[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-after-the-sky-fell":3,"chapter-after-the-sky-fell-after-the-sky-fell-chapter-972":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","After the Sky Fell",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2281828,4462,"Chapter 972: Dragon Girl","after-the-sky-fell-chapter-972",972,"\u003Cp>\"Heavenly General's weapon, Dragon Tooth Treasure Spear, valued at twelve thousand Nine Heaven Jade Dew.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heavenly King's weapon, Inverse Scale Battle Armor, valued at three hundred thousand Nine Heaven Jade Dew.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\".\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi skimmed the price list and could roughly confirm that a Heavenly General’s weapon cost around ten thousand, while Heavenly King’s weapons started at two hundred thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had sold all his star cores; they would barely cover two Heavenly King’s weapons, but if refined, they could yield at least four or five.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Careful calculation revealed that the Dragon Palace Treasure Pavilion was rather exploitative.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single roundtrip could at least double the profit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was no help for it—Li Yi himself could not forge weapons. Though the Heavenly Artisan Daoist excelled in this craft, his strength was limited; he had reached the limit with Demon King weapons and could never forge a Heavenly King’s weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait, besides weapons and armor, do they sell spells and divine arts?\" Li Yi suddenly noticed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dragon Palace Treasure Pavilion also sold spells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let me take a look.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, his interest was captured—he had achieved the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown, the Five Qi Converging at the Origin; though not yet fully perfected, his previous Dao methods were already falling behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He relied entirely on fists and spiritual power to crush opponents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that he had reached the Heavenly Realm, he truly needed to learn some of this world’s techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heavenly Dragon Eight Tones, Dragon Clan Divine Art, cultivable by humans,\" Li Yi’s gaze shifted slightly—this Divine Art was a Primordial Spirit attack technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon successful cultivation, it emitted a dragon’s roar capable of shattering an enemy’s Primordial Spirit; even against an equal-level foe, a single roar could shake their spirit and expose an opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this Divine Art suited demonic races better; though humans could practice it, they could never unleash its full power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"True Dragon’s Sky-Striking Art.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi saw another—a close-combat divine art, an ultimate killing technique evolved from the True Dragon, its movements infused with the principles of Heaven’s Dao, each gesture radiating terrifying power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Excellent,\" he couldn’t help but be stunned internally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the supreme killing art forged over countless years by the True Dragon lineage, yet few beings could wield it—after all, not everyone possessed the True Dragon’s immense physique and claws, daring to engage enemies at close range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Yi’s physique was extraordinary—he could learn this art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet when he saw the price, his face darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three hundred thousand Nine Heaven Jade Dew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That equaled the cost of one Heavenly King’s weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the price was justified—it could be used even by a Heavenly Emperor and would never become obsolete, and it could be simplified and fused with one’s own essence to form a unique combat technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi fell silent, memorized the art, then continued flipping through the catalog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether he could afford it ultimately depended on how much money he had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Divine Light Escape Technique.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flight technique—he glanced at it, then reconsidered and turned the page.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For fleeing, his knife coins were enough; and if he faced a true powerhouse, he couldn’t win, nor could he escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet soon, another divine art immediately caught Li Yi’s attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Five-Colored Divine Light Art,\" Li Yi’s gaze sharpened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This spell condensed the Five Phases into divine light, capable of severing anything within the Five Phases; its true power depended entirely on the cultivator’s mastery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside it, a note was specially marked: \"Heavenly Emperor-level spell.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, this was a spell worthy of cultivation even by Emperor Hua Qing—extraordinarily precious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi glanced at the price and felt dizzy: \"Six hundred thousand Nine Heaven Jade Dew, or three catties of Nine Heaven Divine Water.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is Nine Heaven Divine Water?\" he quietly asked Hua Qing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Qing, who occasionally vanished as if cultivating, didn’t mind the interruption: \"Ten thousand Nine Heaven Jade Dew can refine one catty of Nine Heaven Divine Water, but it’s time-consuming and laborious—only a Heavenly Emperor-level force can manage it. Think of Nine Heaven Divine Water as a higher-tier currency; many places require it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since you’re Emperor Hua Qing, you must have some Nine Heaven Divine Water—lend me some?