Chapter Fifteen: Blocking the Path

The entire city of Black Dragon was in an uproar. The third young master of the Wu family, notorious for his waywardness, had actually been ambushed and injured in broad daylight, right on the main street. This incensed the Wu family, prompting them to launch an extensive manhunt for the assailant. The city lord of Black Dragon City also dispatched numerous men to investigate the matter thoroughly.

While the incident itself seemed minor, the third young master of the Wu family was a direct descendant of one of the city’s eight great clans. Such a thing had never happened before; even if he had caught the eye of some desperate criminals, they would never dare attack him openly in broad daylight. Besides, with the deep-rooted power of the eight great clans, even the most reckless outlaws would think twice before provoking them.

This third young master, though dissolute, usually had capable guards at his side. But it was his misfortune that, since he remained in the city that day, he dismissed his guards and took only his servant along. No one could have predicted that this would provide the perfect opportunity for the assailant to strike. The attack was swift, targeting both the young master and his servant, and the culprit vanished into the alleyways before anyone in the bustling street could react.

At the Yunlong Inn, when news of the attack on the Wu family’s third young master reached them, Yi Tian couldn’t help but show a trace of satisfaction—Iron Man had indeed lived up to his expectations. Yi Feng, Yi Shan, and the others were greatly relieved to hear the news. Yet, they couldn’t shake a lingering sense of unease. After all, they had just had a conflict with the Wu family’s third young master earlier that day, and now he had been attacked? The coincidence was too great to ignore.

Yi Feng, Yi Li, and Yi Kai harbored suspicions, but since Yi Tian had been with them the entire evening, feasting together, it was impossible for him to have had the opportunity to launch the attack himself. Their doubts were soon laid to rest.

Since they planned to depart the next day, they spent the evening gathering their supplies in the rear courtyard, loading them onto beast-drawn carts in preparation for an early departure.

Elsewhere, in the Shi Yun Pavilion on Shixuan Street, Manager Qi, after venting his frustrations, soon received word of the attack on the Wu family’s third young master. Being a shrewd and scheming businessman, it didn’t take him long to connect the dots between those who had shortchanged him a yuan stone and had a conflict with the Wu scion—Yi Tian and his companions.

“It must have been them!” Manager Qi’s eyes reddened with excitement. Previously, he had only been attached to a mid-tier local power, forced to hand over more than seventy percent of his yearly earnings. If he could expose the attackers of Wu Yan, the third young master, to the Wu family patriarch, he might win the patriarch’s favor—an invaluable opportunity to climb the social ladder.

Without delay, Manager Qi shut his doors and hurried off to the Wu family estate.

In the main hall of the Wu family, the patriarch’s face was thunderous with rage, having just berated those he had sent out to find the culprit.

Wu Yan was his third son. Though thoroughly disappointed by this son’s bullying, debauchery, and indulgence, he was still his flesh and blood. The attack on his son was no small blow to the family’s reputation and influence. Only by finding the real culprit could this storm be quelled; otherwise, they would become the laughingstock of the city’s other powers.

He had assumed that, within Black Dragon City, finding a criminal would be a trivial matter. Yet, the assailant seemed intimately familiar with the city’s layout and had vanished without a trace, leaving behind no clues as to their identity.

“Patriarch, there is someone outside claiming to know the identity of your son’s attacker!” A steward entered the hall, announcing the news just as the patriarch was at his wits’ end.

“Bring him in!” The patriarch’s face flickered with hope before he resumed his stern demeanor.

Soon, Manager Qi, escorted by a steward, entered the hall and met the patriarch. He cautiously recounted the afternoon’s conflict between Yi Tian’s party and the Wu family’s third young master, hinting that they were likely the culprits behind the ambush.

The patriarch listened carefully and agreed that Yi Tian and his companions were highly suspect, promptly ordering a citywide search for them.

But Black Dragon City was vast, with nearly a million inhabitants. Even knowing that Yi Tian’s group were likely tribal warriors or scions, it would take time to track them down.

