The main hall of Tongfu Inn covered a little over a third of an acre, and its dozens of tables and chairs were all filled with guests.
They were all fifteen or sixteen years old; even the few older ones were no more than eighteen.
Now they all turned their heads, looking curiously toward the entrance.
"Who is this Zhou Liangchen? He actually got Silver-Striped Tiger Lu Chen to strike up a conversation?"
"He's the eldest legitimate son of the Linhai Zhou Family. Aside from the Twin Tigers of Linhai, he's the strongest Ninth-Rank fighter in this commandery. They say he's only a hair's breadth away from the Azure Cloud Ranking."
"So he's quite a figure himself. How come I've never heard of him?"
Silver-Striped Tiger Lu Chen was also looking Chu Xisheng up and down with interest.
Aside from his rather handsome face, there was nothing remarkable about the youth before him.
His clothes were ordinary, and he wore only two magical artifacts. Clearly, his family background was nothing impressive.
Why did the Zhou family treat him as an honored guest? And why was Zhou Liangchen so respectful toward him, following his every step?
"Now that's strange. You've been as stubborn as a mule since you were little, Zhou Liangchen. You've never bowed to anyone. There's actually someone in this world you admire enough to prostrate yourself before?"
Lu Chen quietly pressed his hand against the heavy saber at his waist. His lips spread into a grin, revealing a mouthful of gleaming white teeth. "Brother Chu, interested in exchanging a few moves?"
Seeing the muscles tense in Lu Chen's saber-holding arm, Chu Xisheng instinctively grew wary.
The curiosity and fighting spirit in the other man's eyes were entirely undisguised.
An intent of the saber also bore down on him,