But in the next instant,
The spear vanished.
It tore through the air at a nearly warping speed, erasing the distance between them in a fraction of a second. Before anyone could properly react, it had already appeared directly before the center of one clone's forehead.
The clone was momentarily stunned.
But the remnant will of the Soul Ascendancy expert within him reacted instantly.
His hands shot up at a terrifying speed, slamming together in front of him in an attempt to intercept the spear.
Boom!
A violent force erupted upon contact.
Although the spear was successfully stopped, the clone's entire body was still sent flying backward like a ragdoll. His arms trembled violently as blood burst forth, his hands had been torn apart, reduced to shredded flesh from the impact.
His expression paled instantly.
If his reaction had been even slightly slower, the spear would have pierced through his forehead and killed him on the spot.
Despite possessing physical strength at the Spirit Core Formation Realm, the captain's monstrous power still left him deeply shaken.
But that shock only lasted for a brief moment.
Soon, his expression turned grave.
Deep within his body, in his dantian region where spirit energy was circulating, seated upon a strange golden core, was a small figure.
The figure was extremely faint, almost translucent, as though it could dissipate at any moment.
It's body was illusionary and hazy, almost as if he was disappearing from existence. Several hazy figures would also appear, wanting to separate from the small person, but they would be suppressed back into his body.
This small person did not possess a true physical body and instead seemed to be formed from a condensed essence of power.
Its eyes had been closed.
But the moment the clone called upon it, they snapped open.
His gaze was cold, apathetic and devoid of all emotion.
In an instant, the small figure blurred.
With a single step, it left the dantian region and exited the clone's body, appearing directly in the outside world.
The moment it appeared, it lifted its gaze and looked at the captain.
Detached. Indifferent.
As though everything before it was insignificant.
However, as it remained outside, its body began to crumble. Faint fragments peeled away from its form, dissipating into the air as if it could not sustain its existence for long outside the host body.
Even so,
The captain's expression changed drastically the moment she saw it.
Her heart lurched violently.
Because this small figure… had a completely different face.
It was that of a young man with long black hair. His features were refined, almost flawless, undeniably handsome.
But his eyes…
Held no warmth.
No humanity.
Only an endless, cold detachment toward all life.
"Nascent Soul!"
The captain retreated without hesitation.
But the moment the figure appeared, it did not waste a single instant.
It raised its hand...
...and pressed down.
Boom!
An invisible force descended.
In that instant, the captain felt as though an immense, formless power had locked onto her existence. The air around her froze, and her body grew unbearably heavy, as if an entire world had been placed upon her shoulders.
Her bones creaked violently.
Her organs trembled.
If she failed to resist, her body would be crushed into paste. Her flesh, her bones, even her soul shattered under that pressure.
'This… this is the power of the Nascent Soul Realm!'
The captain shuddered inwardly, her pupils contracting.
Although the aura was not that of a true Nascent Soul Transformation cultivator, it was infinitely close... but close enough to make her feel genuine fear.
This Nascent Soul belonged to the clone that had nearly been killed moments ago.
Originally, these clones had not been so weak. But after thousands of years, their bodies had degraded, and their strength had continuously declined.
From their former peak…
To this weakened state.
This Nascent Soul, bearing the face of a young man with long black hair, was the remnant of the original body. After being refined into a clone, its personal will had long since been erased.
The only fragment that remained belonged to the deceased Soul Ascendancy expert.
Even now, it did not act of its own accord.
It moved only because it had been commanded.
After pressing down on the captain, its figure flickered and then vanished.
In the next instant, it reappeared several meters in front of her.
Then, it raised a single finger.
Normally, a Nascent Soul could not perform spells.
But this one… was different.
Its lips moved slightly, muttering obscure and ancient words that carried an indescribable weight.
Then,
It thrust its finger forward.
The motion was simple and seemingly weak, yet at that exact moment the captain felt as though her entire existence and her cultivation had been pierced through by that finger.
A heart-wrenching scream tore from her throat as she was sent flying like a broken doll, her body spinning uncontrollably through the air.
Her face turned deathly pale.
A mouthful of dark, bitter blood burst from her lips as she crashed violently into the distance.