In a martial world dominated by masters, armies appeared as outgrown relics, overshadowed by the might of individual cultivators. Trained in a manner far different from the average cultivator, soldiers and guards, the so-called army cultivators, were also weaker than experienced cultivators in their same realm. Their realms were usually lower, as well. After all, the resources of a single power, be it a clan or a city, couldn't nurture so many cultivators to the utmost—especially when the best resources would always be reserved for - or awarded to - the elite experts of the power.
But it was in that difficulty for resources that their specialized training came into play. Concentrating on their ability to fight in teams and utilize formations instead of clashing directly, army cultivators enjoyed an absolute advantage in battles where numbers were involved. Their army formation strategies were designed to combine the strengths of many to combat lone or small groups of masters who wouldn't deign to work together. Thus, the army manuals trained personnel became the ideal protectors and enforcers within their own territories or even on massive-sized battlefields, wielding their unity as a potent weapon against even the most skilled adversaries.
Still, in this case, it was different. Despite arrogant manners and an inflated ego, the [Dongpo] clan was merely a 3rd-tier power ruling over one of the smallest 3rd-tier class cities. While they maintained a modest army, it was evident that they couldn't compare to the elite forces of stronger cities and powers.
Furthermore, rumors about the [Dongpo] clan's unbridled greed, to the point that they had even failed to pay the [Overlord] contribution, showed heavily in this area as well. An area that not even the greediest of powers would usually allow to decline.
Their guards exhibited none of the usual army cultivator's degree of teamwork and strategy. Their weapons were of mortal quality, with no spirituality except for a few runes displayed from their non-uniform-looking armor, showing that it was mostly a dress-up than actual combat arms. After all, what could mortal iron, even of decent quality, do when facing a low-tier spirit weapon? What could some simple protective runes do against any cultivator that already reached the Sage realm?
And indeed, even if low-tiered and of low cultivation when taking the full image, just who of the geniuses that left their powers wouldn't have at least a renowned, superior Spirit weapon?
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Seeing the guards, the four survivors from Dai Zhenya's group not only exhaled in relief but showed a renewed arrogance, glancing at Bai Qi as if they were the winners, expecting him to shiver in fear as it was clear what would be the result of any examination and judgment if there would be even one.
Their eyes glistened in expectation as the commander of this detachment walked from behind the armored group blocking the southern end of the street. Not only the man was someone they knew, but he was also a usual member of their drinking group, an officer of the town guards, someone who had gotten his position not thanks to his cultivation but to his loyalty, or better said, skills when fawning over Dongpo Qingqiu.
"Criminal! How do you dare to kill people with no reason on the streets of this city?!" Before examining the situation or asking even what was going on, the fat and messy looking 3-rd level Warrior Lord glared at Bai Qi while shouting and brandishing a short axe in his right arm as if he was ready to face the latter.
"With no reason? What if I told you that I was defending myself?" Bai Qi held no fear as he asked in a calm tone, ignoring the officer's manners.
Having obtained his position solely because of Dongpo Qingqiu's protection, Zhu Mo immediately acted on the latter's request after the young master of the city received none of the expected news from Dai Zhenya. While his orders were to investigate what happened and provide help if needed, on his arrival, Zhu Mo discovered that the plan he had just been told about had gone awry.
Dai Zhenya and another two were dead, and the young man targetted, the upstart that had participated in the young master's humiliation, stood there as if nothing, showing neither exhaustion nor wounds.
Knowing full of his own abilities and that the soldiers under his command were at most paper tigers, Zhu Mo found himself in a hard situation. While he did act arrogantly and attempted to suppress Bai Qi, he did so before understanding the situation fully. But now he did, and he didn't like it at all. After all, Dai Zhenya could have broken through such an encirclement by force, Zhu Mo was quite sure of it, having seen the former's strength. And the youngster in front was strong enough to kill the 7th level Warrior Lord master while suffering not a single wound!
With Bai Qi showing no reaction after having spoken his line, Zhu Mo began sweating profusely. Regretfully, he had no way to back down, and so, his only chance was to pressure the youngster with the name of the city's ruler while attempting to goad him into surrendering, "The results of your actions speak for themselves, but the [Dongpo] clan has always been known as fair. So, if it is true that you were only defending yourself, then after the matter is investigated, everything will be clear. But, if you do not surrender, I will consider that you are going against the laws of the City's Lord Manor!"
"I see, but then, what about them? How will I prove anything if they are let free?" Bai Qi inwardly laughed as he indicated that he would surrender but was already mobilizing his qi to escape, even if it would affect his plans.
