Zhao Xingchen stared leisurely at the Great Moon Sect Disciple, his gaze so unnerving that the man's scalp went numb. After a good while, Zhao Xingchen let out a cold snort and said, "Since Brother Meng has put it that way, I'll give Brother Meng face this time. Let it slide for now — but if there's a next time, don't expect me to be lenient!"
Meng Hong couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He forced an apologetic smile and said, "Thank you for your magnanimity, Brother Zhao."
Zhao Xingchen gave a noncommittal response and turned to look at Chen Yue. "Yue'er, it's fate that you've all come to know each other. Since you're all here today, you should offer Brother Meng and the others a toast."
"Of course." Chen Yue obeyed Zhao Xingchen's every word. She stepped forward, poured a cup of wine, and held it in her hands.
Seeing her like this, Meng Hong's expression grew even more pained. His face turned deathly pale as he silently cursed his own lack of strength — he couldn't provide Chen Yue with a safe haven, and could only watch helplessly as the woman he loved threw herself into another's embrace. It truly felt like a knife twisting in his heart.
Chen Yue raised her cup, her beautiful eyes fixed on Meng Hong. "Senior Brothers, this toast is for all of you. If any of you ever need my help in the future, don't hesitate to come find me. I'll do whatever is within my power."
Zhao Xingchen nodded from the side. "That's right. I, Zhao Xingchen, still carry a bit of weight around here. If you ever run into any trouble in the future, come to me."
The three from the Great Moon Sect raised their cups in resignation and drained them in one gulp.
Zhao Xingchen's gaze then settled on Yang Kai, his expression turning somewhat displeased. "Does this friend not care to give me face?" He hadn't noticed Yang Kai when they first came in, but now that Chen Yue was following his orders to pour toasts and Yang Kai simply sat there without moving, he stood out conspicuously. Naturally, Zhao Xingchen took note.
As for Yue He, who also hadn't raised her cup, he didn't particularly want to provoke her. After all, she was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven cultivator. Red Star had long been trying to recruit her, even generously offering the position of Grand Commander — but Yue He had never given a definitive answer.
"Are we that close?" Yang Kai glanced up at him and said flatly, "How much is your face worth, exactly?"
He'd been sitting here the whole time, watching everything unfold with cold detachment. As long as nobody provoked him, he had no interest in interfering. Who would have thought Zhao Xingchen would come looking for trouble on his own? Yang Kai naturally wouldn't be polite about it.
Though it was their first meeting and they could hardly be called acquaintances, Zhao Xingchen left a thoroughly unpleasant impression. With someone like this, Yang Kai couldn't be bothered to put on a pleasant face.
The moment those words left his mouth, Zhao Xingchen's expression darkened immediately. "Bold words, friend. What's your name? You look unfamiliar."
Meng Hong hadn't expected Yang Kai to pull something like this either. He hurried to smooth things over. "Brother Zhao, this is Brother Yang Kai!"
"So you're Yang Kai?" Zhao Xingchen's eyes lit up at the news, and he couldn't help looking Yang Kai up and down.
Yang Kai regarded him coolly. "Do you know me?"
Zhao Xingchen broke into a grin and clasped his fists. "So it's Brother Yang! My apologies for not recognizing you sooner. Yue'er has mentioned you many times. I'd actually been meaning to pay you a visit, Brother Yang — who would have thought we'd run into each other here. What a coincidence."
His attitude had turned remarkably enthusiastic. As he spoke, he actually pulled up a chair and sat himself down.
Meng Hong and the others were utterly bewildered. They all looked at Chen Yue with suspicion, wondering just what she had told Zhao Xingchen — the man's sudden warmth toward Yang Kai was quite baffling.
Yang Kai also cast a thoughtful glance at Chen Yue, whose cheeks flushed red as she averted her gaze.
Once seated, Zhao Xingchen waved his hand and laid down a barrier that sealed off the area from the outside world. From the ease with which he deployed that power, his strength was clearly considerable — seemingly a cut above Meng Hong and the others.
Only then did he lean in, his face practically glowing with excitement. "Brother Yang, Yue'er tells me you have a talent for taming beasts? That you've brought a crimson flood dragon and an earth dragon under your command? Is that true?"
When Meng Hong heard this, his expression soured. He turned to look at Chen Yue with an unmistakable hint of reproach.
There was nothing wrong with Chen Yue seeking a better patron and throwing herself at Zhao Xingchen — Meng Hong could only blame himself for not being good enough to keep her. But leaking Yang Kai's secrets was another matter entirely. Intelligence like that often involved life and death, not to mention profit. Yang Kai had once saved Chen Yue's life and brought her all the way here. If she couldn't repay that debt of gratitude, fine — but sharing such critical information with an outsider? That was nothing short of betrayal.
It was through Meng Hong that Chen Yue had met Yang Kai in the first place. This whole business left him feeling deeply ashamed.
"So what if it's true? So what if it's not?" Yang Kai shot Chen Yue an amused glance, only to see her sitting with her head bowed, looking thoroughly uncomfortable.
She clearly knew she'd acted dishonorably and couldn't face anyone.
Zhao Xingchen chuckled. "Since Yue'er said so, it must be true. Brother Yang is truly remarkable — your beast-taming abilities are nothing short of extraordinary. You have my admiration. Come, let me toast you."
With that, he raised his cup.
Yang Kai ignored him completely, not even sparing him a glance.
The muscles along Zhao Xingchen's jaw twitched slightly. He chuckled again, unbothered, and set his cup down. "Here's the thing, Brother Yang. I have a sister who heard about your crimson flood dragon and is quite interested. She'd love to raise one herself. Would you be willing to part with it? We can discuss the price — I'll make sure you're satisfied."
"Your sister wants to raise one?" Yang Kai looked at him with a peculiar expression. "Which one does she want?"
"My sister is interested in the crimson flood dragon. As for the earth dragon, forget it — Brother Yang, you know how those things look. Not exactly endearing, heh."