Chasing Leaves to Ask for Guilt, City Mansion Schemes

As Shangguan Feiyun leaped up, Li Yan also rushed out from indoors. Both of them used the momentum to get onto the rooftop, where they saw two people confronting each other on top of a distant tall tower.

One of them was surrounded by flying leaves. Who else could it be but Shangguan Liuyun?

On top of the tall tower, Shangguan Liuyun's usual elegant and detached demeanor was gone. The coldness on his face was evident in every detail, making anyone who met his gaze feel a chill in their heart.

Opposite him stood a middle-aged scholar with a goatee, his hands behind his back. His scholar's robe fluttered in the wind, yet he remained as still as a mountain.

This was Huang Lingyan, the City Lord of Dongjiang City. He considered himself a gentleman and a scholar, usually appearing in the guise of a learned man.

"City Lord Huang, if my sister's matter is not given a reasonable explanation today, then even though Father is absent, the Shangguan Family still has people."

"Hehehehehe, why is the eldest son of Shangguan so enraged? This City Lord truly knows nothing about what happened to your sister."

Huang Lingyan spread his hands, feigning innocence, but Shangguan Liuyun was not buying it at all.

"City Lord Huang, my sister has been pursued and attacked for several days now, and yet the Shangguan Family received no news whatsoever."

"If it weren't for my second brother, who likes to wander around aimlessly, I would be seeing my little sister's corpse right now."

"In this vast Dongjiang City, who else could have the ability to completely block news from the Shangguan Family?"

"What? Your sister was actually pursued? Who dares to be so audacious?!"

"Anyone who can block the Shangguan Family's news must have eyes and ears everywhere. No, I will definitely have this matter investigated and give the Shangguan Family a satisfactory explanation."

Huang Lingyan spoke with apparent sincerity, but the mockery glinting in the corners of his eyes was clearly seen by Shangguan Liuyun.

"Very well, since you wish to give an explanation, then set a time. I hope to receive your reply tomorrow, City Lord. Otherwise, don't blame Shangguan Liuyun for bringing his family into this."

With that, the flying leaves scattered, and Shangguan Liuyun stepped on them, disappearing in an instant.

On top of the tall tower, Huang Lingyan gently stroked his goatee, his eyes flashing with a dark light. With a leap, he returned to the City Lord's mansion.

As soon as he entered, his subordinates immediately stood at attention.

"City Lord, that Shangguan Family is too lawless, daring to cause trouble at the City Lord's mansion."

"Yes, City Lord, that Shangguan Liuyun doesn't seem to put you in his eyes at all."

"City Lord, the Shangguan Family has already grown too powerful. If we continue to indulge them, I fear that in the future..."

"Enough."

Huang Lingyan raised his hand, interrupting his subordinates, and then waved them away.

But as one subordinate was about to leave, Huang Lingyan stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder.

"City Lord, do you have any orders?"

"It was you who intercepted the news about young lady Xiyun being pursued, wasn't it."

"Yes, yes, your subordinate believed the Shangguan Family to be a great threat to the City Lord. If Shangguan Xiyun could die outside, it would certainly be a huge... for the Shangguan Family..."

Before he could finish, he met Huang Lingyan's icy gaze. At the same time, a bone-chilling coldness rose from his feet.

He looked down and saw that his feet were already covered in frost. The cold spread rapidly, freezing him solid before he could even beg for mercy.

"What I hate the most is people acting on their own initiative. Have some memory in your next life."

He lightly tapped the ice in front of him, and it shattered, leaving ice shards all over the ground.

Just then, a report came from outside the door: "City Lord, there is news."

"Enter."

A subordinate entered and recounted all the information he had gathered about the events involving Shangguan Xiyun in the past few days.

When he heard that a young man had killed over a hundred people in just a few days to protect Shangguan Xiyun, his eyes narrowed again.

"Hehehehehe, a hundred kills in just a few days. This young man has a great bloodlust... Wan Sanhuo, is it..."

"Go, spread this news throughout the city. You know what to do."

"Yes, your subordinate understands."

In the afternoon, in the front hall of the Shangguan Family, the three Shangguan brothers were staring blankly at Li Yan. When Shangguan Liuyun sensed the Qi Condensation First Layer aura emanating from Li Yan, he took several deep breaths to suppress the shock in his heart.

Beside him, Shangguan Feiyun's jaw had almost hit the floor. He was completely still, as if he had been struck by a pressure point.

As for Shangguan Xiyun, the girl was excited, though she didn't know why she was so thrilled.

After a long while, Shangguan Feiyun finally snapped out of his shock, shaking his head like a rattle drum. "Good, good, good. I've seen many young talents in the martial world. Many who are arrogant and consider themselves exceptionally gifted, but hah, it's laughable how these people are so full of themselves."

"Indeed. Compared to Brother Wan, the young prodigies I've known in the past seem so ordinary."

Shangguan Liuyun couldn't help but chime in. It was truly unprecedented for anyone to master this cultivation technique within just one day of taking it up, ever since its creation.

Even the ancestor who created the technique had not managed it!

Li Yan did not appear humble in the face of their praise. He merely said that he had eaten some medicinal herbs on the mountain back then, and perhaps the potency of the medicine had helped him.

Since the cultivation technique had been initiated, a spar and some guidance were naturally in order.

Li Yan faced Shangguan Feiyun. Although the latter was injured, he was still more than a match for Li Yan, who had just entered Qi Condensation.

After truly engaging in combat, Li Yan could personally feel the power of the Meridian Opening Realm. The Hundred Battles Saber, seemingly unmatched in its killing power, could only tear at the superficial True Qi condensed on the outside of his opponent.

In contrast, Shangguan Feiyun merely made a slight move, and the unpredictable Flying Flower Scattered Hands forced Li Yan to retreat steadily.

Even though Shangguan Feiyun was being beaten so badly by Wang Dingtian, if someone else at the Meridian Opening Realm second level faced Wang Dingtian, their skull would probably have been twisted off already.

This showed that Shangguan Feiyun was by no means a nobody.

Just as Li Yan was immersed in this exhilarating clash, a servant rushed in.

"Reporting to the Eldest Young Master, Second Young Master, and Third Young Lady, many martial artists from Dongjiang City have arrived outside. They say... they say..."

"Say what? Hurry up and tell us."

Hearing Shangguan Feiyun's impatience, the maidservant quickly said, "They say they are looking for the Murderous Fiend."

"The Murderous Fiend?"

The three looked at each other, then their gazes settled on Li Yan.

In this room, Li Yan was the only one who could be associated with the term "Murderous Fiend."

"Heh, it seems they're here for me. In that case, let's see..."

"Wait!"

Shangguan Liuyun raised his hand and stopped Li Yan. "This is the Shangguan Family's residence. If they dare to come to our doorstep, it means they don't respect the Shangguan Family."

"If anything happens to Brother Wan here in the Shangguan Family, our family's reputation will be ruined."

"Little sister."

"Yes, elder brother?"

"You stay here with Brother Wan and make sure to take good care of him."

"Understood, elder brother."

Shangguan Liuyun looked at Li Yan, who nodded slightly.

The other party's origins and intentions were unknown. Shangguan Liuyun wanted Li Yan to protect Shangguan Xiyun here.

"Let's go, second brother. We'll go see what's going on."

"That sounds great. I'd like to see which blind idiot dares to cause trouble for our Shangguan Family!"