Unconscionable and Ruthless, Cutting Weeds and Eliminating Roots

Although Zhang Tai's corpse had been reduced to ashes, Chen Ze still collected the belongings he had left behind.

Chen Ze picked up the storage bag Zhang Tai had dropped to inspect it; there were quite a few spirit stones inside, totaling 200, along with several bottles of pills.

After tidying up these items, Chen Ze's consciousness quickly entered the Myriad Things Space.

Upon arriving at the Myriad Things Shop, Chen Ze immediately recycled all the pills and magic artifacts left by Zhang Tai to the Green-robed Woman.

He even recycled the pills left behind by Wu Li previously, as there were better things in the Myriad Things Shop waiting for him to redeem.

Furthermore, Chen Ze could not distinguish what kind of pills Wu Li and Zhang Tai had left behind, and he dared not consume them recklessly.

After handing over all the items to the Green-robed Woman for recycling, Chen Ze gained a total of 200 points.

Adding these to the spirit stones remaining from last time and those obtained this time, Chen Ze now had 200 points and 223 low-grade spirit stones in his possession.

Looking at his haul, Chen Ze felt a surge of joy, I can buy things in the Myriad Things Shop again! What should I buy now?

With money in his pocket, Chen Ze suddenly found himself conflicted; there were too many good things in the Myriad Things Shop, and he wanted them all.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Ze decided to buy a doppelganger first.

Entering the skill shopping interface, Chen Ze directly chose to purchase a doppelganger, which consumed 100 points.

Once the purchase was complete, a phantom condensed before Chen Ze's eyes.

Next, an interface appeared beside the shadow figure.

"Notification: The doppelganger can automatically generate an appearance according to the host's thoughts."

Seeing this prompt, various figures instantly surfaced in Chen Ze's mind.

These figures were all characters Chen Ze had seen in novels or on television in his past life, faces deeply etched into his memory.

"What should this first doppelganger look like?"

Chen Ze was momentarily conflicted and unable to make up his mind; there were simply too many images he could shape.

A moment later, Chen Ze made his decision.

Slowly, the phantom's face and physique began to solidify.

A person who looked exactly like Chen Ze appeared, though the doppelganger's eyes looked slightly dull.

Don't tell me this doppelganger lacks intelligence! Why does it look so vacant?

Chen Ze stared at the doppelganger that looked just like him, feeling puzzled.

However, Chen Ze's worries were unnecessary.

The very next instant, information regarding the doppelganger appeared in Chen Ze's mind.

At the same time, he understood how to use the doppelganger.

The doppelganger was not stupid; it was just newly created, a bit bewildered, and its intelligence had not yet been awakened.

The doppelganger possessed normal intelligence, identical to Chen Ze's own.

The doppelganger's strength was the same as Chen Ze's; it could also be injured and bleed, but it felt no pain.

If the doppelganger were destroyed, it could be resurrected after 24 hours at the cost of 10 points.

Most importantly, the doppelganger could share the Myriad Things Space with Chen Ze.

Moreover, the doppelganger did not need to consume spirit stones to enter the Myriad Things Space.

Chen Ze could also share the doppelganger's perspective; whenever he wished, he could choose to view the doppelganger's field of vision and the memories within its mind.

Just as Chen Ze finished absorbing all the information about the doppelganger and was mulling it over, the doppelganger's eyes cleared. "Master."

The voice and tone were exactly the same as Chen Ze's.

Chen Ze looked the doppelganger over and thought, From now on, let this doppelganger's body walk in the world in my stead.

"From now on, you shall be called Chen Fan."

"Yes, Master."

Chen Ze thought for a moment and opened the skill interface again. "One doppelganger is still too few."

Chen Ze wanted to buy another one, but when he entered the skill interface again and saw the doppelganger icon, he was stunned.

The price of the doppelganger had actually increased; a single doppelganger now cost 200 points.