\" Li Yi said boldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Qing replied, \"I’m broke too. I saved a bit in the mortal world, but I need it as capital for my future revival. Now that my realm has collapsed, I’m essentially reincarnating from scratch—there’ll be countless expenses ahead. You really want to buy that Five-Colored Divine Light Art?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi said, \"This spell aligns with the Five Phases, and my cultivation system perfectly matches them—I’d be like a fish in water mastering it; my combat power would skyrocket.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Qing chuckled like a shrewd merchant: \"I can lend you some money, but you must pay me in Purple Blood.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How much Purple Blood?\" Li Yi asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had stored a great deal—if the demand wasn’t excessive, he could trade some, even at a loss, for no matter how good something was, it was useless if it couldn’t be converted into power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ten catties of Nine Heaven Divine Water for a thousand catties of Purple Blood,\" Hua Qing said. \"I profit a bit, but you don’t lose either.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He understood the value of Purple Blood—Li Yi was sitting on a mountain of treasure, afraid to reveal it; if anyone knew he possessed a storage bracelet filled with Celestial Blood, every Heavenly Emperor in this realm might hunt him down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You old scoundrel, you’re rich enough to produce ten catties of Nine Heaven Divine Water?\" Li Yi’s eyelid twitched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A clever rabbit has three burrows. As Emperor Hua Qing, even as a fragmentary soul reincarnating, if I reclaim even part of my past wealth, it’s still astonishing,\" Hua Qing said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fine, a thousand catties it is—I’ll take the loss and advance you this Heavenly Emperor a head start,\" Li Yi said. \"When you regain your strength, remember to look out for me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course, of course—I’ll gift you a thousand beautiful women, so you can feast nightly and practice your Great and Small Transformation Art every day,\" Hua Qing said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\".\" Li Yi refused to acknowledge this old fool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finalizing the deal, he quietly received a sheep-fat jade vial containing ten catties of Nine Heaven Divine Water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a vast fortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I need the Inverse Scale Battle Armor, True Dragon Sky-Striking Art, and Five-Colored Divine Light Art—that totals one point two million. But I’ll pay with this,\" Li Yi, now flush with cash, began spending wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he placed the jade vial on the crystal table before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fish-girl attendant’s expression didn’t change; she quickly bowed: \"Forgive me, my lord, I cannot authorize this. I shall summon the manager.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten catties of Nine Heaven Divine Water equaled roughly two million Nine Heaven Jade Dew—a major transaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hurry back,\" Li Yi waved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the fish-girl left, he asked, \"Will showing off my wealth put me in danger?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elsewhere, perhaps—but here in the Dragon Palace Treasure Pavilion, no problem. Ten catties of Nine Heaven Divine Water isn’t enough to draw targeted hostility; you’re merely a high-value customer,\" Hua Qing said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good,\" Li Yi finally relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a short old man, leaning on a coral cane, shuffled slowly forward. Though his movements were sluggish, his speed was astonishing—he crossed the distance in mere steps and entered the quiet chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A Heavenly General-level demonic creature,\" Li Yi’s expression shifted—he sensed the man’s strength was formidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am one of the managers of the Dragon Palace Treasure Pavilion. Call me Elder Xuan Gui,\" the short old man smiled with narrowed eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuan Gui? Li Yi nodded slightly: \"I am Tai Yi. I came to the Dragon Palace Treasure Pavilion seeking treasures. The attendant earlier couldn’t assist—surely Elder Xuan Gui can procure what I seek.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heh, the Inverse Scale Battle Armor, True Dragon Sky-Striking Art, Five-Colored Divine Light Art—all fine items, especially the last one, a Heavenly Emperor-level spell. In the Sunset Kingdom, only the Dragon Palace Treasure Pavilion dares to sell such things,\" Elder Xuan Gui stroked his beard and smiled. \"You’ve come to the right place, my friend.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Though spells have no material cost, since ancient times, divine arts must not be lightly transmitted—thus, higher fees are reasonable. Since you wish to purchase, I assume you accept the price. If you now regret it, you still have time—some spells, once bought, cannot be learned. The Dragon Palace Treasure Pavilion does not accept returns.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi said, \"You’re willing to sell, I’m willing to buy—no regrets. Just give them to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re straightforward,\" Elder Xuan Gui said, withdrawing a brocade pouch from his sleeve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly a space treasure—he soon produced two gemstones, each containing a sealed Primordial Spirit force holding a spell, and the Inverse Scale Battle Armor. Though more expensive than other Heavenly King weapons, its defense was unmatched, forged from the True Dragon’s inverse scales.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the Dragon Palace Treasure Pavilion possessed such weapons—nowhere else could they be bought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Three treasures, please inspect them. If you pay with Nine Heaven Divine Water, I’ll charge only six catties,\" Elder Xuan Gui said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi nodded: \"The price is acceptable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though ten thousand Nine Heaven Jade Dew could refine one catty of Nine Heaven Divine Water, the process required Heavenly Emperor-level power and incurred losses, so its value was higher, with a premium.