Iron-Blooded Means

A voice echoed, and everyone in the hall stirred, their faces filled with reverence.

"Welcome, Prefecture Lord!"

"Welcome, Prefecture Lord!"

"..."

The thunderous shouts reached the heavens. Everyone bowed their heads, daring not to utter a word.

The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord's face was grim as he surveyed the crowd. An inexplicable pressure washed over them, and wherever his gaze fell, they felt a chill of fear.

This was undoubtedly the calm before the storm.

None of those present had felt such pressure from the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord in years...

To the point that they didn't even dare to breathe.

The entire scene fell into silence, the oppressive atmosphere lingering for a long time.

Liu Benlian's eyes darted around, and she was the first to break the silence. With a seductive sway of her body, she walked forward. "Prefecture Lord, what has happened to make you so furious?"

The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord did not respond, his expression indifferent.

This made Liu Benlian realize something was amiss. The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord was never like this before.

Despite sensing trouble, Liu Benlian remained composed, even feigning a pout. "Prefecture Lord, if you ignore me, I'll get... angry..."

"Slap~"

Before she could finish speaking, the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord backhanded her.

Liu Benlian flew backward, crashing below the main hall.

Silence!

The hall instantly fell silent again. Everyone's eyes widened, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.

Everyone in the Black Eagle Prefecture knew that the person the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord cherished most was Liu Benlian.

And now?

He had actually struck her?

What major event had occurred to make their Prefecture Lord so enraged?

Unbeknownst to the others, Sun Baitan, standing in the crowd, was trembling. He too seemed to realize something, his eyes filled with terror.

Cough, cough~

Liu Benlian coughed lightly twice and slowly got up, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth. "Prefect... Prefecture Lord... What did I do wrong? To make you so furious?"

"Shut up!" the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord roared. "This is all your doing."

"Prefect... Prefecture Lord..." Liu Benlian stumbled towards him. "I... I don't understand... What... what did I do wrong?"

"What did you do wrong?" The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord's eyes flashed with sternness. "Don't you know your mistake yet?"

"Know my mistake?" Liu Benlian put on an innocent act. "Prefecture Lord, I truly don't know what I did wrong. Please enlighten me."

"Fine!" The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord nodded. "It seems you won't shed tears until you see the coffin. Then let me ask you, what's going on with the Black Eagle Guard?"

"The Black Eagle Guard?" Liu Benlian's eyes held a flicker of confusion. "Prefecture Lord, what happened to the Black Eagle Guard? Mobilizing them requires your Black Eagle Token."

"Right!"

"The Black Eagle Token?"

Liu Benlian began searching herself. "Where is the Black Eagle Token? I remember clearly putting it here."

"Prefecture Lord!"

Liu Benlian suddenly knelt on the ground. "I know my mistake, it's my fault. I lost the Black Eagle Token you gave me. I know why you're so angry now."

She lost the Black Eagle Token?

The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord clearly hadn't expected Liu Benlian to say that.

Whether what she said was true, the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord knew better than anyone.

"Prefecture Lord, I know my mistake. The Black Eagle Token is such a precious item. If it falls into the wrong hands, it will surely cause great chaos. I know my mistake."

As she spoke, Liu Benlian began to weep. "Prefecture Lord, it's all my fault, all my fault. Punish me, punish me."

Eventually, Liu Benlian started slapping herself. The crisp sound struck everyone's hearts, making them unable to look directly.

Losing the Black Eagle Token was definitely not a small matter. No wonder their Prefecture Lord was so furious.

Soon, blood appeared at the corners of Liu Benlian's mouth, but she didn't stop.

Liu Benlian knew clearly the consequences of arbitrarily mobilizing the Black Eagle Guard.

All she could do now was to punish herself as a deterrent, hoping to evoke the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord's pity.

Honestly, if Liu Benlian hadn't acted this way, the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord might have truly intended to kill her. Now, it made him hesitate.

At the same time, he understood what Liu Benlian was thinking.

"Prefect... Prefecture Lord..." Seeing Liu Benlian, whose face was already bloody and bruised yet still hitting herself, Elder Pan Sen couldn't help but say, "Losing the Black Eagle Token was definitely not the Second Madam's intention. Please forgive her this time."

"That's right!" With Pan Sen pleading for mercy, the other elders chimed in, "Prefecture Lord, please forgive Second Madam this once."

"..."

These people were all part of the Second Young Master's faction. As the saying goes, when the lips are gone, the teeth feel the cold. If Liu Benlian were to suffer any consequences, they would be next.

