The young lady of Shifang City, Fang Geyu, confronts the city elders who disagree with her plan to destroy the mechanical puppets. The elders argue that such a move would leave the city defenseless against external forces and would be a waste of decades of work. Fang Geyu counters that the puppets are becoming too advanced, potentially posing a threat themselves, and reveals that a dangerous poison is spreading among them, a crisis only her grandfather's divine talismans can currently suppress. She then brings forth Elder Di's wife, revealing she is not human but a puppet, and has her killed, showing the elders the true danger.
How could an ordinary human possibly bleed blue fluid?! The assembled crowd gasped in sheer astonishment, cries erupting: "A human-like automaton? Elder Di’s wife is actually a puppet?!" Di Lianggong completely ignored the bewilderment of those around him, his gaze fixed on his wife, a mixture of fury and heartbreak coloring his expression: "Fangru! How could they inflict such cruelty upon my Fangru!" Huo Fangru weakly extended a trembling arm towards Di Lianggong, her eyes filled with sorrow as she softly whispered: "Husband..." Di Lianggong could no longer contain himself; the veins on his temples throbbed intensely, his body shaking with uncontrollable rage. He let out a furious roar, his eyes turning blood-red as immense spiritual power erupted from his body. In a mere instant, an intense, orange-red light coalesced between his palms, swiftly taking the form of a longsword; fueled by his wrath, his movement technique was unleashed in its entirety. His speed was so great that only a fleeting afterimage remained, and even the surrounding elders were too slow to react as he charged towards the grand hall. The tip of his sword aimed directly at the center of Fang Geyu’s forehead. Fang Geyu stood unmoving, sword in hand, calmly lifting her deep, dark eyes, her pupils as unfathomable as an ancient, untouched well. It was as if she were an embodiment of another inaccessible, abyssal night. She offered no defensive posture, no hint of resistance, doing nothing at all, yet under that inhuman gaze. Di Lianggong’s heart lurched, as if suddenly plunged into icy depths. The sword he had thrust with lethal intent abruptly stopped, failing to even graze Fang Geyu’s skin. "Elder Di! How dare you! Are you attempting treason?!" The remaining six elders within the hall became visibly agitated, realizing that if Fang Geyu were to perish by Elder Di’s hand today. Not only would City Lord Fang You never forgive them, but her powerful Golden Immortal grandfather would undoubtedly hold them accountable as well! Di Lianggong, who had been blinded by his rage, now that he had calmed, suddenly recognized the sheer recklessness of his actions. Yet, his wife was under Fang Geyu’s absolute control, and the secret of her being a mechanical puppet had been brutally exposed, a direct violation of Shifang City’s most sacred taboo. If he were to back down now, while his esteemed elder status might offer him some protection, Huo Fangru would undoubtedly face severe consequences. It would be better to commit to this path fully! He would strike down Fang Geyu, fight his way out of Shifang City, no matter where the winds of fate might carry him. He was resolute in his determination to protect his wife, vowing never to falter again! Di Lianggong’s expression turned utterly ruthless, a sharp glint of murderous intent flashing in his eyes, as he slashed his longsword horizontally towards Fang Geyu’s delicate neck. "Foolish," Fang Geyu lowered her eyes, uttering the single word softly. As her voice faded, a formidable golden spirit arrow, approximately two meters in length, suddenly launched from her rear right side. The arrow, imbued with potent spiritual power, collided with the tip of Di Lianggong’s sword, cleaving through it as if it were mere paper. The momentum of the golden spirit arrow remained undiminished, easily breaching Di Lianggong’s defenses and piercing directly through his chest. Seemingly overcome by an overpowering force, Di Lianggong was violently flung backward, impaled forcefully by the golden arrow against a pillar of the hall. The end of the golden arrow rapidly unfurled into sharp, thorny tendrils, constricting his limbs and body like unyielding chains. A guttural scream of agony escaped Di Lianggong’s lips; he was clearly in immense pain, lacking the strength to even struggle, his forehead slick with cold sweat. He weakly lifted his gaze. Only to behold a tall figure emerging unhurriedly from the right rear of the grand hall. The man bore a face etched with numerous crisscrossing scars, yet this did nothing to diminish his imposing and heroic aura. The crowd gathered below the hall slowly knelt, uttering in unison with profound reverence: "Greetings, Steward Official." Shifang City boasted seven elders, each with seven deans serving under them, representing the true nobility and wielding immense power within the city. However, all their combined authority paled in comparison to the man now standing before them. He was the Steward of Shifang City, a position whose power surpassed even that of the Fang Family’s two young masters and one young lady. This was Steward Fang Chi, the sworn brother of the City Lord, a dual cultivation prodigy of unparalleled renown. Even Fang Geyu’s notoriously arrogant Golden Immortal grandfather had offered him rare words of praise and recognition on multiple occasions. Had it not been for the marriage pact between Shifang City and Lord Xue being established with the eldest brother of the Fang Family, the current leader of Shifang City might well have been someone other than Fang You. The moment the man entered the hall, all vestiges of aggression evaporated, and a profound, tacit silence descended. Di Lianggong spat out a mouthful of clotted blood from his chest, the spiritual sword he had been wielding now unable to sustain itself and dissipating into shimmering motes of light. Perhaps realizing that Fang Chi’s arrival had irrevocably sealed both his and Huo Fangru’s fate, Di Lianggong let out a hollow, self-mocking laugh.
It appears Steward Official truly cherishes Miss Fang Three. It was eighteen years ago that the City Lord commanded you, Steward Official, to safeguard the southwestern seas and repel any incursions from the sea demon clan into our Shifang domain.
Your mandate is a weighty one; without an explicit summons from the City Lord, you are forbidden from returning to Shifang City without authorization.
The City Lord has been in secluded cultivation for three years. Should the Steward Official be unable to present a summons at this moment, you will be required to present yourself at the Confession Platform for three hundred lashes of punishment.
Upon hearing these words, the countenances of the other elders present in the hall shifted with a subtle, knowing ambiguity.
Persistent rumors had circulated throughout Shifang City for quite some time, hinting that the Steward Official harbored a greater affection for Miss Fang Three than he did for the City Lord himself.
He had consistently displayed indifference towards the two young masters, and the fraternal bond between them had never appeared particularly strong.
Consequently, over the years, many individuals had privately speculated on the true paternity of Miss Fang Three.
Fang Chi, however, remained unfazed. With a placid expression, he calmly declared, "What hardship is it for me to endure three hundred punishment lashes? The true predicament, however, lies in how Elder Di's wife will be dealt with, does she not?"
