Chapter 1079: What Is This Thing?

This 'Red Leaf King' was actually the doppelganger.

Earlier, to deceive Heavenly Leaf King and keep him from acting for a short while, he had mentally communicated with the doppelganger inside the hive, instructing it to transform into the likeness of Red Leaf King.

The doppelganger lacked Heavenly Dao true qi and could not disguise its killing qi; it also cultivated a simplified version of the Heavenly Dao technique, unable to conceal its cultivation level well, which was why the other party saw through it easily.

The doppelganger was as one with him; as long as he was willing to communicate, thoughts and ideas could be exchanged instantly, allowing mutual understanding.

According to that fellow, why bother wasting words with him—just punch him to death and be done with it.

However, in Zhang Xuan's view, there had never been a good opportunity, and since his strength was far inferior to the opponent's, he had told it not to act.

Still, that fellow was indeed too reckless and ended up striking anyway. Fortunately, Heavenly Leaf King never expected anyone to dare attack, and with such speed, his head was hit, and... he was killed in one punch.

Seeing this, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but be stunned.

Even if Heavenly Leaf King's current strength lay in his primordial spirit, and his physical body was not particularly formidable, he was still a Nascent Soul realm expert. With true qi surging within him, he was immensely powerful; without combat strength at the Fourth Layer Saint Domain, even a successful sneak attack might not harm him.

Yet the doppelganger had shattered his head with one punch—such power already surpassed the sum of Zhang Xuan's physical body, true qi, and soul.

If he were to exchange blows with this fellow again, he probably couldn't even withstand half a move before being knocked to the ground.

Was this really his own doppelganger?

My cultivation speed is no match for my clone's, and my combat power is inferior too... I'll never dare call myself a genius again.

"How did your strength increase so much?"

He couldn't help asking.

This guy had been on par with him before, evenly matched, and even in a fight they'd be neck and neck. How had he suddenly become so ferocious?

It wasn't like he himself had been slow to improve, right?

"That Thunder Yuan Pearl you gave me—I absorbed it and found it quite useful..." The clone said proudly, about to explain further, when he heard a violent roar behind him, as if an enraged shout had erupted.

"Damn it, Tianye King is a Nascent Soul realm expert. His physical body is destroyed, but his primordial spirit hasn't suffered any damage..."

Realizing something, Zhang Xuan's pupils contracted. He finally understood and shouted loudly.

For a Nascent Soul realm expert, the primordial spirit can already leave the physical body, act independently, and unleash formidable combat power. Even if the physical body dies, it has little effect on their true strength.

Tianye King was a genuine Nascent Soul realm expert. Even if his head was smashed, his primordial spirit remained unscathed.

Even as he shouted, his hands didn't stop. The true qi within his body blazed brightly, instantly pushed to its limit, tearing at his meridians with pain as if they were about to explode.

Crack!

The seal before him began to shake. His finger finally touched the Seven-Colored Earthly Dew, and with a slight motion, he stored it into his storage ring.

Whoosh!

Finally, he pulled his palm out.

"I want you dead..."

Crash!

With an angry roar, a primordial spirit flew over, eyes bloodshot, exuding a pressure that felt like the collapse of heaven and earth even before it made a move.

"So strong..."

Zhang Xuan's heart immediately turned cold.

Although he had seen a few primordial spirits before, compared to this one, they were far inferior. If the previous ones were fierce wildcats, this one was a狂暴猛虎.

They were not even on the same level!

It was conceivable that once the opponent made a move, even ten of him combined would be unable to withstand it.

"This guy always causes trouble. I can't let him out anymore... If he hadn't blown off its head, even if it were slow, it could have held the opponent for a while. What to do now..."

Full of anxiety, Zhang Xuan no longer cared about anything else and rushed out the door, cursing inwardly as he went.

If his clone hadn't been so reckless and blown off the opponent's head, the opponent would certainly not have left its body in such a rage.

Now, just after breaking free from the seal's shackles, he was about to fall into the opponent's clutches, with no chance of escape.

"Clone, you caused this trouble. Hold him off for me..."

No longer caring about anything else, he shouted loudly. Before he could finish, his brows twitched: "Hey, don't go! Stop right there..."

He saw the clone, without a word, moving even faster than him, darting out of the room in the blink of an eye, leaving only a back view.

He hadn't expected this guy to be so disloyal, running even faster than him. Zhang Xuan's scalp tingled, and he nearly died of anger on the spot.

He knew it was unreliable, but not this unreliable. Realizing that once Tianye King's primordial spirit caught up, he would be dead for sure, he no longer cared about anything else. With a flick of his wrist, the Thunder Yuan Pearl appeared in his palm.

This was his strongest weapon now. Once activated, it could unleash a sea of thunder. Although with his current cultivation, it was almost impossible, he had to try.

"Thunder..." He gripped the round pearl tightly, his true qi surging wildly. He had only shouted half the word when he heard a "crack!" and the round pearl shattered into powder.

"..."

His vision went dark, and Zhang Xuan's body went limp.

He had been wondering how this idiot had suddenly become so strong. It turned out that during this time, it had absorbed all the thunder from the Thunder Yuan Pearl, turning this treasure into scrap!

