Tianmiao looked at the stack of silver notes, each with a denomination of a thousand taels. She smiled, reached out, and collected the notes: "Have you had breakfast? Care to join me?" Then she turned to Kong Hou and said, "Prepare the room next to mine."
Xu Lang and Shen Hanshu quickly spoke up: "Boss, no, do you even know who he is?"
"Oh, the Sect Hierarch of the Sun and Moon Sect, Sheng Yulin. Known in the martial arts world as the Demon Sect," Tianmiao said casually, "But a guest is a guest. Once he enters my shop, he should behave like my guest. If he causes trouble, I’ll break his head open; you don’t need to worry."
Xu Lang and Shen Hanshu exchanged glances, wanting to say more, but seeing Tianmiao’s calm demeanor, they couldn’t utter a word.
Upon hearing Tianmiao’s comment about breaking his head, Sheng Yulin didn’t mind at all. Instead, he smiled slightly and said, "Came early, indeed I haven’t had breakfast yet."
"Kong Hou, set another place," Tianmiao called to Kong Hou.
Kong Hou quickly set an extra place and went off to busy herself again.
Xu Lang and Shen Hanshu released their hands from the sword hilts, glanced at Sheng Yulin, and silently went out to the mutton noodle shop next door for breakfast. Before leaving, they reluctantly glanced at Tianmiao’s table.
The table was filled with all sorts of breakfast dishes. It was supposed to be a meal shared with Boss Tian. But since this Demon Sect Leader came, they absolutely did not want to dine with him, so they left to eat next door.
"Boss Tian is generous," Sheng Yulin complimented, picking up his chopsticks.
"That’s because you were generous first," Tianmiao said lightly, quickly taking the last crystal shrimp dumpling from Sheng Yulin’s plate with dexterous hands.
For some reason, Sheng Yulin, who had been easy-going, felt a bit complicated listening to Tianmiao’s words and watching her actions at that moment.
Thus, the Demon Sect Leader, feared by everyone in the martial arts world, stayed at the "Thousand Gold for a Cup of Wine" tavern, under the same roof with upright people, yet without incident.
There were a total of four martial artists staying at the tavern.
Xu Lang, Shen Hanshu, and their friend Dugu Yan. Dugu Yan was a top-notch expert, aloof and cold, skilled in swordsmanship. There were very few people he regarded. His only friend was Xu Lang. Shen Hanshu’s friendship with him was also based on Xu Lang. Throughout his life, he continually sought higher martial arts. Many souls perished under his sword, yet they were all those who deserved it.
Unlike Xu Lang and Shen Hanshu, who kept a regular schedule, he usually slept until he woke naturally—sometimes at noon, sometimes earlier than Xu Lang and the others.
Today, he got up a bit late.
By the time he finished washing and went to the hall, Xu Lang and the others had just returned from breakfast. As he lifted the curtain, he saw Sheng Yulin sitting at the table by the door.
"Demon Sect Leader." Dugu Yan’s hand was already on his sword hilt, and before he finished speaking, the sword was already half drawn.
Sheng Yulin remained calm, merely looking at Dugu Yan. This renowned, young, aloof swordsman, Sheng Yulin also wished to see his swordsmanship.
Xu Lang and Shen Hanshu’s expressions changed, just about to speak to stop him.
However, Tianmiao merely raised her hand lightly, and with a "clang," Dugu Yan’s half-drawn sword was returned to its sheath.
Instantly, a deathly silence fell over the hall.
Dugu Yan looked at his hand on the sword hilt incredulously, and Xu Lang and Shen Hanshu were also stunned. Even Sheng Yulin, who had been calm, showed a trace of surprise in his eyes.