Fang Xiuxian turned to look and saw that it was actually Ye Qiuyue. The arrogant aura from just now immediately diminished significantly.
"It turns out to be Senior Ye. However, this junior is also just following the rules in carrying out duties. Senior Ye, please do not make things difficult for this junior."
Although Fang Xiuxian spoke politely, he had no intention of retreating at all.
The reason Fang Xiuxian was this polite was because his master had told him that anyone from the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion could be provoked, and even Ye Tianyi could be disregarded, but when dealing with Ye Qiuyue, he needed to be careful. If Ye Qiuyue truly got angry, she really dared to kill, and even the reputation of the Supreme Heavenly Dynasty wouldn't matter.
Fang Xiuxian naturally didn't dare to gamble. If she really struck and killed him, that would truly be the end.
"Following the rules in carrying out duties? All the clothing produced by my Heavenly Clothes Pavilion has never had any problems. You are deliberately picking a fight, and you're still talking to me about following the rules?"
Ye Qiuyue naturally knew what the other party meant. Every place they targeted was designed to force the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion to concede, thereby forcing Ye Tianyi to marry that Chen Shunyi. Unfortunately, their calculations were wrong.
"Senior, whether it's deliberately picking a fight or not, you'll know if you watch. Bring the witness forward."
Since Fang Xiuxian came to make trouble, he naturally put on a full show and even prepared witnesses.
Soon after, a middle-aged man covered in sores walked forward, holding a piece of clothing made by the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion in his hand. He seemed to have no cultivation, just an ordinary mortal.
"I bought this clothing from this shop. After wearing it home, I became the ghostly appearance I am now. I beg the City Lord to uphold justice for me."
After stepping forward, the middle-aged man pointed at the Heavenly Clothes Shop and cried out.
"Senior, what do you say now? The clothing was bought from your Heavenly Clothes Shop, and the person is indeed like this. Now, either you admit fault and compensate, or I can only order the shop closed, wait for the investigation to conclude, and then make a decision."
Fang Xiuxian's goal was to close the shop. As long as all shops belonging to the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion were closed, the pavilion would lose its source of income.
Of course, the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion's shops were spread throughout Qingzhou, but all income was sent back to the main pavilion, and all goods were dispatched from there as well.
His task was to first close all the shops, and the next step would be to shut down the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion's production workshops and warehouses. As for the rest, he didn't need to worry about it.
"Compensation, right? How much needs to be compensated?"
Qin Xiao stepped forward at this moment.
"Oh? Isn't this Qin Xiao? Just expelled from the Tianyuan Sect and already coming to seek refuge with the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion?"
Fang Xiuxian had naturally noticed Qin Xiao long ago, but he didn't take him seriously. His current task was to seal all the shops of the Heavenly Clothes Pavilion first.
"Good grief, does news travel this fast? I haven't even reached Tianyi City yet, and the news has already arrived? Truly, Good News Does Not Leave the Door; Bad News Spreads Across the Province."
Qin Xiao was completely speechless. How did even Fang Xiuxian know about it?
"You said it wrong. I voluntarily left the Tianyuan Sect; I was not expelled. Watch your phrasing."
Qin Xiao explained, thinking to himself that his reputation was completely ruined by people spreading rumors like this.
"Is there any difference? Now you're just a homeless stray dog with nowhere to go. In vain I previously regarded you as a rival, wanting to compete against you in the Spirit Medicine Valley. Now you don't even have the qualifications to enter it. Truly laughable."
Now that Qin Xiao had left the Tianyuan Sect, dealing with him would be much more convenient without any lingering concerns. That was why Fang Xiuxian didn't take Qin Xiao seriously at all.
"Laughable? How laughable? Acting as an Acting Deputy City Lord and putting on a high and mighty airs, who's more laughable than you? Without this Deputy City Lord title, I could beat you like a son, and you still call me laughable? No, I don't want a son like you. I'd be too ashamed."
Seeing the other party speak so insolently, Qin Xiao decided not to hold back either.
"You punk, say that again. Believe it or not, I can crush you to death right now?"
Fang Xiuxian didn't expect Qin Xiao to dare to curse at him, and anger flared instantly.
"Come on then, crush me to death, quickly. Let's see what you'll use to do it. Or will you use your Acting Deputy City Lord title to crush me?"
Qin Xiao's purpose was simple. This old fellow was currently an Acting Deputy City Lord backed by the Supreme Heavenly Dynasty, so he couldn't personally beat him up. But as long as this guy dared to discard that title, he would show him what a beating felt like.
