Yang Qingyuan raised his eyes to see a fat person ahead with flamboyant, curly hair whose gender was impossible to determine, looking at him with utter contempt.
Behind this person stood two Obsidian Inspectors, holding swords and remaining completely silent.
"I wondered who it could be. So it is Young Master Xiao Tiansheng."
Yang Qingyuan smiled faintly, showing no anger at all. He simply looked quietly at Xiao Tiansheng before glancing down at the golden sword at Xiao Tiansheng's waist.
"Young Master Xiao is still carrying this sword? Didn't the young master of the Wangquan family tell you clearly at the Yang family's wedding banquet that you are not worthy of using a sword and even made you throw it away?
What is this? Is Young Master Xiao questioning the Sword-Uniting Heaven and Earth, the Wangquan family young master's understanding of the Dao of the Sword?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the surrounding onlookers immediately crowded around.
The incident a few days ago, when Xiao Wanicheng led the Obsidian Inspectors to wreak havoc at the Yang family's wedding banquet, had long since spread like wildfire throughout Dao City.
And the story of how the Wangquan family's young master, Wangquan Hegemony, made his move at the wedding banquet and disarmed Xiao Tiansheng's sword with just two fingers had become common knowledge on the lips of every guest.
Not only did the Xiao family rely on their control of the Obsidian Inspectors to frame other families of the Dao Alliance everywhere, but even the members of the Xiao family themselves acted arrogant and overbearing day in and day out, as if no one else in the world mattered.
Therefore, not only the aristocratic families of the Dao Alliance, but even the ordinary cultivators of the One Qi Dao Alliance held no good feelings toward the Xiao family whatsoever.
Now, having the chance to see the Xiao family members get publicly humiliated in the street, they were naturally more than happy to watch the show.
"You... Whether I abandon my sword or not, what business is it of yours?"
Xiao Tiansheng's voice choked, a flash of embarrassment crossing his face.
"It's nothing. I was just giving Young Master Xiao a kind reminder, lest Young Master Xiao might have forgotten, right?"
Yang Qingyuan blinked, a mocking smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Humph! Brat, you must be tired of living! A mere servant dare mock Lord Xiao! Get him! This person must be a spy from the demon clan, take him back and interrogate him properly!"
With that, Xiao Tiansheng waved his hand at the two Obsidian Inspectors behind him, signaling them to move in and make the arrest.
Upon receiving Xiao Tiansheng's order, the two Obsidian Inspectors did not say another word. They immediately drew the golden swords from their waists and charged straight toward Yang Qingyuan.
"A spy from the demon clan... What a massive accusation to slap on someone..."
A trace of mockery flashed through Yang Qingyuan's eyes.
Watching the two Obsidian Inspectors charging toward him, Yang Qingyuan's face did not show the slightest bit of panic.
Without hurrying, he simply stretched out his right hand and abruptly channeled his spiritual power.
"Palmar Lightning!"
Zizizi!
Accompanied by bursts of lightning erupting from the palm of Yang Qingyuan's hand, the next moment, the two caught-off-guard Obsidian Inspectors were directly jolted until thick black smoke billowed from their entire bodies, their limbs twitching incessantly as they passed out cold on the spot.
"Is that... the Wen family's lightning-summoning technique?"
"Isn't this kid a servant of the Yang family? How does he know the Wen family's lightning-summoning technique?"
"What servant! Look at the heavenly eye on that kid's forehead. Even though it isn't open, he is undoubtedly of the bloodline of the Heavenly Eye Yang family!"
"So that's how it is. Then it's no wonder. The Heavenly Eye Yang family is upright and honorable, and there are quite a few geniuses who can use the spells of other families simply by observing them."
...
Listening to the murmurs of the surrounding crowd and casting another glance at the two Obsidian Inspectors collapsed on the ground before him, Xiao Tiansheng's face instantly turned a mottled shade of blue and white.
"You, you, you... You have some nerve! How dare you knock out the Dao Alliance's Obsidian Inspectors in broad daylight?!!"
