Cheng Fengge's expression darkened as he eyed Qin Cai. He knew the man's nature well; Qin Cai couldn't care less about Xiao Yun. If he had rushed here so quickly, there was definitely something suspicious going on.
'Whatever dirt Xiao Yun has, Qin Cai is involved,' he thought. Yet, despite his suspicions, he couldn't openly defy Qin Cai. The man was right, investigating corruption wasn't Cheng Fengge's job. That responsibility belonged to Qin Cai.
As Cheng Fengge hesitated, Feng Fan made his move.
"Qin Cai, is it?" Feng Fan smiled, his gaze sharp.
Qin Cai frowned at him. He hadn't forgotten that the man standing before him was the root cause of this mess. Of course, Xiao Yun shared the blame; his greed and stupidity knew no bounds.
Without wasting words, Qin Cai stepped forward, reaching for Xiao Yun, intending to take him away. But how could Feng Fan let such a big fish slip through his net? With a quick movement, he positioned himself between Qin Cai and Xiao Yun, blocking his path. Qin Cai's irritation flared.
"What's the rush, Sir Qin Cai? Feeling guilty about something?" Feng Fan's voice rang out, amplified by spiritual qi, ensuring that everyone within dozens of kilometers could hear him.
Had this been at the city gates, it wouldn't have mattered. But here, so close to the inner city, where powerful figures resided, his words carried weight. Any one of those living inside the inner city could erase Qin Cai from Yellow Leaf without a trace. His position as an outer city law enforcer meant nothing in their presence.
A cold sweat trickled down Qin Cai's back, but he reacted quickly. If Feng Fan wanted to stand in his way, why not simply eliminate him?
"This man is obstructing justice. Kill him!" Qin Cai commanded, taking out a sword from his space ring and lunging at Feng Fan.
Cheng Fengge had been preoccupied with how to handle the situation, but he never expected things to escalate so quickly. He had no time to intervene. Qin Cai's sword was already descending toward Feng Fan. In his mind, Feng Fan was as good as dead. Qin Cai was just as strong as he was, and Feng Fan was even weaker than Xiao Yun, who was far weaker than both of them.
Yet, Su Xiaoli, Xue Qiang, and Huang Xue showed no concern. They understood Feng Fan well; he wouldn't provoke an enemy unless he had a plan.
Their thoughts were proven right.
Just as Qin Cai's sword was about to strike, something strange happened. The blade didn't just stop—it reversed course.
A sudden force surged through Qin Cai's body, sending his cultivation into disarray. His qi flow reversed violently, and a powerful backlash ripped through him. His face turned deathly pale as blood spewed from his mouth. His grip on his sword failed, and he staggered backward, barely keeping himself upright.
His followers, as well as Cheng Fengge, stood frozen in shock.
Qin Cai had been the stronger one, so why was he the one suffering after launching an attack?
Meanwhile, Feng Fan remained exactly where he was, standing with an infuriatingly calm smile, as if nothing had happened.
That smile made Qin Cai's blood boil. He was being mocked by someone weaker than him!
"What are you fools standing around for?" Qin Cai snapped, his voice laced with fury. "Detain him!"
His four subordinates jolted out of their daze. No longer hesitating, they summoned their weapons from their space rings and attacked Feng Fan.
But before they could take more than a step, an overwhelming surge of spiritual qi flooded the area.
A crushing pressure bore down on them, almost forcing them to their knees.
"It seems I almost missed the show."
A calm voice echoed from above. An old man appeared in midair, descending from the direction of the inner city. His robes billowed slightly despite the lack of wind, his presence alone more suffocating than the pressure he exerted.
The moment they saw him, Qin Cai, Cheng Fengge, and the four subordinates instantly dropped to their knees.
"Grand Inspector Lu! I was merely investigating Xiao Yun's wrongdoings, but Cheng Fengge and this man obstructed me," Qin Cai said quickly, thinking fast as he tried to shift the blame away from himself.
He knew all too well; if the man before him so desired, his life would be over.
This was Grand Inspector Lu, one of the highest-ranking officials overseeing law enforcement and internal affairs in Seven Heavens City. Worst of all, he was known for being impartial and incorruptible.
Grand Inspector Lu ignored Qin Cai's words entirely. Instead, he turned his gaze to Feng Fan, a smile playing on his lips as he stroked his long, grizzled beard.
"Young man, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Lu Bao. And you are?"
His eyes gleamed with curiosity. "That was an impressive formation you used on yourself. I've never seen such an ingenious way to incorporate an array into combat."
Feng Fan's eyes gleamed. If Lu Bao could see through his methods so effortlessly, he had to be at least a tier 7 Array Master.
"This junior's name is Feng Fan," he said, cupping his hands in a respectful salute. "Senior must be joking. I am merely a beginner in the grand Dao of Arrays and still have much to learn."
Since he had encountered a top figure from Seven Heavens City, showing respect was the smartest move. After all, if he wanted valuable information, who better to get it from than the man standing before him?
Lu Bao's smile widened. "Ah, a young man both strong and humble. Those are rare these days."
Hearing those words, Qin Cai felt a wave of despair crash over him. He had just provoked someone whom Grand Inspector Lu held in high regard!
Sensing Qin Cai's despair, and wanting to deliver the final blow, Feng Fan flashed a grin in his direction.
"What a pity that not everyone in Seven Heavens City shares Senior Lu's wisdom. Some would rather silence me permanently.