364: Chapter 8 One Palm Strike Subdues Ma Xianhong

“That’s all,” Meng Li shook his head, then added, “For now, I can only observe this much.”

For now?

Ma Xianhong noticed the keyword in Meng Li's words and pondered for a moment. Then he said to Meng Li, “Then why don't you observe him a bit more.”

As he spoke, he pointed to Ding Zihuan beside him.

Ding Zihuan instantly became somewhat nervous.

Meng Li followed the instruction and used Daluo Cave Observation on him, stating directly, “Ding Zihuan, an Acquired Extraordinary People, whose ability is a Lightness Skill movement technique called ‘Ghost Shadow Walk.’”

“Did you learn it?” Zhong Xiaolong was the one who spoke.

Meng Li glanced at him and denied it, “No.”

“Why?” Zhong Xiaolong asked.

Ding Zihuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Meng Li said, “My ability is mainly for observing information; the probability of acquiring an ability is extremely low. From the time I mastered this ability until now, it hasn't been triggered more than a few times in total.”

“So you’re saying I hit the jackpot?” Zhong Xiaolong’s eye twitched.

Meng Li nodded, “You could say that.”

Zhong Xiaolong didn't believe it and questioned, “There’s no way I’m that unlucky. You must have learned Finger Flickering Technique and investigated us.”

Meng Li rolled his eyes, “Yes, yes, yes, everything you say is right.”

With that, he turned around and started walking back.

Zhong Xiaolong became furious and wanted to teach Meng Li a lesson, but in an instant, his pupils constricted.

Ding Zihuan and Ma Xianhong beside him also showed looks of shock.

Because as Meng Li took one step, he instantly crossed several meters, as if he had shortened the distance out of thin air.

In just a few blinks, Meng Li had gone far, his figure reduced to a small dot.

After he disappeared, the three of them—Ma Xianhong—exchanged glances, and a single phrase simultaneously surfaced in their minds—Shrinking the Ground to an Inch!

...

Night fell, and dark clouds obscured the moon.

Meng Li was resting in the hotel when he suddenly heard a noise at the window. It sounded like something was tapping.

He got out of bed, pulled back the curtain, and saw that the one tapping on the window was the white puppet beside Ma Xianhong.

The white puppet saw that Meng Li had noticed it, stopped tapping, and made a gesture to “Follow me.”

Then, it flipped over the balcony and leaped onto a nearby tree.

Meng Li quickly put on his clothes, opened the floor-to-ceiling window, and jumped out to follow.

Led by the white puppet, he soon arrived at an open space near a small stream in the mountains.

Ma Xianhong was sitting on a large rock, looking up at the moon that had just emerged from the clouds.

Seeing Meng Li arrive, he waved his hand in greeting, then got straight to the point, “You probably didn't tell me everything about me during the day, did you?”

Meng Li sat on a rock not far from him. Hearing this, he nodded, not surprised that the other party could guess this.

Because that was the hook he had left.

And based on the original plot, Ma Xianhong had many flaws: obstinate, conceited, acting without considering the consequences or others' feelings...

But he was definitely not stupid.

Otherwise, even if he had learned Divine Mechanism Hundred Refinements, he wouldn't have been able to develop it to the point of “overwhelming everyone.”

Na Du Tong Company, besides its headquarters, had seven major regions, and the head of each region had a temporary worker under them. These workers were sharp blades specifically designed to handle dark matters, each possessing unique skills. They were freaks among Extraordinary People, whose strength far surpassed most official employees.

When an ordinary Extraordinary People encountered a temporary worker, they could basically only flee.

Yet in the battle of Biyou Village, Ma Xianhong not only fought six temporary workers but also gained the upper hand.

If it weren't for Wang Ye interfering with a bug-like technique combining Luanjin Dun and Turtle-Fly Body, Ma Xianhong might not have lost.

Therefore, Ma Xianhong’s obstinacy seemed normal to Meng Li because he was strong enough to have the right to be arrogant.

His current action of daring to ask Meng Li for a private meeting late at night without even figuring out Meng Li’s background was also due to this.

“What do you want?” Seeing Meng Li nod, Ma Xianhong asked.

Meng Li didn't hide anything either: “Divine Mechanism Hundred Refinements.”

Ma Xianhong’s eyes narrowed, and he said in a deep voice, “How did you know Divine Mechanism Hundred Refinements is with me?”

