At the same time in ckstone City, the City Lord’s Mansion.


    Long Yuanshan, after cutting out the beginning and end of the footage captured by the Image Record Gu, angrily rushed into the City Lord''s Mansion, crying out loud.


    "City Lord! You must seek justice for my n!"


    "The Bai n justunched a night raid on our people stationed at the Geng Metal mine, causing us devastating losses!"


    "This is the footage sent by our people at the mine right before they died, but unfortunately, the Image Record Gu was quickly destroyed by them, resulting in only half the footage being transmitted before it was cut off."


    Long Yuanshan immediately presented the Image Record Gu. The footage it recorded had been edited to omit the part where the Long n''s Gu Masters massacred the Bai n''s Gu Masters. It only showed the Bai n’s Gu Mastersunching a vicious night raid on the Long n’s camp.


    Anyone watching the iplete footage would naturally feel sympathy for the Long n and harbor resentment against the Bai n.


    Yan Pojun appeared fatigued. Recently, he had been dealing with too many simr incidents and was mentally and physically exhausted.


    From his perspective, this was probably another attempt by the Great Yin Dynasty to sow discord and trigger conflicts among the ns of the Western Lands.This matter had to be handled, despite his weariness. He suppressed his exhaustion and took the Image Record Gu, projecting its contents onto the wall.


    The first scene that appeared on the wall showed Bai Ye and three Bai n Gu Masters secretly conspiring while aboard a spirit boat, their sinisterughter echoing, which made Yan Pojun ufortable.


    When he heard their n to ughter the Long n''s geniuses and frame it on the Great Yin Dynasty, then use his position as City Lord to calm the matter, a fierce light suddenly shed in his eyes, and he was filled with rage.


    No one likes being used, and the Bai n had the audacity to exploit his desire to maintain stability during this period, recklessly ughtering the Long n''s Gu Masters.


    Then, they nned to use him, the City Lord, to suppress the conflict. What a scheme! What clever calction! Did they take him for a fool?


    Yan Pojun mmed his hand down, shattering the table in front of him, standing up in fury.


    Thinking back to how he had just assumed this was another one of the Great Yin Dynasty’s ploys and was contemting how to persuade the Long n, his face turned ashen, and his anger surged even more. If it weren''t for this footage, he would have beenpletely fooled by the Bai n.


    "Is the Bai n seeking death? I have repeatedly warned all the ns not to stir up trouble during this time, and they’vepletely ignored my words!"


    Yan Pojun roared in fury, on the verge of exploding.


    The Bai n had dared to exploit his mindset. If other ns followed their example, stirring up chaos and then ming the Great Yin Dynasty, it would be catastrophic.


    By the time the Great Yin Dynastyunched its attack, the ns would already be heavily damaged. Yan Pojun’s face was pale with anger.


    At this point, the footage on the wall showed the Bai n''s Gu Masters, their faces twisted in malice, as they raided the Long n''s camp. The footage abruptly ended there. R?


    It was clear that the owner of the Image Record Gu had been killed, and though the recording was iplete, Yan Pojun could easily guess what happened next—the Long n must have suffered tremendous losses.


    The Bai n’s premeditated sneak attack, led by six Spiritual Sea Realm Gu Masters, ensured that the Long n would be devastated. Yan Pojun instinctively thought this.


    Just then, a group of Bai n Gu Masters rushed in, sobbing and wailing.


    Bai Zhan was the first to barge in, his face filled with grief and indignation as heined, "City Lord, please seek justice for my n!"


    "The Long n is inhuman! To seize our Geng Metal, they ruthlessly ughtered all our people stationed at the mine!"


    "Over 800 lives lost! All of them were rare-talented Gu Masters, including six Spiritual Sea Realm Gu Masters and many other gifted individuals!"


    "Our n suffered unimaginable losses! City Lord, please deliver justice. If such a vicious and malevolent n isn’t severely punished, it would be a crime against heaven and earth!"


    Bai Zhan’s eyes were red, his voice filled with sorrow and rage.


    Yan Pojun silently watched his performance, a slight smile creeping onto his lips—a smile born of extreme anger.


    If he hadn’t just seen the footage captured by the Image Record Gu, he might have believed Bai Zhan’s lies. This man could truly act.


    After ughtering the Long n’s people, Bai Zhan then rushed over to lodge aint, ying the victim and falsely using the Long n.


    Not only had they killed, but they were now asking forpensation, pretending to be the victims—what a vicious scheme! How utterly shameless the Bai n was!


    "Keep acting! Go on! You’re really something! How did I never realize you had such a talent for acting? If I hadn’t spoken up, were you nning to cry for me next?"


    Yan Pojun could no longer hold back and roared, "You think I don’t know what you’ve done? How dare youe here, crying forpensation! Do you really think I’m that easy to fool?"


    "Let me ask you! You just imed that six Spiritual Sea Realm Gu Masters died there. Tell me, why did you station six Spiritual Sea Realm Gu Masters there? Do you have that many Spiritual Sea Realm Gu Masters to spare?"


    The Lord''s roar left Bai Zhan stunned. He was indeed acting, but only with his expressions; everything he said was true.


    The Long n really did wipe out all of their people stationed at the Geng Metal ore vein. How did it suddenly turn into the Bai n wiping out the Long n’s men there? He was utterly confused.


