Chapter 574: Hostage Exchange

"Reason?" Ge Puzi said calmly. "The reason is we want to get our people back sooner and reduce their suffering at your hands. Is that reason enough? On the other hand, Sect Master Tang Zhao doesn't seem to care about his own subordinates at all, arriving so late. Your intentions are truly hard to fathom."

Seeing Ge Puzi and Tang Zhao clash the moment they met, everyone felt a headache coming on.

"Fine." A chilling smile played on Tang Zhao's lips. "Since Vice Director Ge insists, then so be it. Everyone, my Profound Mystery Sect is not an unreasonable party. Men, bring Luo Min and the others up here."

"Yes, sir!"

Soon, the two Martial Kings behind Tang Zhao withdrew. A short while later, they returned, escorting Luo Min and Luo Xiang.

The two of them were covered in blood, looking utterly wretched, haggard, and thin. Luo Min's aura was faint, yet surprisingly, he had broken through to the Tier Seven Martial King level.

"Young Master Ye."

Seeing Ye Xuan, the two of them cried out emotionally, tears mixing with blood as they streamed down their faces.

"On your knees!" The two Profound Mystery Sect Martial Kings kicked the backs of their knees. With a thud, both men were forced to their knees, collapsing wretchedly to the ground.

"Young Master Ye, don't worry about us! Don't agree to any of their conditions!" Luo Min roared in fury.

"Damn it!"

Ye Xuan's fists clenched tightly, his eyes blazing with murderous intent.

"I've brought your men. Now, where are mine?" Tang Zhao said coldly.

"Xuan Ye, Elder Dong, bring our prisoners over," Ge Puzi said coolly.

"Yes, sir!"

Ye Xuan and Elder Dong exchanged a glance and quickly departed. Only a moment later, they returned to the front of the Profound Mystery Sect's residence.

Before them, Duan Tianlang, Leng Wuji, and Evil Kill were herded forward, their bodies pierced by Profound Chains, treated like common cattle.

"You..."

A cold glint flashed through Tang Zhao's eyes.

"Sect Master."

Duan Tianlang, Evil Kill, and the others lowered their heads, their faces etched with shame.

"On your knees."

Ye Xuan ordered coldly, kicking the backs of their knees. THUD. All three of them dropped to their knees in unison.

He used the same tactic on the three of them that the Profound Mystery Sect had just used on Luo Min and Luo Xiang.

Tang Zhao's gaze sharpened, and a vicious light flashed within it.

He flicked his hand. PFFT! Luo Min and Luo Xiang both spat out a mouthful of blood simultaneously.

Ye Xuan's gaze faltered.

Tang Zhao silently moved to stand beside Luo Min and Luo Xiang. "Young man," he said coldly, "do you still want these two to live?"

A mocking smile touched Ye Xuan's lips. "The great Sect Master of the Profound Mystery Sect... are these petty tricks all you have? Besides..."

With a THUMP, Ye Xuan kicked Duan Tianlang in the back, forcing him to spray a mouthful of blood. Ye Xuan narrowed his eyes. "If you can do it, you think I can't?"

"Brat, I'll tear you limb from limb!" Duan Tianlang roared, his body trembling with pain and rage.

"Shut up."

Ye Xuan ordered coldly, slapping Duan Tianlang so hard across the face that he spat out blood and began to cough uncontrollably.

Tang Zhao's voice was ice. "Brat, you've gone too far."

"Some people are just too noisy. If you don't teach them a lesson, they don't know how to shut up."

Ye Xuan said coolly, planting his foot on Duan Tianlang's back.

Everyone stared blankly at the scene, their eyelids twitching uncontrollably.

To treat the Vice Sect Master of the Profound Mystery Sect like an animal right in front of the sect's own master—everyone couldn't help but be in awe of Ye Xuan's sheer audacity. He was practically begging for death.

"Brat, you've gone too far."

Tang Zhao barked coldly. He raised his hand, and an invisible wave of Profound Power surged out, seizing Luo Min and Luo Xiang and lifting them into the air.

"Aargh!"

Their faces turned deep red and twisted in agony. They struggled, as if invisible hands were strangling them.

Ye Xuan's eyes went cold. "I thought we were here for a hostage exchange," he said lightly. "What do you think you're doing?"

Tang Zhao replied coldly, "We are, but in light of what you've done to my Vice Sect Master, I've decided to teach them a lesson first."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Tang Zhao flicked his finger.

PFFT!

A spray of blood erupted from Luo Min's chest. An invisible bolt of Profound energy had pierced him, leaving a finger-sized hole. He screamed violently, his entire body convulsing in agony.

"Young Master Ye, don't worry about me! Get out of here! These bastards...!"

He struggled to roar out the words, his face turning purple with the effort and pain.

'Damn it all!'

Ye Xuan was filled with a towering rage, as if a fire was burning inside him. His gaze became terrifyingly dark.

SHIIING!

As everyone's eyelids twitched in shock, he abruptly drew the Dictator Sword from his back. Without a word, a brilliant flash of sword light descended.

SPLAT!

Blood flew. To everyone's horror, Ye Xuan's Dictator Sword swept across Evil Kill's neck. Evil Kill clearly hadn't anticipated this outcome; his eyes were wide with terror as his head flew into the air. A fountain of blood sprayed several meters high from his neck.

