Inside Lingxiao Pavilion's guest reception hall, host and visitors took their seats.
Ji Ying's expression was somewhat ugly, because Yang Kai had claimed the seat of honor and relegated him to the secondary position.
This had never happened before. Wherever Ji Ying traveled across the Northern Region, no matter which sect he visited, he was always received as an honored guest. The seat of honor was always reserved for him, and it had been no different when he visited Lilong Palace some days ago.
Under normal circumstances, Ji Ying probably wouldn't have cared about such things. After all, a guest follows the host's lead. No matter how distinguished his status, he was still an outsider. First seat or second seat—just a chair, nothing worth fussing over.
But he already had a preconceived negative impression of Lingxiao Pavilion and Yang Kai, and now he felt even more strongly that Yang Kai was showing him blatant disrespect.
Yang Kai, for his part, hadn't considered any of that. He was the host, after all, so naturally he should sit in the seat of honor to receive his guests.
His gaze swept over those seated below, and he chuckled. "What a coincidence that Grandmaster Ji should arrive together with two Sect Masters."
Ji Ying said gravely, "It was no coincidence. My journey here was made possible only by Palace Master Li and Sect Master Mi's protection along the way."
Yang Kai looked surprised. "Grandmaster Ji is a man of great prestige, and Medicine Pill Valley's reputation resonates throughout the Northern Region. Surely no one would be foolish enough to cause trouble for you? I hear the Northern Region has been quite peaceful."
Li Jiao let out a cold snort. "It was peaceful enough in the past, but lately… things haven't been quite so pleasant."
His words were loaded with meaning, and Yang Kai could hardly miss the implication—it was all because of Lingxiao Pavilion's birth and meteoric rise that the Northern Region had grown turbulent.
Too lazy to entertain him, Yang Kai turned to look at Li Xuan behind Ji Ying and smiled. "We meet again so soon, young friend."
Li Xuan's face went pale. He shrieked, "What—what do you want?! I'm warning you, don't you dare try anything!"
Half of it was an act, but the other half was genuine terror. His last encounter with Yang Kai had gone terribly, and the memory still haunted him.
Yang Kai scoffed. "What a sense of humor, young friend. It seems my hospitality was lacking last time—I must have left you with some grievances. If you've got the time, why not stay a while as my guest? I promise to make you feel right at home!"
Li Xuan snapped, "Who the hell wants to be your guest?"
With his master present, his courage had swelled considerably. He no longer needed to grovel like last time.
Zhu Qing and Hua Qingsi entered carrying tea sets, offering cups to each of the visitors in turn.
Hua Qingsi was perfectly composed. But Zhu Qing slammed a teacup down on the table so hard that tea splashed across the surface. Yang Kai flew into a rage, slamming his palm on the desk. "What do you think you're doing? Have you no manners at all… I'm talking to you! Get back here!"
But Zhu Qing was already gone. After delivering the tea, she had promptly exited the hall.
Yang Kai blustered for a moment before turning back with an apologetic expression. "Please don't take it to heart, Grandmaster Ji. This girl has a wild streak. I'll be sure to discipline her properly."
Ji Ying replied evenly, "A trifle. No need to trouble yourself."
Yang Kai smiled slightly. "Grandmaster Ji is most magnanimous. Might I ask what brings you to my Lingxiao Pavilion?"
Mi Qi slammed his hand on the table and rose to his feet, sneering. "Why bother playing dumb, Sect Leader Yang? Don't tell me you've already forgotten what you did recently?"
Yang Kai regarded him sidelong. "I'm not sure what I could have done to rile Sect Master Mi up like this. This should be the first time we've met, and I have absolutely no prior dealings with your Mitian Sect."
Mi Qi snorted. "Sect Master Li and I came here today to seek justice for this junior nephew Li. Sect Leader Yang, I suggest you remember that evil paths lead to ruin. Spare yourself some self-reflection—or you'll bring catastrophe crashing down upon your Lingxiao Pavilion."
Li Jiao nodded from the side. "Brother Mi speaks the truth."
Yang Kai narrowed his eyes. "So the two of you are here to cause trouble for my Lingxiao Pavilion? And just where, exactly, have we offended you?"
Mi Qi declared, "You haven't offended just us—you've offended Medicine Pill Valley! Medicine Pill Valley is the sacred ground of the Northern Region. To offend Medicine Pill Valley is to offend the entire Northern Region. As citizens of the Northern Region, we cannot simply stand by and do nothing!"
Yang Kai looked genuinely puzzled. "When did I ever offend Medicine Pill Valley?"
Ji Ying's face darkened. "My worthless disciple's injuries haven't healed yet. Do you really have the audacity to play innocent, Sect Leader Yang?"
Yang Kai turned to look at him, then glanced at Li Xuan's swollen cheek. As if only just remembering, he said, "Oh. So that's what this is about."
Ji Ying stared at him expressionlessly. "Sect Leader Yang, surely you won't claim that you didn't injure my disciple!"
"That's right, I did beat him up." Yang Kai nodded in acknowledgment.
Ji Ying flew into a towering rage, gritting his teeth. "You're an Emperor Venerable Realm cultivator—why would you bully someone weaker? Humiliating my disciple like this—are you truly so arrogant as to disregard Medicine Pill Valley entirely?!"
"Yang Kai, how dare you!"
"Grandmaster Ji, this matter absolutely cannot be left unpunished! If word gets out, where will Medicine Pill Valley's face be?!"
Li Jiao and Mi Qi both cried out in fury, as if the one who had been struck was not Li Xuan but themselves, eagerly trying to egg Ji Ying on to teach Yang Kai a lesson.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" Ji Ying glared at Yang Kai, his face grim.
Yang Kai raised an eyebrow. "A child misbehaved—surely that warrants a lesson?"