Old Han’s hand trembled as he retracted it into his sleeve. He hadn't encountered an opponent who dared to go head-to-head with him in decades. He didn’t know if Long Xiao was injured, but he could feel that one more exchange would surely break the bones in the back of his right fist.
Long Xiao was also greatly surprised, thinking he had been a little careless.
Ever since the Radiant Qilin took up residence in his left arm, he had always believed his left arm’s strength was unmatched. He hadn’t expected that this punch wouldn't shatter Old Han’s arm, and his own left arm still ached faintly.
The pain lasted only a few seconds before disappearing. Long Xiao felt some of his Five Elements Qi being drawn out into his left arm.
Long Xiao knew very little about the Radiant Qilin in his left arm.
What was this guy doing in his left arm? It neither moved nor absorbed Qi. Apart from its punches being stronger during fights, it seemed to not exist at other times.
“Let’s go, let’s eat at another restaurant,” Old Han said in a low voice.
Pei Yuqian said unhappily, “Old Han, are you sure you want to change restaurants? These guests from the Island Nation were arranged by my father for me to entertain, and they said they liked the food here.”
Old Han hesitated for a moment and said, “I’ll try to persuade them again, perhaps they will leave.”
Just as Old Han was about to make a move again, a middle-aged man from the group of Island Nation guests who had been standing in the corridor stepped forward and said, “Old Han, you rest for a while, I’ll persuade them.”
Old Han wanted to persist, but Pei Yuxuan said, “Old Han, you step back first.”
Old Han retreated. The middle-aged Island Nation man stepped forward, cast a lecherous glance at Li Yufei, and said, “Beauty, we’re just asking you to accompany us for a few drinks, that’s not too much to ask, is it?”
“I, I don’t drink, and besides, I don’t know you. Why should I accompany you for drinks?”
The middle-aged Island Nation man pointed at Long Xiao and the other two and said, “For the safety of these three, you should have a drink with us.”
“No,” Long Xiao said. “She came with me. I must be responsible for her safety. You guys get out of here immediately, or I’ll act.”
“Act? Do you dare? We are from the Island Nation, we are foreign guests. If you dare to touch us, you will be punished.”
As soon as the middle-aged Island Nation man finished speaking, Long Xiao’s hand lashed out.
The middle-aged Island Nation man tried to dodge, but Long Xiao’s Dragon Movement Hand had been trained to perfection. He couldn’t dodge.
Pei Yuqian stared, dumbfounded. He never expected Long Xiao to dare to strike an Island Nation person.
“Old Han, aren’t you going to step up and kill him for me?” Pei Yuqian roared angrily.
The middle-aged Island Nation man covered his face, blocking Old Han who was about to move, and said, “I’ll handle this myself.”
The Island Nation man reached into his jacket pocket. With a flick of his wrist, a flash of fire appeared. A huge white dog emerged, lunging at Long Xiao with bared teeth and claws.
Long Xiao knew this was the innate shikigami of an Island Nation Onmyoji.
Long Xiao didn’t understand how this white dog appeared, but he could clearly feel that it was composed of Qi.
To deal with a dog made of Qi, one must use Five Elements Qi. Fists alone were useless.
Long Xiao took a step back, diffused Five Elements Qi into his right hand, and grabbed the dog’s neck with a raise of his hand.
The dog struggled frantically in Long Xiao’s grasp, emitting whimpering sounds.
“Impossible, how did you catch it?” the Island Nation man exclaimed, looking at Long Xiao.
“Island Nation Onmyoji, you dare to fight me with such petty tricks?”
As Long Xiao intensified the Five Elements Qi in his hand, the white dog’s screams grew more piercing.
“Let go, release my shikigami!”
The middle-aged Island Nation man lunged at Long Xiao, took a small plaque from his pocket, and hurled it at Long Xiao’s head.
As the plaque neared Long Xiao’s head, he suddenly felt a strange psionic force invade his mind, causing him a moment of disorientation.
He hurriedly concentrated his mind. In that moment of dizziness, the white dog in his hand was snatched back by the middle-aged Island Nation man.
Just as Long Xiao was about to act again, the door of the private room opposite theirs creaked open.
“What’s all the shouting about? Who wants a drink, I’ll have one with you.”
Long Xiao saw Ye Mei emerge from the private room and almost burst out laughing. This woman was extremely troublesome. If it weren’t for the life Qi within him, he wouldn’t dare drink her wine lightly.
The sudden appearance of a seductive woman stunned both Pei Yuqian and the Island Nation guests.
Long Xiao said, “Pei Yuqian, isn’t there a beautiful older sister here to accompany you for drinks? What are you waiting for, afraid of poison?”
Ye Mei giggled and said, “Little brother, do you dare to drink my wine?”
Long Xiao hurriedly shook his head and said, “I don’t dare. I’m not interested in old women.”
Ye Mei’s face immediately drooped. “Don’t think just because you can fight, you can be arrogant. You and I are not that far apart in age.”
Long Xiao realized he had offended this old woman and quickly said, “I’m sorry, big sister, I was wrong.”
Ye Mei giggled again and said, “It’s good you know you were wrong. Have a drink with me later, and I’ll forgive you.”
The standoff continued. Ye Mei came to help Long Xiao and his companions. Old Han said, “Beauty, if I drink your wine, will they give up the private room?”
Ye Mei nodded. “Yes, I’ll decide for my younger brother. You drink this glass of wine, and my brother and they will share our private room. This private room will be yours.”
Old Han took the wine glass from Ye Mei’s hand and drank it dry in one gulp.
Long Xiao was now in a difficult position. Sharing a private room with Ye Mei and her group made him uneasy. He and Xiao Ming would be fine, but Xue Lianming and Li Yufei couldn’t handle it.
Seeing that Old Han had drunk her wine, Ye Mei said, “Little brother, let’s go to our private room.”
Long Xiao, along with Xue Lianming and Li Yufei, walked towards Ye Mei’s private room.
Pei Yuqian raised his hand to stop Long Xiao. Ye Mei swatted his hand away and said, “You dare to stop my younger brother? Are you tired of living?”
Just as Pei Yuqian was about to raise his hand again, there was a thud. Old Han collapsed to the ground, his face darkened, and a pool of black blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.
“Old Han, what’s wrong?” Pei Yuqian rushed forward to inquire.
“I can’t neutralize the potent poison in the wine. We, we must leave here immediately,” Old Han said, struggling and stuffing another antidote pill into his mouth.
Pei Yuqian knew that besides his formidable strength, Old Han was also an expert in poisons. Anyone who could incapacitate Old Han was someone his family’s power couldn’t afford to provoke.
“Mr. Tsuchimikado, perhaps we should find another restaurant.”
Watching Pei Yuqian and the Island Nation guests support Old Han as they left, Long Xiao and his companions returned to their seats in the private room.
Ye Mei followed them into the private room and said, “Little brother, I helped you out just now. Shouldn’t you treat me to a drink?”
Long Xiao smiled awkwardly. “Sister, I rarely drink. How about next time?”
Ye Mei burst out laughing and turned to look at Xiao Ming. “Little one, I helped you this time. Does that count as repaying Long Xiao’s favor?”
“I suppose so,” Xiao Ming said, looking at Long Xiao.
“If that’s the case, I don’t owe Long Xiao anything anymore. Tell Long Xiao to be careful, I’ll be looking for him again.”