    For a moment, Bai Zhan was left speechless by the Lord’s questioning. He couldn’t possibly exin why he had sent six Spiritual Sea-level Gu cultivators there.


    There was no way he could admit that he had ill intentions and that his n had backfired.


    Seeing Long Yuanshan on the other side, looking at him with a mocking gaze, Bai Zhan instantly became furious. Pointing at him, he angrily said, "Lord! You mustn’t listen to his one-sided ims and form a biased opinion..."


    "Enough!" Before he could finish, Yan Pojun angrily interrupted, "Are you suggesting that I am biased and unable to discern right from wrong? Do you truly take me for a fool?"


    "Your Bai nunched a night attack on the Long n''s miners at the Geng Metal vein, causing severe casualties. The evidence is undeniable. Your Bai n will immediatelypensate the Long n with a portion of the Mithril vein. This is my final ruling on the matter!"


    "What?" Bai Zhan was shocked, unable to remain calm. Although the Mithril vein was notrge, its value was second only to Geng Metal.


    How could they possibly give it up so easily? The loss of the Mithril vein would be a devastating blow to them. Bai Zhan''s eyes turned red, not believing that the Lord would dare to make such a judgment.


    "I refuse! How can the victims be forced to cede territory and offerpensation? This is unheard of, something never before seen in history! The Bai n does not ept such a ruling! I..." Bai Zhan shouted through gritted teeth.


    "Enough! I said the matter is settled! Didn’t you hear me?" Yan Pojun snarled, his patience clearly reaching its limit.


    "I''ll say this onest time. Your Bai n willpensate the Long n with a portion of the Mithril vein. This matter is now closed. Let’s see who dares to cause further trouble!"


    Yan Pojun''s terrifying aura as a peak Gu King radiated outward, oppressing everyone in the room. Bai Zhan''s face went pale as he retreated several steps.


    He opened his mouth but ultimately didn’t dare say another word. He realized that the Lord was truly enraged, and provoking him further would lead to unimaginable consequences.


    He also understood that there were likely other things at y that he wasn’t aware of. Otherwise, the Lord would never have been so furious. Challenging the Lord’s authority now would be unwise and only benefit the Long n.


    After casting a deep, resentful nce at Long Yuanshan, Bai Zhan stormed out with a dark expression.


    The rest of the Bai n members at the door also wore grim expressions as they followed their n leader out.


    The Lord actually wanted them topensate the Long n with a Mithril vein? They felt as though the sky was copsing. After catching up to the n leader, they gloomily asked, "n Leader, the Lord must have been bribed by Long Yuanshan to make such an unfair ruling."


    "We absolutely cannot follow this order. We must seek justice from the elders of each n. ckstone City is not under the sole control of the Lord. He can’t do whatever he pleases here."


    Bai Zhan looked up at the sky and sighed, "Doing that will only antagonize the Lord further, pushing him to the Long n''s side. If we sh with the Long n again, the Lord will definitely take their side."


    "This is the worst-case scenario. We need to first figure out what truly happened. As for the Mithril vein, don’t worry, they won’t be able to take it in the short term."


    "Let’s stall for time. The Great Yin Dynasty will soon attack, and this will be a protracted war. The Lord and the ns will have no time to focus on this matter. By then, we’ll find a way to let it quietly disappear."


    ...


    "Yuanshan, I must ask you to endure this injustice for now. With the Great Yin Dynasty about to invade, we need every capable person we can get. Having the Bai n pay with their lives isn’t possible, so all I can do ispensate you with resources."


    "But I wonder if the value of a Mithril vein is enough to make up for the loss of those few peerless talents. I fear it''s not nearly enough."


    After the Bai n members had left, Yan Pojun looked at Long Yuanshan, troubled.


    Indeed, because Long Yuanshan had selectively edited the footage, Yan Pojun had assumed that those few geniuses were already dead. That was the reason he had imposed such a heavy penalty on the Bai n.


    It wasn’t his fault for misunderstanding. Anyone would have assumed that those geniuses had perished after seeing that footage. No one would think they could survive such a deadly situation.


    "Lord, you’ve overestimated the situation. How could I, Long Yuanshan, fail to understand the bigger picture?"


    "Rest assured, my Long n will not retaliate. But once the war with the Great Yin Dynasty is over, if my n takes any action, I hope you’ll understand."


    Long Yuanshan put on a look of excessive sorrow. Anyone who didn’t know better might really believe that the Long n had suffered heavy losses.


    In truth, he was barely containing hisughter. He hadn’t expected such an unexpected windfall.


    A Mithril vein, whose value was nearly on par with the Geng Metal ore vein! This was an incredible profit. Bai Zhan must be in absolute agony right now. Long Yuanshan nearly burst intoughter.


    Yan Pojun gave him a heavy pat on the shoulder and said with satisfaction, "Good! I’m relieved to hear that. If every n in the city had your sense of the bigger picture, I wouldn’t have to worry so much!"


    "Don’t worry, endure this for now. After the war with the Great Yin Dynasty is over, you can do whatever you wish, and I’ll turn a blind eye..."


    ...


    ........................................................................


    Read extra chapters on >>> /SpiritStrantion