Chapter 380 - 380: Back to Being a Spectator

Radiant Sun Arena, Private Box 17.

The door got shoved open and the door pusher loudly announced their arrival.

"Ouuu! My good brothers, look who's back~"

Lounging by the window, the three Qian brothers looked over their shoulders and grins bloomed on their faces.

"Oh. Xiao Bai's finally back."

"Yoo! That's great! But… tsk, tsk, it's too late, ah, too late!"

"Right? Brother, why didn't you come back sooner? The orioles just left and you missed them! What a pity!"

"Haha…" Bubai strolled over with a friendly smile and waved off their teasing. "Bubai had worldly matters to tend to. Besides, I didn't want to disturb all your happy time!"

"Ahaha! Where? Where? Our joy only multiplies with another good brother in the mix!"

"Exactly! There's always room for one more under the peach tree! Come, come! Sit, sit!"

Laughter burst like firecrackers on New Year's Eve and everybody harmoniously welcomed Bubai to rejoin their mix.

Bubai's butt barely warmed his seat when the flattery came rolling in.

"Brother Bai, we saw how you fight earlier. Seriously, well played!"

"Yeah, yeah! Beautifully played! Bravo!"

"Honestly, I didn't expect Xiao Bai to be hiding so deeply. A true crouching tiger indeed."

"Lao Er is right!" Qian Feifu slyly grinned and playfully elbowed Bubai. "Brother, if you've got time, you must help us give that rascal Xiao Ba a good lesson or two!"

"Ou?!" Qian Bage waved his fist angrily. "Why are you scoundrels setting me up again?! Brother Bai, don't listen to em! How can I compete with you!"

Bubai answered with a grin and mock-serious salute.

"Brother Ba, if we ever get the chance, please give this humble self some pointers. Don't worry, I'll try not to ruin your handsome face."

"What?!" Qian Bage recoiled and clutched his chest like a betrayed maiden in an opera. "Brother Bai! How could you?! I was the one who came first! Why are you in cahoots with them to bully little me?!"

"Must be because you rascal's face angered the heaven and earth! Deserves it! Deserves it! Ahahaha!"

The brothers roared in laughter and the mood thickened with good spirits.

The ever-taciturn Qian Fusha finished pouring the wine and passed the bowls over.

"Here. A toast to welcome back Xiao Bai!"

"Here! Here!"

"Gan!!!"

"Bring out the snacks!"

"Ouuu!"

The same routine as before, but this time, Bubai was prepared!

His pouch opened and out came a feast of dishes, which caused all the Qian brothers to stare in shock.

"This..."

"Brother, you..."

Bubai saluted politely. "Bubai wasn't prepared last time and felt ashamed. Since fate has given me a second chance, how could I bear to mistreat my good brothers?"

"My foundation's still shallow, and I really don't have much to offer... So I went to pick a few humble dishes from the Twin Dragon Garden to share with my brothers!"

"I hope everybody doesn't mind these paltry snacks."

The Qian brothers exchanged smiles and Qian Bage was the first to clap his hands.

"Ou! Ou! Don't mind! Don't mind at all!"

"Was wondering why brother was being all secretive earlier. So that's what brother went to do! Brother Bai was truly thinking about us all along! Great! A good brother like you, why will we mind?"

"That's right! You've got the heart—that's what matters." Qian Feifu gave Bubai a pat on the back. "Good brother!"

The honest-faced Qian Zhongta heartily laughed along.

"Right, right! It's the sincerity that counts! A good brother like you is worth more than ten thousand spirit stones to me!"

Even the taciturn second brother gave his nod of approval.

All this made Bubai happy. The Qian brothers weren't any less joyful.

Everybody understood: this is the unspoken way to get along and make friends.

Freeloading is great and all, but to make interpersonal relationships solid enough to last, reciprocity is a must!

Sometimes it's not about the price, but sincerity!

If Bubai was simply here to be a mere mercenary, there'd be no need for such sincerity.

But there's always a reason for everything.

The Qian Clan – he's done his homework and this was a friend he's willing to make for various reasons!

Of course, establishing connections was one thing, but more importantly…

By building this bridge with planks of sincerity, it will leave himself some leeway out when the road ahead crumbles.

Even if they break up, it won't be too cold.

Sincerity is such a powerful tool.

With this, everything was easier to say.

"Everybody, no need to be polite! If there's not enough, there's still more where that came from."

"Ouu! Then we won't be polite!"

The tables quickly turned lively with wine bowls clinking and chopsticks fishing around…

The delicacies shared brought smiles to everybody's faces. This time, the smiles reflected their hearts and this harmonious dinner scene was reflected in the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Outside these glass wall, fighters danced around and clashed, shedding blood and sweat all over the brightly lit arena.

