441: Token in hand

At this moment, Han Zhen was still slumped on the ground, his expression dazed, clearly not yet fully recovered from the brush with death he had just experienced.

A clear and melodious voice, however, pierced through the buzzing in his ears, sounding distinctly:

"Fellow Daoist, I saved your life; in exchange for your guanting token, how about it?"

Han Zhen trembled violently, his scattered gaze finally focusing.

He looked up and saw a young man dressed in dark-colored tight-fitting clothes, who had appeared before him at some unknown point, his back as straight as a pine, separating him from the grim-faced Tai Zhao ten feet away.

Han Zhen's heart was filled with confusion—the guanting token was already lost, why would this person still intervene? What did he see?

But no matter what, this young man had indeed pulled him back from the gates of hell.

The shivers of surviving a catastrophe had not yet faded, and he no longer harbored any wishful thinking, so he quickly nodded, his voice hoarse: "Th-thank you, Senior, for saving my life! Junior... I willingly offer the guanting token!"

"Very good." Xiao Zhuo nodded slightly and casually tossed over a Medicinal Pill.

Han Zhen took it, his face showing confusion.

"Jade Green Pill, it can reattach your severed limb." Xiao Zhuo's tone was calm.

Han Zhen was overjoyed at these words and was about to express his gratitude when he heard Tai Zhao, who could no longer hold back, shout sternly:

"Where did this yellow-mouthed brat come from! How dare you meddle in your Grandpa Tai Zhao's business?!"

Tai Zhao was furious.

This young man was not only handsome and extraordinary in demeanor, but he also completely disregarded his presence, discussing the ownership of the guanting token with that useless person right in front of him, which was simply a slap in his face!

The Di Kun Sect had always acted domineeringly, and it was common for Tai Zhao to kill people and seize their treasures; when had he ever been so disdained?

Seeing someone snatching food from his tiger's mouth, how could he tolerate it?

Xiao Zhuo slowly turned his gaze, his eyes lightly falling on Tai Zhao, a hint of undisguised mockery on his lips: "Idiot."

Tai Zhao was first stunned, then erupted in rage: "Junior! Die for me!"

He attacked ferociously, a solid and incomparably azure Magic Power giant hand suddenly appearing beside Xiao Zhuo, stirring up a hurricane as it fiercely grabbed downwards!

With this strike, he had used all ten parts of his Magic Power, holding nothing back, intending to crush this hateful young man along with Han Zhen!

However, Xiao Zhuo merely raised an eyebrow slightly.

A purple glow flashed around him, so fast that one might almost think it was an illusion.

The fierce giant hand seemed to hit an invisible barrier, disintegrating inch by inch amidst a faint cracking sound, scattering into countless specks of light, and vanishing into nothingness.

All the onlookers were dumbfounded, and even Tai Zhao himself hadn't seen how the other party had attacked!

Tai Zhao's heart sank abruptly, and a strong sense of unease seized him.

He dared not be arrogant any longer, letting out a low growl and conjuring a pair of moon wheels radiating cold light—these were his Lifebound Treasure, a Medium Grade Spiritual Artifact of the Profound rank!

The moon wheels hummed, spinning rapidly, transforming into two brilliant light wheels, one for offense and one for defense.

One protected his body, while the other tore through the air, accompanied by a piercing shriek, directly striking towards Xiao Zhuo's face!

The fierce wind kicked up sand and stones from the ground, its Aura astonishing.

The next moment, a scene that left everyone dumbfounded appeared.

Facing this fierce strike, powerful enough to cleave mountains and break peaks, the handsome young man merely slowly raised one hand, extended a finger as white as jade, and lightly pointed forward—

"Clang—!"

A crisp clang of metal resonated throughout the entire scene!

The wildly spinning moon wheel was actually held in place by this single finger, unable to advance even an inch!

The sharp wheel blade pressed against his fingertip, sparking dazzling fire, and the moon wheel vibrated violently under Tai Zhao's frantic urging, yet it was as if suppressed by a ten-thousand-foot mountain, unable to even turn a fraction!

Xiao Zhuo seemed to find it a bit uninteresting and let out a soft sigh.

His index finger, which was holding the moon wheel, remained still, while his middle finger flicked lightly—

"Buzz!"

With a mournful cry, the moon wheel was struck heavily, shooting back at several times the speed it had come!

Tai Zhao's pupils constricted, his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering in terror, utterly unable to react!

A cold light flashed past!

Pfft—

A head flew high into the air, its face still frozen in extreme horror and disbelief.

