240: Chapter 239 Let's have a friendly spar

The entire airspace suddenly fell into an extremely eerie silence.

Fortune Spirit, who had been gentle and demure, standing amidst the sea of clouds like an immortal untouched by dust, saw her soft, warm Aura instantly dissipate completely.

Those eyes, usually clear, clean, and devoid of sorrow or joy, were suddenly covered by a layer of cold frost. Her gentle brows and eyes darkened completely, a strong, faint anger surged across her beautiful, soft face, and the tips of her fair ears quietly flushed a shade of crimson.

Clan Leader Ao Yi, meticulous and circumspect in his dealings, quickly sensed the extreme shift in Fortune Spirit's mood. The icy Aura that suddenly unfurled made his heart skip a beat.

He hurriedly stepped forward half a pace, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture: "I truly had no intention of offending you. What I said just now was merely a well-known rumor within the Eastern Wasteland, an established fact. I was just mentioning it in passing, without the slightest intention of mockery, ridicule, or slander."

Yet, it was precisely this flippant "just stating a fact" that completely shattered the last shred of decency and forbearance in Fortune Spirit's heart.

Her clear, soft voice rose a pitch, carrying intense embarrassment and anger, ringing crisp and clear across the hundred-mile airspace. Every word was resonant, filled with strong emotion: "Just because it's a fact, does that mean you can just blabber about it freely? How can you be so rude?"

Fortune Spirit's chest heaved slightly; she was clearly genuinely angry. Her cheeks were crimson, both embarrassed and furious, and her clear eyes were filled with distress and indignation: "Ignoring the occasion, lacking a sense of propriety, and casually exposing someone's privacy—do I not deserve any dignity?!"

Clan Leader Ao Yi stood where he was, feeling awkward and at a loss. His calm state of mind, maintained for ten thousand years, was completely thrown off rhythm for the first time.

Having led the Dragon Clan for many years and holding the high position of Clan Chief, he had always known how to advance and retreat, handling matters with propriety. No matter what disputes or changes he faced, he could always respond calmly. He had rarely been scolded so mercilessly in public.

Forget it, forget it. Today was about avoiding conflict; there's no need to argue.

"Presumptuous!"

However, Great Elder Ao Yin, standing at the front of the queue, had long been watching with growing impatience and surging secret anger.

In his eyes, Clan Leader Ao Yi, as the head of the Dragon Clan, represented the dignity of the entire clan.

A mere spirit body, even with a decent foundation, had absolutely no right to sternly rebuke the Dragon Clan's Clan Chief in public like this. Such behavior was extremely presumptuous and a display of contempt for the Dragon Clan!

He immediately stepped out. Dragon scales faintly appeared all over his body, and a biting Dragon Qi Aura erupted. With sharp eyes and a cold tone, filled with intense rebuking anger, he pointed directly at Fortune Spirit: "A mere spirit body, unforgiving even when you have the upper hand, actually daring to sternly berate the helmsman of my Dragon Clan in public—your arrogance is simply too much!"

"So what if I scold you?"

"You're courting death!"

Great Elder Ao Yin was a top Prodigy of the Dragon Clan. He was extremely proud and fiercely protective of his own, never tolerating outsiders looking down on the Dragon Clan or insulting the clan's high-ranking members in the slightest.

Having held back the entire time, he had already shown extreme restraint.

At this moment, unable to suppress the anger in his heart any longer, he stepped forward to exert pressure forcefully.

Instantly, above the vast sky, a biting Dragon Qi Aura came crashing down, shrouding Fortune Spirit directly. The Aura was overbearing and fierce, causing the surrounding sea of clouds to churn wildly.

Only Golden Immortal Ao Li, sitting high in the sky, remained unmoved, silently watching from the sidelines. He neither stopped nor intervened, secretly using this opportunity to probe Fortune Spirit's true combat strength and confidence.

Facing the powerful Dragon Qi Aura rushing toward her, Fortune Spirit showed not a shred of fear. The embarrassment and anger previously stirred up had all transformed into a cold, biting chill.

She raised her eyes and glanced at him lightly. Her calm voice carried a bone-chilling sharpness as she directly threw down a challenge: "What? You want to fight? Why not try it?"

