Oh, so the man thinks he's got a read on the Wanderer now, does he? Well, acting in contrary to that would be one way to defy the cultivator's expectations, but he's not petty enough to do so. Nor does he necessarily care to play into his expectations. Instead, he decides to be honest about his motivations.

"Just a few minutes of interacting with me and you think you know how I'll act? That's a good one," he chuckles, none of the edge and condescension previously evident in his voice. "I could laugh at your arrogance. But I'm feeling nice now, so I won't. I was merely assessing your capabilities, that's all. Plus, your sniveling was getting on my nerves."

He shifts, dropping the threatening posturing for a more neutral, relaxed pose. He doesn't step back, but it's clear he's done menacing Shang Qinghua and is offering a return to safer waters, if the other man is so inclined.