The people of the Central Province Immortal Alliance had shown neither anger nor any urge for revenge immediately after Zhao Ji's death. Instead, they had tossed something like this straight into his hand through an unstable spatial passage.
What did that mean?
It meant they had prepared for Zhao Ji's failure long ago.
It meant Zhao Ji had been nothing but a disposable pawn from beginning to end.
It meant what the Central Province Immortal Alliance truly wanted to do had nothing to do with Zhao Ji.
Zhou Xuan rubbed the surface of the Jade Thumb Ring twice, then released it.
He turned around.
Everyone in the hall was still basking in the relief brought by the good news. Yang Wudi was discussing with Ye Changqing whether the blacksmith named Wang Tiezhu could actually fight. Second Brother chimed in that he could hammer ten Wang Tiezhus with a single punch, earning a scolding from Yang Wudi: "Why are you comparing yourself to an ordinary mortal?"
Zhou Xuan returned to the table and sat down.
He did not speak immediately, but waited a few breaths.
He waited for Yang Wudi to finish speaking, for Ye Changqing to raise his head, for Lin Qingzhu to put down her brush, and for Second Brother to prick up his ears.
Then Zhou Xuan raised his hand and tapped the tabletop twice with his knuckles.
The sound was quiet, but the hall fell silent in an instant.
Every gaze converged on him.
Zhou Xuan's expression was calm, and so was his voice.
"That's all the good news. Now I have some bad news to share with you."
Yang Wudi's laughter stopped.
Ye Changqing set down the list of names.
Lin Qingzhu's brush tip hung in midair. A drop of ink fell onto the paper, spreading