It felt as though a century had passed, and the crowd stood frozen, their eyes fixed in dread upon the spot where the burly man had once stood by the edge of the deep pool.
None of them had seen clearly what had happened. It had only been a fleeting shadow, moving with terrifying speed, that had dragged the man beneath the water.
The still waters of the pool suddenly began to bubble and churn.
At the sound, the crowd's first instinct was to distance themselves from the deep pool.
This was the fourth time this had happened! As the saying goes, "Things rarely happen more than three times." And now, with the fourth occurrence, the only thought in their minds was survival. Forget the treasure; they just wanted to escape alive.
Many mercenaries and wandering cultivators began to turn away, reluctant but undecided, torn between the lure of the treasure and their own safety.
A deafening crash echoed from the pool, and the waters parted violently with an immense force, sending a cascade of water high into the air, swirling without cease.
Above, the crimson moon once again emitted a blood-red light, casting its eerie glow upon whatever lay hidden beneath the enormous curtain of water.
The entire landscape of the Ha Yue Mountains was bathed in an unnatural red hue, the night no longer dark but as bright as day.
"It seems this time, it really is the treasure," Lan Wuxiu remarked as he stood under a towering tree, elegantly fanning himself, his smile serene.
"Yes, Brother, I believe this is no mistake," Lan Suflower replied softly, her delicate white gown fluttering in the breeze, her voice like a whisper of silk. She gazed up at the treasure spinning in mid-air, her eyes glinting with fervent desire.
"Brother, I've heard that this treasure is none other than a Divine Emperor artifact! If we secure it, we need not fear the upcoming Spirit Martial Tournament in three months!" Lan Suflower's gaze was fixated on the item behind the curtain of water, eager to see what this divine relic truly was.
She had never seen such a Divine Emperor artifact in her life! She had no idea what it even looked like.
"Indeed, Suflower is right. We must secure this treasure! The outcome of the Spirit Martial Tournament is vital for the future of our Lan family in the Wind Kingdom!" Lan Wuxiu frowned as he pondered, his voice resolute.
"Yes!" Lan Suflower nodded firmly, her fists clenched tightly beneath her sleeves, her eyes flashing with determination.
At that moment, the blood-red light dissipated, and the moonlight returned to its natural color.
The towering curtain of water was silently shattered and fell back into the pool.
Suspended in mid-air, a dazzling crimson umbrella hovered gracefully, its handle adorned with a lifelike golden phoenix, poised as if ready to take flight at any moment.
"Could this be the treasure?" A voice from the crowd echoed with wonder.
The once-quiet forest erupted into murmurs.
"Of course it is!"
"Yes, it must be!"
Only the members of the major families and the royal court remained silent, their eyes fixed on the floating red umbrella as they silently calculated how they might lay claim to it.
"Second Prince, you cover for me. I'll go up and retrieve that umbrella!" The nobleman in a resplendent blue robe, Gu Longyu, rolled up his sleeves and pulled out a flying artifact from his space ring, heading straight for the umbrella.
Upon seeing this, Mo Qianlin was about to rush after him, but before he could act, he was tangled up by the Second Prince Gu Longningkang. After all, the man before him was the Emperor's most favored son. Mo Qianlin, as just one of the many sons of a family, dared not confront him directly. So, he could do nothing but watch as the artifact was claimed by someone else.
"Brother, stay here. Let me go instead," Lan Suflower stepped forward and blocked her elder brother's way, her voice filled with determination.
That treasure was hers—no one else could take it from her, not even her own brother!
With that, Lan Suflower drew her own artifact and soared into the air.
Families such as the Xu and Ye clans, as well as other major families, joined the fray for the divine treasure.
The remaining cultivators, both skilled and inexperienced, followed suit, rushing forward to claim the artifact for themselves.