Chapter 12: “Don’t Understand the Rules? I’ll Discipline Him for You—No Objection, Right?”

Outside Luoyang City.

At this moment, City Lord Shi Xuan stood at the city gates with a group of clan leaders.

“City Lord, is there any news about the disciple from the Heavenly Evil Sect? How strong is he?”

Shi Xuan shook his head.

At this, the head of the Lin Family spoke up:

“Estimated to be no higher than the sixth layer of Qi Gathering.”

“Oh? And why is that?”

Seeing everyone looking at him, Lin Yang chuckled and said:

“The Heavenly Evil Sect is a demonic sect that values profit above all. The rewards for this Luoyang City mission are minimal—high effort, low return, and it’s far away.”

“Disciples above the sixth layer of Qi Gathering can easily take on more lucrative tasks. So this mission generally falls within the range for those below the sixth layer.”

Ye Yuan, head of the Ye Family, looked a little surprised, then laughed:

“No wonder the Lin Family was the top contributor of Immortal Seedlings last year, to even know such details about the Heavenly Evil Sect.”

“Haha, you flatter me.”

“In my opinion,” an old voice cut in, “if things go badly, just kill him. If we wait for word to get back and another to be sent, we’d lose at least another half year.”

“Don’t be impulsive. Stick to the original plan.”

Everyone relaxed when they heard the disciple’s strength was only at the Qi Gathering sixth layer.

Among them, City Lord Shi Xuan was the strongest, at Qi Gathering seventh layer.

Combined with several clan leaders around the fifth or sixth layer, they could easily suppress someone if the disciple’s strength wasn’t outrageous.

“Everyone, we’re not here to kill. Do not provoke him. As long as the other party quietly leaves, our plan will be more than halfway to success.”

Shi Xuan spoke again, and the others agreed.

At that moment, someone saw a figure rapidly approaching from afar.

They immediately gave a warning:

“Someone is coming!”

Everyone’s eyes turned toward the approaching figure.

After observing for a moment, Shi Xuan spoke:

“That’s him. He’s wearing the Heavenly Evil Sect’s robes! Follow me to greet him!”

As Gu Fan’s figure neared, the group led by Shi Xuan stepped forward and bowed together.

“Greetings to the honored sect emissary! I am Shi Xuan, City Lord of Luoyang City, and I have been awaiting your arrival!”

Gu Fan stopped abruptly, his gaze sweeping across the seven or eight people before him.

The strongest was the leading City Lord, at the seventh layer of Qi Gathering.

The rest were uneven in strength, not worth his attention.

“City Lord Shi is too courteous.”

With that, Gu Fan directly pulled out his sect token and said in a deep voice:

“I, Gu Fan, outer disciple of the Heavenly Evil Sect, have come by order to investigate Luoyang City’s delayed tribute of Immortal Offerings. I had thought the city was planning to establish an independent sect. But now it seems there may have been a misunderstanding?”

Shi Xuan’s face twitched slightly.

A show of dominance right from the start?

The clan heads behind him also looked displeased.

“You jest, emissary. Luoyang City harbors no such intentions. It’s just that this past year, we’ve truly had some unspeakable difficulties!”

“Oh? Then perhaps I misunderstood.”

At that moment, the head of the Xiao Family stepped forward.

“City Lord, emissary, the banquet at Windcloud Pavilion has been arranged. Why don’t we discuss matters over dinner?”

Shi Xuan nodded and turned to Gu Fan, respectfully asking:

“What do you think, emissary?”

Gu Fan had never expected to complete the mission on the first day anyway; a verbal warning was enough for now.

“That works.”

Seeing him agree, everyone let out a sigh of relief.

Inside Windcloud Pavilion in Luoyang City.

Only after Gu Fan was seated did the others take their seats.

Shi Xuan began introducing everyone.

“Emissary, this is Lin Yang, head of the Lin Family; this is Ye Yuan of the Ye Family; this is the head of the Xiao Family… and over here is the Fang Family…”

Gu Fan felt a headache coming on.

If it were someone else, they might really be bluffed.

These were practically the four major clans out of some cliché novel.

“Ahem, any of you have a young clan member who was recently rejected from a marriage alliance?”

The few exchanged looks and shook their heads.

“What about a former prodigy who suddenly turned into a useless cripple?”

Still shaking their heads.

Seeing this, Gu Fan relaxed.

Thank goodness!

Shi Xuan asked curiously:

“What do you mean by that, emissary?”

“Nothing important. Just confirming a guess. It’s fine now.”

Suddenly, a cold sneer rang out.

“Just playing tricks.”

