Chapter 135: Extortion and Blackmail

"Haha~" Xiao Han shrank his neck slightly and gave a dry laugh.

How could he not understand the implication behind Tianyin Laoren's words? Over these many years, the feelings between Ye Shenghan and Yin Xin had grown increasingly deep; it was almost a certainty that Tianyin Laoren and Ye Jianxin would become in-laws.

Even if only to ensure that his son-in-law in Sound Valley would not become an orphan, Tianyin Laoren had to find a way to save Ye Jianxin's life.

As the "culprit" who had pushed the two juniors together, Xiao Han found it hard to withstand the suffocating gaze of Tianyin Laoren.

"Should these fellows be killed or not?" Tianyin Laoren cast his gaze toward the Great Heavenly Venerable and the others—the five Dou Saints from the two major factions who were now like fish on a chopping block—and asked.

"Let's not mention that for now." Xiao Han flicked his sleeve, gathering the two people and three beasts, who had no power to resist, into one spot.

He shouted toward a certain place in the Void Space, "Shouldn't you few show yourselves and see if you can try to rescue these pieces of trash?"

No sooner had Xiao Han finished speaking than the space rippled, and two figures walked out side by side. When Tianyin Laoren saw the two, his entire body immediately tensed up.

He was just about to strike when he was quickly pressed down by Xiao Han.

"Hehe~"

A gray-robed figure smiled.

He cupped his hands and said, "I am the Soul Hall Hall Master, Hun Miesheng. Greetings, Ice Saint."

That warm smile caused the latter to feel a trace of disgust. "Hun Miesheng, there is no need for such courtesy; the two of us have been 'spiritually acquainted' for a long time!" Xiao Han said with a smile, though there was no warmth in the smile on his handsome face.

Strictly speaking, this should be the first formal meeting between Xiao Han and Hun Miesheng. When the other party had previously intervened to save Guyou Shengzhe, he had only heard his voice but had not seen his person.

However, although it was their first meeting, Xiao Han did not hide his killing intent toward Hun Miesheng, and this was no exception. Hun Miesheng held the same intention; both were existences who wished to eliminate the other as quickly as possible.

"Hmph!" At this moment, the purple-robed old man beside Hun Miesheng sneered and mocked, "Hun Miesheng, it seems your reputation is no longer what it was; a junior who has cultivated for less than two hundred years dares to speak to you like this."

"Senior Lei Huang is right.

How could this junior compare to you?" Regarding the purple-robed old man's mockery,

Hun Miesheng only gave a faint smile and did not mind it in the slightest,

even performing the rites of a junior toward the former.

"Lei Huang?" Xiao Han's expression tightened, "From the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan?"

"Naturally!" A look of pride appeared on the purple-robed old man's face, and he was quite satisfied with Xiao Han's tactfulness.

Xiao Han did not know Lei Huang's inner thoughts; the former's expression was solemn at this moment, and he became even more cautious regarding the foundation of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan.

This old man from the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan named Lei Huang had not had a single chance to appear in the original story.

But this did not mean the latter's strength was lacking. Lei Huang had not made a move, yet under Xiao Han's probing, he had nowhere to hide; the aura he emitted faintly reached the Four-Star Dou Sheng Late Stage.

It was strength almost comparable to Hun Miesheng's, and since the cultivation speed of Magic Beasts was far lower than that of Humans, he was clearly another old monster who had lived for thousands of years. No wonder Hun Miesheng had to call himself a junior in front of him.

However...

Xiao Han curled his lips into a disdainful smile. No matter how long he lived, he was merely a Four-Star Dou Saint. Hun Miesheng simply didn't care; otherwise, how could he tolerate such an old immortal chattering before him?

Xiao Han was only somewhat surprised that the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan was willing to send four Dou Saints, and his tone changed only because of this grand gesture.

"Why, are the two of you going to make a move?" Xiao Han said, wearing a harmless smile. He had made up his mind.

Now was the perfect time for Langya Pavilion to establish its prestige.

