"Who exactly are you? How do you possess such immense power?" a hoarse voice inquired.
Zhou Xuan turned to find a white-robed elder standing beside him. The elder appeared normal, yet his aura was entirely different.
He exuded a chilling coldness; if the elder had attacked him earlier, it would have been done without a trace.
The elder's disposition was remarkably grim, as if harboring countless shadows.
Furthermore, the oppressive aura emanating from him was terrifying, creating a sense of suffocating pressure.
Zhou Xuan calmly replied, "I am Zhou Xuan!"
"Hahahaha... Didn't you want to show everyone Qingluan? Hurry up?" the white-robed elder suddenly cackled.
He extended his withered left hand, pointing at Zhou Xuan, and bellowed, "You wouldn't have fooled everyone into coming here, only to pull your pants down and fart, doing a pile of useless things, would you!"
As the elder spoke, an invisible force swept towards Zhou Xuan.
This force was incredibly potent, causing Zhou Xuan's heart to tremble uncontrollably.
"This is bad! His strength has actually reached the Celestial God realm!" Zhou Xuan's expression shifted slightly as he immediately unleashed his Heaven-grade defensive technique!
He sensed the fluctuation of that spatial artifact on the elder!
Could it be that the gourd artifact was stolen by him?
Because besides the Qiankun Mirror, the Qingluan Sword, and his own ring, and the remaining half of the Dragon Ridge ruins, only the gourd artifact could be sensed by him.
Zhou Xuan's expression became more resolute.
Indeed, as the terrifying pressure descended, the protective light shield around Zhou Xuan's body instantly shattered.
The invisible aura, like a colossal wave, engulfed Zhou Xuan.
A cold sneer played on the elder's lips. He didn't attack immediately but looked at Zhou Xuan with the disdain one reserves for an ant, "Where is the Qingluan Sword?"
Zhou Xuan stated in a deep voice, "Senior, although I am untalented, I am also a cultivator. Naturally, I must wait until everyone is present before we can all admire it together. Moreover, this is in full view of everyone. You are a Celestial God realm expert, do you intend to rob and steal my artifact?"
"Hmph! The brat is indeed eloquent, but sadly, you are too weak." The elder snorted and raised his right hand, grasping at the void!
"No one dares to defy me!"
"Stop, Elder Minshu!"
The two elders, Qi and Xuan, were surprised that this old fellow had also arrived.
They immediately became deeply worried for Zhou Xuan.
However, their intervention was too late.
At this moment, Zhou Xuan felt the world spin and tilt, as if the entire universe was being overturned. He felt as though his soul was being forcibly extracted.
A look of terror appeared on Zhou Xuan's face. He struggled desperately, but he was utterly powerless.
Even his soul was being pulled out; just how formidable was this elder's strength?
Was this the power of the Celestial God realm?
Or did possessing an artifact grant such terrifying advancement in strength and speed?
"Brat, if you don't hand over the treasure, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"
The elder snorted and delivered a palm strike. Zhou Xuan felt as though his soul was about to shatter, and he hastily mobilized all his strength to resist.
However, the elder's power far surpassed his own. With a single palm strike, Zhou Xuan's defenses instantly crumbled.
His soul was actually being siphoned out by the elder!
"Ah..."
In the void, the ancestor's ethereal great palm swept out, directly pushing his soul back.
Zhou Xuan straightened up sharply and quickly moved away from the elder.
The two elders, Qi and Xuan, along with the other five masters, arrived before him.
"If you want to kill Zhou Xuan, you'll have to get past us first!"
"Elder Minshu, you are going too far!"
Elder Huang also stepped forward, his aura resolute and imposing.
"It's one thing to be arrogant due to your age, but to try and kill my junior is to show no regard for me, Huang Youwei!"
To their surprise, Minshu let out a hearty laugh.
"Which one of you present doesn't desire an artifact? Do you truly believe you are here to admire my self-satisfaction?"
"Ask yourselves, don't you also wish to claim them for yourselves?"
"Haha, I am simply more honest than you. If you want it, go and take it!"
"You hypocrites and true villains, just wait. I'm taking the items first!"
With that, he retreated rapidly, clearly heading towards the venue.
"Stop!"
Zhou Xuan clutched his chest, attempting to pursue.
Elder Huang and the two elders, Qi and Xuan, restrained him.
"Don't worry, we will intercept him!"
"Quickly, don't let him kill anyone. Qingluan must not be lost!"
Qin Huaiyu subtly exchanged a glance.
Jiao Yun and others also secretly began to move.
The crowd was stirred, their thoughts drifting towards the venue where the artifacts were placed.
Elder Huang and the others also rushed to intercept.
"Trying to escape? Dream on!"
"Come back here!"
A sharp shout, and a beam of light descended from the sky, landing behind the fleeing figure.
The crowd was astonished and turned their gaze to the sky.
A man in black was seen descending from above.
"Who dares to interfere in our affairs!"
"Your affairs? What affairs? Do you know that these four great artifacts, whoever obtains them, can conquer the world? This is a matter concerning the entire cultivation world. Should only you be allowed to contend for them here?"
"Who are you?"
"It's you!"
The crowd recognized the newcomer.
This man was Su Ming, an elder from the Lingyun Immortal Sect, who had previously fought against the Vast Sea Immortal Sect.
Su Ming recognized Zhou Xuan.
However, his visit this time was not solely to admire the artifacts.
Su Ming addressed the crowd, "I know many of you wish to obtain the artifacts, but I must warn you, anyone is acceptable, but Elder Minshu, this person absolutely cannot be spared."
"Who is he?"
"Can we, just a few of us, really deal with him?"
Elder Huang frowned.
"Of course, we cannot, but you are different."
"What do you mean?"
Su Ming smiled, "My Lingyun Immortal Sect's patriarch, Su Wuji, has unfathomable cultivation. Moreover, the most crucial thing is that he possesses a treasure called the Demon Slaying Sword, an immortal-grade spiritual treasure with peerless and potent power!"
"Demon Slaying Sword?!"
"Because Minshu has already obtained the gourd artifact!"
"Ah!?"
"What? Him? Did this old man steal our Sun family's gourd treasure?"
Sun Zhibiao exclaimed.
The Sun family was utterly shocked.
They never expected that after years of searching, the reason was this.
"He has cultivated into a demon, utilizing the capabilities of the gourd, that spatial artifact."
"Artifacts can grant rapid advancement. Minshu was already wicked, committing all sorts of evil, and his cultivation techniques are incredibly insidious."
"He is now extremely difficult to deal with."
"Unless he is captured and dealt with using my Lingyun Immortal Sect's Demon Slaying Sword, he might even possess others!"
"Possession?"
"Yes, beings in the Celestial God realm are capable of possession."
Upon hearing this, no one was willing to let the treasure remain with Minshu any longer.
Naturally, such a great demon would face a concerted attack.
Only Qin Huaiyu's expression was amiss.
But everyone overlooked it.
Zhou Xuan, now free, narrowed his eyes slightly.
The Qin family members did not seem particularly eager to eliminate Minshu.
Could it be that Minshu, like Jiao Yun, was also someone behind the Qin family?