Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100 Chapter 1432 Bone of Red Horn Dragon!
Previously on Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100...
"This is a bone fragment from a Red Horn Dragon," Seraphina clarified. "Far from a regular creature, it stems from a genuine draconic heir whose cultivation soared to the Divine Lord Realm prior to its collapse. The fragment preserves remnants of its fiery essence and bloodline mark. It aligns perfectly with Black Dragon lineage cultivation."
A quiet ripple of whispers passed through the disciples standing nearby.
The Red Horn Dragon represented no minor entity. Such a bone piece might get forged into armaments, help amplify bloodline harmony, or function as a spark for progress in fire-oriented skills. Its worth proved enormous.
Seraphina's gaze fixed firmly on Virelila. "Should my Twenty Third Hall claim victory, I get to claim this bone. If your Thirty Third Hall yields the top pillar performer, the bone becomes yours. Naturally, should your hall fall short, you must hand over the Three Harmony Purple Flower to me."
The far-off fiery glow of the dome danced across the scarlet face of the dragon bone, lending it a sinister shimmer.
Lady Virelila's face had grown utterly grave at this point. She grasped the stakes of this gamble. Seraphina coveted her purple bloom. As a low Divine Tier item, it offered aid to Divine Lord powerhouses such as themselves.
To agree would stake the honor of the Thirty Third Hall alongside a precious asset. To decline would hint at doubt, maybe even uncertainty in front of the rival halls.
"You appear quite assured," Lady Virelila remarked softly.
Seraphina offered a slight grin. "I am truly assured, and you ought to understand the reason."
For a short instant, quiet hung between the pair. Max detected Lady Virelila's thoughts racing swiftly. The Thirty Third Hall boasted skilled pupils this round. She recognized their abilities. She also understood the prowess of the Twenty Third Hall, whose bold cultivation approach frequently spawned dynamic stars in fire trials.
The Red Horn Dragon bone throbbed softly in Seraphina's grasp, its warmth grazing the air around it.
At last, Lady Virelila responded.
"Since you're ready to risk such an item, I see no cause to back away."
Her tone stayed even, yet the seriousness in it rang clear.
"I take your bet."
A subtle gleam of triumph flashed in Seraphina's eyes.
"Excellent," she answered fluidly. "May the Path to Eternal Flames determine which hall rises supreme this time."
With those words, she tucked away the dragon bone and pivoted completely toward her own pupils, her assurance unshaken.
Lady Virelila lingered motionless a bit longer before shifting her look to her disciples. Her stare held firm, though the burden of hopes had quietly mounted.
Max grasped it right away.
"You all saw what just transpired," Lady Virelila declared gravely while turning to the Thirty Third Hall disciples. Her eyes swept over every one of them, resolute and firm. "Give it your all and venture as far as possible into the Path to Eternal Flames."
Her words held subdued command, not booming but strong enough to weigh on their minds. The pupils arrayed before her dipped their heads together. They had witnessed the clash with Elder Seraphina. They realized this trial extended beyond individual growth now. Their hall leader had wagered a prized item. Honor, standing, and assets now linked to their results.
Every one of them bore that duty's load.
As the dome's chatter swelled and the First Hall readied their attempt, another voice slipped into Max's thoughts.
"As for you, Max, I chiefly consented to this stake due to you."
Max's eyes twitched faintly as he identified Lady Virelila's mental message. He revealed no visible response.
"Due to me?" he answered in his mind.
Lady Virelila offered the slightest incline of her head, even as her face stayed serene and poised while she went on speaking to the rest of the pupils.
"The Red Horn Dragon bone ranks among the finest items for you right now," her voice resounded distinctly in his mind. "I've examined your build with care. Your form has already exceeded typical disciple bounds, and you've unlocked one of the Seven Divine Veins."
Max's stare intensified. She had spotted it indeed.
"I lack full knowledge on the Seven Divine Veins route," Lady Virelila went on reflectively, "yet I grasp one vital point. Cultivators on that route need consistent advancement. Should the divine veins' activation lag or waver, their core cultivation—your Divine Essence cultivation—will ultimately halt."
Max gave a minor nod. That matched the risk he had guarded against. The Seven Divine Veins demanded vast power and supplies to activate. Lacking fitting support, the base might tip off balance.
"This Red Horn Dragon bone qualifies as a low Divine Tier treasure," Lady Virelila detailed, her voice solid but supportive. "It harbors purified flame essence alongside leftover draconic life force. When refined right, the power inside could deliver the thrust needed to unseal your second divine vein."
Her inner voice conveyed subdued assurance.
"That's why I risked my purple flower to gain it. Against that bone, my item holds less value for your journey."
Max's heart clenched a touch at her statement.
"I won't let you down, Master," he sent back earnestly via mental link.
"No thanks are required," Lady Virelila answered, a subtle curve gracing her mouth though the hidden talk stayed unseen by others. "To seize that Red Horn Dragon bone, you need to outdo every pupil from the Twenty Third Hall in this test."
Her inflection altered gently, growing weightier.
"And you ought to learn this beforehand. Isabella Lumin, the Saintess under guidance, hails from the Twenty Third Hall."
The revelation hit Max like a hushed bolt.
For an instant, the golden radiance of the Path to Eternal Flames appeared to brighten in his sight.
He hadn't foreseen that.
With Isabella Lumin tied to the Twenty Third Hall, this bet's challenge had escalated sharply. It went beyond besting skilled outer pupils honed in fire arts. It meant eclipsing the Saintess in training, carrier of the Imperial Bloodline whose promise the whole clan endorsed.
Max's face grew profoundly serious.
The Red Horn Dragon bone ceased being just a prize. It turned into an emblem of an inevitable clash. To secure it, he must push past standard barriers and tower over not just Zain Heron should they cross paths, but Isabella Lumin too in this hall rivalry.
The Path to Eternal Flames lay ahead, shining constant as if sensing the tempest brewing softly in his core.
This chance had lost its ease.
It stood as a trial.
And to grasp the treasure that might unlock his second divine vein, he had to etch his mark more profoundly into those endless flames than any from the Twenty Third Hall.
Including the Saintess.