Simultaneous traversal: All Abyss difficulty.

Chapter 736 Double Monthly Tickets Activated, Fifth Update Requesting Monthly Tickets

Downstairs in a corner, a newly cleaned square table held several freshly served dishes, their steam barely dispelling the burnt smell from upstairs.

Fang Yu picked up a large piece of glistening braised pork and stuffed it into his mouth, his cheeks bulging as he ate, his mouth dripping with oil.

He raised his eyelids and glanced at the white-bearded old man who had just sat down opposite him.

"Hey, I was so busy eating I forgot to introduce myself." Fang Yu mumbled, downing his drink in one gulp, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Fang Yu, just a wandering cultivator making a living, traveling the world. And you, sir? You look familiar. What's your name?"

He spoke casually, as if he hadn't been the one who had just killed several people upstairs in a flash.

The old man's face was still showing signs of shock. Upon hearing this, he quickly picked up his wine cup and said cautiously, "I am Xiang Tian, ​​and... well, I am just a rogue cultivator without any sect or school, barely making ends meet." His voice trembled slightly, but his eyes were lowered, not daring to meet Fang Yu's gaze, which seemed to penetrate one's heart.

"Oh?" Fang Yu let out a short chuckle, put down his wine glass, leaned forward slightly, and stared at Xiang Tian with eyes that contained the ripples of reincarnation. A playful, roguish smile appeared on his face. "Master Xiang? Hey, a rogue cultivator? Doesn't seem like it, does it?"

He tapped his fingers lightly on the greasy tabletop, making a soft, rhythmic sound. Every word carried a knowing, mocking tone: "You've been wandering around this world for quite some time now, haven't you? At least two thousand years, right? Didn't you ever try to find a major sect to join you for a peaceful and quiet life? This life of hiding and playing the fool, tsk tsk, isn't it exhausting?"

Xiang Tian's "fear" froze instantly, his hand holding the wine glass stopped in mid-air, and a sharp glint flashed deep in his cloudy eyes, as if a sleeping dragon had been suddenly awakened.

He abruptly looked up, staring intently at Fang Yu's excessively young face. His voice suddenly deepened, carrying a hint of barely suppressed surprise and probing:
"Who exactly are you? Do you know who I am?!" This question was extremely abrupt, completely out of place with his previous disguise as an old, rogue cultivator.

Fang Yu simply leaned back lazily in his chair, picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a peanut, and popped it into his mouth, chewing it with a crunching sound.

He grinned, his smile still roguish, but his eyes turned cold, carrying a hint of impatience.

"Say it or don't, it's up to you." He waved his hand casually. "I don't like people putting on an act in front of me, especially when it's so awful."

He picked up the wine jug and refilled his glass, his tone turning cold and direct: "Alright, if you don't want to reveal your real name or anything, then let's not waste our time. Consider this meal... well, a chance encounter in the martial world, a chance meeting. Enjoy your meal, and after we finish, we'll go our separate ways. Garbage dump!"

After Fang Yu finished speaking, he stopped looking at him and focused on the dishes in front of him. His chopsticks flew as he ate, oblivious to everyone else, as if the subtly pointed conversation had never happened.

Only the clatter of bowls and chopsticks and the sound of Fang Yu chewing remained on the table, and the atmosphere instantly plummeted to freezing point.

Xiang Tian watched the young man before him, who ate with a carefree yet insightful expression. His fingers tightened slightly around his wine glass. After a long silence, a complex glint flashed in his cloudy eyes, as if he had made a decision. Finally, he spoke again, his voice deep and clear, without any pretense:

"Enough. I am Xiang Zhili, a disciple of Huangfeng Valley." He paused, meeting Fang Yu's suddenly raised, scrutinizing gaze, and forced a smile that seemed more like helplessness. "However, now I am just an old man wandering outside, barely maintaining the Qi Refining stage."

"Qi Refining stage?" Fang Yu raised an eyebrow, as if he had heard something interesting, and the roguish smile on his lips returned.

He picked up the wine bowl, gulped down half of it, wiped the wine stains from his mouth with his sleeve, leaned forward, and stared intently at Xiang Zhili. "Hey, whether you cultivate Qi or not, it doesn't matter!" He waved his hand, his movements exuding a reckless air. "Old man, I'll just ask you one question: I want to enter Huangfeng Valley, do you have any connections? Show me the way!"

Xiang Zhili's fingers tightened suddenly as he gripped the wine glass!
His cloudy eyes instantly sharpened like a hawk's, as if he wanted to see through Fang Yu inside and out.

The terrifying lightning magic just now, those eerie demonic eyes that contained the meaning of reincarnation—how could that a mere Qi Refining cultivator who wanted to enter the realm of cultivation possibly possess such power?
He slowly set down his wine glass, his voice deep and serious, carrying an indescribable air of scrutiny and wariness:
"Path? Huangfeng Valley has its own entry methods." He paused, his gaze pressing down on Fang Yu with a tangible weight. "I'd like to ask you first, young friend, why you insist on joining my Huangfeng Valley? With your abilities," he carefully chose his words, his tone probing, "the lightning techniques you just displayed have reached a high level! In my humble opinion, your true cultivation is probably no less than the Core Formation realm! What is the purpose of such a person going to my Huangfeng Valley?"

In the midst of this tense and awkward silence, a grand yet somewhat mocking thought exploded like thunder in the depths of Fang Yu's mind without warning!

[Hmph! Core Formation stage? A mere five hundred years of lifespan is nothing compared to your foundation of three ginseng fruits, enough to make you 'live as long as the heavens'! A mere drop in the ocean!]

This thought came abruptly, like a thunderbolt, instantly stunning Fang Yu!

Fang Yu subconsciously asked himself, "Wait... what ginseng fruit? When did I ever eat that?!"

Before he could finish his question, the vast consciousness in his mind receded rapidly like a tide, leaving no trace. Only Fang Yu remained, his mouth half-open, the question stuck in his throat, his eyes wide, looking like a dumb goose suddenly grabbed by the neck, frozen in his seat.

“Young friend? Young friend?” Xiang Zhili waved his hand in front of Fang Yu, then convinced himself, “Fine, if you really want to join Huangfeng Valley, I can tell you that as long as you obtain the Ascension Token or pass the sect’s trial, you can enter. Of course, whether it’s the Ascension Token or the sect trial, Huangfeng Valley will give you a Foundation Establishment Pill.”

"Hmm, as expected of a major sect, it's truly different." Fang Yu remarked, then followed up, "Well then, thank you in advance, Senior Brother Xiang. Also, does Senior Brother know how to ascend to the Spirit Realm?"

Xiang Zhili laughed when asked, "Young friend, how can you become fat in one bite? Asking me, a Qi Refining stage cultivator, about matters beyond ascension is pointless."

Fang Yu sighed, "Pretending to be a Qi Refining cultivator when you're only at the Nascent Soul stage, you're used to playing dumb to get ahead. Alright, waiter! Check, please!"

He slammed the spirit stone on the table and waved to Xiang Zhili, who was staring in shock. "See you in Huangfeng Valley in a few days, Senior Brother Xiang."

Xiang Zhili swallowed hard. "See you next time!"

(End of this chapter)