"Young Master Xiao, without any proof or evidence, you casually slap the label of a demon spy on my head. Even for an Obsidian Inspector, isn't that a bit too unreasonable?"
Yang Qingyuan slowly lowered his right hand, then narrowed his eyes at Xiao Tiansheng.
"Just two days ago, the Family Head Xiao pinned the crime of colluding with demons on the head of my Yang family's son-in-law, and today you, Young Master Xiao, have slapped the label of a demon spy on me. Since when did the dignified Heavenly Eye Yang family become a criminal gang colluding with monsters?
Or could it be that your Xiao family is using the name of inspection as a cover to deliberately frame the Yang family, all to achieve your own ends of scrambling for power and profit?"
Yang Qingyuan's speaking pace was not fast at all, yet every single word that fell upon Xiao Tiansheng's ears felt as though it were heavily striking against his heart.
More and more people gathered around to watch. If this continued, Yang Qingyuan would strip away the very underwear of the Xiao family's pretext for targeting the Yang family!
"You're talking nonsense! The way my Xiao family does things has always been open and above board, and every action we take is for the Dao Alliance and for humanity! Every single member of the Xiao family has a clear conscience!"
"Indeed, a clear conscience. But if someone doesn't even have a heart, what's the use of asking?"
"Well said!"
Just as Yang Qingyuan's voice trailed off, a familiar voice suddenly sounded from behind him.
Everyone turned their heads to look and saw the figure of Yang Yitan stepping slowly out from the crowd.
"It's Yang family young master Yang Yitan!"
"What a cute little guy!"
"I never expected even the Yang family young master to show up. We're in for a good show now."
...
Yang Qingyuan glanced sideways at Yang Yitan. This little fellow had been following him the entire way ever since he stepped out of the Yang family gates, and in the end, he still couldn't resist stepping forward after all?
"Young Master Xiao, time and again your Xiao family has slandered members of my Yang family for colluding with monsters without any evidence. What exactly is your intention?"
Upon seeing Yang Yitan, Xiao Tiansheng grit his teeth as well, thinking that today's matters were likely going to be troublesome.
If things remained at a standstill like this and blew up into a massive issue, their Xiao family was already in the wrong from last time, and this time they had fabricated accusations entirely out of thin air.
Once the Yang family seized upon this handle, who knew but that it might instantly turn into an extremely fierce retaliation!
After wrestling with himself inwardly for a moment, Xiao Tiansheng quickly made his choice.
"Why, if it isn't Brother Yitan! It's a misunderstanding, this is all a misunderstanding. It was him! He slandered this kid as a demon spy, and your older brother here carelessly fell for the slander of a petty person, which led to today's misunderstanding.
Like I always say, the Heavenly Eye Yang family is upright, honorable, and has rendered outstanding military service for the One Qi Dao Alliance!
How could members of the Yang family possibly be demon spies? Wicked people have led me astray!"
As he spoke, Xiao Tiansheng gave the unconscious Obsidian Inspector on the ground a vicious kick while plastering a ingratiating smile across his face toward Yang Yitan.
Regarding Xiao Tiansheng's ability to turn with the wind and his effortlessly switchable face-changing techniques, even Yang Qingyuan couldn't help but feel a sense of absolute awe for a moment.
You really have to hand it to him: when it comes to wielding a sword, this kid Xiao Tiansheng is useless, but when it comes to playing the scoundrel, this brat is truly a bloody genius!
Yang Yitan frowned. He was no fool either, and naturally saw through Xiao Tiansheng's attempt to find a scapegoat on the spot at a single glance.
Last time at the wedding banquet, they bullied his little aunt, and this time they were bullying Yang family disciples in broad daylight. Did they really think the Yang family members were made of clay?
Thinking of this, Yang Yitan had no intention of letting Xiao Tiansheng off lightly today.
Yet just as he was about to speak, Yang Qingyuan beside him tugged at his clothes and slowly shook his head at him.