Chapter 135: A Severed Hand

Everyone glared angrily, shouting rebukes. Even as they spoke, they were about to strike. Lu Fan waved his hand, stopping them, and calmly said to Xiulan:

"You didn't say it, but I already know. Since you're a disciple of some Myriad Spirit Hall expert, your knowledge is naturally limited. This blood coffin must be related to Myriad Spirit Hall, right? Or perhaps you're also searching for it?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiulan opened her mouth wide, staring at Lu Fan in disbelief, unable to speak.

Seeing this, everyone was slightly startled, all showing an expression of sudden realization. Their gazes toward Lu Fan grew a bit more admiring.

Apparently realizing her faux pas, Xiulan hastily composed herself and stubbornly said, "I don't know, say whatever you want!"

Such an evasive attitude is hardly a denial. Ordinary people seeing this would likely press further, but Lu Fan left it at that, turned away, and refused to glance at Xiulan again.

"You……"

Xiulan blinked, seeming a bit lost. She hadn't said anything; even if, as Lu Fan said, Myriad Spirit Hall was seeking the blood coffin, one ought to inquire why and what its origins are.

Lu Fan, however, seemed like a clueless novice, apparently not considering that. This let Xiulan feel deflated, and a sense of discouragement welled up unbidden.

Yang Sheng and the others also doubted Lu Fan's words and actions, but out of confidence in him, they harbored no skepticism. In their view, since Lu Fan didn't ask, there was naturally no need to inquire.

"The Dragon Pagoda Secret Realm has been open in the Bright Moon Empire for only a little over a thousand years. The city tombs here, judging by their age, were likely sealed long before that. Your Myriad Spirit Hall couldn't have such ancient lineage; at most there are brief mentions in old texts, possibly with great deviation. Rather than ask you, I'll investigate myself!"

As Lu Fan finished speaking, he waved a single hand, reactivating the stagnant Ghost Path Symbol Formation behind him. The formation flowed, turning into a patch of dark, murky mist that drifted toward the illusory blood coffin in the hot spring waves.

"Hiss—"

The outermost black mist and the Fire Evil Flame Gang scorched each other, annihilating. Most of the black mist sank into the hot spring waves, forming a misty shroud about to envelop the illusory blood coffin.

At that moment, the palm extending from the blood coffin actually moved.

"Crack!" With a sharp sound, the edge of the illusory blood coffin was crushed by that palm's force. Amid the hazy mist, a sliver of light appeared inside the blood coffin, which was now empty.

After the palm, there were no demons or monsters—only emptiness.

Even stranger, at that moment the severed hand's fingers flexed repeatedly, then with a sudden press it sprang from the edge of the illusory blood coffin, performed a backflip, and landed steadily on the coffin lid.

Yang Sheng and the others' faces darkened; they stared, mouths agape, unable to imagine such a scene even if they racked their brains.

Though their cultivation wasn't particularly high, they were disciples of the Heavenly Origin Academy and had heard of various demons and evil spirits. Initially they thought this tomb might hold zombies or ghosts, but the scene before them was vastly different.

A severed hand alone would be nothing. But a severed hand that can move freely in such a strange place is certainly problematic.

Xiulan's face also looked strange, surprise mixed with a hint of doubt. This blood coffin clearly deviated from what she had originally imagined. Unlike Yang Sheng and the others, however, she still felt a trace of disappointment.

As a Ghost Path Dark Symbol Master, whether from her experiences in the Skull Society or her hidden identity as a Myriad Spirit Hall disciple, she had encountered far more evil spirits than Yang Sheng and the others, and her tolerance was stronger. Even a self-moving severed hand could hardly stir her.

"How could this be? Isn't there supposed to be something else inside this blood coffin?"

Clearly too disappointed to comprehend, she involuntarily muttered under her breath.

"Looks like you're somewhat dissatisfied! What should be inside this blood coffin?"

Lu Fan gave a faint smile; though his words were a question, his expression showed no intent to ask. Without waiting for an answer, he suddenly stepped into the void, leapt, and plunged into the hot spring waves.

The Fire Evil Flame Gang surged outward, penetrating his skin and invading. His clothes fluttered in the scorching wind; before him lay the illusory blood coffin shrouded by the Ghost Path Symbol Formation, and the severed hand was just three feet away.

Whether due to the drifting mist or the hand's nature, it faintly expanded and contracted, as if breathing.

"Hmm? Seems not to be an evil spirit's doing—this is rather interesting!"

Seeing the scene, Lu Fan's face lit up with delight; he was quite excited, his leaping motion suddenly restrained as he tiptoed forward to gently touch it.

A severed hand that can move freely, seemingly possessing self-awareness and its own life—he claims it's not an evil thing, yet finds it intriguing?

