The Treasury

At this moment, Ao Xie was struck with immense shock.

Ao Xie's cultivation, following his transformation, had reached the early Mahayana Realm. Coupled with the innate ferocity of the Dragon Clan and the Star Halberd in his hand—an Immortal Artifact passed down from ancient times—his full-strength strike just now was nearly comparable to that of a True Immortal who had survived the Immortal Tribulation and attained an immortal body.

Yet, the defensive array protecting the Nangong Family's treasury, despite being left unattended, had withstood his full-strength strike without breaking.

What a formidable Nangong Family. No wonder even the Young Master does not dare to underestimate them.

During his transformation tribulation, Ao Xie had been ambushed by the Sea Ghost Clan. Had Chen Xiao not chosen to take him as a Tribulation Disciple and spared him from that calamity, Ao Xie would likely have been reduced to ashes long ago.

In truth, Chen Xiao had never heard of Ao Xie in his past life, as he had perished precisely because of that ambush during his transformation tribulation. This time, Chen Xiao had undoubtedly defied the heavens to change Ao Xie's fate.

Although Ao Xie was unaware of this, he understood Chen Xiao's status as the Tribulation Master who governed the Heavenly Tribulations. Regardless of how weak Chen Xiao's current cultivation might be, his identity remained absolute.

Ao Xie took a deep breath. He waved the Star Halberd, its fluctuations now concealed and its appearance turned bronze, striking fiercely against the golden array once more.

The entire Nangong Mansion shuddered repeatedly, yet the defensive array remained unmoved. Clearly, this array was on par with the Golden Light Demon-Defending Array at the City Lord's Mansion.

Many cultivators had already arrived at the scene. Seeing a white-clad, silver-haired powerhouse of the Mahayana Realm wielding an ancient bronze halberd and attacking the defensive array to no avail, they could not help but click their tongues in astonishment.

By now, even a ghost could understand: there was something wrong with the Nangong Family—something very wrong!

Dozens of Heavenly Mystery Spirit Stones lay scattered around Ao Xie, yet he did not bother to collect them. It seemed he held them in no regard, focusing solely on battering the treasury's defensive array.

The Nangong Family's treasury was located underground, concealed by a massive rockery. However, Ao Xie's immense destructive power had already shattered the rockery, smashing a gaping hole into the ground. The sight of shimmering treasures and dazzling jewels within caused even Ao Xie to narrow his eyes slightly.

As for the cultivators outside the array, they could not stop themselves from swallowing hard.

"Hmph! What are you all staring at? Why don't you come and help?"

Ao Xie swept his gaze over the surrounding cultivators and snorted coldly.

"But, Senior..."

A purple-faced cultivator at the late Integrated Body Stage spoke with hesitation.

"But what?"

Ao Xie glared, his overbearing aura pressing down upon the Body Integration Realm cultivator.

"Senior, we have no grievances with the Nangong Family. It was already an overstep for us to come here to investigate, but if we break the Nangong Family's treasury defense, we will surely forge an irreconcilable blood feud with them!"

The purple-faced cultivator was quite stout-hearted, managing to withstand the pressure of Ao Xie's aura.

Which of the cultivators sent here to gather intelligence was a fool? Seeing the layout of the Nangong Mansion and recalling Nangong Xiangyan, who had appeared in Moon-Gazing City earlier, they already understood that this Nangong Family of Moon-Gazing City was, in fact, a branch of the Nangong Clan—the "Southern Overlord" of Glazed Heaven!

Otherwise, how could a backwater family possess such vast resources? Offend the Southern Overlord? They hadn't lived long enough for that. Furthermore, a large portion of the cultivators present belonged to factions far inferior to the Southern Overlord.

Even if this were merely a local landlord of Moon-Gazing City, they would not stoop to looting a treasury. These people were born into prestigious families, raised with silver spoons in their mouths and wrapped in glory; they would never turn to banditry.

"Rest assured, if you help this Seat with this task, I shall owe you a favor. A mere Nangong Family is nothing in my eyes."

Ao Xie spoke with immense arrogance.

By now, he had guessed the backing behind the Nangong Family. Although Ao Xie had long been immersed in cultivation and paid little heed to external affairs, he possessed some understanding of the distribution of power across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths of the Immortal World.

The Nangong Family of the southern Glazed Heaven, known as the Southern Overlord, was indeed one of the top-tier powers in the region. However, this Southern Overlord... was truly not something Ao Xie held in high regard.

Who was Ao Xie? The Ninth Prince of the Crystal Dragon Palace in the Worry-Free Sea. Behind him stood the entire Worry-Free Sea; a single Nangong Family was truly nothing to him.

The cultivators present did not know his identity, but they were not foolish enough to treat a Mahayana Realm powerhouse like an idiot.

If he said he did not hold the Nangong Family in regard, he naturally meant he did not fear the Southern Overlord. Who, then, was he?

"Don't worry, there are countless treasures in this treasury, but this Seat only seeks one item. As for the Nangong Family... I shall bear the consequences alone; it has nothing to do with you."

Ao Xie ignored their inner thoughts. Though he was a clever man, he had no interest in schemes and intrigue; in his eyes, might was the only truth.

If you do not listen, I will beat you until you do.

This was the guiding principle of the Crystal Dragon Palace.

"Since Senior has said as much, we shall not be coy. We will lend you a hand."

The purple-faced cultivator narrowed his eyes, clearly calculating something. With a wave of his hand, over a dozen cultivators at the Division Spirit Realm and above stepped out from behind him.

Seeing the purple-faced cultivator take the lead, the surrounding cultivators also stepped forward one after another. Only a few remained on the sidelines, clearly unwilling to risk offending the Nangong Family.

Ao Xie's current goal was merely to escalate the conflict between the Nangong Family and the foreign cultivators in the city. Once the treasury array was broken, his Heaven-Concealing Talisman would be fully activated, and he would vanish without a trace.

This was Cai Di's plan.

And these cultivators were harboring the same idea: once the array was broken, they would see what that Mahayana Realm powerhouse was truly after, then quickly contact their own factions to make preparations.

They now understood that Moon-Gazing City was by no means a simple place; otherwise, why would the Nangong Family have been plotting here for hundreds of years?

Moreover, if a Mahayana Realm powerhouse wanted only one item from the Nangong Family's treasury, what could it possibly be?

For a time, their minds were filled with questions. Now, they actually hoped to muddy the waters of Moon-Gazing City, as this would inevitably disrupt the Nangong Clan's plans and give their own factions a chance to claim a share of the spoils.

Boom!

This time, Ao Xie, joined by nearly two hundred cultivators at the Division Spirit Realm and above, struck simultaneously, cracking the protective barrier of the golden array.

"Who goes there! How dare you cause trouble at the Nangong Mansion?!"

Suddenly, a thunderous roar erupted from a secret location within the Nangong Family.

The Tribulation Transcendence Realm powerhouse stationed at the Nangong Mansion had finally appeared.