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Ten days later, as the setting sun's golden glow painted the horizon fiery red, two travel-worn figures, one old and one young, finally appeared on the horizon.
The Grand Elder's complexion was rosy, dressed in a blue robe, exuding an air of immortality and a youthful appearance despite his age.
However, the child behind him had cheeks flushed from the mountain winds, and strands of hair on his forehead stuck to his slightly sweaty temples.
But the child's gaze was fixed on the gradually clearer small town ahead.
The town nestled on the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest, with low wooden houses scattered about, and wisps of cooking smoke slowly rising from chimneys, as if extending a warm invitation to the old and young travelers, making his previously heavy steps unconsciously lighten by a few points.
"Phew—, we're finally here.
Heaven knows how I survived these past two days."
Chen Yi let out a long breath.
At the Grand Elder's speed, they should have arrived two days earlier, but in the previous city, the old playful man insisted on 'exercising Chen Yi's willpower' and left him there alone, silently watching Chen Yi run all the way to the town.
During this time, besides food, Chen Yi was purely a passerby.
The Grand Elder flashed to Chen Yi's side, a brilliant smile on his face: "Hmm, not bad, not bad.
You have my demeanor from back then.
It seems we can move on to the next item."
Looking at this disrespectful old playful man, Chen Yi rolled his eyes in exasperation.
Why hadn't he noticed before that the old man was so… distinctive?
"Why don't we just go straight in?
We still have food with us, so there's no need to buy more."
Hearing Chen Yi's question, the Grand Elder just chuckled, pointing in the direction of the town, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes:
"No, no, no, little fellow.
We'll be staying in the Star Dou Great Forest for at least seven days, so tonight, we naturally have to eat something good first."
"Besides, many dishes here are unique to this place; you can't find such good things outside!"
Chen Yi's mouth twitched.
So the so-called supplies were all for eating!
The next moment, a hint of anticipation also appeared on Chen Yi's face.
Anything the Grand Elder was so fond of must be good, and he had to try it.
As a descendant of the Dragon in his previous life, Chen Yi would spend any spare money he had on food.
Chinese people would rather skimp on anything else than their stomachs.
"Hehehe, let's go, let's go.
Today, you and I will have a good meal.
The Yuntian Mountain Range only has game, just game.
This old man is already tired of it."
With that, he pulled Chen Yi and walked into the town.
The two passed through the crowd, and the Grand Elder, ignoring the surrounding clamor, went directly to a small tavern.
"Fourth Grandfather, there isn't even a signboard.
Is this shop legitimate?"
"What a joke.
Who comes to a legitimate place these days?"
Saying that, the two chose a seat with an excellent view, and a waiter walked over.
"What would the two guests like to eat?
Our shop recently received a batch of excellent Five-Colored Pheasant, and the taste is incredibly delicious!"
The Grand Elder waved his hand, disdainfully saying: "Don't try to fool me with these broken things.
Bring all the popular small dishes from these past few days.
Money is no object."
The waiter was startled, his expression becoming much more serious, then he respectfully said: "Alright."
Chen Yi looked at the Grand Elder strangely: Is this the 'illegitimate' restaurant you spoke of?
The Grand Elder casually explained: "Kid, don't let this shop's unassuming appearance fool you.
It was actually opened by some mercenaries who had roamed the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest for many years and then retired.
On the surface, it's a restaurant, but in reality, it's for selling Spirit Beast information.
The spirit rings you chose are too rare; if we were to search slowly, we'd have to stay in this Star Dou Great Forest for a month or so."
Chen Yi nodded thoughtfully.
It seemed these were intelligence peddlers.
Spirit Beasts usually had different requirements for their habitats, and coupled with their strong territorial instincts, most would not migrate even if their traces were discovered by humans.
"So, we're here to buy information?"
"More or less," the Grand Elder said casually: "One of the founders of this shop is your Tenth Grandaunt.
Our Sect has had some dealings with them over the years, so they're willing to help with small favors.
Also, the small dishes at this shop are indeed good."
"Tenth Grandaunt?!"
