Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

Upon hearing this, General Hu's expression changed slightly. He looked around with his sword drawn, but seeing nothing unusual, he sneered, "Zhou Silang, you're about to die, yet you still dare to try and trick me. Is it fun to be so stubborn? Do you think I'm easily frightened?"

Zhou Qingfeng stood up, casually straightened his sleeves, and said calmly with his hands behind his back, "You can think I'm just trying to scare you, but do you dare to gamble your life with me? Come on, draw your knife and let's see who dies, you or me."

General Hu's expression changed repeatedly. He gripped the hilt of his sword, tightening and loosening his grip several times, but he still didn't dare to draw his sword. He simply couldn't figure out Zhou Qingfeng's strength or weakness. Testing a sword also required courage, and drawing it might result in being instantly killed.

Seeing Zhou Qingfeng's calm and confident demeanor, anyone would have to think twice. If General Hu were a pure brute, he would definitely have drawn his sword and started slashing, regardless of the consequences. If someone was right in front of him, he would have just cut them down first.

But General Hu is a clever man; though he may not have great wisdom, he certainly has some shrewdness.

This made him dare not cross the line for the time being.

He had to wonder where Zhou Qingfeng's fearless confidence came from.

A protector? Possibly. As the First Lady's most beloved son, Zhou Silang's journey was fraught with danger, so it's normal for him to have a protector secretly protecting him. Is that why the other party was so emboldened?

Or perhaps the other party anticipated that he would be intercepted and killed when he returned to the city, and having anticipated this, he secretly contacted the Sword Tower and arranged for experts to come and meet him. They are already deployed around him, and as soon as he draws his sword, he will be killed by the experts.

The more I think about it, the scarier it gets; the more I think about it, the more suspicious it seems.

General Hu was filled with dread as he pondered the situation, cold sweat beading on his back. His only remaining right eye scanned his surroundings frantically, sensing an ambush on all sides and his life hanging by a thread. However, he maintained a calm facade and coldly snorted, "Don't try to scare me. Are you trying to frighten a three-year-old?"

"Never mind, you're right. My feud with your master doesn't need to involve a junior like you."

“Bullying the weak is indeed against the rules.”

"Let's call it quits for today. I'll spare your life and we'll leave." General Hu walked out of the teahouse with his sword, eager to leave. He wanted to take revenge, but he wasn't blinded by hatred. He could find another opportunity to retaliate for the eye gouging and hand-severing.

With his hands behind his back, Zhou Qingfeng watched as General Hu attempted to leave with his men and said indifferently, "Qiu Chenghu, you come and go as you please, you kill me whenever you want, and you spare me whenever you want. What do you take me for, some nobody?"

General Hu stopped in his tracks, turned around and said coldly, "Zhou Silang, what do you want?"

Zhou Qingfeng's expression was indifferent, his dark eyes calm and still as a cold pool, his tone devoid of any emotion: "Want to leave? You can, but you have to give me a satisfactory explanation, otherwise you and your subordinates won't be able to leave, I'm telling you."

Zhou Qingfeng was merely a third-realm cultivator, not even reaching the threshold of advancement. He was a whole realm below Qiu Chenghu. In terms of individual combat strength, Qiu Chenghu could crush Zhou Qingfeng as easily as crushing an ant.

However, in this turbid and evil world, it's not about who can fight better, but about who has a stronger background, who has a more powerful backer, and who has more influence.

So what if they are cultivators of the fourth realm? So what if they are great cultivators of the fifth realm? Today they dare to bully the weak and disregard the rules.

In the blink of an eye, a group of fifth-realm or even sixth-realm cultivators could arrive, and with a wave of their hand, they could suppress the enemy into ashes.

Calling for reinforcements is something anyone can do; it just comes down to who has more high-level players. Anyway, Zhou Qingfeng isn't afraid of anyone.

This move also provides an opportunity to probe Qiu Chenghu's background, to see if he has any powerful backers, connections, or affiliated forces.

