Still, he looked much better today than last time. At least he no longer had that utterly defeated, lifeless air about him, probably because he had seen hope of making a deal.
Zhou Xuan withdrew his gaze and looked back at the group who had come to receive him.
Then he noticed a problem.
The way these people looked at him was wrong.
There was no welcome, no warmth, not even the bare minimum of courtesy.
More than twenty pairs of eyes stared at him, filled with a complicated mix of scrutiny, disdain, wariness, and a measure of barely concealed disgust.
Zhou Xuan could understand.
What was he in their eyes?
A native from the Northern Lands, an ant that had crawled out of the Wasteland, an arrogant fool who dared haggle with the Central Province's Immortal Alliance just because he held a few stones in his hands.
Their alliance leader had been driven to distraction by this man, the Immortal Alliance had fallen apart because of him, and the dignity of the mighty Purple-Gold Immortal Vein had been trampled beneath his feet, ground into the dirt again and again.
Now this man was swaggering onto their turf, and they were supposed to greet him with smiles?
Anyone would have found that bitter pill impossible to swallow.
Zhou Xuan took in their expressions and understood perfectly.
Lin Qingzhu, standing behind him, also sensed the unfriendly atmosphere. Instinctively, she stepped half a pace forward to stand beside him.
The three attendants tensed as well. Although their cultivation did not even qualify them to carry these people's shoes, they refused to let their bearing crumble.
The Square remained quiet for several breaths.
No one spoke or stepped forward. More than twenty Spirit Transformation Cultivators simply stood there, appraising Zhou Xuan and his