Chapter 465 Still Want to Pick a Pick?! The Liu family members were completely taken aback!

The seventh level of the treasury.

Jiang Yun stood between three display stands, his gaze shifting back and forth between the remaining two Liu Family ancestral treasures.

nether phoenix divine feather, Legendary Low Grade, the life-bound feather left behind when the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix fell.

The pitch-black feather floated quietly above the display stand, a faint, dark halo flowing across its surface. Just looking at it from afar allowed one to feel the vast Origin power of the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix contained within.

void seed, Radiant Sun Peak Grade, a Law Crystal formed by the solidification of the spatial Law Origin after an ancient Void Divine Beast fell.

It was a fist-sized, translucent silver-gray crystal. Inside the crystal, a distorted silver halo rotated slowly, and with every rotation, a fine ripple of space spread across the surface of the crystal.

These two treasures, if taken out, would be enough to make any faction in the provincial capital, or even the entire Eastern Region, go crazy.

But Jiang Yun could only choose one more.

He frowned slightly, quickly weighing the pros and cons of the two treasures in his mind.

The nether phoenix divine feather had a higher Rank, Legendary Low Grade, one minor Rank higher than the void seed.

But the entries stated very clearly that this treasure was deeply bound to the Liu Family Bloodline.

The beast taming of the Liu Family Ancestor, Ancestor, was the Ancient Nether Phoenix, and Liu Ruyan's beast taming was also the Ancient Nether Phoenix. The Liu Family's beast taming Bloodline flowed with the Legacy of the Nether Phoenix lineage.

The Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix and the Nether Phoenix both belonged to the Nether lineage of avian Divine Beasts. Their Bloodlines were connected. For the Liu Family, the nether phoenix divine feather was an ancestral treasure, but for an outsider, it might not necessarily be able to exert its full effect.

What if he forced Little Fire to use it?

Little Fire had the Dragon Clan Bloodline, which had nothing to do with the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix Bloodline. The refinement effect would inevitably be greatly reduced, and it might even cause a backlash due to Bloodline conflict.

Use it for Little Skylark?

Little Skylark had the Wind-Thunder Divine Roc Bloodline, belonging to the Wind-Thunder lineage, and had nothing to do with the Nether lineage. It would similarly be unable to utilize the core ability of the nether phoenix divine feather.

Use it for Nether Abyss?

Nether Abyss was indeed of the dark attribute and had a certain affinity with the Nether lineage. However, Nether Abyss was in beast form, and the nether phoenix divine feather was most effective on avian-type beasts. Using it on a beast-form beast would similarly reduce the effect.

"This nether phoenix divine feather is best suited for avian beasts with the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix or Nether Phoenix Bloodline. None of my three beasts meet the criteria; forcing them to use it would be a waste of a heavenly treasure."

Jiang Yun shook his head and turned his gaze to the void seed.

void seed, Radiant Sun Peak Grade.

In terms of Rank, it was one minor Rank lower than the nether phoenix divine feather, but its core ability made Jiang Yun's eyelids twitch several times.

[Core Ability · Void Evolution]: Any beast with the space attribute, after devouring the void seed, can ignore current Realm, Aptitude, and Bloodline Restrictions to directly trigger an evolution. The evolution direction will lean towards the Void Divine Beast Bloodline, and the quality will jump by one major Rank after evolution.

"Ignoring current Realm, Aptitude, and Bloodline Restrictions to directly trigger an evolution... Quality jumps by one major Rank."

Jiang Yun repeated this entry in a low voice, a flash of heat appearing in his eyes.

"This means that even the most ordinary Gold Rank space-attribute beast, after swallowing the void seed, can directly jump to Diamond Rank or even Falling Star Rank. This Heaven-Defying evolution effect is even more overbearing than the thunder soul crystal."

His gaze continued to scan downwards.

[Special Effect · Spatial Affinity] After the evolution is complete, the beast will gain the highest level of spatial Law affinity. The power of all space-attribute skills will increase by 300%, and the consumption of casting space-type skills will be reduced by 50%.

"Power of all space-attribute skills increased by 300%... consumption reduced by 50%..."

Jiang Yun's breathing became slightly rapid.

"This magnitude of amplification is almost equivalent to tripling the combat power of a space-attribute beast. No, adding the one major Rank jump in quality, the overall combat power increase is likely more than three times."

