Chapter 461: My Palm Readings Are Spot-On

In the slums of Haijing City, five top-tier factions held sway: Haisha Gang, Qiujin Boxing Gym, Justice Academy, Cloth Sect, and the Broken Gear Mutual Aid Society.

These factions were led by five prominent figures, each considered a pinnacle master among Great Xia's martial artists in the slum. Long Zhengfei represented the Qiujin Boxing Gym; Chi Chunshui, head of the Justice Academy; Hai Tiankuo, leader of the Haisha Gang; Su Banren of the Broken Gear Mutual Aid Society; and Li Buyi, also known as Li the Blind, leader of the Cloth Sect.

Among them, Li Buyi carried a peculiar nickname of Li the Blind, the fortune-telling blind man. Every day, he would choose a random spot in the slum to set up a small fortune-telling stall. He offered two readings per day; one free and one for a fee.

His practice was encapsulated by the phrase

Heaven Knows, I Know

, which was inscribed on his bamboo banner. Legend had it that his predictions were unfailingly accurate and had never once failed to come true.

Li Buyi was a character unlike any other. He was always dressed in plain cloth garments, accompanied by simple cloth shoes and a pair of stone-carved sunglasses. With a bamboo flag and a folding stool in hand, he never changed his outfit or accessories.

Beyond fortune-telling, he had another peculiar passion in teaching. However, unlike Chi Chunshui, who ran the Justice Academy and funded it out of his own pocket, Li Buyi never held lessons at a fixed location. Instead, he would share his wisdom spontaneously, wherever he happened to be.

Each day, after completing his two fortune-telling readings, Li Buyi would wander aimlessly through the streets. If he encountered someone he deemed fated, he would stop to offer a few words of guidance or even teach them a martial technique. Remarkably, his teachings always produced immediate results.

For those with no martial background, practicing the techniques he shared would instantly elevate them to the entry level, turning them into competent fighters. For those with prior martial training, his guidance often led to breakthroughs. Some would leap one or two minor stages, while others would shatter bottlenecks and ascend to major realms.

As the days turned into years, the number of people in the slum who had received Li Buyi’s teachings steadily grew. Out of gratitude, these individuals began to regard themselves as his disciples. They formed tight-knit bonds, supporting one another and uniting into a formidable force. Thus, under the organization of several exceptionally skilled disciples, the Cloth Sect was born.

The Cloth Sect had risen in just a few decades to become one of the slum’s five major factions. It boasted a vast membership and unparalleled unity. Proud of their humble cloth garments, the sect members stood together against outsiders, becoming a grassroots force even foreign powers dared not underestimate. Naturally, Li Buyi had become one of the five major figures of the slum.

Under countless watchful eyes, Li Buyi slowly lifted his head. He appeared to peer through his thick black sunglasses on Elizabeth for a long, long time.

Just as Elizabeth began to show signs of impatience, Li Buyi suddenly grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellowed teeth, and said, "Beautiful lady, care for a fortune? My palm readings are spot-on."

Thud.

A ripple of disbelief swept through the crowd, with many stumbling to the ground in astonishment.

This is Li Buyi, one of the five great figures of the slum?

Why did he seem... a bit sleazy?

Yet, Elizabeth, the one under his scrutiny, did not take offense. The Inquisition’s intelligence on Li Buyi had described him as a highly peculiar figure among Great Xia’s people. Every time he volunteered to read someone’s fortune, it signified one of two things: either they were about to face grave trouble or encounter great fortune.

Elizabeth thought for a moment before responding cautiously, "Perhaps another time."

Li Buyi gently shook his head. "There is no time to wait."

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth frowned, her tone sharpened.

Li Buyi’s grin widened, revealing more yellow teeth. "I don’t read the palms of the dead."

Elizabeth’s face darkened instantly. Li Buyi’s words carried a chilling implication. He was suggesting that she would be dead within half an hour.

Rage erupted within Elizabeth. Despite her outward composure and the mystique surrounding Li Buyi’s reputation, she placed her faith in her unique status and formidable strength. When it came to matters of life and death, she trusted her abilities over the superstitions of fortune-telling.

"What is your purpose here, Li the Divine Seer?" Elizabeth’s voice carried a sharp edge. "Have you come to protect the killer as well?"

