Simultaneous traversal: All Abyss difficulty.

Chapter 740 Entering Yellow Maple Valley
Blasted!

It exploded again!
The area in front of the Yellow Maple Valley gate was shrouded in an almost frozen, deathly silence.

The smoke and dust had not completely dissipated, and the air was filled with a strong, acrid smell mixed with strange psychic energy.

Whether they were the proud and arrogant holders of the Ascension Tokens in their fine robes or the simple-dressed, hopeful trial disciples, they were all fixed on the same point of focus: Fang Yu, the boy in plain clothes standing in front of the second pile of spirit-testing stone slag.

"It exploded again?!"

"My God! What kind of monstrous talent is this?!"

"A spirit-testing stone that never breaks after a thousand years, yet it shatters the moment he touches it?!"

"Could it be... could he be the reincarnation of some ancient ferocious beast? His brute strength even caused the immortal stone to explode?"

"Bullshit! Look at his physique! He's clearly just too talented! Even the spirit-testing stone can't contain the terrifying potential within him!"

The composure of the scions of noble families vanished, and the tension of the poor scholars was replaced by an even greater shock, leaving only a shared, incomprehensible horror.

The inner disciple in charge of the test was pale as a ghost, his body trembling like a leaf. He looked at Fang Yu as if he were looking at a walking demon. He had just accepted the spirit stones from the other party, and now he felt that the spirit stones were burning hot.

"quiet!!"

The elder's stern shout trembled slightly, and his earlier self-comfort of "long-neglected" was ruthlessly crushed by the stark reality before him.

He appeared in front of Fang Yu in a flash, his face so solemn it could drip water, his sharp gaze fixed on Fang Yu as if trying to see right through him.

"Boy! What...what's your name? Where are you from?" The elder's voice was filled with undisguised surprise and doubt. He couldn't understand what was happening before his eyes at all. He didn't even care about his demeanor and suddenly reached out and grabbed Fang Yu's wrist!
Fang Yu frowned slightly, but did not resist, letting the other person's strong fingers grip his pulse point.

A stream of pure spiritual energy flowed through the elder's fingers and into Fang Yu's body, like the finest comb, attempting to unravel the mysteries of Fang Yu's cultivation level.

However, this investigation only deepened the elder's expression of surprise and doubt, and his brows furrowed into a knot.

"Peak of Qi Refining stage?! This... how is this possible?!" the elder exclaimed in a low voice, his voice filled with a sense of absurdity.

The spiritual energy fluctuations he sensed were clearly at the peak of the Qi Refining stage. Although they were somewhat solid, they could not possibly trigger such a violent reaction from the spirit-testing stones, let alone cause two of them to explode!

It's like an ordinary child casually waving his hand and causing two mountains made of steel to collapse—it doesn't make any logical sense at all!
"Strange! Strange! This body, this vitality." The elder's fingers rubbed Fang Yu's wrist bone. He could vaguely feel that Fang Yu's body contained an unimaginable, terrifying life force, like a vast ocean, far exceeding any Qi Refining stage cultivator. It even gave him the illusion of facing the essence of a thousand-year-old tree.

But he was completely unable to ascertain the source and nature of this vitality, like viewing flowers through a fog, leaving him only with shock and bewilderment.

"Elder, are you done checking? I still need to save this hand for making a living." Fang Yu, having been touched for a while, impatiently pulled his wrist away, his face still showing that nonchalant expression, as if he wasn't the one who had just blown up two of the treasures that guarded the valley.

The elder was speechless, his face turning pale and then red. He was about to reprimand him when he was interrupted by a dignified voice tinged with surprise.

"Oh? What's all this commotion?" A streak of azure light descended, revealing a middle-aged cultivator with a square face and an imposing presence, dressed in the robes of a core elder of Yellow Maple Valley. This was none other than Elder Li Huayuan, a Core Formation stage cultivator.
His gaze was like lightning, immediately landing on the two piles of spirit-testing stone remnants and the bewildered elder who was holding Fang Yu's wrist. Finally, his gaze settled on Fang Yu.

