The arrival of the nobles and city dignitaries was something inside the expectations of both participants and observers. But for this event, no matter how unexpected it was, it couldn't be considered enough to attract the true experts of the city. And yet, overshadowing everyone else, a good dozen grand beings arrived.
Zhu Gao, the head of the [Zhu]'s and the main warden of the city's prison, and head captain of the law-enforcing department, followed by his sister, Zhu Yun, head of the city's vanguard troops.
Zhu Chen, a previously respected cultivator of the city, who had left because of some disagreement but had brought fame to both the [Zhu] and his new lieges, the [Yuxuan City] walked in along a far more shocking presence, Lei Su, the well-renowned [Rising Sword] of the [White Grove Sect].
A young man in golden robes decorated with crimson, who, while powerful in his own right, was accompanied by four advanced Warrior Lords, each of them bearing the badges of the [Pan Trade Company], as well as a presence surrounded by shadows that released a Warrior King aura, making it no doubt that this young man was someone important, and for people that had interacted with the [Company], it wasn't hard to connect the dots and understand that it was no one but the current young master, one that could move even Warrior Emperors on his whim.
A few moments later, Dongpo Zan, the current head of the City Hall's guards, and a strangely silent and downcast Minister Tao came. But they were overshadowed immediately, causing no more than a few glances, by Lady Liao, who arrived along an older cultivator without the usual pompous procession.
And the identity of that old cultivator, dressed in a simple martial garment without the usual brocade and decorations that the [Dongpo] clan liked so much, shocked everyone present to their cores. After all, not a few of the noble families' heads or the previous generation city dignitaries had met Dongpo Ao themselves and, by now, had assumed that he would remain in seclusion for years to come...
***
With such guests arriving, Sima Yijun and Yuwen Dong immediately rushed out from their respective groups and gatherings. As the head of the [Sima] clan and the host, it would be the young Sima Yijun the one to get the right to greet first, with Yuwen Dong following close by, as the people who had arrived could not only determine the result of the duel with just a word, but could decide on the termination of either noble family if they were displeased!
But what would be their surprise, as after acknowledging their presence, Dongpo Ao, the true City Lord, and [Dongpo] clan leader, declared that the group was here to accompany someone and wouldn't involve themselves in anything related to the clash. Giving the right to Sima Yijun and Yuwen Dong to solve their issue as they wanted.
Having received only pressure from powerful presences, both parties had no choice but to return to their positions and, after a few moments, announce the proceedings.
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{My lady would like to speak with you before the combat if it's acceptable for you.} Although Bai Qi remained unannounced, he still had to make his presence clear, so he sent Zhu Hu a message confirming his arrival. And now, the Warrior King guard of the [Sima] clan, one of the two important people left by the lady's late father, constantly mentioned in talks before the arrival of the city's powerhouses, contacted him back.
{Not interested. I will take the stage when required, acquire my reward, and leave. While I appreciate the Lady's intent, I am just a hired hand and shouldn't interact with her outside my victory or defeat.} In all truth, Bai Qi's answer was barely bordering courtesy, but his mind was far away from the battle to come, and he wasn't in the mood for politeness.
While he had mostly ignored the torture and had no real injuries but the ones that he had inflicted himself, now entirely healed, thanks to a high-grade Spirit pill provided by Pan Tong, his feelings about returning the humiliation were true, even the surfacing of Kui Mulang's killing intent had been something he had permitted.
{Lady Yijun insists on meeting her champion before the battle starts. How could she send someone to a dangerous stage without even seeing them?} With Zhu Hu's insistence, Bai Qi had no other choice but to accept while forcefully clearing his mind from the things that truly worried him, like the reasons for the [Pan Trade Family] heir to approach him in such a way, or the unexpected high-grade protection from the [White Grove] and [Yuxuan City].
