144: It's clearly robbery, but they still try to flatter themselves

As the crowd stirred, a path quickly opened before Ye Xiao.

Then, a young man with an arrogant demeanor, surrounded by his retinue, stepped forward.

He first scanned his surroundings, then fixed his gaze on the corpulent middle-aged man beside him, and let out a cold snort.

“Zhou Dafu, do you really think you’re worthy of inquiring about the origin of the godforged stone? Are you tired of living?”

Hearing the young man’s words, Zhou Dafu’s fat face turned a pig-liver color, but in an instant, he obsequiously smiled and said, “Young Master Zhi, what are you saying? I was just curious. If I really found out, I would definitely report it to you immediately.”

The young man, called Young Master Zhi, eyed Zhou Dafu disdainfully and said coldly, “Oh? Is that so? I thought your Zhou Family was still dreaming of restoring its former glory.”

“I wouldn’t dare, wouldn’t dare, Young Master Zhi is joking. Those are old stories now. The current Zhou Family is merely a merchant family relying on the Zhi Family’s protection.”

“Hmph! It better be that way. Don’t be like your useless father, whose head is always full of unrealistic ideas.”

After speaking, Young Master Zhi ignored Zhou Dafu and turned to face Ye Xiao, looking down at him with an arrogant expression.

“Don’t you know that selling items worth over 100 million in the black market requires prior notification?”

Ye Xiao, hearing this, looked at the young man before him suspiciously and shook his head.

“Never heard of it.”

Young Master Zhi smiled faintly, “It’s alright, now you have.”

Ye Xiao also smiled, “So?”

Young Master Zhi narrowed his eyes and said, “So, you’ve violated the Liyue City’s covenant. As per the rules, you must first hand over the prohibited item you’re selling.”

“Hand it over to you?”

Young Master Zhi said nonchalantly, “As the master of Liyue City, the Zhi Family, are you worried that I would swallow your item?”

Ye Xiao thought for a moment, then nodded and said, “I am indeed very worried.”

Upon hearing this, Young Master Zhi’s previously smiling expression stiffened, his demeanor turning several shades colder.

“Are you questioning my Zhi Family?”

Ye Xiao shook his head, “Questioning is not quite it…”

“Then what are you worried about?” Young Master Zhi snorted coldly.

“Because I have never believed in your Zhi Family.”

Whoosh!

As soon as Ye Xiao uttered these words, the scene erupted in an uproar.

Is this person crazy?

This is Liyue City. The Zhi Family has been deeply entrenched here for 80 years and is its undisputed master.

Although this is the black market, and Ye Xiao has concealed his identity, no one has ever seen such an arrogant fellow.

After all, as one of the Eight Great Families, the Zhi Family’s prestige is well-established. If his identity were to be discovered, he might not even know how he died.

Listening to the surrounding discussions, Ye Xiao’s face showed no panic.

If unnecessary, he naturally wouldn’t want to provoke the other party.

But the current situation was that the other party immediately tried to extort him, demanding he hand over the godforged stone.

Anyone with a brain would know that once the item was handed over, there would be no hope of getting it back.

If he didn't hand it over, he would naturally offend the other party.

Since there was no avoiding it either way, Ye Xiao simply didn't bother to give the other party any quarter.

Anyway, he was wearing a bat mask. After leaving here, with his abilities, he truly didn't believe the Zhi Family could recognize him.

At the same time, Young Master Zhi, having recovered, his expression turned incredibly cold, looking at Ye Xiao as if he were looking at a dead man.

“You are very arrogant! Not only do you not abide by the covenant, but you also openly insult my Zhi Family. Do you really think I can’t do anything to you in this black market?”

Ye Xiao couldn't help but laugh, hearing this damn familiar tone.

“What does your Zhi Family’s covenant have to do with me? I’m just passing by.”

