North and South Thirty-Six Streets, Changxiang Street.
One was in the south and the other in the north, with Tongtang between them. Two figures stood in the pavilion, one seated and one standing. The lanterns hanging from the eaves swayed without a breeze, an ill omen.
Old Man Yan stood behind Shan Rong, gazing toward Tongtang. Even from this far away, he could see the flames soaring into the sky and the unusual currents of air.
Shan Rong was studying the new Divine Wood Sign in his hand. He sighed. "Why not just leave the Thirty-Six Streets? He got in easily, but getting out will be hard. Inside, there are Xuan Kui and the Luosha Practitioners from the Nangong Family; outside, there are the Xingshui Division and the Qingyang Sage. Gongsun Qi will have a hard time leaving alive. And if you get trapped in the Thirty-Six Streets with him, who knows whether you'll live or die?"
"I do owe him my life," Old Man Yan said.
Shan Rong gave a bitter smile. "Only one?"
Old Man Yan fell silent.
Shan Rong went on, "The grudges between you two can't be repaid with just your own lives. They'll take the lives of countless others."
"Even if I could leave today, once he learns I'm still alive, he'll chase me to the ends of the earth," Old Man Yan said expressionlessly.
Shan Rong was about to say more, but frowned and began coughing softly. His face had gone pale.
Old Man Yan glanced back at him and patted the young man's shoulder with his only remaining hand.
"Get some rest."
Shan Rong asked, "So you're planning to wait here for him to come kill you?"
"He has more enemies." Old Man Yan looked toward the people standing guard in the distance