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The quarrel between her people and the [Yuwen] mansion, which even escalated to get Yuwen Dong involved, forcing herself to do the same, weighed on Sima Yijun. The latter had always tried to find an excuse to provoke her, knowing well that outside Zhu Hu's protection, the [Sima] clan didn't have even a single cultivator above the 5th level Warrior Lord level - while the [Yuwen] had three, including himself, a peak Warrior Lord with renowned prowess. With Zhu Hu's cultivation of a Warrior King, it was strange, but it seemed as if Yuwen Dong knew about Zhu Hu's oath to not fight for the [Sima]'s except for a case of danger towards the clan, or more specifically, Sima Yijun herself.
From small incidents to big ones, the families had clashed several times already. With only the support and wise suggestions of the [Old Flame], elder Yan, who had been guiding and protecting her along with Zhu Hu because of an oath made to her late father, the [Sima] could have already lost the few ventures they had.
But this time, the clash got out of hand, with several cultivators even taking out weapons and clashing between themselves, forcing the actual head of the family to act to prevent an incident and falling into Yuwen Dong's plan. While the initial dispute occurred because of a simple spirit-tier weapon, with the escalation it had, including a duel between the families to solve their differences, now, the stakes had been upped.
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Now, while no one but the most connected observers knew, the winner of the duel would also get one of the opposing side's properties, and Yuwen Dong had since the start aimed at the [Grey Stream Mine], which, while small-scale and not rich enough to interest the true powers of the region, was still a source of spirit stones and shards, making up for over half of the income of the [Sima] family.
A battle on the stage between the clans would go against some of the rules accepted by all vassals of the [Dongpo] clan, as any blood spilled would be the blood of an asset of the city. But Yuwen Dong had accounted for nearly everything and goaded the young lady into accepting a proxy duel - when each family would invite a cultivator from outside to represent them. Which, as anyone with an inch of brain could understand to be a move aimed at the [Sima]'s lack of contacts outside the area, especially when considering that the [Yuwen] clan had been in constant contact and sent dozens of disciples, with even Yuwen Dong having been one at some point, with the nearby 4th tier power, the [Go-Zan Sect].
Yuwen Dong had not even hidden that the rising star of the [Go-Zan Sect], the first disciple of the headmaster, Go Dai, an 8th level Warrior Lord known for being as powerful as some peak Lords, would be representing the [Yuwen] family.
Knowing well about Go Dai, a cultivator of the generation just above her own and renowned for being no less talented than disciples of any high-tier power, Lady Yijun had despaired, at least until Zhu Hu had told her that he had already contacted someone who would act as the proxy and had a chance to win. The price mentioned by Zhu Hu could be said to be enormous, but if the proxy won, the [Sima] family would obtain far more, so she had tranquilized herself. At least until now, as she landed her eyes on the so-called champion, someone who had even attempted to avoid meeting her!
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As the young lady of the [Sima] family looked down at him while examining him, Bai Qi didn't even care to show politeness except for a nod before starting to examine her in turn. And he would be greatly surprised to find out that the young lady of the [Sima] family wasn't just good-looking, but her demeanor was one of a ruler, one which he had not felt even from actual elders of tiered powers.
Her fair face, pale skin, flowing hair of a pure black tone, and nearly perfect figure were complemented by the dignity of a true Saintness, one which stood among other people and compelled the latter to follow. Her low cultivation, at least among the young geniuses of the region, played no more than a supporting role in her demeanor.
***
As for Sima Yijun, what she saw was a young man, one that probably was even younger than herself. Dressed in robes that showed traces of blood, with a head of long but messy hair tinted by both black and white, as if either he had been forced to survive suffering far above his realm or had some kind of conflicting nature inside his body. While fairly handsome, his finely carved face and sharp eyebrows showing an indomitable character, this man revealed a cultivation not higher than a 6th level Warrior Lord, and the bloodstains, which were clearly both his and from others, although he himself showed not a sign of being injured, meant that he wasn't a cultivator of the righteous path or acknowledged background.
After all, what young master of any actual force would appear like this? What renowned cultivator would allow himself to face his current contractor in such a state?