It was full of provocation.

However, she truly had the capital for it; in the Lower Realm, she could be considered above one person and below ten thousand.

"Arrogant!"

Great Elder Ao Yin shouted angrily, thoroughly enraged, unwilling to waste any more words. Golden light surged around his body, and dense, dark-colored dragon scales instantly covered his arms. His muscles tightened abruptly, his powerful Twelfth Tribulation Loose Demon cultivation exploded, and a dragon roar shook the sky.

The Void Realm beneath his feet shattered, and his figure shot out like golden lightning. His right fist, carrying terrifying force capable of tearing through the sea of clouds and condensed with pure Dragon Qi, slammed directly toward Fortune Spirit's face. The fist wind was biting, overbearing, and fierce, carrying the arrogant confidence of suppressing the opponent in one blow.

Clan Leader Ao Yi exclaimed anxiously: "Stop fighting, please stop fighting."

But his strength was limited; he could not intervene in the battle taking place.

In the next instant, Fortune Spirit shifted slightly. Her figure was as light as catkins; it looked slow, but she precisely dodged the punch that Great Elder Ao Yin had intended to land.

Hum—

The Void Realm trembled slightly. The warm Luck power surrounding her body suddenly inverted, shedding its gentleness and transforming into a thick, majestic Dao barrier, shrouding her in layers.

Before Great Elder Ao Yin could retract his fist to change moves, Fortune Spirit raised her hand and waved lightly. There were no fierce spells, no explosive power, only a pure, thick Dao Aura that crashed out.

First move, a direct confrontation!

With a loud boom, the golden Dragon Qi instantly shattered and dissipated. Great Elder Ao Yin felt an boundless, heavy force crushing toward him, like a Mortal facing a collapsing mountain. His entire arm instantly went numb, his blood and Qi surged violently, and his figure involuntarily retreated three steps.

His pupils constricted, his face full of disbelief. He simply could not believe that his full-force blow had been so easily neutralized by the opponent, and he had even been suppressed by the counter-shock!

Before he could steady himself, Fortune Spirit had already closed the distance.

Second move, skillfully breaking the offense!

Fortune Spirit dodged the dragon claw grab that followed. Her figure was elegant and agile. Her fingertips condensed a wisp of faint Luck light, precisely striking a weak point in Great Elder Ao Yin's wrist Meridians. The seemingly gentle and powerless strike precisely broke his Dragon Qi circulation, instantly locking up the Spiritual Qi pathways throughout his body.

Great Elder Ao Yin's body stiffened, his Dragon Qi suddenly became stagnant and chaotic, and his powerful combat strength was instantly slashed by more than half.

Third move, the dust settles!

Fortune Spirit held back no longer. She pushed her palm forward lightly, and the majestic Dao power exploded, landing precisely on Great Elder Ao Yin's chest.

Bang!

A dull boom exploded. Great Elder Ao Yin's protective Dragon Qi shield shattered into pieces instantly, and golden Dragon Qi dissipated everywhere. He was like someone struck by a heavy mountain, screaming as his body flew back in a sorry state, smashing heavily into the sea of clouds below. He tumbled several times before barely steadying himself, a trace of blood already spilling from the corner of his mouth, his Aura completely withered.

In just three moves, the victor was decided.

The whole process was as fast as lightning; the Dragon Clan's top expert had been completely defeated!

In the past, Fortune Spirit had no intelligence and could only defend passively, but now, after gaining consciousness, she had learned how to use Luck more reasonably.

Coupled with the addition of Yuan Chen and other experts from the Exotic Beast Mansion, the Luck of the Daming Dynasty had skyrocketed.

Fortune Spirit's strength was no longer what it used to be.

Above the sky, there was instant silence.

Young Master Ao Xing's eyes widened, his pupils contracting violently. The confidence and arrogance on his face completely froze, his eyes filled with extreme shock and disbelief.

Clan Leader Ao Yi's body shook, his face instantly turning dark. His heart was greatly shaken; he had never expected that even with Great Elder Ao Yin attacking with full force, he couldn't even withstand three moves from Fortune Spirit, being defeated so thoroughly and so miserably!