Meng Li replied, “I observed it.”

Ma Xianhong frowned, “Shouldn't your observation ability require...”

Mid-sentence, he thought of a possibility, his expression changed, and with a hint of excitement and expectation, he asked, “Have you seen my family?!”

Meng Li gently shook his head, not surprised by Ma Xianhong’s assumption.

Because his establishment of Biyou Village and creation of the Self-Cultivation Furnace indeed carried the meaning of “educating all without discrimination, transforming the common into the peculiar, and benefiting all living beings,” but fundamentally, it also had a selfish aspect for himself: like Feng Baobao, he hoped to recover his memories and find his family.

However, the two handled this matter in vastly different ways due to their differing experiences.

After a moment, Meng Li said, “I have met the owners of the other skills among the Eight Peculiar Skills, and through observing them, I learned some information about the Eight Peculiar Skills.”

“That includes the fact that you are the heir to Divine Mechanism Hundred Refinements.”

Ma Xianhong’s gaze slightly condensed.

He was also aware of the situation of the other skill owners, but he hadn't expected them to know about his existence. However, considering that the Eight Peculiar Skills were not ordinary mystical arts, their owners must not be ordinary Extraordinary People, so he relaxed.

Immediately, Ma Xianhong tested him, “How much do you know about the Eight Peculiar Skills?”

Meng Li replied, “Not much, but definitely more than you.”

Then, he added, “Besides the Eight Peculiar Skills, I also know there is a problem here with you.”

As he finished speaking, Meng Li pointed to his own head with his finger.

Ma Xianhong’s pupils constricted.

The issue with his brain, or rather, his memory, was one of his biggest secrets.

Ma Xianhong could be one hundred percent certain that besides himself, only his “sister” knew about it, and they absolutely had not revealed it to a third person.

The Meng Li before him actually knew...

For a moment, Ma Xianhong believed Meng Li’s words by five or six parts.

Next, he held up two fingers, “Two conditions. As long as you can meet them, I will offer the Secret Manual of Divine Mechanism Hundred Refinements with both hands.”

“Tell me.”

“First, fight me once, so I can see if you have the ability to protect it.”

“Second, tell me all the information you know about the Eight Peculiar Skills.”

Meng Li thought for a moment and replied, “Deal.”

“Then be careful.”

Ma Xianhong gave a warning, letting the white puppet beside him attack Meng Li, while he prepared to pull out a Magical Artifact to deal with what came next.

However, before he could even unleash his lion-headed, insect-bodied Magical Artifact, the 'Empty Cry Roar,' an alarm blared in his mind.

Almost simultaneously, Meng Li appeared before Ma Xianhong and struck towards his chest with one palm.

The Elementary defensive Magical Artifact, the Protective Pearl, carried by Ma Xianhong flashed brightly before extinguishing, followed by a cracking sound as it shattered.

Meng Li continued with his palm strike.

A layer of golden light lit up on Ma Xianhong’s body.

This was the “Three Treasures Pearl,” his trump card defensive Magical Artifact worn around his neck, being triggered.

The next instant, the middle bead of the Three Treasures Pearl showed a crack, but its effect remained; the golden light persisted but flickered uncertainly. At the same time, the remaining force of that palm strike sent Ma Xianhong flying backward, crashing into a large tree on the opposite side of the stream, before sliding to the ground.

Looking at the dimming Three Treasures Pearl on his chest, the shock in Ma Xianhong’s heart was directly displayed on his face.

With just one palm, he not only instantly shattered the shield of the Protective Pearl but also nearly ruined the Three Treasures Pearl, one of his trump cards.

Most importantly, this palm strike seemed effortless, as if done casually.

If the reality wasn't right in front of him, he would never have believed it.

What was Meng Li’s background? He was terrifyingly strong!

Ma Xianhong looked up at Meng Li and saw him examining the white puppet up and down, as if looking at an interesting toy. He tried to remotely activate the white puppet, found there was no response, and immediately understood; its internal components must have been broken by Meng Li using some unknown means.

Meng Li turned his head and asked, “How was it?”

Ma Xianhong gave a wry smile, “I am completely convinced.”

Saying that, he patted the wood splinters off his body, stood up from the ground, “Tell me the information you know about the Eight Peculiar Skills.”