General Hu turned to face Zhou Qingfeng, a few steps away. He raised his hand and pointed, sneering, "Zhou Silang, don't push your luck. Do you really think you can act recklessly just because you have the Sword Tower behind you? Back when I was in the Sword Tower, you weren't even born yet. Everyone you rely on knows me, Qiu Chenghu. Who would dare to disrespect me? You think you're worthy to talk to me about something as lowly as a junior?! Let Qiu Chengde come!"

Zhou Qingfeng frowned slightly and said coldly, "Who exactly are you, daring to address my master by his name?"

General Hu stared coldly at Zhou Qingfeng, remaining silent and unwilling to mention his origins.

At this moment, a beautiful erhu melody suddenly appeared, coming from afar, and everyone present looked towards the sound.

Amidst the fluttering bamboo leaves, a middle-aged man dressed in blue seemed to walk on air. He held an erhu and played it slowly. His movements appeared slow, but in reality, they were very fast. His figure appeared and disappeared, and in the blink of an eye, he landed nearby.

As he arrived, everyone finally saw his true face, and they all gasped in shock, retreating in fear.

"Qiu Chengde, the number one lackey of the Sword Tower City Lord!?"

"It's him, it's actually him."

"Damn it, how could this person have left the city?"

"It's over." Everyone's faces turned pale, their legs trembled uncontrollably, and they couldn't muster even the slightest thought of resistance, because Qiu Chengde's mere presence represented majesty, invincibility, and unbeatability.

Qiu Chengde slowly played the erhu, walking forward at a leisurely pace. After finishing the piece, he sighed, "A song that breaks my heart, where in the world can I find a kindred spirit?"

Upon seeing this, Zhou Qingfeng quickly stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and said, "Disciple Zhou Qingfeng greets Master."

Qiu Chengde smiled slightly and gently patted Zhou Qingfeng's hand: "My good disciple, you stand aside and leave the rest to your master."

"Yes, Master." Zhou Qingfeng bowed respectfully and stood aside. He made no attempt to conceal his return route, anticipating that Qiu Chenghu would ambush him on the inevitable path, so how could he not be fully prepared?

This preparation was like a six-story building, Qiu Chengde. Anyway, since he was already at his doorstep, it wouldn't be too much trouble to ask his master to come out and meet him.

Qiu Chengde shifted his gaze, looked indifferently at Qiu Chenghu, and slowly stepped forward: "Have you made enough of a scene, Chenghu?"

Qiu Chenghu said coldly, "I haven't made enough trouble yet. You still owe me money."

Qiu Chengde frowned slightly and slapped Qiu Chenghu across the face: "How dare you! You don't even call me 'Big Brother'! You have no manners!"

Qiu Chenghu staggered from the blow, his neck stiff as he said, "My name is Qiu Chenghu, not Qiu Chenghu. I don't have a brother like you. You were the one who drove me out of my home and stripped me of my surname. Why should I call you brother?"

Upon hearing this, Qiu Chengde frowned even more deeply: "Chenghu, you broke the rules back then. If I hadn't done this, you would have lost your life. Do you understand?"

Qiu Chenghu removed his blindfold, raised his right hand (which was fitted with a magical artifact prosthetic leg), and placed it in front of Qiu Chengde's eyes, roaring angrily: "What do I know? What do you expect me to know? I didn't break any rules, it was all a misunderstanding, but you wouldn't listen to my explanation, you wouldn't speak up for me. The First City Lord ordered you to punish me, but you killed your own brother. For your wealth and a bright future, you gouged out my eyes and cut off my hand, leaving me permanently crippled!"

Qiu Chengde looked helpless: "Rules are rules, and it doesn't matter who breaks them."

Qiu Chenghu roared angrily, spitting as he spoke: "Bullshit! You betrayed me! If you had spoken up for me back then, if you had stood by my side, if you had even helped me get a chance to find out the truth, I wouldn't have lost everything."