The Xiao Family, like the Jiang Family, was one of the Eight Great Clans of Luoping City.
As a member of the Xiao Family’s direct lineage, Xiao Feng hadn’t stayed behind to manage the family’s businesses after growing up. Instead, he had joined the Luoping City Law Enforcement Team.
He started as a low-level team member and worked his way up to the position of Captain.
When he joined the team, he had sworn an oath.
He would always enforce the law with fairness and impartiality.
He would never abuse his authority to oppress others.
And for years, he had done exactly that.
Regardless of which Noble Family’s scion was throwing their weight around,
if they fell into his hands, they were punished according to the law.
He never went easy on anyone just because they were from a Noble Family.
He had handled many situations similar to today’s.
Each time, he had dealt with them impartially and without hesitation,
demanding that the troublemaking family members compensate their victims and apologize in public.
If the victim refused to forgive them, he would hold them legally accountable.
In serious cases, he’d even throw them directly in jail, showing no favoritism whatsoever.
It was just that the victims always knew when to quit while they were ahead.
They would take the compensation and let the matter drop, never pressing the issue.
After all, with the power of the Eight Great Clans on full display, getting compensation without making a powerful enemy was the best possible outcome.
But this time, the situation was a little different.
Although Jiang Qingyao had been in the wrong for trespassing,
she was, in this case, the victim.
Xiao Feng looked at her face, swollen like a pig’s head, and almost didn’t recognize her.
’Jiang Qingyao was definitely at fault.’
’But this Female Cultivator, Gu Yuexi, wasn’t she a little too vicious?’
’It wasn’t even that serious!’
’Did she really have to beat her up so badly?’
After thinking it over, Xiao Feng decided to act as a peacemaker and mediate the situation.
He’d have Gu Yuexi apologize to Jiang Qingyao and return the Magical Treasure she’d taken.
Then, he’d have Jiang Qingyao compensate the restaurant for all damages.
And she would have to publicly promise not to bother Gu Yuexi again.
In his view,
having both sides take a step back was the fairest solution.
It gave both parties a way to save face, and Gu Yuexi wouldn’t be losing out.
"Qingyao, come up with me. Let’s get this matter cleared up," Xiao Feng said.
With his hands clasped behind his back, he took the lead, soaring into the air and landing at the eighth-floor window.
A flash of delight crossed Jiang Qingyao’s face; she thought Xiao Feng was here to stand up for her.
"Hehe, Xiao Feng is the nicest to me after all."
With that, she quickly channeled her Divine Power and followed Xiao Feng up to the eighth-floor window.
She glared at Gu Yuexi, her face filled with the smug arrogance of someone who had just found powerful backing.
Gu Yuexi stood ramrod straight in the opening of the shattered window, completely blocking the entrance.
Even with Xiao Feng and Jiang Qingyao now hovering before her,
she showed no intention of moving, simply staring at them coldly.
She had no intention of letting them inside.
Xiao Feng was taken aback by Gu Yuexi’s cold expression, a look of surprise on his face.
In all his years as a Captain in the Law Enforcement Team, this was the first time someone had shown him such a complete lack of deference.
He could only force a dry laugh. "Fairy Gu... correct?"
"Could you please step aside so we can talk inside?"
"There are people watching from below. It isn’t appropriate to discuss this in the window, is it?"
Gu Yuexi’s voice was utterly devoid of emotion, as placid as still water.
"Whatever you have to say, you can say it here."
Her single sentence shut Xiao Feng down completely.
For a moment, Xiao Feng was at a loss for words. The situation had become awkward.
Jiang Qingyao, however, had no such reservations. She shrieked,
"Gu Yuexi, you’re too arrogant!"
"This is Captain Xiao of the Law Enforcement Team! He’s from the Xiao Family, one of the Eight Great Clans!"
"You might not respect the Eight Great Clans, but are you saying you don’t respect the Law Enforcement Team either?!!"
"I advise you to be sensible. Don’t push it!"
Gu Yuexi merely shot Jiang Qingyao a cool glance, not even deigning to speak to her.
She turned her gaze back to Xiao Feng, her tone serene.
