Chapter 32: The City Lord’s Banquet

The laughter of the guests echoed in the banquet hall.

The City Lord sat in the main seat, holding a cup of spirits in his hand, conversing with the surrounding guests. The banquet started as a small negotiation meeting between the influential groups within the Azure Cloud City, and after the first course everyone seemed comfortable.

The Ironwood Clan Leader sat a few seats away from the City Lord.

He was a stocky looking man, dressed in dark green clothes. He still sported thick black hair, although touched by the light grey at the temples, and muscular arms. He casually leaned back in his seat, enjoying the feast and the conversation.

Things had been going smoothly for the Ironwood Clan.

The Lin family had been ready to give up the western district, their patriarch held captive, and with no powerful cultivators at hand, the Lin family didn’t stand a chance. Soon the western district will be under the Ironwood Clan’s ownership, and more importantly, the control of the spiritual spring will be in their hands.

It didn’t particularly matter to the man what plot of land changed hands. What mattered was the power the spring would grant after years of slow cultivation for the clan. A rich merchant, currently engrossed in a conversation a few seats away, raised his cup.

"Good business since the Violet Cloud Summit, hm? We already secured several lucrative contracts."

City Lord smiled.

"Violet Cloud Summit did bring more cultivators into the city than we anticipated. Let this feast continue for some time, I think we shall benefit from the increased trade."

An old man, representing one of the local Alchemy families nodded.

"The rising prices of spirit herbs already speak of that."

The Ironwood Clan Leader joined the conversation.

"We have also heard from several external merchants. Azure Cloud city is rising in value, don’t you think?"

The City Lord turned to look at the man.

"Then I trust you will keep your subordinates from causing any trouble?"

The Ironwood Leader chuckled.

"Of course, we know how to behave properly in places like this."

The words had barely left his mouth when doors to the banquet hall flew open.

A young cultivator stumbled into the hall, several guests turning to look at him. His green robes were a sight, covered in blood, and one of his arms hung uselessly at his side.

"Old Han?!"

The Ironwood Leader jumped up from his seat.

Elder Han, his apprentice, tried to steady himself.

"Master Han.. ."

The guests fell silent.

The Ironwood Leader approached the trembling young man.

"What happened?"

Han Wei nervously glanced around the room.

"The detention facility.. ."

City Lord frowned.

"You mean the Lin Family’s detention facilities?"

Han Wei was sweating heavily.

"Ao Kuiba.. .

"

Ironwood Leader grabbed Elder Han’s shoulder.

"TALK!"

The young cultivator swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Our people were ambushed by.. ."

City Lord stared intensely at the youth.

"Who?"

Han Wei looked at the City Lord.

"That DRAGON!"

Ironwood Leader’s face turned red.

"Which DRAGON?"

"Ao Kuiba!"

The name silenced the guests.

City Lord put down the cup infront of him.

"What happened?"

Han Wei took a deep breath.

"Master Han went to the detention facility with the others. They confronted Ao Kuiba and..

he defeated them."

Ironwood Leader looked shocked.

"What do you mean he defeated them?!"

Han Wei nodded.

"He defeated them."

Ironwood Leader gritted his teeth.

"How many?"

Han Wei cast his eyes down.

"All of those who confronted him."

"And Elder Han?"

Han Wei looked up.

"He was also defeated."

Ironwood Leader was speechless. The plan he had thought through, to detain Lin Yue’s father, to press the family harder in order to get the property from them, everything was ruined in the span of a few minutes. Even the corrupt city officials he had bribed to overlook the property dispute were currently getting their heads handed to them by one unknown dragon.

What did this Ao Kuiba want with them? And was Lin Yue’s father even in the right place at the right time? Something else was happening here, but what, the City Lord still had to find out.

City Lord looked over the trembling cultivator.

"Where did this happen?"

"Inside the detention facility."

The fury in City Lord’s eyes turned the air in the room to ice.

"Inside my detention facility?"

HanWei lowered his head in shame.

"Yes, my Lord."

The City Lord walked up to him.

"Young master, who authorized the confrontation?"

Han Wei stuttered. The question hit him like lightning. Han Wei could feel the City Lord’s piercing gaze on him.

"Speak!"

The young cultivator replied, "Elder Han said that this issue needed to be resolved before the Lin Family caused more trouble."

"That is not what I asked."

Han Wei was turning pale. The City Lord left his side and started walking around the table.

"My officials had detained a person under my authority. YOUR people interfered in MY detention facility and attacked MY people, an OUTSIDER."

When he was in front of Han Wei, he stopped. He looked the young cultivator in the eyes, searching for some trace of recognition.

"Young master, who allowed you to use MY authority to settle YOUR clan’s business?"