"Why did the price suddenly go up?" Chen Ze asked the Green-robed Woman.

Unfortunately, the Green-robed Woman gave him no reply.

It seems the doppelganger skill is too heaven-defying. Although it can be purchased infinitely, the price likely increases with every purchase.

Having roughly guessed the reason for the price hike, Chen Ze felt relieved; after all, having an extra doppelganger was equivalent to having an extra life.

Many things could be left to the doppelganger to handle, sparing him from having to do everything himself.

"Spirit stones aren't enough again. It seems I must continue to accumulate them."

Setting aside the plan to buy another doppelganger, Chen Ze bought ten Qi Gathering Pills instead, consuming 50 points.

Chen Ze withdrew from the Myriad Things Space, bringing his doppelganger Chen Fan along with him.

As he exited the Myriad Things Space, Chen Ze's gaze drifted toward the Green-robed Woman. Could she also be a doppelganger?

Although this thought crossed Chen Ze's mind, he did not dwell on it.

After exiting the Myriad Things Space, Chen Ze looked at the doppelganger Chen Fan who had emerged with him, still feeling a sense of strangeness.

Chen Ze asked, "Do you know all the spells that I know?"

"Yes, Master." The doppelganger Chen Fan nodded.

"Cast an Ignition Art for me to see."

"Yes."

The doppelganger Chen Fan acknowledged the command, and a fireball had already condensed above his palm.

Chen Ze watched the fireball released by the doppelganger; it was identical to the ones he cast himself, with the same size and power.

Chen Ze nodded in satisfaction and said, "Mm, not bad. Now, try casting the Breath Concealment Art."

"Yes."

Following this, the doppelganger Chen Fan cast the Breath Concealment Art.

The doppelganger Chen Fan's cultivation base and aura gradually receded until even Chen Ze could no longer detect them.

Chen Ze nodded in satisfaction again, but watching the doppelganger cast spells was not his ultimate goal.

With a thought, Chen Ze brought up the system interface before his eyes.

"As expected, it doesn't work. It seems I was overthinking it."

Chen Ze's true purpose in having the doppelganger cast spells was to see if it could increase proficiency just like he could.

However, after observing, he discovered that the doppelganger's use of spells did not accumulate any proficiency.

Chen Ze did not dwell on it too much, though; if the doppelganger could also increase proficiency, wouldn't his cultivation speed be infinitely multiplied?

If that were the case, there would be no point in actual cultivation—he could just keep buying doppelgangers, and becoming an immortal in a single day would no longer be a dream.

Shaking his head with a wry smile, Chen Ze dismissed the delusions from his mind.

His current cultivation speed was already heaven-defying, especially with the Automated Training Room running twenty-four hours a day.

Chen Ze could also cultivate on his own; if he were willing to keep grinding, his cultivation speed could effectively double.

It was just that since he had the Automated Training Room, Chen Ze did not pour all of his time into cultivation.

He still had plenty of time to do other, more meaningful things.

Pulling back his thoughts, he looked at the doppelganger Chen Fan before him. "Go and purchase a house near the City Lord's Mansion."

"Yes."

"Be careful and don't lead any tails back. You can die if necessary, but do your best not to expose the Myriad Things Space."

"Yes." The doppelganger Chen Fan replied.

Chen Ze disguised Chen Fan further, dressing him in a wide black robe and adding a hood.

Combined with the Breath Concealment Art, it would not be so easy for anyone to recognize the doppelganger Chen Fan.

After all, the doppelganger Chen Fan shared the same face as Chen Ze, and Shopkeeper Tong was still lurking outside, watching like a tiger stalking its prey.

It was better to be as cautious as possible.

Having the doppelganger Chen Fan buy a house near the City Lord's Mansion was also a matter of safety.

After the doppelganger Chen Fan left, Chen Ze had nothing else to do, so to accelerate his cultivation speed, he began casting the Earth Shield Art.