Within a resplendent, gold-and-jade reception hall in the Dragon Mountain Empire's imperial palace, Lin Qi lounged lazily against a sofa.
The Dragon Witch King looked somewhat awkwardly at the hall, every inch of it covered in thick gold plating, then at the intricate hollow-carved patterns overhead and the multicolored gemstones embedded in the gold. His lips twitched. "What peculiar taste! Do you know what this hall makes me think of? A nouveau riche—an absolute nouveau riche!"
Two pretty young maids swiftly brought over tea, pastries, and fresh fruit. With a cigar clenched between his teeth, Lin Qi looked at the Dragon Witch King in surprise. "Nouveau riche? But I think my palace is rather nice. If we're talking about nouveau riche, shouldn't those elves be the real ones?"
Shrugging, Lin Qi broke into a highly peculiar grin. "I've robbed a few elven princes. Even their underwear was woven from the fibers of the elven mother tree, and they themselves looked like walking jewel peddlers, covered from head to toe in countless magic devices!"
After coughing heavily, the Dragon Witch King picked up a teacup and deeply inhaled its fragrance before taking an unhurried sip of the clear tea. He narrowed his eyes and savored it for a long while before gently shaking his head. "As an undead, my tongue's sense of taste has deteriorated quite a bit. Still, I can tell this tea is of good quality—but the brewing technique is far too poor."
He drained the cup with a shake of his head, showing not the slightest courtesy toward Lin Qi. Without waiting for a maid to refill it, he grabbed the teacup in front of Lin Qi and poured that cup down in one gulp as well. Smacking his lips in satisfaction and exhaling a long breath of