The shopkeeper clutched his heavily injured back, hissing as he got to his feet, "I am the shopkeeper of the Spiritual Herb Pavilion! Who dares to hit me!"
Jiang Ye impatiently licked his cheek and stepped in front of him, "I did."
Seeing the person before him, the shopkeeper of the Spiritual Herb Pavilion sized him up, "You're dressed quite respectably. Are you some dirty thing from Black Crow City?"
Jiang Ye gritted his teeth, his temples throbbing, clearly suppressing his rage.
He turned to ask Bai Ran for her opinion. Seeing her nod slightly, Jiang Ye clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking.
"Today, I will teach you what it means for words to bring about disaster!"
Without another word, Jiang Ye punched the shopkeeper's plump face. The disgusting sensation made him feel like he was smashing a pile of rotten meat.
"Ahhh! Someone's hitting me! Someone's hitting me!" The shopkeeper's tragic cries echoed through the entire street, attracting more and more onlookers.
This act terrified the citizens of Black Crow City, who nervously scanned their surroundings, fearful that patrolling soldiers would witness the scene.
A woman quietly approached City Lord Su, her eyes filled with panic and unease, "City Lord Su, can you ask him to stop?"
Bai Ran heard the woman's words and gave her a casual glance.
People, once they have knelt for too long, no longer dare to stand up and speak. The citizens of Black Crow City were living proof of this.
However, they were not entirely wrong; fear was a natural human emotion.
City Lord Su comforted the woman, "City Lord Bai is here. She will support you."
Support... The woman tightened her grip on the little girl's hand and looked in Bai Ran's direction, "Is she the new City Lord...?"
It was the girl she had met at the teleportation gate that day. The one who had been sending money and spiritual herbs these past few days. It turned out to be this young girl...
"Stop hitting me! I admit I was wrong! I admit I was wrong, alright!"
The shopkeeper, beaten to the ground, had a face full of bruises. It was clear Jiang Ye had shown no mercy.
Jiang Ye spat, and just as his fist was about to fall again, Bai Ran stepped forward and gently stopped his hand.
"I ask you, are the spiritual herbs real?" Bai Ran's gaze locked onto the shopkeeper of the Spiritual Herb Pavilion, cold and distant.
The shopkeeper shot a fearful glance at Jiang Ye, then shrank his neck and whispered, "Yes."
The surrounding onlookers from Tong Yue City instantly erupted in an uproar.
Seeing the crowd's reaction, the shopkeeper forced himself to add, "Even if the spiritual herbs are real! Who knows if you stole them!"
"We don't want spiritual herbs obtained this way!"
Jiang Ye, on the side, laughed in anger, "What does it matter where the spiritual herbs came from? Can't you even do business anymore?"
The shopkeeper, realizing he had no valid argument, did not answer his question.
Perhaps fearing what might happen, patrolling soldiers happened to pass by and noticed the commotion.
"What are you doing!" the leader of the soldiers shouted at the crowd. The citizens, seeing them, voluntarily made way.
The people of Black Crow City's faces instantly turned grim, and they all panicked, wanting to escape.
Bai Ran ignored the approaching soldiers and turned to the people of Black Crow City, "Leave your spiritual herbs here, on the ground."
She then instructed City Lord Su to lead the citizens away first.
"Benefactor? What about you?" he asked Bai Ran anxiously.
Bai Ran's lips curved into a beautiful arc, "Naturally, I'm going to City Lord Xiao's residence for a cup of tea."
The citizens were very worried about Bai Ran but obediently placed their spiritual herbs down and left with City Lord Su.
"Officer! This person hit me without a word! Look at my face, how can I face anyone!"
The shopkeeper of the Spiritual Herb Pavilion wailed at the leader's feet, tears and snot streaming down his face, appearing quite reasonable.
The leader looked at Jiang Ye, whom the shopkeeper was pointing at, and narrowed his eyes, "You'll have to come with me."
"And him! And her! They are all accomplices of this person!" The shopkeeper pointed out Bai Ran and the others one by one.
"You all come with me!" With a command from the leader, the soldiers beside him moved to apprehend them.
"Bang— Bang— Bang—" The soldiers were instantly knocked to the ground.
The leader's eyes widened, finding the scene before him almost unbelievable. His men were all peak Mahayana stage cultivators, yet these individuals had defeated them with such ease?
"Officer, let's go," Bai Ran said, smiling at him.
So obedient? He stared at Bai Ran with disbelief. For some reason, the leader felt as if he had fallen into a trap looking at her smile.
Along the way, the leader kept looking back at the people following him. This was the first time someone who had been arrested was so well-behaved...
Soon, the group arrived at the entrance of the dungeon.
"Officer, this doesn't seem to be the direction of the City Lord's mansion," Bai Ran said, staring intently at his back.
"Naturally not," the leader turned around, a hint of contempt in his eyes. "If every wrongdoer had to see the City Lord, wouldn't the City Lord be overwhelmed with work?"
Bai Ran lowered her head. As expected, it wouldn't be that smooth...
"There's no other way," she beckoned to Jing Feng. Jing Feng's blade was then placed at the leader's throat.
"Take us to City Lord Xiao's mansion." He twisted his hand, and the sharp blade sliced across the leader's neck, leaving a trail of blood.
The leader's face changed drastically. He stiffened his neck, not daring to move, "You're threatening me!"
Bai Ran let out a contemptuous laugh, her eyes full of mockery, "I am threatening you. What can you do about it? You dirty Tong Yue City person?"
"You!" The leader gritted his teeth, but Jing Feng's blade was still at his throat, and he dared not act rashly.
He took a deep breath, his life still being the most important thing. "I'll take you..."
Under Jing Feng's watchful gaze, the leader began walking towards the City Lord's mansion.
...
"City Lord! City Lord! The captain of the second team is being held by the throat and is heading this way!" A servant ran into the room in a panic.
City Lord Xiao Shi, who was embracing his newly acquired concubine Wang Yu, was reading aloud.
"What's the rush? Bring them in," Xiao Shi smiled at the person in his arms. "Yu'er, wait for your husband here. I'll be right back."
She nodded obediently, "Yes, I will wait for you here."
After leaving the room, Xiao Shi's expression changed instantly. "Hmph! Let's see who dares to be so presumptuous in my Tong Yue City!"
A moment later, he arrived in the hall where guests were received.
He saw Bai Ran and the others sitting unceremoniously in the main seats, pouring themselves tea.
"You! You have no manners!" He was so angry his eyes bulged, staring at Bai Ran, who was being the most audacious.
Bai Ran chuckled and slowly stood up. "You must be City Lord Xiao."
"Indeed!" Xiao Shi walked straight up to Bai Ran, intending to pull her down from the main seat.
"Smack!" Jiang Ye contemptuously grabbed his hand and twisted it hard. Xiao Shi fell to the ground in pain.
Jing Feng and Zhu Que also took their positions at the door, preventing anyone from entering the room.