298: Chapter 298: Who Dares Not Go?

Early the next morning.

The air in the Sword Qi Great Wall was permeated with a tense and subtle atmosphere.

The news that the City Lord's Mansion was holding a banquet spread throughout the entire city overnight.

After receiving the invitations, the Sect Heads of the major forces reacted in surprisingly the same way.

They obediently changed into their most presentable robes, prepared their most valuable gifts, and headed toward the City Lord's Mansion with the utmost trepidation.

There was no other way; the curse in their Divine Soul was like a sword hanging over their heads.

With a single thought from Xiao Ran, they would be sent to meet the King of Hell.

They had to go, whether they wanted to or not.

The Zhao family residence, the main assembly hall.

The current Family Head of the Zhao family, Patriarch Zhao Tianyu, sat in the main seat with a livid expression.

He was the nephew of Family Head Zhao Tiangang, at the Void Refinement Late Stage.

He was third in the Zhao family hierarchy, and originally, it wouldn't have been his turn to be the Family Head.

But Family Head Zhao Tiangang had died, and the three Void Refinement Stage Cultivators, Zhao Tianlin, Zhao Tianfeng, and Zhao Tianyun, had also died.

Of all the Cultivators in the Zhao family at the Void Refinement Stage or above, he was the only one left, a commander without an army.

His hand holding the teacup was trembling, not because of fear, but because of anger.

"Too bullying! Simply too bullying!"

Patriarch Zhao Tianyu smashed the teacup onto the floor, sending shards of porcelain flying.

"That Xiao Ran, an outsider and a mere stripling, killed our Zhao family's Old Ancestor and caused the deaths of our three Elders, yet he still has the nerve to invite me to a banquet?"

"He is trying to humiliate our Zhao family!"

The remaining Elders of the Zhao family at the Soul Transformation Stage looked at each other, none daring to respond.

But they knew in their hearts: if a Body Integration Stage Cultivator tells you to go, do you dare not go?

If you don't give him this Face, the next step will be him coming to your door to ransack your home.

With the Zhao family Old Ancestor gone, what could a few Soul Transformation Stage Cultivators use to fight against a Body Integration Stage big shot?

Grand Elder Zhao Tiande sighed and advised.

"Family Head, the situation is stronger than the man."

"Xiao Ran is now at the Body Integration Stage, and he has the carcass of the Nine-Headed Snake Emperor in his hands. All the major forces in the Sword Qi Great Wall are already under his control."

"If we don't go, we are just giving him a reason to take action. The Zhao family has already lost four Void Refinement Stage Cultivators; we cannot afford any more deaths."

Patriarch Zhao Tianyu gritted his teeth, his cheeks bulging like a toad.

He wanted to say that the Zhao family would rather die than submit, but he swallowed the words back.

Rather die than submit? That's easy to say when you're standing on the sidelines.

If they really died, the Zhao family would have no descendants left.

"...Prepare the gifts. We go."

Patriarch Zhao Tianyu squeezed the words out through his teeth.

Sword Sect, Sword Heart Hall.

Acting Sect Master Jian Wuming of the Sword Sect sat in the main seat with a pale Face.

He was a deacon of the Sword Sect at the Void Refinement Late Stage, and originally, he wasn't qualified to be the Sect Master.

But Supreme Elder Jian Cangqiong had died, as had the several Grand Elders of the Sword Sect at the Body Integration Stage, so he was now the person with the highest cultivation in the Sword Sect.

After being cursed by Xiao Ran yesterday, he hadn't slept all night, and several strands of his hair had turned white.

"Sect Master, an invitation from the City Lord's Mansion."

A Disciple presented it with both hands.

Acting Sect Master Jian Wuming took the invitation, glanced at it, and smiled bitterly.

"Go. Why wouldn't I go? If I don't go, the Sword Sect will be finished."

"Then what congratulatory gift should we bring?" the Disciple asked.

Acting Sect Master Jian Wuming thought for a moment, gritted his teeth, and said, "Bring that Heaven Rank High Grade Frost Moon Sword."

The Disciple was shocked: "Sect Master, that is our Sword Sect's treasure!"

"It was the sword that Supreme Elder Jian Cangqiong loved most during his lifetime!"

Acting Sect Master Jian Wuming glared at him: "The Old Ancestor is already dead. Keeping the sword will only lead to it being snatched by others."

"It is better to give it away; it might still keep the Sword Sect safe."

The Disciple dared not speak further and turned to retrieve the sword.

Acting Sect Master Jian Wuming leaned back in his chair and sighed up at the sky.

The Sword Sect's thousand-year foundation had been destroyed in an instant.

But he didn't blame Xiao Ran.

