Chapter 631 - 629: You Dare to Glare at Me

「Xingyuan City, City Lord’s Mansion.」

The current City Lord was Feng Qi.

In the Tang Kingdom, the true nobility were those with the surname Tang. Many of the kingdom’s City Lords were even members of the Tang clan.

For Feng Qi, a man with an outside surname, to have attained the position of Xingyuan City’s City Lord meant that, aside from his powerful Cultivation, he was also quite capable in his own right.

Xingyuan City, however, was a very special place.

Because it was home to the two great Artifact Refining Families, the Zuo Family and the Han Family, being the City Lord of Xingyuan City was no easy task.

After all, the Zuo Family and the Han Family were not subject to the City Lord’s Mansion’s control. They were powers that existed beyond its rules.

Much like factions such as the Treasure Elephant Pavilion and the Alchemy Master Guild, they remained aloof and independent.

In such a complex situation, for Feng Qi to have secured his position as City Lord, he naturally had a few tricks up his sleeve.

"Report."

Just as Feng Qi was contemplating matters concerning Xingyuan City, a guard suddenly rushed in.

Feng Qi frowned. "What is it? Why the panic?"

The guard hurriedly said, "Reporting to the City Lord! Someone has killed one of our men from the City Lord’s Mansion!"

As he spoke, several people were already carrying a corpse inside.

It was none other than the ten-man squad captain, Wang Mian.

In that instant, Feng Qi’s expression turned grim.

He turned to look at Lu Xing, the Guard Captain of the City Lord’s Mansion’s guards.

"Lu Xing, what happened?" he asked.

As the Guard Captain in charge of all the guards in the City Lord’s Mansion, Lu Xing held great power.

He was also one of Feng Qi’s most favored men.

He immediately stepped forward and said, "City Lord, I’ve already had someone investigate. Wang Mian’s older brother, Wang Ba, opened an Artifact Refining Workshop to sell Magical Treasures."

"However, an Artifact Refining Workshop called Chenxi Pavilion recently opened, and its booming business drew Wang Ba’s ire. During a dispute, Wang Ba’s hand was broken by them."

"Furious, Wang Ba sought out his younger brother, Wang Mian, to get revenge. As a result, he was killed by the people from Chenxi Pavilion."

Lu Xing didn’t lie. He reported the facts and awaited the City Lord’s decision.

Hearing this, Feng Qi’s frown deepened.

"Regardless of the grievances, and regardless of who was right or wrong, daring to kill one of our men from the City Lord’s Mansion is something that absolutely cannot be tolerated."

"Who are these people? Have you investigated?"

Lu Xing nodded. "We have. They’re from out of town and haven’t been here long."

"They don’t have any powerful backing, either."

He made sure to emphasize that Chenxi Pavilion had no backing.

In truth, the fact that someone had killed a man from the City Lord’s Mansion—and a member of his own guard unit at that—already displeased Lu Xing greatly.

After all, the guards were the protectors of the City Lord’s Mansion.

If one of them was killed and the matter wasn’t pursued, it would only lead more and more people to believe the City Lord’s Mansion was powerless.

He immediately declared in a loud voice, "City Lord, this Chenxi Pavilion is new here and doesn’t know the rules. We must teach them a lesson."

"Let them feel the might of our City Lord’s Mansion."

"Besides, Xingyuan City has been a bit chaotic recently. We can use Chenxi Pavilion to make an example of them."

Feng Qi nodded, fully agreeing with Lu Xing’s words.

"Killing a man from our City Lord’s Mansion is a capital offense."

"Go. Bring me the one who did the killing."

"Throw him into the Death Prison. Tomorrow, he will be publicly beheaded on Celestial Water Street."

Lu Xing nodded. "Yes, City Lord."

With that, Lu Xing and the others withdrew from the main hall of the City Lord’s Mansion.

Without another word, Lu Xing returned to his quarters and shouted, "Men! Summon Deputy Guard Captain Chen Lian!"

Chen Lian was Lu Xing’s subordinate.

