My Clones Can Cultivate

Chapter 197

Liyu had finally gone through the entirety of his shop tab. Even though the only items currently available for purchase were all at the Basic Tier, the sheer number of things contained within the shop was more than staggering... it was practically infinite.

No matter how far he browsed, there always seemed to be something else waiting for him: weapons, consumables, special items, various tools, and countless strange things whose effects could potentially prove useful in battle.

The number of available items was completely limitless, and that was exactly why Liyu had spent the past few minutes carefully browsing through the shop, searching for anything and everything that could increase his chances of fighting and, more importantly, winning against Shi Tian.

Liyu wasn’t a fool; he knew exactly how dangerous the opponent standing before him was. If Guan Haoran had been capable of pushing him to such an extent despite the fact that Haoran’s aura hadn’t even threatened him that much before the battle, then Liyu was more than certain that this final battle would be even more difficult to win than his fight against Guan Haoran... far more difficult.

The thought alone made Liyu’s expression become slightly solemn. Of course, if he could still use Berserker, then perhaps he wouldn’t be this nervous. After all, that skill wasn’t merely powerful; it was insane, absolutely ridiculous.

The power it had granted him during his battle against Guan Haoran was something Liyu still couldn’t completely comprehend, a hundredfold amplification of all his stats that was enough to make his heart beat faster just thinking about it.

Well... he shouldn’t expect anything less from a skill granted by his Divine-Rank Physique. The Berserker skill was undoubtedly powerful, perhaps too powerful, but unfortunately, Liyu couldn’t rely on it to win this final match.

His body had already suffered the consequences of using it; even though the Restoration Pill had completely restored him, Liyu understood that his body couldn’t simply withstand that kind of terrifying strain repeatedly within the same day. If he tried to force Berserker again, the consequences would be dire.

Therefore, he needed something else... anything, anything at all that could increase his chances of winning. And so, Liyu had searched through the shop carefully, looking for anything that could serve as an advantage against Shi Tian.

He didn’t care whether the item was offensive or defensive, whether it was a weapon, consumable, auxiliary tool, or something else entirely; as long as it could help him survive longer or increase his chance of defeating Shi Tian, then it was worth considering.

And with the enormous amount of Essence Points he had acquired from his reflections, Liyu had been able to purchase quite a lot. Each of the things he bought would serve as another card in his hand, another layer of preparation, and another tiny advantage that might become decisive when the battle finally began.

By the time he was finally satisfied with his purchases, Liyu’s confidence had already soared. He closed the shop tab, then looked at his Essence Point balance, his eyes twitching. The number that had once been a glorious 150,000 Essence Points had been reduced dramatically to 20,000 Essence Points.

Liyu stared at the number for several seconds before sighing. "That hurts..." His voice was low and filled with genuine pain. He had spent 130,000 Essence Points... one hundred and thirty thousand! That was an enormous amount, and just thinking about how many Essence Points had disappeared from his balance made his heart ache.

But Liyu quickly shook his head; he couldn’t afford to be stingy with himself at a crucial moment like this. There was only one match left, one, and if he won this battle, then everything would be worth it. He needed to win, he had to win, and because of that, he was willing to give it his all.

Liyu slowly exhaled a small, steady breath. "Haa..." His expression gradually relaxed, then a smile appeared on his face. He stretched lazily, loosening his shoulders and arms before his gaze finally shifted toward the opposite side of the arena, his eyes locking directly onto Shi Tian’s, who was already looking back at him.

The two gazes met across the arena, and Liyu’s lips slowly curled upward as a deadly yet playful grin appeared across his face.

"Well..." His voice carried a casual tone. "I don’t really think I need to call you now, do I?" Liyu tilted his head slightly. "After all, you’re the only one left.

But if you want me to do you the honor..." His grin widened. "Okay." He shrugged casually. "I’ll do that as well." Liyu’s gaze sharpened. He gestured toward the stage. "Okay then, Shi Tian. Come onto the stage."

At the Shi camp, Shi Tian’s expression didn’t change, remaining that same emotionless face with no anger, no excitement, no impatience, nothing. After a short while, however, he slowly stood up with calm and steady movements, walking toward the stage. Step. Step. Step.

Every step he took seemed to reverberate with confidence and power, with no rush in his movements and no hesitation either.