"You punk, I know what scheme you're plotting. But today, I'll grant your wish. You think I'm like Yu Heguang, that half-baked late Nascent Soul stage cultivator? Today, I'll let you see what a real late Nascent Soul stage expert looks like."
With that, Fang Xiuxian removed the Deputy City Lord token and took off his official uniform. With Ye Qiuyue present, he couldn't kill Qin Xiao, but beating him up was still completely fine. He would teach this sharp-tongued punk a lesson.
"Come on. Now, I'll personally teach you what Disaster Comes from the Mouth truly means."
Fang Xiuxian pushed through the crowd, stepped into the center of the street, and shouted toward Qin Xiao.
"Are you sure you're acting in a personal capacity now? Not as the Deputy City Lord?"
Qin Xiao confirmed once more.
"That's right. I'm acting entirely in a personal capacity now. What? Scared?"
Afraid that Qin Xiao might back down, Fang Xiuxian immediately confirmed it and threw in a taunt.
"Then what are we waiting for? Bodyguards, go up, pin him down, and seal his Spiritual Sea."
Seeing that Fang Xiuxian had committed to it, Qin Xiao promptly gave the order to his two bodyguards.
Seeing Qin Xiao issue the command, Zhang Zuo and Li You flashed to either side of Fang Xiuxian in an instant and struck together, directly locking down his Qi Sea. In a flash, Fang Xiuxian was rendered unable to mobilize any Spiritual Qi, reducing him to the physical state of a robust ordinary person.
"What are you doing? Who are you people? Let me go!"
Fang Xiuxian never expected Qin Xiao to resort to such a trick, having others seal his Spiritual Sea. He immediately began to shout in panic.
"Originally, I am someone who values martial virtue. But I've discovered that people around here don't seem to value martial virtue very much. So, When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do. Strip all his clothes off-leave not a single piece."
Qin Xiao gave the direct order to strip Fang Xiuxian completely bare.
Since he couldn't kill him, he could at least disgust him to death and strip away every shred of his dignity.
As for offending Chen Shunyi because of this, Qin Xiao didn't care. He had already offended him anyway, so one more offense wouldn't change anything.
Zhang Zuo was momentarily stunned, not expecting Qin Xiao to issue such an order, but Li You had already moved.
"Let me go! Do you know who my master is? My master is Chen Shunyi, the Grand Commander! If you don't stop right now, I'll have my master slaughter the lot of you!"
At this moment, Fang Xiuxian felt like an innocent person set upon by ruffians, thrashing about wildly and shouting at the top of his lungs.
"I don't care if he's the Grand Commander or a minor commander. The boss has given the order, and your master won't save you no matter who he is."
Seeing Fang Xiuxian continue to struggle, Li You grew even more enthusiastic.
"Qin Xiao, I want you dead! I must kill you!"
Fang Xiuxian's outer garments had already been entirely stripped away. Left with no recourse, he could only resort to frantic cursing.
"Still cursing? Keep stripping. Strip him completely naked."
Seeing that the fellow still had such high spirits, Qin Xiao ordered him stripped down to nothing.
"I was wrong, Qin Xiao! I concede! Let me go, and I promise to act as if nothing ever happened."
With only a pair of undergarments left, Fang Xiuxian finally realized that cursing was utterly useless and began begging for mercy.
"Keep stripping."
Qin Xiao felt not an ounce of pity for Fang Xiuxian. After all, those who had crossed paths with Fang Xiuxian in the past ended up either dead or crippled; for a person like this, sympathy was entirely unearned.
Moreover, Qin Xiao had grasped a fundamental truth: in this world, being a good person was useless. To survive among these malicious figures, one had to become even more ruthless.
Of course, stripping someone's clothes wasn't standard practice for an evil person-Qin Xiao simply wanted to disgust Fang Xiuxian. Weren't you a proud talent? Weren't you backed by a Grand Commander master? Weren't you an Acting Deputy City Lord with a bright future ahead? Right now, he was going to plunge that bright path straight into darkness.
"Qin Xiao, I want you dead! I want you dead! I'll eat your flesh and grind your bones into dust!"
Shouting at the top of his lungs, Fang Xiuxian abruptly passed out from pure rage and humiliation. He was stark naked, his hands still firmly restrained, unable to cover himself in the slightest.
"Qin Xiao, you have some nerve! Release Junior Brother Fang at once!"
Just as Fang Xiuxian fainted, Chen Lou arrived in a hurried rush.