An Explanation Worth One Tael of Silver

"That's right."

Jun Changxiao said, "The one from your main family was indeed beaten by this seat."

Ai Shangke's face darkened, his eyes flashing with anger.

He had been away on business for the past two days and only received a message via carrier pigeon last night informing him that Ai Zou had been beaten. He had stopped by on his way back, so he didn't know the full details.

If it had been a disciple of the Iron Bone Sect who did the beating, Ai Shangke could have understood; after all, young people were hot-blooded, and conflicts were inevitable.

But for a sect leader to take action himself? Did he have no regard for his status?

Right, of course.

A sect leader of a trash sect, as humble as dust—it would be strange if he actually cared about status.

Thinking of this, the disdain in Ai Shangke's eyes grew even more intense. "Sect Leader Jun, as the head of a sect, isn't it a bit excessive to personally beat a member of my Ai Family's main line?"

Jun Changxiao shrugged and said, "Your main family member brought people to beat my sect's disciples and even came to my doorstep. How is it excessive for this seat to teach him a lesson?"

"The guy who stole pills from my Ai Family is a disciple of your Iron Bone Sect?" Ai Shangke's expression grew increasingly grim.

Jun Changxiao replied, "That is correct."

Ai Shangke said coldly, "Sect Leader Jun, your disciple stole our pills, and you beat up a member of my main family. That makes two scores to settle."

The atmosphere suddenly grew tense.

"Is Elder Ai here to settle scores?" Jun Changxiao remained smiling, a look that was truly asking for a beating.

If there hadn't been a Side Quest, he might have reasoned with the other party, appealing to their emotions to resolve the grudge, but now he could only take life and death lightly—if they weren't convinced, he'd just fight.

Ai Shangke said indifferently, "Sect Leader Jun, you injured my main family member and stole my pills. You have to give me an explanation one way or another."

"Fine."

Jun Changxiao tossed over a tael of silver and said, "Consider this compensation. The grudge between my sect and your family is settled."

Ai Shangke didn't catch it, letting the silver fall to his feet. His gaze turned icy. "Sect Leader Jun, are you trying to humiliate me, or humiliate my Ai Family?"

A tael of silver was a significant amount for poor commoners, but an elder of the Ai Family wouldn't even look at it. Jun Changxiao tossing it over was truly a blatant insult.

"This seat is sincerely giving you an explanation."

"If you insist on feeling insulted, there's nothing I can do about it."

Jun Changxiao spread his hands, feigning helplessness, looking even more punchable than before.

Ai Shangke could no longer suppress his rage. He said coldly, "Out of respect for the Hundred Sect Alliance, I call you Sect Leader Jun. Don't actually think of yourself as someone important!"

"Enough with the nonsense."

Jun Changxiao said flatly, "Do you want to fight or not?"

After all, Ai Shangke was an elder of the Ai Family, so he cupped his hands with a show of grace. "I heard that Sect Leader Jun soundly defeated an elder of the Spirit Spring Sect in Qingyang City. I would truly like to learn a thing or two."

"Then come on," Jun Changxiao said.

Ai Shangke smiled faintly. "This is no place for a spar. Why don't we head to your sect's Training Ground to decide the winner?"

Is this guy trying to teach me a lesson in front of my own disciples? Jun Changxiao guessed his intentions, but he still turned to the side and gestured, "Please."

So, he doesn't want that tael of silver after all?

On the Training Ground.

Jun Changxiao and Ai Shangke stood ten feet apart, staring at each other. The atmosphere was tense and ready to snap.

"Is that guy an elder of the Ai Family?"

"Judging by the aura he's emitting, he must be in the Martial Apprentice realm!"

Outside the Training Ground, the disciples who weren't busy with tasks whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with deep apprehension.

Although a Martial Apprentice was only the second realm on the Starfall Continent and didn't count for much in front of true powerhouses, in the eyes of those at the Pulse Opening stage, they were absolute behemoths.

"Can the Sect Leader defeat him?"

