582: Chapter 582 He threatened me, more money, I have to pay more.

The Sect behind Ancestor Xuan Yin was called Frost Hall, a branch of the North Pole Ice Soul Palace. The Hall Master, Xuan Mingzi, was also a direct Disciple-grandson of Ancestor Xuan Yin.

Frost Hall was located in the bitter cold of the far north. Resources were scarce and Disciples were few, but they were a united group.

To gather fifty million High-Grade Spirit Stones, Xuan Mingzi practically turned the entire Frost Hall upside down.

Every Spirit Stone in the warehouse was moved out, ancestral Magical Artifacts were pawned, Spirit Medicines from the front and back of the hall were dug up, and even the two Ten-thousand-year Cold Jade Qilin statues at the hall entrance were dismantled and sold.

Fifty million, not a single piece missing.

Xuan Mingzi led several Elders, flying on swords for seven days and nights, finally arriving at the Hehuan Sect mountain gate.

Standing outside that massive light screen, he looked at Ancestor Xuan Yin curled up in a corner of the Martial Arts Arena inside. His eyes reddened, and he almost burst into tears.

The Old Ancestor had grown thin, his white hair was even whiter, his robes were covered in dust, and there were several bloody scratches on his face from stone fragments.

A dignified Half-step True Immortal, trapped for over a month, had actually become this haggard.

“Is Xu Ruyu, the Sect Master of Hehuan Sect, here? Xuan Mingzi, Hall Master of Frost Hall, has brought Spirit Stones to ransom him!”

Xuan Mingzi shouted loudly.

An opening appeared in the light screen.

Xu Ruyu walked out from inside, followed by the Grand Elder and Xiao Nianyin.

He walked up to Xuan Mingzi, sized him up, and smiled.

“Did you bring the Spirit Stones?”

Xuan Mingzi gritted his teeth and handed over the storage ring.

“Fifty million, not a single piece missing.

Count it yourself.”

Xu Ruyu took the storage ring, sent his Divine Sense inside, and scanned it.

The Spirit Stones were piled into a small mountain. The High-Grade Spirit Stones were crystal clear, and the Spiritual Qi was so dense it almost overflowed.

He nodded with satisfaction and handed the storage ring to the Grand Elder.

“Grand Elder, please count it again.

We must be meticulous in our work; we can't let people say we're extorting them.”

The Grand Elder took the storage ring and counted them one by one.

Xuan Mingzi and several Elders stood to the side, their faces flushed red with suppressed frustration, but they didn't dare to rush him.

After nearly an hour, the Grand Elder nodded.

“Sect Master, fifty million, it's correct.”

Xu Ruyu turned around, faced the light screen, and waved his hand.

The light screen opened a larger gap, and Ancestor Xuan Yin along with dozens of Frost Hall Disciples filed out.

They were all disheveled and in rags, some even limping, clearly having suffered quite a bit over the past month.

Ancestor Xuan Yin walked at the front, his white hair messy and his face ashen, but his back was still held straight.

He walked outside the light screen, took a deep breath of fresh air, and closed his eyes to feel the long-lost freedom.

Xuan Mingzi stepped forward quickly and knelt on the ground with a thud.

“Old Ancestor! This Disciple is incompetent and let the Old Ancestor suffer!”

Ancestor Xuan Yin opened his eyes, looked at the kneeling Disciple-grandson, remained silent for a moment, and then reached out to pat his shoulder.

“Get up. You did well.”

Xuan Mingzi stood up, supported Ancestor Xuan Yin, and turned to leave.

Xu Ruyu stood nearby, looking at them with a smile, not saying a word or stopping them.

The Spirit Stones were in hand, and the people were released; the transaction was complete.

As for whether they left or not, that was their business.

He was prepared to go back.

But just then, Ancestor Xuan Yin stopped in his tracks.

He turned around and looked at Xu Ruyu, his gaze as sinister as a venomous snake.

