The once talkative short person had suddenly grown quiet as Xuan Yi descended the stairs and made his way across the establishment's ground level.
With a mocking smile, Xuan Yi glanced at them, scoffed, and settled down at a nearby table.
"Prepare a delightful breakfast for us," he called out to the waiter, who had been lurking nearby.
Meanwhile, the cashier stood in the path of the group, desperately pleading with the mercenaries to spare the inn. It appeared that she was the owner of the establishment.
"If you would be so kind, sir, please allow us to temporarily accommodate our two guests. Once their stay is over, you can handle them as you see fit elsewhere. Our humble inn cannot afford a large-scale conflict," the cashier pleaded.
The enormous man, breathing heavily like a dragon, forcefully shoved the cashier aside and strode a few steps forward.
In the meantime, the waiter cautiously approached with a tray of food, his hand trembling violently.
With a quick "forgive me", he clumsily placed the tray on the table before hastily retreating. He neglected to transfer the soup bowl from the tray to the table and left the spilled contents, caused by his trembling hand, unattended.
Observing his surroundings, Xuan Yi realized that the tall individual had not returned. It was possible that they were either severely injured or had the wisdom to stay away.
That person, in truth, had been relatively innocent, merely listening and questioning without spreading falsehoods. Perhaps Xuan Yi had been too harsh on that person. If that person had shown up, he might have set aside his pride and offered them solace.
However, the stubborn short person and their companions continued to brew lies like a renowned alchemist concocting divine potions and pills.
Casually, Tian Wei and Xuan Yi picked up their chopsticks and pulled the bowls closer to them.
"If we're going to fight, we might as well do it on a full stomach," Xuan Yi remarked mockingly as he sipped his soup. "Or perhaps, if you let, we can let bygones be bygones."
The burly man grew increasingly irritated, his anger visibly boiling within him. Interpreting his reaction and body language, the other mercenaries silently received the unspoken command.
All of them swiftly lunged towards Xuan Yi like speeding darts. However, Xuan Yi remained unresponsive, seemingly oblivious to the world around him.
He leisurely slurped the noodles, savoring their taste, his eyes closed and his eyebrows raised in delight.
As the swords approached inches away from Xuan Yi, who appeared completely unconcerned, Tian Wei furrowed his brow. It seemed that Xuan Yi had no intention of reacting and was instead waiting for him.
Tian Wei felt used since it was Xuan Yi who had caused this trouble in the first place and should have been the one to deal with the trouble he brought. Moreover, he knew Xuan Yi possessed enough strength to deal with the assailants himself.
A brilliant golden shield materialized, forming an impenetrable and translucent barrier.
The mercenaries' attack landed with a jarring impact, causing their swords to vibrate and sending a shockwave up their arms.
"True Form!" they exclaimed in unison as they leaped backward, their faces filled with astonishment.
"You...y-y-you...y-you," the short person stammered, staggering and ultimately falling to the ground.
They had never anticipated that Xuan Yi and Tian Wei had reached such heights of cultivation, as Xuan Yi had refrained from using his qi the previous day. They had only assumed that Xuan Yi might have been at the later stages of Energy Gathering.
"It seems you chose to fight rather than let 'be bygones'," Xuan Yi remarked with a disapproving click of his tongue.
With Tian Wei's True Form phase, he had indeed rattled them to their core, instilling fear within them. Xuan Yi's phase of Tempered Bones would not have had such a profound effect.
The mercenaries contemplated fleeing, but Xuan Yi had other plans. He believed it was best to confront one's enemies when they were gripped by fear, particularly when dealing with despicable individuals.
"It's too late to change your mind now," Xuan Yi declared, and with a swift motion, he sent them all hurtling through the air, propelling them out of the inn one by one as if they were mere scraps of paper.
Even the burly man in whom they had placed their confidence to effortlessly defeat the duo couldn't hold his ground against Xuan Yi. Despite having tempered his veins as well, which had given him his initial confidence, he proved to be nothing more than a mere mound of flesh before Xuan Yi.
Xuan Yi was no ordinary Tempered Phase cultivator. The recent trials he had faced had hardened him and propelled his growth by leaps and bounds.
Moreover, unlike these mercenaries from impoverished backgrounds, he had enjoyed the best money could buy during his upbringing, receiving nourishing potions and herbal baths that enhanced his strength.
Returning to the table with a faint smile, Xuan Yi finished his noodles while Tian Wei sighed heavily.
"We have attracted enough attention. This place no longer provides us with any cover. It's time to leave," Tian Wei breathed. Xuan Yi nodded, a touch of despondency evident in his expression. This place indeed longer offered camouflage.
Having settled their bill the night before, which had included the cost of their breakfast, they prepared to depart from the inn.
As they stepped onto the semi-crowded street, not far away, they noticed a man fanning his face.
He possessed a flawless physique and was handsomely adorned, with his hair styled in intricate locks. Nonchalantly reclining on one of the merchant's stands, he chewed on something while one arm propped up his head.
Clad in opulent white robes that revealed his chest, he exuded an air of affluence and beauty.
"I thought you would never come out," he remarked, his gaze shifting to Tian Wei and Xuan Yi. With each wave of his fan, a gentle, sweet fragrance of spring filled the air.