Early the next morning.
The inn's ground-floor hall was already filled with travelers from north and south.
Xu Min and several Pacification Guards had taken a large table and were eating breakfast.
He had just stuffed a meat bun into his mouth and barely chewed twice when a group descended the stairs.
They were the young disciples of the Bamboo Creek Gate.
Leading them was the female disciple who had followed behind Xie Tinglan yesterday.
Her name was Lin Qiao'er.
She immediately spotted Xu Min sitting at the table, along with the Pacification Guard official uniform he wore.
A trace of undisguised mockery tugged at Lin Qiao'er's lips.
She led her junior brothers and sisters straight to their table. Rather than sit, she stood over them, looking down.
"Well, well. Isn't this our esteemed Pacification Guard from Suining Prefecture?"
Lin Qiao'er's voice was not loud, but its sneering tone made the entire hall noticeably quieter.
Xu Min swallowed his bun and frowned at the sect disciples.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing." Cradling her sword, Lin Qiao'er smiled. "I just find it strange. Aren't the Pacification Guards supposed to be the Heaven Patrol Office's elite? Why did they send out a bunch of misshapen melons and cracked dates like you?"
A male disciple behind her joined in.
"Exactly. Even their leader looks useless. Does your Heaven Patrol Office have no one left?"
"Hahahaha!"
The Bamboo Creek Gate disciples burst into laughter.
The Pacification Guards behind Xu Min flushed red and shot to their feet, glaring.
"What did you say?"
"You're asking for death!"
Xu Min raised a hand to stop them.
His gaze chilled as he looked at Lin Qiao'er and warned her bluntly, "You can eat whatever you like, but you can't say whatever you like."
"I suggest you keep