Chapter 470: Red Dragon Palm

Bone reading?

Long Xi looked at this unknown woman, frowning slightly: "Bone reading isn't impossible, but I'd like to know why."

Long Xi was extremely cautious!

If he were alone here, he might have weighed the strength of this unknown Grand Master—but with Li Yuan present, he had no choice but to restrain his thoughts!

This remark was oddly long-winded!

Chi Lian spun her black umbrella, her eyes flashing with unusual light:

"But not everyone is worthy to know."

Crack.

A bolt of thunder exploded through the city!

Li Yuan felt his body grow light—he was flung dozens of zhang away, landing like straw on the eaves of a civilian home!

＿￠o

Yet on the open ground before the grand mansion, air currents surged, black and white hues colliding—within an instant, the entire district trembled, and the streets inside and out sank under immense pressure, sinking over a foot deep!

The airwaves and dust rolled outward in chaotic waves!

Wan Chuan and the monk Le Kong reacted quickly, yet were still slammed backward by the shockwave, crashing hard to the ground, faces filled with horror as they retreated!

Moments later, the dust cleared—a six-tusked white elephant flicked its trunk, Long Xi standing atop its head!

Behind him, the shadow of a great dragon flickered faintly!

He clutched a demon-subduing club formed from true qi, his brow thick with murderous energy!

He struck without warning—this woman's temper was even more violent than his own, and her methods were utterly unheard of!

"What kind of martial art is this?"

Long Xi's expression turned grave—just one strike had forced out his spiritual form! The pressure this woman exerted was nearly equal to that of his own sect master!

She spun her black umbrella, isolating the airwaves and dust, and even Chi Lian's eyes flickered with surprise!

This old man's spiritual form was of a high rank—almost third-tier!

And yet, this man was not one of the twelve names on her known Divine List!

Long Xi frowned tightly—this was no martial art he recognized. Then who was this woman?

Far away, Li Yuan could hear their conversation; his spirit was taut—he had nearly drawn the Riptide Black Whale Hammer!

Now that the airwaves had calmed, he still didn't relax—he was puzzled!

Across Da Yun, the population numbered in the billions, yet he'd somehow stumbled upon this outsider?

His mind turned—he replaced the Shenlongzhidai, quietly retrieving it; the little female dragon, startled, immediately suppressed her aura!

"Venerable Fu Long, you hail from the Dragon-Tiger Temple? Dragon-Tiger—fine name!"

Chi Lian paced with her umbrella; she cared little for natives of this world—she knew only the twelve names on the Divine List!

Yet now, she regarded this old man with new interest—in such an isolated place, achieving a third-tier spiritual form was no small feat!

After a moment's thought, she spoke: "I am Chi Lian, from the Poisonous Dragon Academy—yes, what you'd call an outsider."

Outsider. Poisonous Dragon Academy.

Chi Lian's voice was calm, yet all present heard it clearly—except Li Yuan, even Long Xi was startled!

Wan Chuan and Le Kong stared in disbelief!

Since ancient times, legends spoke of treasures falling from the heavens—corpse of dragons, corpses of tigers, even a few years ago a spiritual turtle descended, shaking the entire realm!

But a living person falling from the sky? They'd never seen it, never even heard of it.

"Outsider."

Long Xi emphasized the word, his suspicion rising to seven-tenths—he grew even more wary: "You somehow withstood the Ninefold Gale Winds?"

"I have my methods."

Chi Lian offered no further explanation, speaking coolly: "You needn't be so wary. I came here only to capture a ferocious beast—I have no interest in anything else!"

Long Xi

and the others' vigilance, she could sense—but what truly surprised her was the young man in the Daoist robe far away!

Her peripheral vision swept over a rooftop behind Li Yuan—where a black-and-white cat sat perfectly still!

Third-tier potential—decent, but to have two Guardian-attainers of the Consolidation Realm? "Ferocious beast."

Long Xi instantly thought of the turtle that bore the pavilion!

"That's a cruel, venomous old turtle!"

Chi Lian spoke with gritted teeth, but quickly regained composure!

"If you came to hunt a beast, why are you here—and why bone reading?"

Long Xi glanced at Li Yuan's back, his heart easing slightly—though he was only a trace of true qi here, at least this Lord remained!

"Entering here is difficult. Leaving is harder."

Chi Lian considered, then said: "Given your rank and martial prowess, you must know."

"The Eight Directions Temple."

Long Xi's heart stirred—he'd heard Qin Yun mention the secret of the Eight Directions Temple, via Long Yingchan!

"Correct."

Chi Lian nodded: "I'm waiting for a destined connection."

"Destined connection."

Long Xi had many questions, but Chi Lian frowned—she felt she'd already been patient enough with this native!

Were these outsiders' goals the same as the former Star-Picking Tower Lord's?