The rest of the Dragon Clan members had their expressions change drastically, everyone looking horrified and subconsciously retreating half a step. The contempt and arrogance in their eyes had completely vanished, replaced by deep wariness and panic.

High in the sky, Golden Immortal Ao Li, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, finally sat up slightly. A trace of gravity flashed across his indifferent eyes, and the wariness he felt toward Yuan Chen, who could defeat Fortune Spirit, instantly deepened several times over.

He touched his storage ring and became confident again.

No fear!

I have a set of Medium Grade defensive and offensive Immortal Artifacts; it is time to let these bumpkins in the Lower Realm broaden their horizons.

Clan Leader Ao Yi did not want to continue entangling himself in such pointless verbal disputes, lest the conflict between the two sides continue to escalate.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the embarrassment on his face, and took the initiative to yield and soften his stance. He spoke in a deep voice to change the subject: "It was my slip of the tongue; I spoke without thinking. I hope you will be magnanimous and not hold it against me. But may I ask, what is your purpose in deliberately stopping us on our way?"

Seeing the other party take the initiative to bow their head, Fortune Spirit finally managed to restrain her surging emotions.

Giving the other party a show of force was enough.

She let out a heavy breath, raised her hand to gently smooth out the wrinkles on her sleeves, and little by little restrained the baleful Aura scattering from her body, trying hard to restore her usual dignified demeanor.

In just an instant, the girl's exasperated anger faded away, and she transformed back into that gentle, dignified, and transcendent Imperial Dynasty envoy. Only a faint trace of lingering anger deep in her eyes silently proved that the previous disturbance was not an illusion.

She raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping lightly over the aggressive Dragon Clan crowd with their towering Dragon Qi. Finally, it landed on Golden Immortal Ao Li, who stood with an arrogant posture and overwhelming pressure. Her tone returned to extreme calmness and formality, and she stated her intention generously: "I have been ordered by my master, Your Majesty Yuan Chen, to wait here for you all for quite some time."

"The Mansion Master knows that the Dragon Clan has Seniors descending from the Upper Realm. Since the Eastern Wasteland is currently hosting the Immortal Dao Conference, he specially invites you all to enter the city to observe the ceremony. Therefore, he sent me here specifically to guide and welcome you into the city. Please, everyone!"

However, upon hearing these extremely polite words, Golden Immortal Ao Li, who was suspended high in the void and presiding over the scene, saw his expression suddenly sink. A layer of thick displeasure and gravity instantly covered his brows.

Yuan Chen simply wasn't taking him seriously at all!

His gaze was heavy, his deep eyes churning with scrutiny and dissatisfaction. He looked down at Fortune Spirit before him, his tone carrying a trace of imperceptible coldness and inquiry: "Oh? Yuan Chen is so thoughtful, actually sending you personally to come a hundred miles away to welcome our group?"

Clan Leader Ao Yi, standing to the side, took in the changes in Golden Immortal Ao Li's expression. He understood instantly, not daring to even breathe loudly. He could only stand silently with his head bowed, not daring to interject a single word.

He knew that from the moment Fortune Spirit appeared to welcome them, the confrontation between the Dragon Clan and the Daming Dynasty had already quietly begun.

Facing everyone's varied expressions, Fortune Spirit remained calm. She stood quietly in the void, her gaze sweeping lightly over Golden Immortal Ao Li's group. Her tone was soft but carried an inviolable stance: "You have come from afar, descending from another realm. Since you are here, enter the city quietly. There is no need to make noise, cause trouble, or deliberately pick a fight outside."

Clan Leader Ao Yi: "???"

Who is the one deliberately picking a fight?

Golden Immortal Ao Li hung high in the sky, his gaze heavy, the wariness in his eyes growing. He silently scrutinized the back of the plain-clothed woman in front of him, finding Yuan Chen's combat strength increasingly unfathomable.

Not long after, the group arrived at the gates of Daming Imperial City.

