Chapter 410: A Disgraceful Display
The Third-in-Command sat by the window of a small building overlooking the city gate, watching as waves of people arrived early in the morning from Luo City, eager to witness the opening matches of Feng City’s martial arts tournament. A sneer of disdain curled at the corner of his lips.
“Heh, just one Luo City, and they think they can overshadow our Feng City’s standing in the martial world? Second Brother is truly brilliant—now that this rule is in place, anyone who wants to watch our tournament will have no choice but to stay put in Feng City.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a subordinate beside him fawningly handed him a cup of hot tea and chimed in with a sycophantic smile.
“Exactly, exactly! Second-in-Command and Third-in-Command are truly formidable! Luo City is nothing! How dare they dream of competing with our Feng City? That’s pure delusion. With today’s rule, no one will return to Luo City, and their so-called food festival will be left cold and deserted, becoming a laughingstock in the martial world. In fact, I think we should spread the word and make sure everyone in the wastelands knows about their miserable failure. That way, if they ever try to hold another event, everyone will know it’s destined to be a joke!”
“Hahaha! Now that’s an idea! Alright, I’ll leave that task to you—spread the message far and wide!”
The Third-in-Command laughed heartily, clearly enjoying the idea.
“But honestly, they brought this upon themselves. Second Brother gave them a chance, and they refused to take it. Did they seriously think that just because they managed to hold one measly martial arts tournament, they could cement themselves in the martial world?
“Heh, did they even look at the caliber of people who participated in their tournament? A bunch of nobodies! Just some third-rate thugs fighting to the death over a mere ten thousand taels of silver. How pathetic.”
Listening to the conversation, the subordinates around them continued to heap ridicule on Luo City.
In their eyes, Luo City was nothing more than an upstart city with no real influence, and even Yu Luo’s family had no illusions about their current status.
However—
“What is this nonsense?! You’re saying we have to stay in Feng City if we want to watch the tournament? This competition isn’t a one-day event—it lasts at least five to six days! Are you joking? The cost of living in Feng City is far higher than outside. Who can afford to stay here for that long? Feng City is making things impossible! If we had known about this rule, we wouldn’t have come in the first place!”
Just as the Third-in-Command and his men were reveling in their mockery of Luo City, a loud complaint erupted from the crowd gathered at the city gate. Those who had queued up early to watch the tournament were now fuming after reading the announcement posted on the city wall.
Although Feng City’s reputation carried weight, there were always a few straightforward individuals in the martial world who weren’t afraid to speak their minds.
Seeing someone voice their frustration, others who had been silently stewing in anger finally found the courage to voice their own complaints.
The entrance queue dissolved into chaos as people abandoned their spots, forming an agitated crowd that completely blocked the city gate. The Feng City guards, tasked with managing the entrance, found themselves in a heated argument with the disgruntled martial artists.
“What’s the meaning of this? Since when has Feng City become so domineering? Are you actually restricting our freedom of movement now?”
“This is Feng City’s rule. If you want to leave and re-enter, you’ll have to buy a new entry pass every day. If you don’t like it, don’t come.”
The lead guard was unimpressed by the complaints. He gestured, and dozens of armed Feng City enforcers stepped forward, forming a blockade in front of the gate. It was clear that they had no intention of yielding.
Upon hearing this, many of the martial artists hesitated. Then, after a brief moment of contemplation, some turned on their heels and left.
“This is ridiculous! Feng City’s greed is disgraceful. Fine, we’ll just come back for the finals. The entry fee we paid yesterday? Whatever, it’s a loss. Staying in Luo City is cheaper anyway. Plus, they’re holding a food festival. Might as well go there, feast, and enjoy ourselves until the finals!”
“That’s right! Now that I think about it, this actually works in our favor. The food in Feng City is overpriced and awful, but the delicacies in Luo City? I’ve traveled through multiple kingdoms, and I’ve never tasted anything better! This is the perfect excuse to go back and indulge.”
As soon as the first few people left, others quickly followed.
Some even made sarcastic comments loud enough for the Feng City guards to hear, clearly intending to provoke them.
Although these were just ordinary martial artists with no grand titles, they had strength in numbers and weren’t afraid of offending Feng City.
Moreover, no matter how powerful Feng City was, they couldn’t outright silence members of the martial world.
And martial artists—living life by the sword—were not known for their patience.
As soon as one person pointed out the financial benefits of staying in Luo City, others did the math in their heads and realized it made perfect sense. Not only was Luo City more affordable, but it also had better food.
One after another, people began to abandon the idea of staying in Feng City. They activated their lightness skills and swiftly headed toward Luo City.
In mere moments, the once-crowded city gate, packed with martial artists, emptied. Only a few stragglers remained, looking at each other in hesitation.
Even among those who could afford to stay, the temptation of Luo City’s cuisine was hard to resist.
After weighing their options for a moment, even they turned and left.
The Feng City guards stood dumbfounded, watching as a massive crowd disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Meanwhile, back at the observation post, the Third-in-Command—who had been laughing smugly just moments ago—saw the scene unfold and froze. The smug grin on his face vanished instantly.
With a flash of movement, he leaped down from the window, landing at the city gate with an urgency that made his subordinates flinch.
“What the hell is going on?! Where are they all going?!”
Realizing that the tournament’s opening match was less than two hours away and that a huge portion of their audience had just left, the Third-in-Command was beside himself with panic.
Seeing him arrive, the still-stunned guards quickly straightened up and saluted.
“Reporting to Third-in-Command! These people are unhappy with the new restrictions, so they’re all heading to Luo City instead! They… they said they’d rather enjoy themselves in Luo City until the finals. That way, they’ll save money and get to feast on delicious food.”
As the lead guard delivered his report, he could already see the flames of rage igniting in the Third-in-Command’s eyes.
The Third-in-Command’s face darkened like a stormy sky.
“WHAT?! Those damn beggars!”
“Reporting, Third-in-Command! They also said… they also said that Feng City’s greed is disgraceful!”
The Third-in-Command was already fuming, but upon hearing this final insult, his rage exploded into an uncontrollable fury.