Chen Yi nodded slightly after hearing this.
The Body Sect focused on Body Martial Souls, but Spirit Masters with non-Body Martial Souls also needed to be cultivated.
They would typically be trained within the Sect until they reached the Spirit Ancestor level or sent directly to Spirit Master Academies outside to be cultivated as peripheral forces.
This Tenth Grandaunt seemed to be one of them.
However, he hadn't seen this Tenth Grandaunt in all these years.
As if seeing through Chen Yi's confusion, the Grand Elder smiled faintly: "If a peripheral Disciple of the Sect finds a home outside, the Sect will not stop them, provided they swear on their Spirit not to leak the Sect's secrets."
At this moment, a middle-aged man walked over, carrying a few small dishes.
After setting the food down, he bowed slightly to the Grand Elder:
"Li Yu greets Fourth Grandfather!"
Looking at the middle-aged man in front of him, and then glancing at the slightly frosted temples of the other party, the Grand Elder sighed: "Only five years unseen, and even you have aged."
Li Yu was noncommittal, looking at the Grand Elder and saying: "Fourth Grandfather, you seem to be getting younger and younger.
Your Spirit and energy are incomparable to before.
I imagine you've taken that step."
"It was merely a small Opportunity," the Grand Elder didn't dwell on it, changing the subject: "Your son should be attending a Spirit Master Academy this year, shouldn't he?"
Hearing this, the smile on Li Yu's face grew even brighter; his son was clearly his pride.
"Xiao Kai finally reached Level 20 before turning 12 a while ago and was admitted to the Advanced Oakland Spirit Master Academy."
"Oakland Academy, that's not bad.
A 12-year-old Spirit Grandmaster, a Spirit Emperor is foreseeable, and a Spirit Saint is within reach." The Grand Elder stroked his beard.
"Hehehe," hearing the Grand Elder's words, Li Yu showed a childlike smile.
Although others had said these words before, how could those people compare to a Titled Douluo?
He glanced over, finally remembering Chen Yi beside him, and asked the Grand Elder:
"Granduncle, this child is?"
Hearing this, Chen Yi stood up and replied: "Your nephew, Chen Yi, son of Chen Zhen.
Greetings, Uncle."
"So it's Second Brother Zhen's son.
Six years ago, Chang You told me that Second Brother Zhen had a precious son, and I didn't expect him to have grown so much in the blink of an eye." Li Yu's face also showed an undeniable look of reminiscence.
In the past, when they encountered difficulties, they had relied on his mother's legacy to ask the Body Sect for protection, and it was Chen Zhen and others who came at that time.
Now seeing the son of an old friend, he couldn't help but sigh at the changes in the world.
"Since you've come to your uncle's place, treat it like your own home.
I don't have much good stuff here, but there's plenty of game."
The Grand Elder was also not polite, picking up a mushroom slice while speaking: "If these mountain delicacies can't be called good things, then what can?
Even the imperial family can't eat this every day.
Yi'er, you try some too.
Mmm, this is the taste!"
"Hahaha, as long as you like it, old man," Li Yu was happy seeing the Grand Elder's enjoyment and Chen Yi's continuous praise.
Then he looked at the Grand Elder and asked:
"Are you here for Yi'er's spirit ring?
Is Yi'er an Innate full spirit power?"
The Grand Elder looked at Chen Yi, who was devouring his food, with a hint of relief in his eyes: "That's right."
Those two casual words made Li Yu gasp, and his gaze towards Chen Yi became much more fervent.
An Innate full spirit power meant that as long as he didn't die prematurely, becoming a Titled Douluo was a certainty, and even a Peak Douluo was quite possible.
Chen Yi was already extraordinarily talented, and with the Body Sect protecting his Dao, it could be said that he had already secured a place among the continent's Peak powerhouses.
Although his mother hadn't leaked much information about the Body Sect back then, through years of contact, he clearly understood that this was absolutely a behemoth no weaker than the Upper Three Sects.
Suddenly, an old man with a little girl appeared in the shop, immediately attracting the attention of the two.