Chapter 663: The Red Flame Cauldron

"Doppelganger!"

Knowing that if that punch actually landed, he would surely die, with a thought, the doppelganger suddenly appeared before him, while he himself flashed to the side.

"Master, did you find something good again? Uh... ah?"

The doppelganger had been in the storage ring, unable to communicate with him, unaware of what had happened outside. On appearing, he thought there was another good thing like the Cleansing Pool for him to absorb... just as he was delighted, he saw a huge fist coming right at him.

Bang!

Before he could react, his head was struck by the fist, instantly flattened, like an oil cake hanging on his neck.

"You dare hit me? You're asking for death!"

Having just shown up and encountered this, the doppelganger was so frustrated he could go mad. With a thought, his flattened head bulged again, and he punched back!

The doppelganger's body was forged from the Nine Heavens Lotus Embryo, without a fixed form. Even if turned into mud, it could easily recover—essentially an immortal body. That was why Zhang Xuan had brought this guy out at the critical moment.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

His fist met the puppet's, and with a "bang!" the doppelganger was pressed flat against the wall.

Although the doppelganger could torment the original in a fight, his true strength was still too weak, no match for this big monster.

It was like diamond being harder than steel, but a hammer could still shatter it.

Rumble!

Seeing this guy pop out and trade blows with him, the puppet flew into a rage and kicked at the doppelganger.

"Damn..."

His fist had nearly shattered his body; seeing this kick, the doppelganger knew he couldn't withstand it. Terrified, he dodged sharply to the side.

"Die!"

At the same time, Zhang Xuan on the side swung his longsword fiercely at the puppet's neck.

The original and the doppelganger shared thoughts, like one person, coordinating perfectly—just when the puppet was attacking and couldn't defend itself.

Ding!

The longsword struck the puppet's neck with a crisp sound, sparks flying.

Zhang Xuan felt his hand go numb, as if striking steel with a wooden stick, and the sword nearly slipped from his grip.

"Too hard..."

Looking up, he saw only a white mark on the puppet's neck, nothing else. Zhang Xuan's face turned ashen, almost fainting.

This was a peak spirit-grade mid-tier longsword, swung with all his might, yet it hadn't even broken the skin. Just how strong was this thing's defense?

"Could it be... he's not just a corpse puppet of the Alien Spirit Clan, but also infused with various materials, refined into a weapon?"

His pupils contracted.

He had just exerted over nine million cauldrons of force, aided by a spirit-grade mid-tier weapon—enough to easily decapitate even a Mortal Transcendence Eight Realm expert—yet he couldn't even cut the skin. This only meant one thing...

This guy was no longer a mere corpse; it was highly likely that, like the Soul-Less Golden Man, his entire body had been cast with special materials, refined into a weapon surpassing spirit-grade mid-tier!

Only then would his full-force strike have no effect!

"How do I fight this?"

His face darkened, expression grim.

His strongest weapon couldn't even breach its defense—meaning he couldn't even wound it, let alone kill it!

Whoosh!

While he was shocked to death, the puppet seemed thoroughly enraged, turned, and punched at him.

The force of the fist was like a mountain, making the air "whoosh" as if it might collapse at any moment. Before it even reached him, Zhang Xuan felt his whole body burning, as if trapped in a giant furnace.

Fist force like a furnace!

Legend had it that when strength reached a certain level, a single punch would create a fist wind like a furnace, capable of melting steel.

He thought it was a myth, but now he was experiencing it firsthand!

"Retreat..."

Knowing he couldn't withstand such a violent punch, Zhang Xuan stamped his foot and shot backward.

Bang!

The room was too small; after only two steps, his back hit the wall.

"Dragon Scale Amulet!"

Knowing he couldn't dodge, Zhang Xuan had no choice but to take out the amulet he had obtained earlier and activate it without hesitation.

This item had three uses; he had used one in the Soul Tomb, and this was the second.

A light membrane appeared, enveloping him.

Boom!

The fist met the membrane with a deafening explosion, and the latter instantly shattered.

Zhang Xuan felt another immense force transmitted, shattering the rock behind him into powder. His chest tightened, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

If not for the increase in his physical strength from the Cleansing Pool, he might have broken bones and been unable to withstand it.

"A single punch shatters an amulet that even a Mortal Transcendence Nine Peak expert couldn't break—this guy's strength must be at the Saint Domain..."

Dodging to the side again, Zhang Xuan gasped for breath, rapidly recovering from his injuries.

He had thought that with the doppelganger out, the two of them together could at least escape if not defeat it. He hadn't expected that not only was its strength formidable, but its physical resilience was beyond imagination.

