Chapter 247: Brother Gu Yue, Brother Li, Nice to Meet You

Shi Huanyu Realm. A corner of the Celestial Palace.

Ju Chang remained silent; her third eye, riddled with intricate runes, cracked like ice, and the Heavenly Eye that discerned all origins suffered grievous injury—a thin streak of crimson split from her brow, its crimson roots spreading across her peerless face.

"Princess!" A celestial panicked, rushing forward to assist.

"No major harm." Ju Chang lightly dipped a fingertip in a drop of blood and placed it upon the translucent, crystal-like celestial crane beside her.

As the blood stained the crane, it spread its wings and flew toward her, condensing a golden light in its beak, placing a Jin Dan inscribed with countless Dao rhythms into her palm.

"Thankfully, I didn't probe further—this karmic weight is this severe." Ju Chang frowned, swallowed the pill, and fell into thought.

The watching immortals and gods fell silent.

Though the Taiqing Princess was not the strongest in the Shi Huanyu Realm outside the Immortal Emperor, she was the origin of the Heavenly Eye technique; they knew well how powerful this ability was—the one who forged it now suffered backlash.

Mi Yilong spoke: "That world seems full of secrets—should we seek the Immortal Emperor's guidance?"

Heavenly Dao artifacts imbued with various laws stirred even them, yet that world held many strange anomalies: pure spiritual stones with terrifying energy density, resurrection techniques wielded casually by non-immortals, and multiple appearances of time-law artifacts and individuals—all of low tier.

Too many inexplicable, bizarre things—also, the Immortal Emperor and deities of that world, its myths and legends, bore partial resemblance to ancient tales of the Shi Huanyu Realm.

"No." After healing her wound, Ju Chang's third eye glowed anew: "Continue."

The link still exists—since that heretic hasn't perished, we can keep probing!

She wanted to see what exactly that world was!

"Qu Brother! We've hit the jackpot!!!" Gao Sheng shook Qu Yanping's shoulder, exultant: "Odds of 1:10—we've made a killing!"

Qu Yanping hadn't recovered—he'd just emerged from backlash, yet was still stunned by the overwhelming power that could flatten an entire city.

Had there been no invisible barrier over the spectator seats, he would have turned to dust the instant the shockwave touched him.

What's going on? Earlier, when I scanned him, I sensed his strength—but this burst far exceeds what I perceived.

Of course—it's because every immortal from Liyue who enters the arena is both player and NPC; during the Simulation Universe, they simultaneously acclimate to new powers and receive temporary boosts from false energies, their rank and power aligned so they can fully manifest their immortal-level abilities in this world.

After the shockwave faded, Ah Qi lay sprawled on the ground in a star shape; the opponent even placed protective measures on him—otherwise, I'd be queuing for resurrection.

Who is he? Is he in the Jiuzhou No. 1 Group? Did someone bring their elder? Or is he an NPC of the Simulation Universe?

"Wasn't it agreed that no power above Immortal or God level is allowed in this tournament?!" Someone amplified his voice with magic: "Huangshan Zhenjun! Don't think aging fools me—I recognize you!!"

Ping Laolao turned to the voice's source and smiled warmly: "Oh? Isn't that Hanhai Zhenjun? I didn't see you when the Emperor taught the Dao—didn't expect you'd come too."

"I received word from overseas too late! I waited two days and nights atop Qingyun Peak for someone to retrieve items!" The robed man clutched his ticket, excited: "No! Don't change the subject! Why are you competing?! After thousands of years, who knows you're Ping Laolao!!"

Does he know he bet everything on that seemingly strong youngling?

At that moment, a Jiuzhou No. 1 Group cultivator who'd completed Liyue Immortal Court quests shouted:

"Liyue Immortal Court immortals? Why are immortals entering a competition?! Fixed match! Refund!!!"

"But this old woman hasn't broken any rules—I used power below Immortal level," Ping Laolao said calmly, her voice soft yet audible to all present: "The rules forbid power, not people."

