Dual Cultivation God Returns

Chapter 695  City Lord

Wu Long and Liang Yuhan reached Silver Wing City without any surprises on the way, however, that was not true for the city itself.
They could already hear a commotion upon approaching the city, a crowd gathering at the small plaza beyond the city gates.
"Hah, allow someone a bit of authority, they start to really think they're some big deal", a voice full of contempt reached the ears of the two.
Wu Long looked at Madam Liang with an amused expression, receiving the same look in return, both already able to guess the gist of the situation. They didn't refrain from joining the crowd of onlookers.
There was a small delegation of people wearing white robes with green patterns, a large crystal patterned emblem on their backs and smaller ones on the sleeves of their robes.
Opposing them were city guards led by a young man, who had the City Manor insignia on his sash, and a small ceremonial dagger signifying his status of authority.
"I am not sure I am following", the young man of the City Manor clarified with a slightly stiff tone and rapidly darkening expression.
"Heh, countryside is still countryside, no matter if you're talking with a beggar or a nobleman…", a person standing among the delegation in white, whose voice Wu Long and Madam Liang heard as they were arriving, spoke in a low tone, but it was clearly meant to be heard by everyone as the faces of the city guards became ashen.
"Listen here…", the young man from the City Manor started slightly raising his voice, but was immediately interrupted.
"Forget that, just give us that man and we'll not pursue this with the City Manor", the tone of the man from the delegation in white was neglectful, full of annoyance at the wasted time.
Wu Long and Madam Liang could see that there was a wounded city guard standing behind his colleagues, holding his forearm, drops of blood dripping to the ground.
"I just told you that is not an option. Nevermind that, you seem to think you'll be allowed to freely go after assaulting our guard. I'll be nice and correct that misconception", the City Manor official spoke with rising impatience, and a steel note in his tone.
 "You?", the man from the delegation narrowed his eyes, a smile of ridicule appearing on his face, "Heh, not knowing your level…"
"You will have to follow us to the City Manor, if you refuse to cooperate, we will have to use force", the guards behind the young man tightened their grips on their weapons.
Seeing that, frowns appeared on the faces of the delegation in white.
Seeing the two groups in opposition, Madam Liang shook her head with a smile, "How nostalgic"
"What, the obligatory posturing?", Wu Long chuckled.
"Mm", she answered with a small nod, "When isolated, the Three Continents had a pretty stable environment, despite all the undercurrents. So there rarely was any need for this"
"Well, it's the first big Sect to openly appear here after all. They can't make problems in the Iron Claw City, so the only place for their display is here. We can expect this to happen quite often for a while I guess"
"You know this Sect?", Madam Liang turned a curious look to Wu Long.
"Only superficially, it is one of the three big Sects in the region, the Crystal Wood Sect. They used to have a branch in this world as well, but they left almost immediately after the way to the Battle God's Cradle was cut off" , Wu Long shrugged his shoulders, watching as the two groups started fighting under the cheers of the crowd.
The outsiders were clearly more powerful, with higher cultivation, but were outnumbered as more and more city guards started to assemble. 
But there were clearly five people standing in the center of the delegation in veiled bamboo hats, not taking any action at all, simply looking on as if everything happening around them was not their business.
Yet Wu Long's gaze was not on them, but on the main fighters, the young City Manor representative and the man he was arguing with before.
They were fighting hand-to-hand, testing each other out, each only using a small part of their strength.
"With a look like that in your eyes, I could probably see your disapproval from a mile away, Valley Master. Are you that put off by that fight?", Madam Liang lightly laughed, seeing his expression.
"Just don't see any use or meaning", Wu Long turned to her with a smile, as if in a hurry to take his eyes off from the fight that slightly annoyed him.
"Haha, I can see that. Which is why you're always an outsider. Most fights in the Cultivation World are about posturing after all, yours are almost always to kill or accomplish a goal", Madam Liang chuckled.
"Oh my, you know me well"
"Stop!", as the fight was getting more heated and both the young man from the City Manor and his opponent took out their weapons, one of the five veiled men from the Crystal Wood Sect raised his voice, "Let's not take it any further"
A powerful aura of a Transcendent accurately targeted the city guards, forcing most of them on their knees, the City Manor representative being the only one remaining standing with effort.
The man he was fighting smirked at the sight of him struggling to not fall to his knees.
"Essence Gathering Realm", Madam Liang narrowed her eyes, confirming her suspicions.
"Mm 3rd level, the other four are in the 2nd level", Wu Long nodded, "It seems they're quite serious about this"
"If it isn't Crystal Wood Sect…", a voice resounded from the city depth, and the aura restraining the city guard was lifted by another one.
