Chapter 662: Miscalculation

"Teacher, what is this?"

Luo Qiqi's pretty face turned pale.

Her full-force strike was casually swatted away by the opponent, not even breaking its skin. Even she found it unbelievable.

"I don't know either, but its strength is not something we can handle now!"

Zhang Xuan said quickly, while circulating the Heavenly Dao true energy to recover from his injuries: "It must be that you triggered the wrong mechanism and released something..."

"I released it?"

Luo Qiqi's delicate body trembled, filled with regret.

Indeed.

Just now, she had touched some mechanism, and then this giant palm appeared.

"Hmm, although I still can't tell what it is, the appearance of the palm reminds me of something..."

Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Luo Qiqi looked over.

"The Alien Spirit Clan!"

Letting out a mouthful of turbid air, Zhang Xuan had fully recovered from his injuries.

"The... Alien Spirit Clan that Teacher Kong drove away?" Her whole body stiffened, Luo Qiqi couldn't believe it.

"Correct. I have seen members of the Alien Spirit Clan before. This palm is huge, and although the skin color is not quite the same, the bone joints are not much different!"

Zhang Xuan said.

The reason he chose this passage instead of Yu Fei'er's was that, although he couldn't articulate it, there was some basis.

The killing aura emanating from the three characters 'Wang Xiang Ju' was not purely human but... unique to the Alien Spirit Clan!

During the Master Teacher Tournament, Teacher Hong had released an Alien Spirit Clan member to test their courage. That killing aura was impossible for him to mistake; it was exactly the same as what leaked from the three characters.

Therefore, he didn't think it was left by Senior Wu Yangzi out of resentment for being captured.

He had thought he was mistaken, but... there really was such a thing here!

And it appeared in another underground palace!

Could it be that he had truly chosen wrong, and that one was left by Wu Yangzi, while this 'Wang You Ju' actually housed a giant monster?

Creak! Creak!

As the two were speaking, the sound of springs continued from ahead, and the stone door kept opening.

Just now, only a crack had opened, so the palm had extended out. As time passed, the stone door would fully open, and whatever was trapped inside would inevitably rush out.

"Teacher, let's go up quickly..."

Hearing about the Alien Spirit Clan and feeling the killing aura from before, Luo Qiqi broke out in a sweat, her pretty face pale.

Although she was a five-star master teacher, she had little contact with the Alien Spirit Clan. Suddenly encountering such a situation, she was not much better than Ruohuan Gongzi and the others back then.

"Up there is a dragon-lock, and the stone steps are narrow. Once this thing comes out and charges, we won't be able to dodge, and we'll die for sure!"

Having had experience before, Zhang Xuan was not nervous about the Alien Spirit Clan. Instead, he activated his Eye of Insight, his gaze flickering as he made the most rational analysis.

Escaping this narrow stone chamber was indeed the first thought, but it was not the correct course of action.

The stone steps were a single path, barely allowing two people to walk side by side. If they fled back, they would still be caught up soon.

By then, with the dragon-lock blocking the way above, the Alien Spirit Clan attacking from below, and the narrow surroundings, they would be caught in a pincer and in even greater danger.

"Then what do we do?" Hearing the explanation, Luo Qiqi also understood, her face turning pale.

"No other choice. Keep looking for the mechanism and find a way out of this stone chamber, or else we'll both die here!"

Zhang Xuan said.

With the Heavenly Dao true energy circulating, he was not too tense about the Alien Spirit Clan. Moreover, his state of mind exceeded 16.0, allowing him to analyze things more thoroughly.

"I understand!"

Luo Qiqi gritted her teeth.

As a five-star master teacher and a top genius in the second year of the Master Teacher Academy, she was not undeserving of her reputation. Although nervous, she knew her teacher was absolutely right, so she nodded and began to feel along the other walls.

Zhang Xuan did not stop either. While groping, he urgently called out, "Flaw."

The stone chamber was not large, only a few dozen square meters. After quickly making a circuit and frantically flipping through the books in his mind, Zhang Xuan's brow furrowed into a knot.

These books were all about rock types, not about mechanisms. Could it be that he had guessed wrong and there was no mechanism here?

"What about you?"

He turned to look at Luo Qiqi.

Although this girl was not as proficient in mechanisms as Wu Zhen, as a five-star master teacher, she still had basic knowledge; otherwise, she wouldn't have triggered the spring and released that big fellow.

"Nothing!"

Luo Qiqi shook her head. Her pale face seemed to recall something, and she looked over with worry: "Teacher... could it be that the mechanism is..."

She pointed as she spoke.

Looking in the direction she pointed, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows jumped.

It was the stone door where the Alien Spirit Clan member was located.

Having searched the entire stone chamber without finding a mechanism, he had already had this thought but dared not believe it. Now that Luo Qiqi pointed it out, he had to admit it.

"There's only one chance. If there really is a mechanism or passage inside, we might survive. If not... we'll die in there!"