"The bandits on Black Mountain, including their Martial Apprentice Great Chieftain, weren't they all killed by the Sect Leader? Defeating him shouldn't be a problem."

"That's true, that's true."

Everyone felt relieved.

Ai Shangke heard their discussion, his expression freezing. "You were the one who killed the bandits on Black Mountain?"

"Is there a problem?" Jun Changxiao asked.

There was a problem, and a huge one at that!

Some time ago, the local government and martial artists from various sects had mobilized forces, deciding to launch another assault on the Black Wind Stockade.

And the result? When they went up, they found the base burned to the ground, with over two hundred rotting corpses scattered across the training ground.

At that moment.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

After a long while, they realized that the Black Wind Stockade had been completely wiped out!

In an instant, the news of the mountain bandits' total annihilation spread throughout Qingyang County, causing a massive sensation. The common folk in every town ran to tell each other the news, beating gongs and drums in the streets to celebrate; it was truly a time of universal rejoicing.

People were also scrambling to discuss who exactly had eliminated the Black Wind Stockade, which had been a scourge for many years.

Some martial artists guessed it might have been a major power, but this was eventually dismissed because, after investigations by the government and various sects, no large groups of people had appeared in the Black Mountain area over the past few months.

It was concluded that it had been done by one person, or perhaps a few.

Within just a few days, many versions of rumors even emerged, such as a powerful expert passing by Black Mountain and wiping out the bandits with a single thought.

Or perhaps the Black Wind Stockade had committed so many evils that they angered the heavens, prompting an immortal to descend and erase them with immortal power.

Various versions of the news spread wildly throughout Qingyang County, becoming the talk of the town for many martial artists and commoners after their meals.

Upon learning that the mountain bandits had been destroyed, the Qingyang City Lord even issued a wide proclamation, hoping the righteous hero who had eliminated the evils for the people would come forward to receive a reward of one thousand taels of gold.

One tael of gold was equal to ten taels of silver, so one thousand taels of gold was ten thousand taels of silver!

Many martial artists, blinded by greed, took the risk of pretending to be the righteous hero to claim the reward, only to be exposed one by one and thrown into prison.

The destruction of the Black Wind Stockade was a huge event, and Ai Shangke had naturally heard of it. He had even discussed it with the elders of his clan, concluding that whoever could storm the Black Wind Stockade and wipe it out must possess a cultivation level above that of a Martial Master.

But now?

The disciples of the Iron Bone Sect were actually saying their Sect Leader had done it?

"Hmph."

Ai Shangke said indifferently, "Sect Leader Jun, you really dare to claim that you were the one who wiped out the mountain bandits? Could it be that you also have the intention of going to falsely claim that one thousand taels of gold reward?"

Anyone with a normal mind would not believe that Jun Changxiao, who was only at the Pulse Opening stage, could destroy the easily defended and difficult to attack Black Wind Stockade.

"Falsely claim one thousand taels of gold?"

Jun Changxiao asked, "What do you mean?"

Ai Shangke said indifferently, "Sect Leader Jun, we are all sensible people here, so stop pretending."

Jun Changxiao was speechless.

What the hell am I pretending to be?

However, being clever, he quickly guessed that the news of the mountain bandits' destruction must have spread, and the so-called one thousand taels of gold was perhaps a bounty offered by the government.

I should find some time to go to Qingyang City and take a look.

Jun Changxiao needed to develop his sect, and although the system could provide a lot of help, money was equally important; the more, the better.

"Swish!"

Ai Shangke waved one hand, and a three-foot-long sword appeared out of thin air in his hand. He said indifferently, "I heard that Sect Leader Jun possesses a high-quality sword. I, Ai, would very much like to see it."

His sword had a lifelike Dragon Beast carved into the blade, and the edge exuded a sharp aura; one could tell at a glance that its quality was not low.

"As you wish."

Jun Changxiao waved one hand, and the Low-grade Cold Edge Sword appeared, a faint chill immediately permeating the Training Ground.

"Good sword!"

"Not as cheap as you."

"..."