"Yes."
Jun Changxiao said, "I was the one who beat up your direct descendant."
Ai Shangke's face darkened, anger flickering in his eyes.
He had been away handling business these past two days. Last night, he received a carrier pigeon letter from the family informing him that Ai Zou had been beaten, so he came over on the way. He did not know much about the details.
If it had been an Iron Bone Sect disciple who struck him, Ai Shangke could still understand. Young people were hot-blooded, after all, and a little conflict was unavoidable.
But for a sect leader to take action personally—was he not afraid of losing face?
Right, right.
The sect leader of a trash sect was as lowly as dust. It would be strange if he cared about status.
With that thought, the disdain in Ai Shangke's gaze deepened. "Sect Leader Jun, as the head of a sect, isn't it a little excessive for you to lay hands on a direct descendant of my Ai Family?"
Jun Changxiao shrugged. "Your direct descendant brought people to beat up my sect's disciple, all the way to our doorstep. I stepped in to teach him a lesson. How is that excessive?"
"The one who stole my Ai Family's pills is an Iron Bone Sect disciple?" Ai Shangke's expression grew even darker.
Jun Changxiao said, "That's right."
Ai Shangke said coldly, "Sect Leader Jun, your disciple stole my family's pills, and then you beat up our direct descendant. That makes two debts."
The atmosphere instantly turned tense.
"Elder Ai has come to settle accounts?" Jun Changxiao still wore a smile, one that looked rather punchable.
If not for the Side Quest, he might have reasoned with the other party and spoken with feeling, properly negotiating to dissolve their grudges. But now, he could only face life and death with indifference—if they refused to submit, then fight.
Ai Shangke said blandly, "Sect Leader Jun, you injured my direct descendant and stole my pills. You should at least give an explanation."
"Sure."
Jun Changxiao tossed over one tael of silver. "Consider this compensation. The grudges between my sect and your family are now wiped clean."
Ai Shangke did not catch it, letting the silver fall at his feet. His gaze turned cold and grim. "Sect Leader Jun, are you humiliating Ai, and humiliating my Ai Family?"
One tael of silver was no small sum to poor commoners, but an Ai Family elder did not care about it in the slightest. Jun Changxiao tossing it over was truly blatant humiliation.
"I sincerely gave you an explanation."
"If you insist on thinking you've been humiliated, there's nothing I can do about that."
Jun Changxiao spread his hands helplessly, looking even more punchable than before.
Ai Shangke could no longer suppress his fury. He said coldly, "For the Hundred Sect Alliance's sake, I address you as Sect Leader Jun. Don't mistake yourself for someone important!"
"Cut the nonsense."
Jun Changxiao said blandly, "You want to fight?"
Ai Shangke was, after all, an Ai Family elder. With considerable grace, he cupped his fist. "I heard that Sect Leader Jun dealt a heavy blow to a Spirit Spring Sect elder in Qingyang City. Ai truly wishes to witness your skill."
"Then come on," Jun Changxiao said.
Ai Shangke smiled faintly. "This is not a suitable place for sparring. Why not enter your sect's Training Ground and settle this with a contest?"
This guy wants to teach me a lesson in front of my disciples? Jun Changxiao saw through his intentions, but merely turned sideways and raised a hand. "Please."
So, he did not want that tael of silver?
At the Training Ground.
Jun Changxiao and Ai Shangke stood ten zhang apart, staring at each other as the atmosphere bristled like drawn swords and bent bows.
"That guy is an Ai Family elder?"
"Judging from the aura he's giving off, he should be at the Martial Apprentice realm!"
Outside the Training Ground, disciples who were not doing missions discussed in low voices, their eyes filled with deep apprehension.
Though Martial Apprentice was only the second realm on the Starfall Continent and amounted to nothing before stronger experts, to those at the Pulse Opening stage, it was a colossal being.
"Can Sect Leader defeat him?"