"Exactly," Mr. Guangming held a stack of tickets in his left hand and a microphone in his right: "So no one's dodging payment—pay up, you little rascals! Hahahaha!!"

His words ignited the crowd.

"It's just like last season!"

"@! ￥%%@"

"Rigged!! Rigged!!"

"Refund! Refund! Refund!"

Amid the uproar, Gao Sheng dragged Qu Yanping swiftly to the redemption center.

"Qu Brother, you were right—we should bet on high odds!" Gao Sheng exclaimed: "Qu Brother, you're truly my lucky star. Come, today I treat you—let's feast properly."

Qu Yanping exchanged ten spiritual stones from a palace-dressed woman; staring at this fortune, he showed no great joy—this world's cultivation realm had nearly shattered his worldview.

Do immortals entering competitions happen often here? Don't they need to ascend to the Immortal Realm?

And what about that flute? What terrifying origin lies behind it? Merely hearing a fragment caused me massive backlash—if not for Mr. Guangming's presence, I'd be utterly annihilated.

Qu Yanping unconsciously touched his brow and eyes. Why did I even probe the origin of the Heavenly Dao artifact? Such curiosity is utterly inappropriate.

"Qu Brother? Still suffering backlash?" Gao Sheng asked, concerned.

"No, just still dazed," Qu Yanping offered an apologetic smile: "I've barely entered the world and already endured this—my master never warned me. As Mr. Guangming said, I'm still too green."

Gao Sheng smiled, about to speak, when a voice reached them.

"How can you say that? The eye technique praised by Mr. Guangming must have unique qualities—youthful ardor is merely necessary for growth."

The voice was gentle, yet carried the frosty elegance of a pine in snow.

Both turned to the speaker—he held a thick stack of tickets, clearly here to redeem, and judging by his pile, his wager was nearly equal to Kuang Dao Kuangdao Sanlang's.

He had jet-black hair like a waterfall, pale skin, eyes like portals to the deepest Nine Heavens, and a black robe adorned only with simple patterns.

Qu Yanping's gaze sharpened—this man was either a compulsive gambler with immense wealth, or someone with his own methods and resources; either way, he was no ordinary cultivator.

"Indeed. Anyone praised by Mr. Guangming is no mere mortal," Gao Sheng nodded in agreement: "I never expected Qu Brother to be so hidden—he's the thirteenth spectator to suffer backlash so severe that Mr. Guangming intervened. Admirable, truly."

"Gao Brother and this Daoist friend, please don't tease me," Qu Yanping smiled awkwardly; inwardly, he was tense—his technique had been identified by Mr. Guangming.

That man's status was extraordinary; being singled out by him would draw attention from many scheming parties.

Qu Yanping grew wary of both Gao Sheng and the black-haired, black-robed man, yet pondered whether revealing part of his uniqueness could gain him advantages—if he couldn't avoid this, better to maximize benefit.

"Your words are mistaken," the black-haired, black-robed man handed his tickets to a staff member, then spoke to Qu Yanping:

"Others suffered only minor backlash—this proves they saw nothing useful. But Qu Daoist, you've likely glimpsed traces."

"I believe many sects and factions have already taken interest in you."

Qu Yanping inwardly sighed—he'd planned for secrecy.

"Then are you the same?" Qu Yanping asked: "Forgive me—I only heard a phrase with no meaning, yet suffered severe backlash."

"You needn't tell us, Qu Daoist," the black-haired man smiled: "What you saw or heard can be sold to the Heavenly Dao Artifact Contest organizers or the Yuzhe Sect's Ancient Scholars' Study Group."

"The more complete the information, the greater its value—and the higher the price."

Qu Yanping paused, then raised his hand in thanks: "Thank you, Daoist."

This way, he could still gain a modest reward; the information the other party provided was indeed very useful.

