"Kill!!"

The underground palace immediately descended into chaos.

Scouts sent by various factions clashed violently.

But clearly, the carp demon general from Pure Water Palace possessed superior strength.

After a long battle,

The carp demon general panted heavily as the scouts from various factions all lay defeated on the ground.

Only a few managed to escape in the chaos.

The carp demon general lacked the energy to pursue them further.

Greed flashed in the carp demon general's eyes as they gazed upon the treasures before them.

"........"

Soon, news of the discovered Shushan treasures spread rapidly.

Yet the carp demon general who found the Shushan treasures had mysteriously disappeared.

This caused an uproar throughout Jiangnan.

The news quickly reached Pure Water Palace.

The Ancient Flood Dragon flew into a rage.

His subordinate carp demon general had vanished without a trace.

Now rumors circulated that Pure Water Palace had obtained the Shushan legacy treasures.

That the Ancient Flood Dragon deliberately spread misinformation while hiding the carp demon general.

Making everyone think the carp demon general had stolen the treasures, diverting suspicion from Pure Water Palace.

Numerous factions now watched Pure Water Palace closely.

This development greatly unsettled the Ancient Flood Dragon.

Had he actually obtained the Shushan treasures, things might be different - but both treasures and demon general were missing.

Now with all eyes on Pure Water Palace,

"Find him! That traitor must be found!"

The Ancient Flood Dragon became convinced his subordinate carp demon general had betrayed him, absconding with the Shushan treasures.

This made sense - the Shushan legacy treasures were temptations beyond measure.

"........."

Recent days saw Jiangnan plunged into turmoil and disorder.

In broad daylight, people witnessed ominous demonic energy billowing into the skies.

The sudden disturbance sent civilians panicking through the streets.

However, the demonic energy's trajectory suggested it wasn't targeting the city but moving beyond the walls.

This provided some relief, though concern grew about the situation outside.

As expected, deafening battle cries soon erupted beyond the city walls.

Two factions engaged in fierce combat.

The fighting continued until dusk when both sides finally withdrew.

Extreme Demonic Hall troops patrolled the streets while sword-riding cultivators soared overhead.

Li Xuanxiao sat outside a noodle shop, observing the gathering demonic energy and chaotic streets.

The Shushan treasures had thrown Jiangnan into disarray.

The final hiding place of the Shushan elder's treasures.

Though Li Xuanxiao hadn't known beforehand, his understanding of that Shushan elder,

combined with gathered intelligence, made locating the treasure simple.

"Are there really Shushan disciples?"

"Just excuses to cause trouble," someone scoffed.

"But if such a person exists..."

Patrons in the noodle shop chatted idly.

"Thud! Thud!"

The shop owner shouted: "Watch your words!!"

Suddenly, violent demonic energy rampaged through the streets.

Gong strikes sounded as people hurriedly retreated and knelt respectfully, not daring to breathe.

An extravagant palanquin appeared at the street's end.

The luxurious conveyance seemed crafted from gold and gemstones, dazzling to behold.

From afar, it resembled a moving palace.

Exquisite carvings and lavish silks adorned its frame.

Teams of uniformly dressed attendants pulled it forward in perfect synchronization.

Inside sat a daoist from Spirit Sword Temple.

"Kid, kneel down," the noodle shop owner pressed on Li Xuanxiao's shoulder.

Li Xuanxiao turned to look at him.

The owner recoiled instinctively from that gaze.

Li Xuanxiao smiled.

As the palanquin reached mid-street, a brilliant sword light pierced through it.

The occupants stared in shock - this was Spirit Sword Temple territory.

Here, Spirit Sword Temple was god.

Who would dare strike at god?

Having absorbed their cultivation, Li Xuanxiao sheathed his sword and departed.

He marked another X on his list.

No hurry - he'd take them one by one.

"........."

The Shushan treasure affair had transformed peaceful Jiangnan into chaos.

Between capturing Shushan disciples or finding the treasures, priorities were obvious.

This suited Li Xuanxiao perfectly - keeping factions too preoccupied to notice him.

"There's no leaving Jiangnan now!"

The carp demon general saw guard numbers at city gates had more than doubled.

The entire Jiangnan cultivation world hunted for them.

In human form, the carp demon general moved cautiously through streets, ensuring no pursuers before slipping into an alleyway residence.

Their cousin's home.

Years ago when this cousin first sought them out,

The carp demon general had been annoyed but provided money for establishing a Jiangnan foothold.

Never imagining it would prove useful now.

Upon seeing the Shushan treasures, the carp demon general realized: fortune and misfortune are intertwined!

Even if they returned the treasures to the Ancient Flood Dragon,

That ruthless creature would surely silence them permanently.

Men die for wealth as birds for food.

With these treasures, cultivation would never be a concern again.

"Cousin, how did it go?"

The carp demon general shook their head. "No exit - the entire city hunts for me."

"Troublesome indeed."

The carp demon general studied their cousin.

"If you fear my presence endangers you, I'll leave immediately."

The cousin protested: "Cousin, you misunderstand! Where would I be without you?"

The carp demon general nodded approvingly.

"I must find another way."

The cousin served tea. "Cousin... about those treasures..."

"Hmm?"

The carp demon general's sharp look made the cousin hastily amend:

"I only worry how you'll move them from the city!"

The carp demon general frowned deeply.

This was indeed the pressing issue.

These weren't artifacts you could stuff into ordinary spatial rings.

Many treasures and high-grade elixirs required superior storage artifacts.

But where could they obtain enough high-grade spatial rings?

Transporting the treasures from Jiangnan posed the greatest challenge.

Night enveloped the world like vast black silk, deep and silent.

The cousin secretly dispatched a letter.