And when he saw the last entry, [Potential Gift], the pupils under his silver-white mask shrank suddenly.

[Potential Gift]: During the evolution process, there is a chance to awaken the innate Divine Ability of the Void Divine Beast, Void Shuttle. This Divine Ability can perform Space Jump while ignoring any Restrictions, Formations, or barriers, making it a supreme Divine Ability for escaping and launching surprise attacks.

"Performing Space Jump while ignoring any Restrictions, Formations, or barriers."

Jiang Yun read this sentence three times, and with each reading, the arc of his mouth deepened.

He thought of something.

Previously in Black Rock City, he was hunted down by that old man.

It was fortunate that Fox Immortal used Space Jump at the cost of being seriously injured to save him.

Otherwise, he would likely have died.

If he could have a beast that had awakened the Void Shuttle Divine Ability, it would be different.

Void Shuttle performs Space Jump while ignoring any Restrictions, Formations, or barriers.

This means that as long as he is not trapped by an opponent whose strength gap is large enough to instantly kill him, he can rely on this beast to escape directly.

"This is the true life-saving Divine Ability. It is more useful than any defensive treasure. A Space Jump that can ignore Restriction locks is practically leaving oneself a way out in any desperate situation."

Jiang Yun took a deep breath, and he had already made up his mind.

Of course, the void seed also had an unavoidable problem.

He currently had no space-attribute beast.

Without a space-attribute beast, the core ability of the void seed could not be triggered.

This was an uncertain future investment, not a combat power increase that could be immediately realized.

But Jiang Yun thought very clearly.

"My current configuration of three beasts is already strong enough. Little Fire is a True Dragon Bloodline tank, Little Skylark is a Wind-Thunder Divine Roc for high-speed harassment and crowd control, and Nether Abyss is a dark attribute Origin Law assassin for breaking defenses. The three beasts each perform their duties, and their tacit cooperation has already reached a point where I don't need to issue instructions one by one. In the short term, I don't need to add new combat power points."

"But this void seed is a chess piece I must take for the future. With it, when I encounter a suitable space-attribute beast in the future, I can directly make it leap into a powerful combat force at the Radiant Sun level or even a higher Rank. Moreover, the strategic value of the Void Shuttle Divine Ability far exceeds that of a Legendary Low Grade treasure."

His mouth curled up slightly.

"What's more... even if I never encounter a suitable space-attribute beast, this Radiant Sun Peak Grade void seed, if taken out for exchange or given to someone, would definitely be a favor that would make any expert's heart beat. A Radiant Sun Peak Grade Law Crystal formed by the solidification of the Origin Law of an ancient Void Divine Beast—a treasure of this level, if placed in the Eastern Region, could probably be exchanged for the entire assets of a small Sect."

"Investing in the future, a guaranteed profit."

He hesitated no longer, lifted his feet, and walked towards the display stand of the void seed.

And at the same time that Jiang Yun made his choice.

Outside the treasury, on the Liu Family plaza.

The gazes of thousands of Liu Family Disciples were fixed on the image in the mystic light mirror.

They saw Grand Tutor Dongxuan take the ancestral dragon essence blood.

At that moment, everyone was prepared to see him being teleported out of the treasury.

According to common sense, after challenging the seventh-level ancestral treasure and consuming so much energy in the challenge, he should have come out.

But they waited for a long time.

The image in the mystic light mirror simply didn't change.

Grand Tutor Dongxuan was still standing in the hall of the seventh level.

Not only did he not leave, but he stood in front of the other two ancestral treasures, looking as if he was...

Thinking?

What was he going to do?

He wouldn't still be choosing, right?

This thought appeared in the minds of countless people at the same time, but no one dared to be the first to say it out loud.

Because it was too outrageous.

They had just finished a shocking battle against the True Dragon remnant soul. Although the three beasts won, anyone could see that the three beasts had clearly shown signs of fatigue in the final stages.

Little Fire's Water-Fire Dragon Domain had dimmed by more than a notch at the end, Little Skylark's Wind-Thunder Calamity Domain had clearly shrunk a circle after unleashing that Ancient Wind-Thunder Wing Slash, and Nether Abyss had almost hidden all its Aura after that shot.

Such consumption, under normal circumstances, would require at least several days or even half a month of careful recuperation to recover.