"The restaurant manager has already explained what happened."
"Since Jiang Qingyao broke the laws of Luoping City, you should handle this matter accordingly."
Xiao Feng opened his mouth, then shook his head in resignation.
"Gu Yuexi, I don’t deny that Jiang Qingyao was wrong to force her way into your room."
"But you slapped her three times, and you were incredibly vicious. Hitting her like this... don’t you think you went a little too far?"
"Listen to my advice. Do me this favor."
"Apologize to Jiang Qingyao and give her back the ribbon Magical Treasure."
"I guarantee that Jiang Qingyao will never bother you again."
"What’s more, I’ll have her compensate you for all your losses."
"The restaurant door, the window, the table—she’ll pay for everything that was damaged."
"I, Xiao Feng, give you my word. And I always keep it."
When the onlookers downstairs heard Xiao Feng’s proposed solution, they all nodded in agreement.
"I’d heard that Captain Xiao, despite being from one of the Eight Great Clans, enforces the law impartially. His reputation is truly well-deserved."
"That’s right. He doesn’t let her off even though she’s the young lady of the Jiang Family. She has to pay for what she did."
"This solution is impeccable."
"Apologizing and returning the Magical Treasure costs Gu Yuexi nothing."
"Plus, she gets compensation. She’s coming out way ahead."
"Meanwhile, Jiang Qingyao pays the price for her arrogance. Getting slapped three times and thrown from the upper floor is humiliating enough."
"Now she has to pay for damages and promise not to harass Gu Yuexi anymore."
"Her punishment is clearly much harsher, so she’s getting what she deserves."
"With this move, Captain Xiao gives Jiang Qingyao a way to save face, indirectly warns the Jiang Family, and protects Gu Yuexi all at once."
"No matter how you look at it, he’s clearly siding with Gu Yuexi."
Everyone agreed that this was the best possible solution.
After all, the Jiang Family was one of the Eight Great Clans of Luoping City.
Their Patriarch, Jiang Wei, was a powerhouse in the True God Realm. Luoping City itself would tremble if he so much as stamped his foot.
Truly and utterly offending the Jiang Family would bring an outsider and Loose Cultivator like Gu Yuexi no benefits, only endless trouble.
Even though Jiang Qingyao had been the one in the wrong, she had already been slapped three times.
She had been slapped so hard she fell from the eighth floor. She had lost all face, so Gu Yuexi’s anger should have subsided by now.
With Xiao Feng stepping in to act as a guarantor,
all Gu Yuexi had to do was lower her head and apologize,
and return the Magical Treasure that belonged to Jiang Qingyao in the first place.
In exchange, she would get peace, at least on the surface.
The Jiang Family would no longer have a reason to trouble her openly.
Of course, no one could say whether they would resort to underhanded tactics in secret.
But as long as she remained within Luoping City,
the Jiang Family would have to give the Law Enforcement Team some face and wouldn’t dare move against her lightly.
By any calculation, Gu Yuexi was the one coming out on top.
Everyone assumed
Gu Yuexi would take the easy way out, accept Xiao Feng’s proposal, and offer an apology.
The matter would end there, and everyone would be happy.
However, Gu Yuexi looked at Xiao Feng and said calmly,
"What if I say... no?"
The five short words were not loud,
but they struck like a clap of thunder, reaching the ears of everyone below with perfect clarity.
The crowd of onlookers froze, the melon seeds in their hands scattering to the ground.
"Wait, did I just hear that right?"
"She... she refused?"
"You heard right. Gu Yuexi actually refused!"
"Seriously, what is she thinking?"
"Is something wrong with her head?"
"If she doesn’t apologize, she’ll have completely and utterly offended the Jiang Family! Things will definitely not end well for her!"
"Exactly! All she has to do is say sorry and give the item back, and she gets to be safe in return. What a bargain!"
"Why is she being so stubborn? Does she really think she can win a head-on confrontation with the Jiang Family?"
The crowd erupted in discussion, all of them thinking Gu Yuexi was hopelessly ungrateful.
Throwing away a golden opportunity to reconcile just to offend the Jiang Family to the bitter end... she had to be insane.