C127 The Treasure of the Archdemon!

The Moonfall Sanctuary has been shrouded in legends since time immemorial. These tales speak of rare treasures from beyond the stars that imprison malevolent spirits, and of ancient stones inscribed with the cosmic order. It is said that those who fully grasp these truths can break free from the constraints of their spiritual journey.

For millennia, this allure has drawn innumerable cultivators to the sanctuary. Not just from Aetherius, but also from the Land of Quiescence and Euwrea. These seekers of enlightenment have ventured forth, each reaping varying degrees of enlightenment and power.

Some have shattered their own limitations, mastering extraordinary sword spells that have refined their souls. Others have uncovered relics of bygone sages and secret spells hidden away in forgotten corners.

Yuan Lianyao is among those who have benefited from the sanctuary's mysteries. Now, as a massive, prismatic Moon Shard levitates from the depths of a pit, a wave of excitement ripples through the crowd. Bathed in the radiant moonlight, the stone continues to rotate gently, its inner light dancing like a silver rainbow.

Gazing upon the stone, an inexplicable calm washes over the onlookers, as if their very souls have been soothed. With the dispersing mist, the crowd is drawn irresistibly toward the levitating monolith. Yu Yuan, observing the scene, offers no further resistance.

The trial-takers who have survived the challenges of the sanctuary squint at the floating boulder, fixating on the indistinct object within that radiates a dazzling spectrum of light, almost painful to behold. A profound and overwhelming energy emanates from it, pulsating through the air.

"Dong! Dong! Dong!" The heartbeats of those transfixed by the object quicken, their vitality churning within them.

"Aooo!" Zhan Tianxiang unleashes a primal roar, his muscles swelling and veins bulging as his clothing is torn asunder in an instant. The nearby trial-takers recoil, sensing the imminent eruption of a strange and fearsome aura.

Instinctively, all eyes turn to him. Clad only in beast skin shorts, Zhan Tianxiang stands resplendent, as if drenched in molten gold.

The tattoo of the golden giant elephant, seemingly etched with golden blood, came to life once more.

This time, however, the will of the Golden Elephant God did not make its presence known.

Yet, the rich vitality emanating from Zhan Tianxiang's body was overwhelming, his eyes gleaming like golden orbs, exuding an otherworldly luster.

"Chi!"

A dazzling golden column of Qi burst forth from Zhan Tianxiang's middle elixir field.

"Something's not right!"

Han Hui's face registered shock as she exclaimed, "Zhan Tianxiang is clearly only in the late period of the Golden Sanctum. He hasn't broken through yet, his middle elixir field..."

"He's just broken through. The Profound Gate of the middle elixir field, stimulated by that rare treasure, has unlocked the power of the Golden Elephant God imprinted in his flesh and blood." Lee Yuchan's cool voice chimed in, tinged with a hint of envy, "That rare treasure embedded in the boulder must be fated for Zhan Tianxiang, likely a relic of a certain archdemon."

"He just broke through? To the Veil Breaking realm?" Su Yan's frame shook with the revelation.

Zhan Tianxiang, not previously counted among the Empire's five new moons and deemed a second-level genius, had now done the unthinkable.

Before their very eyes, Zhan Tianxiang, their contemporary, had shattered the limits of the Golden Sanctum and officially ascended to the Veil Breaking realm!

Could his effortless arrival at such a young age in the Veil Breaking realm signify that he had surpassed them?

The thought left Su Yan with a taste of bitterness in her heart.

"Zhan Tianxiang! Be cautious!"

In that moment, Yu Yuan raised his voice in alarm, advising, "The essence of vitality you've refined is barely touching that massive stone. If anything seems amiss, retract it immediately!"

Zhan Tianxiang nodded vigorously, too engrossed to reply verbally.

His features twisted fiercely, eyes ablaze with golden brilliance, his entire focus on the golden Qi pillar erupting from the Profound Gate at his chest. He could sense strands of demonic vitality surging from the totemic tattoos on his body, merging into the golden column of Qi.