Even if Grand Tutor Dongxuan had many trump cards, the consumption of the beasts was always real, right?

But with this posture now, why did Grand Tutor Dongxuan look like he was going to continue the challenge?

"What's going on? Why is Grand Tutor Dongxuan still standing on the seventh level? Didn't he already get the ancestral dragon essence blood? Why is he still there?"

A young Disciple couldn't help but lower his voice and ask his companion beside him.

"Who should I ask? I can't figure it out either! That was a Diamond Rank Nine Azure Ancient Dragon remnant soul! The three Purple Gold Rank beasts fought together for so long, and when that final shot exploded the Azure Ancient Dragon from the inside, didn't you see that the dark beast's Aura wither instantly? That was definitely not faked; it was truly empty of more than half its spiritual power! Consumption, how does he still dare to stand on the seventh level and not leave?"

Another Disciple shook his head repeatedly, the confusion on his face almost spilling over.

"Wait... when Grand Tutor Dongxuan agreed to come to our Liu Family treasury to choose treasures, exactly how many was he allowed to choose?"

A Disciple suddenly asked a question that everyone vaguely realized was wrong, but very few people knew the exact answer.

"I remember it was..."

The Disciple who was asked scratched his head, also looking confused.

"Three items? No, no, it seems to be five items? The version I heard at the time was three items, right? Repairing the Nether Phoenix soul crystal in exchange for three treasury treasures...?"

"No! I heard from my dad that it was five! My dad is a Rune Master and was in the Ancestral Land at the time. He told me personally that it was three at first, but later, because Grand Tutor Dongxuan also did other things for the Liu Family, two more were added, for a total of five!"

The son of a Rune Master beside him lowered his voice and interjected.

As soon as these words came out, a circle of low discussion immediately erupted around them.

"Five items?! Then how many has Grand Tutor Dongxuan already taken?"

"I don't know, but look, he's already on the seventh level. The ancestral dragon essence blood is the third ancestral treasure on the seventh level. He must have taken things on other levels before. If it's five items, maybe he still has chances left?"

"Damn! So he is standing on the seventh level and not leaving, is he really going to continue choosing?!"

Similar discussions spread one after another in every corner of the plaza.

And in the area where the Grand Elders were, the atmosphere was even more subtle.

The previous wave of Grand Elders had just recovered from the blow of the ancestral dragon essence blood changing hands and were planning to tidy up their expressions and put on an indifferent posture, as if to say, "Anyway, our Liu Family is big and wealthy."

After all, the ancestral dragon essence blood had already been taken away; crying was useless, so it was better to be decent.

But when they saw Grand Tutor Dongxuan still standing in the hall of the seventh level in the mystic light mirror, facing the remaining two ancestral treasures without moving, everyone's hearts were lifted again.

An old-fashioned Grand Elder with white hair and beard frowned and turned his head to look in the direction of Liu Qingyun.

"Patriarch, why is Grand Tutor Dongxuan still on the seventh level? After he finished taking the ancestral dragon essence blood, is he going to continue challenging?"

When he asked this, the gazes of the several Grand Elders around also gathered on Liu Qingyun.

Liu Qingyun's shoulders stiffened slightly.

What was bound to come finally came.

He had originally hoped to stall for as long as possible, waiting until these Grand Elders saw Jiang Yun start challenging the next one before explaining, but now that he had been asked directly to his face, he could not dodge it anymore.

He coughed twice, forcing a somewhat stiff smile onto his face.

"Esteemed Elders, this matter... the situation in the Liu Family Ancestral Land is indeed different from the rumors outside."

His voice was not loud, but everyone in the Grand Elder area heard it clearly.

Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan frowned. He supported the Patriarch's faction, but he truly did not know the specific details regarding the terms for selecting treasures from the treasury.

"Patriarch, how is it different?"

Liu Qingyun took a deep breath, the stiff smile on his face becoming even more forced.

"At that time in the Liu Family Ancestral Land, to awaken the soul of the nether phoenix, we needed the help of Grand Tutor Dongxuan's two Divine Beasts to act simultaneously. Whether the soul of the nether phoenix could be awakened was tied to whether our Liu Family Ancestral Land Legacy could continue. Every Elder here knows the weight of this matter."

Everyone nodded one after another.

