Tiger Zhongyuan's body shuddered again, and this blow was even more brutal! In fact, Zongyuan could have taken his life with just a slight exertion moments before. Now, with his internal organs completely ruptured, merely staying alive was a minor miracle. It was likely he would never fight again in this lifetime.

He glanced back again and saw Zongshou, seated by the window, watching the scene with utter composure, showing no reaction or sign of reprimand.

Tiger Zhongyuan couldn't help but raise his thick brows, a flicker of joy appearing. As the hot blood surged within him, he spurred his horse onward. With such a master, what was there to fear? If someone was displeasing, just cut them down!

Beyond this city wall lay an outer defensive ward, but at this moment, it was completely undefended, its gates still wide open and not yet closed. Tiger Zhongyuan and Zongyuan burst through almost without any resistance.

Exiting the outer ward's gate, they were met by a grand avenue nearly seventy zhang wide. It was evident that the inner walls on both sides were engraved with protective spiritual array runes for the fortifications and gates, though none of them had been activated.

Further off to the left and right were numerous barracks, all of them currently blaring.

And on the main street right now, countless merchant caravans and pedestrians watched in utter astonishment as the two, Tiger and Zong, charged in amidst a terrifying aura of killing intent.

Although hundreds of armored warriors and martial masters from Xuanshan City rushed forward in an attempt to block them, the pair remained unstoppable, not halting for an instant.

Tiger Zhongyuan paid no mind to collateral damage; if something blocked his path, he cleaved it down. Without hesitation, he took the lead, galloping directly toward the City Lord's Mansion.

Zongyuan, on the other hand, showed even less restraint, wishing only that the rift between Zongshou and Xuanshan City would widen further. Spear shadows danced wildly. Countless large carts, some laden with goods and others carrying people, were overturned one after another. He only remembered Zongshou's command: do whatever is most outrageous, short of taking a life. This incited a cacophony of wails near the city gate as countless people fled in terror.

The shops lining the streets hurriedly slammed their doors shut, fearing implication.

Tiger Zhongyuan was in the heat of battle, roaring wildly, using the back of his blade to send a newly arrived Xiantian expert flying far away. Just then, he heard Zongshou's soft "Hmph." He instantly snapped back to awareness, remembering that beyond raising a ruckus, he had another specific task.

His eyes darted, and he immediately began cursing at the top of his lungs: "Xuanyuan Tong, you shameless scoundrel, you hypocrite! Our Sovereign treated you with boundless grace, and this is how you repay him? If you wish to break the engagement, just say so, openly and honestly! Using these underhanded tactics—it's a disgrace for a City Lord like you to stoop so low!"

He knew Zongshou's intent, and he roared with all his might, channeling wave after wave of True Essence, his voice shaking the entire city.

Even dozens of miles away, one could faintly hear: "Xuanyuan Tong, you pride yourself on righteousness? Now that my Sovereign's bones are barely cold, you're preparing to betray your oath? Years ago, when you offended others and Xuanshan City was besieged by eighty thousand troops, who traveled a thousand miles to break the siege and save the lives of everyone in Xuanshan City? Your words sound grand, but your actions are another thing entirely—it chills the blood! It’s an insult to that noble surname that you share it with Xuanyuan!"

From the barracks on both sides, countless iron-armored martial masters poured out. Chasing from behind, they flushed red upon hearing these words, feeling both resentment and shame.

However, whether they wished to hear it or not, the sound continued to pierce their ears.

"It's not just Xuanyuan Tong, you villain, you shameless wretch! I see the people of Xuanshan City are much the same—bitterly ungrateful! Consider three years ago, when you were ambushed in the Ruohai Strait, forty thousand men trapped, nearly out of supplies. Who was it that swallowed their pride and brokered your rescue? Our Sovereign! Hah! Now that the Sovereign is gone, you deem his son unworthy? Do the people of Xuanshan City have any shame left? You are all a pack of ungrateful wolf cubs! Heh heh, I, Tiger Zhongyuan, will make you know today: even though our Sovereign is gone, my Young Lord is still the future Demon King of Qiantian Mountain. How could petty people like you dare humiliate him?"

Tiger Zhongyuan seemed to have lost control in his tirade, tearing open the front of his robes. He suddenly felt Zongyuan approaching him and started in alarm. Unbeknownst to him, several Wuzong realm experts had already closed in around the two, subtly encircling them.

And directly ahead, a stout man in his forties, wielding a long ge, stood like a bronze pillar at the street entrance.

As the pair neared, he glared, his eyes blazing: "Stop! Our City Lord acts with integrity and transparency; you cannot slander him! Those who violate Xuanshan City shall die!"

He too was at the sixth pulse of the Earth Meridian, and with a swing of his ge, a blade of energy stretched over seventy zhang long. The mere residual wind pressure forced several wooden structures nearby to crumble inward! The blue flagstones covering the ground also shattered, sending debris flying everywhere.

It wasn't just him; several figures emerged from the buildings on both sides, each exuding the formidable aura of a Wuzong expert, charging toward them menacingly.

