Chapter 1746: Sloppy Old Man

Ye Zhangqing made no extra movements, after all he was now in the Guo Family; even if he wanted to flee, in his view the odds of success were low.

Let's take it step by step.

Sitting in the courtyard, alone in thought, the Immortal Realm's attitude toward these Lower Realm newcomers was still unclear, so Ye Zhangqing hesitated to make a random judgment.

With nothing to do, Ye Zhangqing simply took some Star Beast Meat from his Space Ring and started grilling.

He also warmed a pot of wine, drinking freely, and felt quite content.

The Space Ring had not been confiscated, so the Guo Family's true attitude remained unclear.

While grilling the meat, he pondered what to do next.

Let's see what happens after meeting the Guo Family Elder tomorrow, then we'll decide.

Soon the meat skewers were ready; Ye Zhangqing picked one up, had just taken a bite, when a surprised voice suddenly came from the courtyard.

"Not bad, little guy, you're in good spirits."

"Huh???"

Faced with this sudden voice, Ye Zhangqing startled, turned toward the sound, and saw an old man appear in the courtyard at some unknown time.

The old man wore a gray robe, but he gave off a disheveled impression.

His hair was messy, his beard clearly untrimmed for a long time, and his gray robe was wrinkled.

But Ye Zhangqing was more concerned that the old man had appeared out of nowhere without him noticing at all.

He hadn't detected when the old man appeared, and felt no aura from him, let alone could determine his cultivation level.

Without doubt, the old man's cultivation was far above his own, and he was likely an existence beyond the Ancestor Realm.

Looking at the old man before him with a solemn gaze, Ye Zhangqing saw the old man respond with a familiar expression and plop down onto the stone bench opposite him.

"Kid, your grilled meat looks good, and this wine—just smelling it makes it seem delicious."

As he spoke, the old man had already picked up a skewer of grilled meat and begun eating it with relish.

He didn't care whether Ye Zhangqing agreed or not, acting as if his own enjoyment was all that mattered.

Seeing the old man's familiar demeanor, Ye Zhangqing frowned slightly, said nothing, and simply watched his every move in silence.

Under Ye Zhangqing's gaze, the skewer quickly disappeared into the old man's stomach; he then took a satisfying sip of wine and grinned.

"Hey, kid, your cooking skills are excellent; I haven't eaten such delicious food in ages—it rivals even the Immortal Realm's chefs."

"Are you a member of the Guo Family, Senior?"

Hearing that, Ye Zhangqing finally spoke; hearing his question, the old man, while eating, gave a vague reply.

"Sort of."

"Don't overthink it, kid; I, the old man, was just drawn here by the aroma, with no other intent and no ill will toward you."

The old man indeed had no malice, which Ye Zhangqing could sense; at least the man currently had no intention of attacking or harming him.

But what Ye Zhangqing cared about wasn't that, but the old man's identity.

After some indirect questioning, the old man only said he was an old servant of the Guo Family, having lived there since childhood and spent his whole life in the Guo Family.

As for the Guo Family's purpose in bringing Ye Zhangqing here, the old man shook his head and casually said.

"Who knows that? But you can probably guess yourself—there's no ill will."

"Since you're here, make the best of it; don't waste time on what you can't figure out—what else can you do anyway?"

"Come, have a drink with me, old man."

Saying that, the old man raised his cup and clinked it against Ye Zhangqing's.

Seeing that, Ye Zhangqing pondered a moment, then raised his cup and drained it in one gulp.

"Ah, good wine—you really know how to live, kid; your cooking skills are great, and the wine on you is also nice, haha."

After the wine went down, the old man comfortably belched; looking at him, he was no different from ordinary old folks.

After a day's labor, returning home and pouring two cups of water—indeed it is comfortable.

"As long as you like it, Senior."

Seeing the old man like that, Ye Zhangqing also smiled and replied.

Afterwards, the two drank and chatted casually, quickly closing the distance between them.

Ye Zhangqing took the opportunity to ask many things about the Guo Family.

Regarding Ye Zhangqing's purpose, the old man naturally understood it clearly, yet he didn't elaborate much; in response to Ye Zhangqing's questions, he still answered the minor matters.

For example, he spoke about the general situation of the Guo Family.

According to the old man, there are many powers in the Immortal Realm, and the situation is quite chaotic, just like the myriad realms.

As for the Guo Family's standing in the Immortal Realm, it's the sort that's neither high nor low.

Not enough to surpass the top, but more than enough to exceed the bottom; compared to the Immortal Realm's top powers, the Guo Family still has a large gap.

However, in the surrounding area, no one dares to provoke the Guo Family; it is a local hegemon.

Moreover, the Immortal Realm is far vaster than imagined; it is divided into nine provinces, each with an immeasurably vast area.

Having imparted some basic knowledge to Ye Zhangqing, the old man finished his drink, ate the last piece of grilled meat, and laughed.

"You kid are rather cautious, which is normal; after all, just arrived in the Immortal Realm, being careful is never wrong."

"But knowing these things is enough; no need to overthink them."

"Thank you, Senior."

Hearing that, Ye Zhangqing nodded in thanks, but the next second he asked about meeting the Guo Family Elder tomorrow.

Faced with Ye Zhangqing's sudden shift in topic, the old man laughed loudly.

"Haha, kid, you're just being overly cautious—just go see him; will the Guo Family Elder really eat people?"

"Junior's meaning is, what should we pay attention to?"

"Just do what needs to be done; why worry so much? Besides, if you worry, you'll find a way."

The old man seemed not to care about Ye Zhangqing's question at all; after he finished speaking, he got up by himself as usual, patting his belly as he spoke.

"I'm full, I'm full, so comfortable, kid, your craft is really not bad; if there's a chance later, come find me again, and remember to treat me to a meal then."

"Old man, I also won't eat your food for nothing; take this thing."

Saying that, the old man casually threw a wooden token over.

The wooden token was very simple; I felt no special aura on it, as if it were just a plain carved wooden token.

It was definitely not a treasure.

On the wooden token there was only a simple three-character inscription, and Ye Zhangqing didn't know what it meant.

But when he raised his head to look, the old man had already vanished, just as he had come, leaving silently again.

Faced with this presumptuous old man, Ye Zhangqing was also helpless, but he still carefully put away the wooden token.