Chapter 313: Chapter 313: You’re Not Leaving

Everyone’s spirits lifted. After all, handing over their treasures was far better than being trapped in this dark world forever.

"Next, it’s your turn."

Jin Lin pointed at Dongfang Yanyu and his two companions.

Dongfang Yanyu and the other two exchanged a glance. Gritting his teeth, He Zhen was the first to step forward.

He handed over his Storage Ring without hesitation.

"Hmph. That’s more like it." Jin Lin nodded in satisfaction. After picking out a few items, he returned the Storage Ring to him.

"Alright, you may go."

He Zhen took the Storage Ring, and joy surged in his heart. The High Tier Spirit Medicines and Soul Beads had been completely taken, but not a single one of his Profound Treasures, Pills, or Profound Stones was missing.

’This giant golden beast is surprisingly reasonable, isn’t it?’

Taking the Storage Ring, He Zhen hurried into the pillar of light behind Jin Lin. The pillar flashed, and his figure vanished instantly.

Everyone saw the hint of joy on He Zhen’s face, and a sliver of hope sparked in their hearts. It seemed the giant golden beast hadn’t taken much. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have looked so excited when he got his Storage Ring back.

Kuchen and Dongfang Yanyu were next.

Their faces were filled with regret as they handed over their Storage Rings.

They could live with losing the other treasures in their Storage Rings. What truly dismayed them was the loss of the Soul Beads they hadn’t had time to absorb and the Seven-Colored Lotus.

This was especially true for the Seven-Colored Lotus. They had saved it so they could decide on the best way to use it after they returned. If allocated properly, the lotus could create one or even two new Tier Six Martial Venerables for the Liuyun Kingdom. It was immensely important for increasing the kingdom’s overall strength.

But now, it was a pity...

The two sighed inwardly, watching the giant golden beast before them pick through their Storage Rings.

Zuo Yi Alliance, watching from below, couldn’t help but let a cold, gloating sneer form on his lips.

’So what if they managed to snatch a Seven-Colored Lotus? In the end, it’s just going to this giant golden beast. What a bunch of idiots.’

Zuo Yi Alliance could tell from the state of Dongfang Yanyu’s group that they hadn’t consumed the Seven-Colored Lotus yet. Seeing their ashen faces now, he could barely contain his glee.

After making his selections, Jin Lin tossed back their Storage Rings. "Alright, you may go."

The two men took back their respective Storage Rings. One look inside left them stunned.

Aside from a few High Tier materials and Spirit Medicines, nothing else was missing from their Storage Rings. To their utter shock, the Seven-Colored Lotus in Dongfang Yanyu’s ring was still there. It hadn’t been taken.

’Is our luck really this good?’

Neither of them could quite believe it.

’The Seven-Colored Lotus is a Tier Seven Spirit Medicine. Judging by the way the giant golden beast was making its selections, Spirit Medicines were its top priority. So why did it leave the lotus behind?’

Despite their surprise, confusion, and shock, Dongfang Yanyu and Kuchen hurried into the pillar of light.

Before leaving, they both glanced at Ye Xuan and sent him a mental message, "Ye Xuan, when it’s your turn, don’t hold anything back. This giant golden beast seems quite reasonable. Just be careful and you should be fine."

After sending the message, the two of them stepped into the pillar of light and vanished.

"You’re next." The giant golden beast pointed at Zhu Tianlan and the others from the Celestial Gold Kingdom.

Zhu Tianlan and his group followed suit, handing over their Storage Rings one by one.

"Your Highness, this one’s Storage Ring contains..." While pretending to pick through the items, Jin Lin was secretly relaying the ring’s contents to Ye Xuan.

Ye Xuan naturally showed no mercy toward Zhu Tianlan and his companion. Only after Jin Lin had plundered all the useful treasures from their Storage Rings were the rings returned.

Of course, Ye Xuan didn’t have him take everything, leaving them at least half of their belongings.

Zhu Tianlan and his companion took back their Storage Rings without any hint of dissatisfaction on their faces and hurried into the teleportation formation to leave.

Then Jin Lin pointed to the vice-leader from the Dongsheng Kingdom.

After plundering eighty percent of the treasures from the vice-leader’s Storage Ring, Jin Lin let him leave as well.

Now, only Luan Hong’s group of three, Zuo Yi Alliance, and Ye Xuan remained before the altar.

"Lord Demon King, is it my turn now?" Zuo Yi Alliance stepped forward voluntarily.

Seeing that everyone, starting with Yun Aoxue and her group, had been able to leave safely, the fear and worry in Zuo Yi Alliance’s heart had completely vanished.

’As long as I’m respectful and don’t hold anything back, this giant golden beast will obviously let me leave.’

’Besides, judging from the expressions of the others, the beast doesn’t even take everything. It leaves a little something behind, and in some cases, most of it.’

With this in mind, Zuo Yi Alliance proactively handed over his Storage Ring, his face full of expectation.

After taking Zuo Yi Alliance’s Storage Ring, Jin Lin ignored his expectant gaze and turned his attention to Luan Hong and his two companions.

