My little sect, which disappeared a thousand years ago, has become a sacred site!

Su Yunhao's face was equally gloomy.

The fact that the Thousand-Faced Ghost Hand acted so arrogantly within the Su family's sphere of influence was itself a challenge to the Su family's authority.

Now, to commit such a heinous act while the Su family is entertaining distinguished guests is tantamount to slapping the face of both the Su family and their elders.

His heart was filled with murderous intent, but his first action was to subconsciously raise his eyes and look at Gu Changyuan in the highest seat.

He wanted to know how this unfathomably powerful senior would react. Would he be furious? Would he personally take action?

Or... do you think the forces in Fengling City are incompetent, unable to even handle this basic security?

However, when his gaze fell upon Gu Changyuan, he couldn't help but be taken aback.

Gu Changyuan remained in a languid posture, resting his chin on his hand, his face showing no anger whatsoever, only an unfathomable calm.

It was as if what had just been stolen was not a priceless Five Elements Spiritual Object, but five insignificant stones.

He simply tapped the small table in front of him lightly with his left index finger.

"despair."

The sound wasn't loud, but it reached the ears of every cultivator present with exceptional clarity, as if it resonated directly in the depths of their souls.

The sudden, soft sound instantly silenced the chaotic and noisy square.

Everyone's attention was involuntarily drawn to the highest seat.

They wanted to see how this powerful being, whose treasures had been openly challenged and plundered, would respond.

Is it the wrath of thunder? Or...?

Under the watchful eyes of countless people, Gu Changyuan raised his left index finger once again and then lowered it.

"despair."

Second tone.

This time, as the knocking sound rang out, the space within the entire square seemed to undergo some indescribable change.

The air flow slowed down, sound seemed to travel through a water curtain, and even the circulation of spiritual energy within the cultivators' bodies felt somewhat sluggish.

An invisible, unsettling sense of stagnation enveloped the entire room.

"despair."

Third tone.

The figure of the Thousand-Faced Ghost Hand had already escaped the square area, transforming into a phantom that almost blended into the light, and was frantically fleeing towards the outside of Wind Ridge City at the fastest speed he had ever experienced!

He was overjoyed. The spiritual energy and Daoist charm emanating from the five spiritual objects made his soul tremble!

We made a fortune this time!

As for offending the Su family, the Chen family, and that seemingly intimidating senior?

Hmph, as long as we escape a hundred miles and enter his pre-set teleportation point, who can catch his "Thousand-Faced Ghost Hand"?

"despair."

Fourth tone.

The Thousand-Faced Ghost Hand had already reached the vicinity of the city wall of Wind Ridge City, and it looked like it was about to cross the wall and escape to safety.

"despair."

The fifth tone falls.

The moment the fifth strike rang out, Gu Changyuan, who had been sitting still, finally moved.

His left hand, which was tapping the table, suddenly spread its five fingers wide, palm facing outward, making a grasping motion in the air.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, his five fingers tightened instantly, transforming into sharp claws, and he yanked hard towards the Thousand-Faced Ghost Hand.

The Thousand-Faced Ghost Hand, who had already escaped to the edge of the city wall and even had a smug grin on his face, suddenly froze!

He felt that the space around him was no longer a medium for him to move through, but had turned into solidified, indestructible amber.

His pride and joy, his incredible speed capable of tearing through the air, became meaningless in this frozen space.

He couldn't even move a single finger; he could only maintain his forward-leaning posture, frozen solid in mid-air.

Immediately afterwards, an irresistible and overwhelmingly terrifying force pressed in from all directions, locking onto him firmly.

"No--!!!"

The Thousand-Faced Ghost Hand let out a desperate roar, its eyes filled with extreme fear.

He tried to struggle, to use any life-saving techniques, but under the absolute suppression of that power, he couldn't even blink.

The next moment, the world spun around.

Amidst the horrified gazes of everyone in the square, the dark figure that had fled a kilometer away and was almost disappearing into the horizon was suddenly pulled back as if by an invisible rope, flying back at an even faster speed than it had gone.

"boom--!!!"

The dark shadow crashed heavily onto the open ground in the center of the square like a meteorite, creating a deep crater in the hard jade surface and filling the air with dust.

As the smoke and dust dissipated, everyone could finally see clearly what was inside the deep pit.

A middle-aged man dressed in a black bodysuit, thin and weak, with blood flowing from his mouth and nose, breathing heavily, and his face filled with terror and disbelief, lay there in a wretched state.

It was the infamous "Thousand-Faced Ghost Hand".

Five orbs of treasure, each shimmering with different colored lights, floated perfectly intact beside him.

Gu Changyuan withdrew his left hand, resuming his chin-resting posture. His gaze calmly surveyed the Thousand-Faced Ghost Hand lying like a dead dog in the pit. He spoke slowly, his voice clearly carrying to every corner:

"I've given you five breaths to escape."

"But in the end, you couldn't escape my control."

"Your subsequent death is solely due to your own incompetence and your attempt to seize what is not rightfully yours."

His tone was calm, but the chilling killing intent and absolute control it contained sent shivers down the spines of everyone who heard it, making their hair stand on end.

Five breaths... So those five knocks weren't meaningless actions, but... a death countdown?!

This senior actually controlled everything from the very beginning?!

Let them escape for a kilometer, and then... casually grab them back?!

What terrifying strength, what astonishing control!

The entire square was completely silent.

Everyone was so shocked by this thunderous yet effortless method that they lost their composure and even forgot to breathe.

Su Yunhao, the Su family members, Chen Qianzhen, and the Chen family members all had their pupils contract and their hearts pounding. Their gazes toward Gu Changyuan were filled with unprecedented awe and... a hint of indescribable fear.

They knew this senior was very strong, but only now did they seem to have truly glimpsed the tip of the iceberg of his terrifying strength.

The Thousand-Faced Ghost Hand was a slippery thief who gave even the Su family patriarch a headache, and who had repeatedly failed to capture him.

With his early Mahayana cultivation level, combined with his unparalleled speed and stealth, he is considered one of the most troublesome enemies.

But in front of this Senior Gu...

Five breaths.

An action.

Like catching a pesky bug.

It is relaxed and carefree, yet it reveals an absolute power gap that is utterly despairing.