After Zhao Wuji went upstairs, the atmosphere in the hotel lobby grew even more delicate.
Ma Hongjun, who had earlier stood up for Dai Mubai, had already fled, leaving Dai Mubai standing there awkwardly, momentarily at a loss for words.
Tang San and Xiao Wu wanted to smooth things over, but neither of them knew what to say.
Ning Rongrong, on the other hand, watched everyone with great interest, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"Aren't you hungry?"
"Why is everyone standing? Sit down."
Bai Mu acted as if nothing had happened. He called over the waiter and ordered a few more dishes.
He gestured for everyone to take their seats, then looked at the stiff Dai Mubai and asked casually, "Will Young Master Dai join us as well?"
Dai Mubai's expression froze. He wanted to stubbornly refuse.
But when he met Bai Mu's half-smiling gaze—and the glance from Zygarde beside him—he decisively followed his instincts.
Subconsciously, he chose the seat farthest from Bai Mu and Zhu Zhuqing, which happened to be the most distant corner.
Once the food and wine were served, Bai Mu took the initiative to raise his glass.
"It's a rare reunion. Let's have a drink first."
Tang San and Oscar raised their glasses in response, followed by the three girls.
Though unwilling, Dai Mubai saw everyone else drinking and could only down a glass sullenly as well.
After a few glasses of juice, the atmosphere finally eased a little.
"Bai Mu, we parted so hastily last time in Suotuo City that we never had a proper chance to talk," Tang San said. "Where have you been these past few days?"
"I went to Heaven Dou Imperial City."
Bai Mu picked up a piece of meat and replied casually, "I attended a large auction and bought quite a few things."
As he spoke, he took several pieces of metal ore in different colors out of his bracelet and pushed them in front of Tang San.
"Here. I remember you're very skilled at blacksmithing, Little San, and you can also craft all kinds of hidden weapons. These are for you."
"Deep Sea Sinking Silver, Dust Steel… these are far too precious…"
Tang San hurriedly tried to refuse.
Many of these rare metals were worth a thousand catties each. Together, they were worth at least over a hundred thousand gold coins.
"What's so precious about them?"
Bai Mu waved his hand. "Just think of it as an investment. When you can craft hidden weapons capable of killing hundred-year or even thousand-year spirit beasts in the future, just give me a couple to play with."
It wasn't that he was unusually generous. He simply remembered that in the original story, there was a spirit beast called the Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger.
That creature's Life and Death Arena could force both sides to revert to six-year-old children for a one-on-one duel.
Just in case, having a few hidden weapons for self-defense would be a good idea.
"Then… thank you very much."
Tang San's eyes lit up slightly. He no longer refused and carefully put the materials away.
He truly did need high-quality metals to attempt crafting higher-tier hidden weapons, and these materials had come at exactly the right time.
"Bai Mu, if you went to the Heaven Dou auction…" Ning Rongrong suddenly asked, "did you see my father?"
"I did."
Bai Mu nodded. "Not only did I see School Master Ning, I also met Bone Douluo."
"Grandpa Bone was there too?"
Ning Rongrong's eyes brightened. She asked cautiously, "Did they say anything to you?"
"Of course."
Bai Mu glanced at her, the smile on his face deepening.
"Uncle Ning invited me to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. He said he'd have the two seniors—Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo—take me as their disciple. He also said… that I should get closer to you."
The moment these words were spoken, everyone at the table reacted differently.
"Two Titled Douluos taking you as a disciple?"
Tang San was genuinely surprised. Up until now, he hadn't even met a single Titled Douluo, yet Bai Mu had already gained their favor on their first meeting.
"This kind of treatment… is terrifying," Oscar said enviously, feeling like crying.
He was the first food-system spirit master in the Douluo Continent with innate full spirit power—yet no great sect had ever tried to recruit him like this.
Dai Mubai grew restless. His gaze occasionally drifted toward Bai Mu and Zhu Zhuqing, his fists clenched tightly under the table until his knuckles turned white.
If he had two Titled Douluo teachers, he would no longer be shackled by that damned fate.
Zhu Zhuqing tightened her grip on her wine glass.
Xiao Wu's eyes flickered. If Bai Mu truly had Titled Douluo teachers, wouldn't her own secret be exposed sooner or later?
"Really? Did Dad actually say that?"
A faint blush appeared on Ning Rongrong's face, but her eyes sparkled with excitement.
