“Gongzi Jiao knew we were from the Refining Spirit Sect, yet he spoke rudely, acted indecently, and forcibly tried to abduct someone. How will the City Lord deal with him?” Qian Duoduo asked.
“The City Lord has his own way of dealing with things. I don’t know.”
“Since you don’t know how the City Lord will deal with him, and you are just the Jing Zhanggui of this Fubo Restaurant, not an official of this city, why are you standing up for him?” Yu Yixiang retorted.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please don’t make things difficult for me,” Jing Zhanggui said with a bitter smile.
“You’re standing up for him, nothing more than because you’re under the City Lord’s jurisdiction, nothing more than because your strength surpasses ours,” Yu Yixiang sneered.
“Jing Zhanggui, it seems you still understand right from wrong. However, if you act again, don’t blame us for not respecting you.” Qian Duoduo pulled Yu Yixiang. “Let’s go.”
Jing Zhanggui retreated three steps, still firmly blocking the door.
“Is Jing Zhanggui planning to get involved in this mess?” Yu Yixiang asked.
“Gongzi Jiao was injured in front of me; I can’t ignore it.” Jing Zhanggui moved his hand, and the air in the hall began to compress.
Qian Duoduo and Yu Yixiang exchanged a glance, then shot three Yin Yang Spring Breeze Scissors at Jing Zhanggui. Yu Yixiang’s silver sword flashed, simultaneously sending out three streaks of sword light that slashed straight at him.
Holding the Golden Rooster Sword, Qian Duoduo and Yu Yixiang charged forward side by side.
Jing Zhanggui caught one Yin Yang Spring Breeze Scissors and dodged the other two. While dodging, he had no choice but to clear the path.
“Stop these two bumpkins! Stop them!” Seeing them about to escape the Fubo Restaurant, Gongzi Jiao stomped his feet and shouted.
“Ding.” Qian Duoduo turned back and sent out another Yin Yang Spring Breeze Scissors, which precisely struck his throat. Gongzi Jiao tried to shout but couldn’t, swayed, and fell straight backward.
Jing Zhanggui was greatly alarmed and quickly went to support Gongzi Jiao.
As soon as Qian Duoduo and Yu Yixiang reached the City Lord’s Mansion plaza, a figure swiftly approached from behind, blocking them.
It was still Jing Zhanggui. His forehead was sweating, and he said with a grim face, “Gongzi Jiao is dead. Gongzi Jiao was the City Lord’s only son. Things have escalated.”
At this moment, bells and drums rang throughout Kongfang City. Since it was neither dawn nor dusk, the simultaneous ringing of bells and drums signified a city-wide alert.
If they didn’t leave now, they wouldn’t be able to. Qian Duoduo and Yu Yixiang held nothing back, launching a fierce attack on Jing Zhanggui together.
Yu Yixiang’s silver sword soared into the air, five silver swords merging into one, shooting towards Jing Zhanggui. Qian Duoduo activated the Turning Stone into Gold Art, and the Golden Rooster Sword moved as fast as golden threads.
Under the fierce assault, Jing Zhanggui continuously retreated but never left, sticking to them from behind.
Seeing that they couldn’t get away, Qian Duoduo took out a Cold Flame Pure Snow Spear and threw it at Jing Zhanggui.
Jing Zhanggui dodged to the side, and Qian Duoduo silently uttered, “Explode.”
“Boom,” a huge wave engulfed Jing Zhanggui.
Qian Duoduo and Yu Yixiang held hands, accelerating their steps, and rushed straight to the North Gate. There was a Restriction in the city, preventing sword flight.
Upon reaching the North Gate, the Yilie Cultivators guarding it were already standing by in full battle array. Inside and outside the gate, there were at least twenty Cultivators at each gate.
“Charge!” Yu Yixiang let out a low cry.
As soon as they approached the North Gate, several Yilie Cultivators aimed their spears at them and sternly shouted, “The entire city is under martial law. No entry, no exit.”
Taking a deep breath, Qian Duoduo and Yu Yixiang were about to force their way through. A figure landed below the North Gate tower, grabbing at them, and they immediately became immobile, like dried fish on a chopping board.
The Yilie Cultivators guarding the gate saluted in unison, “Greetings, City Lord.”
This figure was naturally the City Lord, Jiao Yuefei. He was tall, with graying temples and unusually large ears. Looking at Qian Duoduo and Yu Yixiang, his entire body trembled, and his eyes blazed with fury. This aura was clearly that of a Nascent Soul Great Perfection Realm.
