Alicia's confused eyes slowly swept across the surroundings.
The room was spacious, quiet, and incomparably comfortable. Soft light illuminated the interior, neither too bright nor too dim, while the air carried a gentle warmth that made her feel at ease. Elegant furniture was arranged neatly, and the spiritual energy within the room was rich and soothing, far beyond anything she had ever experienced before. Everything about this place spoke of luxury and refinent.
Yet, it was not a place she recognized.
Her brows furrowed slightly as more and more confusion surfaced in her eyes. The mories before she lost consciousness were still vivid, and this unfamiliar environnt only deepened her unease.
Her expression only relaxed when her gaze landed on Alex.
He was standing nearby, looking at her with emotions he made no attempt to hide. There was relief, joy, exhaustion, and lingering fear all mixed together in his eyes. Seeing that familiar figure, Alicia felt her heart steady almost instantly.
"Where is this place?" she asked softly. "What happened?"
Alex took a deep breath.
Then, without holding anything back, he told her everything.
He spoke of the mont she had been "killed," of the sudden appearance of the golden door, of the bronze gate, the vast garden, and the existence known as the Boundless Shop. He explained the Boundless Tokens, the rules of this place, the Boundless Coins, and the miraculous pill that had restored her body to its pri.
The more she listened, the more astonished Alicia beca.
Even with her experiences and knowledge, the existence of a place that stood beyond ti, space, and all universes was sothing that left her genuinely shaken. For a long mont, she remained silent, digesting everything he had said.
Then, as if she thought of sothing, her expression sharpened.
"Alex," she said urgently, stepping closer, "we need to leave. Co with . There's sothing I must do imdiately."
Her tone carried unmistakable haste. However, Alex quickly reached out and gently stopped her.
"Wait," he said calmly. "There's no need to rush."
Alicia frowned. "What do you an?"
Alex explained patiently, "Inside the Boundless Shop, ti doesn't flow the sa way. No matter how long we stay here, even if it's billions of years, when we step out, not even a single mont will have passed for us. We'll return to the exact ti and place we were in before entering."
Alicia froze after hearing this. Her urgency wavered, and her tense posture gradually relaxed.
"…So there's no risk," she murmured.
Alex nodded. "None."
Alicia nodded, but for a mont, she didn't know what to say.
Alex, on the other hand, summoned his auxiliary system again. With a few simple actions, he registered Alicia as a recognized custor of the Boundless Shop. The mont the process completed, a faint fluctuation passed through the air.
Alicia was stunned as a transparent screen appeared before her eyes, welcoming her to the Boundless Shop.
This screen was her auxiliary system.
She inhaled sharply, eyes widening in disbelief.
Before she could say anything, Alex transferred all his remaining Boundless Coins to her without hesitation. The balance on his screen dropped to zero, while hers rose accordingly.
Alicia stared at the number, then at Alex.
"You gave everything?" she asked quietly.
Alex t her gaze without hesitation.
"Yes," he said simply.
There was no need for further explanation. Alicia also didn't stand on ceremony by trying to refuse. She simply accepted Alex's gift. With Alex's help, she understood how to use the Auxiliary System and started browsing through the system.
---
Alex was standing in an empty arena. The ground beneath his feet was smooth and dark, like polished obsidian, stretching endlessly in all directions.
And soone stood opposite him. The person standing in front of him was actually "Alex" himself.
This Alex had the sa face and body. Their cultivation was the sa. Even the faint scars and traces of battle were identical. Yet there was one overwhelming difference.
Only, the second Alex had no expression. His eyes were cold, empty, devoid of emotion, like a mirror that reflected nothing. He stood straight, hands relaxed at his sides, blade sheathed at his waist, as if waiting patiently for a predetermined outco.
It had been a few hours since Alicia woke up. After she returned to her room, Alex began browsing the auxiliary system. Eventually, he selected the Infinity option, causing several additional choices to appear before his eyes.
In the end, he chose an arena fight, where his opponent would be another version of himself.
As the battle started, the cold-eyed Alex drew his blade without warning.
Clang—!
A streak of light split the space as the blade left its sheath, carrying a sharp, rciless edge. Alex reacted purely on instinct. He twisted his body sideways, his own blade flashing into existence as he activated Heaven-Cleaving Shadow Draw.
Two blades collided mid-air.
A deafening tallic cry echoed as sparks scattered like falling stars. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the ground beneath their feet.
Alex slid back several steps, his eyes narrowing.
The other Alex remained unmoved.
Before Alex could recover, his opponent stepped forward and unleashed Void-Flow Ninefold Slash. Nine overlapping blade arcs erupted simultaneously, sealing all paths of retreat.
Alex exhaled sharply and slamd his foot down.
"Profound Earth Guarding Stance!"
His body sank, spiritual energy condensing as his blade spun in his hand. He countered with Sky-Reversing Blade Wheel, deflecting seven of the slashes head-on. The remaining two slipped past his defense.
Alex raised his left arm just in ti.
Boom!
The slashes struck, tearing through his defensive aura and sending him skidding across the ground. Pain flared, sharp and real.
Before he could stabilize himself, the cold-eyed Alex was already there.
A fist descended.
"Heaven-Shattering Star Fist!"
Alex barely managed to cross his arms.
The impact was brutal.
His arms numbed instantly as his body was blasted backward like a teor. He flipped mid-air, forced spiritual energy into his legs, and landed heavily, cracking the ground beneath him.
The other Alex advanced calmly, his movents precise and efficient.
Alex gritted his teeth and surged forward. This ti, he abandoned his blade.
His palms glowed faintly as he executed Azure Dragon Coiling Palm, layers of force spiraling outward like invisible dragons. The palm strike carried both power and finesse, capable of crushing bones and disrupting ridians.
The cold-eyed Alex raised his hand.
"Mirror Void Palm."
The techniques collided.
Instead of an explosion, the energies canceled each other out perfectly, dispersing into nothingness. Alex's eyes widened slightly at the absolute precision.
The opponent followed up instantly.
"Crimson Sun Crushing Elbow!"
Alex reacted with Golden Vajra Body, his muscles tightening as golden light surged across his skin. The elbow struck him squarely in the chest.
Boom!
Alex coughed, blood surging into his throat, yet he did not retreat. He twisted his body and countered with Falling Thunder Annihilation Kick, his leg descending like a bolt of lightning.
But it was blocked.
The cold-eyed Alex caught his leg mid-strike, expression unchanged. And then, he attacked.
"Void-Severing Knee."
Pain exploded through Alex's abdon as he was hurled away once more. He rolled across the ground, forcing himself to stand, breath heavy.
Across from him, the other Alex stood exactly as before.
Alex wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and laughed softly.
But the cold-eyed Alex raised his blade once more, ignoring his laughter.
"All-Intent Convergence Slash."
Alex's pupils contracted when he saw the second Alex attacking him with this skill. This was his strongest technique.
He answered in kind, executing the sa technique as well.
"All-Intent Convergence Slash."
"BOOM!"
Two identical forces collided, and the arena shook violently as the clash tore through space itself. Light erupted, swallowing everything.
When the brilliance faded, Alex was on one knee, blade embedded in the ground, chest heaving.
Across from him, the other Alex stood intact, but faint cracks ran across his body, spreading slowly like fractures in glass.
Then...
Bang!
The other Alex shattered into fragnts before disappearing. At the sa ti, a notification appeared before Alex's eyes.
[Victory!]
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