Chapter 383

Chapter 383: The Iron-Walled Jin City

Publicly scolded by Fang Lie, Mo Qianxun burned with humiliation, his face flushing crimson like a boiled shrimp. Not because Fang Lie spouted nonsense, but because every accusation rang true.

Among leaders of major sects, Mo Qianxun stood renowned for his cunning schemes and fox-like shrewdness—traits the cultivation world unanimously acknowledged. This reputation made Fang Lie certain Mo Qianxun colluded with the two great family clans. History showed alliances between noble houses as common; their absence would’ve been stranger. Fang Lie’s conclusion followed logic.

Yet Mo Qianxun seethed with injustice. Both the Jin and Bai Families had acted behind his back. As Sect Leader, he’d known nothing—not from senility, but blind trust in longtime brothers, the Family Heads. Now his most trusted allies had brewed catastrophe. The Bai Family’s betrayal especially felt like a dagger to his spine.

He’d mediated the Jin Family’s crisis in goodwill, only to suffer the Bai Family’s stab. How could he swallow this insult?

The Jin Family Head remained unfazed—his crimes already exposed and punished. The Bai Family Head, however, trembled under Mo Qianxun’s wrath, sensing impending doom.

"Clan Leader," the Bai Family Head ventured, "the culprit’s dead, leaving no trail. Let the sect compensate Fang Lie elsewhere. Since the Bai Family’s involved, we’ll… make gestures."

His "gestures" clearly meant paltry trinkets to dodge responsibility.

Fang Lie barked a laugh. "Sell my family’s assets dirt-cheap, then toss me scraps? How clever!"

"Cough!" The Bai Family Head stiffened. "Watch your tongue, Fang Lie! Our Bai Family knew nothing and gained nothing. Any compensation exceeds obligation!"

Fang Lie slammed the table, rising to confront him—

"Sit." Mo Qianxun’s voice froze the air. "I’ll settle this. Object later if dissatisfied."

Fang Lie grudgingly sat.

Mo Qianxun turned a piercing gaze to the Bai Family Head, who stammered, "S-Senior Brother Sect Leader, your decision?"

"Tiequan Town gained fame through its iron-magma spring, correct?"

"Yes. The Fang Family owned it millennia. Nearly depleted now—leasing it might’ve profited them."

"Regardless." Mo Qianxun’s tone chilled. "Your Bai Family’s Iron-Walled Jin City, built around a similar spring—hand it to Fang Lie. Case closed."

"What? Impossible!"

Ignoring him, Mo Qianxun asked Fang Lie, "Satisfied?"

"Quite." Fang Lie eyed him curiously. "You truly didn’t know?"

The Iron-Walled Jin City dwarfed Tiequan Town tenfold in output and scale—a Bai Family cornerstone. Surrendering it proved Mo Qianxun’s innocence, even favoring Fang Lie.

Mo Qianxun’s jaw tightened. "I may bend rules for my own, but as Mo Sect Leader, I keep my conscience clear. This time—" He glared at the Bai Family Head, "—I’ve been slandered!"

The Bai Family Head wailed, "Senior Brother! The Iron-Walled Jin City is our ancestral heritage! You can’t gift it to outsiders!"

"Iron Spring Town is also the Ancestral Business of the Fang Family. Didn’t you sell it too?" Mo Qianxun sneered.

"That was not my doing," the Head of the Bai Family wanted to argue, but seeing Mo Qianxun’s seemingly smiling expression, he could no longer maintain the lie.

Fang Lie was right; Mo Qianxun was a famous wise man, and such a lowly lie from someone like him could only slip by when there was goodwill between them.

But Mo Qianxun was clearly angry now. Trying to get away with a lie would only add fuel to the fire and make the other person even more furious! And the wrath of a Semi-Immortal and Sect Leader was clearly not something he could handle.

Realizing this, the Head of the Bai Family finally gave in, his face filled with despair. "Alright, alright, I admit it was my subordinate’s mistake. They were bullied badly by Fang Lie, and unwilling to let him take Iron Spring Town back peacefully, they thought of this sneaky revenge. All the blame is mine, Sect Leader, please spare me this once for the sake of our past relationship! I’m willing to offer the five million small spirit pearls I gained from leasing as compensation to Fang Lie!"

