Villain Path

Chapter 16. Boosting self-esteem through self-Injury

Pad Sallan couldn't be called a completed world or dimension, it was a kind of underworld, the territory where the most unpleasant creatures wandered, where life flowed and didn't flow at the same time and many creatures liked this state of affairs. Unfortunately for such critters it was impossible to live a similar underworld fully so Pad Sallan zone most of all resembled a resort for demons.

Shen knew about this space because Lords of the League RR sometimes used immersion in Pad Sallan like a test for graduated cultivators. Peculiarity of visiting this space by people was that wherein the physical body remained in the real world. It meant that their unconscious and defenseless bodies stayed somewhere in the fairy world. They should have gotten out of here as soon as possible but it was impossible without a test, overcoming which opened the way to the real world.

An excellent arena for testing the cultivator's fortitude.

But Al would be ready for this only after many years of self-improvement, not now. Now such an experience could harm his soul.

"Don't leave me a single step!" Shen warned.

He turned his gaze to Al and thought such warnings were unnecessary. The boy looked like a wary, frightened animal, ready to hide behind "mommy" at any moment.

After some time, the space along which they walked began to change. A wide road was lined up under feet, some stalagmitic flowers flickered like mother-of-pearl on the left, and on the right the empty space was diluted by a dark, seemingly human figure.

"Teacher, what's going on?" Al asked quietly.

"It seems Pad Sallan has found a weak link," Shen replied tensely, peering into the features of the person in front of them.

Why, of all possible creatures, did they meet with this one? Although, why such questions? Everything was more than obvious: such a meeting would hit both of them at the same time. Will undermine Shen's confidence and confuse Al's restless spirit.

In front of them was Shen himself. Exactly the same Shen as the one next to Al.

"Al!" he exclaimed very plausibly excitedly. "It's a demon near you, get away from him!"

Al widened his eyes.

«Urgently give this unfinished actor Oscar!» Shen mentally commented.

"Before us is a doppelganger," he said out loud, looking at the confused boy. "Such a creature incarnates all the most negative qualities of a person they turn into, pulling out information about him of his own mind and impressions of others. You should close your mind."

"Al, can't you see it's not me?" meanwhile, a fake was broadcasting, pointing a finger at the real one. "Look into his eyes! He intends to boggle your head and kill you!"

"Al, don't listen to him."

"Al, this whole space is one huge fake!"

"Al!"

"Al!"

The boy backed away in confusion. Confusion was read in his eyes, he looked from one teacher Shen to another and could no longer understand anything.

"The demons take you, Al!" the true Shen was indignant.

Al startled by this evil tone. Glancing at both of them again, he turned and dashed away.

Shen gave the doppelganger a scornful look. If he didn't know that this creature cannot be simply killed, he would have finished him off immediately. But since the demon has turned into him, any wound on his body, inflicted by Shen, will immediately reflect on himself. Such is the mirror effect that this demon embodied.