Chapter Forty-Nine: Truly Worthy of the Grand Hall Master

For half an hour, Zhu Chongli once again pleaded earnestly with Xu Zhe, reasoning with him and appealing to his emotions, urging him not to venture into the Stoneflame Secret Realm.

Xu Zhe was deeply moved after listening, nodding repeatedly. "I know what you say is right, but... can you give me a spot?"

Zhu Chongli was taken aback, nearly losing his composure.

But he had not given up. The two walked and talked, heading toward a tavern.

They ordered a few bottles of wine and some simple dishes.

Once again, Zhu Chongli began his earnest persuasion.

So, another half an hour passed in heartfelt admonition.

“In the Four Continents, powers still abide by certain rules. Before your awakening, everyone knows Li Chungang and Wang Jianguo are closest to you, and with Lin Keyi and Chu Xiaotong as well. As long as none of them publicly sever ties, others will hesitate to act against you,” Zhu Chongli continued. “But once you enter the Secret Realm, an isolated space completely cut off from the outside world, no one will bother with rules. There, even if hundreds or thousands at Nascent Soul level surround and kill you, after returning to the Four Continents, everyone will insist you died from a forbidden trap in the Secret Realm. Even those who wish to avenge you will have no just cause.”

“Does one really need a reason for revenge?” Xu Zhe asked.

Zhu Chongli was left speechless. Is a reason unnecessary? Or is it?

Xu Zhe looked out the tavern window. Night had fallen, and he was tired of listening. He could only say, “Alright, Old Zhu, I’ve taken your words to heart. I know you mean well, but…”

“But what?”

“Could you give me a spot?”

“…”

In the end, Zhu Chongli chose to give up. He drained all the wine on the table.

For a moment, he felt as if he had returned to the university campus a thousand years ago. Then clarity returned, and he saw the familiar, handsome face across from him.

Zhu Chongli shuddered, finally waking from his reverie.

Damn, what have I been doing today? I actually thought I could persuade this class monitor?

What a fool I am!

“Class monitor, as I said, I don’t have the clout to keep you safe. But if you have nowhere else to go, you’re always welcome at Taiyi Sect. Also, the Stoneflame Secret Realm is extremely dangerous… but never mind, I won’t repeat myself. Just be careful. I’m heading home to my wife and children.”

With that, Zhu Chongli left behind a round jade pendant and rose to leave.

Xu Zhe nodded in farewell, watching him go.

Only after making sure Zhu Chongli had paid at the front desk did Xu Zhe suddenly startle.

That guy already has a wife and kids?

“Ah, I envy him,” Xu Zhe sighed, shaking his head.

Someone as clever as me said goodbye to innocence long ago.

Why did I still use an affair of the heart to trade for a body full of scars…

He snapped back to himself and looked down at the jade pendant on the table.

The round pendant was entwined in red and white, covered in intricate rune patterns, apparently a means of verifying authenticity.

In the center, the words “Stoneflame” were clearly visible, with the “Eastern Qian Continent Seal” stamped in a corner.

Obviously, this was the token for entry to the Stoneflame Secret Realm.

“Old Zhu is a good man,” Xu Zhe murmured with a smile, pocketed the jade token, and left the tavern.

Night had fallen, and the streets were lined with bustling night stalls.

The air was filled with the aroma of cumin-grilled meats, a faint whiff of stinky tofu, and the lively sounds of the crowd.

People came and went, the world lively and beautiful.

Xu Zhe once again concealed his face, strolling through the street, feeling a trace of comfort, but also an emptiness deep inside.

For thousands of years in the Cangtian Domain, he had constantly recalled his home on Earth and remembered his old friends.

Now, in the Qingtian Domain, with those old friends at his side, he found himself missing his immortal imperial family far away in the Cangtian Domain.

“I still remember the mother I called for ten thousand years, the elder brother who cared for me, the sister who always pinched my cheeks, and the two little cousins who trailed behind me every day…”

Xu Zhe gazed up at the star-filled sky, his eyes seeming to pierce the void, searching for that distant place.

“Are you all well?”

...

He wandered the streets aimlessly for a long time.

It was late, the stalls had packed up, and most shops had closed for the night.

Xu Zhe stepped onto another street, only to have his thoughts interrupted by a sudden commotion.

He looked up in mild surprise.

Unconsciously, he had once again arrived at “Have-a-Chicken Shop.”

Open so late? Still doing such brisk business?

Are the chickens here really just chickens?

Xu Zhe stood in place, chuckling to himself, and walked on.

“Honored guest arriving!”

This time, without Xu Zhe needing to give any passphrase, a staff member at the door saw him and shouted loudly.

Once again, those waiting in line at the door were left dumbfounded.

Damn, this young man.

I’ve been standing in line since morning and haven’t eaten a single chicken, yet he’s come in twice in one day?

So vigorous?

Some looked at him with envy that bordered on jealousy, jealousy so deep it bordered on molecular dissociation.

This time, Xu Zhe didn’t wait for the other staff to come out and applaud. He hurried straight inside, circled the kitchen, and went down to the basement.

Ji Dali had just pulled up his trousers and rushed out to greet Xu Zhe, only to look up and see him already there.

“Greetings, Grand Hall Master!” Ji Dali bowed at a full ninety degrees.

“Mr. Ji, no need for such formality. I wonder, do you have a spare room where I could stay for a few days?” Xu Zhe smiled.

“Grand Hall Master, please, don’t address your humble subordinate so formally. It’s too distant! Of course we have spare rooms—take whichever you like. But Zhang Lin’s room… that’s on the upper floors.”

Ji Dali pointed upstairs, winking exaggeratedly.

“???”

Xu Zhe was baffled.

Is he reminding me that Zhang Lin is here too?

Mr. Ji really gets me. He knows that even after I turned Zhang Lin down, she’s still not given up. He must be warning me to watch out for her upstairs, in case I run into her and can’t shake her off.

“Thank you!” Xu Zhe understood, cupping his hands in gratitude.

Ji Dali’s eyes lit up, delighted. “Then, shall I arrange your room…”

“Give me the floor with the fewest people. I’ll need to go into seclusion for several days before the Stoneflame Secret Realm opens,” Xu Zhe said proactively.

Ji Dali was momentarily stunned. Seclusion? Not staying with Zhang Lin?

Goodness, worthy of a Grand Hall Master: always thinking of cultivation, unshaken by romance and desire. Such self-control—an old man like me can only look up in admiration.

...

Very soon, Xu Zhe settled down in the Rooster Hall.

Nine days passed in a flash.

Xu Zhe never once left his room, remaining in a state of constant cultivation.

His seclusion alarmed Ji Dali and the others.

This Grand Hall Master’s way of cultivating was so extreme, so intense.

He was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, yet could already go without sleep or rest, even reaching the level of fasting—a feat only possible for those above the Golden Core stage.

When night fell on the ninth day, Ji Dali came to knock on his door as instructed, to wake him the night before the Secret Realm opened.

Xu Zhe opened his eyes, and a surge of vast energy filled the air, his entire being shrouded in dense spiritual power.

Within his dantian, layers of golden spiritual clouds were now solid and substantial.

...