Under the archway in front of the kiln supervision office...

Chen Dui talked about all kinds of strange and interesting things, and the little girl from Sun Scorch Mountain listened to her stories with relish. Tao Zi clicked her tongue in wonder and praised, "Big sister, you know so much!"

Chen Dui smiled faintly and replied, "You'll also know a lot when you grow up."

Song Jixin was half serious as he mused, "Chen Dui, you also seem like a fairly normal person when we interact normally like this."

Chen Dui raised a brow and asked, "So you're saying that I should act submissively and grovel before the Great Li Empire's monarch, Song Changjing?"

Song Jixin roared with laughter. He pointed at Chen Dui and said, "If Mr. Qi, the teacher in our small town's private school, heard this, he would definitely furrow his brows. Do you know, you're treating things as if they're either black or white. This is very unreasonable. It might sound reasonable at the start, but it's actually extremely fragile against scrutiny.

"What I'm trying to say is, you naturally don't need to act obsequiously before Song Changjing, nor should you do so. However, Song Changjing is still the most powerful person in the Great Li Empire. Not only that, but he's even a paramount martial arts grandmaster.

"As an outsider, you should conform to our local customs and also show a little more respect to your hosts. Is this not right? Why do you insist on wearing a cold expression and acting like the owner of the place? So be it if you want to act like that. However, you still dared to talk back to Song Changjing after being beaten half-dead by him! I truly don't know what to say to you anymore."

In the end, Song Jixin pointed at himself and said with a self-deprecating chuckle, "Even someone who's as foul-mouthed and mean-hearted as me understands the need to take stock of the situation and act appropriately."

Chen Dui hesitated for a moment before replying, "It was a case of like charges repelling each other. I'm also a martial artist, and to be completely honest with you, I've always looked down on fellow martial artists from Eastern Treasured Vial Continent. Of course, I was eventually proven incorrect. Very incorrect."

Song Jixin was slightly astonished, and he said, "You're a fairly realistic person."

"If a martial artist doesn't acknowledge someone's strength, then what else can they acknowledge?" Chen Dui replied indifferen...