The young man sneered, “Nonsense! If my Zhi Family hadn’t painstakingly maintained Liyue City, could it have this stability today? My Zhi Family has put in so much effort. Everyone who wants to live in Liyue City must abide by the rules set by my Zhi Family. No one can violate them.”

It was the same old story. When he encountered the three great legions in Black Sand City, they had said the same thing as this person before him.

Hearing similar remarks again, Ye Xiao was speechless and too lazy to continue arguing.

“Alright, alright, you’re clearly trying to rob me, yet you insist on making yourselves sound so meritorious. Do you really think everyone here is a fool? That they’re so easy to trick?”

“What did you say?! You dare to slander my Zhi Family?!” Young Master Zhi’s face changed drastically, and he roared in anger.

Ye Xiao didn't care at all and casually said, “They’re just afraid of retaliation from your Zhi Family, which is why they choose to swallow their anger. Just like that fat man you cursed earlier, I believe he’s wishing he could beat you to death right now, but he doesn’t have the strength and doesn’t dare.”

Ye Xiao’s words instantly made everyone around him change their expressions.

“That’s not true! Why are you spouting nonsense?”

“Exactly, we are all honest and law-abiding people, and we never have such thoughts.”

“Right, right, right! No rules, no order. We have no objections to the rules set by the Zhi Family.”

“You, why do you want to die and drag us down with you? You’re simply inhuman!”

...A group of people scrambled to express their stance, fearing that they would be implicated by Ye Xiao’s words.

After all, they had been operating in Liyue City for many years. Even if Ye Xiao’s words resonated with them, they absolutely dared not offend the Zhi Family.

Ye Xiao looked at the reactions of these surrounding merchants and shook his head, not surprised.

He got up and closed his stall.

Ye Xiao felt a bit regretful that he hadn't sold anything today and had wasted a thousand in stall fees.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but glance at the stern-faced young man before him.

Unfortunately, this was the black market, and he was restricted by the rules from doing anything.

Ye Xiao didn't want to waste any more time here, but the Zhi Family’s young man had no intention of letting him go.

“Wait, did I tell you to leave?” Young Master Zhi said coldly.

Ye Xiao frowned, “What do you want?”

“You violated Liyue City’s covenant. First, hand over the item, then come with me. Later, my Zhi Family will naturally conduct a corresponding judgment on your actions.”

Ye Xiao found it amusing, too lazy to bother, and walked straight outside.

At this moment, several burly men in uniform suddenly surrounded Ye Xiao.

This scene made Ye Xiao think of the profession of “market administrator.”

But what good would it do for them to do this?

If these people dared to make the first move, Ye Xiao wouldn’t even need to retaliate; the power of the rules would be enough to instantly kill them.

At this moment, Zhou Dafu, who had been reprimanded by Young Master Zhi earlier, suddenly spoke, “Xiao Xiongdi, you must be new to Liyue City. Listen to an old man’s advice, don’t resist. It won’t do you any good.”

“Shut up, Zhou Dafu, when is it your turn to speak here?”

Rebuked by Young Master Zhi, Zhou Dafu’s face stiffened, and he mumbled, opening and closing his mouth, instantly not daring to speak.

At the same time, Ye Xiao also noticed that these people surrounding him had no intention of making a move.

They just stayed by Ye Xiao’s side; for every step Ye Xiao took, they followed closely.

Ye Xiao immediately understood that these people intended to follow him out of the black market.

Once outside, they could act without any reservations.

At this moment, Young Master Zhi’s triumphant sneer came from behind him.

“I really don’t know where this fool came from. If my Zhi Family didn’t have some tricks up its sleeve, how could it manage this vast Liyue City? If I were to let you leave safely like this, what face would my Zhi Family have left?”

Ye Xiao hadn't expected that he had just arrived here, only wanting to sell a godforged stone, and ended up encountering such a bizarre situation.

His mood couldn't help but become depressed.

However, just then, a clear, sharp reprimand suddenly came.

“Zhi Xuan! What are you doing?!”