Instead, he spoke with utter indifference.

"Lord Wei, do you still think you’re the all-powerful Eunuch you once were?"

"A tavern is a place where you pay to eat; if you don’t have money, you still want to eat?"

"Gonna use force, is that it? If you’ve got the guts, kill me—after all, I’ve got no parents, no wife, no kids; dying doesn’t mean a thing to me. But I’m afraid when the time comes, the Embroidered Uniform Guard won’t let you off, Lord Wei!"

Once he finished speaking,

he shot Wei Hongfang a final look of disdain, as if mocking how Wei Hongfang didn’t dare do anything at all.

"You!"

Wei Hongfang’s anger grew even greater.

Yet, he gave up the notion of taking action. After all, if he killed someone in the Imperial City, the Embroidered Uniform Guard would never turn a blind eye.

Ordinary guards, Wei Hongfang naturally wouldn’t fear, but just thinking that the current Southern Governor of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is that Ye Liuyun, all Wei Hongfang could do was swallow his rage.

Even back before Ye Liuyun broke through to Grandmaster, he wasn’t his match already.

Now Ye Liuyun is already a Grandmaster—how could he stand a chance?

If he struck out now and Ye Liuyun found an excuse, hauled him off to the Guard—

Forget regaining his position as the all-powerful Eunuch; he might just die in that Embroidered Uniform Guard prison.

Wei Hongfang had never for a moment believed that Ye Liuyun was some benevolent soul.

"Tch!"

Seeing that Wei Hongfang truly didn’t dare make a move,

the young waiter’s heart finally settled a bit, but his eyes still carried scorn as he glanced at Wei Hongfang, then turned and went back into the tavern.

",,,"

And Wei Hongfang, left standing outside,

could feel it—those countless pairs of eyes on him, all around, and the ridicule and contempt hidden in them.

Damn it all.

Once I take back my seat as Nine Thousand Years, all these people will die! Every single one of them!

No matter how much rage burned inside, for now, Wei Hongfang merely lingered in place a moment, then turned on his heel, and walked away, step by step!

,,,

"Wei Hongfang?"

On the second floor across the street, Guan Bao narrowed his eyes faintly at the scene.

He’d never thought he’d run into Wei Hongfang in a place like this.

And in such a manner, too.

He’d heard before that life hasn’t been easy lately for Wei Hongfang—had even secretly mocked him for it—but seeing it with his own eyes, Guan Bao didn’t feel like laughing anymore.

On the contrary, a sense of "when the rabbit dies, the fox grieves" crept over him.

Once Yun Hu took the seat of Nine Thousand Years for real—

the other’s cultivation would keep growing higher, while he himself remained stagnant—would he, too, become the next Wei Hongfang?

At this thought,

Yun Hu felt no pleasure in his wine; his expression grew ashen.

In silence he watched Wei Hongfang’s back disappear, then, after a moment’s hesitation, lowered his cup and followed after.

,,,

Wei Hongfang’s steps were slow.

When he turned a deserted corner, he stopped suddenly, calling out in a clear voice,

"What, you here to mock me as well?"

Wei Hongfang’s martial cultivation hadn’t been crippled—he was still Late-stage Grandmaster, after all.

He could of course sense someone following him, and even discern who it was.

With a sidelong glance, he just caught Guan Bao stepping out from the corner.

"So? Seeing me like this now—feel good about yourself, do you?"

To Yun Hu and Guan Bao, those two brothers, Wei Hongfang harbored utter hatred.

If not for those two—

how could Yan Fuhai have dismissed and pushed him aside?

Now, he’d lost the seat of Nine Thousand Years as well.

For Wei Hongfang, it was only natural to assume Guan Bao had followed him just to gloat.

"Just wait. When I reclaim my power as Nine Thousand Years, the pair of you—I’ll see neither of you spared!"

,,,,,,