Had it not been so faint and at a distance, the people behind him wouldn't have heard clearly. Otherwise they'd surely be shocked, thinking Lu Fan had been bewitched by "yin evil" and lost his mind.

Lu Fan proceeded cautiously, about to press against the black mist shield, moving lightly so not even a speck of dust stirred. At that moment he frowned, sensing something, and surging true qi gushed from his dantian, instantly filling his arm.

In an instant his muscles bulged, his arm thickened a circle, and tremendous power surged forth even before he could unleash it.

"Bang!"

The formation's mist shield was pierced instantly, offering no resistance. The magnificent palm force erupted, striking directly onto the coffin lid.

"Whoosh——"

The lid swept across the blood coffin; under Lu Fan's tremendous bang, it resembled a giant shield shooting into the void. So fast and sudden, the severed hand couldn't react, staggered, wobbled, and was about to fall into the illusory blood coffin.

"Hmph! Think you can escape that easily?"

Lu Fan's pupils widened, his brows furrowed. Clearly it was his sudden attack that caused the severed hand to fall unprepared, yet he claimed the hand wanted to flee. In his tone, it seemed the thing had schemed intentionally—too calculating.

As soon as his words fell, he flipped his palm; the force still striking the lid hadn't dissipated, and he seized the moment to scoop and grab at the severed hand.

Though hastily launched, his speed was extreme; in an instant he caught up. He clenched fiercely, supreme power radiating, completely enveloping the severed hand.

At that moment the severed hand seemed to react, no longer flailing as before. In an instant it flicked a finger, shattered the lower force blockade, sank slightly, narrowly escaping Lu Fan's grasping palm, and appeared about to sink into the illusory blood coffin.

"Hmph! You dare show off such tricks before me?"

Lu Fan snorted coldly, twisted his gripping fist, and slammed it! Though the strike lacked much force, the surrounding hot spring waves and even the symbol formation's mist shifted in unison.

The waves surged, the mist rose. Suddenly, power erupted, and together with Lu Fan's fist they came crashing down.

The void trembled, ripples of space spreading outward. The force sealing this space seemed about to burst forth.

Yet at that instant, those space ripples, having reached their limit, reversed along their path, returning with even greater speed—as if time flowed backward.

"Boom!"

The space ripples carried two formation forces, yet rebounded back. The illusory blood coffin instantly suffered a massive impact, shaking incessantly, and in a moment overlapped afterimages.

Within it, streaks of blood light shot out thick and fast, converging and shooting straight into the void.

Lu Fan's forearm half was struck by that blood light, yet was corroded by killing qi; his smoothly flowing true qi instantly stagnated. He didn't bother with this, his eyes locked on the blood coffin, as if waiting for something.

Within the thick blood light, a severed hand surged upward, its five fingers waving like legs, continually "kicking" the void.

"This time let's see how you run!"

Lu Fan's face brightened; without hesitation he swung his hand and clenched!

The severed hand instantly fell into his hand, twisted and unwilling.

He hardly thought, legs thrusting hard, he kicked back. One hand gripped the severed hand, the other struck empty air. A mysterious qi force lashed out, turning into a seal that pierced the two formations.

"Click—"

A tremendous roar spread, echoing through the entire underground space, emitting a rumbling strange sound.

Yang Sheng and the others hadn't even reacted when Lu Fan had already returned to their side, saying nothing, and with one hand he began shooting points into the void.

The Ghost Dao Talisman Formation and the Scorching Vigorous Killing Energy entwined together, forming a chaotic mass of qi that enveloped the phantom of the blood coffin. The turbulent clashes and chaotic forces, even across a distance of over a hundred zhang of void, made one's heart race.

The blood coffin in the distance, seemingly affected, began to sway inexplicably. From the gaps in its lid, strands of misty blood glow seeped out.

Far away, barely several thousand zhang, the space was even more vast; these strands of blood glow should have been insignificant. At that very moment, a gust of wind swept through the entire underground space, and the rotting aura from the abandoned city was blown along with the wind.

"Cough cough!"

Yang Sheng and the others only smelled a strange, pungent odor; holding their breath and focusing did nothing at all. The two with the lowest cultivation felt dizzy and light‑headed, almost collapsing.

"Lu Fan, you've stirred up big trouble!" Xiulan murmured softly, her tone extraordinarily complex—palpitations, delight, worry, panic. If she realized how contradictory her feelings were at this moment, she'd probably think she'd gone mad.

Lu Fan seemed not to hear, his gaze fixed on the blood coffin, and he smiled faintly, "I just want to see what kind of evil thing this is."

No sooner had his words fallen than he swung his palm again, rushing toward the chaotic mass of qi formed from the two talisman formations. Though his previous force was not yet spent, with a single sweep of his hand he actually pushed and rolled that mass of qi, shooting it toward the distant blood coffin.