10: Cut out his tongue!

Three days passed quickly.

At noon, yellow sand was seen flying.

Hoofbeats echoed from afar, and then several fierce figures appeared at the city gate. Their horses neighed, disturbing the nearby common people, who were forced to make way.

Xiao Liu arrived, his brows slightly furrowed. He had been to Black Ridge City before and still had some impression of certain people there, but now those familiar subordinates had all disappeared.

Instead, there were one unfamiliar face after another.

They didn't look like people native to the Huangsha Mountain Range; they seemed more like southerners, with smooth, delicate skin, showing no traces of exposure to the elements.

He saw his gaze flicker, stopping at his brow, and he no longer moved forward.

He merely instructed a subordinate to go ahead and scout.

The Black Horn Gang is a rather powerful force in the Black Horn Mountain Range, primarily composed of lawless bandits, Loose Cultivators, and rogue cultivators.

Taking advantage of the unrest in the Black Horn Mountain Range, they established themselves there.

Qingchi Mountain naturally couldn't be bothered with these small fries, so they took the opportunity to grow stronger.

However, even after growing stronger, they still didn't abandon their cautious instincts.

Losing this instinct could mean losing their lives at any moment.

After a long time, the person he sent didn't return. Xiao Liu didn't want to wait any longer and was about to turn and leave when he heard a clear voice.

A Young Master in green robes with a handsome face stood atop the city wall, smiling and looking down at Xiao Liu.

"Since you're here, why don't you come in and take a look?"

Xiao Liu's eyes flickered, and killing intent immediately rose in his heart.

"Who are you?"

The Young Master replied calmly.

"Your Black Horn Gang's actions are truly dishonorable."

"What's dishonorable about them?"

"Do you know what this Black Ridge City is called?"

"Do you know who this place belongs to?"

"Do you know what your Black Horn Gang is doing?"

Xiao Liu was dazed by this series of questions.

He saw Zhou Ba's head, along with the head of the scout who had just entered, thrown down.

Following that, a Dao token was also thrown down.

It bore the ancient-looking character 'Shen'.

"It's actually a Disciple of the Shen Family who has come???? Damn Zhou Ba, what stupid thing did he do to be discovered by the Shen Family? He's torn ties with the Shen Family!"

He felt uneasy in his heart and immediately turned to ride his horse away.

However, a slender, tall figure stood proudly before his horse.

The beautiful Xiu Chun Blade, like a cold moon, was slightly unsheathed, and a tied ponytail made her appear even more heroic and spirited.

"Stop!"

The slender Qiu Ya's aura was like a towering mountain at this moment. The horse's head reared high, but it couldn't advance an inch!

The faces of the Black Horn Gang members around him suddenly changed, becoming unpredictable as they saw the Shen Family guards surrounding them!

A powerful aura surged towards him, instantly making Xiao Liu's heart constrict.

"A Realm of Innate Late Stage and above, so young. Damn it, Outer Sect Disciples of the Shen Family wouldn't be equipped with such an existence. According to the Second Boss, only Immortal Seedling type Disciples would be accompanied by martial arts protectors."

"Could it be that this person before me is an Shen Family Immortal Seed?"

His face suddenly turned pale.

"If it were a collateral Disciple of the Shen Family, it wouldn't cause such a stir for the Shen Family, but an Shen Family Immortal Seed is completely different."

"Damn Zhou Ba, what exactly did he do?"

Shen Li's voice was ethereal, but it clearly reached his ears.

"This City Lord doesn't want to waste too much breath with you. Come in."

"Unless you want your entire Black Horn Gang to die because of you."

"My presence here, you should know, shows how much the Shen Family values the matters of Black Ridge City."

"You also don't want a Senior from the Shen Family to take action and annihilate your Black Horn Gang, do you?"

Xiao Liu gritted his teeth, hid the strange object in his embrace more securely, and then took a deep breath.

He couldn't escape. This Innate Realm protector was guarding strictly. Others might be able to escape, but for him to just die like this?

He wouldn't be reconciled.

Everyone was just trying to make a living; why fight to the death?

Going in, there was still a glimmer of hope. Not going in, there would be none at all.

His eyes flickered, but he gritted his teeth and stepped through the city gate.

Then, under what was almost an escort, he entered the City Lord's Residence.

At this time, Shen Li had already returned to the City Lord's Residence, letting out a sigh of relief.

Sometimes, when it's necessary to put on an act, one must. Using the tiger's skin as a banner is an excellent tradition that every Family Disciple must learn.

Otherwise, wouldn't the Family's hard-earned high prestige be for nothing?

He sat in the main seat, looking at Xiao Liu, and calmly took a sip of tea as if no one else was there.

He didn't invite Xiao Liu to sit down.

He started with a bang.

His cold tone carried endless threats.

"Your Black Horn Gang is quite impressive. When I arrived here, the guard at the gate said that everyone here followed Zhou Ba's rules."

"I asked him if he knew who I was. Guess what he told me?"

How could he know what was said? In short, it definitely couldn't have been good words.

The previous gate guards and patrols were all from the Black Horn Gang, all unprincipled individuals. What they might say was almost predictable.

So Xiao Liu chose to remain silent.

Shen Li didn't bother to wait and said indifferently.

"He actually said that Zhou Ba's rules were the only rules, and he actually said he didn't know me."

"This place belongs to my Shen Family, and he actually said he didn't know the Shen Family?"

"That bloated beast here exploited people in every way. Of the thousand households that migrated here, only over three hundred remain, and all of them are emaciated."

"Your Black Horn Gang, you've done well."

"You've done well!"

As he spoke with rising emotion, Shen Li suddenly smashed the teacup. The celadon teacup instantly shattered above Xiao Liu's head.

The scalding tea poured down. Xiao Liu's brow furrowed sharply, but he dared not make a move.

He merely cupped his hands, letting the blood flow down, and respectfully said.

"This matter, the Black Horn Gang was not aware of it. It was all Zhou Ba's private actions. We did not receive a single cent."

"Are you saying that this Young Master is blind? That I misunderstood you?"

"Or has your Black Horn Gang grown bold enough to contend with my Shen Family?"

Upon hearing the words "Shen Family," Xiao Liu immediately knelt on the ground, his knees colliding with the porcelain shards, bringing excruciating pain!

"I wouldn't dare."

Shen Li let out a cold snort, his eyes looking up at the ceiling beams, and after a long while, he spoke.

"The Shen Family temporarily handing this place over to your Black Horn Gang, this matter itself was a taboo. Your Black Horn Gang is not presentable and cannot obtain the necessary cultivation resources; these are all provided by the Shen Family."

"But this Young Master never imagined that your Black Horn Gang is truly audaciously bold."

"Insulting your master?"

Seeing this, Xiao Liu remained neither humble nor arrogant.

"It's true that the Black Horn Gang uses the Shen Family's resources, and it's true that the Shen Family protects the Black Horn Gang, but my Black Horn Gang has also helped the Shen Family with many unsavory things, Young Master.... Everyone just helps each other out."

"Oh, this Young Master hears it now. You're threatening me."

"I wouldn't dare."

Seeing the person before him unconcerned, Shen Li nodded.

"Qiu Ya."

"Here."

"Cut off his tongue. I want to see if all of them in the Black Horn Gang are this hard-headed!"