Chang Shiyang clenched his teeth tightly, his eyes filled with a blazing fire of resentment and hatred.
In a place unknown to Chang Shiyang, within his Primordial Spirit, a tiny, almost invisible Spiritual Seed was flickering, resembling a delicate centipede, quietly lying dormant within his Primordial Spirit.
"Master Su, are you satisfied with this residence? Servants and everything have already been arranged for you."
Inside a grand mansion, Xue Xin led Su Jie here, a residence arranged for Su Jie as a guest.
"I pay my respects to you, Master Su!"
Inside the mansion, as a group of young and beautiful maidens with their hands folded in front of their chests kneeled in a bowing ceremony, other servants including cooks, guards, butlers, gardeners, and stablemen also knelt down in a flurry, calling out greetings with utmost respect.
Both the luxury of the mansion and Xue Xin, the dignified Elder of the Heavenly Soul Sect from the Law Enforcement Hall personally welcoming him, signified the great importance the Heavenly Soul Sect placed on Su Jie.
"Thank you, Elder Xue, you are really too polite. I'm not very particular about where I stay."
Su Jie entered the mansion, followed closely by Han Ruyan.
"Master Su is our Heavenly Soul Sect's most distinguished guest. We will not be negligent, sir. If there is anything else you need, just let me know. Within the limits of my authority, I will try my best to accommodate you."
When Xue Xin saw Han Ruyan, his eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in them.
He knew about Han Ruyan's origins, which had once caused discontent between the Heavenly Soul Sect and Su Jie.
However, Han Ruyan, the Ghost Bride, had ascended so quickly to a Seventh-grade Fierce Ghost that even Xue Xin, an Elder from the Secret Realm Fifth Level, was shocked, increasing his regard and caution towards Su Jie.
After all, the known path for a fierce ghost to advance was through absorbing Fear Energy.
And to achieve this, regardless of the means Su Jie used, whether it was fostering large numbers of civilians to generate fear or causing disasters and massacres, it was enough to demonstrate that Su Jie was utterly ruthless and cruel.
Such a demon cultivator, still a mighty one who nearly dominated the Secret Realm, surely deserved all the attention he received.
"Oh, actually I have a favor to ask of Elder Xue. Well, I would like to purchase this number of fierce ghosts from the Heavenly Soul Sect, preferably all above the Third-grade Fierce Ghost Level. I hope you can accommodate this request, Elder Xue."
Su Jie raised his left palm, fingers spread, in the same gesture he had used to extort Chang Shiyang, making Xue Xin's eyebrows twitch.
"You want to buy fierce ghosts? That's a small matter; I'll personally gift you five."
Xue Xin agreed without a second thought.
Su Jie: "Ah, giving them to me, that's really embarrassing, but I can't really refuse your generous offer, Elder Xue. However, the number of fierce ghosts I need isn't five, but with an added zero."
Xue Xin paused, saying, "Fifty? What do you need so many fierce ghosts for?"
At the same time, he gulped internally, knowing he couldn't afford to gift fifty Third-grade fierce ghosts.
Su Jie: "Add another zero to that number."
Xue Xin's expression froze, his eyes widening: "Could it be five hundred fierce ghosts?"
Su Jie nodded his head: "You're too kind, Elder Xue. Yes, five hundred, are you sure about gifting them? That would be terribly embarrassing!"
At that moment, staring at Su Jie's smiling face, Xue Xin somewhat understood how Chang Shiyang and Di Xiu had felt earlier; he too felt an urge to punch the man in the face.
Five hundred fierce ghosts above Third-grade, this was a plan to bankrupt him!
No, his entire fortune couldn't even cover that many fierce ghosts.
"Sorry, an urgent matter has come up at home, I must take my leave."
Xue Xin decided that fleeing was the best option; he certainly didn't want to be the sucker here.