The moment those words fell, the room went silent.

All eyes turned to Ye Yuan on the side. Despite repeated warnings, he couldn’t hold his tongue!

Everyone here cultivated; their hearing was exceptionally keen.

How could they not catch Ye Yuan’s muttering?

Shi Xuan’s eyes flashed with warning as he glared at Ye Yuan.

“Please forgive him, emissary. Ye Yuan is a coarse man. I will punish him severely when we return!”

But Gu Fan slowly set down his chopsticks, a smile curling at the corners of his lips.

Pity Xia Yan wasn’t here—she would know what that expression meant.

He was pissed!

Buzz!

A resonant hum filled the air, followed by a black shadow streaking past!

Then—a loud bang!

Everyone’s expressions shifted. When they turned their eyes back to Ye Yuan, their pupils contracted sharply.

A chopstick had pierced his mouth, exiting through the back of his neck.

He was pinned to the pillar by the chopstick!

“No need to be so formal, City Lord Shi. I merely disciplined him on your behalf. I trust you don’t mind?”

Shi Xuan swallowed hard and glanced at Ye Yuan, still struggling, fresh blood dripping from the chopstick to the floor.

“No problem! If the emissary is willing to discipline someone, we naturally welcome it!”

“Good. Now let’s eat—don’t leave me to dine alone, that’d be awkward.”

The clan heads exchanged glances, then quickly laughed:

“Indeed, indeed. The emissary is right. A toast to the emissary!”

From that point, everyone tacitly ignored the pinned Ye Yuan.

They only looked at Lin Yang with some blame!

Didn’t you say the disciple wouldn’t be strong? This is your definition of ‘not strong’?

Lin Yang, looking thoroughly embarrassed, simply pretended not to notice and ignored their glares.

The banquet lasted until nightfall.

Only then did Gu Fan excuse himself, saying he needed rest, and dismissed the gathering.

Exiting Windcloud Pavilion, he politely declined their eager offers to escort him.

He walked alone toward the residence that had been prepared for him.

But as he walked, Gu Fan gradually sensed something strange about the small city.

This stretch of road was supposedly the most bustling part of the city.

Yet half the houses on both sides were dark.

He estimated the time.

It had just gotten dark.

Surely people wouldn’t already be asleep?

Closing his eyes, he slowly sensed his surroundings.

His instincts warned that something within this city posed a threat to him.

Luoyang City was small, and its lord was only at the seventh layer of Qi Gathering.

What could possibly make someone at the ninth layer of Qi Gathering like himself feel threatened…?

It seemed this mission wouldn’t be so simple after all…

Gu Fan sank into thought.

“Emissary Gu!”

Gu Fan paused and turned to see who it was.

It was one of the people from the banquet.

“You are…?”

“My surname is Han. I am Han Qian of the Han Family in Luoyang City.”

“Clan Head Han, what is it?”

Han Qian stepped forward, first bowing, then locking eyes with Gu Fan.

“I ask, emissary—do you truly care about your mission here in Luoyang City?”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you care about saving the common people?”

Gu Fan scanned Han Qian from head to toe.

The man’s gaze was resolute, his expression anxious.

There was a hidden frustration between his brows.

A far cry from the sycophants at the banquet earlier.

Unfortunately, his words failed to stir even a flicker of interest in Gu Fan.

“Apologies, Clan Head Han. I’m only here to investigate the tribute. Everything else is none of my concern.”

He turned and resumed his walk toward his lodgings.

“Emissary Gu! Luoyang City lies within the territory of the Holy Heavenly Evil Sect. As a disciple of the Holy Sect, are you truly unwilling to even hear the truth?”

Gu Fan sneered twice without turning around, continuing into the distance.

“Paid to do a job. Everything else is irrelevant to me!”

Han Qian lifted his head, eyes blazing with anger.

“Hmph! So sect disciples are just wine sacks and rice bags!”

He flung his sleeve and stormed off.

What Han Qian didn’t know was that on a nearby rooftop, two figures stood watching.

“City Lord, the Han Family really is siding with outsiders. Will this raise suspicion?”

“No matter. This Gu Fan is still sensible. As long as he doesn’t go nosing around, Han Qian alone won’t accomplish anything.”

“City Lord, Han Qian remains a risk. Should we…”

Shi Xuan was silent for a moment, then shook his head.

“Now would be the worst time to act. If we kill him, Gu Fan might see it as a provocation. Keep watching!”

“Yes, City Lord.”

“Let’s go. We must prepare thoroughly—no room for mistakes!”

With that, the two figures flickered and vanished without a trace.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep