When Fang Xiuxian was captured, guards had already sent word back to the City Lord Manor, which was why Chen Lou was able to arrive so quickly.
However, when he saw Fang Xiuxian lying unconscious and stark naked, he realized he had still arrived a step too late.
"Qin Xiao, you dare to attack an official of the Celestial Dynasty! You are dead for sure, and no one can protect you."
Chen Lou hurriedly had someone drape a coat over Fang Xiuxian. With spectators gathering in increasing numbers, the priority was to cover up the disgrace.
"City Lord, I have no idea what you are talking about. He cast aside his City Lord Token of his own accord and stripped off his official uniform, declaring that he wanted to settle things with me as an individual. So many people are watching, so do not try to wrongly pin crimes on me."
Qin Xiao naturally showed no fear in the face of Chen Lou's accusations.
"Even so, he remains the Deputy City Lord of Tianyi City. By subjecting him to such humiliation, you are showing utter contempt for the Celestial Dynasty."
Chen Lou himself had never expected Fang Xiuxian to go mad and challenge Qin Xiao strictly in a personal capacity.
"City Lord, you surely do not take me for a fool? He is merely an Acting Deputy City Lord, comparable at best to a guest Elder of a sect. If he were still wearing his official uniform and holding his token, your words might hold some weight. But as an Acting Deputy City Lord without any formal official rank in the Celestial Dynasty, where does this talk of defying the dynasty come from?"
Qin Xiao spoke with reasoned arguments, having already investigated the matter beforehand. Official positions in the Celestial Dynasty were not handed out lightly; these so-called Acting Deputy City Lords merely skirted the edges of authority and held no genuine official status.
"Then your public brawl still violates the rules. The Celestial Dynasty dictates that no one may engage in armed conflict within the city under any circumstances, giving me, as City Lord, the full authority to arrest you."
Finding his other excuses failing, Chen Lou shifted the grounds to their physical altercation.
"City Lord, you are mistaken at the root. There was no armed conflict here. Did you see me strike him? Do you see a single injury on his body? Stripping off someone's clothes can hardly be counted as armed conflict. At worst, it merely offended everyone's eyes, but no matter-I am quite willing to compensate the onlookers. As long as the people present have no objections, it can hardly be called a grave matter. Besides, Fang Xiuxian bears some blame himself, seeing as he was the main participant."
Qin Xiao had also walked the line, converting a public affair into a private dispute so that the City Lord Manor had no right to interfere. If vengeance was to be sought, it was up to Fang Xiuxian himself; what business did Chen Lou have leaping about?
"Everyone, anyone whose eyes were offended may come forward to collect ten Low Grade Spirit Stones. Everyone present gets a share!"
Qin Xiao raised his voice to address the surrounding onlookers.
"I want some! I can testify that Deputy City Lord Fang challenged this young master in a strictly personal capacity!"
"I can testify as well. It truly has nothing to do with this young master."
"I can bear witness too."
"I also testify."
At the mention of free Spirit Stones, the crowd of onlookers immediately voiced their support for Qin Xiao.
"My thanks to you all. Let's add five more-fifteen Spirit Stones per person!"
Qin Xiao's objective was simple: overwhelm them with wealth. As long as the common people stood on his side, what could Chen Lou possibly do? Powerful though the City Lord might be, he still had to abide by the rules. Did he truly believe himself to be some local emperor?
"Fine, brat, just you wait. My uncle will arrive in Tianyi City before long, and I hope you remain as smooth-tongued then as you are today."
Seeing that the crowd had universally sided with Qin Xiao, Chen Lou found himself entirely devoid of options and could only haul the unconscious Fang Xiuxian away.
Had Qin Xiao been an ordinary cultivator, Chen Lou would have had countless methods to punish him. But Qin Xiao was backed by Ye Qiuyue, supported by the Immortal Dao Merchant Association, and on brotherly terms with Ling Wushuang, leaving Chen Lou without the courage to act heavy-handed.
Once Chen Lou departed, Qin Xiao made good on his word, distributing Spirit Stones to every spectator present. With only one or two hundred people in the crowd, the expenditure amounted to less than a single second of his production.
"The employer is truly magnanimous, scattering Spirit Stones so openly in public. Serving as his bodyguard is proving to be quite worthwhile."
