Enemies Often Cross Paths

"Sect Leader Jun, one shouldn't speak recklessly, and one certainly shouldn't impersonate a righteous hero so casually!"

"..."

"Sect Leader Jun, quite a few people have tried to impersonate righteous heroes over the past few days. Without exception, they were investigated, thrown into prison, and some even lost their heads."

"..."

"Sect Leader Jun, take my advice and go back. Don't go to the City Lord's Mansion."

"Step."

Jun Changxiao stopped and said in a deep voice, "Patriarch Li, I will repeat myself one last time: I destroyed the Black Wind Stockade!"

Patriarch Li said, "Setting aside the strength of the Great Chieftain of the Black Wind Stockade, just look at how easy it is to defend and how hard it is to attack that stronghold. How could you possibly have fought your way in, Sect Leader Jun?"

"I..."

Jun Changxiao fell silent.

No matter how he explained it, he wouldn't be able to convince the man, so why waste his breath?

Patriarch Li said, "Sect Leader Jun, if you want to claim the thousand taels of gold, you must produce proof that you destroyed the Black Wind Stockade. Otherwise, rushing to the City Lord's Mansion will be very disadvantageous for you."

This was sincere advice.

Furthermore, he had received news that because so many people had been impersonating heroes lately, the City Lord was in a foul mood. If Sect Leader Jun went there now, he would surely be in grave danger.

That's true.

How can I prove that I was the one who destroyed it?

Jun Changxiao began to ponder.

A moment later, his eyes gradually brightened. "Patriarch Li, I will produce the evidence."

"What evidence?"

"Don't ask. Just lead the way."

Seeing him so confident, Patriarch Li hesitated, thinking to himself, Could it be that he really did destroy the Black Wind Stockade? Impossible, impossible. That is too inconceivable!

The City Lord's Mansion was located at the eastern end of the main street in Qingyang City. It was a rather imposing residence, with two stone lions crouching on either side of the entrance.

"Sect Leader Jun, let's just go back," Patriarch Li said as he led Jun Changxiao over, still sparing no effort to dissuade him.

Jun Changxiao couldn't be bothered to respond and strode toward the main gate of the City Lord's Mansion.

"Halt."

A guard carrying a saber raised his hand and shouted, "Who goes there?"

Jun Changxiao stood with his hands behind his back and said, "Please inform the City Lord that the Sect Leader of the Iron Bone Unyielding Sect has come to visit."

Standing in the distance, Patriarch Li heard this and felt a sense of relief. "Sect Leader Jun didn't say he was here to claim the reward money. It seems he was just joking earlier."

That was more like it.

As the head of a sect, pretending to have done something he hadn't was not only deceitful but also beneath his dignity.

"You are the Sect Leader of the Iron Bone Sect?" A mocking smile appeared on the corner of the guard's mouth. "The City Lord has a rule: he will not see anyone from an eighth-rate sect or lower unless summoned."

Jun Changxiao frowned slightly.

Even a gatekeeper was this arrogant; the world was truly cruel.

"Swish!"

He unfolded the notice he had torn down and said indifferently, "Tell the City Lord that Jun is here to claim the reward money."

Patriarch Li exclaimed in shock, "When did Sect Leader Jun tear down the notice!"

He hadn't seen it, and the martial artists at the crossroads hadn't noticed either; it wasn't until Jun Changxiao had been gone for a while that they realized the notice was gone!

The guard said in disbelief, "You destroyed the Black Wind Stockade?"

"Stop with the nonsense."

Jun Changxiao said indifferently, "Go and report it quickly."

The guard sneered, "Kid, you better think this through. Once I report this, you're looking at a prison sentence."

"Don't trouble yourself," Jun Changxiao said calmly.

The guard shook his head and said, "It's one thing for some random nobody to come and impersonate a hero, but for a sect leader to do such a thing—he must be truly possessed."

As he spoke, he walked into the mansion.

After a long while, he walked back out and said, "Go on in."

Jun Changxiao stepped forward, and as he brushed past the guard, he whispered, "Do you know what a guard dog is? It's someone who looks down on others with a pair of dog eyes."

"You..." The guard glared at him in anger.

Jun Changxiao flicked his sleeve and walked away, saying, "Wouldn't it be better to just be a gatekeeper? Why insist on being a guard dog?"

"Damn you." The blade-wielding guard was burning with rage, but he immediately sneered, "A guy about to eat prison food still has the heart to mock me."

Jun Changxiao walked into the mansion.