Far off, Li Yuan had begun to sense the pattern.

That old turtle didn't speak—but Huang Longzi had openly mobilized imperial power to seek out those with exceptional potential!

Of course, they called it "destined connection."

"Let her touch you."

At that moment, the silent little female dragon actively approached, her soul-wave transmitting: "The Poisonous Dragon Academy people are arrogant, cruel, and fierce—don't provoke them. It's only bone reading—let her touch you."

The little female dragon's spirit was unusually lively.

"She's likely searching for someone the Eight Directions Temple will recognize. Don't worry—it won't be you!"

The little female dragon was certain, urging Li Yuan forward—she'd already sensed the danger!

Li Yuan snapped back to awareness, sensing the tension between them rising again—he leapt over: "Master, it's just bone reading—no harm!"

Nearby, the cub also leapt forward—Qin Shixian studied the black-clad woman, her eyes gleaming with curiosity!

An outsider—she'd never seen one before!

A strange fragrance swept over—Chi Lian arrived with her umbrella, her jade-like hand landing on Li Yuan's shoulder!

In the next instant, Li Yuan felt his body freeze!

Far off, the cub's pupils shrank—Li Yuan's body erupted in brilliant light!

Colors intertwined, forming dozens, even hundreds of distinct light forms!

Monkeys, birds, eagles, tigers, leopards, jackals, lightning, thunder, dragons, elephants, golden warriors, hammers, swords, spears!

In an instant, hundreds of distinct forms surged forth—encompassing mortal shapes, spiritual forms, and cosmic patterns!

"At least six hundred forms?"

Le Kong, watching from afar, was stunned—he'd never seen such a method of bone reading.

Nor had he ever seen a martial artist who hadn't yet changed his blood, yet bore so many forms!

"This kid's progress is so fast…"

Qin Shixian was also astonished—she remembered when he drew his blade last time, there were far fewer!

"So chaotic…"

Chi Lian lifted her umbrella slightly, studying the swirling lights in the air—her spirit brightened, then she frowned!

Too many forms, yet disordered, unstructured—not the special constitution she'd suspected.

"Hmph!"

Within a few breaths, Chi Lian withdrew her hand, pulling a silk cloth from her sleeve to wipe it: "You may go."

A hundred forms? Merely a Mirage Dragon. A thousand forms? Merely a Celestial Dragon. This boy's third-tier potential, combined with the Celestial Dragon form, barely reaches fourth-tier—far from the ""

Divine-Demonic" level I need…

"Worthless!"

She tossed the cloth aside, turned away in disappointment, and vanished into the pavilion in a blink!

Li Yuan stared at the silk cloth fluttering to the ground—this woman was like a deranged lunatic!

Still, seeing her leave, he felt a slight relief!

He had no desire to be entangled with such a lunatic—he'd already swapped out every divine weapon before arriving!

"Go."

Long Xi's figure dissolved, his true qi sinking back into the Azure Dragon Robe—he'd nurtured this robe for years,

and naturally, it could nurture his true qi in return!

"Go."

No prompting needed—Li Yuan turned and left at once. Wan Chuan hauled Qiao Tianhe along; the group had no intention of lingering—they slipped out of the city under cover of night!

Descending the mountain was too dangerous.

Watching the black water city fade into the night, Li Yuan felt a strange twist of fate—only three outsiders in all this world, and he'd run into one. What luck!

Inside the carriage, a flash of white light appeared, and Long Xi's image reappeared; with the replenishment from the Azure Dragon's Cassock, his depleted true qi had fully recovered!

"Master!"

Li Yuan bowed deeply, deeply grateful.

Who among a sect's disciples has their master accompany them down the mountain to guard them?

"Outsider from beyond the heavens, Poisonous Dragon Academy!"

Looking back at Heishuicheng, Long Xi's expression turned grave: "Something is amiss."

"How so?"

With the Old Dragon Head present, Li Yuan felt considerably more at ease.

"In just over a decade, counting that back-palace spirit turtle, there have already been three outsiders from beyond the heavens."

Long Xi frowned tightly; he had undercover agents in Shendu City and naturally knew there was someone there suspected to be an outsider from beyond the heavens!

"These outsiders seem to be heading toward the Eight Directions Temple."

Li Yuan pondered how to subtly hint this to the Old Dragon Head.

"It must be for the Eight Directions Temple!"

Yet Long Xi seemed even more certain than he was; he paced inside the carriage, his expression grave—made all the more comical by his current height of only one foot.

"According to… hmm, according to a senior, the Eight Directions Temple seals off our world."

In that instant, Long Xi's mind raced.

Over the past several millennia, countless Grand Masters had sought to explore beyond the heavens; the name "Nine Layers of Gale Wind Heaven" originated from their expeditions.

