Kyoto, a private room in an inn.
Everyone sat around a steaming hot pot, while Tang Yu used his chopsticks to add ingredients to it.
Besides Yan Zimo, the four other Thief Sect chieftains were seated at the same table as Tang Yu.
These four were the wandering ghosts Chu Jie had mentioned.
Since they did not belong to Thief Zhi and Chu Jie's faction, despite having the strength to become chieftains, their position within the Thief Sect remained awkward, and they had been ostracized to the point of misery.
The reason the four of them had gathered today was naturally because Yan Zimo had invited them.
But after arriving and seeing Tang Yu together with several Embroidered Uniform Guards wearing waist tokens, the four could only sit there in collective stone-faced silence, mentally extending their warmest regards to Yan Zimo's birth mother.
How could thieves hang around with the Embroidered Uniform Guard? It was practically betraying their master and ancestors!
Tang Yu picked up a slice of Celestial Spirit Deer meat as thin as a cicada's wing, swished it through the hot pot, took a bite, and said with a delighted look, "This is the absolute best, you old bastard. Come on, don't be shy—make yourselves at home."
"..."
The four neutral-faction chieftains wore awkward yet polite smiles, thinking that if anyone had Embroidered Uniform Guards in their home, they would be thoroughly cursed.
Yan Zimo smiled as he added meat to the pot for everyone.
"Banner Commander Tang is treating us, so don't stand on ceremony. Why don't we put aside our identities and focus on eating tonight?"
With Yan Zimo speaking up, the four chieftains could only pick up their bowls and chopsticks, occasionally stealing glances at Tang Yu from the corners of their eyes.
Tang Yu,