"Compensation?"
Mu Shiyue raised an eyebrow.
Dong Xunchang immediately understood and began taking things out of his storage pouch.
As long as Mu Shiyue is willing to forgive him, he is willing to hand over anything!
Dong Xunchang was someone who knew when to bend and when to yield. Just Ke Chongzhen alone had already thoroughly intimidated him, let alone the fact that there were so many spirit beasts around Mu Shiyue!
Forget everything else, just a single Soul-Devouring Tiger would be enough to wipe out all of them!
At a time like this, who would still care about dignity?
Of course staying alive was what mattered most!
By now, Dong Xunchang's view of this place had completely changed.
Previously, he had thought there were no experts here. Now, he felt like danger was hidden everywhere!
This realization hit him hard.
From this moment on, Dong Xunchang understood one thing clearly, never underestimate any place or any person. Who knew when a group of terrifying spirit beasts might suddenly appear?!
There were far too many powerful figures in this world. These great figures all had different temperaments, who knew which corner they might be hiding in?
The consequences of misjudging things this time were simply too disastrous!
All Dong Xunchang wanted now was to leave this place as quickly as possible.
As for dignity, those were just empty words!
Watching Dong Xunchang rummage through his storage pouch, Mu Shiyue raised an eyebrow.
She had seen plenty of spineless people before, but someone this "well-behaved" was still relatively rare.
Since the other party was being so cooperative, she didn't plan to pursue the matter too harshly.
She didn't want to create unnecessary karma from killing.
Of course, the death penalty could be waived, but compensation couldn't be less.
"No need to take things out," Mu Shiyue said.
Dong Xunchang, who was frantically searching his storage pouch, froze for a moment, his heart leaping with joy.
Has the senior forgiven him?
Then he heard Mu Shiyue's calm but merciless words, "Just leave your storage pouches behind."
"Storage pouches?!" Dong Xunchang sucked in a sharp breath and cried out.
Before Mu Shiyue could say anything, Ke Chongzhen's face darkened, "What? Unwilling?"
Seeing Ke Chongzhen's expression, Dong Xunchang immediately shook his head frantically, "No, no, no! Of course not, of course I'm willing!"
Even though his heart was bleeding, he still forced a smile.
Most of his treasured possessions, his bulk of assets, were all inside his storage pouch.
Being told to leave it behind was practically asking for his life!
But he had no room to refuse.
The other side's attitude was clear, either leave the storage pouch behind, or leave his life behind.
The fact that they were even being allowed to leave was probably already because of the Dong Family's standing.
Faced with such a senior, how could he dare argue?
So no matter how painful it was, Dong Xunchang had to hand over the storage pouch.
The people behind him, seeing Dong Xunchang's actions, also twisted their faces in pain.
They didn't know what treasures were inside Dong Xunchang's storage pouch, but whose storage pouch didn't contain valuables?
Leaving all of them here meant catastrophic losses!
But before they could mourn Dong Xunchang's loss, they saw Mu Shiyue raise an eyebrow at them, "I mean all of you."
All of you?
The expressions of several people instantly changed.
But if even Dong Xunchang dared not resist, how could they?
Hadn't they seen the huge spirit beasts on the other side glaring at them already when they didn't move?
If they dared resist, the spirit beasts' stomachs would become their final resting place!
With that thought, several people quickly took action, removing their own storage pouches.
Enduring the pain, they handed them over. Dong Xunchang forced out a smile, "Senior, everything is here."
"Is that so?" Mu Shiyue lifted her chin slightly. "Then what's that at your waist?"
As soon as she said that, Dong Xunchang's face drastically changed. He instinctively covered his side.
"Looks like you're not very sincere," Mu Shiyue sneered.
"No!" Dong Xunchang hurriedly explained, "Th-this is my family head's item! I-I have to return it to him!"
This is a low-grade spirit artifact!
Even in the Dong Family, there were only a few spirit artifacts.
If he dared leave this spirit artifact here, he would be doomed once he returned home!
"It's fine. If you don't leave the item behind, you can leave yourself behind instead," Mu Shiyue said with a light laugh. "I don't really mind."
Ke Chongzhen followed up coldly, "We're giving you a chance to compensate. If you don't cherish it, then forget it."
"Roar~" Hu Niu immediately let out a roar.
The sound was especially deep and thunderous, frightening the color out of everyone's faces.
This is a threat! There's no mistake that it's a threat!
But who didn't understand that it was a threat?
"Ang~!" Da Yanzi wasn't to be outdone and roared as well, its presence equally terrifying.
"Moo—!"
"Yi—!"
With beast roars and bird cries rising one after another, even the birds and beasts in the distant forest were disturbed. The group instantly went pale.
Several Golden Core Stage cultivators immediately looked at Dong Xunchang, urgently signaling him with their eyes to hand over the spirit artifact.
If he didn't, none of them would leave this place alive!
They had offended a powerful figure, losing a layer of skin was only to be expected.
After all, they themselves often did the same thing.
When weaker cultivators with ordinary backgrounds offended them, they too would strip them of everything.
They just hadn't expected that karma would come around so quickly, and now it's their turn to be bullied.
Dong Xunchang's face was extremely ugly. In the end, he gritted his teeth and took out the treasure-seeking spirit artifact.
His hand trembled, but it didn't change the final outcome.
Ke Chongzhen accepted the compass-like spirit artifact on Mu Shiyue's behalf and quickly noticed the markings unique to a spirit artifact.
His eyes flickered, but his expression remained unchanged, "So it's a spirit artifact. No wonder you were reluctant to take it out."
Seeing Ke Chongzhen's calm reaction, Dong Xunchang felt even more unsettled.
This is a spirit artifact!
To face a spirit artifact with such composure meant he had seen many more of them.
He might even possess one himself!
No matter what, Ke Chongzhen's reaction made Dong Xunchang understand one thing clearly, this person had a powerful background and was absolutely not someone to provoke!
Ke Chongzhen handed the spirit artifact to Mu Shiyue, "Sect Master Mu."
Mu Shiyue took the compass, casually looked it over, and let out a light laugh, "That's enough. Get lost. Hopefully we won't meet again. Of course, if you want to retrieve your things, I can deliver them to your door."
Deliver them to your door?
This unfamiliar phrase sent a chill through everyone's hearts.
Right, Dong Xunchang had just introduced himself. If Mu Shiyue wanted to do something, she could go straight to the Dong Family.
Looking at the huge and terrifying spirit beasts behind her, several people shuddered violently and spoke in unison, "No need! No need to deliver them!"
How could they dare let her deliver anything?
They weren't tired of living!
"Enough, get lost!" Ke Chongzhen urged impatiently.
"Yes, yes, yes! We'll get lost right away!"
Several people scrambled up from the ground and fled in a panic, terrified they might be dragged back again.
Only after they had gone far away and confirmed that no one was following did they finally let out a long breath.
Too terrifying!
At least they were alive!
Although there had been no real fighting just now, the pressure from Ke Chongzhen and that group of spirit beasts had been overwhelmingly terrifying!
They felt like they couldn't even stand straight!
"Once we get back, our story must be the same," Dong Xunchang said coldly.