The soul of the nether phoenix was the core of the Liu Family Ancestral Land; without it, the Bloodline Legacy of the Liu Family's beast taming would be severed.

Every Grand Elder present knew the weight of this matter perfectly well.

"The situation at the time was extremely urgent. The soul of the nether phoenix had been dormant for many years, and with only the strength of our own Formation Masters and Rune Masters, we could no longer suppress its dissipation. Grand Tutor Dongxuan not only personally repaired the Nether Phoenix soul crystal, but he also agreed to let his two Divine Beasts enter the depths of the Liu Family Ancestral Land, using the Divine Peng Bloodline and True Dragon Bloodline to jointly trigger a three-line resonance, which is how we finally awakened the soul of the nether phoenix from its slumber."

Liu Qingyun paused, his voice turning a bit more bitter.

"And as a condition of the exchange, the originally promised three treasures from the treasury were increased to five."

The moment his voice fell, the entire Grand Elder area went silent for a full three breaths. After three breaths.

"Five?!"

A white-haired Grand Elder stood up abruptly from his seat, his face full of disbelief.

"Patriarch, did you say five? Five treasures from the treasury?! These are all the Foundations accumulated by our Liu Family's Ancestors and sages over generations!!"

His voice cracked from excessive shock, causing several managing Elders nearby to involuntarily turn their heads to look over.

Liu Qingyun's expression grew even uglier, but he still braced himself and nodded. "Yes... five."

"Hiss..." The sound of gasping for air rose one after another among the Grand Elders.

Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan's brows were tightly locked. Although he had always supported the Patriarch, he could not help but show a look of heartache on his face at this moment.

The difference between three and five was not just a small gap.

Every treasure in the Liu Family treasury was an accumulation of hundreds of years. Anything that could be placed inside the treasury was, at the very least, a Falling Star Rank treasure.

The difference of two items was worth the entire trump cards of a small Sect.

But he did not speak to question it. Because he knew better than most people present what the soul of the nether phoenix meant to the Liu Family.

If the soul of the nether phoenix had truly dissipated, the Nether Phoenix Bloodline Legacy of the Liu Family would have been completely severed at the root. By then, not to mention five treasures, even if the entire treasury were sacrificed, it would not be enough to get it back.

Liu Lie, standing at the edge of the crowd, had an even more colorful expression on his face at this moment.

He had already been slapped in the face many times before. From Jiang Yun's cultivation to Jiang Yun's beast taming combat power, every time he jumped out to question, he was smashed to pieces by reality.

And now, when he heard the number five, his old face could not hold it together again.

"Five... it's actually five..." His lips quivered, his voice so low that only those around him could hear.

"I thought it was only three... three would have been painful enough, but five... Patriarch, what were you thinking at the time? This treasury is the Foundation of the Liu Family, how could you be so generous?"

When he said this, he did not attack Liu Qingyun directly, but the dissatisfaction in his tone was already overflowing.

Several conservative Grand Elders around also echoed him, their faces filled with heartache and unwillingness.

Liu Qingyun's brow twitched when he heard these words, but he still maintained the demeanor of a Patriarch.

He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the grievance in his heart.

"Esteemed Elders, I understand everyone's feelings. But regarding the situation at the time, since you were not on the scene, you may not fully grasp the stakes. If the soul of the nether phoenix were to dissipate, the Legacy of our Liu Family's Nether Phoenix Bloodline would be severed, a loss that cannot be measured by a few treasures. Using five treasures to ensure the Liu Family's Legacy remains unbroken—this is a trade I, as Patriarch, believe is worth it."

He said this in a high-sounding manner, his tone very steady, possessing the exact bearing a Patriarch of a hidden great Family should have.

However, only he knew that his hands hidden in his sleeves were already trembling. Beneath that calm expression was a heart that was bleeding frantically.

Five of them!! Those were supreme treasures accumulated by the Liu Family over hundreds of years!!

Supreme treasures taken away by Jiang Yun. Every single one was exchanged with the lives of our Ancestors!! Now, being taken away one by one by a sixteen years old boy, and he, the head of the house, could only stand here and say it was worth it!!

Worth it my ass!!! The corners of his mouth twitched slightly at an angle no one noticed. But he held it back.

After a brief moment of heartache, Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan was the first to regain his composure. He asked in a deep voice, "Patriarch, five treasures... how many has Grand Tutor Dongxuan taken so far?"