The Outer Court of the City Lord's Mansion was much larger than the Iron Bone Sect, with stone slabs neatly arranged underfoot that were clearly high-grade materials.

Ahead lay a Training Ground, with tiered pavilions and magnificent, golden-adorned side chambers on both sides.

Jun Changxiao rubbed his nose and muttered, "Once I have money, I must expand the sect to be even more impressive than the City Lord's Mansion."

"Ambitious."

A middle-aged man walked out from the main hall ahead.

He wore brocade robes and carried himself with an imposing air, exuding the aura of someone who had long held a position of power.

On the way here, Jun Changxiao had learned the City Lord's features from Patriarch Li, so he cupped his hands and said, "Jun Changxiao, Sect Leader of the Iron Bone Sect, greets City Lord Xie."

"Haha."

City Lord Xie laughed heartily, "I heard a little about the Hundred Sect Recruitment a month ago. Unfortunately, I was in seclusion at the time and couldn't invite Sect Leader Jun to the mansion for a chat. It is truly a pity."

Though his speech seemed easygoing, it brought pressure to bear on Jun Changxiao, who secretly thought, How strong is he?

The system said, "Higher than the Cangshan Sect Elder."

A Martial Grandmaster?

Jun Changxiao thought to himself, No wonder I feel so much pressure.

"Sect Leader Jun."

City Lord Xie turned to the side and smiled, "Please, come in."

Jun Changxiao walked into the main hall, but before he could even stand steady, he felt two cold, sharp gazes fixed upon him.

Looking over, he saw two middle-aged men with similar appearances sitting on the chairs to the left and right.

"Sect Leader Jun."

City Lord Xie, seated at the head, introduced them, "These two are Elders of the Spirit Spring Sect. The one on the right is Wei Yi'ai, and the one on the left is Wei Yile."

"Damn."

Jun Changxiao cursed under his breath, then cupped his hands and smiled, "So it is the two Elders of the Spirit Spring Sect. I have long heard of your reputations."

"Hmph."

Wei Yile and Wei Yi'ai let out cold snorts.

Since their fourth brother had an arm severed by this brat, they naturally wouldn't give him a pleasant look.

Jun Changxiao didn't care; he found a seat and sat down, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest as he thought, Enemies really do cross paths.

Wei Yile and his companion hated him, and the Sect Leader also hated the Spirit Spring Sect; after all, it was they who had secretly instigated the Black Wind Stockade to kidnap his disciples.

"Sect Leader Jun."

City Lord Xie smiled, "I heard from the guards that you came to claim the reward?"

"That is correct."

Jun Changxiao took out the notice.

"Hmph."

Wei Yi'ai said indifferently, "To think that with Sect Leader Jun's meager abilities, you could wipe out the Black Wind Stockade—isn't that a bit of a pipe dream?"

"In my opinion, Sect Leader Jun must be short on money, which is why you've come to swindle the reward," Wei Yile laughed, looking every bit the smiling tiger.

Trying to provoke me?

Just as Jun Changxiao was about to return the favor, he heard City Lord Xie say, "Sect Leader Jun, how can you prove that you were the one who wiped out the Black Wind Stockade?"

Jun Changxiao said, "To be honest with City Lord Xie, I went up the mountain alone and wiped out the leader of the Black Wind Stockade and over two hundred bandits. There were no witnesses."

City Lord Xie's expression darkened.

Every martial artist who came to claim the reward gave this same excuse, and after he investigated them one by one, it turned out they were all imposters.

"If no one witnessed it, it cannot be proven."

Wei Yi'ai cupped his hands and said, "City Lord Xie, in my view, he is nothing more than a fraud here to swindle the reward."

Wei Yile chimed in, "As the leader of a sect, to engage in such behavior that brings shame to the martial arts world is truly a disgrace to our Hundred Sect Alliance."

"Two idiots," Jun Changxiao muttered softly.

"Slap!"

Wei Yi'ai and Wei Yile slammed their armrests in anger and shouted, "Brat, say that again if you dare!"

Jun Changxiao ignored them and smiled, "City Lord Xie, although I cannot produce witnesses, I can produce an object as proof."

"What object?" City Lord Xie asked.

Jun Changxiao snapped his fingers, and a heavy long blade appeared out of thin air, standing upright before him. The blade was engraved with a lifelike azure dragon.

Seeing this, City Lord Xie said in surprise, "Zhou Tianba's Azure Dragon Scythe Blade!"