Immediately after, a translucent little person, less than a foot tall, flew out in a panic from the center of the forehead of the head in mid-air—it was Tai Zhao's Nascent Soul.

Just as it was about to flee, an irresistible suction force suddenly appeared out of thin air, instantly capturing it and drawing it into that long, slender, fair hand.

"Senior, spare my life! This Junior knows his mistake! The guanting token is yours! Please, Senior, be merciful and let my Nascent Soul go!!!" The mini version of Tai Zhao's Nascent Soul trembled in the palm, its voice sharp and filled with desperate panic.

Xiao Zhuo lowered his gaze, looking at the desperately pleading Nascent Soul in his palm, the mockery on his lips becoming even more apparent: "Let you go? If you had handed over the item earlier, I might have been too lazy to bother."

"Now..." He shook his head lightly, "Isn't it too late?"

Before he finished speaking, his five fingers gently closed.

"No—!!!"

The mournful shriek abruptly ceased.

The Nascent Soul, like a popped bubble, instantly annihilated, turning into specks of flowing light and dissipating into the air.

All around, there was dead silence.

All the onlookers were dumbfounded and felt a chill throughout their bodies.

They had originally thought this young man was a Prodigy from some major power acting righteously, but they hadn't expected his methods to be so ruthless and decisive, even surpassing old Devil Head like Tai Zhao!

In an instant, the crowd scattered like birds and beasts, no one daring to linger for another moment.

They were afraid that this killing god might become displeased and casually eliminate them too.

They dared to watch Tai Zhao and the others because they knew their background, but this young man's strength was unfathomable, his origin a mystery, and who knew what terrifying power might be behind him; dying would be in vain!

Xiao Zhuo ignored the fleeing crowd, raised his hand and made a grabbing motion in the air, a green halo, the guanting token, and a Storage Ring flew up from Tai Zhao's corpse, and the pair of moon wheels were also collected into his Storage Ring, all items falling into his hands.

Han Zhen, who had witnessed the entire process, now felt not the slightest intention of resisting this mysterious expert before him.

His heart was filled only with shock and lingering fear; what virtue or ability did he possess to repeatedly attract experts to contend for him, and even cause a Nascent Soul Cultivator to die because of him!

In the Changfeng Imperial Dynasty, Nascent Soul Cultivators were already considered pillars of society, enjoying a lifespan of a thousand years and a respected status.

Just as his mind was in turmoil, the guanting token that Xiao Zhuo had just put away actually floated back in front of him.

"Fellow Daoist, now, it's time to truly remove the ownership Restriction, isn't it?" The young voice sounded again, calm and unwavering, but it made Han Zhen tremble as if he had heard thunder!

He had indeed seen through it!

Han Zhen's face showed an extremely bitter smile, and he said sincerely: "Senior's Divine Ability is vast; this Junior's paltry trick, which could deceive that evil thief Tai Zhao, indeed could not deceive you."

After such great ups and downs, his Heart-Nature seemed to have transformed quite a bit, and his tone became much more steady.

He no longer hesitated, and once again performed a hand seal.

On the jade tablet, blood-red light flashed continuously, and two more drops of vital blood were actually forced out!

It turned out that this guanting token actually concealed three layers of Restrictions, each requiring the owner's vital blood for recognition.

When he had handed it to Tai Zhao earlier, he had only unlocked the outermost layer.

If Tai Zhao had regretted it and killed him afterwards, the tracking Formation hidden deep within the token would activate, causing him to suffer the Changfeng Imperial Dynasty's relentless pursuit—this was originally his last resort in desperation, to perish with his enemy.

But Xiao Zhuo was truly his savior, and even gifted him a Spirit Pill.

Under such great kindness, he willingly handed over the guanting token.

Moreover, he deeply understood the principle of 'a treasure in hand is a crime'; since the secret of the guanting token had been exposed, the path ahead would surely be fraught with danger, and only by completely handing the token to the person before him might be the only way to survive.

Having retrieved all the vital blood from the three layers of Restrictions, Han Zhen held the guanting token, now truly ownerless, with both hands and respectfully offered it.

Xiao Zhuo took the token, his fingertips brushing the cool jade surface, sensing the profound Dao charm contained within, and a genuinely satisfied smile finally appeared on his lips.

He put away the token and turned to leave.

"Senior!" Han Zhen, seeing this, quickly swallowed the Jade Green Pill; a warm current instantly surged towards his severed palm, and amidst the tingling, itching, and pain, new flesh began to grow visibly. He endured the discomfort, quickly chasing after the dark-clothed figure, "Junior... Junior wishes to follow Senior! Please, Senior, take me in!"