“Is that Emperor Xingwu?” The old man, Yan Hequn, stared in astonishment at Emperor Xingwu.
In an instant, Emperor Xingwu stood before Lin Yun.
“Your Majesty, when you captured me, I told you that you wouldn’t be able to keep me locked up forever. When you threw me into the Land of Exile, I said you’d regret it!” Lin Yun said with a smile.
Emperor Xingwu’s eye twitched slightly, clearly stung by Lin Yun’s words.
“You wanted me to come in person. Now, I’m here to personally invite you. Can you leave now?” Emperor Xingwu’s face was cold, still carrying an air of supreme arrogance, as befitting the lofty ruler of the Xingwu Empire.
Lin Yun crossed his arms and chuckled, “Your Majesty, with that attitude, it seems you haven’t grasped that you’re here to *beg* me to leave. This makes things difficult for me.”
“You… Lin Yun, don’t push your luck! Don’t be ungrateful!” Fury blazed in Emperor Xingwu’s eyes.
He had personally come to the Land of Exile, and Lin Yun still dared to act this way?
It naturally enraged him!
“Your Majesty, if this is your attitude, you might as well go back. Don’t waste my time. Come back when you’ve sorted out your position. Capturing me was easy, but releasing me? Not so simple,” Lin Yun said, closing his eyes.
“Insolent!”
Boom!
With a thunderous shout, a powerful aura erupted from Emperor Xingwu, surging towards Lin Yun.
Combined with the oppressive force of the Land of Exile, this immense pressure made it hard for Lin Yun to breathe.
“Lin Yun, you’ve crossed my bottom line. If you keep pushing, do you believe I’ll kill you right now?” Emperor Xingwu roared in anger.
His dignity was not to be trifled with!
Yet Lin Yun had already provoked him multiple times, even beginning to trample on his authority.
Lin Yun’s eyes snapped open, meeting Emperor Xingwu’s gaze with a fierce glint.
“Kill me? Go ahead and try. You know the consequences! I, Lin Yun, am not afraid of death! My life for the collapse of your entire imperial clan—do you dare?” Lin Yun’s expression was ferocious, his tone resolute as iron.
“You… you…”
Emperor Xingwu trembled with rage.
The dragon race had sent their letter, and Deputy Palace Master Yao had ordered him to release Lin Yun. Emperor Xingwu knew full well how severe the consequences would be if he killed Lin Yun.
The next moment, he retracted his oppressive aura, clearly choosing to back down.
Turning away, Emperor Xingwu said grimly, “Name your terms. What will it take for you to leave?”
The old man, Yan Hequn, watched in stunned disbelief. This was Emperor Xingwu, after all! Not only had he come in person to *invite* Lin Yun out, but Lin Yun had forced him to yield?
Yan Hequn wondered, *Who is this Lin Yun? How does he wield such influence?*
He felt even more certain that Lin Yun was no ordinary person!
Hearing Emperor Xingwu’s words, Lin Yun’s lips curved slightly, “Your Majesty, it seems you’ve finally understood your position. Now we can talk. Here are my demands.”
“First, you must take not only me but also this elder beside me out of here,” Lin Yun said.
“Agreed,” Emperor Xingwu replied.
“Haha, I can finally leave!” The old man burst into excited laughter, his heart swelling with joy.
Having been trapped here for nearly a thousand years, he had never dared to dream of leaving or regaining his freedom.
Though Lin Yun had promised him before, it hadn’t been certain. Now, it was truly confirmed.
That Lin Yun’s first demand was for him filled the old man with gratitude. He thought, *This guy keeps his word. I trusted the right person!*
“Second, compensate me with 200,000 Tribulation Pills as compensation for mental distress. I’ve suffered here for so long—I can’t have endured it for nothing, right?” Lin Yun said with a sly, merchant-like smile.
With such a prime opportunity, how could Lin Yun not take advantage of Emperor Xingwu? The emperor was a “landlord” with deep pockets!
Emperor Xingwu frowned at this.
He knew full well that Lin Yun was blatantly extorting him.
“Lin Yun, your spirit-binding rope was removed, and you don’t seem to have suffered much, do you?” Emperor Xingwu said coldly.
“Whether I suffered is my business. Whether you pay is yours. Of course, if you don’t want to, that’s fine. Go back and think it over. Come back when you’re ready to talk. I don’t mind,” Lin Yun said casually.
Shameless!
Those were the four words that sprang to Emperor Xingwu’s mind.
After a brief pause, he nodded, “Fine. If you’re willing to leave, I can give you 200,000 Tribulation Pills.”
For Emperor Xingwu, 200,000 Tribulation Pills were easily affordable, but they were a vital resource. No matter how many he had, it was never enough, as his empire supported countless cultivators.
Moreover, Tribulation Pills were used to advance the Tribulation Realm. Giving Lin Yun so many was akin to helping him grow stronger, something Emperor Xingwu was loath to do!
But if this demand derailed the negotiation and Lin Yun refused to leave, that would be a far greater problem for Emperor Xingwu.
To send this “plague god” Lin Yun away quickly, he had to swallow the loss. At least this demand hadn’t crossed his bottom line.
“Third, the Xingwu Empire must assist me in eliminating the remnants of the Zhutian Alliance, including Gu Family Head and others hiding in Xingwu City,” Lin Yun said.
Lin Yun knew that even if he left, dealing with Gu Family Head and the others in Xingwu City would be difficult if they remained under protection.
If Emperor Xingwu agreed to this, handling them would be much easier.
“You want to wipe them out completely? Asking me to do your bidding—you’re going too far!” Emperor Xingwu said coldly.
The first two demands were somewhat tolerable, but this one pushed his limits.
“This is the final demand. Agree, and I’ll leave. It’s up to you,” Lin Yun said.
“Fine, I agree,” Emperor Xingwu took a deep breath.
Though this demand grated on him, if agreeing meant Lin Yun would leave, he had no choice but to consent.
Turning to Lin Yun, Emperor Xingwu said, “I’ve agreed to all three of your demands. Now, can you leave with me?”
