Water murmured beneath Stone Bridge.
As one of the most luxurious restaurants in the Outer City, the Moonlit Pavilion seemed entirely unaffected by the city's recent atmosphere of drawn swords and bent bows.
Red lanterns hung above its lofty entrance. The sounds of guests chatting and laughing drifted through the open doors, occasionally punctuated by someone shouting at the top of his lungs, "Waiter, bring us wine!"
"Coming! Just a moment, sir!"
Inside, waiters deftly wove between the tables with trays in hand.
Zhou Chen had only just reached the entrance when quite a few Martial Warriors eating there recognized him, a flicker of awe crossing their eyes.
Word of how Zhou Chen had killed Shi Qing with thunderous force had long since spread throughout the neighborhood, and many treated him with considerable reverence.
When Zhou Chen reached the stairs to the second floor, he saw Nan Yunyang, who had already been waiting for quite some time.
Beside Nan Yunyang stood a girl in a pale yellow dress. With that familiar bun and the two dimples that appeared when she smiled, she was none other than Nan Zhiyi.
"Hahahaha! My worthy nephew Zhou, long time no see!" Nan Yunyang greeted him with a smile. "When Zhiyi told me you were attempting to become a Second-Rank Martial Artist, I was certain that someone of your abilities would succeed in a single stroke. And now that I see you, sure enough, I was right. When I first met you, I felt you had an extraordinary bearing, that you were no creature destined to remain in a pond. It truly proves that saying: extraordinary people have extraordinary bearing!"
Smiling, Nan Yunyang ushered him into a private room on the second floor. Once they sat down, he raised his wine cup and declared, "Forgive