Ransoming People

Borrowed people?

Heh!

When you return them, you'd better not collect money then...

Looking at the white banner with black characters, the moods of the powerhouses were varied.

Some grumbled, saying the color of this cloth banner was unlucky and that red would have been better.

Some joked, saying their own kid was quite valuable since they were ranked near the top.

Others cursed, wondering what had become of their sects' geniuses and the hearts of their clans?

Were they just goods to be sold at a stall?

Everyone had something to say, and the sighs were endless.

However, hanging it up like this was indeed simple and clear.

Originally, they hadn't felt much, but seeing them all listed together made the differences in status and value immediately apparent.

Xu Xian urged them with a smile, "Everyone, don't just stand there. If you aren't buying, then clear out. If you don't have the money, go raise some. You have twenty-four hours; after that, I won't wait."

No one responded, as if everyone was waiting.

They were waiting to see who would compromise first.

In short, one couldn't be the first; after all, this matter wasn't exactly honorable.

On a small boat, Jiang Wanyin sighed softly and said with a hint of helplessness, "Sigh... let's give him a hand and get things off to a good start."

No one moved.

"Who's going?"

Ye Xianyu said, "I'm not going..."

Li Qingshan said, "I don't want to go..."

The other three senior brothers pretended not to hear.

Jiang Wanyin was even more speechless. It was a bit embarrassing, and they were cooperating with their little junior brother to act and swindle the world.

People like them, who had been upright for so long, always felt a bit uncomfortable in their hearts.

But...

"Xiao Lu, you go. Go and ransom them back."

Lu Yuan pointed at himself. "Me?"

"Yes," Jiang Wanyin confirmed.

Lu Yuan glanced at himself and readily agreed, "Fine!"

If it was embarrassing, it wasn't his own face he was losing; right now, he was Xu Xian.

Before coming out, during their rehearsals, Xu Xian had also instructed him on similar scenarios, so he just had to act it out.

He leaped down from the small boat and stepped through the wind to the front of the crowd.

Countless gazes followed him.

Lu Yuan took on Xu Xian's appearance, wearing green robes with his hair tied up, standing suspended in the air with his hands behind his back.

Xu Xian saw this and understood perfectly. He looked up and joked, "Xu Xian, we meet again."

"Xu Xian."

"He is Xu Xian..."

"Why was he brought here as well?"

Upon hearing Xu Xian's name, a great commotion broke out in the surroundings, not only outside the city but also among the demons inside.

For those present, the name Xu Xian was not unfamiliar.

His fame was not at all inferior to Bai Mang's, but most people were seeing his true face for the first time.

They observed, scrutinized, and speculated...

For some reason, they all felt this Xu Xian was ordinary—his temperament was ordinary, his aura was ordinary, and his looks were ordinary too.

He was unremarkable.

It was a far cry from the rumors.

They didn't know if the rumors were too exaggerated and untrue, or if his brilliance was simply overshadowed by standing in front of Bai Mang.

The Xu Xian played by Lu Yuan said nothing more and threw a storage bag, which flew straight toward the real Xu Xian.

Xu Xian reached out and caught it steadily.

Lu Yuan glanced at that cloud boat and asked, "Count them?"

With a shift of his divine sense, Xu Xian saw that the storage bag was completely empty, yet he still pretended it was full of items. He tossed it in his hand and said with great satisfaction, "The Wendao Sword Sect is quite sensible... who do you want?"

Lu Yuan listed the names in order, "Yao Xiaoxiao, Xia Chu Yi, Tu Kongkong, and Niu Batian."

Xu Xian clicked his tongue and said lazily, "Tu Kongkong is not for sale, but you can take the other three."

"Why?"

Xu Xian gestured toward the white banner and smiled. "You're short one fox tail."

Lu Yuan made a symbolic stand. "Don't go too far."

Xu Xian said indifferently, "The prices are clearly marked; I won't take a cent less."

The Xu Xian played by Lu Yuan compromised.

Sitting on his throne, Xu Xian hooked his finger, and the three people on the cloud boat automatically floated over.

His telekinesis was perfected.

With another slight movement of his finger, the chains binding the three disappeared and were retracted in the blink of an eye.

"You may leave."

Lu Yuan left a harsh parting word, "Don't let me run into you again, or I'll break your legs."