Upon hearing this, the stiff smile on Liu Qingyun's face deepened. Not because he was happy, but because he felt even more guilty. "Four," he said truthfully.

"What? Four?" Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan's brows furrowed even deeper. "Which four?"

"The beast taming armor condensation knee pads, Falling Star Rank High Grade; the thunder soul crystal, eclipsing moon Rank High Grade; the dark-attribute origin law crystal, Radiant Sun Rank Low Grade; and the ancestral dragon essence blood just obtained, Legendary Rank Medium Grade."

Liu Qingyun counted them one by one, and with every name he recited, the expressions of the surrounding Grand Elders darkened by a shade.

"Four items... from Falling Star Rank High Grade to Legendary Rank Medium Grade..." Another Grand Elder calculated on his fingers, his face instantly turning livid.

"The total value of these four treasures is already worth nearly one-third of the Liu Family treasury's Foundation!!"

"There is still one left." Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan's voice sank. His gaze pierced through the mystic light mirror, landing on the young man standing between two display stands in the seventh-floor hall, a complex emotion flashing deep within his pupils.

"Grand Tutor Dongxuan is standing on the seventh floor and not leaving... is he hesitating about which one to pick for the last one?"

"I'm afraid so." Liu Qingyun nodded with a bitter smile. "There are two left on the seventh floor: the nether phoenix divine feather and the void seed."

Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan slowly said these two names, and with each one, the hearts of the Grand Elders present tightened.

"The nether phoenix divine feather is Legendary Rank Low Grade, and the void seed is Radiant Sun Rank High Grade. Whichever one he picks, it is one of the clan-protecting supreme treasures of our Liu Family's seventh floor."

Liu Qingyun did not speak. But his silence was the best answer.

The surrounding Grand Elders all looked miserable; some were sighing, some were shaking their heads, and some simply closed their eyes, unable to bear watching anymore.

That old, white-haired and white-bearded Grand Elder pointed his trembling finger at the image in the mystic light mirror, his lips shivering for a long time before he squeezed out a sentence.

"Four... he has already taken four. Just walking up floor by floor, sweeping from the lower levels all the way to the seventh floor. After taking the beast taming armor condensation, he took the thunder soul crystal; after taking the thunder soul crystal, he took the dark-attribute origin law crystal; after taking the dark-attribute origin law crystal, he took the ancestral dragon essence blood... and now he wants to pick one last one on the seventh floor. Of the three clan-protecting supreme treasures on the seventh floor of the Liu Family treasury, he alone is going to take two!"

His voice was full of heartache and indignation.

"This... this is simply..." A conservative Grand Elder opened his mouth, wanting to say 'inviting a wolf into the house,' but swallowed the words back. Because no matter what, that young man was not the Liu Family's enemy; on the contrary, he had done the Liu Family a massive favor. Calling it 'inviting a wolf into the house' was inappropriate.

But the breath he was holding in his heart was truly unbearable, and in the end, it could only turn into a heavy sigh. "Sigh!!!!"

This sigh expressed the inner thoughts of all the conservative Grand Elders present.

And Liu Qingyun stood there, the expression on his face maintained in a way that was uglier than crying.

He knew the ins and outs of the matter better than these Grand Elders.

Jiang Yun repairing the Nether Phoenix soul crystal was a genuine favor, and his two Divine Beasts entering the depths of the Liu Family Ancestral Land to trigger the three-line resonance and awaken the soul of the nether phoenix was also a genuine contribution. Every promise was made by himself, and every rule was carried out openly and honestly according to the challenge regulations.

From beginning to end, there was not a single thing to criticize. But it was precisely because there was nothing to criticize that he felt even more aggrieved.

If the other party had played any tricks or used any underhanded methods, he could at least argue based on reason, or at least put on the dignity of a Patriarch and say a few tough words.

But the other party was upright and open. Every treasure was won through his own strength, and every battle was won so perfectly that no one could find any fault.

This is what they call a mute eating coptis—having bitterness that cannot be spoken.

Moreover, he still had to maintain the stance that the Liu Family's word was golden and we keep our promises; he absolutely could not show any pettiness in front of outsiders.

