The red, giant umbrella spun in mid-air, its delicate crimson glow enveloping it like a layer of ethereal light. It twirled incessantly, as though it might be swept away at any moment.
"Quick! Capture them! Don't let them steal the treasure!" The less powerful cultivators, their eyes burning with envy, watched in anxiety as those in the lead raced ahead, desperation visible in their every step.
"Charge!" As expected, at the sound of that command, the lagging cultivators, spurred on by their urgency, surged forward recklessly, eager to seize the coveted artifact for themselves.
The scene erupted into chaos.
"Master, how long do we wait before making our move?" In a secluded spot, two men stood beneath a towering tree, arms folded, watching with keen interest as the crowd fought and bled for the treasure.
"No rush." The man with the handsome features spoke slowly, his lips parting with calculated grace, his brows arching slightly in amusement. In his arms, he cradled a bundle of snow-white cloth, absently stroking it as he observed the chaos unfolding before him. This treasure was unlike any they had encountered before. It seemed almost alive, its vitality palpable. Truly, it was worthy of its divine Emperor-level status.
"Master, if we wait any longer, the treasure will be claimed by someone else!" The man in black, his voice tinged with impatience, was about to argue further when a subtle gesture from the man silenced him.
"Let's wait a little longer." The man's brow furrowed in unease. For some reason, today, he felt an unusual, ominous presence in the air. His gaze remained fixed on the umbrella spinning in the sky.
Taking advantage of the distraction as the crowd fought amongst themselves, Lan Suhua, finding herself with a rare moment of freedom, gazed up at the floating red umbrella before leaping into the air.
The handle of the umbrella was adorned with a golden phoenix, poised as though it might take flight at any moment. The intricate, lifelike design was enough to captivate anyone who laid eyes on it.
As soon as the crowd noticed her movement, their collective gaze snapped upward. A wave of envy flooded their hearts—each of them longed to be the one to claim the treasure.
"Aah!"
For some unknown reason, as Lan Suhua neared the umbrella's handle, she was suddenly overcome by an unseen force. Terrified, she lost control and began to plummet from the sky, forgetting to summon her power in time.
The fall was from a height of over ten meters! If she crashed, even if she survived, it would surely be a life-altering injury.
Below, most of the men watched in horror, unable to bear the thought of a beautiful woman meeting such a tragic end.
Only Mu Qianxia and her friends stood off to the side, a cruel smirk dancing on their lips as they watched the figure plummeting from the heights.
"Su Hua!" Lan Wuxiu, startled, pushed through the crowd and rushed toward the falling Lan Suhua.
"An insignificant mortal dares to covet my master?" A distant yet powerful voice reverberated from the direction of the umbrella.
"Aah!"
"That's a high-level sacred beast inside, speaking human tongue!"
"What should we do? Should we flee?"
"Such lowly humans! Get away from here, or face my wrath!" The voice from within the umbrella grew angrier.
If these people did not leave, the being inside would never be able to regain a physical body. If it couldn't be reborn, how could it exact its revenge?
It recalled the day when it had been sealed within its master's body by An Yang Mo Tian, helplessly watching as its master had been forced into demonization and self-destruction. That scene was one it would never forget.
From now on, it would protect its master at all costs.
What it didn't realize was that the very pressure it was emitting had already overwhelmed the people below, forcing them to the ground. Some were gasping for air, their faces pale, drenched in sweat.
"We...we'll leave." A few scattered cultivators, who had come in search of rare treasures, could not withstand the immense pressure and, after a quick assessment, decided to retreat for their lives.
"Hmph! Insects, crushed with a single blow!" The phoenix in the umbrella scoffed, withdrawing its pressure. It no longer paid attention to the fleeing cultivators.
Such insignificant humans weren't worthy of its direct involvement.
Having just awakened, this was the scene it had come to. Perhaps its master would awaken shortly, but for now, it would not waste any more energy on these pitiful mortals.