"Twenty-one thousand spirit stones, please count them," said the staff member in a palace gown, smiling sweetly as she handed over a storage bag.

When Qu Yanping and Gao Sheng heard this number, their eyes widened in shock.

Qu Yanping even wondered: if he had had this much resource back in the Shi Huanyu Realm, why would he have remained a cultivator of evil? He could have bought the entire Qu family and pushed himself to the top with sheer wealth!

The black-haired, black-robed man took the storage bag without checking it, then held it up and said, "To be honest, I owe this windfall entirely to Brother Qu."

"Oh?" Qu Yanping looked puzzled.

The black-haired, black-robed man said, "I was standing behind the two of you in line, and overheard your conversation—so I pressured Old Ping. I never expected she was an immortal from the Lime Moon Immortal Court. Hehe."

Qu Yanping didn't believe this, but after thinking it over, he decided to play along.

"Then it's only because you have extraordinary courage. Who else but you would have such strength and daring?" Qu Yanping complimented.

"Hey, you up front—once you've claimed your prize, leave already. Can't you chat outside?" a woman behind them urged.

The three exchanged glances, smiled, and walked toward the arena's exit.

"Looks like this isn't the place to talk," said the black-haired, black-robed man, putting away the storage bag. "Today's earnings were quite substantial. Would you two honor me with a meal? Of course, it's on me."

'It seems he intends to befriend me.' This was the first time Qu Yanping had ever been approached for friendship by another cultivator—but he well understood the saying: "People fear fame, pigs fear becoming fat."

Still, accepting would let him gather plenty of information, accelerating his integration into this world—provided he stayed within the Dongtinghu region, where no cultivator may attack another.

"I've no objection. What about you, Brother Gao? Join us?" Qu Yanping naturally didn't forget the cultivator named Gao Sheng; his sect behind him seemed anything but ordinary.

"Very well, then I'll take advantage of Brother Qu's invitation," Gao Sheng laughed.

"Don't be so modest—I have many things I wish to ask Brother Gao." Qu Yanping smiled faintly, then suddenly adopted an alert expression and turned to the black-haired, black-robed man: "By the way, may I ask your name?"

"Oh dear, my apologies—I was impolite," said the black-haired, black-robed man, flashing a harmless smile and chuckling. "I am Fang Yuan of the Gu Yue Shanzhai, in the Southern Wastes. Pleased to meet you both."

"So you're a Gu Master from the Southern Wastes," Gao Sheng bowed with a grin. "I'm Gao Sheng of the Kongyun Sect. Brother Gu Yue, if I've done anything wrong, say it outright—just don't slip any poison into my food."

"Nonsense," Fang Yuan shook his head with a smile.

"The world misunderstands and holds prejudices against us Gu Masters—we never poison others lightly. The Village Rules are sacred to us."

"But isn't the Kongyun Sect the great sect of Elder Kuangdao Sanlang?"

Gao Sheng instantly looked embarrassed, scratching his head. "Forgive my clumsiness."

Was Elder Kuangdao Sanlang famous among cultivators? Not in a good way.

Seeing both men turn to him after their introductions, Qu Yanping spoke: "I am Qu Liyu. My apologies, both of you—I don't even know my sect's name. My master calls himself Tianmu Daoist; I know nothing else."

"Brother Qu has just entered the cultivator world," Gao Sheng explained for him. "Before this, he knew nothing of it. His master even gave him a pile of jade stones as spirit stones—likely an eccentric old sage."

Qu Yanping smiled helplessly, his eyes dimming slightly, his expression complex—as if he both loved and hated his master.

"This place," said Fang Yuan, stopping. "Sun God Roast Chain. All meat comes from ferocious beasts of the sea—excellent for body-refining cultivators or those needing to restore blood qi."

"Brother Gu Yue is truly thoughtful," Gao Sheng praised. "Brother Qu did suffer backlash and does need to restore blood qi—but the prices here…" He glanced at the price board at the entrance and hesitated. "Aren't they a bit too high?"