She already had a good impression of Bai Mu—handsome, powerful, and possessing peerless talent. Aside from being a bit of a playboy, he was practically flawless.
If she could recruit Bai Mu into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, even if she had to sacrifice a bit of "personal happiness" and accept a few more genius sisters as sect-protecting elders, she would be willing.
Thinking about it that way, having a few extra sisters didn't seem unacceptable at all.
Bai Mu took in everyone's reactions and smiled faintly.
"But I refused."
"What?"
"You refused?"
"Why would you refuse?"
Everyone was stunned. Ning Rongrong immediately grew anxious.
"Did my dad offend you somehow? I'll write to him right now and make him apologize to you in person next time!"
"School Master Ning and the others were indeed very enthusiastic," Bai Mu said with a slight smile. "But this is a major decision and can't be rushed. I'll hunt for a spirit ring first and think it over carefully."
He strictly followed the 'three no's' principle—no initiative, no refusal, no responsibility—while waiting for the perfect opportunity to join.
"That's good, then…"
Ning Rongrong finally let out a sigh of relief.
The conversation soon shifted to cultivation.
Bai Mu looked at Tang San and asked casually, "By the way, Little San, about the Ultimate Poison path I suggested before—what did the Grandmaster say? Does he support it?"
"Teacher carefully analyzed the feasibility and thinks it's worth trying," Tang San replied seriously. "He said he hadn't thought it through completely before and failed to account for my self-created spirit abilities and poison techniques."
"Hadn't thought it through completely?"
Bai Mu raised an eyebrow. "Why does the Grandmaster always fail to think things through?"
He paused, as if suddenly remembering something.
"By the way, doesn't he always say 'there are no trash spirits, only trash spirit masters'? Has he broken through Rank 30 yet?"
Tang San's expression stiffened. "Uh… not yet."
"His progress is… a bit slow."
Bai Mu shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of pity.
"I have Rank 1 innate spirit power, and I rose forty ranks in six years. I'm about to obtain my fourth spirit ring."
"The Grandmaster has Rank 0.5 innate spirit power, and after all these years… he hasn't even risen a single rank."
"He even said he'd guide me to break through to Spirit Grandmaster back then, but now I'm actually about to break through to Spirit Elder."
The words sounded casual, but each sentence cut sharply.
Tang San opened his mouth, wanting to defend his teacher, but found he didn't know where to begin.
His teacher was excellent in many ways—but when it came to cultivation, expectations had always been low, and reality had proven them right.
Seeing the timing was right, Bai Mu smoothly changed the subject.
"By the way, Little San, do you remember what I mentioned before?"
"What?" Tang San asked, startled—then suddenly realized.
He glanced around and, seeing that there weren't many people in the lobby, said cautiously, "Are you talking about… the spirit bone?"
Though Bai Mu had sounded sincere at the time, Tang San hadn't truly taken it seriously.
After all, it was a nearly ten-thousand-year spirit bone—extremely rare and valuable. It would be perfectly reasonable for Bai Mu to keep it for himself.
"Yeah. Are you done eating? If so, let's go upstairs and talk."
Bai Mu glanced around. With other diners present, this wasn't the place for such a discussion.
With that, he stood up and went upstairs.
Dai Mubai hesitated for a moment before shamelessly following along.
He wanted to see whether Bai Mu was truly so generous as to give away a nearly ten-thousand-year spirit bone.
Second floor, Tang San's room.
"Didn't I say I'd give you a spirit bone, Tang San? I already prepared it."
Bai Mu took out a special jade box from his storage ring and carefully placed it on the table.
"This… is far too precious. A nearly ten-thousand-year spirit bone—I really can't accept it."
Tang San stared at the jade box, his breathing unconsciously quickening.
"Spirit bones are a matter of fate."
Bai Mu shook his head. "In my hands, this spirit bone is just wasted. In yours, it can unleash value far beyond its age."
As he spoke, he flipped open the jade box.
Shua—
An emerald-green light burst forth, accompanied by a cold, eerie aura of death.
Inside lay a right arm bone, entirely jade-green, with dark green liquid faintly flowing within it.
"This is a toxic right arm bone dropped by an eight-thousand-year Death Demon Snake."
"After absorbing it, aside from enhancing your physique, it will also strengthen the toxicity of your spirit."
Bai Mu introduced it slowly, a mysterious smile on his face.
What he didn't say was that this spirit bone would subtly alter a spirit master's spirit—
Adding an affinity with death, isolating it from life itself.