Night has definitely fallen, but Bubai could see that the sun disc above acted like an artificial source of sunlight to make the arena bright like day.

How mysterious.

Of course, this wonder was not a real sun.

It was more like a light source—with most of its beam concentrated on the arena itself, leaving most of the audience in the dark.

But even though the spectators were swallowed by shadows for the most part, Bubai could see the head count was still quite packed.

Seems many disciples still stayed thanks to the temporarily-relaxed curfew restrictions.

There was no doubt they were here to mooch off the denser Qi of the Central District.

As for how effective that was?

Well... think about where the bulk of the free-roaming Qi got funneled: the arena pit.

Even if there's leftovers, it'll be like scraps! But even scraps were relative.

After yesterday's visit to those stands, Bubai got a good estimate of the density there.

It wasn't exactly top-tier, but it was still much better than the stale conditions in the outer sect!

The poor really do have it hard.

That's why any who can claw their way up from the grassroots deserved to be called true geniuses!

Perhaps their cultivation speed will skyrocket after joining a proper clan!

But there's no need to be too worried because not everybody were monsters and evildoers, just like those currently setting off fireworks down below.

In Bubai's eyes, they looked fierce, but they weren't even as good as that fire fan boy!

The Qian brothers beside him shared similar opinions.

"Ou, this year's performance feels much duller than the last."

"Yeah, not intense enough."

"Can't blame em. The secret realm this time really thinned the herd and culled too many of those lunatics."

"Ou, ou…" Qian Bage looked eager like a man hoping for dessert. "But there must have been at least a decent fight or two, right?"

"Yep, but you missed them."

Qian Feifu then went silent like teahouse storyteller holding the audience in suspense.

"Lao Wu! Don't stop! Keep talking! Keep talking!"

"Hehehe. Alright, alright. Huh… let me think. Oh right…"

"Earlier, somebody challenged the last scourge of the Four Gentleman, but one of those lapdogs of a core disciple jumped out to take the challenge for him..."

"Both sides had a brush or two. So that turned out to be quite the interesting fight."

"Ouu, I thought the Four Gentlemen had became history… Guess that last one knew what was best and had the brains to hug the thigh of the strong…"

"Speaking of this, Lao Wu, do you know whose hands that painting ended up in?"

Qian Feifu's face soured. "It's… that annoying bad blood. The trouble. You know. Don't even want to mention it."

"Ou…"

The conversation dropped there, and Bubai clearly noticed the unhappy mood of the rest.

Seems like there's story…

Bubai itched to know more, but they didn't give him the chance to pry because Qian Bage quickly picked up the conversation again and steered the topic back on track.

"Lao Wu, any others?"

Qian Feifu's mood perked up again. "Oh yes... there's another."

He glanced at Bubai. "And this one has to do with Brother Bai."

"Oh?"

"Haha. Not long after your match, an old timer from the Taiyin Clan stepped out to substitute for that surnamed Ge you pummeled."

"Ouuuu! That poor loser! I watched him get carried out!"

As if remembering something, Qian Bage burst into laughter.

"Ouhaha! His face—ou, you guys should've seen it! Brother Bai did him real dirty!"

"Really? No wonder." The usually-quiet Qian Fusha inserted a tidbit. "Word is, he got sent to the nearby medicine hall for treatment."

"Ahahaha! That bad huh? Anybody that goes in there must not be having a good time!"

"Yeah, he'll be lucky if he can make it back for another round. Er… not that many will be interested in what scraps he has left to his name. Haha!"

"Well... even if you rascals have any interest, put it out. Don't be like those idiots who crash headfirst into this pit. By the looks of things, those Taiyin elders seem to place quite the importance on this newcomer."

"Ouu, I see... it's good to be backed by a great clan, ou. Right, Brother Bai?"

"Xiao Ba, things aren't that simple. Not everybody can get that treatment. It also depends on potential…"

Qian Fusha solemnly looked at Bubai.

"Xiao Bai, you should pay more attention to that Ge Tianqi."

"Judging by his promotion phenomenon, if there's no accidents, late stage before one hundred should not be a problem. That means he'll still have a shot at crossing the dragon's gate."

"If you get another chance, don't be weak-handed."

Bubai nodded seriously. "Will do. Bubai thanks second brother for the warning."

From the other side, Qian Bage clapped Bubai on the shoulder to dispel the serious mood.

"Ouu! Brother Bai, you don't have to worry too much! Compared to the real evildoers, that surnamed Ge is just a little shrimp. Don't you agree?"

"!!!" Bubai's heart skipped a beat. What's that supposed to mean?!

No way… did his evildoer identity get discovered?!