After all, the Liu Family was a hidden great Family with a Legacy of hundreds of years, and Ancestor had once been a top expert who was nearly invincible across the Eastern Region. If they couldn't even afford to lose five treasures, wouldn't it be a laughingstock to the world if it got out?

Thinking of this, Liu Qingyun took a deep breath and forced a generous and appropriate smile onto his face.

"Esteemed Elders." His voice was not loud, but every word was clear.

"The favor Grand Tutor Dongxuan has shown the Liu Family is something everyone present knows well. The grace of repairing the Nether Phoenix soul crystal and the grace of Awakening the soul of the nether phoenix—these two favors are of equal weight and cannot be measured by a mere few treasures. Our Liu Family has a Legacy of hundreds of years with deep Foundations. When Ancestor fought across the Eastern Region in the past, when was he ever stingy with a few treasures? Five treasures is our Liu Family's promise to Grand Tutor Dongxuan, and it is also the generosity and integrity that our Liu Family, as a hidden great Family, should possess."

"Whatever he picks, we give. Whatever he challenges, we acknowledge. This is the rule, and it is also the dignity of the Liu Family."

After saying this, Liu Qingyun felt his heart bleed another drop. But because the calm, generous, and composed expression on his face was maintained quite well, at least in the eyes of those ordinary Disciples, the Patriarch's statement indeed possessed the Aura of a Patriarch of a hidden great Family.

However, the Grand Elders were not ordinary Disciples. They had spent decades with Liu Qingyun; they knew exactly what kind of temper this Patriarch had.

At this moment, while Liu Qingyun was talking about mere treasures with his mouth, his knuckles, clenched white inside his sleeves, had completely betrayed his true inner feelings.

Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan's mouth twitched. Liu Lie's face darkened even further. The other Grand Elders all looked at their noses and hearts, pretending not to see the Patriarch's awkward state.

And just at this moment. A light laugh suddenly came from the crowd. It was very light, but in the currently heavy atmosphere of the Grand Elder area, it seemed exceptionally abrupt.

Everyone looked toward the sound, only to see Elder Liu Lan covering her mouth with her hand, her shoulders trembling slightly. This Grand Elder, who had only been newly promoted for a few decades.

The youngest eclipsing moon Rank Expert of the Liu Family was currently watching Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan's face, which was so stifled it was about to crack, with a pair of lively eyes full of teasing amusement.

She had long since seen that Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan was speaking insincerely.

Ever since that performance of generosity and composure just now, she had been staring at Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan's cuffs.

Those two fists clenched so tightly the knuckles turned white stood in stark contrast to that forced, composed smile on his face.

Elder Liu Lan couldn't help it anymore.

"Pfft."

She laughed again.

Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan's face immediately lost its composure.

"Cough, cough, cough!!"

He gave two forceful dry coughs, glaring fiercely at Elder Liu Lan while he did so.

But Elder Liu Lan didn't buy it at all; instead, she tilted her head slightly, and the teasing amusement in her eyes grew even stronger.

Helpless, Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan could only shift his gaze away from her, straighten his expression, and look at the Grand Elders present.

"Ahem, anyway..."

His voice still held a trace of embarrassment that hadn't been completely suppressed.

"What this Family Head means is that Grand Tutor Dongxuan has shown great kindness to the Liu Family. Since the promise of five treasures has been made, the Liu Family will never go back on its word. Regardless of whether Grand Tutor Dongxuan ultimately chooses the nether phoenix divine feather or the void seed, the Liu Family will honor it. As a reclusive clan for hundreds of years, the Liu Family still has that much magnanimity."

Just as he finished speaking.

An untimely voice suddenly rang out from the crowd.

"The Family Head is right."

Everyone looked toward the source of the voice.

The person speaking was none other than Liu Lie.

This Grand Elder of the conservative faction, who had been full of indignation just moments ago, suddenly stepped forward, a strange look of certainty on his face.

His gaze swept across the faces of the Grand Elders, and then he spoke slowly.

"The Family Head is right. Since the Liu Family promised five treasures, we must naturally honor it. However..."

He changed the subject.

That strange smile deepened a little.

"Everyone should not be too alarmed. You all witnessed the battle between Grand Tutor Dongxuan and the Azure Ancient Dragon. Although those three beasts joined forces to kill the Azure Ancient Dragon, their own consumption was extremely severe. The True Dragon remnant soul struggled desperately at the last moment. Although the aftermath of the 'Azure Dragon World-Ending' was not fully released, the backlash force alone would be enough to give those three beasts a hard time."

