162: Chapter 163 Uncle, do you want some?

The child was holding a fruit in his hand, already bitten. The flesh was crystalline, and the skin shimmered with a faint purple glow. Even from a distance, one could feel the rich Spiritual Qi bursting from within.

It was a spirit fruit!

And its quality was definitely not low!

At least Gold Rank!

They immediately made that judgment.

Yet, such a spirit fruit was casually clutched in the hand of this six or seven-year-old Little Boy, as if it were an ordinary wild fruit!

This made their scalps tingle.

A Gold Rank spirit fruit!

Outside, let alone ordinary people, even a Black Iron Rank Professional might not be able to exchange their life for one!

But now, it was held in a child's hand, eaten while running, like some common snack.

Seeing everyone staring at the fruit in his hand, the Little Boy blinked, seeming to understand something. He then reached his other hand into his chest, felt around, and actually pulled out another identical one.

He stood on tiptoe and tried hard to hand it forward.

"Uncle, want some? Here you go."

His target was none other than City Lord Qin Fang.

The moment the fruit came close, Spiritual Qi rushed to their faces.

The breaths of several envoys behind grew heavy.

Someone's Adam's apple rolled violently, their eyes nearly glued to it.

City Lord Qin Fang was also stunned for a moment.

At such close range, even he could clearly feel the temptation of that pure Spiritual Qi. It wasn't the fragrance of an ordinary Heaven And Earth Treasure, but an instinctive call that told the body it would benefit immediately upon swallowing.

However, looking at that tiny hand, he paused for half a breath and finally suppressed the urge.

"Thank you, little friend."

City Lord Qin Fang crouched down, softening his voice as much as possible. "Uncle isn't hungry. You eat it yourself."

The Little Boy said "Oh" and didn't insist. Just as he was about to say something else, a little girl's urgent call came from behind.

"Hurry up! Fluffy ran off again!"

"Coming!"

The Little Boy's attention was immediately diverted. Holding the fruit, he turned and ran, waving at City Lord Qin Fang as he went. "Goodbye, Uncle!"

The white tiger also seemed to understand, stopping ahead and flicking its tail before slowly trotting off after the two children caught up.

One tiger, two children, soon turned into another street and disappeared from sight.

The street fell silent for a moment.

Only the "rumble" of wheels pressing against the ground continued to roll slowly forward.

The group of envoys stood rooted to the spot, their expressions somewhat dazed, as if their souls had been knocked out by that scene and were drifting back in slow motion.

After a long while, someone took a low breath.

But that breath caught halfway.

Because he suddenly didn't know how to describe what he had just seen.

Citizens without execution lines.

Professionals on every street.

Equipment at least Black Iron Rank.

Children chased by Wild Beasts... no, children chasing Wild Beasts.

And a purple jade glazed fruit held in hand and eaten.

Any one of these things alone would be enough to make a small town green with envy.

But in Flower City, they were laid out on the streets as naturally as the sun, the wind, or the dust on the roadside.

An envoy licked his dry lips, his voice somewhat ethereal.

"We... what kind of place have we come to?"

No one answered him.

Because everyone wanted to know the answer to that question.

Ahead, the City Lord's mansion was near.

The towering Jianmu tree drooped its branches and leaves, rustling softly in the wind. The sound was not loud, but it inexplicably made their hearts beat even more chaotically.

Lei Lie stopped and turned around.

"Everyone, we have arrived."

City Lord Qin Fang looked up ahead, was silent for two breaths, then suddenly let out a long sigh.

Before coming, he only thought Flower City was worth a personal visit.

But now, only one thought remained in his mind.

This trip was worth it.

However...

His gaze shifted slightly, sweeping over the quiet City Lord's mansion, and his heart sank a little.

What kind of person could have nurtured such a city?

And the sincerity brought by their five cities today...

Was it enough?

...

Outside the City Lord's mansion, several envoy delegations unconsciously slowed down.

Moments ago, they were walking on the lively street, their ears filled with hawking, haggling, and the laughter of children chasing a white tiger.

But when that courtyard gate truly appeared before them, their steps gradually halted.

No one urged them.

No one spoke either.

Even the few Bronze Rank guards who had been tense-faced throughout the journey now instinctively straightened their backs, secretly wiping the thin layer of sweat from their palms on the corners of their clothes.

The City Lord's mansion had arrived.

Having come this far, the lingering thought in their minds—that "although Flower City is strong, it's still just an F-rank small town"—had long been crushed to nothing.

But precisely because of this, standing outside this gate, everyone felt even more oppressed.

If the city was like this,

Then what would the master of this city be like?

Would they be given a show of force as soon as they entered?

Would they be deliberately kept waiting, standing in the courtyard for half a day?

Or perhaps, when they finally met him, would the City Lord of Flower City just lift his eyes and suppress everyone's spirit back into their stomachs?

The leader of the Qinghe City envoy delegation swallowed hard, couldn't help turning to his companion beside him, and whispered, "Be careful when we speak later."

The latter didn't respond, only nodded.

Another guard from Liefeng City unconsciously glanced ahead, his gaze passing over the unostentatious but impeccably clean courtyard gate, and the string in his heart tightened even more.

The sights along the way were still churning in his mind.

Citizens without execution lines, Professionals on every street, equipment at least Black Iron Rank, a white tiger playing with children, and a spirit fruit bitten by a child.

Flower City was already unlike a small town.

Then the City Lord of Flower City would probably be even more unlike one.

Thinking this, he unconsciously took a breath, but inhaled too quickly, causing his chest to feel stuffy. He quickly suppressed his breathing and exhaled slowly.

City Lord Qin Fang stood at the front, his expression still relatively calm.

But only he knew that calm as he was, he was not relaxed inside.

He had been observing all the way.

Observing Flower City's streets, its people, its order, and the confidence that didn't need emphasis but showed everywhere.

In the end, many of the words he had prepared were suppressed instead.

A city like this relied on far more than just tens of thousands of Mercenaries and a stroke of luck.

The person who could nurture such a city would not be simple.

Lei Lie swept his eyes over them, stepped forward, raised his hand, and knocked on the courtyard gate.

"Dong, dong, dong."

The sound was not heavy, but very clear.

The breaths of the envoy delegations outside the door involuntarily lightened.

But the next moment,

"Creak—"

The courtyard gate opened directly.

Behind the door stood a young figure.

Green robe, long hair, gentle brows and eyes, with no hint of ostentatious aura.

Yet, just by standing there quietly, he made people unconsciously fix their gazes on him, unable to look away.

...