An Invitation
The man, dressed in a blue robe like a cultivator from another world, smiled and bowed to Sang Ying the moment their eyes met.
"A few days ago, two of my clients had a misunderstanding with you all. I was delayed by other trivial matters for quite some time, and only now have I had the time to apologize. I hope you will give me this opportunity!"
The young man used "this humble one" and "I" interchangeably, seemingly trying to appear polite and courteous.
It's a pity he didn't learn etiquette properly. It's fine for everyday situations, but it's not enough to show off in front of Sang Ying and the others.
"I don't know who you are, friend. The three of us have offended quite a few people. If you don't tell me your name, I won't recognize you." Gu Wangchuan spoke first, scratching the back of his head innocently as he spoke.
His words made the guests, who had been hesitant to speak due to their status, burst into laughter.
The young man, who was still bowing, changed his expression slightly, making the people behind him worry that this little tyrant might throw a tantrum on the spot.
Fortunately, the young man was somewhat aware of the gravity of the situation and still politely replied, "It was my fault for forgetting to state my identity. My name is Wuyue Hao, and I am the eldest son of the Moonless Household."
"So it's Young Master Wuyue. So when did you offend us?" Gu Wangchuan asked again.
Wuyue Hao was speechless, wondering if the person who spoke was an idiot.
But knowing that a fool couldn't possibly pass all the checkpoints, she patiently explained to him the argument they had at the inn last time.
After listening, Gu Wangchuan said "Oh" again, and then asked him, "But so, your men clearly offended this inn. Young Master shouldn't apologize to us, he should apologize to the innkeeper and his family."
Now, not only the guests present, but even Jiang Zhuoxue, who had always disliked Gu Wangchuan, couldn't help but sneer.
Wuyue Hao listened to the waves of laughter around him, he felt that every laugh was mocking him.
But recalling the words his father had said to him before he left, Wuyue Hao could only endure it.
He said, "This fellow Daoist is right. This is all due to my poor training, which caused trouble for my men. Manager, I am truly sorry, I apologize to you here."
Wuyue Hao gave the shopkeeper a very perfunctory bow. The shopkeeper seemed very nervous and wanted to avoid it, not daring to accept the bow. But he didn't move his feet at all, waiting for Wuyue Hao to finish the bow before half-heartedly saying:
"Young Master, there's no need to be so polite. We all know it's just a misunderstanding. We're truly at a loss for words to express our gratitude for your special visit today."
Looking at the shopkeeper's wrinkled face, Wuyue Hao really wanted to question him: If you were embarrassed, why didn't you stop him and just accepted his gift?!
As expected, none of those who come from the Yin Mountain Sect are any good!
Suppressing his dissatisfaction, Wuyue Hao turned his attention back to Sang Ying and the other two.
He composed himself and put on a smile again, "I'm truly ashamed. My men didn't explain things clearly before I came, so please forgive me. I admire your courage in speaking up for the manager. Would you all have the honor of joining me at the Star-Repelling Pavilion?"
The Star-Repelling Pavilion that Wuyue Hao mentioned was a restaurant built with funds from the Moonless Household. It was quite famous in the city and was a place where only wealthy and powerful cultivators could afford to dine.
His intentions in arranging for the three of them to meet there were crystal clear.
Previously, it was Gu Wangchuan who had taken the initiative, so this time it was Sang Ying's turn to speak, "Thank you for your kind offer, Young Master Wuyue, but we are currently at the optimal stage of our cultivation, so it might not be appropriate for us to go out."
Jiang Zhuoxue silently sipped her tea, without saying a word.
"Cultivation is a long-term process; missing a day or two won't make a difference. I'm extending this invitation sincerely; surely the three of you wouldn't be so rude?" Wuyue Hao still smiled, but his tone was already showing some impatience.
Sang Ying sensed his displeasure but wasn't going to indulge him. "For you, Young Master Wuyue, a day or two might not matter, but it's extremely important to us. Please forgive us for not being able to accept this invitation. If there's an opportunity in the future, we'll meet with Young Master Wuyue again."
What comes after? Judging from that, there's absolutely no going back.
Unwilling to be rejected so easily, Wuyue Hao persisted, asking, "Why are you so quick to refuse, Fellow Daoist Star-Repelling Pavilion is a fine place, and the food there is far superior to this small inn. Don't you want to try its delicacies?"
They really don't want to.
Sang Ying could only refuse again. "There's no need for that. The three of us don't care much about food."
As she spoke, Sang Ying secretly kicked Gu Wangchuan under the table, telling him to eat less of the algae on the table.
But it was too late to cover it up. In Wuyue Hao's eyes, Gu Wangchuan's actions were clearly the three of them mocking him without any attempt to hide it.
However, that was indeed the case; the three people in front of him showed no respect whatsoever for Wuyue Hao.
Wuyue Hao was, after all, the eldest son of the Moonless Household. He had been spoiled rotten by the Moonless Household Head in his early years and was practically the little tyrant of Moonless City. He had already been humiliated by his father yesterday, and now he had lowered himself to apologize to a shopkeeper, yet Sang Ying and the others still didn't know how to appreciate it.
Even though Wuyue Hao had warned himself to stay calm and not to get into conflict with them before he came, at this moment, he simply couldn't hold back any longer.
Anger left its mark on his face, and in his excessive contortion, his already unattractive face instantly lost even the last trace of the air of a scion of the Aristocratic Clan.
He looked at Sang Ying, knowing she was the one in charge among the three. "Fellow Daoist, are you really not going to give my Moonless Household any face?"
"That's a bit of an overreaction," Sang Ying said with a smile. "It's just refusing an invitation once; how can that be considered disrespecting the Moonless Household?"
Wuyue Hao clenched his fists so tightly they cracked, indicating he had reached his limit.
"Since you all refuse to listen to reason and are forced to drink the penalty cup, then I'll see where you ultimately choose to side with!" With that, Wuyue Hao finally led his group away from the inn in a huff.
Before leaving, he glanced at the shopkeeper, seemingly thinking that Sang Ying had secretly accepted the offer from the Yin Mountain Sect.
After leaving the inn, Wuyue Hao boarded his flying magical Law Artifact with a cold expression. He raised his hand and summoned his capable subordinates who were with him.
Then he whispered a few words in the man's ear, and after the man's expression changed slightly and he obediently agreed, exiting the flying Law Artifact, Wuyue Hao revealed the ruthlessness in his eyes. "Since you're so ungrateful, then you might as well just die!"