He paused, stroking his gray beard, his tone becoming increasingly certain.

"I have watched battles for many years and believe I have some judgment regarding the state of beasts. When that Golden Flame True Dragon was finishing off the opponent, its Water-Fire Dragon Domain clearly shrank by at least forty percent, and the frequency of its Dragon Breath dropped by more than half. After that Wind-Thunder Divine Peng unleashed its final wing slash, the lightning density of its Wind-Thunder Calamity Domain became significantly thinner. As for that dark attribute beast, the power of that final blast was indeed astonishing, but it almost drained its internal spiritual power reserves. After firing that shot, it immediately concealed all its Aura; there is absolutely no possibility it can release an attack of the same intensity again in the short term."

"The current state of these three beasts is likely less than thirty percent of their Peak."

The more he spoke, the more confident he became, and his voice grew louder.

"And as for the two remaining treasures on the seventh floor—the nether phoenix divine feather being Legendary Low Grade, and the void seed being Sun-Level Top Grade—what Rank do you think their corresponding challenge phantoms will be? Referencing the difficulty of the ancestral dragon essence blood challenge, the phantom Realms for the nether phoenix divine feather and the void seed are at least Diamond Rank or even Falling Star Rank in combat power. Moreover, they are likely not True Dragon remnant souls, but phantoms of the Nine Nether Underworld Phoenix or projections of a Void Divine Beast. None of them are any weaker than the Azure Ancient Dragon!!"

"Even if Grand Tutor Dongxuan wants to continue the challenge, he must first let his beasts recover. With all three beasts exhausted to this extent, how could they possibly recover to a level sufficient to challenge the town-clan treasures again without several days or even half a month of recuperation?"

A shrewd light flashed in Liu Lie's eyes, his voice lowered a bit, but his tone became even more certain.

"And according to the rules of my Liu Family's treasure vault, there is a limit to the time a challenger can stay in the vault. If I recall correctly, the treasure vault array records the challenger's stay duration. If they exceed the time limit without challenging or leaving, they will be automatically teleported out by the vault array. If I remember correctly, this time limit is two days."

He scanned the Grand Elders, the smile on his face becoming increasingly composed.

"Two days. What can you do in two days? Is it enough for those three beasts, who have drained their spiritual power, to recover to a level capable of challenging a Sun-Level phantom again? Impossible. I have lived for so many years and have never seen a beast recover from being completely drained to its Peak state within two days, unless it is backed by an old monster possessing Divine-Grade resources. Although Grand Tutor Dongxuan is a Prodigy, he is ultimately just a Purple Gold Rank youth; it is impossible for him to carry restoration treasures of that level."

"Even if he had them, such Divine-Grade restoration Medicinal Pills are one-use items; it is impossible for him to waste them on a treasure vault challenge."

Liu Lie's words were logical and well-founded, and after hearing them, the worry on the faces of the surrounding Grand Elders dissipated significantly.

"Elder Liu Lie makes sense."

"Indeed, we all saw the consumption of those three beasts; it is certainly not something that can be recovered in a short time."

"The two-day limit is indeed not enough for him to recover his beasts. Even if he forced himself to challenge, he couldn't win against a Sun-Level phantom in such a less-than-optimal state."

"Moreover, Grand Tutor Dongxuan is not a fool; he should be aware of his beasts' state. If he forces a challenge, he might end up in trouble. While failure in the challenge won't threaten his life, it's hard to say about his beasts getting severely injured."

"In that case, is it possible that our Liu Family can actually keep one of our town-clan treasures?"

For a moment, the gloom on the faces of the Grand Elders gradually dissipated, replaced by a sense of relief as if they had survived a disaster.

However.

When Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan heard Liu Lie's words, no expression of relief appeared on his face.

Not only was there no relief, but the corner of his mouth twitched again.

Because he remembered.

He remembered the scene where, after Jiang Yun's beasts completed the challenge, they recovered to their Peak state in less than a minute or two.

He remembered when Elder Liu Lan told him that Grand Tutor Dongxuan's beast recovery speed was Heaven-Defying, and he thought Elder Liu Lan was joking.

He remembered later seeing with his own eyes that Jiang Yun's beasts recovered from near-death to full health within half an incense stick of time; that sense of shock was still engraved in his mind even now.

