Cordial
Xiao froze up, his eyes staring directly at the translucent ocular globes of Elder Chengzhe, who was just looking back at him with a most mild expression, his mouth forming what could be seen as some sort of silent 'welp'.
The crimson-eyed youth swallowed his saliva and slowly looked over his shoulder, this minuscule movement still nearly caused his head to brush up against that of the one behind him.
Instinctively recoiling back, Xiao suppressed a most unmanly yelp of fear.
"Oh! It- It's you!" he said.
"It is me indeed, I haven't run into you since last time, I was fearing that you were avoiding me… But surely not, right? Do you perhaps still hold animosity toward me for our first meeting? Mmh?" despite the step back he took, Xiao was still within reach of Anoteros's long arm, and a hand came falling down on his shoulder.
"Well… Hum… That first meeting was indeed somewhat upsetting, but I really am not good at holding grudges, I forget easily…" Xiao spoke the truth, although he had not literally forgotten the incident, he had certainly forgotten to be mad about it since he had healed the injuries and done lots of other things since then "...And as for the sword, we already made a bet concerning it, so I can't really be mad about this either"
Edrick's expression nearly visibly dropped, Xiao was no fun, he had expected a bit more compatibility and a desire for vengeance, but this guy had really just been living his life and not thinking about it at all, honestly, that was rather impressive, this guy might be something of an idiot, or he might just be a saint.
"Huh…" Anoteros smiled, since trying to ignite any rage seemed like a plan destined to fail miserably, he might as well just converse with his target.
"By the way, I introduced myself as Edrick Lucien Anoteros last time, but that isn't the name that I was granted by my parents" it felt weird to somehow speak a statement that was simultaneously a lie and the truth at once "I am actually Zixuan Elt"
"Heh?"
"Is something the matter?"
"No, not at all! I just wasn't aware that I was speaking with a true born noble scion of such a renowned clan!" Xiao tried to bow as a sign of respect but Edrick just motioned for him not to.
"No need for all that, I was just making you aware of who I am, you had probably assumed that I was a foreigner for bearing such a name, but deception would not be too good between two disciples of the same sect, right?"
"I suppose so… I had heard from Elder Gang that a member of the Elt family was a special disciple, but I hadn't made the link…"
"No need to dwell on such subjects of the past, now you know who I am, so may I know who you are in a more official manner?" spoke Anoteros, his disposition not seeming to change at all, but Xiao felt like the man before him knew something that he shouldn't for a split second.
"Be careful Xiao, the Elt are a rather nasty sort, well, at least they were when I was alive back then… But this guy in particular is quite something, my phantomatic state is greatly reducing me, but I can tell that he is a most refined fighter, he knows how to project intent and the likes without any need for special techniques- Or in other words, he is very charismatic and knows it"
"Don't trust your instincts too much with this guy, he knows exactly how to trigger it" the old man was warning Xiao, but he definitely sounded very impressed, that wasn't the sort of skills one would expect from such a young man.
Indeed, anyone could potentially wield that sort of charisma, but it tended to take some time to master it like this, so only the old tended to possess it.
The crimson-eyed youth did not respond to his master and instead focused on the conversation at hand.
"I am Xiao, I come from a little village tucked away in some woods of Leynlornd" he responded casually, if anything, Xiao was always a good actor when it mattered most.
Edrick didn't press the matter, it was obvious that Xiao would neither cough up the status of the protagonist as the heir to an old figure, or the fact that he was actually from another world and had taken possession of this body, perhaps he would if he knew that Edrick was also from another world.
Though they were probably from different worlds as he did not recognise the name of Edrick Lucien Anoteros at all, or perhaps he just couldn't be bothered to watch the news.
"I was wondering what was the significance of that sword anyways, is it precious to you? I kept it, but I must admit that I do not see any value in that weapon"
"It… It's a family heirloom of some sorts, I guess, it has emotional value at the very least"
"Mmh…" Anoteros pointed to the poster depicting the dark sasquatch "...Are you planning on hunting it down? I hear that it has been causing a lot of trouble, I have been trying to find it myself, but it's like the hairy bastard avoids me, whenever it strikes, I am on the total opposite side of the woods" laughed Edrick.
"I am much too weak to be thinking of hunting that beast down, I heard that many groups and some rather strong individuals were taken out by it, I am neither powerful and am all alone, so although the bounty is more than alluring, I'll have to leave it to others until I train enough"
Xiao knew that normally, a protagonist saying this sort of thing would trigger a flag and cause them to somehow have to fight it anyways and have to find a solution to defeat the creature, but this wasn't a fictional world, if he didn't go into the woods, it wouldn't be his problem.
"Though, I do wonder why none of my seniors in the inner and core sect have taken up the challenge?"
"They knew that the creature is too cunning to show itself before those that are more powerful than it is, as simple as that, the sasquatch may be powerful, but it is its intellect that truly puts it apart from the rest of its kind, I heard some say that it might have found out how to cultivate and that's how it became so intelligent, but who knows, heh?"
Edrick shook his head and slapped Xiao on the back, causing the young man to nearly lose all the air on his lungs.
"If you aren't busy then, why don't we hang out in between men?"
"Huh?"
"I know a bar with a lot of nice girls, I'll pay for you as apology for our first encounter…"