When Xia Chen finished speaking, the faces of the crowd that had gathered around him changed.

They instantly realized this was no ordinary internal conflict. This was a matter of life and death, one that could cost them their heads and endanger their entire families.

At this thought, some of them froze in their tracks.

Others had a flicker of uncertainty in their eyes, but upon seeing the official document in Xia Chen's hand, they slowly sheathed their longswords.