"Here, there's none of that hollow nonsense in between. Like you Central Plains people, who dilute blood with water and wine before drinking it and still have to mouth pleasantries. But here, drinking blood means drinking blood."
Chen Yi said nothing, naturally understanding what he meant.
The Barbarians were straightforward by nature, without so many twists and turns, but they were by no means brutes anyone could manipulate. They were vicious, ruthless men.
Eating raw flesh and drinking blood might be savage, but once their fists grew powerful enough, etiquette and law held no sway over them.
Zhang Badan suddenly laughed.
Lord Ba glanced at him. "What are you laughing at?"
"You."
"After all these years apart, you speak the Central Plains Official Language like a storyteller in a teahouse."
Zhang Badan rubbed his bald head and chuckled. "But you got one thing wrong."
"In the Central Plains, they don't necessarily drink much less blood than the Barbarians do here. They just call it 'rules.'"
Lord Ba said nothing, merely staring at Chen Yi, his less-than-burly frame blocking half the light, flickering between brightness and shadow.
Chen Yi met his gaze, his slender fingers brushing the Uncontested Sword at his waist. "I, Song, am not bloodthirsty, nor do I wish to invite trouble. Naturally, the Uncontested Sword is better hanging at my side than held in my hand."
At those words, Lord Ba remained still for a moment before nodding with a chuckle. "With that assurance from you, Brother Song, this old man can rest easy."
Then he waved a hand and ordered, "Go, fetch wine."
"This old man is happy today. An old friend is still alive, and I've met a swordsman renowned throughout the Central Plains. We ought to celebrate."
Chen Yi glanced at Zhang Badan and the