Chapter 448: Chapter 446: Threat! Robbery! Blackmail! Extortion
The crowd before the mountain gate stared at each other in dismay. The disciple who had just attacked was a Tier Nine Spirit Marquis, and his full-power strike was enough to shatter mountains and split stone. Yet, when it slammed into the Ten Thousand Swords Sect’s restrictive barrier, it failed to create even a single ripple. ’Just how powerful is this barrier’s defense?’
"Could it really be the Spirit Locking Array, just as Shen Haoran said?"
"It must be. That disciple’s attack before, while not enough to tear through the barrier, should have at least left a dent with ease. But now, it can’t even be shaken. It’s possible the Ten Thousand Swords Sect’s Spirit Locking Array really did absorb our previous attacks and converted them for its own use!"
"Then what do we do? This is an Ancient Array. How are we supposed to open it?"
Everyone present looked crestfallen. They had finally stumbled upon a second-class ruin, only to find themselves unable to open the barrier. It was like letting a prize slip right through their fingers. How could they possibly accept this?
Bai Li, standing to the side, also wore a grim expression. He had once chanced upon a description of the Spirit Locking Array in his Sect’s Library Pavilion, so he knew a little about it. This array could not be broken with any attack containing Spiritual Power. The reason was that the Spirit Locking Array would absorb the Spiritual Power from attacks and convert it into Energy to sustain itself. Therefore, normal attacks were not only useless against it; they would actually strengthen its defenses.
But aside from Spiritual Power attacks, what other methods did anyone here possess? ’Are we really going to give up on this second-class ruin just like that?’ Everyone was extremely unwilling to let this go. ’This is a second-class ruin! Just one of its inheritances would be enough to set me up for life!’
"Wait, since Shen Haoran could identify the Spirit Locking Array, he must know how to break it!"
"Yes, Shen Haoran must know!"
Suddenly, some disciple shouted out, and everyone before the mountain gate turned their attention to Shen Haoran.
"Shen Haoran, you must know how to break this Spirit Locking Array! Stop keeping us in suspense and tell us!"
"That’s right! We’ve already wasted so much time here. We don’t have any more time to waste, so just hurry up and open this Spirit Locking Array!"
"Shen Haoran, stop dawdling and get on with it! You’re not planning to hog the Ten Thousand Swords Sect’s inheritance for yourself, are you?" An unending chorus of urgent cries rose from the crowd.
Shen Haoran looked at the group of Martial Artists who were ordering him around like a servant, snorted disdainfully, and completely ignored them.
"Who the hell do you think you are, daring to order a disciple of our Celestial Spirit Sect to do your bidding? What a grand display of authority!" Ling Feng, who was standing nearby, barked coldly.
"So what if he’s from the Celestial Spirit Sect? Everyone’s fighting for the ruin’s inheritance right now; it’s common for a few disciples to die. Since Shen Haoran knows how to break this Spirit Locking Array, he should do his part for everyone. His refusal now can only mean he’s planning to take the inheritance for himself, right?" At this moment, blinded by greed for the second-class ruin’s inheritance, these disciples were beyond intimidation, even by the name of the Celestial Spirit Sect. ’As long as I get the inheritance from the second-class Ten Thousand Swords Sect,’ they thought, ’my future Cultivation path will be smooth sailing. Why would a mere Celestial Spirit Sect even matter then?’
"Brother Shen, why don’t you go through the trouble and break this Spirit Locking Array for everyone? This is what we all want. If you refuse, I’m afraid you’ll incur the public’s wrath, and then..." Bai Li added in a sinister tone, his words laced with threat.
"Oh? And what will happen then? Are you all going to join forces to coerce me? It’s not that I look down on you, but with your strength, you don’t even qualify to be my opponents!" Hearing Bai Li’s threatening words, Shen Haoran raised an eyebrow and snorted disdainfully. A terrifying aura erupted from his body, and a powerful storm of Spiritual Power instantly swept out, forcing everyone back. The dreadful gale slammed into the nearby Spirit Locking Array, causing it to tremble violently.
"This..." Feeling the pressure from Shen Haoran’s aura, everyone’s expression changed. They then saw the Spirit Locking Array—which hadn’t even flinched under the full-power blow of a Tier Nine Spirit Marquis—trembling violently under the impact of Shen Haoran’s mere presence. A chill ran down their spines. The cold killing intent radiating from Shen Haoran shocked them back to their senses. Only then did they realize that the man standing before them wasn’t some helpless weakling they could push around, but a decisive and ruthless Demon!
Seeing the terror on their faces, Shen Haoran sneered and continued, "To be honest, I could kill all of you, then take the Ten Thousand Swords Sect’s inheritance for myself. Don’t doubt my strength; I’m more than capable of it. It’s just that killing you would dirty my hands. Besides, there’s no deep-seated hatred between us, so there’s no need for me to cause myself trouble. It’s not impossible for me to open this Spirit Locking Array for you... it just depends on whether you’re willing."
"Oh? Brother Shen is willing to break the array for us?" Hearing this, a glint of joy flashed in Bai Li’s eyes.
"Of course. I’ve always been a good person who enjoys helping others fulfill their wishes. I just have one small request." As he spoke, a strange smile crept onto Shen Haoran’s lips.
Hearing Shen Haoran’s words, Ling Feng’s mouth couldn’t help but twitch. Seeing that strange smile on Shen Haoran’s lips, his heart skipped a beat, and he felt a touch of schadenfreude. Every time Shen Haoran wore that smile, someone was about to have a bad day—a very, very bad day.
However, the other disciples were oblivious to Shen Haoran’s scheme. Instead, they said excitedly, "Really? As long as you break this Spirit Locking Array for us, forget one request—we’d agree to ten! What is it that you want...?"
Seeing their happy expressions, Shen Haoran parted his lips and said lightly, "What I want is very simple: the Storage Rings in your hands. As long as you hand over your Storage Rings to me, I will break this Spirit Locking Array for you!"
"What? You want our Storage Rings?! How is that a ’small request’? This is blatant robbery! It’s blackmail! Extortion!"
"And you call yourself a ’good person’! I actually believed you! I have never seen such a shameless person in my life!"
"What an outrageous demand! Why don’t you just ask for our lives instead?"
The moment Shen Haoran’s voice fell, a torrent of vulgar curses erupted before the mountain gate as the disciples began to rail against him.
Shen Haoran, however, was completely unfazed. He just shrugged and said lightly, "It’s up to you whether you give them to me or not. But let me remind you of one thing: I’m the only one who can break this Spirit Locking Array. If you’re unwilling to hand over your Storage Rings, then you can forget about ever entering the Ten Thousand Swords Sect!"
Threats. Robbery. Blackmail. Extortion. That’s right, this was shameless extortion. As for face or decorum, Shen Haoran couldn’t care less. All that mattered was getting his hands on these disciples’ Storage Rings! They wanted him to work for free? Not a chance. If he couldn’t screw them over, then he wasn’t Shen Haoran!
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