"Jingya, Tianhua! Do not be discourteous to Young Lord Xuan Yun."
A grand carriage pulled by two flying horses sped over and stopped before Xuan Yun.
"This junior pays his respects to Senior Jin Lie."
Xuan Yun clasped his hands in salute to Jin Lie, who sat inside the carriage.
In the Great Desolation, strength had always been supreme, and the accomplished were revered. By rights, given his family background and cultivation level, Xuan Yun need not have saluted Jin Lie. After all, everyone in the Twin-Pole Heavenly Domain knew that after Jin Lie's cultivation went awry, he was merely a Grand Luo Golden Immortal in name only. Even if his cultivation hadn't gone wrong, he would have been a Taibai Golden Immortal, the same as Xuan Yun.
Yet, Xuan Yun unfailingly saluted Jin Lie every time they met, always addressing himself as a junior. As he put it, regardless of cultivation level, anyone of high virtue and prestige deserved respect.
"Young Lord Xuan Yun, please forgive this old man for being indisposed and unable to rise... Cough! Cough..." A hoarse and feeble voice came from within the carriage, breaking into violent coughs halfway through.
"Senior Jin Lie, you..." Ding Da, standing nearby, said, "Young Lord Xuan Yun, my master is severely injured and inconvenienced. I beg your understanding."
"Senior Jin Lie is injured? When did this happen? When I saw him yesterday..." Xuan Yun seemed to realize something. "Could it be because of the carriage collision yesterday..."
"Young Lord Xuan Yun should know that my master's cultivation went awry in his early years, damaging his Immortal Spirit. He cannot engage in combat at all. After being struck by a Firecloud Grand Carriage yesterday, he had no choice but to intervene to protect our Jinwu Li clan members, causing his old injury to flare up. His condition is particularly severe."
Ding Da stepped down from the carriage and continued, "My master, being virtuous and prestigious, originally had no wish to pursue this matter. But as his direct disciple, I, Ding Da, must seek justice for my master today. Moreover, our Jinwu Li clan's Young Lady Jingya was sneak-attacked with a Purple-Gold Heavenly Thunder Talisman, damaging her jade-like body. She suffered multiple wounds all over, lost hair, and nearly had her face ruined. I ask you, Young Lord Xuan Yun, if it were you, what would you do?"
"Brother Ding, I fully understand your feelings. I was present when the incident occurred yesterday. It happened so suddenly that I failed to stop it in time. My apologies."
"This matter has nothing to do with Young Lord Xuan Yun. I ask the Young Lord not to interfere."
"This matter indeed has nothing to do with me. However, the Xiaoluo Secret Realm are my friends. I cannot stand idly by."
"Oh?" Ding Da stared at Xuan Yun. "So, Young Lord Xuan Yun intends to meddle in others' business today?"
"Brother Ding, do not misunderstand. That is not my meaning. I merely hope everyone can remain calm and sit down to talk things over peacefully. As the saying goes, it's better to resolve grievances than to create new ones. What does Brother Ding think?"
"What is there to talk about!" Li Jingya shouted furiously. "They dared to lay hands on me! Today, I want them all dead with no place to be buried!"
"Jingya, do not be impulsive." Ding Da said, "Since Young Lord Xuan Yun has stepped forward, we must give him face."
"Thank you, Brother Ding."
Li Jingya yelled, "If they want to talk, fine! First, make them kneel and kowtow to apologize to me until I am satisfied!"
At that moment.
"This junior, Qianling, pays respects to Senior Jin Lie and fellow Daoists."
Qianling walked over, clasping her fists. "Regarding yesterday's incident, it was our Xiaoluo Secret Realm's fault for offending Senior Jin Lie and Young Lady Jingya. Here, on behalf of the Xiaoluo Secret Realm, this junior apologizes to the Senior!"
"You lowly little immortal commoner! You think an apology is enough?" Li Jingya's face, originally somewhat beautiful, was now twisted with fury. "I said, kneel and kowtow! Kowtow until I am satisfied! Didn't you hear me?"
"I will bear full responsibility for yesterday's incident." Qianling said expressionlessly. "And I am willing to compensate for all losses."
"Compensate? With what, you lowly little immortal commoner? Can you afford it? I'm telling you, first kneel and kowtow to apologize! Otherwise, there's nothing to discuss!"
"If Young Lady Jingya wishes to vent her anger, then simply act."
"Lowly little immortal commoner! You think I dare not strike you?"
Xuan Yun instantly appeared in front of Qianling, smiling. "Young Lady Jingya, could you give me some face and calm down to talk? Moreover, it wasn't Ling'er who acted yesterday. Why vent your anger on her?"
"It was this lowly little immortal commoner who stepped forward herself! It was she who said she would bear full responsibility!"
"Perhaps Young Lady Jingya is unaware, but the nouveau riche who struck you yesterday is not a member of the Xiaoluo Secret Realm. He is merely staying there temporarily."
"I don't care if that nouveau riche is from the Xiaoluo Secret Realm or not! I only know he is in league with these lowly little immortal commoners from the Xiaoluo Secret Realm!"
Xuan Yun ignored Li Jingya and instead looked towards the grand carriage, clasping his fists. "Senior Jin Lie, please grant this junior a moment to speak with them. I will surely give you a satisfactory answer."
"Cough! Cough!" A hoarse and feeble voice came from inside the carriage. "I trouble Young Lord Xuan Yun to trouble himself."
"Thank you, Senior."
After expressing his thanks, Xuan Yun brought Qianling back to the side of the Firecloud Grand Carriage.
"Young Lord Xuan Yun, I appreciate your kindness. You have already helped us too much. Please do not intervene for us in today's matter. I do not wish to implicate you."
"We are friends. What talk of implication? Moreover," Xuan Yun smiled, "if I don't help you with today's matter, who else can?"
Qianling had a strong, independent nature and a strong sense of pride. She did not want to owe anyone, nor would she ask anyone for help, especially not someone like Xuan Yun who, regardless of the size of the matter or the other party's willingness, would always proactively and forcefully step in to help. It made her very uncomfortable.
"Originally, this matter could be easily resolved. You only needed to hand over Little Jiu Gui. However... I know you wouldn't do that."
"Little Jiu Gui is one of our Xiaoluo Secret Realm. His matters are my matters. I will bear full responsibility."
"Bear responsibility? How? Hah, you think too simply. Can't you see it now? The reason the Jinwu Li clan has mobilized such a force today is because they have their eyes on the 1.8 billion that Little Jiu Gui won."
Nearby, Liu Li said, "Senior Jin Lie was perfectly fine yesterday, but today he claims to be severely injured and sits inside the carriage. It's clearly an act, an obvious attempt to extort money."
"Exactly. They are here to extort money. But what can we do? Who told Little Jiu Gui to ram him with this carriage yesterday."
"Senior Brother Xuan Yun, don't you understand medicine? Why not expose him?"
"How to expose him? How could I?" Xuan Yun said. "Jin Lie has had old injuries since his early years. If he insists they flared up due to the collision, there's nothing anyone can do."
"Utterly shameless!" Qian Niao cursed angrily. "The entire Jinwu Li clan is full of scoundrels!"
The Horse King nearby nodded in strong agreement. Having spent time in the Jinwu Secret Realm, he knew very well the character of the Jinwu Li clan. Extortion and blackmail were not new tricks for them. In his memory, he had even helped the Jinwu Li clan carry out quite a few such schemes.