Death… and me

The hawk-nosed law-enforcement officer raised a black token which contained a blood-red 'Law' word in its middle. He said aloud, "I've come under the command of the Law Enforcement Hall to arrest Xiao Yulong, the wicked criminal! If anyone dares to obstruct our work, we'll kill him under the charge of obstructing law-enforcement processes!"

The few law-enforcement officers fished out their daggers and swords, and looked at the hundreds of experts from the Xiao clan murderously. The law-enforcement officers had cold smiles hanging on their faces and didn't appear to be fearful at all.

Obviously, they had portrayed themselves to be daring to kill whoever people from the Xiao clan dared to turn against them!

And, there's nothing wrong for law-enforcement officers to kill people! If the Xiao clan resisted them, it would be resisting against work processes of the law-enforcement officers, and they would carry one more major charge! Even the entire Xiao clan would be responsible should such acts occur.

Xiao Yulong did not dare to carry such a heavy charge on himself, so he immediately shouted, "Everyone, don't move! I'll just go with these few officers. This matter is a misunderstanding. It'll be alright after I clarify with them."

Regardless of how bold Xiao Yulong was, he would never dare to go against law-enforcement officers. This would stir up inestimable troubles to the Xiao clan! If the clan knew about it, the elders would definitely tear Xiao Yulong's skin apart instantly, no matter whether he was right or wrong!

The Xiao clan members slowly retreated.

Xiao Yulong walked up to the law-enforcement officers calmly and placed his hands behind his back, as he said with a smile, "Sirs, please carry on."

Two law-enforcement officers smiled, and suddenly, they stepped up at the same time and kicked violently on Xiao Yulong's knees. With a 'flop', Xiao Yulong was kicked 10 feet away, and he knelt onto the ground. He was in pain that his entire head sweated profusely.

A law-enforcement officer strode towards Xiao Yulong and pulled his hair with one hand while slapped on his face repetitively with the other. The officer scolded and slapped at the same time, "F**k off your grandmother! We're all here, and yet you're still making poises! You're really a reckless bastard! You're a fool and you should be beaten to death!"

Then, with frustration written all over his face, he began to kick Xiao Yulong violently.

Following which, he took out a rope that's especially used to tie spirit beasts and used it to bundle Xiao Yulong up like a pig. Xiao Yulong just recovered from his stupor from the great shock and immense pain. When he was just about to open his mouth, a ball of smelly cloth was stuffed into his mouth, followed by a hard hit on the back of his head. He fell down flat on his face. Then he was dragged out. Now, there was a segment of rope left that was twenty feet long, and it was tied onto the horsetail.

The hawk-nosed law-enforcement officer glanced at everyone in the Xiao clan, and said authoritatively, "Other than Xiao Yulong, there're a few accomplices. Stand out when your names are called. If anyone of them doesn't stand out, everyone here will be implicated!"

Then he shouted aloud, "Xiao Changyu! Li Zhuifeng! Liu Meng!…"

Then another three people's names were called.

The three people stood out from the mass, looking very depressed. The law-enforcement officers hurled forward to them ferociously and treated them the same way they had treated Xiao Yulong. In a moment's time, these people were captured. They were the ones who had long assumed great airs over the Flat Mountain Ridge. All of them were tied onto the horses' asses, ready to set out.

The hawk-nosed law-enforcement officer whistled and shouted, "Let's go! Set out!" A whip lashed on the horse's back, while the other whip landed on Xiao Yulong's back!

The horses galloped off speedily.

The other three law-enforcement officers each had two whips with them, and they followed the manners of their leader. While the horses neighed and galloped off as they were lashed, the 'criminals' also had their flesh torn apart, leading them to let out shrill cries.

Xiao Yulong and three others were dragged along behind the horses' asses. As their cultivations were locked, they touched the ground and were dragged on it from time to time. As such, shrill cries were heard from them along the way.

A clear trace of blood was seen when the horses only galloped for less than 40 feet.

The galloping sounds of horses vanished in no time.

Everyone left within the Xiao clan gazed at one another shockingly: What crime has Xiao Yulong committed that deserve him to have such treatment! The series of actions by the law-enforcement officers just now were following the exact treatments they would have on criminals facing the death penalty! Or they were even harsher than that!

What terrible thing has Xiao Yulong done that leads the law-enforcement officers to be so angry about it!?

Everyone knew that this was an extremely serious matter. Or else, the law-enforcement officers wouldn't be so violent! After all, this was the Xiao clan's territory, and they still had some authority.

If not for the kind of really intolerable crime, how could the law-enforcement officers act in such a reckless manner?

Everyone had a bad feeling: Perhaps for the crime that Xiao Yulong had committed this time… even the clan couldn't keep his life…

"Inform the elders quickly!" one of them yelled hurriedly. Everyone seemed to have woken up from a dream and run into the house one after another. Everyone was really terrified and sweat crept up to all their faces.

Xiao Yulong, no matter what crime you have committed, please don't burden us…

…

Xiao Yulong was caught by the law-enforcement officers.

This message spread like wildfire across the Flat Mountain Ridge.

It was morning when Xiao Yulong was caught. At this time, there were the most people on the street. The law-enforcement officers even made a detour to ride past a road that was the most crowded, and dragged Xiao Yulong behind them flagrantly as though they were dragging a dead dog!

How could the people contain their surprise?

Instantly, the three great clans received the news. Every clan cautiously sent out people to inquire why this had happened. What crime did Xiao Yulong commit that's so serious and deserve the law-enforcement officers to not save the Xiao clan any face?…

On the street, people started to gossip. Some people said that Xiao Yulong raped the daughter of a law-enforcement officer, while others said that Xiao Yulong sexually assaulted the wife of a law-enforcement officer… There were also people who said…

In short, everyone was excited.