Just one glance!
Li Huayuan's deep eyes suddenly flashed with a terrifying light!

It's like discovering a rare and precious treasure!
"Hiss!" He gasped, muttering unconsciously, "Excellent! Excellent! Excellent talent! Excellent aptitude! Like a vast, unfathomable ocean! A prodigy! A once-in-a-millennium prodigy!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it exploded in everyone's ears like thunder! Even the presiding elder was stunned. Elder Li was a Core Formation stage expert with incredibly sharp eyes; how could he possibly praise this troublemaker so highly?

Li Huayuan's eyes gleamed with interest, completely disregarding the two piles of rock fragments. He waved his hand, and his authoritative voice resounded throughout the entire area:
"This lad is extraordinary! From this day forward, he shall become a disciple of Li Huayuan, a disciple without formal recognition!"

These words caused an uproar! A nominal disciple?! Personally accepted as a nominal disciple by a Core Formation Elder?!

This is practically instant success!
Countless envious, jealous, and awe-inspiring gazes instantly focused on Fang Yu.

The presiding elder also released Fang Yu's wrist, his face full of complex emotions, including relief, envy, and a hint of confusion—what exactly did Elder Li see?
After Li Huayuan finished speaking, he seemed to feel that the matter had been settled, and turned to leave.

"and many more!"

A clear, slightly roguish voice suddenly rang out, shattering the atmosphere of envy and jealousy that had just begun to rise.

It was Fang Yu!

He showed none of the excitement or fear that other disciples felt when chosen by a master. Instead, like a vendor haggling in a market, he stepped forward, casually extended his palm towards Li Huayuan's back, and asked with righteous indignation:
"Master, what about the apprenticeship ceremony? Empty words don't count!"

"hiss--!"

This time, the entire audience gasped in unison!
All the disciples, including the presiding elder, nearly popped their eyes out!
Is this kid crazy?! He actually dares to ask a Core Formation stage elder for a discipleship gift?! And so bluntly at that?!

Li Huayuan abruptly stopped in his tracks, his back seemingly stiffening for a moment.

He slowly turned around, his face showing no anger whatsoever, but rather an extremely strange expression, his eyes filled with surprise, scrutiny, and a hint of amusement.

He looked Fang Yu up and down, staring at the outstretched hand and the matter-of-fact, even somewhat mercenary expression on his face, which was completely different from the image of his disciple who had been overwhelmed by such a huge surprise.

"Hahaha! Good! Good lad! You've got guts!" Li Huayuan suddenly burst into a hearty laugh, tinged with a touch of novelty. He pointed at Fang Yu, "I've seen countless disciples, but you're the first one as audacious and honest as me!"

His laughter subsided, but his eyes gleamed even brighter. It seemed that Fang Yu's mercenary behavior was more to his liking, or perhaps it further confirmed his judgment that Fang Yu was extraordinary.

"Alright! Since you've spoken, I can't be stingy! Here you go!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Huayuan flicked his sleeve, and two streaks of light shot out, flying precisely towards Fang Yu!

Fang Yu's eyes lit up, and without any hesitation, he grabbed it in his hand!

You'll get two different things!
An ancient, cyan jade slip, with the faint sword marks of the two characters "Qingyuan" on it, exudes a sharp and resilient aura—it is the "Qingyuan Sword Manual" that Li Huayuan is the main practitioner of!
A delicate white jade bottle, through which two round pills, each the size of a longan and radiating astonishing spiritual energy, can be vaguely seen—the Foundation Establishment Pills that countless low-level cultivators dream of!

And they gave two at a time!
Fang Yu weighed the jade slip and jade bottle in his hand, and finally a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

The next sentence nearly caused everyone, including Li Huayuan, to crash into a pillar.

He said to the elder in charge of recruitment, "These two Foundation Establishment Pills are not the same as the one given as an entry reward! Don't erase them for me!"

(End of this chapter)