Looking up, the city towers of the Imperial City soared into the clouds. The blue bricks and ancient tiles carried endless Luck, and the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was so dense it was almost liquefied. The entire city sat firmly on the earth, heavy and majestic, possessing the imposing atmosphere of a prosperous age. There was not a shred of panic from an impending battle; instead, it was quiet, solemn, and full of grandeur.

Just as everyone was preparing to step into the city, Fortune Spirit suddenly stopped. She turned and looked at the massive Dragon Clan group behind her, her tone flat but leaving no room for argument: "Inside the Imperial City, order is strict. It is forbidden for alien races to manifest their true forms, and it is forbidden to let Auras run rampant. You are all in your true Dragon Clan forms, with towering Dragon Qi and excessive phenomena. Before entering the city, you must all conceal your Bloodline phenomena and transform into human form before you can step into the city."

As soon as these words were spoken, the previously silent Dragon Clan queue instantly erupted into a flurry of commotion.

Great Elder Ao Yin, already feeling extremely stifled and full of unvented anger from his recent defeat, could not suppress his emotions upon hearing this demand. He immediately stepped forward furiously, his tone full of unwillingness and resistance: "Absurd! My Dragon Clan's majesty is innate. Why should we deliberately conceal ourselves and shed our true forms for your Imperial Dynasty?"

They were here to cause trouble in the first place; both sides knew it, so there was no need to put on an act at this time.

Golden Immortal Ao Li's eyes darkened slightly, and he pondered silently for a few breaths.

He spoke slowly, his voice majestic and unquestionable: "Everyone, be quiet."

He scanned Great Elder Ao Yin and the others, who were filled with unwillingness, and ordered indifferently: "It is just a temporary concealment of form. There is no need to quibble over such trifles. Enter the city first and see."

"But Father!" Great Elder Ao Yin was still full of unwillingness and wanted to argue further.

"Obey the order." Golden Immortal Ao Li's eyes turned slightly cold, and a trace of Golden Immortal pressure quietly unfurled, instantly suppressing Great Elder Ao Yin so he dared not say another word.

Seeing this, even though they were extremely stifled and unwilling, everyone could only suppress their majestic Dragon Qi one after another, shedding their dragon scale phenomena. With light and shadow swirling around their figures, they all transformed into the appearance of ordinary human Cultivators. The previously towering Dragon Qi was completely hidden, and the massive Dragon Clan team instantly became plain and unremarkable, no longer possessing a shred of sacred pressure.

Finally, Golden Immortal Ao Li raised his hand to withdraw his own immortal charm, shedding his Golden Immortal phenomena, and transformed into a middle-aged Cultivator with a steady demeanor and deep eyes. However, the ancient vicissitudes and the majesty of a superior hidden deep in his eyes were still difficult to completely conceal.

Seeing this, Fortune Spirit nodded slightly: "Follow me, everyone."

Walking straight ahead, the group soon arrived at the Cloud Platform Plaza in the north of the city.

The moment the Dragon Clan appeared, all the major forces within the Imperial City cast their gazes upon them.

The good show was about to begin.

On the high platform, Yuan Chen's expression was calm as he quietly looked down at the group of Dragon Clan experts walking slowly toward him.

Fortune Spirit stepped forward softly and reported respectfully: "Your Majesty, the Dragon Clan has arrived."

Yuan Chen waved his hand in a performative manner: "Step back!"

Fortune Spirit pursed her lips: "Yes!"

Golden Immortal Ao Li raised his eyes, staring directly at the youth on the high platform. He scrutinized him from head to toe, his heart full of surprise and doubt.

He still found it hard to imagine that the seemingly young, ordinary, and gentle youth before him could possess such terrifying strength, suppressing the entire Dragon Clan until they lost all face, forcing them to descend from the Upper Realm and request an immortal to come down.

Yuan Chen's gaze swept lightly over everyone, finally landing on Golden Immortal Ao Li. His tone was calm, gentle, neither servile nor overbearing: "Golden Immortal, having come from afar, do you want to watch for a while, or shall we start fighting directly?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Golden Immortal Ao Li's pupils constricted. What an arrogant brat!

"Then let's..."

The last word was about to be spoken, but he hurriedly changed his words:

"Have a little sparring match?"