Knowing that time was pressing, and as the stone door slowly opened, the big fellow could rush out and attack at any moment, Zhang Xuan said hurriedly.

The stone door was even narrower. If there was no way out behind it, they would be walking into a dead end and die for sure!

But if there was a passage, it would be a desperate gamble for survival.

"Yes!" Luo Qiqi understood this too and couldn't help nodding.

"You hide near the stone door. Once this thing comes out, I'll attract it from the front. Then... you find a way to get inside. If there's a passage, escape immediately without waiting for me!"

Knowing the danger, Zhang Xuan frowned and secretly transmitted his voice.

"No..."

Hearing his arrangement, Luo Qiqi's pretty face flushed, and she quickly called out.

She had seen his strength before; Teacher Zhang attracting the enemy head-on was like facing a tiger or wolf, creating a chance for her to escape!

When others encounter danger, they each flee, thinking only of how to save themselves, but this Teacher Zhang was willing to sacrifice himself to let her survive...

This kindness was too great.

"Teacher..."

Her eyes reddened.

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

This was a true teacher!

He would do anything for his students! Even if she were a five-star master teacher, putting herself in his shoes, she probably couldn't do the same.

"Hurry, don't hesitate, or none of us will escape!"

Zhang Xuan said.

"I... okay!"

Luo Qiqi gritted her silver teeth, nodded, and quickly moved to one side of the stone door.

Creak! Creak!

Just as she hid herself, the stone door fully opened, and then a tall figure strode out from inside.

It was a massive creature nearly three meters tall, its body a greenish-gray, exuding a deathly stillness.

"Is it... an alien corpse puppet?"

Her pupils contracted, Luo Qiqi covered her mouth, her delicate body trembling with tension.

This thing before her was not an alien, but a puppet refined from the corpse of an alien!

The alien race was naturally powerful, superior to humans in physique, soul, and cultivation from birth. A puppet made from such a corpse was like a soulless golden man, even stronger, capable of unleashing all its combat power from life!

No wonder the two had been guessing that no one had left in over two thousand years, and even if there were living people, they must have died...

Unexpectedly, it was a puppet!

Such a thing was driven by absorbing spiritual energy; as long as it wasn't damaged, its lifespan could be said to be infinite. Although this was underground, the spiritual energy was abundant, and even if its consumption was astonishing, it could recover over time.

It was very likely that it had been the one wiping the tables and chairs earlier.

Though it lacked intelligence, it could still faithfully carry out its master's orders!

"Die!"

Amid her shock, she heard Teacher Zhang ahead let out a loud shout, and at the same time, his long sword suddenly thrust out.

Zzzt!

The sword aura, carrying all his strength, compressed the air and emitted a sharp whistle, stabbing straight toward the puppet.

The puppet took one step out of the stone door and slammed its massive palm down at the sword light.

Whoosh!

Zhang Xuan's violent force met the opponent's like a lone boat encountering a huge wave, utterly powerless, and was instantly dispersed.

"Run!"

Just as she was hesitating whether to go help Teacher Zhang, she heard his urgent shout.

"Mm!"

Knowing he was doing this to give her a chance to live, Luo Qiqi, filled with gratitude, gritted her teeth and turned to dash toward the stone door!

Teacher, thank you...

If we both survive this time, I will obey any command of yours, and be your student and guardian for life...

Boom!

While she was overwhelmed with emotion, Zhang Xuan felt a tremendous force strike him. He grunted again, flew backward, and was slammed against the wall by the puppet's palm.

"This shouldn't be!"

Struggling down from the wall, looking at the enraged alien puppet approaching, Zhang Xuan was baffled.

He was attracting this thing to give Luo Qiqi a chance to escape, not out of overflowing kindness, but... to gain her gratitude and form the Book of Heaven's Path!

Once he had that, even a sage could be crushed with a single book!

She had already become his disciple, and with her gratitude, he thought it would surely form in his mind, but he never dreamed... nothing happened!

Could it be that she wasn't grateful just now?

No, from her eyes, he could tell she was absolutely grateful, but why didn't it form?

"Could it be that the gratitude from teaching and resolving doubts is different from... this life-saving grace?"

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him.

Previously, the Book of Heaven's Path formed in his mind from gratitude gained by teaching martial arts, techniques, or resolving doubts.

But this time was clearly different.

This time it was a life-saving grace. Though it was a great kindness, it was clearly not gratitude for a teacher's grace, but more for his magnanimity and attitude in the face of danger!

"I miscalculated..."

His mouth twitched, and cold sweat broke out on Zhang Xuan's forehead.

He had thought that since she was his disciple, her gratitude would form a golden page, resolve the crisis, and even allow them to escape. He never dreamed it wouldn't work...

Now he really had to face this huge creature and fight it!

And clearly, his current strength was far from a match!

Whoosh!

Just as he was feeling frustrated, the alien puppet was already upon him, its massive fist smashing straight down at his head!

Life and death hung in an instant.

Zhang Xuan faced the greatest crisis since his transmigration.