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This premium fluctuated across different regions of the Heavenly Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the Dragon Palace Treasure Pavilion, paying with Nine Heaven Divine Water was effectively a fifty-percent discount.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Yi pay so readily, Elder Xuan Gui added, \"The attendant Jin Ling mentioned you plan to travel to the Third Heaven. The journey is long—would you be interested in purchasing some local specialties to bring back?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What specialties do you have?\" Li Yi, having secured the three treasures, asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Xuan Gui chuckled: \"Dragon Girl. Interested?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dragon Girl?\" Li Yi’s expression shifted: \"Can you even sell these?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Xuan Gui waved his hand, and countless images appeared—beautiful women, each with dragon horns and vertical pupils, varied in form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Returnless Sea has no shortage of dragons, but these Dragon Girls are all mixed-blood—not pure True Dragons. If you want a pure-blood Dragon Girl, the price will naturally be higher,\" Elder Xuan Gui said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi had intended to refuse, but then thought—if he bought one, she could help him learn more about the Heavenly Realm. Hua Qing knew much, but often slept, was unreliable, and frequently gave terrible advice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are their combat levels?\" he asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you require Dragon Girls with strong combat power, the price rises further,\" Elder Xuan Gui said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s no problem,\" Li Yi said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Xuan Gui understood and waved again—the previous beautiful Dragon Girls vanished, replaced by formidable warriors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heavenly Soldier-level Dragon Girls, mixed-blood: ten thousand. Pure-blood: thirty thousand. Heavenly General-level? That’s expensive—mixed-blood starts at fifty thousand.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the realms differed by only one level, the gap was vast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavenly Soldier-level Dragon Girls could be cultivated, but Heavenly General-level ones were nearly impossible to raise—they were inherently exceptional cultivators, and as Dragon Girls, their rarity drove prices up dozens of times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Selling Dragon Girls was far more profitable than selling Heavenly General weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yi scanned them—he saw many of these powerful Dragon Girls wore shackles; several bore fresh battle wounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My friend, don’t be alarmed. Within the True Dragon Clan, many Dragon Kings and Dragon Emperors wage war against each other. These Dragon Girls were captured after defeat and sold to the Dragon Palace Treasure Pavilion,\" Elder Xuan Gui explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So even the True Dragon Clan isn’t united,\" Li Yi thought inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If I buy a Heavenly General-level Dragon Girl, I must ensure I can overpower her—otherwise, she’ll be useless. She won’t submit, and might even turn on me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He weighed the risks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not the price—but the danger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the Dragon Palace Treasure Pavilion surely had ways to restrain them—but if a Dragon Girl was fiercely defiant and chose death over obedience, wouldn’t he be wasting his money?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, a Dragon Princess of Heavenly General rank indeed provides tremendous assistance; traveling together in the Heavenly Realm is far safer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief moment of thought, he scanned the paintings before him, then pointed to one of the Dragon Princesses: “I’ll take her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder Black Tortoise looked over—the Dragon Princess had Heavenly General-level combat power, but she was not pure-blooded True Dragon, only mixed-blood; her price was sixty thousand, or three catties of Nine Heaven Divine Water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also equip her with a set of Heavenly General-grade armor and weapons. I’ll pay with Nine Heaven Divine Water.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Friend, you are generous. I deeply admire you,” the Elder Black Tortoise replied with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, the Heavenly General-grade armor was meant for the Dragon Princess—this treatment was indeed excellent. The mixed-blood Dragon Princess had luck on her side, for many Dragon Princesses bought back were not for battle, but for breeding: Dragon Sons, Dragon Grandsons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The power of True Dragons has long been coveted by all races of the Heavenly Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I also need to purchase some elixirs. Could you recommend a few?” Li Yi planned to spend every last bit of his remaining less-than-one-catty of Nine Heaven Divine Water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he was heading to the Third Heavenly Layer—a long journey. Who knew what might happen? He must prepare thoroughly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder Black Tortoise’s smile widened instantly, and he began recommending expensive elixirs to Li Yi, determined to squeeze out every last catty of Nine Heaven Divine Water from this man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though expensive, some elixirs were indeed effective—just not cost-efficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Yi didn’t care about cost-efficiency. After what happened with the Rakshasa Clan, he felt the Heavenly Realm was brimming with danger—he must arm himself to the fullest.\u003C\u002Fp>",2304,"2026-06-20T01:27:08.613Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","1e52526e81c7ce0806705ca6b3d49041b08170b8a4ff78a93471382462bb40b0","after-the-sky-fell-chapter-973","after-the-sky-fell-chapter-971",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fafter-the-sky-fell-cover.jpg"]