To appear taller and better resonate with the Great Sun in the sky, Zhong Ming condensed a Sun Divine Wheel behind his back that closely resembled the Sun itself.

The slowly revolving Divine Wheel, the crimson-gold pupils, and the empowerment of a dual Divine Power—all of it gave Zhong Ming a sublime aura as he stood beneath the Sun. To a Mortal, seeing Zhong Ming was like seeing a son of the Sun.

This display of power made Mingya’s gaze turn cautious. He could clearly sense that, in terms of aura alone, the current Zhong Ming was now on par with him.

That’s right—only on par. The empowerment he received from burning the Holy Blood was just that absurd.

However, he soon recalled the other abilities the Holy Blood had granted him. This caused the gravity in his eyes to fade, replaced by an unshakable will to win.

At this moment, Zhong Ming slowly lowered his gaze, locking his majestic pupils onto Mingya—and the giant pupil floating above his head.

As Zhong Ming gazed at the latter, a trace of—pity—appeared in his eyes.

"You shouldn’t have dispersed the dark clouds."

CRACK!

His detached, calm tone, combined with that condescending pity, was like a thorn viciously stabbing into Mingya’s pride. His expression twisted as he roared, the sound making the very air tremble:

"Bastard, don’t you look at me like that! You’re not qualified to speak to me that way!"

"In this duel, *you* are the challenger!"

The roar, each word spat out with fury, revealed his explosive temperament. And through his observation with the Mirror of the Soul, Zhong Ming also noticed one of Mingya’s flaws.

’His power wasn’t earned through painstaking cultivation, but was a gift from a superior. This has caused a severe disconnect between his mental state and his strength. Moreover, the sudden acquisition of immense power has thrown his mentality off balance, breeding arrogance.’

"Feel despair! Feel pain! Recognize the gap between us!"

While Zhong Ming was analyzing Mingya, the enraged man had already launched a ferocious attack.

HUM!

As he bellowed in anger, the deep, dark pupil floating above his head suddenly constricted. This action caused Zhong Ming’s figure to be clearly reflected in the center of the giant pupil.

The next moment, illusory images of countless blades, spears, swords, and halberds materialized. Wreathed in roaring flames and blinding Thunderbolt, they slashed down ferociously upon Zhong Ming’s reflection!

SPLASH...

Zhong Ming was not without his defenses. Although the endless Gale and Torrential Rain had been dispersed, the Water Flood Dragon he had usurped still coiled around him. Its scales, shimmering with a faint blue light, formed the first line of defense, guarding his body.

But the giant pupil somehow passed through the Water Flood Dragon, locking onto and reflecting only Zhong Ming’s figure.

And so, the Water Flood Dragon’s protection was rendered completely useless.

Fortunately, Zhong Ming had more than one layer of defense. The transparent Longxi Magical Robe was so intimately connected to his aura that it was like a part of him, and thus it was also drawn into the giant pupil’s reflection.

This caused Mingya’s first wave of attacks to land entirely on the Longxi Magical Robe.

SPLASH...

The continuous assault forced the Longxi Magical Robe to reveal its true form, sending ripples across its surface. A large number of water droplets were shaken loose, splashing in all directions.

But as they were shaken off, they also diverted a significant amount of the attacks’ force, leaving Zhong Ming completely unharmed.

"Hmph, you have some skill, but it’s useless. Your Magical Robe can’t protect you!"

Murmuring this to himself, he once again activated the pupil above his head, intending to inflict Vaporization on Zhong Ming’s Magical Robe.

This method of attack was truly miraculous, and rather difficult to defend against.

But if Zhong Ming had wanted to, he had many ways to evade it.

For example, he could have fought back directly with his own Pupil Technique, or unleashed a boundless radiance to blind his opponent’s eyes—for it is not only darkness that can obscure sight; extreme light can also cause blindness.

But in the end, he did not do so.

[My Heart and My Will, Clear as a Mirror]. His Master Level Longxi Sword Dao gave Zhong Ming the power to see himself, to see the world, and to see all living things.

And "seeing all living things" wasn’t just for combat; it also allowed Zhong Ming to learn from the world and all its beings as if they were his teachers, absorbing their strengths. To put it simply, this was a form of ’Dao Discussion’.

As for Mingya, regardless of his attitude or the origin of his abilities, there was one thing Zhong Ming could not deny: the powers he possessed were a great source of inspiration.

This method of attacking an enemy through their reflection, in particular, was the beacon—the path forward—that Zhong Ming had been dreaming of. And he had truly managed to see something in it.

’So that’s how it is. It’s not just about high-level causality; the transformation between illusion and reality, between light and shadow, can also be used to attack a subject through its reflection... However, the connection is somewhat weak this way. It requires a period of connection to deepen the link before you can harm the enemy’s foundation. In the early stages, you can only inflict superficial wounds.’

’But that’s enough. Besides, I already possess powers related to both of these principles... The power over illusion and reality can be comprehended from the Great Dream of Thousand Years, while the transformation of light and shadow will rely on the Flame of the Sun.’

’After all, where there is light, there must be shadow...’

...

Burning that drop of profound and mysterious blood gave Mingya’s power a very high Personhood, but his own shallow foundation made him incapable of truly controlling this force. As a result, when he activated his abilities, many of their profound secrets were laid bare, allowing Zhong Ming to gain a great deal of insight in an instant.

For this reason, Zhong Ming was in no hurry to defeat his opponent. On the contrary, he let Mingya display even more of his abilities, seeking to gain further enlightenment.