Liu Lie was right.

Under normal circumstances, indeed, no beast could fully recover from that level of consumption within two days.

But the problem was...

Grand Tutor Dongxuan's beasts never followed normal circumstances...

Or rather.

This prodigious Grand Tutor Dongxuan never played by the rules...

Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan's lips moved, wanting to say something to remind these Grand Elders who had just relaxed.

But the words reached his lips, and he swallowed them back.

Because he suddenly realized that it was useless for him to say anything.

Every time someone said it was impossible, Jiang Yun had proven it possible with actual actions.

Liu Lie said three Divine Beast Bloodlines were impossible, but then Little Skylark and Nether Phoenix appeared one after another, slapping his face again.

Liu Lie said Purple Gold Rank fighting Diamond Rank was impossible, but then the three beasts joined forces to stage a textbook-level cross-Rank kill, turning the Azure Ancient Dragon into golden dust filling the sky.

Every time Liu Lie vowed it was impossible, he was battered and bruised by reality.

Supreme Elder Liu Yunshan had learned his lesson now.

He no longer dared to speak with absolute certainty.

He was just silently holding onto a tiny glimmer of hope in his heart.

Hoping that Jiang Yun's Heaven-Defying recovery method could really only be used once.

Perhaps it was some one-time-use Divine-Grade Medicinal Pill?

Perhaps it was some Divine Artifact that would shatter after use?

Perhaps it was used up at the Ancestral Land and wouldn't be available this time?

He was gambling.

Gambling that this time, Liu Lie's judgment was correct.

But with countless lessons from before, he dared not have any wishful thinking.

So he didn't show an expression of relief like the other Grand Elders, but instead maintained a slightly stiff smile, silently preparing for both possibilities in his heart.

"I hope Liu Lie is right this time... I hope Grand Tutor Dongxuan's recovery methods are truly limited... I hope my Liu Family can keep one town-clan treasure..."

He repeated these hopes in his heart over and over.

And Liu Lie did not yet know that his well-reasoned analysis would turn into fragments on the ground in a moment.

Just like the teacup shards under his feet that had been crushed even further.

At this moment.

The square below had also exploded into chaos.

The ordinary Liu Family Disciples did not know the details of the conversation between the Grand Elders on the high platform, but they could see the scene in the seventh-floor hall through the mystic light mirror.

When they saw Grand Tutor Dongxuan pacing back and forth between the three display stands and finally stopping in front of the two treasures for a long time, everyone's curiosity was piqued.

"Grand Tutor Dongxuan is still looking? He wouldn't really want to pick another one, would he?"

"Impossible, impossible. Didn't you see how dangerous that battle just now was? Although those three beasts won, they were clearly exhausted when finishing up. Even if they are strong, there must be a limit, right? Going to challenge the seventh-floor town-clan treasures in this state, isn't that courting death?"

"Exactly, exactly. Even at Peak state, challenging two town-clan treasures in a row would be tough. Let alone just finishing a battle; a beast's spiritual power isn't water from the sky that just falls whenever you want."

"But... why hasn't he come out yet?"

This question felt like a stone pressing on everyone's chest.

Yeah, if he doesn't want to continue the challenge, why hasn't he come out?

Standing in the seventh-floor hall without moving, he couldn't be admiring the scenery, could he?

And just when everyone was discussing and speculating.

The scene in the mystic light mirror finally changed.

In the seventh-floor hall of the treasure vault.

Jiang Yun's gaze shifted away from the nether phoenix divine feather and completely locked onto the void seed.

His eyes were firm, without any hesitation.

Although the nether phoenix divine feather was of High Grade, it didn't suit any of his existing beasts; using it forcibly would only yield half the result with twice the effort.

As for the void seed.

Although it couldn't be cashed in immediately, its future value, as well as the strategic significance of that void traversal Divine Ability, far exceeded a Legendary Low Grade treasure that could only sit in the storage space collecting dust.

"This is it."

Jiang Yun said in a low voice, then lifted his feet.

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

He walked to the display stand of the void seed.

Outside the mystic light mirror.

Thousands of Liu Family Disciples' pupils dilated at the same instant.

"He moved!!"

"Grand Tutor Dongxuan moved!!"

"He seems to be walking toward the void seed?!?"