"""City Lord""", the city guards deeply bowed right after getting up, as a middle-aged looking man appeared on the small square. 
The young man from the City Manor bowed as well, "Father, I…", however, was silenced after a quick look from the City Lord.
Wu Long's pupils shrank at the sight of the man, as he reassessed the situation, 'Heh, what a sly man. He hides his power well, even the Ember Palm Pavillion's intel is outdated'
"Ah, Lord Ko, I see you are still well", the veiled man from the Crystal Wood Sect finally took off his bamboo hat with wrinkled hands, revealing an old man.
"Elder Hwe, it seems there was a misunderstanding here", the City Lord answered with a light smile.
"Of course, we aren't here to cause trouble. The young one over there was just being sensitive, he still needs a bit of experience, he he he", Elder Hwe answered with a chuckle and an amicable expression.
The young City Manor representative was about to speak up but was once again stopped by a slightly raised hand of his father.
"Hahaha, Elder Hwe must be joking, my son might be young but he wouldn't act without provocation"
The amicable smile on the face of the Sect Elder started to fade as his eyes became a bit cold, a harder note appearing in his tone "It seems being left to your own affairs for so long has gone to your head, Ko Zhumen. Not pursuing this matter further was already being polite, I would hope you recognize where to draw the line"
"Elder Hwe seems a bit sensitive", City Lord's expression, on the contrary remained amicable, almost in jovial mood.
"Ko Zhumen!", the Sect Elder noticed the prick of his own words returned to him, raising his voice with a shout. His aura just started rising, when "...!!!"
City Lord's aura pushed it back and started putting pressure on the entire delegation, the Elder in particular.
"...! 7th level Essence Gathering Realm?!?! Y-You!!!", Elder Hwe spoke, suddenly sounding out of breath.
"Elder Hwe, let's not do this. Seeing as we're old acquaintances, I'll give you face this time, and not pursue this. But city rules are city rules, the man who injured our city guard will have to undergo investigation. Don't worry, it's just for a few hours. We'll just settle this with a fine", the City Lord continued in the same amicable tone, gradually decreasing the pressure of his aura, until it was completely gone.
"Khm, this old man will remember Lord Ko's leniency and goodwill", the Sect Elder didn't have any other option than to smile, nodding to the man who was arguing with City Lord's sone before, the latter clenching his teeth, allowing himself to be restrained.
But Wu Long could clearly see the thought 'Ko Zhumen, Ko Zhumen, you really hid yourself well", in the eyes of the Elder.
The spectacle ended quickly after that, as the Sect delegation left the small square, while the City Manor side retreated to the depths of the city.
"To think the aura of someone in the 7th level of Essence Gathering Realm was so terrifying…", Madam Liang said with a slightly troubled look. It was the first time she felt auras of Transcendents in realms higher than the gate of the Essence Gathering Realm.
"Haha, you know how vast the difference is in small realms of the Essence Awakening Realm, did you think it would be less of a difference in the Essence Gathering Realm?", Wu Long chuckled.
"I knew it would only be bigger", she nodded with a smile as they mixed in the crowd leaving the small plaza, "but never thought it would be this intense of an experience"
"Hmm, well, Old Man Zhao's Essence Gathering Realm is not the same as people who reached it here, after all his is a deviation, a mistake of sorts, while theirs is the natural progression. That's why you felt that much difference. He would have to work hard to improve from now on if he wants to even match his own cultivation level's strength here", he said with a thoughtful look.
"Still, I never thought there was an expert of this level in this place that seemed so abandoned", Madam Liang chuckled.
Wu Long smiled, "that City Lord is much more sly"
Her green eyes turned to him with surprise and a suspicion that she truly wanted to be misguided in.
However, unfortunately for her hope, he nodded, "he's already in the Essence Ignition Realm"
—
"Fathe-...!"
A loud sound of a slap cut off the words of the young man, echoing in a large empty hall of the City Manor.
"How are you only giving me disappointment? I told you to call your third brother and not do anything useless! Tch", the City Lord took off his cold gaze from the young man thrown to the floor by the powerful slap, and walked away without turning.
Two more young-looking men stood on the sides of the City Lord, wearing similar clothes to the young man on the floor. The only big difference was the insignia on the ceremonial dagger, that placed both of them above the young man.
One of them coldly looked at the youngest of the brothers, and followed the City Lord, while the other shook his head with a sigh, stretching out his hand to help the younger brother stand.
"Fuan, you don't have to worry abo-..."
"It's fine, Brother. I know he doesn't expect anything from me", Ko Fuan rose on his own without taking the offered hand, then heading toward the door with a brisk stride.
"Haa~", the older brother shook his head, looking at that back with a troubled expression.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om