Li Buyi nodded, his tone casual yet resolute. "He is fated to cross paths with me."

Li Buyi always offered guidance to those fated.

"But he is a criminal wanted by the Blade of Verdict," Elizabeth reminded him firmly. Her tone was unyielding.

Li Buyi raised his hand and made a quick calculation with a playful expression. He chuckled softly and said, "From what I know, the Blade of Verdict hasn’t issued any official order to apprehend him. It seems, young lady, you’re bluffing."

Elizabeth’s expression faltered ever so slightly. It was true. She had come at Tsukiha Meiryū’s invitation, lured by a hefty sum of money. She hadn’t received any direct orders from her superiors, but she had used the name of the Blade of Verdict to pursue the so-called killer.

It wasn’t the first time she’d done something like this. Her superiors usually turned a blind eye to such actions. What unsettled her, however, was how Li Buyi had uncovered this detail so effortlessly.

"The matters of the Blade of Verdict are none of your concern, charlatan," Tsukiha Meiryū interjected, his tone sharp and derisive. "Get out while you still can, or today will be the day you meet your end."

"Hehe..." Li Buyi grinned, his yellowed teeth visible as he responded, "Speaking to the doomed is pointless."

Tsukiha Meiryū, known for his violent temper, was rapidly losing his patience. He snapped, "Old fool, are you truly intent on opposing the Jiepeng Empire?"

Li Buyi laughed softly and replied, "And if I am?"

His words were spoken lightly, almost casually, yet they carried the force of thunder. This simple statement made his stance abundantly clear. At the same time, more and more figures gathered around the apartment. They were bare-armed fighters, scholars clutching books and carrying swords, muscular laborers in coarse hemp clothing, street vendors, rickshaw drivers, assembly line workers, security guards; people from every walk of life.

The Qiujin Boxing Gym! The Justice Academy! The Cloth Sect! In that instant, disciples and skilled members from the three most prominent slum factions converged on the apartment.

In the blink of an eye, their numbers swelled to tens of thousands. They were streams flowing into the sea; shifting sands forming a desert. The masses, often looked down upon and dismissed as insignificant, now stood united, gathering their strength. Together, their combined presence and energy were enough to make even the most hardened opponents pale.

Even the elite warriors of the Haisha Gang, equipped with combat suits, power armor, and power weapons, couldn’t help but falter. Their eyes betrayed fear as they witnessed the sheer magnitude of the united crowd.

"A filthy swarm of yellow-skinned pigs," Nathan Thomas muttered disdainfully as he looked upon the sea of people gathering like a tidal wave.

His fury grew. These lowly ants dared to band together and challenge the dragon in the sky? Who had given them such audacity?

"Kill." Tsukiha Meiryū’s eyes gleamed with bloodlust as he issued the command.

The battle erupted instantly. Without a word, Long Zhengfei sprang into action, throwing a punch. Known as the Boxing God of the slum, all of his martial prowess was concentrated in his fists. His martial technique was fierce and uncompromising. A beam-like force tore through the air as it hurtled toward Tsukiha Meiryū, shaking the very fabric of space.

"Tsukizan[1]." Tsukiha Meiryū spat out in Jiepeng, unsheathing the Moon Splitting Blade from his arms.

A crimson-silver arc of light cleaved through the heavens, its long silver trail splitting the night sky as though tearing through the very darkness.

Boom!

The fist force and blade light collided as the two powerhouses launched themselves into the air, clashing furiously above the apartment.

Almost simultaneously, Nathan Thomas, the Undying Tyrant, also made his move. The warrior from the Yiggs Union extended his arms. The muscles of his forearms tore apart, revealing a pair of metallic, mechanical appendages. Each arm was equipped with four slim annihilation missiles that were no thicker than chopsticks.

Hiss!

Eight annihilation missiles were fired off in an instant. But they weren’t aimed at Mr. Ruler. Instead, they targeted the disciples of the Haisha Gang and the other three factions below, who had already begun fighting.

Collateral damage meant nothing to him. After all, they were all Great Xia people. If they died, they died.

Nathan Thomas cackled madly, his face twisted with cruelty. "Die, you yellow-skinned pigs! Inferior beings like you don’t deserve to exist in this world. All of you, die! Hahaha!"

1. Moon Slash ☜