After glancing at the offering table, both Nanlong and the elder exchanged deep, wary glances. Even though they had once shared some cordial relations, their ties had long since faded in the presence of such close, tangible treasures. After a moment of silence, the elder chuckled softly and spoke first: "Master Nanlong, what each of us is thinking is clear to all. Though my cultivation level was previously slightly behind yours, Nanlong, you suffered a major setback during your time on the Mulan Grasslands—now our levels are roughly equal. With so many precious herbs at hand, we should simply set aside any further ambitions and divide them fairly. Otherwise, we risk ending up together in the same fate—both falling at once." "Brother Lu speaks truly. That is precisely what I had in mind. However, while we divide the herbs equally, I would like to take only that round bowl—the rest of the treasures shall belong to Brother Lu. What do you think?" Nanlong glanced pointedly at the striking round bowl on the offering table and replied thus. "The round bowl?" Very well, let it stand! At this point, the old man only wishes to further his cultivation and extend his lifespan. These external possessions, after all, are not of great importance to him. The Lu elder's face slightly changed, yet after a moment's thought, he readily agreed. Nan Long Marquis was first taken aback, but then grew greatly pleased. He had expected to spend considerable effort convincing the other party to give up the treasure—yet the elder had so easily yielded. Nevertheless, out of caution, he carefully observed the elder several times. Yet Lu Weiying remained calm, showing no signs of hesitation or surprise. In fact, it seemed as though he now perceived the Marquis's hesitation, and suddenly smiled again, saying, "Is it so? Master Nan, have you changed your mind and decided to offer this treasure to me?" The Marquis remained silent, his gaze flickering several times, hesitating to respond. After a while, seeing no signs of discomfort, the Marquis finally chuckled, a gentle smile appearing on his face, and replied, "Master Lu is jesting. As you have just said—" Then the Nanhong Marquis didn't hesitate at all. "You take the three treasures and the jade tablets from the round bowl; I'll take this bowl. Then we'll divide the elixirs equally—how does that sound?" "Agreed!" The elder with the Lu surname responded without a single hesitation, fully on board. Nanhong Marquis nodded with satisfaction and the two of them moved simultaneously. The elder simply flung his sleeve and robe toward the offering table, and a sheet of pure white radiance surged forth, sweeping directly over the three relics and the several jade tablets, carrying them effortlessly into its embrace. Meanwhile, Nanhong Marquis carefully opened his mouth, and a golden shimmering orb shot out, aiming straight at the round bowl. Everything proceeded smoothly. Under the sweep of the elder's white radiance, the treasures and tablets offered no resistance, being neatly gathered and carried within. Then, the golden orb instantly enveloped the bowl, and the whole assembly floated gently toward Nanhong Marquis. As the bowl gently drifted into his hands, Nanhong Marquis could not help but express his delight. The elder across the way, however, glanced down at the three treasures in his hands, his face expressionless... Focusing on the barely visible seam beneath the lid of the round bowl, a sudden flicker of smile crossed Nanlong's face. He then flipped his hand and swiftly struck the lid with a decisive palm. Instantly, a yellowish seal adhered to the surface. "Brother Nanlong, what is your intention?" asked the elder with the Lu surname, his face now pale with shock and astonishment. "What intention? Does Brother Lu truly believe I haven't noticed that your three treasures and jade scroll are ancient artifacts used to stabilize and seal the bowl? Though I do not yet know what lies within the bowl, I am certain this round bowl itself is a premier ancient relic, and whatever is restrained within it must be no ordinary matter. Yet, if Brother Lu expects me to open the bowl impulsively, I fear you will be deeply disappointed. Without absolute confidence, I shall not undertake this action at all." "At this moment, Nan Longhou's face took on a strange expression as he spoke, simultaneously clapping his hands continuously, and in one breath, he attached no fewer than five or six符箓 of varying colors to the round basin. 'Heh! I never expected that, in my moment of modesty, Nan Longhou would have misunderstood me. Nevertheless, I have no intention of explaining further. Let us divide the medicinal herbs among ourselves and depart from here. Though I do not know the reason, I truly do not wish to stay any longer in this place.' The Lu elder's expression returned to its usual calm, and he said this quietly and simply. 