Urban Extraordinary Immortal Doctor
Chapter 1228: Extortion

Chapter 1228: Chapter 1228: Extortion

Moments later, the sea ship docked at the port, and the onboard martial artists, filled with boundless longing for the Shenwu Continent, joyfully disembarked from the ship.

But to their astonishment, as they disembarked from the ship and prepared to leave, they found themselves surrounded by a group of Tianji Sect disciples, whose formidable presence was overwhelming.

"What’s going on?"

"What happened?"

"Why won’t they let us leave?"

"What do the disciples of Tianji Sect want to do?"

"Something seems a bit off!"

"They appear to harbor ill intentions..."

The martial artists stepping off the sea ship looked at the group of Tianji Sect disciples surrounding them and sensed the thick killing Qi emanating from them. They couldn’t help but exchange glances of alarm, seeing the color of panic in each other’s eyes.

"Elder Yan, what’s happening?"

Upon seeing this, Elder Yan hurriedly disembarked from the ship and approached Ying Guangping, the grim-faced Tianji Sect Steward, with a smile on his face, and asked.

Elder Yan traveled between the Land of Extreme South and the Shenwu Continent two or three times a year and had quite a few dealings with Ying Guangping. They were familiar with each other, knowing that Ying Guangping was immensely greedy, arrogant, and petty—a very difficult person to deal with. Nevertheless, to avoid deliberate difficulties whenever the ship docked at the port, he had to "tribute" him a substantial amount of cultivation resources every year.

In Elder Yan’s mind, as long as the martial artists on the ship disembarked and left the port smoothly, his mission would be considered perfectly accomplished. However, he did not expect that these martial artists would be blocked by a group of Tianji Sect disciples at the port.

Although once those martial artists disembarked the ship, anything that happened to them would be no longer related to Volcano Island, if they encountered trouble upon arrival, the news would reflect poorly on Volcano Island when it reached the Land of Extreme South. Fearful that no martial artist would dare to travel to the Shenwu Continent aboard Volcano Island’s sea ships thereafter, this event could lead to significant losses for Volcano Island.

Consequently, when Elder Yan saw the martial artists obstructed, his heart skipped a beat, instinctively feeling the situation was ominous, and immediately disembarked to negotiate with Ying Guangping.

In Elder Yan’s view, representing Volcano Island, he had been offering Ying Guangping a substantial amount of cultivation resources annually. On this basis, Ying Guangping ought to give him some face.

Though Elder Yan held the position of an Elder in his Sect, and Ying Guangping was merely a Steward, the disparity in their cultivation realms and the strength of their respective Sects determined the vast difference in their statuses.

Whenever Elder Yan met Ying Guangping, he always approached with a smile and addressed him respectfully as "senior." In contrast, Ying Guangping hardly regarded Elder Yan and never treated him with respect, always behaving superciliously.

Despite this, Elder Yan could only swallow his pride—after all, there was no arguing with superior skill.

"What’s the matter? Heh... You people have upset me!"

Ying Guangping glanced at Elder Yan indifferently, swept his gaze over the nearly thousand encircled martial artists, then pointed at the Silverwing Hawk perched on a large tree on the left, and sneered, "That Silverwing Hawk is a Spirit Bird that I painstakingly tamed. It was disturbed by your actions, and someone even dared to attack it..."

As he spoke, the faces of the martial artists stepping off the sea boat drastically changed, especially for the few who had attacked the Silverwing Hawk with Essence Stones. They turned as pale as paper, trembling uncontrollably, a look of utter despair in their eyes.

No one expected that the damned Silverwing Hawk would be a spirit bird tamed by Ying Guangping. Causing a disturbance was one thing, but attacking it would amount to provocation towards Ying Guangping—how could he tolerate it?

Those few martial artists who had attacked the Silverwing Hawk were about to collapse from fear— they were mere Vast Level Martial Artists, how could they endure the fury of a Universe Level Expert?

The rest of the martial artists were also engulfed in fear, knowing that while those who attacked the Silverwing Hawk would certainly not escape calamity, they who had "disturbed" it were likely not to be let off easily by Ying Guangping either.

It was uncertain how Ying Guangping would punish them.

In an instant, the previously noisy and bustling crowd of over a thousand martial artists fell silent, each person feeling endangered, and the scene plunged into a deathly stillness.

Elder Yan knew that those who attacked the Silverwing Hawk probably had little chance of survival but still strived to save their lives, pleading, "Elder Ying, these martial artists are first-timers to the Shenwu Continent and didn’t know the Silverwing Hawk was yours. So... please, show mercy."

Ying Guangping smiled grimly and said, "I can show mercy. Have them each come up with a hundred thousand high-grade Essence Stones or equivalent Cultivation Resources, and I’ll consider that nothing happened."

When the martial artists who had attacked the Silverwing Hawk heard "I can show mercy," a glimmer of hope was kindled in their hearts, but it was quickly dashed by the phrase "a hundred thousand high-grade Essence Stones," plunging them back into hell, their hearts turning to ash.

A hundred thousand high-grade Essence Stones were equivalent to a million mid-grade Essence Stones or ten million low-grade Essence Stones. It might be nothing for a Universe Level Expert like Ying Guangping, but for those Vast Level Martial Artists, it was an astronomical figure.

Elder Yan was stunned for a moment, then understood that Ying Guangping’s exorbitant demand was precisely because he did not intend to spare those martial artists.

Perhaps in Ying Guangping’s eyes, those Vast Level Martial Artists were nothing more than ants whose lives were insignificant.

"This... Elder Ying, isn’t there a way to ask for less? High-grade Essence Stones are extremely rare Cultivation Resources; how can those few Vast Level Martial Artists have so many..."

"No!"

Ying Guangping flatly refused, "Not a single one less! If they can’t produce a hundred thousand high-grade Essence Stones, then let them pay with their lives! And all of you from Volcano Island..."

Ying Guangping’s anger suddenly turned towards Elder Yan, coldly saying, "These martial artists were brought by you, and my Silverwing Hawk was frightened. You have a responsibility too. Considering our acquaintance, now you bring forth ninety thousand high-grade Essence Stones. Thirty thousand of those will cover the docking fee for your sea ship, and the remaining sixty thousand to pacify my Silverwing Hawk."

Elder Yan was shocked, exclaiming, "Elder Ying, how can you be like this?"

Ninety thousand high-grade Essence Stones were no small amount; although Elder Yan could afford it, it would probably be impossible to explain to the disciples of Volcano Island upon return.

The other disciples of Volcano Island were also greatly angered. Ying Guangping’s demand for ninety thousand high-grade Essence Stones was clearly an opportunistic act of extortion!

"If you cannot produce the Essence Stones, then leave your sea ship here as collateral. Once you bring the stones, then you may leave."

Ying Guangping sneered.

Elder Yan looked at Ying Guangping’s detestable face, clenching his teeth in silent fury, wishing to smash that face to bits with a punch. However, he knew that acting impulsively would mean that every disciple of Volcano Island present, including himself, would not survive the day.