"These city lords have the right to control a city, they don't value human lives!" the woman said, tightening her grip on the little girl's hand.
"Two of my three children were snatched away by people from other cities... and that City Lord Su can't even protect us."
The woman's voice choked with sobs, "Who is the new city lord, what is their background, what does it have to do with us?"
"We just want to live ordinary, peaceful lives..."
The common people beside them also had their eyes reddened. In recent years, those with ability had already fled to other cities, leaving them with nowhere to go, only to remain in this Black Crow City and suffer hardship.
The little girl looked up at the woman with a bewildered expression, "Mother, I think the new city lord is a good person."
The woman held back her tears, forcing a smile, "You are so smart, little one. The new city lord is also giving us these riches."
Upon hearing this, the little girl looked at Jing Feng, "Big brother, was the sister from before the new city lord?"
Jing Feng crouched down, his voice softening, "Why do you think so?"
The little girl's face, covered in dirt, broke into a pure smile, "Because sister was the first one who didn't shake away my hand!"
Hearing this, Jing Feng's heart felt a pang of sadness.
In truth, the child understood everything. She knew others found her dirty, she knew the malice and disgust in their gazes. She understood it all clearly...
After distributing the wealth and leaving, Jing Feng felt a sense of release. Compared to his initial reluctance to give away the money, he now genuinely wanted to help these ordinary people.
"You're back?" Jiang Ye smirked, "You gave away all the money, didn't you?"
"Yes, it's all gone," Jing Feng smiled at him.
Jiang Ye looked at his smile with surprise, expecting him to be full of regret and heartbroken about his money.
Inside the house, Bai Ran and City Lord Su sat opposite each other.
On the table, a chipped teacup held precious spiritual tea, its steam rising in wisps.
Bai Ran looked down, "Where did you obtain this spiritual tea, City Lord Su?"
He looked at the tea in the cup and chuckled, "This tea was a gift from City Lord Feng. I heard spiritual tea is very precious, so I've been hoarding it all these years, unwilling to drink it."
Bai Ran understood, "How long have you suffered from your leg ailment?"
"About three years," City Lord Su patted his left leg, a hint of melancholy in his eyes. "I haven't been able to afford a doctor all these years, so it's been left untreated."
Bai Ran stared at his leg for a moment, then picked up his teacup and took a sip, "Did City Lord Feng give you the spiritual tea three years ago?"
City Lord Su's eyes widened, "How does benefactor know? City Lord Feng did indeed give me spiritual tea three years ago."
"He brewed a pot back then, and seeing that I liked the taste, he gifted me some."
Bai Ran swirled the teacup, smiling wryly, "Spiritual tea is good, it can nourish spiritual energy and warm the meridians, but if it encounters something, it will fuse into a potent neurotoxin."
City Lord Su's expression turned grim, "What is it?"
"Spiritual spring water," Bai Ran said, shaking his teacup. "This tea leaf was originally soaked in spiritual spring water. After drying, when steeped, it becomes colorless and tasteless, with a rich aroma."
City Lord Su suddenly stood up, his face filled with disbelief, "He wanted to harm me! But why?"
After a moment, he understood. It was to seize Black Crow City...
City Lord Su sat back down, utterly disheartened, his spirit broken.
Bai Ran glanced at him. Fortunately, City Lord Su had been reluctant to drink it. If he had drunk it a few more times, even Yama King wouldn't have been able to save him.
"But benefactor drank it!" City Lord Su suddenly remembered that Bai Ran had just taken a sip!
Bai Ran chuckled, "It's alright, this poison has no effect on me."
"However, there's something else I'm very curious about, and I'd appreciate it if City Lord Su could enlighten me."
City Lord Su nodded, "Benefactor, please ask. I will tell you everything I know."
Bai Ran stared at him intently, "City Lord Xiao, City Lord Feng, why do they ignore other cities and instead show such interest in this barren land?"
If they simply wanted to annex the land of Black Crow City and expand their own territories, wouldn't it be faster to simply kill City Lord Su and take it?
But they hadn't done that. They had chosen to let City Lord Su live, which must mean there was something she didn't know.
At this, City Lord Su became troubled. However, under Bai Ran's gaze, he revealed the truth.
"Alas," he sighed, "Actually, spiritual grasses have always grown within Black Crow City."
This was an unexpected answer for Bai Ran.
"The spiritual grasses are extremely rare, but what lies beneath them is the true treasure."
The thing beneath the spiritual grasses... accelerating the growth of spiritual grass... it was a crystal ore vein!
Bai Ran instantly understood everything. City Lord Su feared other cities eyeing the ore vein, so he would pluck the spiritual grasses as soon as they grew.
Without the guidance of the spiritual grasses, even if they obtained Black Crow City, they wouldn't know the location of the ore vein.
But there were still two points of doubt...
"City Lord Su, since Black Crow City possesses a crystal ore vein, why is it still so impoverished?"
City Lord Su lowered his head, "I wish I could take out some crystals to let the people live better lives, but the entrance to the ore vein is sealed by a formation."
He couldn't find experts from other cities to break the barrier, because once the location of the crystal ore vein was exposed, Black Crow City would be lost forever.
Bai Ran nodded, she understood. "Another point, the other city lords could have killed you and seized Black Crow City, and then waited for the spiritual grasses to grow and find the ore vein."
But why was he still alive and well?
"It's a long story. Years ago, this formation was set up by my grandfather, precisely to prevent people from other cities from coveting it."
City Lord Su continued, "Breaking the formation requires the bloodline of the Su family to channel spiritual energy into it."
If he died, he would be unable to channel spiritual energy into the formation and unseal it.
So that's how it was. Now everything made sense...
City Lord Su not only knew the location of the ore vein, but he also possessed a death exemption token.
"The entire Su family was once so lively, but now, only I remain..." City Lord Su said with a bitter smile.
Bai Ran pursed her lips. The rest of the Su family had likely been killed by other city lords, and he was left alive only to break the formation.
"City Lord Su, would you be willing to take me to see the ore vein?" Bai Ran took a sip of tea.
Looking at her, City Lord Su hesitated. Although benefactor had helped him, he couldn't help but be wary.
What if it was a fake? What if it was all an act carefully orchestrated by her and City Lord Xiao? What would he do then?
His thoughts were written all over his face... Bai Ran glanced at him.
Even without utilizing the ore vein, Black Crow City could still prosper, but she still wanted to tease him a bit.
Bai Ran's eyes glinted playfully, "City Lord Su, you said you would give Black Crow City to me, but that was a lie, wasn't it?"