"Lord City Lord, my grandson Chi Yuan had a conflict with Zhou A Si ten days ago..."
"Yes, there was a conflict," Xiao Man chimed in. "My A Si found a piece of Boundless Violet Crystal in the mine, and the Chi clan tried to snatch it away. But A Si escaped with the crystal. Afterwards, Chi Yuan led people to Central Continent Street demanding we hand over the Boundless Violet Crystal. When I refused, he left with his men. However, he remained persistent, stationing people outside Central Continent Street to capture A Si the moment she stepped out and forcibly take the crystal. But adhering to our principle of peaceful coexistence, we only reprimanded them and did not trouble your Chi clan members. Is that not so?"
Chi Li's face turned beet red. Seizing items from the human race was commonplace, and the City Lord usually turned a blind eye, as no one dared to bring such matters directly to him. Yet, a new, overbearing individual had arrived, who refused to yield to any pressure, causing them a significant loss!
"So, you believe Zhou A Si captured Chi Yuan?" Qing Ti glanced at Zhou A Si behind him. She was merely at the Nascent Soul middle stage; capturing Chi Yuan would require Xiao Man herself.
"A Si's cultivation is only at the Nascent Soul middle stage, she could not defeat Chi Yuan, who is at the early stage of Soul Transformation," Xiao Man said, looking at Qing Ti. "City Lord, you will not show favoritism to anyone, will you?"
"Naturally."
"Junior Brother Nan Gong, A Si has woken up."
Xiao Man turned and walked towards A Si. "A Si, how are you feeling?"
"Boss Nan Gong, it was him... it was him..." A Si said urgently. "He sent people to capture me, severely injured me, and fed me a obedience pill. They wanted to frame Central Continent Street for capturing Chi Yuan and force me to testify that you killed Chi Yuan. They want to exterminate all of us from Central Continent Street!"
Xiao Man patted A Si's shoulder. "Don't worry, the City Lord will mete out justice for us."
Chi Li pursed his lips. "Lord Qing Ti, it wasn't me. Lan Guan told me to do this."
"Clan Leader Chi, as the head of your clan, you should be brave and responsible. How can you wrongly accuse others?" Xiao Man said slowly. "How could Clan Leader Lan possibly be such a despicable person? Furthermore, A Si's battle with Lan Hai was a fair duel, and Lan Hai swore that if the Lan clan acted against A Si, they would face punishment from the laws of heaven and earth. Even if you want to find a scapegoat, you should find a more reliable one."
"Lord Qing Ti, I am telling the truth. It really was Lan Guan..."
"Enough!" Qing Ti interrupted Chi Li and looked at Xiao Man. "How do you wish to proceed?"
"Our human race has always had a simple method for dealing with harm: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth," Xiao Man said softly. "I want the same injuries."
"Nan Gong Yu, can you grant me this favor..."
"City Lord, if not for your sake, I would have already turned the Chi clan upside down," Xiao Man's tone was gentle, but her words were full of threat. Qing Ti knew that if he could not satisfy Xiao Man today, she would certainly stir up chaos within the inner city, which would bring him immense trouble.
Qing Ti suppressed Chi Li to the ground with his might. With a flick of his finger, Chi Li spat blood and cried out in agony.
"A Si had six ribs broken."
Qing Ti immediately broke six of Chi Li's ribs. Chi Li writhed on the ground in pain, but this was only the beginning, not the end.
"A Si's right hand is broken, and all ten toes are shattered."
Qing Ti glanced at Xiao Man. It turned out she had meticulously examined Zhou A Si's injuries not for healing, but for revenge, to make the Chi clan leader suffer the same pain as Zhou A Si.
Qing Ti felt extremely wronged. He had considered activating the demonic poison to control Xiao Man, but Xiao Man's cultivation was too high. If he rashly activated the demonic poison and caused Xiao Man to demonize and go berserk, he might end up dead at Xiao Man's hands. He could only do as Xiao Man said.
"Anything else?"
"One eye," Xiao Man said slowly, looking at Chi Li, who was in extreme pain but dared not faint. "As compensation, I want to take it with me."
"Nan Gong Yu, you are going too far!"
"Are my demands excessive?" Xiao Man looked at Qing Ti innocently. "A Si lost the sight in one eye, and I want to exchange it for his eye."
"Fine..."
"I will do it myself," Xiao Man stepped forward. "If the City Lord does it, I fear damaging that eye, making it unusable."
"Fine!" Qing Ti gritted his teeth, his gaze cold as he stared at Xiao Man. He strode towards Chi Li and, with lightning speed, gouged out one of Chi Li's eyes.
"Our human race always upholds the principle of reciprocity," Xiao Man said, looking at Chi Li, word by word. "You harmed my person, and I shall return it to you in full."
"I said, I am not the mastermind..."
"I don't care if you are the mastermind or not. But my A Si says you are the mastermind, and you are the one who harmed her. Therefore, you must pay the price. As for who the true mastermind is, I do not care. That is your concern. I only care about my people."
Chi Li inwardly cursed Lan Guan with venom. All of this was Lan Guan's scheme, yet Lan Guan remained hidden in the shadows, unharmed, while he paid such a tragic price!
Xiao Man smiled gently at Chi Li, then rose and bowed to Qing Ti. "Thank you, Lord City Lord, for dispensing justice for us. I believe with you here, the inner city will be peaceful and stable, and the God race and the human race can coexist peacefully."
"I hope so."
"The person has been found, so we shall not disturb you any further." Xiao Man bowed and, with the people of Central Continent Street, swaggered away. Once Xiao Man and her group disappeared, Qing Ti's expression instantly turned ashen.
"Did I not tell you not to provoke her?"
"Please forgive me, Lord City Lord," Chi Li calmly confessed. "It was my foolishness, believing rumors, that led to this mistake. I promise it will not happen again."
Qing Ti remained silent for a moment, then tossed a pill to Chi Li. "For healing. As for your eye, consider it a lesson learned."
"Thank you, Lord Qing Ti."
Upon returning to Central Continent Street, Jiang Lan immediately inquired, "Junior Brother Nan Gong, A Si's eye..."
Xiao Man signaled Jiang Lan to speak no further and cast a sound-isolating barrier before allowing everyone to speak. "A Si's eye is merely injured; there is no serious damage."
"Then why did you say A Si's eye was blind and demand Chi Li's eye in exchange?"
"Chi Li injured our A Si, and he must pay a price. One eye is the price he must pay," Xiao Man said unhurriedly. "Now, we have truly forged an irreconcilable enmity with the Chi clan."
"Didn't we already have an irreconcilable enmity?" A Si countered. They had killed Chi Yuan, already making them mortal enemies with the Chi clan. Now, after gouging out Chi Li's eye, the Chi clan would likely want to devour them alive.
"If you know that, why are you not cultivating diligently?" Xiao Man's tone was somber. "If you remain stuck in the Nascent Soul stage, you will be devoured alive by the Chi clan."
"Yes, Boss Nan Gong."