He only blamed Supreme Elder Jian Cangqiong for going to seize that so-called Mahayana Stage Opportunity, failing to get it, and getting himself killed in the process.

As a small deacon at the Void Refinement Late Stage, it was already good enough that he was still alive.

Luoxia Sect, assembly hall.

Sect Master Zhou Tianxing of the Luoxia Sect sat in the main seat with a calm expression.

His cultivation was at the Void Refinement Peak, and he was considered a significant figure in the Sword Qi Great Wall.

But at this moment, his heart was filled with relief.

He was relieved that the Luoxia Sect hadn't sent any Body Integration Stage Old Ancestors into the ruins.

Because the Luoxia Sect didn't have any Body Integration Stage Old Ancestors to begin with.

The Luoxia Sect was only a first-rate force, and the strongest person was himself, at the Void Refinement Peak.

He had taken a few Soul Transformation Stage Disciples to circle the outer perimeter of the ruins; they hadn't gained any treasures, but no one had died either.

Compared to the miserable state of the Zhao family and the Sword Sect, he felt like the chosen one.

"Sect Master, an invitation from the City Lord's Mansion." Elder Zhao handed over the invitation.

Sect Master Zhou Tianxing took it and glanced at it.

"We go. Bring a generous gift."

"I have a good read on this person, Xiao Ran. He only kills those who stand in his way. The Luoxia Sect hasn't provoked him, so he won't make things difficult for us."

Elder Zhao nodded: "Sect Master is right. What gift should we bring?"

Sect Master Zhou Tianxing thought for a moment.

"Bring that bottle of Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Liquid we found in the ruins last time. Xiao Ran has just had a Breakthrough to the Body Integration Stage and needs to consolidate his cultivation; that item is just right."

Elder Zhao grimaced in pain, but he didn't dare to object.

Wanbao Chamber of Commerce, assembly hall.

President Qian Sihai of the Wanbao Chamber of Commerce sat in the main seat, smiling.

He was at the Void Refinement Peak and had been doing business in the Sword Qi Great Wall for hundreds of years, accumulating countless wealth.

But his greatest skill wasn't making money; it was reading the direction of the wind.

He had long seen that Xiao Ran was not someone who would remain in a pond, so when Xiao Ran was the Captain of the Patrol Guard, he had secretly sent gifts.

Although Xiao Ran hadn't accepted them, at least he hadn't beaten him.

Now that Xiao Ran had become the City Lord, he felt his Opportunity had arrived.

"President, an invitation from the City Lord's Mansion."

Steward Qian Tong handed over the invitation.

President Qian Sihai took it, glanced at it, and smiled even more happily.

"Good! Very good! City Lord Xiao is young and promising; I have always thought highly of him."

"Go, bring a generous gift. Bring that Heaven Rank High Grade protective armor from the warehouse."

Steward Qian Tong was shocked: "President, that is the treasure of our shop!"

President Qian Sihai glared at him.

"So what if it's the treasure of the shop?"

"City Lord Xiao is now the master of the Sword Qi Great Wall. Giving him a piece of armor in exchange for a hundred years of peace for the Wanbao Chamber of Commerce is worth it!"

Steward Qian Tong dared not speak further and turned to retrieve the armor.

President Qian Sihai leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and hummed a little tune.

He was thinking about how to cozy up to Xiao Ran at the banquet later.

City Lord's Mansion, kitchen.

Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing was so busy she didn't have a moment to rest.

She was now the Domestic Manager of the City Lord's Mansion. Although her cultivation was only at the Golden Core Stage, her execution ability was very strong.

From the moment she received Xiao Ran's order last night, she had led the City Lord's Mansion's logistics team to prepare the banquet overnight.

"The spirit fruits must be the freshest! Has the batch ordered from the Wanbao Chamber of Commerce arrived yet?"

Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing shouted at a steward.

The steward nodded hurriedly: "It's here, it's here. It was just picked from the spirit orchard and still has the dew on it!"

"What about the spirit wine? Has that batch of century-old vintage stored in the City Lord's Mansion's cellar been moved out?"

"It's been moved out, it's been moved out. A total of three hundred jars!"

"What about the dishes? The Yao Beast meat must be roasted until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the spirit vegetables must be stir-fried, and the soup must be stewed for enough time."

"Everything is ready!"

Domestic Manager Liu Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

She looked back at the busy figures in the kitchen, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

Half a year ago, she was just a small menial laborer in the outer sect of the Eternal Night Demon Sect.

Now, she was already the head Domestic Manager of the City Lord's Mansion.

All of this was given by Xiao Ran.

She secretly swore that she must hold the banquet well and not let the Lord lose Face.