As long as the "true strength" of him and the Meteorite Thunder Crystal Ling was exposed,

in this Central Plains where those below five stars were not allowed to act at will,

the status of Langya Pavilion would be incomparably stable, allowing it to develop securely before the final great war.

"Brat, release Phoenix and the others for this Saint, and this old man can forgive your disrespect." Lei Huang coldly snorted, "Otherwise..."

Subsequently, he issued another threat.

"Senior Lei Huang, don't be so hot-tempered!" Hun Miesheng advised with a face full of smiles, "I believe that as long as we provide compensation, the Ice Saint will not lay a hand on them."

"As expected of the Soul Hall Hall Master, you certainly have a knack for playing dirty!" Xiao Han sneered in his heart.

Hun Miesheng was not advising at all; he was clearly fanning the flames. Suggesting that this arrogant Lei Huang offer compensation would only aggravate his aggressive stance.

Sure enough...

"Compensation?" No sooner had Hun Miesheng finished speaking than Lei Huang immediately flew into a rage, "A mere emerging faction actually dares to demand compensation from my Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan; you truly do not know how to die."

"Brat, while this old man does not yet wish to kill, release Phoenix and the others immediately, and today's matter will be written off."

To enhance the effect, the Dou Qi on Lei Huang's body began to boil, possessing an aura that suggested he would start a fight if things went wrong.

"Release them? Sure!" Xiao Han said indifferently, a remark that caused Tianyin Laoren and Hun Miesheng to frown.

The former did so only because he knew Xiao Han's character too well; he was definitely not the type to be spineless and could not possibly fear another's threat.

As for the latter, he was worried that his plan to provoke them would fail. If the Soul Hall were left to struggle alone and this grand operation ended in a sloppy retreat, would he not be ridiculed by the whole world?

"Hand over the ransom!" Xiao Han extended his hand and tilted his head, looking exactly like a local hooligan collecting protection money.

Tianyin Laoren and Hun Miesheng smiled in their hearts; that was right, exactly like this.

"Ransom?" A trace of confusion appeared on Lei Huang's aged face, and he asked, puzzled.

"What, you old immortal, can you not understand human speech?" Xiao Han mocked.

"One hand pays the money, the other hand releases the person. Jianghu rules, do you understand?" As he spoke, Xiao Han even kicked the Phoenix who was lying at his feet.

"Brat, you are courting death!" Lei Huang was burning with rage and shouted sharply. He had not reacted in time; someone actually dared to capture their Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan's Dou Saint Elders and demand a ransom.

He was even more shocked and furious at Xiao Han's rather humiliating action of stepping on a member of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan. A blood-colored aura permeated from his body, chilling one's soul!

However, these were just a piece of cake for Xiao Han. His expression remained unchanged, yet he pretended to be very afraid, "As expected of a Dou Saint expert from the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan, truly impressive!"

"However, Elder Lei Huang, you must be careful. Do not frighten this junior; if this little hand were to tremble..."

Xiao Han postured, holding a long spear condensed from Dou Qi, pressing it against the throat of Phoenix, that delicate and beautiful woman, without the slightest intention of cherishing the fair sex.

"You!" Lei Huang's momentum stalled, and he unwillingly canceled his preparations for an attack. Although he very much wanted to behead this Ice Saint on the spot, he did not have the confidence to save Phoenix and the other two from the opponent's hands.

Swords have no eyes; if they truly lost three Dou Saint Elders at once, even their Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan, with its vast resources, could not afford such a price!

By then, even as a Four-Star Dou Saint Supreme Elder, an existence in the clan second only to the Clan Leader Huang Tian, he would not be able to escape a severe punishment.

"Speak, what do you want?" Lei Huang finally backed down; he did not dare to gamble on that outcome. He now regretted immensely why he had not acted earlier to save Phoenix and the others.

Otherwise, how could he have been manipulated by this guy? Pretending to be cool is fun for a moment, but it's a crematorium afterward!

"Not much!" Xiao Han revealed his signature smiling face again; this was a precious guest (leek) after all!

"One Dou Sheng, five Ninth Grade Pills!" Xiao Han spread his hands and made a gesture.