Chapter 589: 590
“Where does this talk come from, young masters? As members of the Punishment Hall, we’re as eager as anyone to unravel the mystery and find the true culprits; unfortunately, we have yet to receive a response from the Great Family Head, hence the delay until now, causing you gentlemen to wait.”

“It’s true, we have been negligent. Please forgive our past faults and assist us in settling the chaos in Aolai Country.”

The Great Elder spoke with an embarrassed tone. He couldn’t afford to offend any of these esteemed individuals before him. Now, with the three Family Heads simply watching and not taking action, quelling the unrest relied on Li Xiaobai’s involvement to dispel the doubts in the people’s hearts.

“Have you considered my position, Great Elder?”

“After all, we are merely overseas cultivators. The citizens are the foundation of a nation. With the three Family Heads taking no action at all, we really have no reason to meddle in the political affairs of another country!”

“Besides, this matter doesn’t seem like it should be my responsibility to solve. We are the victims, the ones at a disadvantage. The Great Elder should be seeking someone from the Situ Household to step forward instead.”

Li Xiaobai said with a light smile and a helpless shrug.

“You are mistaken, Young Master Li. The news on the Immortal Spirit Daily was spread by you, and the people now believe in you. It naturally falls to you to resolve this issue. Just name whatever you need in order to appease the masses and settle the disorder.”

The Great Elder frowned slightly and quickly added.

His followers, a bunch of old men, had dark expressions and were speechless in their hearts. Victims, could you really say that with a straight face? From any angle, aren’t you the mastermind, the type of big boss? In this day and age, do true culprits like calling themselves the disadvantaged?

“Great Elder, think carefully. As a lone individual and an outsider with no footing in Aolai Country, you’re asking us overseas cultivators to quell internal conflicts. Even if we do lend a hand, can the Punishment Hall bear the consequences?”

“If something goes wrong, can you, Great Elder, take responsibility?”

“If the Punishment Hall is willing to bear all consequences, then I, Li Xiaobai, am a man of my word; I will immediately calm the people’s anger. However, if you cannot do this, then I ask that Situ Guixiong come forward and apologize to the entire nation.”

Li Xiaobai spoke indifferently, in a languid tone. The Great Elder must be desperate to resort to seeking his help.

It was Situ Guixiong stirring troubles behind the scenes; he was merely striking back in self-defense. The Punishment Hall didn’t bother with the Situ Household and instead wanted his intervention. The favoritism was obvious—likely a directive from the three Family Heads.

“Ah, this…”

The Great Elder was also stunned for a moment. Indeed, he hadn’t considered the situation thoroughly. Even if the people believed in Li Xiaobai, he was ultimately an outsider. How could he get involved in Aolai Country’s internal power struggles?

Expecting an outsider to solve internal strife, he had been confused for a moment.

Immediately, he clasped his hands in a formal bow and spoke earnestly, “Thank you for the reminder, Young Master Li. It was an oversight on my part.”

“However, even if it is the Situ Household wreaking havoc within Aolai Country, the citizens and most families are innocent. Could I implore Young Master Li to write an article at once, to persuade the people to be patient for a while longer? Our Aolai Country will be sure to thoroughly investigate this matter and bring it to light.”

The Great Elder said.

“Of course, that’s not a problem. Defending one’s home is everyone’s responsibility. I am not a person with malicious intentions. I will go and write a letter immediately for Elder Tianji to publish in the paper.”

Li Xiaobai gave a wave of his hand, readily taking on the task.

“In that case, thank you for your trouble!”

The Great Elder was all smiles on the surface but cursing inwardly—who could be more poisonous than you?

Not only are you wearing Long Immortal’s Inner Armor and stirring up strife among the citizens, but you’ve also incidentally incited the Sea Clan’s hatred towards the Situ Household. Ever since this overseas cultivator showed up, Aolai Country has been in constant turmoil, a veritable disaster.

“Junior Brother, are we really going to help the Punishment Hall?”

Watching the backs of the many Elders as they left, Liu Jinshui, the Sixth Senior Brother, asked with some confusion.

“Hehe, why not? The Immortal Spirit Daily updates once a day, even if we submit the article to Elder Tianji today, it won’t be published until tomorrow.”

“Let the commoners make a fuss first; after the article comes out tomorrow, the people will only respect us more. It’s all benefits and no harm,”

laughed Li Xiaobai.

“Brilliant…”

…

At the same time.

In the city center, the commoners poured in like a breached dam, their primary target being none other than the Punishment Hall and the Situ Household.

The destruction of their villages, the kidnapping of their loved ones—this was the strategy of Juehu, exterminating an entire lineage. If they continued to tolerate and remain silent, it would spell complete disaster for their clans, and they had to seek justice.

Facing this, the Great Elder and others had no solution but to delay time, waiting for instructions from the three family heads.

“Gentlemen, our Punishment Hall will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly and deliver justice to you all!”

“Please give us a little time…”

The Elders collectively acted, erecting invisible, gentle barriers from the ground, gently keeping the commoners at bay.

“Hehe, my daughter and wife have been taken by the Situ family, who gave them time?”

“Exactly, not just daughters and wives, even my elderly mother was taken!”

“What does that matter? Even my old sow was taken away. Those beasts, as long as the gender is female, they take them all!”

“Stop dawdling with them, the people from Punishment Hall are clearly protecting their own, always sidestepping the issue, never taking things seriously. Let’s go directly to the three family heads—we must demand an explanation today!”

“That’s right, that’s right, the Situ family’s gates are also shut tight, clearly trying to stall. Young Master Li said that the key culprit is Situ Guixiong, let’s go directly to the Great Family Head to make them pay the price!”

The commoners shouted angrily, then turned around, giving up on the Punishment Hall, heading towards Water Prison Cave direction, just like they said. With their wives and daughters taken, they could neither afford to wait nor dare to.”

The Great Elder and the others looked on with vacant eyes, muttering to themselves, “Now we’re in big trouble, the family head has dug his own grave.”

Inside Water Prison Cave.

Master Rong and Huahuo both had grim expressions, fully aware of everything happening outside. They never expected Li Xiaobai to be so bold as to use the Immortal Spirit Daily to stir up the emotions of the populace. Was he testing her limits?

“Younger Sister, ‘Watch the fire from the other side and let nature take its course’ was what you said, yet now you’ve lifted a rock only to drop it on your own foot. How do you plan to resolve this?”

Huahuo asked.

“Elder Sister, this is likewise an opportunity for us. If we can convince those hidden big fish that we indeed stand with the Situ family, even if we do nothing next, they will likely expose themselves,”