"Damn it..."

Knowing that his greatest reliance was gone, Zhang Xuan felt like crying but had no tears. Looking at the charging Tianye King's primordial spirit, he was filled with despair. Just as he was about to close his eyes and await death, he felt a gust of wind tear through his skin and flash past.

Turning to look, he saw that Tianye King had already passed him and continued charging forward, as if it hadn't seen him at all.

"Ah?"

Zhang Xuan was stunned.

He stood right there. This guy must have seen him, so why didn't he attack but instead went forward?

Withdrawing the Violet Leaf King into the Thousand Ant Nest, he flickered and arrived at the gate. Only then did he see the doppelganger standing not far away, looking at the Heavenly Leaf King like a clown, beckoning with a finger, eyes provocative, voice loud: "Come on... hit me!"

Zhang Xuan's eyes bulged.

"Could it be... that after absorbing the Thunder Yuan Pearl, the doppelganger's strength has reached the Out-of-Body realm? Enough to defeat the Heavenly Leaf King? If so, there's no need to run..."

He had thought this guy had fled without loyalty, but it turned out he had come out to fight alone... It seemed the doppelganger's strength had reached a level where he could defeat the opponent, so there was no need to worry so much.

"You're asking for death..."

The Heavenly Leaf King was about to explode with rage. With a roar, he threw a punch.

The doppelganger also met it with a fist.

"Great, let's see who's stronger..."

Seeing the doppelganger so brave, Zhang Xuan relaxed, eyes wide, wanting to see who would win. Then he saw that the doppelganger's fist was still far from the opponent's primordial spirit when the Heavenly Leaf King's fist landed on his head.

Smack!

The doppelganger's head was flattened like a photograph.

"Pfft..."

Zhang Xuan's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and he almost fainted.

Weren't you supposed to be tough?

Beaten like that in one blow... and you were so arrogant just now?

"He deliberately attracted the enemy to let me escape..."

Stunned for a moment, Zhang Xuan understood. He flickered and, daring not to linger, quickly dashed forward.

It seemed that although the doppelganger's strength had increased considerably, it was still far from being able to fight the Heavenly Leaf King alone. His arrogance just now was a deliberate act to attract the Heavenly Leaf King and buy time for Zhang Xuan to escape.

What a noble doppelganger!

I had wronged him...

Eyes slightly red, he had barely taken two or three steps when he saw the doppelganger, with a photograph for a head, running even faster than him, disappearing again while shouting: "Fight him yourself, I'm no match... Also, Heavenly Leaf King, don't chase me, he's Zhang Xuan, I'm just a doppelganger..."

"..."

Zhang Xuan staggered and spat blood.

He had seen people being treacherous, but never this treacherous.

After all that, this guy wasn't noble; he just wanted to show off, and failed...

Frustrated, he looked up and saw the red-eyed Heavenly Leaf King turning his head toward him.

"Don't catch me, he's Zhang Xuan, I'm the doppelganger... When have you ever seen a doppelganger run faster than the original?" Zhang Xuan stepped back.

"I'll kill you first, then go kill him..."

The Heavenly Leaf King was furious, his face twisted. He roared again and grabbed at him.

Whoosh!

The air seemed to tear. But before the hand reached him, the young man not far away showed no panic; instead, the corners of his mouth lifted in a smile.

"Want to kill me? Wait a bit..."

With the shout, the young man stomped his foot hard on the ground.

Buzz!

With a rumble, the many formations hidden outside the hall activated. In the blink of an eye, a white mist enveloped the Heavenly Leaf King's primordial spirit.

He had studied this formation when he first arrived. Now, with the doppelganger's help, he had successfully lured the opponent into it and activated it.

"The formation was set by him; it won't hold long and can't kill him. Hurry..."

Knowing that although he could activate the formation to trap the opponent, killing him was still impossible, Zhang Xuan hurriedly crossed the formation and rushed forward.

"I'll kill you..."

Creak! Creak!

He had barely taken a dozen steps when he heard a violent rumble behind him. The formation trapping the Heavenly Leaf King shattered in an instant.

These were only七星 peak formations, easy to trap Ji Yan and the others, but very difficult to completely trap the Heavenly Leaf King, who was familiar with formations.

Moreover, formations needed a host to exert their maximum power, and his current strength was insufficient to drive a七星 peak formation.

"Flee!"

Knowing that with the formation torn apart, he would be killed if he didn't escape, Zhang Xuan dared not stay. He followed closely behind the doppelganger and dashed straight ahead.

...

"Such a powerful energy fluctuation... Something must have happened! The Heavenly Leaf King must have discovered Master Zhang, and they're fighting!"

The group resting in their hiding place felt the intense energy fluctuations and their pupils contracted.

"Quick, go out and see..." Master Wu shouted and rushed out first.

The others followed closely. They had barely walked a short distance out of the formation when they saw a monster with a thin sheet on its neck charging toward them, followed closely by a guy with a blackened face and hair standing on end.

"What is this thing? Could it not be Master Zhang..."

The group was dumbfounded.