“Sect Master Jun, you can’t speak carelessly. You can’t just impersonate a righteous hero!”

“…”

“Sect Master Jun, these past few days quite a few people have impersonated the righteous hero. Without exception, they were all investigated and thrown in prison. Some even lost their heads.”

“…”

“Sect Master Jun, listen to Li’s advice—just go back. Don’t go to the City Lord’s Manor anymore.”

“Step.”

Jun Changxiao stopped and said in a heavy voice, “Patriarch Li, this seat will repeat it one more time—Black Wind Stronghold was destroyed by me!”

Patriarch Li said, “Setting aside the Black Wind Stronghold chief’s strength, just that stronghold alone, which is easy to defend and hard to attack—how could Sect Master Jun have killed his way in?”

“I…”

Jun Changxiao fell silent.

No matter how much he explained, it wouldn’t convince him anyway. Why waste his breath?

Patriarch Li said, “Sect Master Jun, if you want to claim the thousand taels of gold, you must produce proof that you destroyed Black Wind Stronghold. Otherwise, rashly going to the City Lord’s Manor would be very disadvantageous for you.”

This was sincere advice.

Moreover, he’d received word that because people kept impersonating the hero recently, the City Lord was in an irritable mood. If Sect Master Jun went, he would definitely face more danger than fortune.

“Right.”

“How can I prove I was the one who destroyed it?”

Jun Changxiao began thinking.

After a moment, his eyes gradually brightened as he said, “Patriarch Li, this seat will produce evidence.”

“What evidence?”

“Don’t ask. Just lead the way.”

Seeing him so confident, Patriarch Li hesitated a bit, thinking to himself, “Could Black Wind Stronghold really have been destroyed by him? Impossible, impossible. This is too inconceivable!”

…

The City Lord’s Manor was actually at the eastern end of Qingyang City’s largest main street. It was a rather imposing residence with two stone lions crouching on either side of the entrance.

“Sect Master Jun, we should still go back,” Patriarch Li said as he led Jun Changxiao over, still sparing no effort in his attempts to dissuade him.

Jun Changxiao couldn’t be bothered with him and strode toward the City Lord’s Manor gates.

“Halt.”

A blade-bearing guard raised his hand and shouted, “Who goes there?”

Jun Changxiao stood with his hands clasped behind his back and said, “Please report to the City Lord that the Sect Master of the Iron Bone Clank Clank Sect has come to visit.”

Patriarch Li, standing in the distance, heard this and relaxed, thinking, “Sect Master Jun didn’t say he came to claim the reward. It seems he was joking earlier.”

That’s right.

As a sect master, if he hadn’t done it, why would he impersonate someone? This wasn’t just deception—it would damage his status too.

“You’re the Tiegu Sect Master?” A slightly mocking smile appeared at the corner of the blade-bearing guard’s mouth as he said, “The City Lord has a rule—he doesn’t receive sects ranked eighth-rate or below unless specifically summoned.”

Jun Changxiao frowned slightly.

Even a gate guard was so arrogant—the world really was cruel.

“Swish!”

He unfurled the notice he’d taken down and said indifferently, “Tell the City Lord that Jun has come to claim the reward.”

Patriarch Li exclaimed in shock, “When did Sect Master Jun take down the notice!”

He hadn’t seen it, and the martial artists at the crossroads hadn’t noticed either. Only after Jun Changxiao had left for a while did they realize the notice was gone!

The blade-bearing guard said incredulously, “Black Wind Stronghold was destroyed by you?”

“Stop the nonsense.”

Jun Changxiao said indifferently, “Hurry up and report it.”

The blade-bearing guard sneered, “Boy, you’d better think this through clearly. Once I report this, you’ll face imprisonment.”

“No need to trouble yourself with concern,” Jun Changxiao said indifferently.

The blade-bearing guard shook his head and said, “If any Tom, Dick, or Harry comes to impersonate, that’s still understandable. But for a dignified sect master to do such a thing—he’s truly possessed by demons.”

As he spoke, he had already walked into the manor.

After a long while, he came out and said, “Go in.”

Jun Changxiao walked forward. As he brushed past the guard, he said in a low voice, “Do you know what a guard dog is? It’s someone who looks down on people with dog eyes.”

“You…” The blade-bearing guard glared furiously.

Jun Changxiao waved his sleeve and departed, saying, “Wouldn’t it be fine to just be a proper gatekeeper? Why insist on being a guard dog?”

“Detestable bastard.” The blade-bearing guard burned with rage, but then sneered coldly, “A guy who’s about to eat prison food still has the mood to mock this old master.”