The way he walked made it look as if he wasn’t heading into a battle at all, but rather as if he was simply walking toward an arrogant junior who had overestimated himself and needed to be disciplined... as though the outcome of the battle had already been decided, and as though the only mistake Liyu had made was calling him onto the stage.

Shi Tian soon arrived, standing face-to-face with Liyu. The distance between the two teenagers wasn’t very large, yet neither moved. Shi Tian’s gaze remained completely unchanged, and Liyu’s expression remained calm as well, though the playful smile was still present on his lips.

The atmosphere around them slowly became tense, and the audience could already feel it: the final battle was about to begin.

But before either party could make a move, a figure suddenly appeared directly between them. The referee let out a small cough. "Ahem."

Liyu and Shi Tian both turned their gazes toward him. The referee calmly looked at the two teenagers. "Both of you, get down from the stage."

Liyu blinked. Shi Tian’s expression remained unchanged.

The referee pointed toward the marble platform beneath their feet. "The stage you’re standing on isn’t as badly damaged as the previous one, but it’s still damaged. And considering the kind of battle you two are about to have, I’m afraid the stage will be shattered before your battle even reaches its conclusion." The referee sighed. "So step down for two minutes and let me repair it first."

Liyu nodded immediately. "Okay." He turned around and jumped down from the stage.

Shi Tian, however, didn’t nod, nor did he even give any indication that he had heard the referee. Instead, his figure simply vanished.

Whoosh! A small gust of wind swept across the ground, and by the time the wind dissipated, Shi Tian was already standing on the ground several meters away with his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes closed, and his posture completely relaxed. He simply stood there, waiting... waiting for the referee to finish, and waiting for the battle to finally begin.

The referee glanced at the two teenagers and confirmed that both had stepped away from the stage. He cracked his knuckles. "Alright." This time, he wasn’t going to take any chances; the previous battle had already shown him exactly how terrifying these youngsters could become, especially Liyu.

The referee glanced briefly at him before turning his attention back toward the damaged stage. He took a deep breath, and then his aura slowly began to rise. This time, he would reinforce the stage even further... much further.

He would strengthen every part of it and reinforce its structure to an absurd degree, making absolutely certain that the two kids couldn’t shatter the stage in the middle of their battle. After all, this was the final match, and considering the monsters standing before him, the referee had a feeling that this battle might be the most destructive one yet.

While the referee was busy reinforcing and repairing the stage, the betting stand also updated its odds, immediately catching the attention of some of the spectators who were still following the betting board. For Liyu, the betting odds had changed from 2.0 to 1.5, and for his opponent, Shi Tian, the odds had also changed to 1.5.

The meaning behind the change was obvious: from the perspective of the betting makers... and even from the perspective of the top echelon observing the tournament... this final matchup was insanely close.

On one side was the young man who had been considered the favorite to win the entire tournament from the very beginning: Shi Tian, the Devil of the Shi Clan, the young genius who had crushed Li Feng while the latter was in the legendary State of Flow, overwhelming him so completely that the entire audience had been left speechless.

And on the other side was the guy who had shattered every piece of logic the people had about reality: Liyu, the young man who had appeared out of nowhere, stepped onto the stage despite being merely a first-stage Qi Gathering cultivator, and proceeded to destroy one opponent after another.

Against all odds, against every expectation, and against every prediction, he had made it all the way to the final.

The two of them were, from most perspectives, equal. They were both the absolute elites among the younger generation, and their performances throughout the tournament had proven that beyond any doubt.... well, for Liyu, at least, that was only based on the matches he had already fought.

This was only the second match Shi Tian would be fighting today, yet the young man had already left an unforgettable impression on the entire crowd. How could anyone forget the way he had crushed Li Feng?

And Li Feng wasn’t some ordinary opponent; he had entered the State of Flow... one of the legendary states. Yet even after entering that state, he had been completely overwhelmed and crushed by Shi Tian. That alone was more than enough to convince everyone that Shi Tian was a genuine freak.

And then there was Liyu. They had all watched his journey... watching him fight one impossible battle after another, defeat opponents far above his cultivation realm, survive situations that should have been impossible to survive, and somehow continue standing as though none of it mattered.

Without a shred of hesitation, they could all agree on one thing: Liyu was also a freak. No, a super freak. So yes, everyone was genuinely anticipating how this final battle was going to end.

Would Shi Tian finally put an end to Liyu’s ridiculous journey, or would Liyu once again shatter everyone’s expectations and defeat the Devil of the Shi Clan? That uncertainty was exactly what made the final match so exciting.