Humans were all like this. Seeing that a big figure whom they had revered being punished as such, no matter whether they had hatred towards him or not, they would gloat over him. Besides, Xiao Yulong had long engaged himself in great briberies, and he was really not popular among the masses… At this moment, people who were previously insulted by him welled into the street to see the crowd…

And several people who were bullied by Xiao Yulong even went straight to the Law Enforcement Hall to complain about him…

Who wouldn't want to beat a drowned dog, especially one that everyone wrathed?

The victim, Big Boss Chu from the Purple Crystals Huichun Hall, received a completely different treatment from Xiao Yulong. He was cordially invited by the law-enforcement officers into the Law Enforcement Hall, and now, he was crossing his legs and drinking tea in a leisurely manner in the lobby of the hall.

The special detour that the law-enforcement officers took as they detained Xiao Yulong back was naturally Boss Chu's idea. He had said, "Brother Sha, the best way to blow up a person was to allow him to lose his face. After he had his pride and arrogance peeled off, he would then be easy to be dealt with…"

Sha Xinliang firmly agreed with Chu Yang. As such, with just this one sentence, Xiao Yulong was in for it…

Sha Xinliang's face instantly turned stone as he heard the galloping sounds coming from afar. Together with Chu Yang, he made his way directly to the interrogation room. Chu Yang warned Sha Xinliang in a low voice, "Xiao Yulong was now kept in the dark. We should tell him the two crimes that he had committed separately… This way… Hahaha…"

Sha Xinliang understood Chu Yang immediately. His face beamed and nodded heavily.

Chu Yang naturally knew how to behave next. He turned into the interrogation room and stood courteously in a corner, putting on a fearful, yet indignant expression.

The galloping sounds stopped. Several moaning sounds coming from individuals who had their mouths plugged up were heard.

Then, it seemed that one of the 'criminals' had taken out the ball of cloth from his mouth and he began to cry out loud, "I'm wronged! I'm not guilty! You're trampling upon us! I want to report to my clan… I want…"

With a 'flop', it seemed that his mouth had suffered a punch or a kick, and he dared not to make a sound any further…

Then, Xiao Yulong and four others were dragged in by a few law-enforcement officers like dead dogs, and subsequently slammed heavily on the ground. At once, blood splashed out.

Chu Yang stayed impassive and glanced sideways.

The present Xiao Yulong wasn't the same Xiao Yulong who had appeared that night. How arrogant, well-dressed and handsome he looked then!

But now, his clothes and hair were all ragged, his two eyes were swollen while his face had bruises all over. There were also some regions on his face that were bleeding — his nostrils were like two blood holes, while blood also dripped down from his mouth. His body was even more… revolting. His back and chest were so worn off that even his bones were exposed.

This was more than tragic!

The other three people looked terrible in similar fashions.

"Xiao Yulong, do you admit your sin!?" Sha Xinliang crossed his arms and asked impassively.

"Commander Sha, what crime… did I commit?" Xiao Yulong stuttered, but he was finally able to speak understandably.

"You don't know your sin?" Sha Xinliang's eyes looked cold.

"Please point out, Commander Sha!" Xiao Yulong said as he raised his head stubbornly.

"Hahaha… You sent people to pretend to be robbers to rob the Chu clan's medical center. Do you admit it?" Sha Xinliang asked unhurriedly.

"This…" Xiao Yulong never expected himself to be caught for such a trivial matter!

He almost wanted to vomit blood: How many times did we do such things in the past already? Every time, about 20 to 30 purple crystals are sufficient to settle them. Why are you treating this as a large case this time round?

Knowing that he could not deny this, Xiao Yulong directly admitted, "There's indeed such a thing!"

Sha Xinliang asked, "I heard that you'd said earlier, 'Simply injure Chu Feiyan, and if he still doesn't know his place, he could be beaten more severely till he becomes disabled, but just leave him a life. But it's okay to kill the eldest young master of the Chu clan.' Did you say this?"

Xiao Yulong knew that the six people had already confessed, and simply nodded, answering, "I indeed said this before!" And he thought: This isn't a big deal…

When he finished his words, he felt the atmosphere in the room had changed. It had now grown chilly. He was startled for a moment and looked up to only see Sha Xinliang. His face was as black as the bottom of a pot, his chest was beating wildly, and his pair of eyes were gleaming murderously.

Instantly, his heart jerked: Could it be that Sha Xinliang and that bitch has some relationship?

Sha Xinliang said with a stone face, "That means you've admitted?"

"Yes!" Xiao Yulong said, "Since it's Commander Sha, I'm willing to compensate."

Sha Xinliang said coldly, "Now, I'll announce the verdict: The Purple Crystals Huichun Hall first treated the injuries of people from the Xiao clan. Xiao Yulong was not only ungrateful but also looted the medical center, requiting the Chu clan's kindness with enmity. Such actions are cruel and even lesser than that of brutes! They had already violated the laws of the Nine Heavens and gone against the ethics of the Nine Heavens. Minor punishments would embolden people to take such actions again!"

He gasped a breath and said, "Xiao Yulong and his accomplices will have to claim a punishment of 40 strikes, compensate all the losses of the Purple Crystals Huichun Hall. These include its loss of reputation, the physical injuries of Chu Feiyan, who is a worker of the medical center, as well as the spiritual damage inflicted on Chu Le'er, another worker… Xiao Yulong, are you convinced by this verdict?"

Xiao Yulong heaved a sigh and said, "I'll compensate all of these."

…