Liu Niang's cheeks flushed faintly, and she reached out to swat Pei Junyao. "What nonsense are you talking!"
Pei Junyao wasn't annoyed at being swatted. Instead, he reached for the corner of Liu Niang's sleeve, grinning like a big, thoroughly contented dog.
Yun Qing held his wine bowl and smiled without a word.
Life like this was rather amusing.
As the drinking went on, Pei Junyao grew half-drunk and began chatting sporadically with Yun Qing about the sights and customs of Lone Goose City and the Purple Dusk Empire.
"Brother Yun, our Blackwater Town is small. Above us there's the Chenliu Kingdom, and above that is the Purple Dusk Empire. Now, that empire really is a gathering place for cultivators. Even those lofty cultivation sects have to, have to show it some respect."
Yun Qing listened quietly, occasionally murmuring a response.
"Hic." Pei Junyao let out a drunken hiccup and stared at Yun Qing through bleary eyes for a while, then suddenly said, "Brother Yun, you, you're a good sort..."
Yun Qing raised an eyebrow. "Thank you for the compliment, Brother Pei."
"Much easier on the eyes than those aristocratic clan scions..." Pei Junyao waved a hand as though shooing away some unpleasant memory, then abruptly leaned closer and lowered his voice, as though about to reveal an earth-shattering secret.
And sure enough, he lived up to expectations and revealed an earth-shattering secret.
"Brother Yun, have you heard of the Great Xia Ancient Dynasty?"
He lowered his voice, looking terribly mysterious. "That continent that suddenly flew in from beyond the heavens half a year ago! It carried the Great Xia Ancient Dynasty. Frighteningly powerful, tsk, tsk."
"Oh? I'd love to hear more." Yun Qing gave nothing away.
Once the drink went to Pei Junyao's head, everything came spilling out. "The