Within the golden column of energy, one could make out faint glimmers of golden light.

Upon magnifying each speck a millionfold, it became clear that these were the forms of Golden Elephant Gods.

Various Golden Elephant Gods appeared in different postures: some squatting, others soaring into the sky, bellowing across the wilderness, attacking their foes, or moving mountains and oceans. An array of Golden Elephant Gods was present.

Each Golden Elephant God bore the legacy of their kind, their powers concentrated within the golden energy column.

"Crack crack crack! Crack crack crack!"

As the golden column made contact with the Moon Shard that had surfaced from the pit, the shard shattered instantly.

Fragments of stone tumbled back to the pit's bottom like a shower of meteors.

With the dust washed away, the hidden rare treasure was finally unveiled.

It was a gauntlet.

A golden gauntlet, adorned with numerous mysterious demonic patterns, radiated a raw, domineering, and untamed aura.

Forged from Sunsilver, the gauntlet shimmered with a dazzling golden light, pulsating with an extraordinary demonic vitality within.

Yet, the instant the golden energy column touched the gauntlet, it vanished.

In the blink of an eye, the golden gauntlet was now on Zhan Tianxiang's right hand.

As he donned the gauntlet, countless golden sparks erupted, naturally flowing into Zhan Tianxiang's middle elixir field, transforming into the essence of his Profound Gate's vitality.

A wild and overpowering archdemon presence burst forth from Zhan Tianxiang, startling even Lee Yuchan.

Meanwhile, the tattoo of the Golden Elephant God's totem quietly disappeared.

"I need to stabilize my realm!"

Zhan Tianxiang cast a glance at Yu Yuan and with a sudden leap, he descended the stone steps like a golden Roc, diving toward the bottom of the pit.

"Do you remember the decayed skeleton of the colossal elephant?" Yu Yuan asked with a smile, addressing the group. "By now, you've probably realized it. That golden gauntlet rightfully belongs to the direct descendant of the Golden Elephant God. The giant elephant perished, but its battle gauntlet remained. It was drawn to Zhan Tianxiang, sensing the kinship in their auras, which is why it rose with the Moon Shard from the depths below."

"The opportunity belongs to Zhan Tianxiang."

"Other than him, none of us could possibly gain the golden gloves' recognition."

No further explanation was necessary; it was clear to all that the golden gloves would only reveal their power in the hands of Zhan Tianxiang.

"With Zhan Tianxiang, the Zhan family is bound to emerge prominently in the future," Lee Yuchan shared telepathically with Lee Yu. "Like you, he reached the Veil Breaking realm early and even earned the rare treasure's recognition during his breakthrough. The Zhan family has forged a deep bond with the Golden Elephant God, who has remained hidden for many years."

"Before his fall, the Golden Elephant God was a Dark Deity of Shadow's Keep. Despite his fall from grace, he remains a significant figure within their ranks. The Zhan family's ties to the Golden Elephant God suggest a connection to Shadow's Keep on the Land of Quiescence."

"And Shadow's Keep is among the mightiest alongside Ebon Star, Sunlit Order, Sword Sect, and Devil Palace."

Zhan Tianxiang's fortune impressed her, and given that the Zhan family hailed from the Silvermoon Empire, she, as the sister of the Empress, had every reason to keep a close watch on them.

Lee Yu gave a subtle nod, indicating he understood the implications.

"The golden gloves now belong to Zhan Tianxiang, and I trust there are no objections," Yu Yuan spoke up once more. "Should any rare treasure naturally resonate with one of us, the allocation will follow the same principle as with Zhan Tianxiang."

"How does everyone feel about that?"

"Agreed."

"Agreed!"

"We see no issue with this arrangement. We concur."

The group expressed their consensus with nods.

"Just a moment for Zhan Tianxiang; he won't take long. Let's all take this time to recuperate," Yu Yuan suggested with a smile. "Not far from here lies another location veiling something enigmatic and profound."

At his words, a spark of excitement shone in everyone's eyes.

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