Chapter 20: An Audience with the City Lord

“Excuse me, could someone inside please step out and submit to an inspection?” The guard’s stern voice stopped the carriage in its tracks.

Inside, Nangong Lin heard how dutiful the guard sounded and felt a surge of satisfaction at his conscientiousness.

“Go ahead, inspect,” she said, rising gracefully. She pulled back the curtain with composed ease and stepped outside, looking at the guard with quiet confidence.

“Miss, how could I dare inspect you?” The moment he recognized her, the guard’s face went pale with shock. “But Miss, why hasn’t there been any notification from above that you’ve returned so suddenly?”

Nangong Lin looked at the flustered guard and replied gently, “Stand up now. I came back in secret to surprise my father. What’s your name?”

The guard hurried to his feet. “Thank you, Miss. My name is Li Si.”

“Miss, this young man is…?” Li Si glanced at Gu Qingyi, still looking bewildered.

Nangong Lin shot Gu Qingyi a sly smile and whispered, “Him? He’s my savior! Anyway, nothing for you to worry about here—carry on!”

Li Si’s eyes widened as understanding dawned. “Yes, Miss!” With that, he returned to his patrol.

……

Nangong Lin turned to Gu Qingyi, her voice calm. “Brother Gu, let’s go,” she said, taking his hand and heading for the City Lord’s Mansion.

Before long, the grandest building in the Inner City came into view, standing right at the heart of Xuanwu City. Its sheer scale and placement left no doubt about the power and status it represented.

Hand in hand, Nangong Lin and Gu Qingyi tiptoed their way inside. Along the way, the city guards looked as if they wanted to greet them.

But Nangong Lin quickly pressed a finger to her lips to hush them.

Watching this, Gu Qingyi couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t we going home? Why are we sneaking around like thieves?”

Hearing the word ‘home,’ Nangong Lin’s mind drifted for a moment before she snapped back and offered an explanation. “I want to surprise my father. Let’s go upstairs.”

……

Upstairs, Nangong Wentian sat at his desk, brooding. Even though he already knew the two had arrived, he was debating whether to play along. He decided to pretend he was unaware.

Nangong Lin and Gu Qingyi crept upstairs on tiptoe.

They reached a door, and Nangong Lin carefully pushed it open without making a sound.

Looking inside, they saw Nangong Wentian sitting at the main desk, eyes closed in what seemed like restful meditation.

Nangong Lin quietly crept closer. When she was nearly within arm’s reach, she suddenly pounced, covering Nangong Wentian’s eyes with both hands.

She cleared her throat and teased, “Guess who I am! If you get it right, there’s no prize!”

Nangong Wentian had known all along, reminding himself, Be patient, she’s your own daughter. Still, he put on a convincing act.

“Who are you? Why are you here all of a sudden?” His voice slowed, as if a master thespian had taken over.

“Really? You don’t recognize your own daughter? And here I was, bringing you a gift,” Nangong Lin huffed, removing her hands and crossing her arms in mock annoyance.

Nangong Wentian pulled Nangong Lin into his arms, doting as ever. “Heaven and earth can bear witness—you’re my flesh and blood. How could I not know my own daughter?”

“Didn’t you say you’d be back in a few days? What took you so long?” He stretched out a hand expectantly. Clearly, he wanted that ‘gift.’ Then he feigned a gruff look.

Nangong Lin glanced up at him, guilt flickering across her face. “Just teasing you, Father! Honestly, I didn’t bring a gift this time. But I did bring someone back.” With that, she stuck out her tongue mischievously.

Gift, my foot, Nangong Wentian thought to himself.

Looking at his clever, capricious daughter, Nangong Wentian could only sigh inside, Just put up with it—she’s your daughter. He pressed on, “Let’s set your sneaky adventure aside for now. This person you brought back—where is he?”

“He’s still outside. I’ll call him in.” She pointed at the door.

“Brother Gu, come in! My father wants to meet you!” Nangong Lin dashed out, calling him over.

Gu Qingyi had been admiring the scenery until he heard her call. He straightened his clothes and stepped inside.

As soon as Gu Qingyi walked in, he felt an intense gaze from atop the tall desk—a piercing look, as if he were prey under the hunter’s eye. The pressure was suffocating.

“Gu Qingyi, at your service, City Lord Nangong,” he said, biting back his nerves. He gave a full, respectful bow.

Nangong Wentian’s face darkened, his stare icy. “Who are you? And why did you come back with my daughter?”