'Hmph! Very well, then, Lu brother. We'll split the heavenly yuan fruits that enhance longevity, and each of us will choose one other medicinal herb.' Nan Longhou sneered and said this. Then, with one hand supporting the basin, he reached out with the other hand, unceremoniously, to grasp the several heavenly yuan fruits placed on the altar in the air. Instantly, a golden hand about a foot in length materialized on the altar and plunged downward, seizing the fruits. Lu Weiying's face darkened, and with no time to reply, she raised her hand. A white luminous hand materialized on the offering table, reaching out toward the purple lingzhi beside the Tianyuan fruit. Two low, resonant sounds echoed—“puff,” “puff.” The Tianyuan fruit and the purple lingzhi flashed with a green glow, then suddenly dissolved and blurred, only to be caught empty by the two hands. Then, a brilliant radiance surged over the table, and all the medicinal herbs and fruits dispersed like bubbles, vanishing entirely. Nanlong Marquis and the elder were both stunned, gaping in disbelief. At that moment, an unusual change occurred in the round basin held by the Nanlong Marquis. The incantations affixed to the basin suddenly flashed with intense light and then ignited, burning fiercely. Within moments, several of the scrolls turned to ash beneath the dark, ink-black flames of the demonic fire. Just as the precious medicine vanished without a trace, the Nanhong Marquis, deeply enraged, slightly tilted his head upon sensing something—then saw the image of someone cradling a round bowl. His face instantly turned pale as a sheet. Without hesitation, he raised his other hand, and a golden scroll, slightly tattered, materialized between his fingers, which he then slammed hard onto the bowl. Yet, clearly, this was too late. The bowl, previously sealed tightly, burst open with a tremendous roar, its lid shooting skyward. A dark, shimmering light then erupted from within, rushing out so swiftly that it was impossible to make out. At such close range, the Nanhong Marquis had no time to dodge. Even as the golden scroll still hovered several inches away from the bowl, the dark light struck his face with a sudden flash and vanished instantly. "Ah!" A piercing, heart-wrenching cry escaped the Marquis. He then violently hurled the bowl against the wall beside him, and the golden scroll fell unexpectedly from his fingers. Then, with both hands clasped to his head, he half-kneeled on the ground, his entire face beginning to twist and convulse. "Seizing the body?" The elder, standing nearby, instantly paled and gasped, his broad experience making him react so sharply. Without hesitation, he pointed at Nanlong Prince, and two long blue spears shot forth from his body, striking the prince who seemed utterly motionless—without mercy. Yet at that very instant, Nanlong Prince suddenly roared low, lifted his head, and a thick layer of black vapor enveloped his face. His eyes, now completely silver-white, stared straight at the blue spears, expressionless. As the spears were about to skim past him, Nanlong Prince suddenly raised his arm with a single motion, and a sharp metallic clash echoed—both blue spears were deflected by his arm, which moved with the speed of lightning, and launched backward. But the sleeve on his arm was shattered and scattered in the impact, revealing his arm completely bare. The elder Lu, upon seeing the arm's appearance, could not help but twitch at the corner of his eye. The arm had grown dark and lustrous at some point, thick purple-red veins stretching across it like long ridges. The palm had become rough and coarse, enveloped in a dark mist, as though transformed into ghostly claws. Yet despite this strange and eerie form, it had successfully blocked two strikes from the blue blades without sustaining a single hair's worth of damage. The elder's heart sank. With the Yuan-Enlightened stage of consciousness of Nanlong Marquis, such a swift and complete takeover of his body, resulting in such physical transformation, was truly beyond belief. What exactly was this dark glow? Clearly not a mere evil spirit. As this thought struck him, he felt a sudden shock, flung out his sleeve, and with one hand raised a white banner of magic, while the other produced a stack of light crimson silk. The silk was instantly thrown into the air, forming a glowing, rosy barrier before him. Only then did Lu Weiying feel a measure of reassurance. In his judgment, as long as the other belonged to the category of evil spirits or fierce essences, this "Haoyang Silk" would be sufficient to withstand any poisonous attacks from demons or ghosts. The "Nanlong Marquis" had already staggered to his feet. He did not immediately launch an attack against the elderly man of the Lu surname, but instead placed his palms before his eyes and carefully examined his own body. Suddenly, he laughed out loud, a strange, resonant sound. "Ha! Ha! Ha!... So many years have passed. At last, the True Self has emerged. This time, I shall see who can still stand in the way of the Sage Ancestor's arrival. This realm seems destined to belong to our Sacred Realm." "Sage Ancestor? Sacred Realm?" Upon hearing these unfamiliar terms, the elderly man, though not fully understanding what was happening, felt an even deeper chill. He glanced toward the entrance of the hall, silently scanning the area, and recalled the several magical arrays he had laid at the bottom of the water pool, his inner resolve suddenly surging. Suddenly, without any prior sign, a brilliant white light surged from his body, and he transformed into a streak of white light, rushing straight toward the entrance. Covering such a short distance with a teleportation technique, he reached there in an instant. As he seemed about to enter the passage with a single breath, the elder was secretly delighted when, suddenly, a flicker of figures appeared before him, something flashed in his vision, and a tremendous roar erupted. The elder of the Lu family suddenly turned pale, with no trace of blood in his face.