At those words, the private room fell silent. The three female cultivators singing and dancing for entertainment and the two serving wine all stopped.
They lowered their heads, silent as cicadas in winter, their expressions panicked. None dared voice the slightest objection; they could only obey.
He was a mighty cultivator at foundation establishment peak. If they displeased him, taking their lives would be scarcely harder than crushing ants.
Hadn't they merely sung a somewhat melancholy song? Why had this happened?
The female cultivators were bewildered.
Liu Yu's movements also paused briefly. He was puzzled by the man's reaction, but continued drinking, eating meat, and teasing the female cultivator without saying anything more.
It seems Fellow Daoist Tang has a story of his own.
The thought flashed through his mind.
"Enough. You're no longer needed here. Leave."
A breath later, Tang Tianbao's expression returned to normal, and he waved a hand casually.
"Yes, Senior Tang."
The three female cultivators who had been singing and dancing answered meekly, slowly withdrew, and closed the door behind them.
"I've made a spectacle of myself, Fellow Daoist Hong."
"Those women really don't know what's good for them, singing such mournful songs when we're enjoying ourselves."
"What a spoilsport."
"Come, Fellow Daoist Hong. Let's continue."
Tang Tianbao resumed urging him to drink and chatting as though nothing had happened.
Aware of his earlier lapse, he offered no explanation, merely finding a casual excuse to brush it aside.
Clink.
Their cups met again, and both drained them.
After several rounds of food and drink, they slowed their eating and drinking and conversed at ease.
Tang Tianbao also volunteered information about the Western Sand Land, unobtrusively bringing up his own influence and power, with a faint suggestion that he wanted to recruit Liu Yu.
Liu Yu feigned