But he once believed there was nothing beyond the heavens, which was why those Grand Masters found nothing—yet now…

"These outsiders somehow crossed the Nine Layers of Gale Wind Heaven, but leaving this world must be exceedingly difficult."

Long Xi voiced his speculation.

Li Yuan nodded repeatedly, subtly guiding him.

"This person said he waits for a destined one, and must examine bones—could this be connected to opening the Eight Directions Temple—or escaping this world?"

"That's not impossible."

Long Xi was moved; encountering an outsider had stirred many suspicions in him, and Li Yuan's reminder suddenly jolted him—he recalled the senior's words about Qin Yun!

"Very likely."

Long Xi could no longer sit still.

If not for the fact that he alone was holding the mountain, he would have instantly summoned his true body to descend and confront Chi Lian for answers.

"Could it be that the imperial court's invitation for us to attend the ritual is also connected to this?"

Li Yuan continued to guide him.

"Very likely."

Long Xi felt a sudden clarity: "That… is very likely indeed."

He paced, muttering to himself: "No wonder the imperial court invited us—and now the senior's words make perfect sense!"

Are you still hiding things from me?

Li Yuan inwardly grumbled; he sensed the Old Dragon Head held deep reverence for the former Master of the Star-Picking Tower, and even avoided naming him directly—perhaps because he hoped to capture an outsider…

Long Xi murmured to himself, his body trembled, and he dissolved into a stream of light that sank into the Azure Dragon's Cassock!

"You!"

Li Yuan felt uneasy—truly, they were like brothers!

Long Daozhu wanted to capture that old turtle; the Old Dragon Head wanted to capture an outsider…

The Dragon Dao Lord wanted to seize the old turtle; the Ancient Dragon Head wanted to seize the outsider from beyond heaven…

Li Yuan calmed his thoughts, then suddenly frowned deeply.

"Where's the cat?"

"Even the true disciples of this sect aren't above third-rank—what kind of ridiculous path is this 'Finger of the Immortal' pointing to?"

Inside the pavilion, Chi Lian pierced her fingertip and traced patterns on the ancient mirror with her blood; she felt deeply irritated: "This place probably has no one with divine or demonic-level potential. Unfortunately, this boy is only fourth-rank. If he were fifth-rank, maybe I could test him."

In the pavilion, Chi Lian burst her fingertip and traced patterns on the ancient mirror with her essence blood; she felt deeply annoyed: "Such a place surely has no one with Divine or Demon-grade potential. Too bad this boy is only fourth-rank potential—if he were fifth-rank, maybe I could try him out."

Fourth-rank was useless to her—she herself possessed the highest fourth-rank potential, just one step away from fifth-rank!

If she couldn't make it, how could this boy, even if he forced himself to fourth-rank through inferior forms, possibly be useful? This frustrated her—though the Eight Directions Temple was undoubtedly a magnificent treasure, it remained out of reach, and now she was trapped here!

If she herself couldn't do it, how could this boy—despite stacking up crude forms to reach fourth rank—possibly be of use? This made her furious; the Eight Directions Temple was undoubtedly an excellent thing, but she couldn't see it or touch it, and yet it trapped her here!

She slammed her palm hard against the bronze mirror; the ancient mirror spun rapidly, its characters flickering.

But just as the characters were about to form, she suddenly froze, snatching her hand back to extinguish them: "Who?"

Just as the characters on it were about to take shape, she suddenly gasped and snuffed out the text with a flick of her hand: "Who?"

With a single soft sound, the entire pavilion shattered into dust, scattered like snow by the night wind.

Chi Lian, holding her black umbrella, looked out—through the darkness, a white-clad woman walked slowly through the air, her hand gripping a silver long spear upside-down.

Even miles away, the piercing aura surged toward her.

Dragon Demon Spear.

Chi Lian's eyes narrowed.

She had little memory of Long Xi, but the twelve Grand Masters on the Divine List were unforgettable.

And aside from the world's greatest, Wan Zhuliu, the one she remembered most vividly was the Master of the Star-Picking Tower.

The only woman on the Divine List—she couldn't help but take notice.

"Outsider from beyond the heavens."

Through the night wind came Qin Shixian's voice; she openly scrutinized Chi Lian, her eyes bright.

"Master of the Star-Picking Tower!"

Chi Lian frowned; she suddenly recalled the previous cat—this boy had somehow convinced one of the twelve strongest in the world to guard him. Could he have some special constitution she didn't know about? "You—"

Chi Lian was startled, wanting to ask something.

But in the next instant, the spear's radiance pierced miles, surging like a dragon!

But in the next instant, the spear's radiance pierced through miles of space, arriving like a dragon!

Chi Lian erupted in fury—this woman had an even more violent temper than she did.

Chi Lian erupted in rage—this woman was even more fiery than she was.