Chapter 726: These Old‑Cunning, Super‑Sly Things!

He forced himself to walk into the villa and saw Qiao Jing Tian already tying on an apron, heading toward the kitchen.

"Sit wherever, I'll go cook."

Xu Tian sat on the sofa.

Good, at least he doesn't want him to cook.

A grown man eating at another grown man's house is an experience Xu Tian has never had in two lifetimes.

To stay alive, he can only try to overcome the awkwardness in his heart as much as possible.

After all, on Wuji Dao you can't pick a fight with anyone, especially not this guy.

A clatter came from the kitchen; bored, Xu Tian got up and paced around the living room.

On the low cabinet beneath the TV sat a vintage photo frame.

"These people on Wuji Dao really love displaying photo frames." Xu Tian picked up the frame and saw a stunningly beautiful young woman, "Don't think this guy is like an ice block all the time; he actually puts his girlfriend's photo at home."

Such behavior doesn't quite match Xu Tian's perception of Qiao Jing Tian, but it's not his place as an outsider to comment.

He returned the frame to its spot, toured the living room once more, then sat back on the sofa.

"Dinner's ready."

Twenty minutes later, Qiao Jing Tian stuck his head out of the kitchen and beckoned Xu Tian over.

Xu Tian entered the dining area and saw two steaming bowls of instant noodles neatly placed on the table.

Xu Tian: …

It's his first time seeing someone voluntarily invite guests over for instant noodles.

And just to make instant noodles, Qiao Jing Tian spent over twenty minutes on it!

"What's wrong? You don't like instant noodles?" Qiao Jing Tian asked with a cold expression.

Xu Tian even felt that if he nodded, his blood would boil on the spot.

"I love them." Xu Tian sat silently opposite Qiao Jing Tian, glancing down at the noodle cup.

This guy can't even spare a single slice of ham sausage.

But eating instant noodles is still better than going with Zhong Yu and the others to eat live octopus, and this flavor is one he hasn't tried before.

Xu Tian picked up a plastic fork, scooped a mouthful of noodles, and shoved it into his mouth.

"How does it taste?" Qiao Jing Tian paused.

"Mm, pretty good." Xu Tian shifted his gaze to the noodle cup in front, deliberately trying to ignore that icy stare.

Qiao Jing Tian said nothing else; the two sat in the empty dining room, heads down, eating noodles, only hearing the slurping of noodles

sound.

In a flash the bowl was nearly finished, and Xu Tian, to ease the awkward atmosphere, took the initiative to ask.

"Mr. Qiao, is the photo in that frame your girlfriend?"

Qiao Jing Tian looked at him speechlessly: "That's my mother."

"Cough… cough cough cough…" Xu Tian nearly choked, "Sorry…"

"It's fine, my mother is already gone." Mentioning his mother, the icy, unapproachable aura around Qiao Jing Tian softened a bit, and he recalled, "I don't remember her clearly, but sometimes you give me a feeling very similar to hers."

Very similar?

Xu Tian was slightly taken aback.

Could that be referring to that day at the Stone Gambling Hall when he tried to get those black‑clad men to release Qiao Jing Tian?

After Qiao Jing Tian finished that sentence, he fell silent again; seeing the atmosphere grow awkward again, Xu Tian forced himself to find a topic.

"You must be familiar with Wuji Dao, right?"

"For example?" Qiao Jing Tian retorted.

"Well, for instance, Azure Wolf Hall."

Xu Tian silently observed the man's facial changes, but unfortunately saw nothing.

"I recall the leader of Azure Wolf Hall gave you a nickname, the one you dread most…"

Qiao Jing Tian's eyebrows twitched at the words, showing a thoughtful expression.

"You mean the one called Ding Yi? Seems there is such a person, but I don't have much contact with him."

Xu Tian: …

Wolf King Ding Yi schemed to provoke Qiao Jing Tian, even spreading that unpleasant nickname across Wuji Dao; in Qiao Jing Tian's eyes, Ding Yi's existence was merely "as if such a person exists."

If the real Wolf King found out, he'd probably be knocked out from anger.

"Mr. Qiao, have you heard of the Thorn organization?" Xu Tian took a sip of the now‑cold noodle broth.

"Hmm." Qiao Jing Tian nodded, "You're a small‑time businessman, yet you know about the gangs on Wuji Dao?"

"Who doesn't know about big factions like Azure Wolf Hall and Thorn? Besides, as someone who constantly deals with people, having a bit more gossip doesn't hurt, right?"

"You certainly know how to do business," Qiao Jing Tian said, rare approval.

"The Thorn organization is fairly powerful on Wuji Dao."

Xu Tian, hearing that, silently lit another candle for the Wolf King in his mind.

Same.

Both are dark forces; Thorn can even earn Qiao Jing Tian's decent acknowledgment, while Azure Wolf Hall and the Wolf King are just symbols to him, or rather not even symbols—nonexistent.

"Mr. Qiao, do you know anything about the Thorn Emperor?" Since he would later have to placate the Wuji Martial Arts Association with a plan to attack Thorn, he thought it better to use this chance to learn about that Thorn Emperor.

"I don't know him, but I've heard some rumors about him."

"How strong is this person? Compared to the leader of Azure Wolf Hall, is the gap large?" Xu Tian pressed.

"Hmm… the gap between the two…" Qiao Jing Tian thought briefly, "They can't be compared at all."

Xu Tian: …

He now feels that the Wolf King is like an unlucky child.

He causes trouble everywhere, but in reality his strength is no more than a fifth‑rank trash; he can still act as he wishes before ordinary forces and families, yet once he meets a tough opponent, he immediately folds.

"Do you think the Thorn Emperor is powerful?" Xu Tian asked again.

"I guess so, I've heard of him."

Xu Tian sighed, thinking that to earn Qiao Jing Tian's approval, this mysterious Thorn Emperor must indeed be very strong.

He knows that those old guys from the Wuji Martial Arts Association sent Azure Wolf Hall to deal with Thorn, and they definitely have no good intentions.

If they succeed, the Wuji Martial Arts Association can eliminate a major headache without stepping forward.

If they fail, Azure Wolf Hall will be severely weakened, and they can sit back and reap the net's power.

Even if they cannot inflict a serious wound on Thorn, at least they can sharply reduce Azure Wolf Hall's strength.

These old, treacherous, cunning things!

"These Dark Forces aren't something an ordinary person like you can get involved with," Qiao Jing Tian said, seeing Xu Tian's thoughtful expression, and added, "You're a merchant; there's no need for you to deal with them."

"Hmm." Though the words weren't pleasant, Qiao Jing Tian meant well, so Xu Tian didn't say much more.

Originally Xu Tian didn't want any entanglement with the Dark Forces; if he hadn't been forced to assume the Wolf King Ding Yi's identity, he wouldn't even want to stay in Azure Wolf Hall.

But to find Tang Bingyan's whereabouts, he can only temporarily take on the Wolf King's identity for now.

"Mr. Qiao, with your strength, creating your own sect shouldn't be difficult, right?"