Then, he led the dazed and confused trio away and returned to the small boat.

However, in the eyes of most people, this Xu Xian of the Wendao Sword Sect only had his stubborn words left.

The first transaction was completed.

The Wendao Sword Sect's compromise made everyone present freeze for a moment, thinking, since when was the Wendao Sword Sect so easy to talk to?

This was somewhat different from their expectations.

"Something's not right?"

"Could there be some trickery involved?"

Some were suspicious and speculated wildly.

Others, however, said, "Why care so much? Just save the people first..."

Following the Wendao Sword Sect's lead in ransoming people, some small sects and families who had brought enough items also stepped forward one after another, scrambling to pay the ransom.

These people were not saints.

The better ones were at the tribulation transcendence stage, and the lesser ones were at the great ascension stage. The chaos of the world had nothing to do with them; they couldn't afford to offend the powerhouses present, nor could they afford to offend the Demon Abyss.

They just wanted to spend money to avert disaster, lest more trouble arise.

As long as the people were alive, it was enough.

The Wendao Sword Sect's leading role made the scene somewhat chaotic, and Xu Xian began organizing it, busying himself with great joy.

One storage bag after another fell into his own pouch, and one person after another on the boat was sent back into the hands of their respective ancestors.

Xu Xian was as good as his word; he released the people as soon as the money was paid.

He was not sluggish at all.

Gradually, not only small families and sects, but even some great sects, great families, and even saints compromised one after another, squeezing into the crowd to ransom their juniors amidst the chaos.

Xu Xian handed over people while collecting money, his heart blossoming with joy.

He was rich.

He was rich.

He was truly rich this time.

Huang Xiao and Chi Ji also grew busy, while the various demon gods seemed a bit restless and at a loss.

Everything was going too smoothly.

The demon guards had long since become numb. It was hard to imagine how wealthy their demon son would be once all these people were sold.

They couldn't help but feel emotional.

Wealth is found in danger.

It really was a case of the bold feasting while the timid starved...

Their worship of this demon son intensified, and the respect in their eyes was replaced by fervent faith.

At this moment, Bai Mang was the god in their hearts.

The rescued members of the Wendao Sword Sect did not leave but remained on the small boat to witness the entire process.

Their feelings were equally complicated.

Xia Chu Yi was worried about Tu Kongkong's safety, while Niu Batian stood obediently in a corner, as shy as a little girl.

Ancestors.

Ancestors.

They were all ancestors...

He was thinking, what right did he, Niu Batian, have to one day share a boat with all these ancestors?

This was something he could brag about for the rest of his life.

He suddenly felt that this trip to the Emperor's Tomb was truly worth it; he had finally made something of himself.

As for Yao Xiaoxiao, she sat close to the Xu Xian played by Lu Yuan and asked in an extremely low voice, "How is it you?"

Lu Yuan looked at her strangely. What did she mean by "how is it you"?

Yao Xiaoxiao continued to ask, "Where is the Little Grand-Uncle?"

Lu Yuan was suddenly stunned, his eyes bulging. "You can tell?"

Yao Xiaoxiao tapped her small nose and said softly, "I've been drinking the Little Grand-Uncle's blood for five years; I can recognize his scent."

"Uh..."

Lu Yuan felt a bit awkward.

Yao Xiaoxiao knew she had guessed correctly.

She had wondered why it was so strange; in that entire bone bowl, everyone was heavily injured, yet the few from the Wendao Sword Sect were completely unharmed.

Also, the murderous Bai Mang was exceptionally gentle toward them.

Especially the way he looked at them; it was too strange.

Now, everything made sense.

Yao Xiaoxiao's eyes softened slightly as she slowly asked, "The Little Grand-Uncle told you to do this, didn't he?"

Lu Yuan didn't speak, choosing to remain silent as a form of admission.

Yao Xiaoxiao looked at the high city below the clouds and asked another question for no apparent reason.

"He is the real Little Grand-Uncle, right?"

Lu Yuan was a bit frustrated. He accepted being recognized by Li Qingshan, but now even Yao Xiaoxiao had seen through him. Was his acting really that bad?

He said somewhat crossly, "If you know, why ask..."

Yao Xiaoxiao glanced at Lu Yuan from the corner of her eye and praised, "You played the part well."

Lu Yuan: "...."

Lu Yuan: "Who are you trying to fool?"