I Just Wanted To Live but I Somehow Became Better Than the Protagonist

Everything happened too quickly; Kuang Polou was at a loss and dared not ask further. He shifted the topic to his own son.

“Lord Danyu, all soldiers have made mistakes, and I will not deny that. However, he was overwhelmed by anger, and coupled with the Xuan Yang clan’s manipulation, he acted foolishly. I implore you, Lord Danyu, to consider that no great disaster has occurred and to show leniency in your judgment.”

“Had it not been for Lord Danba’s sufficient strength, along with the help of the Holy Speaker, a great disaster would have ensued. Just think about what would have happened to Shilin City and Lord Danba otherwise; you know it all too well!” Just mentioning Jin Honglian made him furious; he couldn’t understand where Kuang Polou found the audacity to say such things.

“But it was indeed Lord Danba who led Shilin City to victory. What good are your hypothetical scenarios that never came to pass? Moreover, if it weren’t for you shielding that Long Tian, he wouldn’t have been able to commit such a heinous act—killing my youngest son and inciting my eldest son’s thirst for revenge, stirring him up like a pawn. If you must nitpick, you and Long Tian are the true culprits!”

“What a true culprit indeed!” Jin Honglian slammed the table and stood up. “It seems the esteemed Vice City Lord has forgotten much. I must remind you that the secret realm pass you hold was gifted by Long Tian! The Kuang family not only fails to express gratitude but also targets him at every turn!

The conflicts between him and your youngest son can be dismissed as mere childish squabbles, but according to reliable sources, Long Tian was actually planning to leave Shilin City when he was falsely accused of being an undercover agent and imprisoned. Kuang Biao not only wanted to kill him! He also sought to ruin his reputation! Thankfully, heaven has eyes! Evil begets evil; Long Tian fought back and ultimately fell to the hands of his former friends. Strictly speaking, it was not Long Tian who killed your youngest son; if Vice City Lord Kuang wants to find the real murderer, he should look among those younger generations!”

“Bullshit!” Even though Jin Honglian’s words had merit, Kuang Polou refused to back down, arguing passionately, “Long Tian’s origins are unclear; my son’s suspicion of him being an undercover agent is not without reason! A person of his lowly status, what right does he have to possess a secret realm pass? In my view, he was bought off by some external force, deliberately bringing the pass to create a reason for war.

He constantly opposes my youngest son, even ambushing him at night to injure him, all to escalate the conflict! Thankfully, heaven has blessed Shilin City! Lord Danba successfully defended it! It’s just a pity for our two sons; once the chessboard collapses, they become pawns for others.”

Indeed, the old ginger is spicier; even the black can be spun into white, and yet, upon closer inspection, it felt somewhat reasonable.

As the discussion continued, with no other high-ranking officials present, it was not the time to reach a conclusion. Jin Honglian and Kuang Polou each held their ground, waiting for Danba to make a judgment.

The discussion hall fell into a dead silence. After a long while, Danba finally spoke: “Vice City Lord Kuang has no evidence to prove that Long Tian is an undercover agent, while Lord Jin’s words can be verified. Betraying the city and inciting fellow colleagues to join in is a grave crime that warrants immediate execution, no matter where it is. Vice City Lord Kuang, do you know why Kuang Quanbing is still alive? It is precisely because of your many contributions and sacrifices for Shilin City that he was spared.”

Kuang Polou clasped his hands in a bow, lowering his head to express gratitude for the Lord’s magnanimity.

“Merit is merit, and crime is crime. If mistakes are not punished, it is hard to gain the people’s trust. Therefore, I have decided to shatter his demon core and exile him beyond the city, forbidding his return. Do you have any objections?”

The demon race is different from the human race; without a demon core, a demon merely sees a decline in strength and does not become a useless demon. Given time, they can condense a new demon core and return to their peak. However, without a golden core, a human becomes a mere shell; unless one possesses a heaven-defying constitution or fortune, recovery is impossible.

The punishment from Dan Yu was very subtle, just right, within the acceptable range for Kuang Po Lou. As long as Kuang Quan Bing’s life could be preserved, the Moon Swallowing Heart Method brought back from the secret realm could be given to him for cultivation. Overall, there was not much impact; it was merely a temporary stagnation in his cultivation.

“No objections! Everything is up to Lord Dan Yu!” With the troubles of his eldest son resolved, the next step was to deal with his trusted aides. Fortunately, their mistakes were not severe; none of them ended up like Kuang Quan Bing. Some were dismissed, others fined. Kuang Po Lou’s influence in Shilin City had returned to pre-liberation levels, but he believed that the development of Shilin City could not be separated from those trusted aides. When the time was right, he would promote them to higher positions.

The internal matters had come to a close, and now it was time to deal with Long Tian. Kuang Po Lou clung to him, hoping Dan Yu would impose a punishment.

“Long Tian has acted within the rules, without any obvious mistakes,” Dan Yu shook his head. However, he did not speak too definitively; after all, Kuang Po Lou’s cultivation level was not low. Until Jin Hong Lian grew stronger, he remained a crucial combat force for Shilin City: “If you truly believe Long Tian is an undercover agent, then find evidence. Remember, while searching, do not disturb him, and certainly do not harm him, for he is a valued guest who has offered a tribute. As the deputy city lord, please remember that Shilin City is a hospitable city, not one that harms its guests. Do not let the city’s reputation be tarnished.”

“Understood.” Kuang Po Lou knew that Dan Yu’s willingness to say this was already a sign of respect. He chose to withdraw and went to the dungeon to visit his child.

After Kuang Po Lou left, Jin Hong Lian asked Dan Yu, “Do you also suspect that Long Tian might be an undercover agent?”

Dan Yu shook his head. “Long Tian and Young Master Ye come from the same sect. Some time ago, I sent Dan Rong to observe him. Although he appears stable and mature in front of us, he is ultimately a young man full of vigor. Faced with unreasonable actions, he will not compromise; he has his own sense of justice and pride, and it is impossible for him to assist in such a malicious scheme from the outside.”

“Then why let Kuang Po Lou investigate for evidence? He will surely fabricate something out of thin air.”

“Foolish child, those outside can actively apologize, share profits, and sign various unequal treaties because they fear I might come knocking. But no matter how high my cultivation, I am still limited and cannot guarantee they won’t secretly set traps. Shilin City is like a dilapidated building waiting to be rebuilt, and you have not fully matured yet. Thus, you need the support of this old demon emperor, Kuang Po Lou, to help maintain appearances.” Dan Yu patiently explained, while also teaching Jin Hong Lian some principles: “If I had just now imposed a severe punishment without leaving any room for maneuver, what do you think Kuang Po Lou would do?”

“Frantic, like a cornered dog?” Jin Hong Lian was not foolish; she was just too loyal, unwilling to let her friends suffer, which led to various disputes with Kuang Po Lou in defense of Long Tian.

“Exactly. The external parties showing weakness does not mean they truly dare not offend us again. As long as they seize the opportunity, they will definitely come back with a vengeance. Kuang Po Lou knows that there are many opportunities in Shilin City, and if he were to betray us, it would be very detrimental to us.”

“I see.” Jin Hong Lian felt as if she had returned to her childhood, to the time when Dan Yu taught her lessons: “So what if he fabricates evidence?”

“It’s fine. When the time comes, let Long Tian sneak away back to Kunlun Realm; he won’t be able to do anything on his own.”