Tiger Zhongyuan felt a chill, but then his tiger eyes widened, and he pulled his body upright from the Swift Wind Steed, slashing down with his blade in fury!

"Go to hell! Eight Directions Tiger Roar, all of you, get scattered!"

Before the words fully left his mouth, the entire hundred-zhang radius was filled with chilling blade shadows, their might utterly dominant, enveloping all those charging toward them. This strike, practiced for three months, was unleashed with complete disregard for retreat!

Zongyuan’s gaze also turned cold. The purple spear in his hand suddenly flashed with a burst of lightning, piercing toward Tiger Zhongyuan’s rear. In an instant, it clashed with several streams of energy, deflecting all the weapons aimed at Tiger Zhongyuan’s back. Then, a rapid series of metallic clangs and a loud explosion echoed in his ears.

The man wielding the ge was violently flung sideways by a tremendous, surging force, smashing through more than a dozen walls before finally stopping. He lay on the ground, his face a mottled gold and purple; his fate unknown.

The other several attackers were all forced back by the force of the blade, each looking pale, suffering injuries of varying severity.

Tiger Zhongyuan burst into loud laughter again, flipped his body, and settled back onto the Swift Wind Steed.

"Trash! All of you in Xuanshan City are trash! You females! So many of you, and you can't even handle one old man! Bring out whatever meager skill you possess! If you can manage to kill me here today, then you’ll have shown some ability! Qiantian Mountain’s four million troops, the Iron Tiger Clan’s hundred thousand men, will never hold you accountable!"

Zongshou chuckled upon hearing this, musing that Tiger Zhongyuan had one flaw: he thought too much and worried too much, unlike his straightforward father.

Even his insults now were somewhat refined, which was unsatisfying. He had actually expected more fervor from the original intent.

That last sentence even sounded a bit bluffing, truly embarrassing! The underlying message was clearly to leverage Qiantian Mountain's might to make them cease their killing intent. Saying they wouldn't hold a grudge was hardly believable.

Suddenly, his heart stirred as he sensed several gazes fixed upon him from several miles away. When he looked back, he saw several figures standing atop a nine-story tower in the direction of the City Lord's Mansion. Some appeared old, others young, male or female; they were too far away to make out their faces. However, one figure bore a striking resemblance to Xuanyuan Yiren.

Zongshou immediately offered a sweet smile and waved toward them. He wasn't sure if Xuanyuan Yiren had seen him, but it was likely that this righteous little girl was furious right now. He should offer some gentle words later to placate her.

At that moment, on the nine-story tower, Xuanyuan Yiren's eyes were spitting fire. Zongshou thought she hadn't seen, but using spiritual techniques, she had clearly witnessed everything happening over ten miles away.

Although she truly wished she could plant a heavy foot right on Zongshou's face—You said you were coming to meet your future father-in-law to formally settle the marriage, and this is how you meet him? And my father is someone you can curse?—when she saw Zongshou's slightly appeasing smile, she couldn't help but curve her lips slightly.

"I hadn't expected this Young Lord Zongshou to possess such decisiveness!"

A sound of admiration suddenly rang out from the high tower. Xuanyuan Yiren looked over in surprise and saw that the speaker was a man in brocade robes, around forty years old, roughly the age of her father. His face was square, and he carried two long Mandarin Duck blades on his back. He wore an expression of complete surprise.

Knowing that this man was her father's right-hand man, one of the six Xuanwu Venerables of Xuanshan City, named Tan Tao, skilled in both literature and warfare, Xuanyuan Yiren immediately perked up her ears, eager to hear what he had to say.

After praising Zongshou, Tan Tao frowned again.

"The current situation is indeed rather tricky. City Lord Xuanyuan was already hesitant about this marriage. With this commotion caused by these few, he might become even more irresolute, or perhaps he might even agree to the engagement out of sheer pique. If this was just an impulsive outburst to vent frustration, that’s one thing. But if this was intentional, then this young man's scheming runs deep. This Young Lord might be incapable of cultivation, but he is certainly no fool."

Lin Shina refused to listen, vigorously rubbing the handkerchief in her hands: "What use is cleverness if he cannot cultivate martial arts? If someone wants to kill him, a mere retainer could do it! Does my Yiren have to become a widow afterward? Tan Tao, those men are being so arrogant in our Xuanshan City and have insulted my husband—can you just stand by? Why didn't you attack and kill them on the spot? Zongshou's involvement is too deep, but killing those two others should cause no issue..."

"Madam, they cannot be killed!" Tan Tao shook his head without hesitation: "Although Xuanshan City is currently powerful, relying on the Danquan Sect, the main reason we can establish ourselves as overlords in the Tianlan Province is largely due to our alliance with Qiantian Mountain. If we turn hostile, we will surely face attacks from both sides. The identities of these two are special, and they are both junior members. If someone like us were to strike, Xuanshan City would lose all face."

Lin Shina was choked with anger: Can't do this, can't do that—what use are you people?

Tan Tao, however, looked thoughtfully at the Cloud-Overturning Chariot that was recklessly rampaging through the streets without restraint.