Chapter 401 Junior! Blackrock City is not something you can handle!

Jiang Yun stood on the high platform, looking down at the dense crowd below.

The silver-white mask cast a cold light in the sunlight, adding a touch of mystery and majesty to him.

He spoke; his voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

"This City Lord knows that you have many questions in your hearts."

His tone was calm and steady, like a breeze over a lake, unhurried, yet carrying a power that could not be ignored.

"From this day forth, the Four Great Factions will surely exist in name only."

Once these words were spoken, the crowd below immediately erupted into an uproar.

"What? The Four Great Factions are really gone?"

"The Blood Thorn Mercenary Group, Black Wind Stronghold, Blood Fiend Pavilion, and Red Fire Mercenary Group... these four factions that have entrenched themselves in Black Rock City for decades, or even centuries, are finished just like that?"

"What kind of background does this masked young man have?"

"I heard he is only sixteen years old! sixteen years old!"

"sixteen years old and he can make Blood Lady and Iron Mountain Liu submit? That is too ridiculous!"

The sounds of discussion surged like a tide; some were shocked, some skeptical, some curious, and some fearful.

Jiang Yun did not interrupt them, simply standing quietly on the high platform, his gaze calmly sweeping across the entire venue.

When the discussions quieted down slightly, he continued.

"From this day on, the rules of Black Rock City will be set by this City Lord."

His voice remained calm, but his tone carried an unquestionable majesty.

"Blood Lady of the Blood Fiend Pavilion and Iron Mountain Liu of the Red Fire Mercenary Group, from this day forth, are this City Lord's Left and Right Elders. When this City Lord is absent, all matters in Black Rock City will be handled by these two on my behalf."

Upon hearing this, Blood Lady and Iron Mountain Liu felt a surge of excitement, their chests puffing out involuntarily.

The City Lord had actually announced them as Left and Right Elders in front of the whole city!

What did this mean?

It meant that the City Lord's trust and regard for them had reached an extremely high level!

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing firm determination in the other's eyes.

With the City Lord treating them so generously, they could only serve with their lives and vow absolute loyalty!

"Your subordinates obey!"

They shouted in unison, their voices resonating throughout the venue.

The people below watched this scene with mixed feelings.

The former Deputy Leader of the Red Fire Mercenary Group, the former Pavilion Master of the Blood Fiend Pavilion.

These two figures who had once dominated Black Rock City were now willingly submitting to a sixteen years old youth, and had even been entrusted with heavy responsibilities.

How much power did this masked young man truly possess?

Jiang Yun continued.

"This City Lord knows that for many years, Black Rock City has been a land without a master. The Four Great Factions occupied different areas, fighting each other, while the Common residents of the city were caught in the middle, suffering unspeakably."

His tone became heavy, his gaze filled with a touch of pity.

"From this day forward, all of this will change."

"This City Lord will make Black Rock City a pure land within the Bone Burial Area. It will no longer be a lawless land, no longer a place where the weak are prey to the strong. The residents of the city will be under this City Lord's protection. Anyone who dares to bully the people or disrupt order, this City Lord will surely execute without mercy!"

His voice was resonant, like clashing metal and stone, echoing over the square.

Below, the eyes of the Common residents lit up one by one.

"Is it true? Can a place like Black Rock City really establish laws and order?"

"Is this new City Lord speaking the truth? Will he really protect us?"

"If that's true, that would be wonderful! I've lived in this Black Rock City for thirty years, living in fear every day, terrified of offending someone from one of the factions and being beaten to death in the street with no one to care!"

"That's right! Old Wang next door to me, just because he accidentally bumped into a squad leader of the Blood Thorn Mercenary Group, got his leg broken and is still limping to this day!"

"If the new City Lord can really do it, then the lives of us commoners in the city will be much easier!"

The commoners discussed heatedly, their eyes filled with anticipation and hope.

However, not everyone was happy.

In a corner of the square, several elderly men who looked quite experienced gathered together, whispering to each other.

They were dressed in luxurious clothing with an extraordinary Aura, clearly not Common people.

"This masked kid is too bold."

An old man with a goatee sneered, his voice full of disdain.

"It seems this youth is an outsider and doesn't understand the true situation in Black Rock City. Although on the surface there are only the Four Great Factions, for these past decades, no one has been able to become the true master of this city. Do you know the reason?"

"Of course we know."

Another bald old man stroked his beard, squinting his eyes as he spoke.

"The Four Great Factions are merely chess pieces on the table. This fat piece of meat that is Black Rock City has countless eyes watching from behind the scenes. Those large Families and powerful forces in the provincial capital, which one of them doesn't want a piece of the pie?"

"Indeed."

The third old man interjected, his voice low.

"Over these years, various forces have kept each other in check, and no one dared to act rashly, which is why the situation of the Four Great Factions coexisting was formed. This kid thinks that just by subduing the Four Great Factions he can become the Master of Black Rock City? Heh, what he sees is merely the tip of the iceberg."

"Just wait and see."

The goatee-sporting old man sneered.