…

Jun Changxiao walked into the manor.

The outer courtyard of the City Lord’s Manor was considerably larger than the Tiegu Sect premises. The stone slabs beneath his feet were neatly arranged—clearly high-grade stone materials.

Ahead was a training ground. On both sides were wing buildings with multiple stories and pavilions, resplendent in their magnificence.

Jun Changxiao rubbed his nose and murmured, “Once I have money, I must expand the sect to be even more imposing than the City Lord’s Manor.”

“Ambitious.”

A middle-aged man walked out from the main hall ahead.

He wore brocade robes, had an imposing bearing, and his entire body emanated the aura of someone who had long occupied a position of authority.

On the way here, Jun Changxiao had learned the City Lord’s appearance from Patriarch Li. He cupped his fists and said, “Iron Bone Clank Clank Sect Master Jun Changxiao greets City Lord Xie.”

“Haha.”

City Lord Xie laughed heartily and said, “This City Lord heard a bit about the Hundred Sects Recruitment a month ago. Unfortunately, I was in closed-door cultivation at the time and couldn’t invite Sect Master Jun to the manor for a chat. What a pity.”

Though his manner of speaking seemed easygoing, it brought pressure to Jun Changxiao, who thought to himself, “How strong is he?”

The system said, “Stronger than the Cangshan Sect elders.”

“Wuzong then?”

Jun Changxiao thought to himself, “No wonder there’s so much pressure.”

“Sect Master Jun.”

City Lord Xie stepped aside and smiled, “Please, come in.”

…

Jun Changxiao entered the main hall. Before he could even stand steady, he felt two cold, sharp gazes lock onto him.

Looking over, he saw two middle-aged men with similar appearances sitting in chairs on the left and right sides.

“Sect Master Jun.”

City Lord Xie, seated in the head position, introduced them, “These two are elders from Lingquan Sect. On the right is Wei Yiai, on the left is Wei Yile.”

“Damn.”

Jun Changxiao cursed inwardly but cupped his fists with a smile, “So it’s the two elders from Lingquan Sect. I’ve long admired you.”

“Hmph.”

Wei Yile and Wei Yiai gave cold snorts.

Their fourth brother had his arm severed by this brat—naturally they wouldn’t give him a pleasant expression.

Jun Changxiao didn’t mind either. He found a seat on his own and sat down, his fingers lightly tapping on the armrest as he thought to himself, “Enemies are bound to cross paths.”

Wei Yile and his companion hated him, and Sect Master Jun also hated Lingquan Sect. After all, Black Wind Stronghold’s kidnapping of his disciples had been secretly instigated by them.

“Sect Master Jun.”

City Lord Xie smiled and said, “The guard said you came to claim the reward?”

“That’s right.”

Jun Changxiao took out the notice.

“Hmph.”

Wei Yiai said indifferently, “With Sect Master Jun’s meager abilities, being able to destroy Black Wind Stronghold—isn’t that a bit of an idiot’s pipedream?”

“In my view, Sect Master Jun must be short on money, so he came to swindle the reward,” Wei Yile said with a smile, the very picture of a smiling tiger.

Picking a fight with me?

Jun Changxiao was about to give as good as he got when he heard City Lord Xie say, “Sect Master Jun, how can you prove that Black Wind Stronghold was destroyed by you?”

Jun Changxiao said, “To be honest with City Lord Xie, Jun went up the mountain alone at that time and destroyed the Black Wind Stronghold chief and over two hundred bandits. There were no witnesses who saw it.”

City Lord Xie’s expression darkened.

Every martial artist who came to claim the reward used the same excuse, and after he investigated them one by one, they all turned out to be imposters.

“Without anyone witnessing it, you cannot prove it.”

Wei Yiai cupped his fists and said, “City Lord Xie, in Wei’s opinion, he’s simply here to swindle the reward.”

Wei Yile chimed in, “For a dignified sect master to do something that martial world people despise—he’s truly bringing shame to our Hundred Sects Alliance.”

“Two idiots,” Jun Changxiao said quietly.

“Smack!”

Wei Yiai and Wei Yile angrily slapped their armrests and said, “Boy, have the guts to say that again!”

Jun Changxiao ignored the two of them and smiled, “City Lord Xie, although Jun cannot produce eyewitnesses as proof, I can produce one item as evidence.”

“What item?” City Lord Xie asked.

Jun Changxiao snapped his fingers. A heavy greatsword appeared upright before him out of thin air, its blade carved with a lifelike azure dragon.

Seeing this, City Lord Xie exclaimed in surprise, “Zhou Tianba’s Azure Dragon Cleaving Blade!”