“Being a step ahead does not necessarily mean one should be able to step on his enemy’s head.”

It took some time before Qai decided to appear outside to meet the uninvited guests.

Apparently, he had to make a bit of preparation first.

Meanwhile, just outside the walls, the city lord appeared to be impatient and was about to finally command the rest of the recruited Qi Condensation stage disciples he brought to attack the Array formations when suddenly the restrictions on the doors disappeared.

“The gates are opening!”

As the gate on the walls of the Saints Hall opened, Qai came out mounted on his Spirit Beast Eland.

On each of his sides, the Crag Brothers sat on top of Blood Horses.

Just behind the 3, the Fang young cultivator and Ji Wuheng with Old Ye Mo in the middle also came out each riding Blood Horses as well.

All of them wore the Robe Armor that the old tool refinement master made and were all emitting an aura of fearlessness.

As compared to the hundred of Qi Condensation stage cultivators whom the city lord brought, there were only 7 of them—but 3 were evidently in the mid Foundation Establishment stage.

The city lord was stunned when he saw the number of Foundation Establishment stage cultivators that the Saints Hall had.

Immediately, he felt that his horde of Qi Condensation stage cultivators were useless. However, he was still keeping his own trump card.

When Qai met the city lord in the latter's eyes, he simply smiled.

“You must be the city lord of the Rising Sun City. My name is Qai and it's my pleasure that you came to visit our humble mountain peak. However, I can see that you did not come here with any good intentions.”

The city lord sneered and looked menacingly back at him.

“I came because it appears that your Saints Hall do not value any stability in this area. This mountain belongs to the Rising Sun City’s jurisdiction. You can't just come here and occupy it without this lord’s consent.”

“Well it seems that the city lord failed to see that the bandits had been here for a long time already. If you so love peace and stability, how come you had not exterminated them before. Don't tell me that the bandits were your own people doing the dirty work at your beck and call?”

Of course, Qai just made up the last statement.

He had obviously no proof whatsoever to present with such accusation. He just came up with such an idea since there were lots of similar cases back in his previous life.

However, when Qai saw the city lord’s twitching reaction, it appeared that he had just hit the mark.

Even the city lord’s hired Qi Condensation stage cultivators were surprised when they noticed the city lord’s restlessness.

“You.. You're just a brat who didn't know what's good for you.”

The city lord was infuriated. He did not know how to refute Qai’s words.

“You should just hand the mountain peak to me, leave and save the lives of your men, or die a dog’s death.”

“Hah, and here you are talking about stability. But it looks like you just came for trouble and rob me of my Saints Hall.”

Just as Qai was about to say few more insulting words, the Queen Ant sent him a message.

All of sudden, Qai grinned and looked at the city lord like a dead man.

“Well, your honorable city lord. It appears that you did send a Devil Dao Core Formation stage cultivator in secret as the rumors say. But I was surprised that you also sent a group of Foundation Establishment stage city guards at the back walls of my Saints Hall. No wonder I only see rogue cultivators behind you.”

The city lord’s face sank after hearing Qa’s words. He suddenly felt ominous.

“City lord, I am confused. Tell me, how did you become city lord when you could only come up with such puny schemes!?”

As Qai mocked his uninvited guests, a dozen giant Ants emitting level 5 spiritual Qi energy aura came up crawling on the walls.

They were his Ant Soldiers!

To the city lord and the Qi Condensation stage rogue cultivators, the Spirit Beasts’ strength were threateningly unfathomable.

“Everyone should leave now except for you, our city lord. As you can see, my Saints Hall greatly values stability so we won't hold any grudge against you.”

Qai was actually not yet done speaking when the hundred or so cultivators started fleeing in different directions down the mountains.

Immediately, the Crag Brothers held the city lord in his both arms and dragged the latter inside the Saints Hall.

Inside the main hall, Qai confronted the city lord in front of all the heads of a dozen Foundation Establishment city guards and the Devil Dao cultivators lying on the floor.

A sense of crisis immediately welled up in the city lord.

His captor, the lord of the Saint Hall was just silently looking at him. But if looks could kill, he had long been dead.

Initially, his thoughts were that the Core Formation stage Devil Dao cultivator from whom he sought help was able to flee given his strength and background. He never thought that he would die in just a little time while he and the brat lord of Saints Hall spoke outside the gate.

Finally, he could not make up the entire strength of the Saints Hall.

‘Where did I go wrong!?’

He was about to plead for his life when his thoughts were broken by Qai’s words.

“City lord, as I said I also value stability just like you. So in truth, I came here without the slightest intention of disturbing your position as city lord. However, you came to me with the threat of the army of cultivators. Tell me, if I am not gonna kill you right here, how would you compensate me?”

The city lord did not know if he would believe Qai but at least he could breathe a sigh of relief.

“Y.. young lord, I can give you all the compensation I promised to all of the hired cultivators including them.”

As he said that, he pointed at the heads of the dead city guards and the Devil Dao cultivator.

Qai on the other hand, did not care to look at the direction of the city lord’s hand and simply smiled.

“Do you really believe that your life’s value only amounts to that!?”

The city lord’s face turned pale.

Even if he valued his life so dearly, he did not have much to give—in fact, the funds that he raised for his campaign to invade the Saints Hall was purely based on empty promises and that the fulfillment of which still depended on the success of the supposed spoils should they win.

Qai could see the predicament of the city lord so he raised his hand and gestured to the latter not to say anything more.

“I really don't have any interest in usurping your position. In fact, had you not tried to attack, I wouldn't do anything to you and your city. But I can completely understand your fear so you decided to take the initiative. Perhaps you just didn't see it coming that my Saints Hall has the overwhelming strength than your city.”

Qai paused and took a deep breath before he continued.

“How about this. Give me anything today that is acceptable. And my Saints Hall will forget anything that happened today.”

The city lord was about to smile but then his face twitched when Qai quickly followed his own words up.

“However, I will be exacting a regular tribute of resources from you. I will not care where will you get it as long as you deliver your dues. In return, my Saints Hall can act as something like the protector of the city.”

Qai’s act was exactly what Old Bu did to him.

For the first time, he felt that he had the power to make another fear him.

On the other hand, the city lord’s mind went wild at the proposal.

In his thoughts such outcome only made him and the entire Rising Sun City a subordinate of the Saints Hall.

‘Isn't that just making me your servant!?’