The extravagantly accessorized man continued to speak, “Surely, this is all a big misunderstanding. The Yi Yang Group is one of the most prestigious organizations in the whole of Flying Wind Province.”

Oh, so he’s here to bail them out.

The large crowd of people looked at the City Lord with varying shades of anger and worry. The regular citizens, and most of the others in the crowd for that matter, were beholden to the City Lord. All it took was one word from him to retake their properties and exile them from Ten Copper City. Owning property and receiving the protection of the city guards was a privilege, not a right. This is a world ruled by the strong, and the City Lord’s words were like iron rules.

Zhu Jiao instantly lost her combative attitude and turned to face the City Lord with a big alligator tears already running from her eyes, “Sir, Great Sir! You’re finally here! These bad guys have been ruining the perfect reputation of your City. We.. we…”

She sniffled and wiped the big tears rolling down her cheeks, “I’m so happy you can finally save us now. Those baddies are tricking people’s kids and using them to bully the parents. You’re the only one that can help the children.”

Zhu Jiao had instantly shifted the City Lord to the defensive. Surely, he could take a hard stance and support the Yi Yang Group, but then it would show that he doesn’t value justice. There were plenty of City Lords who didn’t care about justice, only their own profit. It was now a matter of whether or not Ten Copper City Lord wanted to be seen as righteous in the eyes of the people. While the Ten Copper City Lord was deciding on which side to support, Zhu Jiao pulled a few scrolls out while waving to a few of the people who rushed over from the crowd.

“Here are some of the witnesses who saw the Yi Yang Group members doing evil up close, and here are some documents showing their blatant bullying and deals made through coercion.”

She handed over the scrolls, and the Ten Copper City Lord looked like he couldn’t care less about the witnesses and evidence. Zhu Jiao held up her hands to plead, “Please City Lord, you must review the evidence. All of Ten Copper City depends on it.”

Contrary to her words and even her hand movement that showed she was begging, her eyes carried a sharp glare. The fake tears from earlier all gone now, and she motioned for the City Lord to check the scroll. If it was just a random civilian saying or doing these things, she would already have been arrested. It was only because he knew of this girl and the strength of her Clan that he put on a show of politeness. He opened the scroll and almost immediately he closed it again. His power flared up and the scroll was turned to ash.

“Where did you get this? What do you want?”

The City Lord instantly seemed fearful. He was no longer smiling down at everyone from his lofty position and waiting for them to worship him. Instead he seemed genuinely worried about whatever it was that Zhu Jiao had given him.

“Oh Great City Lord. Please help us to stop these villains. We have them surrounded here, but they own other businesses in your city and your subordinate towns. With your help and connections, we can kick them out of Flying Wind Province.”

The City Lord was not happy. He’d come here to break up this situation for the promise of a sizable fee from the Yi Yang Group. He had even started making plans on how to use this event to extort the citizens that were involved. Now, instead of making money he was being blackmailed into using his connections to assist these people. The look that girl from the Zhu Clan was giving him, made him give up thoughts of double crossing them. Since he’d thought that far, he might as well turn a profit.

“Ten Copper City cannot overlook the plight of its people. How ashamed I am that such villains were running free in my city without anyone realizing the terrible things they were doing. As the City Lord, I cannot condone the existence of a group of villains. Guards, seal the city gates and seize all the properties and businesses of the Yi Yang Group!”

The array formations around the Yi Yang Group’s manor suddenly doubled in intensity. Like a show of their anger at losing in the exchange. They didn’t know what dirt the Zhu Clan girl had on the City Lord, but it must have been substantial for the man to not even negotiate terms with the girl before betraying the agreement with them. The huge group outside their doors stopped them from rushing out to save all their businesses, so the City Lord was free to confiscate all of their property and resources. He could take back the land anytime he wanted anyway, this was just a perfect excuse to rob the Yi Yang Group blind. The City Lord was just hoping he could at least earn enough to make up for the amount the Yi Yang Group was going to pay him.

Now that things had come this far the Yi Yang Group didn’t have any other ‘peaceful resolutions’ for this problem. They were a group that accomplished their goals by manipulating others, and they’d been bested by the maneuvering of that Zhu Clan girl. The doors of their manor swung open again, and soldiers rushed out. Each of them wore large dark cloaks and black helmets that covered their faces. The group charged into the crowd without saying a word. The many mercenaries and rogue cultivators readied themselves and brandished their weapons.

Instead of the loud clash of weapons that everyone was expecting there was only the sick sound of flesh being sliced, and blood spilling to the ground. The cloaked soldiers from the Yi Yang Group had avoided the cultivators in the crowd and swung their weapons at the normal civilians. Most of them also suffered injuries from the mercenaries and rogue cultivators that they’d tried to avoid, but in return they rampaged into the crowd like killing machines. Before the cultivators in the crowd realized what was happening, hundreds were already dead. Most of the black cloaked soldiers killed a dozen each before they were taken down from behind, not even caring to defend themselves in order to slay a few more of the citizens.

The Yi Yang Group showed its teeth.

Compared to the rest of the crowd, not one of the black cloaked men had made it past her and the ones in the crowd that Sage had identified as her men. Instead, the girl was fuming and she nearly screamed her anger at the Yi Yang Group, “You cursed toad, Yue Xiaqing! I know this is your doing, you three legged witch! As soon as you start losing you always flip the table. Do you think any man will ever love you? No one will ever marry you and your little tantrums.”

What does any of this have to do with that girl being loved and married?

The thought had barely entered his head before he found out that Zhu Jiao really knew how to push that Yue girl’s buttons. The girl with the risque outfit pushed open a window and started to scream even as three different pairs of hands tried to pull her back inside.

“Zhu Jiao! You dare to be named ‘lovely’, when you can’t even pick out a better dress than Jia Ling’s ten year old sister! You’re the one who’s going to be an Old Maid, not me!”

Zhu Jiao sneered back at the window and screamed her own rebuttal, “Hah! You’re so revolting, Toad. Nobody wants you! I had so many suitors that I couldn’t fight them all off. You’re the one who’s going to die alone, I’m already engaged!”