Lian remained standing upon the water.
A grin still lingered on his face.
Before he could say anything—
the copy looked at him.
"...It took you long enough."
Lian blinked.
"...Huh?"
His expression became puzzled.
"...What was that?"
The copy folded its arms.
"...Why are you looking at me like that?"
Lian pointed at it.
"...I thought..."
"...You were just some kind of puppet."
The copy shrugged.
"...I am."
"...I was created to teach you."
"...That doesn't mean I can't talk."
Lian stared at it.
"...That's... not what I meant."
The copy casually waved a hand.
"...I know what you meant."
"...And I'm not going to explain."
High above—
Lizarius silently watched.
His thoughts remained calm.
*...After constructing an independent simulation...*
*And allowing every individual within it to develop according to their own logic...*
*Another possibility has become apparent.*
The countless simulated lives.
The countless personalities.
Their thoughts.
Their speech.
Their reactions.
All of them could now be reproduced independently.
Without requiring his direct attention.
*...A teaching construct.*
*Capable of acting on its own...*
*While remaining bound by my instructions.*
It lacked true consciousness.
It possessed no independent will.
Yet—
for the purpose of instruction—
it was sufficient.
Below—
the copy clapped its hands once.
"...Enough."
"...Next lesson."
Ripples spread across the endless water.
One after another—
objects began appearing in the air.
A sword.
A spear.
A saber.
A staff.
A bow.
Twin daggers.
An axe.
A hammer.
More and more weapons floated silently above the water.
Lian stared upward.
"...Weapons?"
He looked back at the copy.
"...Wait..."
"...Am I going to be fighting now?"
The copy looked at him with complete indifference.
"...Shut it."
"...Stop asking questions."
"...Just answer."
Silence.
Lian's mouth twitched.
"...You're..."
He sighed.
"...You're unbelievably annoying."
The copy nodded once.
"...Correct."
"...Now choose."
The countless weapons continued floating silently above the endless sea.
Lian's gaze slowly swept across them.
Silence.
After several moments—
he finally spoke.
"...I'll use something familiar."
His hand reached forward.
He grasped one of the daggers.
The instant his fingers wrapped around its hilt—
every other weapon vanished.
Only the dagger remained.
Lian weighed it in his hand.
He frowned.
"...Can you make it longer?"
Silence.
The copy glanced at the blade.
"...A sword?"
Lian immediately shook his head.
"...No."
"...Not that long."
He held his hands apart.
"...About fourteen inches."
"...A short sword."
The copy remained silent.
The dagger quietly lengthened.
Its blade became slender and balanced.
Exactly as Lian had requested.
Lian gave it an experimental swing.
The air whistled softly.
"...Hmm..."
"...A little shorter."
"...One inch."
The blade immediately shortened.
Lian nodded.
"...Good."
The copy raised a hand.
An identical sword quietly appeared within its own grasp.
It casually pointed the blade toward Lian.
"...Watch carefully."
**Snap.**
Its fingers snapped.
The endless white world quietly distorted.
The shallow water beneath them remained unchanged.
Yet—
everything else subtly shifted.
Lian frowned.
"...What did you do?"
The copy answered calmly.
"...Everything is now the same as the outside world."
"...Your cultivation."
"...Your senses."
"...Your perception."
Lian blinked.
"...Really?"
The copy tilted its head.
"...You didn't notice?"
"...You've been using spiritual qi this entire time."
Lian's expression froze.
The copy continued.
"...Yet your reserves never decreased."
Lian paused.
"...I thought..."
"...Because this is a dream."
"...Exactly."
The copy lowered its sword.
"...Not anymore."
Lian slowly nodded.
"...Alright."
He tightened his grip around his weapon.
"...So..."
"...What's next?"
The copy disappeared.
Lian's pupils shrank.
Too fast.
He couldn't even perceive its movement.
A cold sensation suddenly spread across his neck.
Then—
**Slash.**
Blood erupted into the air.
Lian staggered backward.
His sword slipped from his fingers.
He instinctively clutched his throat.