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"Them..? What about them? They are..." Zhu Mo almost responded on instinct, but quickly bit his tongue and dissimulated with a cough.
*Cough*
"As they are also involved, they will be obviously arrested and held until the situation has been cleared." While it was just an act, Zhu Mo indeed commanded his men to take the surviving four into custody, along with Bai Qi, who, in place of escaping, raised his hands in front while recalling his aura and qi.
*Clang*
A heavily inscribed set of restraint chains was put on Bai Qi, blocking his meridians, and freezing his qi and soul power. And from there, along with the suspiciously unchained ambushers, he would be led towards the city's prison.
Not that he was scared, after all, Bai Qi was already restrained, but because of a gut feeling that made him avoid forming enmity, no matter how sure he was that the young master, Dongpo Qingqiu, would definitively not let the former free.
***
Not that anyone knew that he was actually so calm and expecting some interesting developments from his visit to the prison because a transmission sent him just a breath before Bai Qi decided to escape {Do not worry, young friend. Our trade company's young leader is now meeting within the City Lord's Manor, so bear for a bit before the matter is resolved. We will repay you fully for any inconvenience, and help you in any matter we can influence in the area, but for now, act as if you comply with the laws.}
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Hours later, inside the [Jade Inscription] city's prison.
While Bai Qi had expected some action from Dongpo Qingqiu, he had never calculated that the latter would be so crazy as to organize an ambush and even utilize the city's guards to capture him. After all, the young master of the city couldn't even guess about Bai Qi's backers and background, so either he was smart enough as to test it like this, or he was too dumb to understand that even rogue cultivators would have friends and allies.
From Zhu Mo's actions and treatment, Bai Qi had at first supposed the former reason. But he quickly understood that he had been mistaken, as after arriving at the prison's building, a [Void Stone] construct tower, he was not only thrown into the smallest cell available, just some ten feet from wall to wall, but the chains on his body would also be reinforced, as to entirely prevent his escape. Not to mention that all his storage items were confiscated, even one of the wardens using a [Aura-Copying] talisman to form a key to open them. All of this, in the end, meant that, indeed, this Dongpo Qingqiu young master planned nothing but to disappear Bai Qi while robbing his treasures.
Not that Bai Qi was even worried about his true treasures. He did keep some Spirit crystals in the pouches, as he did carry some low-tier weapons and pills in the [Storage] rings on himself, which by now amounted to just two [Storage] rings and a couple of [Holding] pouches. But his two [Void] rings, as well his main storage item, a [Void] treasure of the highest quality in the form of a pill bottle, the one he had gotten from the [Delicate Forest Palace], and which stored all of the rewards, including the glaive he had gotten from the human predecessor, were all safely stored inside his [Void Space]. And except for a few elders in the Warrior Emperor realm and maybe the Saints, he was sure of being able to hide it from anyone in the entire plane.
With the warden leaving him alone, Bai Qi, now chained to a wall in the north-to-south position, the worst both for cultivators as to gather any qi, looked around. The cell he was sent to was indeed the smallest that he could think of. After all, with just some four steps from wall to wall, and not even the basic necessities as an urn or a bed, not to mention windows or light of any source, it was clear that there could be no worse one.
Still, between the words that the unexpected Warrior King had transmitted to him, as well as his own capabilities, he didn't worry much. In fact, he even decided to use this small breather, as it was nothing more than one for him, to comprehend what he had learned during the previous fight.
It was a known fact that no common rune chains or prison formations could contain a powerful mind power. And while most cultivators had at least some attainment at the mind power, usually enough as to resist the effects of mind techniques at their own level, it wasn't so true for practitioners of the mind power path. After all, even a Warrior Lord equivalent practitioner, if equipped with the correspondent spells, would be stronger than a Martial cultivator in some ways. Maybe not physically or in aura, as the latter would rarely train their bodies or even souls, but in formation deciphering and long-range fighting? The practitioners of mind power ways were truly stronger.
Regretfully for Dongpo Qingqiu, an unknown fact in the plane, maybe except for the Beastmen that had seen Bai Qi create pills and weapons, as well as some of his closer acquaintances, Bai Qi was not only a powerful martial cultivation, but he had also a very high attainment in mind power. One that he had not even tested himself to the maximum, simply going on the tide on that his previous one had reached above the 30th level, and even if decreased by both his adventures and misadventures, like his revival in Wu Guang's body, Bai Qi was still sure of it being comparable to Emperor-realm cultivators.
And now, not only it allowed him to calm himself and enter a cultivation period, even when fully suppressed, but it even helped him to gain an understanding of the prison itself, helping his senses, now merged with the former, to travel freely in an area of several miles, no matter the martial restrictions!