Li You watched the distribution with undisguised envy, though having already received his wages, he felt too embarrassed to claim an additional fifteen Low Grade Spirit Stones.
Still, fifteen Low Grade Spirit Stones were far from negligible; even a mosquito's leg had meat.
While such a sum meant little to cultivators, to ordinary folk it represented an immediate fortune sufficient to secure a life free of hardship. It was little wonder they had dared to back Qin Xiao right in front of the City Lord-such a chance to turn one's fortunes around came perhaps once in a lifetime.
After collecting their stones, the crowd showered Qin Xiao with expressions of gratitude, hailing him as a benefactor. Qin Xiao acknowledged them one by one, reflecting inwardly that scattering wealth truly brought a sublime satisfaction.
At that moment, a sudden thought struck him. Perhaps he should establish a power of his own. A true man born between heaven and earth-how could he remain permanently subordinate to others?
Take over a city and become a City Lord?
Qin Xiao dismissed the notion immediately. Even the master of a minor city required formal appointment by the Celestial Dynasty as a proper official, a path closed to him due to his lack of official connections. No, that was unfeasible.
Building a city from scratch was equally unrealistic; he lacked the population base, and it would only invite trouble. If the Celestial Dynasty mistook it for an act of defiance and sent troops to suppress him, the consequences would be disastrous.
Found a sect?
That was out of the question as well, setting aside the cumbersome bureaucratic procedures. The cultivation world maintained stringent criteria for recognizing a sect, and since he possessed no cultivation of his own, he could hardly serve as a founding ancestor.
Ultimately, Qin Xiao found himself restricted to forces below the third rank. Establishments like the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion required no such arduous vetting, and indeed, they were now eligible to apply for third-rank status given that Ye Qiuyue had reached the Body Integration stage, satisfying the minimum requirement.
Yet the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion had never bothered to apply. First, they wished to avoid tedious complications; second, they had no desire for excessive restrictions, as their focus lay primarily in commerce rather than cultivation contests.
What manner of pavilion, tower, gang, or faction might suit him?
"Xiao'er, what has come over you? You have been spacing out for some time. Did something occur?"
Seeing that the crowd had dispersed while Qin Xiao remained lost in thought, Ye Qiuyue asked with a note of concern.
"Ah, nothing at all. I was merely pondering some matters. Since the onlookers have scattered, we might as well close this shop entirely-shut down every shop we hold in Tianyi City. That way, we spare ourselves further harassment from those troublemakers. A clean break is best."
Recovering his wits, Qin Xiao suggested closing down their operations in Tianyi City for the sake of peace and quiet.
"What Xiao'er says carries reason. We have been plagued by constant harassment lately, and business has suffered. A period of rest is long overdue."
Recognizing the wisdom in his words and sharing the sentiment herself, Ye Qiuyue readily agreed.
With that, the five of them set off toward the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion.
Yet upon arrival, they found the pavilion itself in a state of agitation, with numerous disciples bustling in and out as if some calamity had struck.
"What is the meaning of this? Why is everyone in such a panic?"
Frowning in confusion, Ye Qiuyue stepped forward to block a passing disciple.
"Reporting to the Great Elder! Our transport convoy was intercepted and robbed! The Fifth Elder, who was personally escorting the silver and Spirit Stones, was injured, her Storage Bag seized, and she is now gravely wounded!"
Recognizing Ye Qiuyue, the disciple blurted out the dire news without hesitation.
"Who is audacious enough to pull this?"
Enraged, Ye Qiuyue surged directly into the depths of the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion.
Qin Xiao and his companions stood momentarily stunned-the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion had actually been plundered?
Recovering their composure, the four quickly hurried inside as well.
Meanwhile, deep within the City Lord Manor, a steward holding a newly arrived dispatch hurried breathlessly to report.
"City Lord! The operation over there was a complete success! Every single convoy belonging to the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion has been intercepted, their Fifth Elder was wounded, and all the Spirit Stones and silver have been seized!"
The steward reported with a triumphant grin.
"Hmph. Cut off the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion's financial lifeline, and we shall see how long they maintain their arrogance."
Chen Lou's lingering fury finally dissipated. Weren't they fond of putting on airs? Let them see how arrogant they could remain now.