To arrest the people from Chenxi Pavilion, Lu Xing felt there was no need for him to act personally.

After all, he had made inquiries. The person from Chenxi Pavilion had a Cultivation of Martial Master Seventh or Eighth Heaven at most. There was no need for him to make a big fuss.

His deputy, Chen Lian, was more than enough for the job.

Before long, a tall man clad in armor strode in.

"Sir, you were looking for me?"

Lu Xing nodded. "Go to a place on Celestial Water Street called Chenxi Pavilion. Arrest everyone there and throw them into the Death Prison."

"Tomorrow, they will be publicly beheaded on Celestial Water Street."

"Yes, Sir."

Although Chen Lian was Lu Xing’s subordinate, his Cultivation was at Martial King First Heaven, making him one of Lu Xing’s most capable men.

He took a hundred-man squad and headed straight for Celestial Water Street.

Because of Xiao Jun’s killing, no one dared to enter Chenxi Pavilion to buy anything anymore.

Everyone kept their distance.

Mr. Qiu Shui and the others noticed this as well. They knew that the people from the City Lord’s Mansion would likely be arriving soon.

Sure enough, after a short while, a great commotion could be heard from outside.

"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG..."

The sound of heavy footsteps and clashing Iron Armor drew closer.

Xiao Jun glanced out from the doorway.

Just as expected, he saw a large contingent from the City Lord’s Mansion approaching with imposing momentum.

As the Deputy Guard Captain, Chen Lian’s gaze was incredibly sharp.

He swiftly led his men to the front of Chenxi Pavilion on Celestial Water Street.

"Surround the place!"

"Don’t let even a fly escape!"

Chen Lian roared.

A hundred robust guards completely surrounded Chenxi Pavilion.

This was a hundred-man squad, different from the ten-man squad Wang Mian had led. Besides their captain, Chen Lian, who was a Martial King First Heaven himself, the other squad leaders were all experts at Martial Master Fifth Heaven or above.

They were not to be underestimated.

Seeing this, the crowd had long since scattered in panic, fleeing to watch Chenxi Pavilion from a great distance.

Even Cao Huai and many other nearby shopkeepers watched Chenxi Pavilion with schadenfreude.

"Heh, look. That’s Deputy Guard Captain Chen Lian."

"Chen Lian is a Martial King First Heaven expert. Chenxi Pavilion is definitely finished this time."

"I have to say, the people at Chenxi Pavilion are truly brainless. Daring to kill someone from the City Lord’s Mansion in Xingyuan City... not even King Yama could save them now."

Recalling the scene where Jiang Chen had rejected them before, Cao Huai and the others sneered.

At that moment, Chen Lian, holding a gleaming broadsword, took the lead and strode toward Chenxi Pavilion.

A dozen or so guards followed behind him.

"WHOOSH..."

In an instant, the dozen or so guards rushed into Chenxi Pavilion.

Chen Lian’s authoritative gaze swept across the interior of Chenxi Pavilion.

He saw seven or eight people inside.

A cold glint immediately flashed in his eyes.

"Everyone from Chenxi Pavilion, listen up."

"I am Chen Lian, Deputy Guard Captain of the City Lord’s Mansion."

"Now, do not resist. Surrender peacefully."

"Otherwise, you will all be killed without mercy."

His gaze was fierce. As a Deputy Guard Captain, Chen Lian had killed many people in Xingyuan City, and his entire being exuded a terrifying killing intent that would make ordinary people’s legs tremble.

He intended to intimidate the people of Chenxi Pavilion the moment he entered.

But as his words fell, he saw that every single person in Chenxi Pavilion was perfectly calm.

Those who were standing remained standing, and those who were sitting remained seated. One even had his arms crossed, watching him like a tiger stalking its prey.

Chen Lian felt that this was a provocation.

Especially that young man in the straw hat, who was even giving him a sidelong glance, as if he wanted to beat him up.

This made Chen Lian instantly explode with rage.

"You dare to glare at me?"