That night, the Wu family’s search swept through the city. Most inns and taverns were especially targeted. At the Yunlong Inn, Yi Tian and his companions passed a quiet night. The next morning, over three hundred members of the Yi tribe busied themselves with final preparations, loading carts with supplies and departing early.

Meanwhile, after a night of searching, the Wu family narrowed their focus to a small area. Their network of informants soon identified suspicious individuals among the guests at the Yunlong Inn—members of the Yi tribe.

As the Yi tribe’s caravan proceeded down the street, they were suddenly blocked by a large contingent of Wu family guards. The vice-chief of the Yi tribe, Yi Zhen, cast a sweeping glance at the guards and demanded in a booming voice, “Who are you people, and why are you blocking the path of the Yi tribe?”

Suddenly, the ranks of guards parted, and a man with a commanding presence strode forward. “I am Wu Shigong, head of the Wu family. I am here to find the one who attacked my son. Hand over the culprit, or face the consequences.”

Were it not for his wariness regarding the Yi tribe’s power, he would have seized them already.

Vice-chief Yi Zhen frowned in confusion. “Why would the assailant be one of my tribesmen? Do not slander us!”

At this moment, Manager Qi, standing beside Wu Shigong, spotted Yi Tian and his companions in the convoy. He whispered a few words to Wu Shigong and pointed them out.

“It was they who attacked my son on Qinggu Street yesterday evening!” Wu Shigong declared, directing all eyes to Yi Tian’s group.

Yi Feng and the others were bewildered and uneasy at the accusation. Yi Tian, though surprised, remained calm.

“Yi Kai, bring them forward and ask them what happened,” Yi Zhen instructed, feeling a headache coming on. If Yi Tian and his friends truly were the culprits, he couldn’t shield them; otherwise, they would become enemies of the Wu family and find themselves in a precarious position in Black Dragon City.

Yi Kai led Yi Tian’s group to the front. Now knowing their names, Yi Zhen asked, “What is the truth here? The Wu family patriarch accuses you of attacking his son. What do you have to say? If you are innocent, I will see that you get justice.”

The straightforward Yi Shan shouted, “That Wu family’s third young master pushed down Xiao Ting yesterday afternoon. Xiao Long tried to defend his sister, then one of their servants tried to hurt Xiao Long, but I stopped him. We didn’t want any more trouble, so we let it go. Who could have guessed they’d turn around and falsely accuse us of this attack? The Wu family is shameless!”

Yi Shan’s voice was so loud that most of the onlookers could hear every word. Those present were all appalled by the Wu scion’s disgraceful behavior.

Vice-chief Yi Zhen’s eyes flashed with anger as he turned to Wu Shigong. “If you raise a hand against the children of my tribe like that, I wouldn’t just give your son a beating—I’d make sure he barely survived it!”

“You—!” Wu Shigong was nearly driven mad by Yi Zhen’s words. How could this man be so protective? Did he not realize how dangerous it was to provoke the Wu family?

Yi Feng, Yi Shan, and the others couldn’t help but laugh at this.

Yi Tian felt deeply grateful for Yi Zhen’s support, knowing that without it, their troubles would have multiplied.

Yi Tian now spoke up: “Chief Yi Zhen, we are not the ones who attacked his son. Most likely, his son’s past misdeeds have caught up with him, and he’s simply blaming us out of convenience.”

“It must be you! How could it be a coincidence that my son was attacked right after a conflict with you? If it wasn’t you, then who?” Wu Shigong pressed aggressively.

Yi Zhen’s anger flared. “Do you have any proof that these men are the culprits?” he demanded.

“Proof?” Wu Shigong was momentarily at a loss. Only now did he realize he had no evidence to incriminate Yi Tian’s group.

But for the Wu family—one of Black Dragon City’s eight great clans—evidence was never a concern. Suspicion alone was reason enough to act.

Yet the current situation was complicated. The alleged assailants were from the Yi tribe, a major power near Black Dragon City. Attempting to seize them by force might not end in success.