Only a few people dared to bet their money on this battle, and among those few who did, almost all of them were absolute supporters of either Liyu or Shi Tian. Nobody else wanted to take the risk; the odds were simply too close.

At the seats of the Shi Clan, Shi Lan and Shi Yuan both sat quietly as they looked at the scene before them, still holding a small trace of shock in their eyes.

"Wait... did all of them lose?" Shi Yuan’s voice was low, almost as though he was still struggling to accept what had happened.

After all, this wasn’t part of the plan; the plan had never included allowing a freak like Shi Tian to battle, as they had originally expected the other members of the Shi Clan to handle the tournament while Shi Tian remained untouched until absolutely necessary. Yet somehow, everything had gone completely off the rails.

Their gazes shifted toward Shi Meng, who was still kneeling on the ground, not even daring to stand up. Shi Yuan and Shi Lan immediately questioned her about what had happened, and Shi Meng gave them a general overview of everything that had occurred so far.

The moment they finished listening, the two of them were stunned, their gazes immediately shifting toward Liyu, who was currently standing at the side of the arena, stretching his body casually as though he hadn’t just fought several terrifying battles. Pure, unbridled shock filled their eyes.

"That kid... beat Brother Mo?" Shi Yuan’s voice carried disbelief. Even now, he found it hard to believe that Shi Mo had actually lost to that kid.

Shi Lan wasn’t nearly as shocked.

He had already witnessed enough of Liyu’s ridiculous strength to know that the young man was beyond normal understanding, and he quickly came to terms with it, simply placing the blame on the only explanation that seemed to make sense. "That guy isn’t normal."

Shi Lan’s gaze narrowed. "He’s nothing but a freak wearing human clothes." The words sounded almost like an insult, but deep down, Shi Lan knew they were closer to a compliment... there was simply no other way to describe Liyu.

Shi Yuan remained silent for a moment before asking in a low voice, "Do you think he has a chance against the Devil?"

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere around the three became heavier. Shi Lan and Shi Meng both understood what Shi Yuan was truly asking, and they also understood the fear hidden beneath his words because they were all feeling the same thing.

Shi Tian had already made his intentions more than clear: if they lost, he would kill them. And now? They had all lost, and their lives were already hanging by a thread.

Shi Lan remained silent for several seconds before finally shaking his head. "I’m not sure." His expression became complicated. "Normally, that would be far from being a possibility. There is no genius capable of reaching the level of the Shi Devil." His voice carried absolute certainty when he said that. "Never."

But then his gaze shifted toward Liyu, who was still stretching casually at the side of the arena, completely unconcerned with the countless gazes directed toward him. Shi Lan’s eyes was filed with complicated thoughts

"But this Liyu..." He paused. "I have a feeling he might actually be able to push him a little."

Shi Yuan’s eyes flickered. "Maybe..."

Shi Lan continued slowly, "Maybe he could even beat him if the heavens were on his side." He gave a small shake of his head. "But even that is still hard to tell."

Silence descended upon the three. Shi Yuan didn’t speak. Shi Lan didn’t speak. Even Shi Meng remained silent. Yet although none of them said anything, their thoughts at that moment were exactly the same, their hearts praying: *Heaven, please... let Shi Tian lose.*

If Shi Tian lost, then he would have to kill himself as well, and if he didn’t, then he wouldn’t have the right to kill them either because they would all be losers. And that was the only possibility they could desperately hope for now: the three members of the Shi Clan weren’t praying for their own victory, but rather for the victory of the person they had once considered their enemy... Liyu.

At the seats of the Guan Clan, Guan Feng and Guan Jian, who had already returned from the infirmary after being healed, stared toward the side of the stage in complete shock. "Brother Haoran lost against him?!"

The two brothers exclaimed in unison, their voices carrying the disbelief that was currently filling their hearts. They were beyond shocked, having genuinely believed that there was no way Liyu could defeat Guan Haoran... in fact, they had initially believed that Liyu wouldn’t even be able to scratch Haoran’s iron-like body, let alone actually defeat him.

But now, that very thing they had considered impossible had happened: Liyu had defeated Guan Haoran, and not just an ordinary Guan Haoran either, but after Haoran had entered the legendary State of Overflow.

