Ji Chen's panicked voice burst from the shattered Jade Talisman's fragments, echoing across the empty Stone Steps.
Zhou Xuan never stopped walking. His pace did not so much as falter.
He casually brushed the Jade Talisman dust from his palm and glanced down the passage leading to the Main Hall, his voice utterly level.
"Come on. Let's see how our biggest customer went mad."
Emperor Jiang Wu followed behind, his brow knotted tightly.
The Divine Emperor of Great Jiang took two steps in a single stride and came up beside Zhou Xuan.
"Chen Changgeng? Wasn't that old bastard from the Celestial River Sect among the first to hand over his precious treasures and have you remove his corruption? How could he go mad now?"
Old Ancestor Xuanming also drew closer, still holding half an unmelted Ice Crystal, irritation creeping into his voice.
"These useless fools. Once they've paid, can't they just stay put in the Square and wait to die? They have to stir up trouble at a time like this. Young Master Zhou, did your treatment leave some sort of aftereffect?"
Zhou Xuan turned his head and glanced at Old Ancestor Xuanming.
"I removed the corruption in his body, but not all of it. There are still roots deep inside his Dao Fruit."
Old Ancestor Cangwu tightened his grip on his sword hilt.
"Roots? Then he's gone mad now because..."
"Because someone's so hungry she's lost her mind."
Zhou Xuan looked away and continued toward the Main Hall's doors.
"The Old Hag took a crushing loss at the Immortal-Burying Abyss. The concentrated poison in the Blood Pool put her through hell. She urgently needs pure origin source to replenish her losses and suppress the deadly poison inside her."
The Alliance Leader's purple-and-gold robes stirred a gust through the corridor.