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.