The serving girl held her breath, feeling sympathy for this easy-to-please guest. However, standing against him was a figure absolutely untouchable.

She didn’t even dare to consider informing the madame. No matter how powerful the Three Fragrance Pavilion was, in Wa Country, it had to defer to this person’s wishes.

In the small, elegant room, one sat, and one stood.

Both were young, and both were proud.

Their eyes met, and neither saw any sign of retreat in the other’s gaze.

“Now I believe you really were just passing through,” the newcomer finally straightened up, removing his hand from the table and abandoning his posture of oppressive dominance.

“Because no one who knows me would dare speak to me like that,” he declared.

In an environment of prolonged peace and a rich, relatively gentle religious atmosphere, the people of Wa Country generally developed a docile and serene disposition. But this man was remarkably confident and arrogant.

It was unclear whether his arrogance stemmed from his own abilities, his background, or a combination of both.

Throughout his shift from leaning on the table to standing upright, the ordinary wooden table remained perfectly stable. Even though the cups were filled to the brim, not a single drop of wine spilled.

Because Jiang Wang had a finger gently resting on the table.

The serving girl sat nearby, completely unaware of the clash of Dao Essence that had permeated the table a moment before.

An extremely subtle and delicate probing and collision, from beginning to end, without the slightest ripple.

“You’re disappointed,” Jiang Wang said softly, withdrawing his finger.

His “exchanges” with the two True Persons had allowed Jiang Wang to make significant progress in the fine control of his Dao Essence. Of course, he would never tell anyone where he had crossed swords with those two Real Lords…

“Quite the opposite, I like surprises,” the newcomer said. “It makes me feel like life isn’t so boring.”

The earlier “exchange” had been enough to demonstrate that Jiang Wang possessed extraordinary strength.

A simple test, limited to this degree, was enough. If he wanted to take it a step further, he would have to engage in a real, life-or-death struggle.

Since they were just chance acquaintances, there was no need for that.

Therefore, he prepared to leave. “Enjoy the wine and the beauty. I believe you’ll like Wa Country.”

Jiang Wang raised his cup in a gesture of farewell. “For the common people, this is indeed a good country.”

The newcomer smiled. Before leaving, he suddenly said to the serving girl, “Perhaps he wants to know who I am. Don’t hide it from him.”

Then he strode out.

By now, the serving girl could also sense the extraordinary nature of this guest. She looked at Jiang Wang with a hint of reverence.

She had prepared herself to explain the situation, to tell Jiang Wang how extraordinary the man was, how prominent his background was. She weighed how best to remind Jiang Wang to be careful.

But Jiang Wang simply said, “Please, more wine.”

Just like when he had first sat down.

Still the same words, still the same attitude.

The young man who had arrived so abruptly and left so freely, perhaps he wanted to test Jiang Wang’s limits. Perhaps he was simply arrogant. Perhaps he assumed that Jiang Wang would apologize after learning his identity.

But it was all irrelevant.

Jiang Wang was not interested.

Wa Country was just a stop along his journey, and he was just a passerby in Wa Country.

This trip to the Three Fragrance Pavilion was just a momentary indulgence, a reminiscence of his time in Maple Forest City.

But now, the interest was gone.

The wine was still full on the table, but he no longer wanted to drink.

He had come on a whim, and he would leave when the whim was over.

Such was the style of a man of refinement.

Suddenly, all the distracting thoughts disappeared, cut off without a trace. Jiang Wang smiled freely, left a tael of gold, and stood up to leave.

Neither hurried nor hesitant.

With a clear mind, he had seen a thousand sails pass.

No one knew that he had performed a swordplay here, a swordplay of a scholar in decline.

Even a scholar in decline is still a man of style.

Only the serving girl in the room stared blankly at the back of the sword-wearing young man, and for some reason, suddenly felt her face burning, as if on fire.