"You harm one of my men, I kill one of yours."

Ye Xuan's voice was glacial.

THUD. THUD.

A head rolled across the ground. Evil Kill's eyes were wide, frozen in a look of disbelief, unable to rest in peace.

He could never have imagined that he would die here just as he was about to be saved.

But even more shocked were the onlookers.

"Evil Kill!"

From the Profound Mystery Sect's side, countless experts roared in fury.

"Sect Master, kill them! Kill them both!" they roared, gesturing furiously toward Luo Min and Luo Xiang.

Tang Zhao's gaze was deathly cold as he stared fixedly at Ye Xuan.

"You can kill them," Ye Xuan said with a savage grin, "but then Duan Tianlang and Leng Wuji will die too."

"You think I don't dare?" Tang Zhao's voice was glacial, his gaze cold, and a vein bulged on his forehead.

Ye Xuan shook his head and let out a short, derisive laugh. "Oh, you dare. I know you do. But it's not worth it, is it?"

Tang Zhao's heart skipped a beat. 'This young man, who can't be more than twenty, is chillingly ruthless.'

'It's true,' he thought. 'I could kill them. But it wouldn't be worth it. Trading their two lives for Vice Sect Master Duan Tianlang and the others is a losing proposition.'

'But if I back down now, it means I, the great Sect Master of the Profound Mystery Sect, am yielding to a mere boy. I would lose all face.'

At that thought, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"Stop! Both of you, stop!"

At this point, the experts from the other major powers could no longer stand by and watch. Seeing the killing intent emanating from Tang Zhao intensify, they quickly intervened.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Waves of terrifying pressure washed over everyone present, blanketing the area.

"Gentlemen, don't forget the purpose of your meeting today."

They had invited the Profound Mystery Sect and Gale Light Academy here not to see them kill each other, but to bury the hatchet. At this rate, a bloodbath would erupt before the hostage exchange was even complete.

The killing intent in Tang Zhao's eyes receded slightly. "I haven't forgotten the purpose of my visit," he said lightly. "But it seems some people from Gale Light Academy have no intention of reconciling."

Vice Sect Master Yan Song of the Nine Yang Sect glanced at Ye Xuan, then said coldly to Ge Puzi, "Brother Ge, isn't your Gale Light Academy disciple a bit too ruthless? Aren't you, as Vice Director, going to rein him in?"

Ge Puzi rolled his eyes and retorted mockingly, "Yan Song, my disciple is the ruthless one? Funny, I saw Tang Zhao make the first move. Or is it that in your eyes, it's perfectly fine when Tang Zhao attacks, but unacceptable when a disciple of my Gale Light Academy retaliates?"

"You..." Yan Song trembled with anger. "Ge Puzi, I'm only trying to help Gale Light Academy!"

Ge Puzi replied coolly, "Then I must thank Brother Yan for his concern."

His flat tone made it clear he couldn't care less about Yan Song's words.

Ye Xuan shoved Duan Tianlang and Leng Wuji forward. "Well, Sect Master Tang Zhao?" he said coldly. "Do you still want to exchange hostages? If not, please say so now, so I know whether these two are still of any use."

Blood dripped from the black Dictator Sword in his hand, the crimson drops landing right in front of Duan Tianlang and Leng Wuji, sending a chill through their hearts.

Ye Xuan's tone and expression made it clear that if Tang Zhao so much as said no, the black sword would fall in an instant and take the miserable lives of Duan Tianlang and Leng Wuji.

"Sect Master, save me," Leng Wuji pleaded, looking at Tang Zhao. His voice was hoarse, and a sense of sorrow welled up in the hearts of the Profound Mystery Sect members as they all turned to look at their Sect Master.

Duan Tianlang remained silent, but his eyes said everything that needed to be said.

It wasn't that they were afraid to die. If there was no hope for survival, they would have faced death without batting an eye. But with a chance to live right in front of them, they naturally didn't want to die for nothing.

For a moment, the atmosphere grew incredibly tense. Tang Zhao's expression was uncertain, killing intent still flickering in his eyes.

"Sect Master Tang Zhao, it's not worth it."

Just then, Yan Song shot Tang Zhao a meaningful glance and said those words.

Tang Zhao let out a long breath, and his icy gaze finally softened. He coldly spat out a single word: "Exchange."

As the word left his lips, he gave a light push with his right hand. With a thud, Luo Min and Luo Xiang dropped from the air and landed at Ye Xuan's feet, their faces purple as they gasped for breath.

"Go on, get out of here."

Ye Xuan released the Profound Chains from Duan Tianlang and Leng Wuji. The two men stumbled and scrambled back toward Tang Zhao.

Ye Xuan quickly helped Luo Min and Luo Xiang to their feet. Several Pills appeared in his hand, and he immediately placed them into their mouths.

"Young Master Ye..."

Luo Min and Luo Xiang said weakly, a flicker of gratitude in their eyes.

Ye Xuan waved his hand. "Don't talk," he said in a low voice. "Focus on absorbing the Pills' energy."

Meanwhile, the Profound Mystery Sect began treating Duan Tianlang and Leng Wuji's injuries.