"You three. Hand over your treasures."

"Us?"

Luan Hong and his companions were taken aback. It wasn’t their turn yet.

"What? Are you unwilling?" Jin Lin’s golden pupils narrowed as he spoke in a frigid tone.

"No, not at all."

Gritting their teeth, Luan Hong and his companions handed over their Storage Rings one by one, their hearts turning to ice.

’Hmph, you’re just a Demon King. I’ll give you my Storage Ring for now, but once we’re out of here, it won’t be long before the Profound Mystery Sect takes control of this Floating Light Secret Realm. When that happens, our sect’s Martial Kings will come and settle this score with you.’

As a top power on the Dream Realm Plain, the Profound Mystery Sect naturally possessed Tier Seven Martial King Level experts—and more than one. Once the Floating Light Secret Realm fell into the sect’s hands, the next time it opened, the sect’s Martial Kings would surely conduct a thorough sweep of the realm.

This mysterious space with its Soul Beast would not be overlooked. Luan Hong and his companions couldn’t wait to see the look on this Demon King’s face in ten years when it was surrounded by the Martial King experts of their Profound Mystery Sect.

What puzzled Luan Hong and the others was that after taking their Storage Rings, the giant golden beast didn’t ask Ye Xuan for his, nor did it seem to have any intention of letting them leave.

"Lord Demon King, this brat still hasn’t handed over his Storage Ring..."

"Ye Xuan, what are you waiting for? Hand your Storage Ring over to the Lord Demon King."

"Lord Demon King, this man is a genius among us humans. He must have a great many treasures on him."

Luan Hong and his companions felt a surge of anxiety, but not daring to show it, they all began to berate Ye Xuan instead.

"None of you are going anywhere."

Facing their rebukes, Ye Xuan, who had remained silent this whole time, finally revealed a cold sneer.

"What did you say?" Luan Hong and the others were stunned. Ye Xuan’s calm and composed expression gave them a sense of deep unease.

"Did you really think that you four were saved for last by accident?"

Ye Xuan said calmly.

"You..."

The color drained from the faces of Luan Hong and the others, and their hearts sank.

For Ye Xuan to speak so arrogantly, yet for the giant golden beast to have no reaction at all...

’Could he have reached some kind of agreement with the giant golden beast?’

A thought began to dawn on them.

’Yes, that must be it.’

Thinking about the giant golden beast’s temperament, they grew even more certain of their idea and hurriedly cried out, "Lord Demon King, don’t be fooled by this brat..."

"That’s enough, Jin Lin. Come on down," Ye Xuan said calmly to Jin Lin on the altar.

"Yes, Your Highness."

A mocking smile appeared in the giant golden beast’s eyes. In an instant, it transformed into a golden-robed young man and landed respectfully before Ye Xuan.

"Your Highness, no wonder you like to hang around with humans! Haha, that was so much fun! It wasn’t quite enough, though. I really want to do it again," Jin Lin said with an excited laugh as soon as he landed.

In the past, he only knew how to be a tyrant, crushing people with brute force. He would usually just kill any human he saw with a single stomp of his hoof.

But just now, the thrill of controlling the Martial Artists’ lives and deaths while simultaneously giving them hope, allowing them to survive in a state of constant fear, gave Jin Lin a completely different kind of satisfaction.

He’d even felt the urge to tell them the truth, especially when he saw familiar faces like Yun Aoxue and Xia Qixi standing before him, frightened and on edge.

Jin Lin finally understood why His Highness liked to hang around with humans.

’This is way too much fun.’

Your Highness?

Hang around with humans?

While Jin Lin’s expression was one of excitement, Luan Hong and the others had turned pale with fright.

’Listening to the Demon King... could it be that Ye Xuan isn’t human? Is he also a Demon King in human form?’

’No, that’s not right.’

’Although a Profound Beast Demon King can take human form, they are fundamentally different from humans. Whether it’s the demonic attribute of their internal energy or the characteristics of their Soul Thought, both are completely distinct from a human’s Profound Power and Soul Power.’

’Ye Xuan must have used some trick to deceive this giant golden beast.’

"Lord Demon King, don’t let this guy fool you! He’s a human, just like us!"

"Lord Demon King, this man is extremely cunning! If you don’t believe me, just ask around. He was born in the Liuyun Kingdom, part of our Thirteen Nations Alliance."

Luan Hong and his companions were frantic. What they didn’t expect was that, far from making Jin Lin suspicious of Ye Xuan, their words only made him admire his master even more.

’Tsk, tsk. His Highness truly is in a league of his own. To transform into a human so perfectly that even other humans can’t tell... that’s something I couldn’t do even at the peak of my power.’

With this thought, Jin Lin shot Luan Hong and the others an even more disdainful look. ’Do you really take me, Jin Lin, for a fool?’

’His Highness may look completely human, but what human can directly control a Demon Beast?’

’Humans have a profession called Beast Tamer, but those so-called Beast Tamers just use Soul Power to issue simple commands to Demon Beasts. His Highness, on the other hand, directly erased my Soul Thought and took my subordinates from me.’

’That’s something no human is capable of.’