Chapter 265: Mouth War King

Gulp.

Xu Xiaoshou swallowed the last bite of cooked beef. He then licked his fingers clean before standing up.

"Tiansang Spirit Palace, Xu Xiaoshou." He extended his hand quite generously.

Fu Yinhong's eyelids twitched wildly. So, he *did* hear? But… looking at his oily palm, still covered in that dark, repulsive sauce, how could she possibly shake it?

"Cursed. Passive Value: 1."

Xu Xiaoshou seemed to realize his hands were greasy only then. He quickly grabbed a tissue, wiped them clean, and then patted A-Jie on the head beside him. "That's rude! Say hello!"

"Mama…" A confused call.

Fu Yinhong: ??? She was even more bewildered!

"Cough, cough, my apologies, this guy only knows that one phrase…" Xu Xiaoshou pulled A-Jie back, preventing him from making any sudden moves. He turned to the owner and called out, "Boss, two portions to go, quickly! My junior sister is waiting for me!"

Fu Yinhong's beautiful eyes narrowed. To be honest, her interrogation hadn't even begun, but her observation had been continuous from the very start. Yuanting Realm… Tiansang Spirit Palace… Junior sister… Phew, it couldn't be him then!

"Tell me everything you know." Fu Yinhong's pretty face regained its usual cold expression as she asked, as a matter of routine.

Xu Xiaoshou calmly replied, "Just now, two people were fighting. One died, and the other left."

"...That's all?"

"Yep!"

Fu Yinhong: "..."

"Cursed. Passive Value: 1."

"Explain it more clearly!"

"Wasn't what I said clear enough?" Xu Xiaoshou's mouth fell open in surprise. "Surely you saw that giant black lotus, didn't you?" he asked. "Do I really need to explain that? If you want me to go into detail..." He turned back around. "Boss, boil another pot of liquor," he said. "I'll have a thorough chat with this young lady."

Fu Yinhong's teeth ground together. It was her first time encountering someone so completely impervious to persuasion.

"Do you know who you're speaking to?"

"Imperial Guards?" Xu Xiaoshou looked her up and down for a few moments. "I just came down from the Spirit Palace," he said, a hint of confusion in his voice. "I don't know what rank your Imperial Guards are in Tiansang City, but... it's one thing to disturb my meal, and I've answered your questions truthfully. But if you're going to pull rank, do you really think my Tiansang Spirit Palace is so easily intimidated?"

The young man's expression shifted to one of arrogance, his chin slightly raised, a hint of disdain in his eyes.

Fu Yinhong was rendered speechless and flustered. Oh, right, now that he puts it that way, it does sound like she was being a bit overbearing. But... something isn't right, though! She felt that something was amiss, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. Yet, looking at the young man before her, she felt another surge of inexplicable oddness.

"Someone fighting to the death right in front of you, and you can still sit there and eat?" Fu Yinhong found it utterly absurd.

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "There's a table and chairs right here. If I don't sit to eat, am I supposed to stand? If standing isn't good enough, do you want me to lie prostrate? Oh, so the Imperial Guards are so great, are they? You even want to dictate how people eat. Should I prostrate myself when I talk to you now? Come on, let's do it together?"

Xu Xiaoshou made a move as if to prostrate himself, but Fu Yinhong felt herself become utterly enraged. This kid is toxic, isn't he? My point was... what exactly *was* my point?

"That's not what I meant..."

"Not what you meant?" Xu Xiaoshou's voice rose in pitch, and he retorted, exasperated, "If that's not what you meant, then what *did* you mean? What's your point? Come on, tell me your point clearly!"

Fu Yinhong: ???

"What, you think..." Xu Xiaoshou thumped his chest, speaking with full conviction, "Could it be you actually think that explosion just now was something an ant like me, who's only just entered the Yuanting Realm, could accomplish? Or do you think I possess the innate ability to slay a Grandmaster? Or perhaps..." He pointed at A-Jie beside him, his voice growing louder and louder. "Do you honestly believe *this child* slapped someone to death?!"

Fu Yinhong's face had gone completely pale from his words. Her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles cracked, and she nearly bit through her molars on the spot. It was impossible! But couldn't he pay attention to his tone?! Standing before him was Fu Yinhong, Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards!

Seeing that the young woman was about to erupt, Xu Xiaoshou immediately took a step back. His expression returned to calm, and a hint of apology appeared on his face. "My apologies," he said. "I tend to be impulsive. Please forgive me if I offended you just now. You're an officer of the Imperial Guards, surely you won't hold these things against me, right?" He patted A-Jie's head. "Apologize!"

"Mama..."

At that moment, Fu Yinhong felt her liver ache, her kidneys ache, her entire body ache. What kind of person was this? He'd already said everything, good and bad. What was left for her to say?

She wanted to proceed with her routine questioning about the scene, but Xu Xiaoshou's remarks, though rather aggressive, had already covered most of the details. As for more details... she didn't have the time or the patience to sit down and have tea with this young man! But to suspect this guy as the murderer… if words could kill, even a monarch might not be his match. But with *this* cultivation level… just this? —Yet with this cultivation level, what audacity did he have to sit there, completely unmoved?

"Still don't believe me?" Xu Xiaoshou, somewhat exasperated, sat back down. He poured a cup of liquor for her, then tapped the table. "If you still don't believe me," he said, "you can ask the shop owner! But if you delay any longer, I'm afraid you really won't even find a trace of the culprit."

Fu Yinhong's brows furrowed. "Where did the culprit go?"

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled softly. "I dare to point, but will you dare to believe?" He pointed in the direction of Black Street. "Ask the crowd there," he said, "see if anyone knows. Then come back and ask me, someone who's only just reached the Xiantian Realm!"

Fu Yinhong looked towards Black Street. It was mostly blocked off, and everyone there was truthfully recounting the situation under the Imperial Guards' interrogation. A dark-red figure landed beside the woman and whispered a few words into her ear. Fu Yinhong's heart finally eased.

"An illusion array? It seems this young man was also forced, trapped here, wasn't he? Yes, encountering such a situation, besides simply watching... running or participating would probably lead to an even quicker death, wouldn't it? It's truly astonishing he could still eat..."

The shop owner, carrying another pot of liquor and the packed beef, cautiously emerged. Fu Yinhong's lips parted slightly as she realized this might be another breakthrough.

"Young master, your beef, and the liquor..."

"Not my liquor. This is hers, I'm treating her!" Xu Xiaoshou pulled out a spirit crystal and placed it on the table. "I don't have any other money," he said. "Just take this spirit crystal!"

The shop owner was stunned. Pay twice? He suddenly realized what the last spirit crystal had been for.

"Oh no, no, please!" the old man protested. "This meal is on me for you two esteemed guests." The shop owner tried his best to force a smile, wanting to cooperate with Xu Xiaoshou, but the fear on his face was utterly unconcealable.

Fu Yinhong, however, nodded her head subtly. That made sense! After witnessing such a fierce battle, how could the old man possibly show no fear at all? If he genuinely felt no fear, and even the young man who could calmly observe the battle held no reverence, *then* it would truly be an act! Only then would it indicate they had already conspired! Looking at it this way, she had simply overthought the situation.

As for whether the old man's fear was still part of the young man's calculations... Fu Yinhong did consider this possibility. But was it truly plausible? Hmph, merely a Xiantian Realm practitioner...