The young man, suspected to be a priest from the original Heavenly God Temple, left the elegant room and, without needing guidance, expertly navigated the corridors, arriving at a private room and pushing open the door.

The room was filled with people, all dressed in wealth and status.

The young man in martial garb who had been drinking with him earlier was already seated. Seeing him, he smiled and complained, “Everyone’s here, but no sign of Brother Yuan! Where have you been, trying to skip out on the drinks?”

The man surnamed Yuan laughed. “Wine is the elixir of salvation, the nectar of joy, how could I possibly avoid it?”

With a wave of his sleeve, he was extremely generous. “Fill it up for me!”

An attentive attendant quickly filled his glass, welcoming him to take a seat.

Among those present, three people were clearly the center of attention.

One was the man in martial garb, one was the man surnamed Yuan, and the other was a beauty with enchanting eyes and captivating charm.

She sat alone on one side, surrounded by Wa Country nobles, but she did not appear weak in the slightest. On the contrary, she was impossible to ignore.

She lightly parted her red lips, her voice soft and gentle, teasing the strings in people’s hearts. “Lord Yuan Ye is truly a hero of wine.”

Every word, every sound, made hearts tremble.

“It’s not that I’m addicted to wine,” Yuan Ye raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp.

His eyes stared at the beauty without any hesitation. “I just want to… drink more, perhaps Miss Meiyue, you can forgive my impudence!”

What he had said to Jiang Wang earlier was not boasting.

Everyone seated here was wealthy and powerful, each one influential in Wa Country.

But he ignored them all, acting as he pleased.

He came if he wanted, drank if he wanted, and flirted with the beauty if he wanted.

The others did not feel offended in the slightest. Each one had a smiling face, understanding and considerate, and no one disturbed him.

Under Yuan Ye’s intense gaze.

Meiyue gave a soft laugh.

The sound floated and lingered in the air, winding its way into people’s hearts.

She laughed, “Lord Yuan Ye is the son of divine mandate, blessed beyond compare. Every move he makes is of utmost importance. In times of peace, he is noble, and in times of turmoil, he is heroic. How can there be any talk of impudence?”

These words praised Yuan Ye to the highest degree, and yet they were so gentle and soft that they defused his teasing, leaving no room for anger.

Yuan Ye looked around, smiling. “Look at Miss Meiyue, how well she speaks!”

But his aggressive posture had already subsided.

The crowd chimed in.

One praised Lord Yuan’s noble status, another praised Miss Meiyue’s understanding.

After a few rounds of drinks, the man in martial garb pressed his hands down. “Everyone is clear on Miss Meiyue’s purpose in coming to Wa Country this time. Whether or not this business will be done, and how it will be done, needs to be decided as soon as possible. Time waits for no one, everyone is busy.”

Meiyue’s soul-snatching eyes gently turned. “This little one is unfamiliar with this place, so please take care of me.”

“No, no…”

Just as a middle-aged man began to speak, Yuan Ye interrupted. “Today is not for discussing business. We’re here to drink, so let’s drink!”

The man swallowed his words without any anger, and even offered a bright smile.

Meiyue took everything in, but gently smiled. “Lord Yuan is right. Today, Meiyue is hosting, which is just a small gathering between friends. Talking about business would be vulgar. Let’s talk about the scenery and customs of Wa Country, shall we? It will also allow Meiyue to learn a thing or two, and find out what kind of scenery can nurture the grandeur of you all.”

Even though she had come with the important task of the Three Fragrance Pavilion, she did not seem anxious in the slightest. On the contrary, she seemed more indifferent than the locals of Wa Country.

It was as if this matter… was not important.

The people present exchanged furtive glances, each with their own calculations.

Of course, Yuan Ye did not care about these things, he truly did not care.

He said with great interest, “The scenery and customs of Wa Country are so pleasant, that’s why they attract such beautiful ladies! Speaking of which, I just met an interesting fellow, also a foreigner…”