Pan Tu watched them, his eyes narrowing slightly. This was a perfect opportunity to suppress his rivals...

Just as Pan Tu was about to speak, the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord opened his mouth.

"Enough..." He stopped Liu Benlian. "We'll deal with your matters later."

"Where is Elder Sun?"

Almost the instant these words fell, Sun Baitan collapsed onto the ground, limp.

The moment Liu Benlian mentioned the Black Eagle Token was lost, he had already foreseen the outcome. This was an attempt to make him take all the blame.

"Prefect... Prefecture Lord..." Sun Baitan's voice trembled. "I know I was wrong."

Since the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord was questioning him about this matter, it meant one thing: the Black Eagle Guard had already informed him of everything. Lying would only worsen his punishment.

"It... It was me who found the Black Eagle Token..." Handing over the Black Eagle Token, Sun Baitan could only play along. The reason he acted this way was due to his status. Although it was an unforgivable crime to mobilize the Black Eagle Guard without authorization, he was still an elder.

Even if the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord knew who he had mobilized the Black Eagle Guard against, Qin Jishi was merely a mortal. Would he severely punish him for a mortal?

Obviously not!

Furthermore!

He was one of the Second Young Master's men. Would Elder Er and the others just stand by and do nothing?

"It was you?" The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord narrowed his eyes. "Tell me, why did you mobilize the Black Eagle Guard?"

"I..." Sun Baitan glanced at Liu Benlian.

"Answer me." This roar made Sun Baitan tremble violently.

"I... I'll tell you... I'll tell you..." Daring not to hide anything, Sun Baitan recounted the entire story, but he omitted the part about Qin Jishi and Pan Xu being related, changing it to a mysterious individual intervening.

"Prefecture Lord... I've told you everything. That's how it happened. Qin Jishi forced me to kneel, which was a provocation to our Black Eagle Prefecture's authority. I originally intended to report this matter to you, and I happened to find the Black Eagle Token, so I took it upon myself to act..."

Sun Baitan didn't see that the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord was trembling violently after hearing his words.

Damn it!

Do you know the trouble you've caused?

Seeing this, Elder Er, Pan Sen, felt Sun Baitan's pleading gaze.

"Prefecture Lord... Actually, I don't think Elder Sun should be blamed for this matter, after all..."

"Shut up!" The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord's reprimand followed immediately. "Were you involved in this matter as well?"

"I... I wasn't involved..." Pan Sen trembled violently, sensing the intense killing intent from the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord.

"Sun Baitan!" The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord's gaze fell upon him. "As the Eighth Elder of the Black Eagle Prefecture, you failed to set an example, attempted to bully others with your authority, and now you have compounded your error by mobilizing the Black Eagle Guard without authorization. This crime is unforgivable."

"Great Elder!"

"Strip him of his position as Eighth Elder and have him cut into a thousand pieces as a warning to others."

Pan Tu froze, thinking he had misheard.

"What? Didn't you hear me?"

"As you command!" Pan Tu, being a member of the Young Prefecture Lord's faction, was naturally very pleased.

Almost the moment the order was issued, Sun Baitan became terrified.

He thought he had misheard. "No... Prefecture Lord... Please spare me... spare me..."

"Elder Er, please plead for me... We're all the Second Young Master's people..."

Pan Sen cursed inwardly, wishing he would just shut up. Anyone could see the situation clearly; the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord was utterly furious. Who would dare speak up?

"Second Madam... Second Madam... I did as you instructed..."

"Prefecture Lord, this was all Second Madam's idea... Prefecture Lord... Give me a chance... Prefecture Lord... Please give me a chance..."

"..."

Sun Baitan struggled and roared, but it was all to no avail.

Watching Sun Baitan being dragged away by Pan Tu, everyone from the Second Young Master's faction broke out in a cold sweat, fearing they might be implicated.

"Let me tell you!" The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord said coldly. "From now on, whoever dares to bully others with their authority or violate the sect's rules will suffer Sun Baitan's fate."

"Disperse!"

The elders nodded repeatedly, not daring to linger, and quickly departed.

After they left, the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord walked up to Liu Benlian, his tone cold. "Don't think you can fool me. This time, Sun Baitan took the fall for you. If there's a next time, don't blame me for being ruthless."

"Prefecture Lord... I..."

"Let me tell you!" The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord interrupted her. "The matters concerning the Liu family are to be dropped. It was all their own doing. From now on, without my command, you are not to step foot outside Yihe Hall."

"Hmph~"

The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord flicked his sleeve and turned to leave