But before Sima Yijun could even mutter a word, Zhu Hu intervened, as if defending the discourteous man before her, "Young Master Bai Qi met a few problems before he arrived here to complete the mission I asked him to, so please pardon his lack of conduct, as he is indeed far from being ready to meet you, young lady."
As he unveiled his aura, the man, a 6th level Warrior Lord, boldly declared that he had been chosen by Lady Sima to represent her in a duel against the [Yuwen] clan. He then issued a direct challenge to Go Dai, calling for his opponent to step forward and face him on the stage.
"As to be killed right away..." Bai Qi's last words would be said in a low voice, one that even advanced Warrior Lords couldn't pick up if not for being prepared, but they did reach both his opponent, Go Dai, as well as the few powerful people present, including both Yuwen Dong and the people that, in some detail, which only they knew, played a part in his liberation from the city's prison.
***
Bai Qi's words were so arrogant that both dueling parties, no matter if the ones supporting Yuwen Dong or Bai Qi's patron at the time, the [Sima] clan, were frozen on the spot.
A man in bloodstained robes, with messy hair of mixed color, and releasing cultivation of a 6th level Warrior Lord, which, while impressive for a very young rogue cultivator, Bai Qi's never concealing his current age, one that didn't even reach the 17-year mark, that was what they saw. But no matter talent, or even if he hid some background, it was simply too arrogant and overbearing, as if he considered a renowned genius as Go Dai to be nothing more but some roadside trash!
While Go Dai knew that getting agitated before the duel would serve no one but his opponent, Bai Qi's arrogance offended him so much that he didn't even allow Yuwen Dong, who nearly spat blood from anger and was about to start a speech, if not launch himself against the arrogant youngster, to do anything, taking the stage in a single leap while releasing his combat aura, releasing all of his soul power as to crush the conceited bastard with only the difference in cultivation.
But to his surprise, as well as the one of everyone supporting the [Yuwen] clan, Bai Qi stood there without a single reaction. Go Dai's 8th level Warrior Lord aura, one forceful enough as to cause the stage's defensive formations to shine brightly, was unable to move a single hair of Bai Qi's, all while the latter wasn't even actively using his soul power or controlling his aura!
"You have some strength, huh?" Surprised as he was, Go Dai couldn't help but acknowledge that Bai Qi was unexpectedly immutable when facing an aura that was not only above his level but reinforced by all of his opponent's soul power. Still, even if the latter had resisted his aura, it only showed that he was a bit more talented than others. Go Dai was still sure about him winning, and he was confident that he wouldn't even have to use more than half of his power to crush this unknown rogue, "You have asked me to come, and so I have done."
Bai Qi was in no mood for politics, and his purpose was to expedite the process, avoiding all the speeches and fluff that usually accompanied such duels. Judging from Yuwen Dong, the 9th level Warrior Lord in charge of the [Sima]'s opponents, and Go Dai's actions, Bai Qi had achieved his objective.
"Well, let's deal with it, then." Bai Qi suddenly laughed as his previously held-back aura expanded, strengthening itself to a level comparable to a peak 8th level Warrior Lord, equaling Go Dai's one.
From resisting Go Dai's aura with just his normal release to suddenly exploding in a force equal to Go Dai's, Bai Qi had spent only a single breath, and many would think that he would fail to drive the hostile aura backward, especially as he was on the same level. Yet, everyone present, even the [Dongpo] Warrior Emperor, would be surprised to see how Bai Qi's control of the explosive force behind a forceful expansion suppressed Go Dai's aura as it wasn't equal but far weaker.
And from there, before even giving a chance for Go Dai to react, Bai Qi had already launched himself forward, both of his hands taking the shape of black-fire-covered claws.
"You..!" As the one facing the sudden explosion of Bai Qi's power, one which while equal to his was too different, more restrained and controlled, as if being held back and not used to its full, was forced to take a step back as he tried to control the shards of his shattered aura to come back. Yet, as he did, he found that Bai Qi had already flown over half of the way between them while releasing a claw technique.