"I am Muu Guibai of Luoxia City!" The calm, stately voice rang in everyone’s minds, waking them from the music’s trance.

Everyone looked up, their gazes filled with reverence for the figure poised in the sky. That was the Great City Lord, known as the strongest person below the Golden Core realm.

"Due to petty villains causing chaos, Luoxia City is, from this day forth, open to entry but closed to exit. The city will be sealed for three days. All of you are to return to your homes. Any who engage in private combat will be slain!"

That single word, "slain," sent a bone-deep chill through everyone present. Any sordid thoughts they harbored instantly vanished like smoke, and they all bowed their heads in assent.

And just like that, one of the rare instances of turmoil since Luoxia City’s founding was completely quelled.

"One man to pacify an entire city... The Great City Lord is truly worthy of his title as the strongest below the Golden Core realm. I even suspect he’s already on par with a Golden Core Master," Song Changsheng murmured in awe.

Xu Yunhe nodded in complete agreement. Though he had never met a Golden Core Master, he had been hunted multiple times by a Tier Three Green-eyed Golden-eyed Beast, narrowly escaping with his life on every occasion.

But if he were to compare that beast to Great City Lord Muu Guibai, he could only say there was no comparison whatsoever. If that Great Demon possessed even a fraction of the Great City Lord’s power, there would have been absolutely no possibility of his escape.

"Now that the Great City Lord has personally appeared, even if there are any other schemers in the city, they’ll have to behave themselves," Xu Yunhe said lightly. "This farce is over."

"I just wonder how the other areas are faring." Song Changsheng’s gaze drifted toward the distant, rolling peaks of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, his brow furrowed. With so much happening at this critical juncture, a faint unease settled in his heart.

Xu Yunhe, however, was far more carefree. He shrugged and said, "What has any of this got to do with us? That’s for the City Lord’s Mansion to worry about. Even if the heavens fall, we still have the three City Lords to hold them up."

"Perhaps I am just overthinking things. Brother Yunhe, thank you for your help." Song Changsheng didn’t comment on his words, instead offering a sincere, cupped-fist salute.

Adversity reveals true friendship. At the critical moment, Xu Yunhe hadn’t calculated the risks, choosing without hesitation to stand by his side. He had dealt with two Tier Two Puppets, allowing Song Changsheng to focus on Wuy Luochuan.

Even when facing that Tier Two Top-Grade Living Puppet, he hadn’t retreated a single step. He was just the same as all those years ago, completely unchanged.

Xu Yunhe smiled faintly and shook his head. "Don’t be so formal, Brother Song. Yunhe merely offered what little help he could. With your strength, dealing with those two puppets would have been effortless."

"Alright, that’s enough of the awkward praise. I’m a complete mess right now," Song Changsheng said, punching him lightly on the chest and giving a wry smile as he looked down at his blood-soaked, tattered robes.

"Who could have forced you into such a sorry state, Brother Song? Wuy Luochuan has some strength, but he’s nothing compared to you," Xu Yunhe asked, his curiosity piqued. Though he had been tied up with two puppets, he had still kept an eye on the battle between Song Changsheng and Wuy Luochuan.

After watching the fight, Xu Yunhe’s evaluation of him could be summed up in two words: "Quick and clean."

Even while severely injured, Song Changsheng had easily dispatched a Tier Two Middle-Grade Puppet. Xu Yunhe had to admit to himself that even he couldn’t have done it so quickly. It was clear that Song Changsheng’s true strength was greater than his own.

He was dying to know what kind of enemy could have pushed him into such a dire state.

"This isn’t the place to talk. It’s been years; let’s find somewhere we can catch up properly."

The place Song Changsheng had in mind was, of course, the clan’s general store. He had been worried that it might have been affected by the earlier chaos.

He breathed a sigh of relief upon returning to the general store with Xu Yunhe and finding everything in order. It was the clan’s only business in Luoxia City; if it had been destroyed, he would have had to bear some responsibility.

CREAK—

Just then, the tightly shut door of the general store opened a crack, and a head poked out cautiously. Song Changsheng smiled. ’Who else could it be but Song Qingluo?’

"Young Clan Leader, you’re injured?!" Song Qingluo paled at the sight of the blood-drenched Song Changsheng.

His cry was like a pebble tossed onto a calm lake, instantly sending out ripples. Song Xiantu and a crowd of elders rushed out, swarming around Song Changsheng.

A warmth spread through Song Changsheng’s heart at the sight of their concerned faces. He stopped Song Qingluo, who was about to run for medicine, and announced loudly to the crowd, "Cheng Yufei, an Elder of the Earth Fire Sect, has been vanquished this day!"

"Young Clan Leader, you... you slew Cheng Yufei?" Song Xiantu asked in stunned disbelief.

"That’s right. The clan has one less major threat from this day forward."

For a moment, the crowd was completely silent. They all knew who Cheng Yufei was: the Grand Elder of the Earth Fire Sect, the junior brother of Chang Wudao, a Late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, and one of the foremost experts in Ling Province.

And now, such a prominent figure had fallen at the hands of a young man. It seemed utterly surreal.

"The Young Clan Leader is truly the clan’s greatest genius in a century! The clan is destined to rise!" Tears glistened in Song Xiantu’s eyes. After more than a hundred years, the clan had finally produced another genius who could stand shoulder to shoulder with their ancestor.

’So Brother Song actually killed Cheng Yufei. No wonder he ended up in this state.’ The way Xu Yunhe looked at Song Changsheng changed completely. That was a veteran Late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, and he had been slain by Song Changsheng.

He had a clear grasp of his own abilities. He had few rivals at his cultivation level and could even fight those in higher tiers, but against Cheng Yufei, he knew he would have had no choice but to flee for his life.

"I only managed it with the help of my treasures," Song Changsheng replied, before turning to introduce his friend to the crowd. "This is my good friend, Xu Yunhe. He is the very same One-armed Swordsman who has recently become famous throughout Bian Province."