Han Wei couldn’t answer, not because the answer wasn’t there, but because he was scared. The City Lord’s fury wasn’t because Ironwood Clan had attacked Ao Kuiba, but because some of their people abused HIS power and HIS authority without HIS express permission,

which was a completely different matter.

City Lord turned to Ironwood Leader,

"Did you arrange the detention?"

"This is the first time I heard of it."

"Irrelevant.

You got yourself involved because it was convenient, did you not? First, you obstruct my interference in the property dispute. Next, you ignore my city’s regulations by entering the detention facility. Care to tell me what else did YOU do to further your clan’s interests?"

The Ironwood Leader kept his calm, but there was some unease in his expression. The last comment struck a nerve.

"I knew about the Lin Family’s troubles with the property."

"It is not about the property.

I want to know what YOUR people did once they got inside the detention facility."

The Ironwood Leader took a deep breath and slowly put the cup down on the table. "As you can see, this is a property dispute between two families, and my people only offered the required information to the officials in charge."

"You offered the information."

"I did."

"And then YOUR people interfered in MY detention facility."

"Yes, the situation changed."

The look in City Lord eyes nearly froze the wine in the cups.

"It changed because YOUR people felt that my orders were impeding upon YOUR interests."

The words left the City Lord’s mouth like a poison.

"Ironwood Leader, explain YOURself!"

The banquet hall was silent as everyone turned to look at the stoic Ironwood Leader. The man’s mouth tightens into a straight line.

"If you want to know more, I suggest you talk to Master Han."

City Lord turned to look at the trembling young cultivator.

"Release Lin Yue’s father."

The room fell silent again as all the guests turned to look at the City Lord. Ironwood Leader immediately objected.

"Lord Mayor, that man is still under investigations!"Then investigate him properly."

City Lord faced the Ironwood Leader.

"If your evidence holds on its own, I don’t see why you need my help."

The Ironwood Leader’s expression twisted in anger. City Lord turned around and walked back to his seat. "I want to see the detention order, the investigation report, and any other relevant documents regarding the property by the morning."

One of the elder officials bowed his head respectfully.

"Yes, my Lord."

Ironwood leader said nothing, and for the first time, his hands were clenched underneath the table.

The situation had gone south way too quickly. Ao Kuiba not only ruined the plan to obtain the western district, but he also made the City Lord take an interest in the situation.

That was the last thing Ironwood Leader needed right now. One of the banquet guests finally had enough patience.

"Who in the world is this Ao Kuiba?!"

The question hit the hall like a thunder. The merchant shook his head.

"Ao Kuiba? People seem to know nothing about him."

"Spent three hundred thousand high grade spirit stones at the Violet Cloud Summit," another guest replied, "I think he is unusual."

The alchemist looked to Ironwood.

"Wasn’t he the dragon that bought the bone?"

The Ironwood Leader nodded.

"I saw him at the Violet Cloud Summit."

"He is a Core Forming cultivator?" City Lord asked.

The Ironwood Leader looked surprised. "I don’t know."

One of the cultivators at the window whispered,

His power level seems stronger than that of an ordinary Core forming cultivator. The Ironwood Leader remained silent, the fact not surprising to him. He knew Ao Kuiba defeated Elder Han with ease. Elder Han was a strong opponent in battle, with a vast experience and more than one defensive technique in his disposal. Ao Kuiba, with no weapons, took him down with ease. He took another sip of his drink, but the taste had already become disgusting for him.

City Lord looked around the table.

"I would like some information about this man."

One of the officials was surprised.

"Lord Mayor?"

"His origins, where the man lives, who he knows. Anything we know about him legally."

The City Lord turned back to face the table. "Do not anger him."

The official bowed.

The Ironwood Leader listened silently, but his mind was already turning towards the subject. If the City Lord began investigating the property, the whole setup could be discovered. He needed more information about Ao Kuiba before proceeding further with his plan. The banquet continued without the laughter that had previously filled the room. The courses remained on the table, but the diners no longer had any interest in eating. Eventually, the Ironwood Leader stood up.

"I have some matters to attend."

City Lord glanced at him.

"So soon?"

"There are some matters within my clan that require my attention."

City Lord gave him a cold look.

"I’m sure there are."

Ironwood Leader silently exited the banquet hall. As soon as he turned the corner, the look on his face changed completely. His personal elder was waiting for him.

"What should we do?’’ Ironwood asked.

"Find out everything you can about this Ao Kuiba,’’

Ironwood replied.

"What about Elder Han?", the elder asked.

"Treat his injuries. Do NOT follow Ao Kuiba."

The elder bowed.

"We do not know who the man is,"

Ironwood said.

Back in the banquet hall, City Lord watched as the Ironwood Clan left through the halls behind him. He already made the decision. The mystery man who entered his territory as a nobody was now hunted two strong organizations, oblivious to the fact that Ao Kuiba returned to the Lin family estate, where the secret underneath the spiritual spring waited to be uncovered.