Seeing how domineering and aggressive Hong Shizhang was, treating this place as if it were his own home, Luo Xiu's expression gradually turned sour. Given Luo Xiu's temperament, he naturally wouldn't indulge such a person.

"Hey, old man, enough is enough!"

"Even though it was just a matter of convenience, I did save your lives."

"I saved you and brought you to this safe Small Cave Heaven to take refuge. You don't even offer a word of thanks, and now you want to usurp my place and covet the treasures here? You've really got some nerve."

"Heh!"

Hearing this, Hong Shizhang scoffed disdainfully and slowly turned to look at Luo Xiu.

"Your master, Yan Daoling, wouldn't dare speak to me like this. Who do you think you are, you little brat? Do you really think you're so special?"

Luo Xiu's gaze turned cold. "I will only say this once. This Small Cave Heaven exists within my Magical Treasures; it is my personal property."

"Every blade of grass and every stone here... I suggest you abandon any crooked ideas you have about them."

However, Hong Shizhang was unimpressed by Luo Xiu's warning. In his eyes, everything here now belonged to him!

He glanced around, then declared with an air of superiority and in a tone that brooked no refusal, "I have observed that the Dao principles of this Small Cave Heaven are complete. A junior from the Lower Realm like you is not worthy of possessing it."

"And I presume this Small Cave Heaven is the opportunity you obtained within the Azure Dragon Sword Array."

At this point, Zhu Yu, who was standing to the side, spoke up. "Such a significant opportunity is beyond your grasp. If you insist on keeping it, you will surely invite disaster."

"You would be better off contributing it for everyone to share. That way, you might avoid a catastrophe befalling you."

Hong Shizhang continued, "Besides, any of the Heaven and Earth Treasures here are tens of thousands of years old. For a Lower Realm ant like you, these Divine Objects are of no use."

"Rest assured, out of respect for your master Yan Daoling, I will not make things difficult for you."

With that, he ignored Luo Xiu and strode directly toward the patch of Heaven and Earth Treasures.

He swept his gaze over the crowd and boomed, "If any of you fellow cultivators from the Upper Realm are free, you may help me harvest. I will reward you handsomely afterward."

Hearing this, the Upper Realm Cultivators exchanged glances. After a moment of consideration, they all looked at Luo Xiu with pity before walking over to Hong Shizhang.

Although Hong Shizhang was overbearing and powerful, there was nothing to be done. Who could stand against someone with the power of the Second Realm of Taoist Jade? It was better to do some manual labor for him and harvest the Heaven and Earth Treasures than to do nothing at all. Afterward, they would receive a handsome reward. Why wouldn't they?

This Lower Realm Cultivator, Luo Xiu, is truly pitiful. Even with his exceptional talent, enough to break the Azure Dragon Sword Array, his own Cultivation Strength is too weak. Even after obtaining such a great opportunity, he can't hold onto it, only managing to toil for someone else's benefit.

In this world where strength is paramount, if one had to distinguish between right and wrong, then weakness itself is a sin.

Luo Xiu remained seated cross-legged on the ground, performing acupuncture on Luo Qingxian. Seeing Hong Shizhang leading the Upper Realm Cultivators to harvest the Heaven and Earth Treasures, he remained perfectly calm and unhurried. He didn't think this bunch of worthless shrimps and rotten fish could actually steal anything from him.

"You're a Holy Maiden. How could you associate with such trash?"

Luo Qingxian froze for a moment. Luo Xiu's words were clearly addressed to her.

"I am not associated with these people. They have just been following me."

Luo Xiu nodded. "Right. By following a genius like you, they might stumble upon some opportunities, or at the very least, reap some minor benefits."

Luo Qingxian was about to speak when she was stunned to see Hong Shizhang and the other Upper Realm Cultivators become bound by a strange force. Then, they vanished into thin air, ejected from the Small Cave Heaven without taking a single thing with them.

A moment later, Luo Xiu swiftly removed the Silver Needles from Luo Qingxian's back, disinfected them, and placed them in their box. He stood up and said, "This has only temporarily stabilized your injuries. You must avoid strenuous activity and, most importantly, do not use your Cultivation or Spiritual Power."

Luo Qingxian slowly rose and straightened her clothes.

"Thank you, young hero."

Luo Xiu said, "To draw out the Golden Roc Sword Qi from your body, we now need to find the Golden Roc Inverse Feather."

Luo Qingxian replied, "I came to the Golden Roc Nest precisely for the Golden Roc Inverse Feather."

Luo Xiu raised an eyebrow. "So you know where it is?"

"It's in the Golden Roc Nest. I was about to obtain it earlier but was interrupted by Lei Luan. Then, along with those people, I was trapped by it. If you hadn't intervened, I'm afraid we all would have perished."

After a brief thought, Luo Xiu suddenly said, "Master Ping, send us out."

The next moment, the two of them were transported out of the World Inside the Vase, appearing out of thin air in the Golden Roc Nest.

