Xu Yuan patted him on the shoulder and said:
"Then it's settled."
"All right. Whatever you say, Brother Jingchen." Shangguan Hong nodded vigorously.
He nodded so hard that the edge of the Qiong Iron Sword opened a cut on his neck.
Xu Yuan knew he had done it deliberately, to suggest, If I'm agreeing to everything, why is your sword still at my throat?
He smiled, withdrew the sword, and cupped his hands.
"I'll be off. If I come to Torch Dragon Residence again, I'll be sure to share a few more drinks with you, Fellow Daoist Shangguan."
"Of course, of course," Shangguan Hong said.
Xu Yuan leaped down from the second floor and slowly walked away along the street.
Shangguan Hong stood upstairs, silently watching his retreating figure.
The moment Xu Yuan turned the corner, he pulled a jade pendant from his waist and handed it to the guard beside him.
"Take my pendant back and gather our men. Ambush and kill Xu Jingchen—quickly! Don't let him get away!"
"Yes!"
The guard took the pendant and immediately flew out of the restaurant. His figure flickered several times as he sped toward the main residence.
Shangguan Hong slowly sat down, poured himself a full cup of wine, and drained it in one gulp.
Xu Jingchen may be the leading disciple of Zhurong Residence's next generation, but I'm no slouch in Torch Dragon Residence.
But word that he overpowered me in the restaurant today is bound to spread like wildfire.
So if I want to salvage my reputation, he has to die.
Once he's dead, nobody will care that I called him "Brother Jingchen."
And if it's done cleanly, without leaving a trace...
Perfect.
My pendant can summon ten Golden Core cultivators and two Nascent Soul cultivators.
*Torch Dragon Residence is