"You’ve scammed him out of a fortune, and you think just returning the stolen money will settle everything?" Mo Qianxun sneered, "You think the loss of his Ancestral Business can be brushed off that easily? Don’t be so naive! Fang Lie is right here. Do you think he is someone you can easily manipulate?"

"Well, I can compensate more," the Head of the Bai Family replied anxiously. "Anyway, we can’t let go of Iron-Walled Jin City! That is worth a hundred or a thousand times more than Iron Spring Town!"

"Iron-Walled Jin City must be given to Fang Lie!" Mo Qianxun said coldly, "Because I need to teach you a lesson!"

"Sect Leader~" the Head of the Bai Family pleaded anxiously, "How can you forget our past connection? I was your brother in life and death!"

"You are absolutely right! It’s great that you remember our bond of life and death," Mo Qianxun said through gritted teeth, "I took you as my brother, but what have you done? A mere junior like Fang Lie can point at my nose and call me an old fool pretending to be stupid! Yet here I am, a proud Sect Leader, unable to defend myself!"

"It’s because I was in the wrong! I’ve been made a fool by you two, and now I’m embarrassed in front of a junior! You didn’t even give me a hint about such a big issue, and I lost so much face!" Mo Qianxun’s wrath soared, "I’ve lived to this age and have never been so humiliated! The reason is that I trusted you too much and didn’t notice you were deceiving me. No matter if it was a Demonic Path monster or the leader of the righteous sects, no one could deceive me, except for you two! You really are something!"

Hearing this, the Head of the Bai Family and the Head of the Jin Family felt so ashamed they wished they could find a hole to hide in. They finally realized that their behind-the-back scheming was actually betraying Mo Qianxun, especially making him lose face in front of Fang Lie, which was akin to slapping him publicly.

Mo Qianxun was always strong-willed, but he fell into a big trap set by his two friends. How could he not be furious? This was also why he insisted on making the Bai Family hand over Iron-Walled Jin City. This was not only for Fang Lie but also for his own anger!

Finally understanding this, the Head of the Bai Family could no longer sit still. He fell to his knees with a thud and cried out, "Senior brother, I was wrong, I truly was wrong; I should not have hidden this from you!"

"Now that you know, it’s too late!" Mo Qianxun said coldly. "I’m almost embarrassed to show my face to Fang Lie! Do you think crying will get you off the hook?"

"I dare not even think that!" the Head of the Bai Family cried. "Senior brother, how about you slap me a couple of times to relieve your anger!"

"Humph, I can’t afford to offend you, the Family Head!" Mo Qianxun said sternly. "No more nonsense, hand over Iron-Walled Jin City immediately!"

"Senior brother, please!" the Head of the Bai Family cried desperately. "Iron-Walled Jin City is the lifeblood of the Bai Family. I can redeem Iron Spring Town and return it to Fang Lie. Please, I beg you, don’t demand Iron-Walled Jin City!"

"No!" Mo Qianxun replied coldly. "This is not just about you and Fang Lie anymore. It also involves your backstabbing plot against me. Iron-Walled Jin City must be surrendered! If I don’t teach you a lesson, how will you know to stop scheming against me in the future?"

With that, Mo Qianxun waved his sleeve and stood up, declaring, "I order in the name of the Sect Leader to carry this out immediately without any mistakes!"

Then, Mo Qianxun’s figure flickered and vanished without a trace.

The Head of the Bai Family collapsed to the ground, unable to believe the outcome.

The Head of the Jin Family, drenched in cold sweat, quietly felt relieved that his own plans were discovered quickly. Had things gone on any longer, he would certainly have faced an even worse fate.

This time, the Bai Family was indeed affected by the Jin Family. If it had only been the Bai Family deceiving Mo Qianxun, it could have been manageable, but both families had deceived him, making Mo Qianxun feel a great sense of crisis.

As the Sect Leader, being deceived time and again ignited his wrath even more. With the Jin Family’s matters settled, the Bai Family naturally became the target for his fury.

This was the primary reason why the Bai Family faced Mo Qianxun’s heavy punishment!