In front of the middle-aged scholar was another cultivator in a blue long robe. His cultivation was only in the fifth-layer Heaven Immortal Realm.

The blue-robed cultivator was not bothered by the middle-aged scholar’s confrontation. He said with a cold grin, “My patience is limited. I’m only giving you five seconds to make your decision.”

The middle-aged scholar waved his hand and said decisively, “I won’t need five seconds. There’s no way I’m paying you a hundred thousand Immortal Stones.”

A loud voice came from the distance before the blue-robed cultivator could speak, “Cultivator, please calm down. Let’s talk peacefully.”

A middle-aged man in a golden armor, whose face had a scar like a centipede. He came from the sky with an overwhelming presence.

It was a Peerless Ruler in the early stage!

“Greetings, island master!”

The blue-robed cultivator and the cultivator in front of Qin Nan immediately dropped to their knees and brought their fists together respectfully.

The middle-aged scholar’s expression sank.

Were they going to use violence now?

“Cultivator, it’s a misunderstanding. This island is actually a claimed property, and it belongs to me now. That being said, I didn’t take it with force. The Mystical Ruins have granted it to me.”

The island master smiled, “Cultivator, it might be your first time to the First Immortal Realm, hence you might not know that the Mystical Ruins is one of the strongest factions along the boundary of the First Immortal Realm. The Sacred Ocean Realm is under their jurisdiction too.”

Besides, the Mystical Ruins have bestowed many islands across the Sacred Ocean Realm to different people. Any Heaven Immortals and Peerless Rulers who were visiting the islands must follow the rules.”

“Otherwise, you will be considered disrespecting the Mystical Ruins!”

The island master pointed his finger in a direction. Both the middle-aged scholar and Qin Nan followed it.

They spotted a figure standing on the street in the distance. The person was emitting a strong aura. It was a Peerless Ruler in the Greater Success Stage!

“Therefore, my friend, paying a hundred thousand Immortal Stones is part of the rules here. I hope you understand.”

The island master calmly brought his fists together.

“I see, it was a misunderstanding indeed. I hope island master and this fellow can forgive my misbehavior. I will pay the Immortal Stones now.”

The middle-aged scholar took out a storage bag with an ashamed look.

“Cultivator, you’ve misunderstood again. You will only need to pay my disciples a hundred thousand Immortal Stones, but if I’m asking for it, you will have to pay two hundred thousand Immortal Stones instead.”

The island master remained smiling.

The blue-robed cultivator and the cultivator in front of Qin Nan wore a mocking grin.

The cultivators on the street shook their heads upon realizing what was going on.

The island master might look friendly on the surface, but he was extremely cunning on the inside. Many among them had fallen for it too.

Two hundred thousand Immortal Stones?”

The middle-aged scholar’s expression s.h.i.+fted. He was only a rogue cultivator who did not indulge in mischiefs like robbing people. Two hundred thousand Immortal Stones were everything he had.

“Hmm, I feel like two hundred thousand is too cheap still. You will have to pay me three hundred thousand instead.”

The island master’s smile widened.

“You…you are clearly picking on me!” the middle-aged scholar’s face turned ashen.

“No no no…”

The island master waved his hand and said, “I’m not picking on you. I’m the island master here, so I get to decide the rules as I please. It’s just the way it is. Oh, yes, you will have to pay me four hundred thousand Immortal Stones now.”

“If you don’t have enough Immortal Stones, you may trade your belongings too. Of course, if you’re not willing to pay, I will have no choice but to make you leave the island and have a taste of the Soul-Devouring Storm.”

The middle-aged scholar’s eyes widened. He lifted his gaze.

In his vision, the gray storm connecting the ocean and the sky was approaching like a tide of ancient beasts. It was extremely close to the island. He could not help but feel minuscule before it.

The middle-aged scholar’s face fell even paler.

Even though it was his first time coming to the First Immortal Realm, he was well aware of how deadly the Soul-Devouring Storm was. Even some Peerless Rulers in the early stage or the Greater Success Stage were left with no remains after trying to resist it with force, let alone an eighth-layer Heaven Immortal like him.

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The island master did not say any word further after seeing the man’s reaction. He turned to Qin Nan and smiled, “Cultivator, you haven’t paid the Immortal Stones too, right? Since you weren’t causing a scene, you will only need to pay three hundred ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine Immortal Stones instead.”

Qin Nan remained calm.

He extremely disliked the people that abused their power.

However, it did not necessarily mean he was going to start a fight. After all, the island master was indeed in charge of the island. It was still part of the rule even if he was asking for a million Immortal Stones.

“I…I…”

The middle-aged scholar was trembling.

Despite how unwilling he was, he had no choice but to give away his Immortal Stones and two valuable artifacts under the circ.u.mstances.

It was more important to stay alive.

“Cultivator, fate has brought us together. You won’t have to pay. I will help you cross the Soul-Devouring Storm,” Qin Nan said with a calm smile. He liked the middle-aged scholar’s personality.

However, the island master, the middle-aged scholar, and the cultivators on the street were startled when they heard the words.

They all burst into laughter after some time.

“HAHAHA!”

“What did that guy just say? Did he just claim he can cross the Soul-Devouring Storm?”

“What an idiot, even a peak Peerless Ruler would only have a fifty percent chance to cross the Soul-Devouring Storm with force, not to mention he was bringing another person along too!”

“Tsk tsk, this Soul-Devouring Storm has consumed the remains of countless experts, yet why are so many people trying to get themselves killed still every year?”

The cultivators on the street were wearing disdainful looks.

The middle-aged scholar blurted out upon collecting his thoughts, “Cultivator, this Soul-Devouring Storm…”

The island master interrupted in a disdainful tone before he could finish, “If you can cross the Soul-Devouring Storm while bringing him along, I will give you a million Immortal Stones!”

Qin Nan raised his brows and said, “Are you being serious?”

The island master placed his hands behind his back and smiled, “I am the island master, of course I’m being serious! However, if you change your mind, you will have to pay a million Immortal Stones to take shelter on my island!”

“Deal!”

Qin Nan did not want to waste his time any further. He grabbed the middle-aged scholar and flew toward the Soul-Devouring Storm.

From afar, it looked like a little boat was going up against an entire ocean. The difference between them was too obvious.

The island master and the cultivators on the island were startled once again.

They did not expect the skinny scholar to act so decisively!