Warm blood poured through the gaps between his fingers.
His breathing became ragged.
"...Gh—"
The copy stood silently behind him.
Its sword remained lowered.
Fresh blood slowly dripped from its blade.
Lian's knees struck the water.
His vision blurred.
His thoughts descended into chaos.
*What...*
*Too fast...*
*I didn't even see it...*
The copy finally spoke.
Its voice remained calm.
Completely devoid of emotion.
"...Observe."
"...Adapt."
"...Kill me."
"...Or continue dying."
Lian's body slowly collapsed.
Darkness consumed his vision.
...
...
The next instant—
his eyes snapped open.
He was standing exactly where he had been before.
Not a single wound remained.
The copy still stood before him.
Sword in hand.
Waiting.
Silence.
Lian instinctively touched his neck.
Nothing.
No wound.
No blood.
Yet—
the memory of the blade cutting through his throat remained perfectly clear.
His breathing unconsciously quickened.
"...You..."
The copy slowly raised its sword.
"...Again."
---
Lian's eyes widened.
"...No."
He stumbled backward.
"...Stay away!"
The copy never answered.
It simply took one step forward.
Then—
it vanished.
**Slash.**
A cold sensation passed across his neck.
For a single instant—
nothing happened.
Then—
his vision spun.
His body remained standing.
His head...
was falling.
Lian stared blankly.
His own headless body remained where it was.
Blood sprayed across the endless water.
"...Wh—"
Darkness swallowed everything.
...
...
Lian's eyes snapped open.
He was standing exactly where he had been.
His sword lay at his feet.
His hands instinctively grabbed his own neck.
Whole.
Uninjured.
Yet—
his entire body trembled uncontrollably.
"...I..."
"...I died..."
His breathing became ragged.
"...Twice..."
"...I just died twice..."
His thoughts descended into chaos.
*What is this...?*
Before he could finish the thought—
his instincts screamed.
Lian looked up.
The copy was already above him.
Its sword was raised.
Lian's pupils shrank.
"...NO—!"
The blade descended.
Blood erupted.
...
...
His consciousness returned once more.
Lian staggered backward.
His legs nearly gave way.
Cold sweat covered his body.
Tears streamed uncontrollably from his eyes.
Saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth.
His breathing had completely lost its rhythm.
He turned desperately, searching for something—
anything—
that could explain what was happening.
Then—
he saw Lizarius.
Hovering silently.
Watching.
Hope immediately surfaced within Lian's eyes.
"...Master!"
His voice cracked.
"...What's happening?!"
"...I don't understand!"
"...Please—"
Before another word could leave his mouth—
the copy appeared beside him.
Its sword swept horizontally.
His body separated cleanly at the waist.
...
...
Lian reappeared once again.
This time—
he didn't scream immediately.
He simply stood there.
Shaking.
His gaze moved between Lizarius...
and the copy.
His mind finally remembered.
*...Master...*
*He brought me here.*
*Of course...*
*He's the one allowing this.*
Before the thought could continue—
footsteps echoed across the endless water.
The copy slowly approached.
Its expression remained unchanged.
"...Yes."
"...You are the subject of this lesson."
"...You will not suffer permanent harm."
Lian stared blankly.
His lips trembled.
His entire body still shook from the memory of the deaths.
Far away—
Lizarius finally spoke.
His voice remained as calm as ever.
"As I said, I have no intention of harming you."
His thoughts remained equally composed.
*...The restraint remains intact.*
*The dream does not inflict genuine injury.*
*Only the perception of it.*
*His physical body remains untouched.*
*The pain is merely an illusion.*
Yet—
the illusion was convincing enough to make every instinct within Lian believe he was truly dying.
The copy stopped several steps before him.
It slowly raised its sword once more.
"...But..."
"...Until you kill me..."
"...This lesson will not end."
Lian's face turned pale.
"...Wait—"
The sword disappeared.
A thin crimson line suddenly appeared across his chest.
Lian's eyes widened.
Then—
everything went dark once again.