ditch!"
Shen Ziyan tilted his head, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Crawling? No… I'm here to bury you."
Wei Feng burst into laughter, his voice echoing through the hall. "An ant like you? Kill him!"
The air shifted.
Before the thugs could move, dozens of Shen Ziyan clones emerged from the shadows—each one radiating the aura of Qi Condensation cultivators.
"W-What?!" Panic spread through the gang.
With a flick of his hand, Shen Ziyan ordered, "Leave no one standing."
---
A Storm of Shadows
The Iron Wolf Gang never stood a chance. Clones blurred through the air, striking with inhuman precision. Bones snapped, blood sprayed—within minutes, the hall was filled with broken bodies.
Wei Feng's smile faded as he watched his men fall like wheat before the scythe. Fear gripped his heart.
"You… What kind of monster are you?!"
Shen Ziyan stepped closer, his real body radiating a terrifying pressure. "I was nothing," he said softly. "But now… I am everything."
Wei Feng roared, activating his own cultivation. "You think you can beat me?! I'm at the 5th Layer of Qi Condensation!"
But before he could strike—
CRACK!
A clone appeared behind him, shattering his knee with a single blow. Wei Feng collapsed with a scream.
Shen Ziyan crouched beside him. "You ruled this city through fear… but today, you learn what real fear is."
Without another word, he plunged his palm into Wei Feng's chest—absorbing the dying man's spiritual energy through his clones.
[Energy Absorbed: Qi Condensation (5th Layer)]
The system hummed as the power flooded into him. His cultivation surged forward again.
---
Cultivation Progress:
Qi Condensation (6th Layer – 10%)
---
A wave of euphoria washed over him. This was only the beginning.
Rising to his feet, Shen Ziyan gazed at the blood-soaked ruins of the Iron Wolf Gang.
"This city belongs to me now," he whispered.
And in the moonlit night, a legend was born—the rise of the Clone Emperor had begun.
---
End of Chapter 2.