Because the Jin Peng was massive, even larger than an adult Fire Dragon, its nest was equally vast. It was an enormous basin surrounded by mountain peaks, as if built from the very fabric of heaven and earth!

As soon as he left the World Inside the Vase, Luo Xiu heard a series of piercing screams. Following the sound, he saw the Upper Realm Cultivators being hunted by lightning unleashed by Lei Luan. The bolts of lightning were almost tangible and moved with incredible speed; even a powerhouse at the Second Realm of Taoist Jade like Hong Shizhang struggled to evade them. Though Hong Shizhang hadn't been captured, he was covered in wounds and looked utterly wretched.

Many of the Upper Realm Cultivators had already been caught by the lightning, which acted like physical chains, dragging them to the center of the Golden Roc Nest to have their life force drained.

Luo Xiu's gaze immediately fell upon the Golden Roc Inverse Feather at the center of the nest. The feather was enormous, tens of meters long, and shimmered with a golden light like a giant sword. Lei Luan, controlled by the Residual Soul of the Golden Roc Ancestor, was hovering above the Inverse Feather, using its lightning to capture the Upper Realm Cultivators and immediately use them for a blood sacrifice!

After observing for a moment, Luo Xiu walked unhurriedly in that direction. He was determined to get that feather.

When Luo Qingxian saw Luo Xiu strolling over so brazenly, she was taken aback.

"Be careful! It's very dangerous over there."

In her perception, Luo Xiu's cultivation aura was only at the early Mahayana Realm. Even if this young hero from the Lower Realm possessed extraordinary talent and could break the Azure Dragon Sword Array, his current Cultivation Strength was still too low.

Luo Xiu smiled nonchalantly. "Don't worry. Just stay here and don't move. Protect yourself, and I'll go get the feather for you."

At that moment, Hong Shizhang and his disciple, Zhu Yu, were desperately fending off the lightning when they suddenly spotted Luo Xiu. They couldn't stop themselves from erupting in curses. Previously, everyone had been safe inside the World Inside the Vase, but then they were inexplicably thrown out and set upon by the returning Golden Roc Ancestor, unable to escape and forced to fight for their lives.

"Lower Realm vermin, this is all your fault!"

"If you hadn't thrown us out of that Small Cave Heaven, would we be facing such a disaster?"

Immediately, the other Upper Realm Cultivators who hadn't been captured yet also began cursing loudly, all of them filled with righteous indignation.

"Lower Realm Mortal, hurry up and let us back into that Small Cave Heaven to take refuge!"

"Can't you see how dangerous it is here? Why did you throw us out? What were you thinking?!"

"You vermin, you've really caused us great harm!"

Luo Xiu suddenly stopped. He swept a mocking gaze over the crowd and said with a faint smile, "I just sent you back to where you came from. Is there a problem with that?"

"That Small Cave Heaven is my personal property. I don't want you staying inside it. Is there a problem with that?"

"I was the one who saved your lives, but now I don't feel like saving you anymore. Is there a problem with that?"

Saying this, he looked over at the Golden Roc Ancestor. "You seem to be in quite a hurry."

Then he added, "Actually, there's no need to rush... I can give you plenty of time to slowly blood-sacrifice these scumbags."

With that, Luo Xiu walked straight toward Hong Shizhang.

Hong Shizhang stared at the approaching Luo Xiu, his eyes practically shooting fire. "Lower Realm Mortal, what do you want? Even if I'm injured, you still..."

SLAP!

Luo Xiu stepped forward and slapped him squarely across the face.

"With that shameless, greedy look on your face, you'd be a perfect fit for a pig in your next life. Better not come back as a human, because you're not worthy."

Then, he grabbed Hong Shizhang by the hair and threw him directly toward the Golden Roc Ancestor.

"Use this old dog from the Second Realm of Taoist Jade for your blood sacrifice. The effect should be much better than these small fry."

The Golden Roc Ancestor was quite surprised but also delighted. It eagerly restrained Hong Shizhang, preparing to sacrifice him.

Then, Luo Xiu turned his gaze to Zhu Yu and said with a smirk, "Seeing your grief-stricken expression, it seems you really want to join your master. In that case, I'll do a good deed and send you to accompany that old pig."

Hearing this, Zhu Yu's eyes widened, and he immediately tried to flee.

But Luo Xiu was faster.

In a single flash, Luo Xiu appeared before him, raised his hand, and slapped him to the ground. He then bent down, grabbed him by the hair, and began dragging him toward the Golden Roc Ancestor.

Zhu Yu cursed and struggled fiercely.

Luo Xiu shot him a sideways glance and said coldly, "If you struggle one more time, I won't mind breaking your arms and legs."

That icy gaze instantly petrified Zhu Yu. His body felt as if it were frozen solid, and he truly didn't dare to struggle anymore.

Luo Xiu then looked at the Golden Roc Ancestor and smiled faintly. "This small fry seems pretty good, too. He's yours."

...

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