Chapter 32: Banquet Ends.
Wu Shun turned, the corners of his mouth twitching as he debated whether Zhao Ming’s jab about "aggressive ones" was a subtle insult or a backhanded compliment.
He chose not to comment, opting instead for a quiet sip of his wine.
Though the sharp glint in his eye said he had remember it.
Just then, He Long shifted the conversation with a more cordial tone, glancing toward Matriarch Lin Xi.
"Matriarch Lin," he said lightly, "I heard your eldest daughter has taken an interest in artifact refinement lately. That’s a rare path among the younger generation. May I ask how far along is she now?"
The question was polite, even curious, but it also carried a subtle implication: combat cultivators usually earned more prestige at city tournaments.
Refiners, for all their value, did not win glory in arenas.
Lin Xi raised her brows slightly, lips curving into a smile that was both graceful and vaguely dangerous.
"Hoh?" she said. "I thought we were only counting combat capabilities tonight. Shall I go fetch her forge records instead of her cultivation ones?"
A chuckle rippled through the group.
Fang Yuan, still seated with a cup resting in one hand, allowed a small smile to form at the exchange. His eyes flicked between them, unreadable as ever.