The cheapest Sea King roast was twenty spirit stones?!

"No matter. Today's earnings were substantial, and now I've met you two—double blessings, truly delightful," said Fang Yuan, stepping inside first. "I already said it—I'm paying. Don't refuse."

Qu Yanping felt a surge of delight inside—he suspected these were all spirit foods highly beneficial to cultivation: "Then thank you, Brother Gu Yue."

Gao Sheng also said: "Thank you, Brother Gu Yue."

"Too much formality makes us distant," Fang Yuan replied.

The shop looked small, but its interior space was hundreds of times larger than it appeared from outside—dozens of rooms arranged in a circle, each with a red-wood door set into the walls.

Qu Yanping took in the scene.

In the center stood a deer spirit dressed as a waiter.

Two foreign women in qipaos accentuated their curvaceous figures; they stood on either side, also serving staff.

A cultivator in a white robe stood before the counter—likely another customer.

"Yohoho~ Welcome!" A skeleton emerged from behind the counter.

There were undead here—or were they skeletal demons?! In the Shi Huanyu Realm, undead creatures appearing among mortals were usually targets for purification.

Qu Yanping was still recovering; he hadn't activated Tianmu's divine sight—but even so, this skeleton, devoid of demonic aura or any trace of evil, surprised him greatly.

"Is this the Sun God's professional team? We're in for a treat today," Gao Sheng's eyes lit up as he told Qu Yanping: "Brother Qu, even the Sun God himself is here—these are his personal guards."

"I've heard one of his guards is an exceptional chef," Fang Yuan nodded, his voice filled with anticipation. "Looks like the Heavenly Dao's Wonder Contest drew him here."

As they spoke, a man wreathed in white mist, his head seeming to burn with white flames, flung open a door and roared: "Meat! Meat! Meat! The meat's gone!"

"Ahh!! I know, stop yelling!!!" A frustrated voice echoed from deep within the restaurant: "Don't you realize all your food's cost gets charged to us?!"

Boom!!

An orange-haired woman slammed the door shut, bowed slightly with an apologetic expression, and said: "Sorry, guests. Please place your orders over there."

"Who is that?" Qu Yanping felt an overwhelming aura—just now, it felt as if a blazing sun had scorched his soul and body.

"Haha, probably just a passing Sun God," Fang Yuan walked toward the counter. "One private room."

"Sorry, guest, only one private room remains—and this gentleman arrived first," said the skeleton, pointing to the cultivator to Fang Yuan's left-front. "Of course, if you don't mind sharing…"

"I don't like sitting with strangers," the cultivator said coolly.

"I see. Then there's nothing to be done," Fang Yuan said without disappointment, merely smiling. "Enjoy your meal, sir."

Qu Yanping felt a pang of regret—he'd clearly missed his chance.

"That voice… is it Brother Li?" Gao Sheng suddenly asked.

The man turned around. His face was ordinary, even somewhat dark-skinned—commonplace, yet sharply defined.

"Ah, it's Brother Gao," the man said, clearly surprised to meet someone he knew—but then fell silent again.

"Do you know this cultivator, Brother Gao?" Qu Yanping asked.

"This is Li Feiyu, Brother Li," Gao Sheng introduced. "I've fought side by side with Brother Li in several ruins—haha, though I usually just wait to be revived."

Gao Sheng added with a grin: "Brother Li, considering I covered your back last time—do you still recognize me as an old friend?"

"Brother Gao, you're too modest," Li Feiyu smiled. "If that's the case, let's share a private booth."

"Thank you, Brother Li, for the favor. I am Gu Yue Fang Yuan," Gu Yue Fang Yuan introduced himself.

"Li Feiyu," Li Feiyu said little.

Qu Yanping raised his hand in greeting: "Qu Liyu, a pleasure."

"Pleasure," the others smiled at each other.

(End of Chapter)