"Now that this has happened, those Old Fellows probably won't be able to sit still. They've been eyeing this fat piece of meat for decades; how could they let a greenhorn snatch it away?"

"If this Little Fellow doesn't have a powerful backing, he's going to suffer a big loss today."

The several old men exchanged smiles, their eyes filled with the intent of watching a good show.

On the platform, Jiang Yun was completely unaware of these discussions.

Even Blood Lady and Iron Mountain Liu were not very clear about these behind-the-scenes power plays.

Although they had been active in Black Rock City for many years, they were ultimately just chess pieces on the table; they could not perceive the true core.

Perhaps they sensed something, but they dared not be certain.

Jiang Yun listened to the discussions about him from the crowd below—there was anticipation, skepticism, disdain, and sneers...

He simply smiled indifferently.

He knew that making everyone believe in him was not something that could happen overnight.

But he had plenty of time.

"This City Lord's words are absolute."

Jiang Yun's voice rang out again, his tone firm and confident.

"From this day forth, Black Rock City will be protected by this City Lord. Anyone, any faction, who wants to run wild on the territory of Black Rock City, must first ask if this City Lord agrees!"

His gaze swept across the venue, and beneath the mask, those deep eyes flashed with cold light.

"This City Lord will make Black Rock City the most dazzling existence in the Bone Burial Area!"

His voice was sonorous and powerful, echoing over the square for a long time.

Below, the commoners were fired up, shouting one after another.

"City Lord is mighty!"

"Long live the City Lord!"

"We believe in the City Lord!"

The cheers rose and fell, like a tsunami.

However, right in the midst of this fervent atmosphere...

"Boom..."

A heaven-shaking roar suddenly came from the sky.

The sound was like a thunderclap, like mountains collapsing and the earth splitting, shaking the entire square slightly.

Everyone looked up at the sky simultaneously.

They saw a golden light rapidly approaching from the distant horizon.

At first, the light was just a speck, but in the blink of an eye, it turned into a streak of light, and in another blink, it had already arrived above the square.

"That is..."

Someone widened their eyes.

The golden light dissipated, and a massive Spirit Beast appeared before everyone's eyes.

It was a giant eagle with a body of pure gold, its wingspan reaching several tens of meters, blotting out the sky and sun.

When its wings were spread, it even blocked out more than half of the sunlight over the square.

The giant eagle's feathers were not an ordinary golden color, but rather seemed to be cast from molten gold, each feather shimmering with a metallic luster, glowing brilliantly in the sunlight.

Its eyes were golden, and within its pupils, it seemed as if flames were burning, emitting an intimidating Aura.

What was most shocking was that the air around this giant eagle was distorting.

Golden electric arcs leapt between its feathers, and each flash was accompanied by crackling explosions.

The spiritual energy in the air automatically parted a path before it, as if even heaven and earth were making way for it.

On the back of this giant eagle stood a person.

It was a middle-aged man, appearing to be around forty years old, with a tall, sturdy build, broad shoulders and a thick waist, dressed in a black robe with golden patterns embroidered on the hem.

His face was angular, with sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, a high nose bridge, and lips slightly pursed, exuding an Aura of majesty without anger.

Most striking were his eyes.

Those eyes were golden, with faint lightning flashing within the pupils, as if they could see through all falsehoods.

He stood with his hands behind his back, standing on the back of the Golden-Winged Thunder Eagle, looking down at the crowd in the square from above.

His gaze finally landed on Jiang Yun on the high platform.

Across the hundreds of meters of high altitude, his eyes were indifferent and cold, as if looking at an ant.

In those eyes, there was no anger, no hostility, not even any emotion.

Only disdain.

It was as if, in his eyes, Jiang Yun was simply not worth mentioning.

In the square, there was dead silence.

Everyone was stunned by this terrifying Aura, to the point where even breathing became difficult.

Star Meteor Rank Nine Peak!

How could a powerhouse of this level appear in Black Rock City?

He was not from the Four Great Factions.

The strongest in the Four Great Factions was only at Star Meteor Rank Seven; there was simply no one of this level!

Who on earth was he?

Just then, a voice came from the sky.

The voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

The voice was low and cold, like ice from the Nine Netherworlds, and like the roar of thunder, carrying an irresistible majesty.

"Junior, leave at once. This territory of Black Rock City is not something you can handle."

The middle-aged man's tone was flat, as if stating a fact.

There was no threat, no warning, only a command.

It was as if what he said was not "please leave," but "you must leave."

It was unquestionable, unarguable.

On the high platform, Jiang Yun raised his head, looking toward the middle-aged man in the sky.

Beneath the mask, his eyes were as calm as water, revealing no emotional fluctuations.

But behind him, Blood Lady and Iron Mountain Liu's faces had turned pale, because they could vaguely sense the terrifying Aura from the other party that far exceeded their own.

Star Meteor Rank Nine Peak...

A powerhouse of this level, even if the two of them joined forces, would not be enough for the other party to crush with a single finger.

It seemed they had encountered big trouble again today!

City Lord... could he handle it?