Chapter 48: I Did Not Hit Anyone.

"It's actually the Mo Ling Sword!"

"What a grand gesture!"

At the mention of the Mo Ling Sword, the eyes of many of the elders in the hall immediately lit up, and many envious and fervent gazes immediately fell upon Du Shaofu.

Du Shaofu was taken aback. From everyone's reaction, it wasn't hard to tell that the Mo Ling Sword was no ordinary item. For a moment, he didn't know whether he should accept it or not.

"Please accept it. Thank you for saving me and my Ye family members. A small Mo Ling Sword is truly insufficient to express my gratitude." Ye Zijin spoke, smiling at Du Shaofu, which made many of the young Du family members look at her with admiration.

"Miss Ye, you are too kind. My actions last time were really nothing to mention, and I dare not accept your thanks." Du Shaofu nodded slightly at Ye Zijin. In fact, this was probably the first time he had formally spoken to Ye Zijin. Then he looked at his Uncle and Second Uncle.

"Shaofu, please accept City Lord Ye's kindness." Du Zhenwu smiled at Du Shaofu.

"Then I thank City Lord Ye." Du Shaofu didn't refuse any further and gently took the brocade box from the armored soldier.

"Remember to call me Uncle Ye. Calling me City Lord makes it seem too formal." Ye Baolin smiled contentedly.

"Yes, Uncle Ye." Du Shaofu nodded in response.

Ye Zijin stood up, looking at Du Shaofu, and with a light smile, said, "I wonder if my savior has some free time today. Would you like to accompany me around the city?"

"What...?"

When Ye Zijin said this, the outstanding young generation of the Du family in the hall were all stunned with envy.

In the entire Stone City, countless outstanding individuals were pursuing this City Lord's daughter, but until now, no one had ever heard of anyone getting a chance. All the suitors could only look up and admire her from afar.

And now, the City Lord's daughter, whom all the city's suitors looked up to, was actually inviting Du Shaofu. The implications of this were enough to make people speculate wildly, even Du Zhenwu and Du Zhixiong's eyes flickered with hidden thoughts.

Du Shaofu looked up at Ye Zijin in front of him, and under everyone's gaze, his face showed a very regretful expression. "Thank you, Miss Ye, for your regard. However, I'm really sorry, I have some very important matters to attend to today. How about we reschedule?"

"Of course, we can reschedule." Ye Zijin's delicate face always wore a smile, which was very beautiful, making many of the young Du family members reluctant to look away.

"Unbelievable, Du Shaofu actually refused Miss Ye Zijin. Wasn't he said to be no longer foolish? Why is he acting foolish now?"

"This kid beat up Du Hao and the others yesterday. He can't be a fool anymore. Many of the elders in the clan were discussing how to punish him last night."

"Punishment is probably impossible now. The City Lord came to thank him today. Who can do anything to him? It can only be considered bad luck for Du Hao and the others."

In the hall, the young generation of the Du family at the back began to whisper among themselves, each one filled with resentment. If Miss Ye Zijin had invited them, they would have put aside any important matters, but they couldn't believe that Du Shaofu had refused her like this.

"Ha ha, I mainly came to thank my nephew Shaofu. There are many affairs in the city, so I must take my leave. I'll come to disturb the Du family again another day." Ye Baolin smiled, stood up, and bid farewell.

"I won't detain you any longer, knowing that you have many affairs in the city."

Du Zhenwu didn't use too many formalities, and his tone wasn't overly polite, indicating that their relationship wasn't bad.

As Ye Baolin left, the Du family members naturally followed to see him off at the gate. Du Shaofu also followed behind until the Ye family members were far away.

Watching the Ye family members in the distance, Du Zhenwu's expression immediately became serious. He then walked back to the Du family, his hands behind his back, and said to Du Shaofu, "Shaofu, come to the hall. I have something to ask you."

As Du Zhenwu spoke, many of the Du family elders immediately looked at Du Shaofu with even more anger, as if Du Shaofu owed them millions of spirit coins.

"Let's go to the hall."

Du Zhixiong, who had appeared behind Du Shaofu, lightly patted his shoulder, his face wearing a smile.

"Okay." Du Shaofu nodded, smiling.

"It looks like Du Shaofu can't escape this ordeal."

"Of course, last time Du Shaofu took the violent stone wolf essence blood and foundation-building pills from Du Hao and the others. Yesterday, Du Hao and the others were beaten so badly by Du Shaofu again. The Great Elder and the others naturally won't let it go."

"I heard the Great Elder personally sought out the family head last night."

"No wonder the City Lord came today and couldn't help Du Shaofu avoid this ordeal."