It definitely had abilities at the Saint Domain level.

It was not something he could contend with now.

Unless...

"I had a spirit-grade top-tier divine weapon!"

He clenched his fist.

Its defense was too strong; even knowing its weakness, with his current strength and means, he couldn't break it. Unless... he had a spirit-grade top-tier weapon to kill it; otherwise, the only way out was to be smashed to death!

What to do?

Since his穿越, everything had gone smoothly. He never dreamed he would encounter such a big guy.

If it were human, he could use his Teacher's Word or verbal tricks to deceive it, like that Alien Spirit Clan member earlier, finding an opening...

But a puppet without self-awareness—no matter how much he talked, it was useless!

"Teacher, there's a passage in here, hurry in..."

Just as he was at a loss, Luo Qiqi's voice came from inside the stone door.

Though it sounds complicated, only about ten breaths had passed since she entered. It seemed she had found something inside.

"Good!"

Responding, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, and the longsword slashed out a sword light again. At the same time, he had the doppelganger attack from behind while he himself rushed toward the stone door.

The doppelganger was virtually immortal and unafraid of the puppet, but he was different—if his head turned into an oil cake, he would really die!

Creak! Creak!

Seeming to sense his intention, the puppet grew even angrier. Stamping its foot, ignoring his sword light, it charged straight at Zhang Xuan.

It intended to rely on its powerful body to ram him to death!

"Damn it!"

His face pale, Zhang Xuan nearly ground his teeth to dust.

If it were just a punch, he could dodge with his movement technique, but the whole body... the room was narrow, and he couldn't avoid it. If it hit him, he would be dead or half-dead!

"Get lost!"

At that moment, the doppelganger charged over and slammed hard into the puppet's side.

Bang!

The collision, though the doppelganger's strength was weaker, still knocked it half a body width off course.

Instead of hitting Zhang Xuan directly, only its shoulder grazed him.

Hum!

At the critical moment, he activated the last use of the Dragon Scale Amulet. With a "crack!" the dragon scale shattered, and under the immense impact, Zhang Xuan tumbled straight into the stone door.

"Doppelganger, return!"

Mid-air, with a thought, he retracted the doppelganger into the storage ring, then his back hit the wall again.

"Teacher..."

A worried voice came from ahead.

Turning his head, he saw that behind the stone door there was indeed a passage, apparently a mechanism Luo Qiqi had opened. The passage was narrow, only wide enough for one person.

He had crashed into the stone wall of the passage.

Knowing that the big guy might charge in at any moment, Zhang Xuan didn't dare pause. Without looking back, he pushed off the wall and dashed forward.

The passage was short, only about ten meters, and he emerged in half a breath, seeing a huge, spacious stone chamber.

This room was even larger than the one above, covering several thousand square meters.

"This..."

Unexpected to find such a vast space behind the narrow door, Zhang Xuan was startled.

"Teacher, you were right. This is indeed Senior Wu Yangzi's residence. These are the books and cauldron he left behind..."

Just as he was wondering, Luo Qiqi's voice came from ahead.

Looking up, he saw the girl looking over excitedly.

She was clearly happy that her teacher was safe, but the discovery here excited her even more.

"Books? Cauldron?"

Looking up, he saw that in the corner where the girl stood, under the glow of a luminous pearl, a row of bookshelves stood, and nearby a huge cauldron was erected.

This cauldron was different from an alchemy furnace; it looked like a giant fire furnace. Though no flames burned, one could feel the fierce power and aura within.

Clearly, its grade was not low!

"Yes, I've studied it. This is the refining furnace Senior Wu Yangzi once used, the 'Red Flame Cauldron'!" Luo Qiqi said.

For a refiner, the most precious thing was the refining furnace, essentially their life. With the furnace here, it meant he had definitely stayed here.

In other words... they had found the right place!

This so-called Carefree Residence was indeed where Senior Wu Yangzi had once lived.

As long as they brought this Red Flame Cauldron back to the academy, the trial would be complete, a perfect success!

"Great, is there an exit here?"

Zhang Xuan couldn't help asking.

Completing the trial meant nothing to him now; the most important thing was how to leave!

Though this place was more spacious, once that big guy charged in, they would eventually be killed. How to survive was paramount.

"Exit? I... I haven't had time to look..."

Luo Qiqi's face paled.

She had just entered, seen the Red Flame Cauldron and many books, and was too excited to search.

But with such a large room and poor lighting, even if she wanted to search, how could she find it instantly?

Rumble!

Before she finished speaking, the ground rumbled, and then the two felt a wave of killing intent. The puppet from before had followed them in!

"Damn..."

Zhang Xuan's face turned pale.