His mouth twitched, and then he revealed a fierce smile.

There was hatred, resentment, and the pleasure of finally being able to vent after being suppressed for over a month in that smile.

“Xu Ruyu, don't get too ahead of yourself.” His voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a poison-dipped blade. “You think a single Grand Array can protect your Hehuan Sect forever? You're wrong.

Your Hehuan Sect has already offended the entire Cultivation World. Tianxuan Sect, Tianji Sect, Tianquan Sect, North Pole Ice Soul Palace—which one isn't a pillar of the Righteous Path?

You've offended them all; just wait for the reckoning!”

Xuan Mingzi and the several Elders behind him also chimed in.

“Right! Xu Ruyu, don't think that taking the Spirit Stones means it's over! Our Frost Hall will not let this go!”

“When we get back, we will definitely contact other Sects and unite to uproot your Hehuan Sect!”

“The men will be slaves, and the women will be Cauldrons! We'll let you taste what it's like to be locked in a cage!”

Those Frost Hall Disciples who had just come out of the light screen also followed suit, cursing very vulgarly.

They had been trapped for over a month, used as live target practice every day, and had long been filled with rage.

Now that they were out of the cage and saw their own Old Ancestor personally taking charge, their courage swelled, each cursing more fiercely than the last.

Zhao Yan stood behind Xu Ruyu, fuming with rage.

His fists clenched until they cracked, and flames began to emerge from his body.

Li Ergou raised his Chuanyang Gun, the muzzle aimed at the Elder who was cursing the loudest.

Zhou Daniu also raised his qi-breaking gun, the safety already off.

Sun Xiaohua and Zhou Xiaolian put on their Source Energy Armor, the Array Pattern lit up, and silver-white light flowed over their bodies.

Only Xu Ruyu didn't move.

He stood there with his hands behind his back, looking at Ancestor Xuan Yin with a smile, like he was looking at an ignorant child.

Only after they had cursed enough and were tired did he speak leisurely.

His voice wasn't loud, but everyone could hear it.

“Oh my, you actually dare to threaten me?” Xu Ruyu's smile deepened. “This matter has already seriously hurt me, causing severe mental damage.

In view of this, if you want to be ransomed, you must add more money.”

Xuan Mingzi's face instantly turned green.

“Add more money? We've already given the Spirit Stones and the people have been released. Why should we add more money?”

Ancestor Xuan Yin also gave a cold laugh.

“Add more money? Just by yourself? Xu Ruyu, do you think you can trap us again? We're already out!

Your Grand Array can no longer hold us!”

Xu Ruyu looked at him and didn't speak.

He just slightly raised his right hand and flicked his finger.

The light screen moved.

Instead of opening a gap, it surged from all directions simultaneously, like a tide, silent and incredibly fast.

Before Ancestor Xuan Yin and Xuan Mingzi could react, Ancestor Xuan Yin only felt a blur before his eyes, and the surrounding light screen had already closed up.

They were trapped inside again.

Not in their original position, but at the edge of the light screen—only one step away from freedom, but a step that could never be taken.

Ancestor Xuan Yin was stunned.

He reached out and touched that layer of light screen.

Where his finger touched, a ripple spread out, and then it returned to calm.

His hand was still there, not burned or repelled, he just couldn't get out.

He suddenly turned around and roared loudly at Xu Ruyu outside the light screen, his white hair fluttering in the absence of wind, his eyes red as if they were about to bleed.

“Xu Ruyu! You—you dare to toy with me?”

Xu Ruyu didn't answer.

He stood outside the light screen, looking at Ancestor Xuan Yin with a smile, then raised his right hand and began to count.

“You threatened me once.” He held up one finger. “That's an extra ten thousand Spirit Stones.”

Ancestor Xuan Yin was so angry his whole body trembled, and he opened his mouth to curse.

“Xu Ruyu! You despicable villain! You'll die a horrible death!”