The two brothers immediately demanded to know exactly what had happened, and Guan Xiu proceeded to tell them everything she had witnessed.

The more they listened, the more their bodies tingled, and by the time Guan Xiu finished explaining the battle, the expressions on their faces had become incredibly complicated with shock, disbelief, relief, and even a trace of fear.

Because they finally realized something: that arrogant Liyu had actually gone easy on them. If Liyu had used the final attack he had unleashed against Guan Haoran on either of them, then the two brothers would probably already be in the afterlife by now.

The thought alone sent a chill through their bodies. They had been completely unaware of just how terrifying the difference between them and Liyu truly was, but now they understood. And that realization left them both relieved that Liyu hadn’t truly gone all out against them, yet at the same time, it also made them incredibly shocked and frustrated.

They had thought they were geniuses, powerful, and that their cultivation and combat abilities were enough to stand proudly among the younger generation. But after seeing Liyu’s performance? That confidence had been shattered.

Still, despite all those complicated emotions, neither of them could deny the anticipation currently filling their hearts for the final match... the final battle of the selection tournament, the battle that would determine everything, decide which clan would become the sole winner of this tournament, and more importantly, determine whether Liyu’s ridiculous journey would finally come to an end or whether he would once again overturn everyone’s expectations.

Soon, the referee finally finished repairing and reinforcing the stage, looking toward the two young men waiting below. "Both contestants, return to the stage."

Shi Tian calmly walked back onto the stage with movements remaining steady and composed, without the slightest trace of nervousness, his eyes still closed as he stepped forward.

But the moment he reached the stage, his eyelids slowly lifted, and his dark eyes opened beneath the moonlight. Immediately, they locked onto Liyu... more specifically, onto the dangerous, playful grin currently hanging on Liyu’s face.

For a brief moment, neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere surrounding the entire arena seemed to change as everyone could feel it: the final battle was truly about to begin.

The referee stepped forward and raised his voice, ensuring that everyone throughout the massive arena could hear him clearly. "Alright, folks!" His voice echoed throughout the arena. "The tournament of the three great clans is finally coming to an end!"

The countless spectators immediately became quiet, their attention completely focused on the stage.

"After all the exciting clashes, incredible power-ups, shocking reversals, and thrilling moments that we have witnessed throughout these battles..." The referee paused dramatically. "We have finally arrived at the ending of this tournament!"

The atmosphere became even more heated.

"Now..." He stretched out his voice. "We are at the final matchup!" His voice exploded across the arena. "The final match!"

The crowd erupted.

"LIYU!"

"VS!"

"SHI TIAN!"

The cheers immediately surged like a tidal wave.

"The Honored One of the Li Clan..." The referee pointed toward Liyu. "...against the Devil of the Shi Clan!"

The moment those words were spoken, the entire arena seemed to tremble. The Honored One of the Li Clan. The Devil of the Shi Clan. Two names. Two monsters. And now, only one of them could stand at the end.

"Who will win?!" The referee’s voice thundered across the arena.

The audience erupted into an even louder uproar. Every single gaze turned toward the stage with excitement, anticipation, nervousness, and curiosity visible within the eyes of the spectators.

They couldn’t wait; they had waited through every previous battle for this moment, and now, finally, the two monsters of the younger generation were standing face-to-face. The final battle was about to begin.

At the center of the stage, the referee looked between the two warriors. On one side stood Liyu, whose posture was relaxed with his dark robes fluttering gently beneath the night breeze, and a small yet dangerous grin remaining on his face... with no fear in his eyes, no hesitation, only anticipation.

On the other side stood Shi Tian, whose expression was completely different: cold, calm, emotionless, with his dark eyes remaining fixed upon Liyu, carrying a depth that made it difficult to tell exactly what was going through his mind.

Neither of the two moved.

Neither spoke. The moon hung high above the arena, bathing the entire battlefield in pale silver light. A cold breeze swept across the stage, gently lifting Liyu’s dark hair and causing Shi Tian’s clothes to flutter slightly.

The atmosphere was strangely quiet, and the countless spectators held their breaths. Even the people sitting among the top echelon had their attention completely locked onto the stage.

The referee took a deep breath, looking at the two young men one final time. Then...

Whoosh!

His figure suddenly vanished from the center of the stage, and a second later, his voice rang out across the entire arena.

"Alright, then..." His voice carried clearly through the night. "LET THE FINAL MATCH BEGIN!"

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