"Didn't Sect Leader kill the bandits on Black Mountain, including their Martial Apprentice Great Chieftain? Defeating him definitely won't be a problem."
"Right, right."
Everyone immediately felt relieved.
Ai Shangke heard their discussion and his expression froze. "You killed the bandits on Black Mountain?"
"Is there a problem?" Jun Changxiao asked.
There was a problem—a huge one!
Some time ago, the authorities and martial artists from various sects had mobilized forces, intending to attack Black Wind Stockade once more.
And what happened? When they went up there, they found the base burned to ashes, with over two hundred rotting corpses scattered across the Training Ground.
At that moment.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
After a long while, they realized that Black Wind Stockade had been completely wiped out!
For a time, news of the bandits' destruction spread throughout Qingyang County, causing a tremendous sensation. The people of every town ran about telling one another, beating gongs and drums as they took to the streets in celebration. It was truly a celebration shared by all under heaven.
People eagerly discussed who had eliminated Black Wind Stockade, which had plagued them for years.
Some martial artists guessed it might have been a powerful faction, but that theory was ultimately rejected. The authorities and various sects had investigated, and no large groups had appeared within Black Mountain's territory in recent months.
It was conclusively determined that it had been done by one person, or perhaps several people.
Within just a few days, countless versions of the tale had emerged. For example, a peerless expert passing through Black Mountain had wiped out the bandits with a single thought.
Another said that Black Wind Stockade's countless evil deeds had enraged the heavens, which sent an Immortal down to earth to erase them with immortal power.
All sorts of versions spread wildly through Qingyang County, becoming after-meal conversation for countless martial artists and ordinary folk.
After learning that the bandits had been destroyed, the Qingyang City Lord issued widespread notices, hoping the righteous hero who had eliminated evils for the people would reveal himself and accept a reward of one thousand taels of gold.
One tael of gold equaled ten taels of silver. One thousand taels of gold meant ten thousand taels of silver!
Many martial artists were blinded by the money and took desperate risks, pretending to be righteous heroes to fraudulently claim the reward. Every one of them was exposed and thrown into prison.
The destruction of Black Wind Stockade was an enormous matter, so Ai Shangke had naturally heard of it. He had even discussed it with the lineage elders, believing that whoever could storm Black Wind Stockade and wipe it out completely must possess at least Martial Master cultivation.
But now?
The Iron Bone Sect disciples were actually saying that their sect leader had destroyed it?
"Hmph."
Ai Shangke said blandly, "Sect Leader Jun, you truly dare claim credit for wiping out bandits. Could it be that you also intend to fraudulently claim the one thousand taels of gold reward?"
Anyone with a functioning mind would not believe that Jun Changxiao, who was only at the Pulse Opening level, could destroy the easily defended yet difficult-to-attack Black Wind Stockade.
"Fraudulently claim one thousand taels of gold?"
Jun Changxiao asked, "What do you mean?"
Ai Shangke said blandly, "Sect Leader Jun, we are all sensible people. Stop pretending."
Jun Changxiao was speechless.
What the hell am I pretending?
However, being clever, he quickly guessed that news of the bandits' destruction had spread. The so-called one thousand taels of gold was likely a reward offered by the authorities.
I need to find time to visit Qingyang City.
Jun Changxiao needed to develop his sect. Though the system could provide plenty of help, money was equally important. The more, the better.
Whoosh!
With a flick of one hand, Ai Shangke produced a three-foot-long sword out of thin air. He said blandly, "I heard Sect Leader Jun possesses a high-quality sword. Ai would very much like to see it."
A lifelike Dragon Beast was engraved along the blade, and its edge radiated sharpness. At a glance, it was clearly no ordinary weapon.
"As you wish."
With a wave of one hand, Jun Changxiao summoned the Low-grade Cold Edge Sword, and a faint chill immediately spread through the Training Ground.
"Good sword!"
"You're not as cheap as one."
"..."
Before you continue