When Zhang Xiaohua arrived in the courtyard under Nie Qianyu's guidance, the tables at the head and along both sides had already been laden with sumptuous food and wine, and the leading figures of the Jade Standing Alliance were all seated.
Seeing Zhang Xiaohua and Nie Qianyu, everyone rose to greet them.
Seeing this, Zhang Xiaohua did not wait for Nie Qianyu to take small steps forward with him. He hurried ahead a few paces and bowed first. "Seniors, my apologies, my apologies. I kept you waiting. I was just learning a few more moves from Miss Nie, so I came late, came late."
Si Yakong and the others did not regard Zhang Xiaohua as a junior either. Returning his salute, Si Yakong said, "This old man is Si Yakong of the Weapon Forging Gate. Young Hero Ren is too modest. You drew your sword to help when you saw injustice and rescued Hui Chun Valley. We are all deeply grateful. Yet we feared that our enemies would not let the matter rest and might harass us, so we had not come to thank you until now. Now that we have met, the first thing we must say is thank you."
Now that Zhang Xiaohua understood the relationships among the various factions in the Jade Standing Alliance, he did not find Si Yakong's involvement in Hui Chun Valley suspicious. Smiling, he said, "Valley Master Nie has thanked me countless times. He even let me read the pill formulae, so I have already recouped the cost of helping out. Please do not say such things, Elder. Besides, I hardly dare listen to Miss Nie talk about pills anymore."
Hearing this, Si Yakong froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Young Hero Ren is indeed a forthright man. Come, let me