"There will be a spectacle to see. Let's go and take a look."

"..."

"Greetings, City Lord."

"Look, it's City Lord Ye coming out."

On the wide streets of Stone City, the Ye family's blood-sweating dragon horses moved majestically, attracting countless gazes as they passed. All the city's residents bowed, a respect that the other four major families could not compare to. As the legitimate City Lord of Stone City, he was the true owner of the city in name.

"Girl, did you see clearly?"

On the blood-sweating dragon horse, Ye Baolin occasionally waved to the city residents who bowed, and asked the girl beside him, his tone calm, showing no emotion.

"The more I interact with him, the less I understand him." Ye Zijin said softly, her brows slightly furrowed since leaving the Du family.

"Neither humble nor arrogant, knowing when to advance and retreat. Truly a young man who can endure for ten years. What a foolish young master. It seems the Du family has really produced an extraordinary young man this time."

Ye Baolin smiled, his face wearing a smile, looking at the girl beside him with affection. "But I didn't expect him to refuse my precious daughter. Does he not think highly of my precious daughter?"

"Father, how can you tease your daughter like that? If it weren't for the Ye family, I wouldn't do this."

Ye Zijin glared at Ye Baolin, her face slightly angry, then murmured, "But no matter what, there will be some excitement in Stone City in about a month."

"The real excitement will be in a month. At that time..."

Ye Baolin seemed to have heard Ye Zijin's words, wanting to say something, but in the end, he didn't speak, his expression slightly serious.

In the Du family hall, everyone sat again, and the few elders of the Du family were still there. However, many of the Du family elders looked at Du Shaofu with resentment.

Du Shaofu stood in the hall, holding the brocade box given by Ye Baolin in his arms. He hadn't had time to look at the Mo Ling Sword inside, but it wasn't too heavy, nor too light. He glanced around the hall, and many of the Du family elders were not unfamiliar to him. They were the parents, uncles, aunts, and other relatives of those he had beaten yesterday, like Du Hao and Du Yan.

"Shaofu, I heard you injured Du Hao and Du Yan yesterday. Attacking clan members, do you know you have violated the family rules?" Du Zhenwu, sitting at the head of the hall, looked at Du Shaofu, his eyes filled with a stern authority. As the head of the Du family, he naturally had a commanding presence.

"Uncle, I didn't."

Du Shaofu looked up, his expression calm.

"Du Shaofu, how can you still say you didn't? You severely injured Yan'er, who is now lying in bed, unable to move. Could this be a lie?"

"My Qi'er is also severely injured and lying in bed, probably unable to get up for half a year. How could this be a lie?"

"Hao'er and his cousin were both severely injured by you, nearly having their cultivation ruined. How could you be so ruthless to your clan members?"

"..."

As Du Shaofu spoke, the hall was immediately filled with the sharp voices of the aunts and uncles, their angry gazes fiercely falling upon Du Shaofu, as if they wanted to devour him. The men, though their gazes were also unfriendly and angry, did not rush to express themselves.

"Quiet!"

Du Zhenwu spoke, his gaze stern as he looked at the aunts and uncles. "As elders, to be so noisy is a disgrace."

The women, hearing this, dared not speak further, but their gazes remained unfriendly, tightly fixed on Du Shaofu.

Du Zhenwu then looked at Du Shaofu and asked, "Shaofu, you've heard what the elders said. Do you have anything to say?"

"Yes."

Du Shaofu answered succinctly and firmly, then looked at Du Zhenwu and asked, "Uncle, they say I hit people. Can anyone here confirm it with their own eyes?"

"..."

Everyone was taken aback, even Du Zhenwu and Du Zhixiong were momentarily stunned.

"Du Shaofu, you are so young and yet you lie so boldly. You injured over a dozen people. What more do you have to argue?"

The aunts and uncles, after being stunned, began to stir again. Indeed, no one had seen it with their own eyes yesterday. They knew the situation yesterday; Du Hao and the others went to cause trouble for Du Shaofu and naturally wouldn't let others see too easily. However, they didn't expect that instead of causing trouble, over a dozen people were injured by Du Shaofu.

"Uncle, if you don't believe me, just have them come forward for a confrontation." Du Shaofu ignored the aunts and uncles, his expression calm.

"Confrontation, yes, confrontation will reveal the truth."

Hearing Du Shaofu's words, some of the aunts and uncles immediately became elated, as if they had found a handle. With over a dozen people confronting him, how could this young man deny the facts? Once the confrontation happened, even the family head couldn't protect him. The fact that Du Hao and the others were beaten was undeniable. Once the confrontation happened, how could the young man deny it?