Nangong Lin sensed the atmosphere turning sour and quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

She took a gentle breath and spoke softly, “Father, Brother Gu has saved my life twice. If not for him, you might never have seen me again. I won’t let you speak harshly to him!” She hesitated, then went on. “You always taught me to be grateful and never repay kindness with enmity, right?”

“Or else, what would make us any better than beasts?” Tears filled Nangong Lin’s eyes as she wiped them away.

Nangong Wentian was startled by her tears, his worry plain. “What? You snuck out and ran into danger? Tell me everything—what happened?”

“It was two months ago, remember? I slipped off and went to a place…” Nangong Lin saw how urgent he looked, then paused to collect her thoughts. “There was a disciple from some sect—called Heavenfire Gate, I think—who saw me alone. They coveted my looks and tried to approach me. I refused and turned to leave, but they secretly followed me.”

“They wouldn’t give up, chasing me the whole time. I’m just at the eighth level of Sword Qi Realm—there was no way I could take on those Sword Sea Realm disciples.”

“They chased me relentlessly, more like a cat playing with a mouse than hunting. At first, they didn’t get violent, just kept tailing me. Suddenly, out of nowhere, they decided to go for the kill.”

“I don’t even remember how long I ran. When I finally reached the forest’s edge, I was completely spent and ready to give up.”

“That’s when Brother Gu dropped from the sky, as if he bore a grudge against them. In a flash, he wiped them out.”

“It was only after I begged him that Brother Gu agreed to escort me back.” She looked at Gu Qingyi with deep gratitude.

“If not, you might be facing my corpse instead of your living daughter.” Carefully, she reached out and touched Nangong Wentian’s face.

Veins bulged on Nangong Wentian’s forehead. With a sudden bang, he slammed his palm onto the desk, pulverizing it in an instant.

Nangong Lin, nestled in his arms, jumped like a startled rabbit.

“After Brother Gu escorted me back to Xuanwu City, I still didn’t go straight home. I stayed in the city for a few days and found a place called White Deer Town in the Outer City.”

“There’s a family named Wang—the Wang family. They rely on their martial strength to bully the weak, turning lives upside down without a shred of conscience.”

“They run White Deer Town like their own kingdom.” Nangong Lin clenched her fist.

“One day Brother Gu and I passed through town, right by the Liu family’s gate.”

“It happened to be the moment when Wang Qiang, the Wang family’s young master, was trying to force himself on Sister Liu Ruyan.”

“When gentle words didn’t work, Wang Qiang tried to use force instead.”

“He barged into the Liu household, trying to make Sister Ruyan submit by force. How could I stand by and watch?!” She locked eyes with Nangong Wentian. “I drew my sword and charged right in.”

“I kicked the door down and saw that scumbag already trying to strip Sister Ruyan.”

“When Wang Qiang noticed me, his lust only grew—he tried to pounce on me too.”

“Brother Gu grabbed him by the neck without mercy and snapped it, ignoring even his pleas for his life.”

“Later, I became sworn sisters with Ruyan. We even helped Granny Wang on her cultivation journey—and became good friends along the way.”

“After Wang Qiang didn’t return, the Wang family discovered his body. They hired assassins to hunt us down and planned some ghost marriage for their dead son.”

“While we were out shopping, these assassins released knockout powder and tried to abduct us.”

“Thankfully, Brother Gu stepped in again. He saved all three of us and brought us back to the Liu family.”

“After that I wrote you a letter, Father, and had Brother Yan go deal with the Wang family. And now, that brings me all the way back home.”

……

Hearing his daughter’s account, Nangong Wentian slammed his hand down where the desk had once been—though the ruins practically shuddered at the abuse.

Filled with rage, he roared, “No, it’s not enough! I ought to go out and slaughter them all myself!”

“Father, calm down! They’re already dead. And look—I’m standing here right in front of you, safe and sound.” Nangong Lin hugged him tight, doing her best to soothe him. “Oh, and Brother Yan is still with Sister Ruyan at the Liu family’s place. He’ll be back later.”

Eyes cold, Nangong Wentian let out a chilling laugh. “You think dying lets the Wang family escape their fate? Guards!”

The air trembled.

In the blink of an eye, black-robed men appeared, kneeling in neat rows.

Nangong Wentian fixed them with a hard stare. “Go to White Deer Town. Eradicate the entire ancestral graves of the Wang family!”

“At your command, City Lord!” the black-robed men replied in unison. In the next instant, they vanished without a trace.