“The Refining Spirit Sect has gotten ambitious, daring to cause trouble in Kongfang City.” Jiao Yuefei snorted, “A life for a life. You just killed my son and severely injured Jing Zhanggui of Fubo Restaurant. Even if Niu Jinshui himself came, he wouldn’t be able to save your lives.”
He exerted force with his right hand, and Qian Duoduo and Yu Yixiang immediately felt the pressure on their bodies growing heavier and heavier. Qian Duoduo smelled a strong aura of death and was about to crush the jade pendant given by Zhangzuo Dajiu when he suddenly heard a voice shout—
“Wait!”
Following the voice, a scruffy middle-aged man landed between the City Lord and Qian Duoduo. It was none other than Master Wang, the President of the Refining Association.
On a distant street, hundreds of Cultivators craned their necks to watch the commotion at the city gate.
Qian Duoduo and Yu Yixiang felt the pressure on their bodies lighten and breathed a sigh of relief.
“City Lord, these are people from my Refining Association. How to deal with them, you should ask for my opinion, right?”
Master Wang winked at Qian Duoduo. Qian Duoduo took out his Third-Rank Refiner token and robe and handed them to Master Wang.
Master Wang gestured towards the North Gate, “City Lord, please verify if they are authentic.”
A Yilie Cultivator took the token and robe, examined them, and nodded to Jiao Yuefei, “Reporting to the City Lord. The items are real. Jin Buhuan, a Third Grade High-Level Artifact Refiner.”
“Third Grade, High-Level.” Jiao Yuefei lightly patted the city wall, “No wonder you dared to kill and commit violence in Kongfang City. However, this won’t save your life. Artifact Refiners of the Refining Association must also abide by the city’s rules. Those who kill shall die.”
“Doesn’t the City Lord want to ask why we killed him?” Yu Yixiang said loudly.
“Why?” After a long pause, Jiao Yuefei asked.
“Gongzi Jiao wanted me to leave the Refining Spirit Sect and follow him. When I refused, he tried to forcibly abduct me.” Yu Yixiang’s face was flushed, but her voice was not low.
“He just felt close to you and was joking,” Jiao Yuefei sneered. “You killed someone over a joke?”
“This wasn’t a joke!” Qian Duoduo roared. “This was rude behavior, bullying men and women. Does the City Lord’s Young Master have such a privilege?”
“No matter what, my son is dead, and you are still alive,” Jiao Yuefei said coldly after a moment of silence.
Master Wang smiled and looked up, “City Lord, you must also be reasonable. The city’s rules are set by the higher-ups, and everyone must abide by them, including the City Lord.”
He turned and shouted to the onlookers, “Boss Han, since you’re here, say a few words too, lest the City Lord thinks I’m opposing him.”
“Cough.” From the crowd, a tall, thin middle-aged man slowly walked out. His robe seemed ordinary, but from the side, one could see it was densely embroidered with golden threads. A calculating abacus hung at his waist, and its beads were actually made of hao gold.
The only one Master Wang would call Boss Han was Han Shunwen of the Money House.
Han Shunwen slowly and methodically bowed to Jiao Yuefei on the North Gate and said, “These two Inner Sect Disciples of the Refining Spirit Sect acted somewhat rashly, but there was a reason for it, so they cannot be sentenced to death yet.”
Jiao Yuefei threw his head back and laughed heartily, then leaned down and said to Master Wang and Han Shunwen, “Since when did Master Wang and Boss Han join forces, wanting to take over Kongfang City?”
Master Wang repeatedly waved his hands, “We never thought of that. We can’t bear the burden of being City Lord. It’s just that the city’s rules were set by the higher-ups, and everyone must abide by them, including the City Lord.”
Han Shunwen picked up his abacus and swung it back and forth twice, “Exactly. Kongfang City is not the private property of the Jiao Family. No matter how well one calculates, one cannot turn public into private or abuse power for personal gain.”
Jiao Yuefei’s face flushed red then turned pale. After thinking for a long time, he said, “Very well, a murder case occurred in the city, one dead and one severely injured. As the City Lord, I have the responsibility to investigate the truth. I can take these suspects—the two from the Refining Spirit Sect—into Jail for detailed interrogation, can’t I?”
“This—” Han Shunwen looked at Master Wang, and the abacus in his hand stopped clattering.
Qian Duoduo and Yu Yixiang also looked at him. If they were locked up in Jail by Jiao Yuefei, they didn’t know what tricks he would play.
But one thing was certain: it wouldn’t end well for them.