Crossing Over: The Strongest Mage

Upstairs, person B answered, "I didn't see it either, but just a moment ago, a mere boy took down four of the Jinyiwei's experts in the blink of an eye. My God! How did such a person appear in the martial world again?" Person A responded in astonishment. The entire tavern fell silent, including the once cocky Chen Qing.

"Even the fox knows when to hold back, not killing them. Hehe," Yan Huo thought to himself after using his spiritual power to check on the four fallen figures. He didn't like killing unless absolutely necessary. But those who needed to be killed, he would not spare.

This seemed to be Yan Huo's principle in life.

"You... you... don't come any closer. Do you know who I am?" Chen Qing stammered. He could hardly believe that his subordinates had failed so miserably, falling down with just a single move. Normal people were afraid of death, and Chen Qing feared it more than most. His previously presentable face was now covered in tears and snot. 

Fox Bai remained silent, smiling as he walked toward Chen Qing.

"This young man, you mustn't. He's the heir to the Prince's estate!" At that moment, Jia Fu, who had been hiding at the back, couldn't keep quiet anymore.

"Yes, yes, I am the heir! If you hurt me, you'll regret it!" Chen Qing was now utterly panicked, his voice trembling as he continued. But before he could finish, Fox Bai had grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up.

"Hehe! Weren't you just talking about killing us? Saying you'd feed us to the dogs? Where did that attitude go, heir? I spit on that title! I've never heard of it. Junior brother, have you ever heard of such a thing?" Fox Bai turned back to ask Yan Huo.

Yan Huo smiled and shook his head. "No, I've never heard of it."

"You see? Even my junior brother hasn't heard of it," Fox Bai continued.

"This is bad, two naive fools who've never seen the world!" Jia Fu thought to himself.

"Regardless of whether they're lying or not, we absolutely cannot let them harm the heir. If they do, I'm finished in this capital!" Jia Fu panicked internally but still tried to maintain his composure.

"Let me go! Whatever you want, I can have my father give it to you!" Chen Qing pleaded desperately.

Fox Bai scoffed. "What a useless kid. I don't want anything from you. Just return the gem you took earlier, and bring me the food I bid for. I haven't even eaten my fill."

Without hesitation, Fox Bai searched Chen Qing's body and took the gem. He tossed it over to Jia Fu and said, "Here, the gem's yours. Now, bring us the food."

Jia Fu hurriedly grabbed the gem and immediately shouted orders to his subordinates. "Bring the dishes for these two heroes right now!"

"Go!" Fox Bai threw Chen Qing to the ground and casually returned to his seat next to Yan Huo.

"Hehe! Junior brother, after stretching a bit, the food should taste even better now."

"Hurry up and finish so we can leave, Senior Brother," Yan Huo said, smiling.

"Hehe! I didn't expect your claws to be sharper than steel knives!" Fox Bai said with a laugh.

"Of course. I've trained in my own body. These claws of mine may not match a middle-grade spirit tool, but they're far superior to any low-grade spirit tool. A mere steel knife is nothing," Fox Bai said confidently.

Fox Bai then began to boast about his skills, while Chen Qing was unceremoniously thrown out of the tavern. Inside, the tavern was completely empty. No one paid any attention to Chen Qing's departure.

Until...

"Boss, what's going on? The servants who were supposed to bring the food are all dead. Why hasn't the food been served yet? I'm starving here!" Fox Bai yelled loudly.

"Who says no one's here? There are at least a few thousand people outside," Yan Huo remarked, sipping his drink.

"Tch! You think you're the only one who knows? I know there are a lot of people outside too," Fox Bai said, already sensing the commotion outside.

"Hehe! So, are we just going to sit here?" Yan Huo grinned.

"I thought they would at least serve the food!" Fox Bai muttered, still thinking about the expensive meal he had paid thirty thousand taels for. "Looks like my thirty thousand taels were a waste."

"Senior Brother, stop saying 'I', 'I'. Honestly, I can't figure out who you learned all this from," Yan Huo complained.

"Hehe! If I told you I learned it from the old man, would you believe me?" Fox Bai asked with a smile.

"I'd never believe that," Yan Huo replied firmly.

"Just knew you wouldn't. The old man has a lot of things you don't know about. Forget it. I'll tell you about it later. Now, let's go check out who these idiots are who are surrounding us," Fox Bai said as he stood up and headed for the door.

"Who? Isn't it just the people that you angered earlier who've come to bring reinforcements?" Yan Huo thought to himself.

"Well, let's just kill time. No killing, though," he added, already preparing for a potential confrontation.

Outside the tavern, the wide bluestone street had been surrounded by city defense troops, sealing off every exit. The soldiers, archers, and spearmen were neatly arranged in squads, and behind them stood the prince's heir with a red-bannered general at his side.

As soon as Fox Bai and Yan Huo stepped outside, the general shouted, "Drop your weapons immediately and surrender. Anyone who resists will be killed on the spot!"

"Why waste words? Fire arrows! Kill those two fools!" Chen Qing shouted in anger.

But the city defense troops didn't immediately obey. They wouldn't take orders from him directly unless the red-bannered general gave the command.

"This isn't in accordance with the rules," the red-bannered general said hesitantly.

"To hell with the rules! Do you know what they just tried to do to me? Order your men to fire now, or I'll report you to my father!" Chen Qing threatened.

The general hesitated for a moment but then reluctantly gave the command, "Fire! Kill without mercy!"

The city defense troops, numbering over a hundred thousand, were divided into four groups, each guarding one of the city gates. The remaining two thousand elite soldiers accompanied the red-bannered general, ready to engage.

The capital was large, but two thousand elite troops were enough to maintain order and protect the royal family and ministers.

"Senior Brother, how should we divide them?" Yan Huo asked.

"Of course, you take seven, and I'll take three," Fox Bai said slyly.

"Fine, but we can only injure them, not kill them," Yan Huo said seriously.

"Hehe! Stop nagging!" Fox Bai rolled his eyes and added, "Fighting against ordinary people is like child's play."

"Haha! Release the arrows! Kill those two idiotic brats!"