"Have you heard? The Golden Scale Champion, Xu Taiping, is holding a grand banquet at Gathering Immortals Tower today, inviting heroes from all across the city."
"The Chief is hosting a banquet. What's so unusual about that?"
"What do you know? Chief Xu's name has only just appeared on the Faceless Tower's Beheading List. Holding a grand banquet at a time like this is an open provocation against the Faceless Tower!"
"I think he's courting death."
"..."
Five days later.
The Imperial Capital of Southern Chu, which had just acquired a hint of autumn chill after a heavy rain, erupted into an uproar once more when news of the Chief's banquet spread.
"Truly worthy of being the Chief. He knows he's on our Faceless Tower's Beheading List, yet he still dares to host a banquet openly. Admirable."
Inside an inconspicuous tea shop on a street corner, an unremarkable-looking Martial Artist with a scar at the corner of his eye took a sip of tea, then smiled as he looked at the cultivators bustling with discussion inside.
"How else could he show off his courage as Chief?"
A long-faced man sitting across from the scar-eyed Martial Artist likewise watched the people talking inside, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly as he spoke.
"What was the Faceless Tower's reply?"
The scar-eyed Martial Artist set down his teacup and asked the long-faced man.
"Just two words."
The long-faced man raised two fingers.
"What two words? Stop keeping me in suspense!"
The scar-eyed Martial Artist was somewhat displeased.
"Challenge accepted."
The long-faced man chuckled as he answered.
The corners of the scar-eyed Martial Artist's mouth also rose at this, and a trace of killing intent appeared in his eyes.
"But this time, Xu Taiping has invited practically every prominent figure in the city.