"You suspect it's people from the Red Clan who took Zhou A Si," Qing Ti asked in surprise, wondering if this young man had evidence.
"I am certain it was people from the Red Clan who took A Si," Xiao Man stated with conviction.
"Do you have proof?"
"I do," Xiao Man replied unhurriedly. "Therefore, I need the City Lord to accompany me to the Red Clan to prevent any conflict."
Qing Ti really did not want to get involved, but he had no choice. If Xiao Man's cultivation was lower, he could have suppressed her by force. However, this person's cultivation had already reached Great Perfection. A full-power battle would result in mutual destruction.
"What if the person isn't found at the Red Clan?"
"I am willing to apologize for wrongly accusing the Red Clan." Xiao Man picked up the tea, smelling its fragrant aroma, yet sensing a faint scent of blood. It contained the blood of the Heavenly Demon Clan. As expected, the Heavenly Demon Clan couldn't change their nature; they still liked to control humans with blood poison.
Seeing Xiao Man merely holding the tea and not drinking it, Qing Ti said slowly, "Why aren't you drinking? Are you afraid I'll poison you?"
Xiao Man picked up the tea and drank it in one gulp. "I've drunk the tea. Can the City Lord accompany me now?"
"Naturally." A smile curved Qing Ti's lips. Even though Xiao Man was at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, Great Perfection, once poisoned, she would be at his mercy. Now he could sleep soundly.
Qing Ti dispatched an honor guard to the Red Clan. The purpose was to warn the Red Clan. Whether they had captured Zhou A Si or not, if they had, they should move him quickly.
However, by the time Qing Ti's honor guard arrived at the Red Clan, the clan was already in a state of high alert. Jiang Lan had surrounded the Red Clan's dwellings with her men, preventing anyone from leaving.
Qing Ti looked at Xiao Man. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Just a precaution," Xiao Man said with a bright smile. "Since I've invited the City Lord, I naturally won't give the enemy a chance to transfer or destroy evidence."
"Aren't you afraid they'll kill the person?"
"If they have the ability, they can try." Xiao Man looked towards the Red Clan's main gate. "To prevent A Si from being in danger, I've done something to him. Once his life force ceases, the poison hidden within him will be released, capable of killing all living beings within a thousand-meter radius."
Qing Ti swallowed. A dangerous person, Xiao Man was definitely a dangerous person!
"Since you know he is here, why don't you just demand his release?"
"I am a law-abiding person. When my people are in trouble, I naturally seek the City Lord's help. If I were to handle it myself, it would not only be a disregard for the inner city's rules but also showing disrespect to the City Lord." Xiao Man looked at Qing Ti. "I trust the City Lord very much."
The clan leader of the Red Clan, seeing Qing Ti arrive, hurried forward. "Lord Qing Ti, you must uphold justice for us. These… these people from Zhongzhou Street have surrounded our residence with their men. Are they rebelling?"
"Return Zhou A Si to them," Qing Ti said without hesitation. "Immediately, now."
Chi Li was taken aback. He had prepared many excuses, but Qing Ti gave him no chance to speak. However, he still wanted to struggle.
"Lord Qing Ti, who is Zhou A Si?"
"He is the young man who fought Lan Hai yesterday, Zhou A Si." Qing Ti looked at Xiao Man. "They believe you captured Zhou A Si."
"Slander! We never captured Zhou A Si!"
"Clan Leader Chi, think before you speak," Xiao Man said slowly. "Otherwise, the consequences will be beyond your ability to bear."
"What, are you trying to destroy our Red Clan by relying on your high cultivation?"
"That's not it. I just want to ask the Clan Leader Chi, is A Si truly not in your esteemed residence?" Xiao Man stepped forward, asking at a calm pace, her tone even gentle.
"He is not."
"Very well. Since he is not at the Red Clan, then if A Si dies, it should not threaten the Red Clan." Xiao Man produced a jade token. "This contains A Si's nascent soul. I intend to crush it directly."
"Are you foolish? A nascent soul is equivalent to another life. If you crush Zhou A Si's nascent soul, what's the difference between that and killing him?" Su Dan Novel Network.
"No, no, no, this is A Si's own decision." Xiao Man smiled. "If he were not injured, even if I crushed his nascent soul, it would only cause his cultivation to drop significantly. If he is severely injured, crushing his nascent soul will inevitably lead to the cessation of his life force..."
"Absolutely not!" Qing Ti quickly stopped Xiao Man. "Don't be reckless. This is the inner city. If Zhou A Si has an accident in the inner city, the casualties will be extremely heavy!"
"Lord Qing Ti, then are you willing to help me find him?" Xiao Man looked at Qing Ti and asked with a smile. "As you know, I am not a very patient person, and the enemy may not be patient either. Once A Si dies, within a thousand-meter radius of his body, not a single blade of grass will grow."
"What do you mean?"
"Zhou A Si's body has been tampered with by her. Once his life force ceases, centered on Zhou A Si's body, all living creatures within a thousand-meter radius will be poisoned to death."
Chi Li swallowed with difficulty and quickly gestured to someone behind him, signaling him to find a solution quickly. They absolutely could not let Zhou A Si die here, or their Red Clan would face annihilation!
The person behind him quietly left, and a golden butterfly flew out of the Red Clan's residence, landing on Xiao Man's shoulder.
"Time is running out. With the golden butterfly detached, he can live for one incense stick's worth of time. After one incense stick, the Sacred Land will have no more Crimson Clan!"
Chi Li's expression turned ashen, devoid of any color. At this point, he could no longer hide it!
"Quick, bring him out!"
Qing Ti covered his face with his hand. It seemed this matter could not be resolved peacefully today!
Soon, the people of the Red Clan brought out the severely wounded and dying Zhou A Si.
"A Si!" Jiang Lan, seeing Zhou A Si turned into a bloody mess, her face filled with grief, rushed forward and caught Zhou A Si. "A Si, A Si, how are you?"
Xiao Man stepped forward, checked A Si's pulse, and after carefully examining A Si's injuries, popped a pill into his mouth. She then told Jiang Lan to back away with her men. "Clan Leader Chi, why did you capture my person?"
"You captured my grandson, and I can't capture your person?"
"We captured your grandson. Where is the evidence?" Xiao Man teased the golden butterfly on her shoulder, asking with a veiled gaze. "You captured my person, and now we have caught you red-handed."
"Zhou A Si himself admitted it. You captured my grandson and killed him."
"Are you sure?" Xiao Man's gaze flickered towards Chi Li.
"I am sure!"
"Very well." Xiao Man looked at Qing Ti. "I heard the Divine Clan has a secret technique called soul-searching, which can make a person speak the truth. How about we both undergo the City Lord's soul-searching?"
Cold sweat beaded on Chi Li's forehead. Zhou A Si had never admitted to anything. This was merely a lie he and Lan Guan had concocted, and it could not withstand scrutiny. Once investigated, it would be exposed. He couldn't help but look pleadingly at Qing Ti.