472: Chapter 472 Changes in Three Years

"Balabababa."

"Hejia Huan loves it when you come! I'm so glad you're back! We love seeing you every day!"

"Please proceed to the dining area this way! Thank you! Chu!"

A woman in a trench coat with blurred features and a miserable-looking man with a bitter face made for a pair that, even through Zhou Yan's filtering, was quite eye-catching.

The two quickly found a corner seat and sat down, immediately beginning to communicate via Divine Sense.

"Wait, I am a grand Soul Transformation Cultivator, the Saint of Qingxu Grotto-Heaven, and the Imperial Preceptor of the Yu Dynasty, yet you invite me to eat on your own turf?"

"And you're serving me goddamn pre-prepared meals?"

Zhou Yan pointed at the low-quality pre-prepared meal in front of him with a look of pure disgust, his mouth curling down so far it almost hit the floor.

"I invited my old friend Zhou Yan; I didn't invite all those titles you just mentioned."

"Besides, don't you know what you just did? The fact that I'm even buying you a meal shows how good my temper is."

Seeing Mu Qianqiu's reproachful gaze, Zhou Yan looked away, pretending to be oblivious.

"By the way, how did you know this was an industry of my Joyous Union Sect?"

"Hejia Huan was only established in the last two years; you shouldn't have known about it. Also, where exactly have you been these past two years?"

Zhou Yan felt a bit awkward. He couldn't exactly say that he didn't recognize the shop at first, but that the welcome greeting had immediately 'sounded' familiar, right?

So, Zhou Yan skillfully avoided the first question and pivoted to answer the second.

"These last few years... it's a long story. I..."

"Stop, stop. I said stop," Mu Qianqiu interrupted in time, not wanting to hear more.

"Anything that's a 'long story' is never simple. I truly admire you Prodigies; your cultivation levels skyrocket in just a few years."

"You're already at Soul Transformation, while I'm only at the Core Formation Middle Stage. Are you sure whatever you're about to say won't involve me?"

Seeing Zhou Yan's expression stiffen, Mu Qianqiu guessed as much.

"This matter of yours is likely related to the Truth Cult, right? In that case, I'd better not hear it."

Mu Qianqiu picked up a piece of meat, put it in his mouth, and began to chew. A joyful expression appeared on his face, as if he had cast aside all his previous displeasure.

"But what's with you? Why did you ask me how to leave the Desire Realm?"

"Can't you just leave the same way you came in?"

Zhou Yan also picked up a piece of green vegetable. Just from the smell, he knew it was a mass-produced product of roughly level three quality, and he lost his appetite.

He put down his chopsticks and leaned back against the chair, saying helplessly,

"Like you said, telling you certain things would only harm you. Just know that I ended up here in a bizarre way, and if I want to leave, I can only do so through normal channels."

"But I've never been here before, which is why I'm asking a local like you."

Seeing that Zhou Yan had no interest in the food, Mu Qianqiu—acting on the principle of not wasting anything—took Zhou Yan's portion as well and began eating both.

"Then you've really asked the wrong person."

"Consider it partly thanks to you. Three years ago, those lunatics from the Truth Cult caused a massive mess and were severely punished by the elders of your Three Sects."

"This has led to martial law in the Desire Realm. If you aren't from the Six Sects, it's basically entry-only, no exit."

"I can come and go as I please, but I can't take you with me."

Zhou Yan frowned and asked curiously,

"What exactly happened during the years I was gone?"

Mu Qianqiu didn't hide anything and revealed everything he knew.

"While you were gone, things were quite chaotic."

"First, let's talk about the Saint and Saintess of the other two sects. That Old Demon Yao and Bai Ling have been looking for trouble with the Truth Cult every single day. The current martial law is partly their doing."

"After that, there's the Yao Race."

"The neutral ones remain neutral, and the friendly ones remain friendly, but the hostile factions seem to be attacking the Human Race much more fiercely. That's likely why the Three Sects suddenly mobilized their forces."

"With war breaking out out of nowhere, many things have naturally become more chaotic, though the general landscape remains unchanged."

"Aside from the Truth Cult suddenly consolidating and absorbing many smaller factions—which resulted in them growing stronger rather than weaker—nothing else has changed."

After hearing this, Zhou Yan still felt something was off.

In three years, besides the Truth Cult consolidating and the humans and Yao fighting again, there didn't seem to be any major events.

How could things have changed so drastically?

However, since the Truth Cult had consolidated, given their penchant for causing trouble, could that so-called 'Apocalypse' also be their doing?

Because he hadn't figured out exactly what was going on, Zhou Yan lost interest in continuing to reminisce.

He prepared to bid Mu Qianqiu farewell, intending to try and break his way out if all else failed.

Although the Desire Realm was under martial law, Zhou Yan didn't think a bunch of powerful experts would be bored enough to guard the gates. If it came down to it, breaking out seemed like a viable option.

"Wait, what's the rush?"

"Good brother, we haven't seen each other in years. Last time we said we'd meet in the Kaifeng but couldn't get in touch. Now that we've finally met, you're leaving already?"

Mu Qianqiu grabbed Zhou Yan's wrist, but when Zhou Yan turned his head and his hair swayed slightly, Mu Qianqiu was so startled he quickly withdrew his hand and subconsciously swallowed hard.

He cursed inwardly.

However, as soon as Zhou Yan spoke, the 'filter' was shattered into pieces.

"Brother, I was inconsiderate today. Next time you come to my place, I'll treat you to fine wine and food that's at least ten times better than this."

Hearing that rough, rustic accent, Mu Qianqiu almost put on a mask of pain.

But he grabbed the corner of Zhou Yan's clothes again.

"Look at you, always in a hurry."

"Martial law is in effect outside. Although I don't know how you changed your appearance, if your disguise is recognized, you'll definitely be in trouble."

"And I only said I don't have a way; I didn't say I couldn't find someone who does."

After saying that, Mu Qianqiu pulled out a glowing piece of glass. After some tapping, he shoved it directly into Zhou Yan's hand.

"This thing is called a 'mobile phone.' Just scan it with your Divine Sense to know how to use it. My contact info is stored inside."

"Once I have a solution, I'll contact you. So, just stay in this Kaifeng for a while and don't cause trouble."

"There are truly a lot of powerful experts here. Even if you aren't afraid of trouble, I'm sure you wouldn't want to indirectly affect your good brother here."

"Alright, that's it. Bye-bye."

As he spoke, Mu Qianqiu seemed to be in a hurry and left first, not forgetting to turn back and wave at Zhou Yan.

Thus, Zhou Yan stood there looking at the otherworldly phone in his hand, then at the already distant Mu Qianqiu.

Unexpectedly, he felt a bit touched. He hadn't expected that after he had just pranked him, the guy would be so kind to him, even letting him touch the phone he had dreamed of again.

He couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

"Mu Qianqiu really is an honest and generous man."

But just then, a staff member in a maid outfit walked over and pulled out a QR code.

"Ma'am, is this table ready for the bill?"

"Huh?"

Zhou Yan snapped back to reality and looked at her in disbelief.

"Isn't the bill already settled?"

The staff member explained patiently,

"It's like this: you chose pre-payment earlier, but the payment channel shows insufficient balance."

"Yes, it's the phone in your hand, Ma'am. The ID matches."

"The total is fifty Spirit Stones. Would you like to scan the code or pay with cash?"

"How much? You're selling two pre-prepared meals for fifty Spirit Stones?"

Zhou Yan's mouth hung open. Although he wasn't short on money, charging fifty Spirit Stones for two pre-prepared meals was too much.

If it were Advanced Materials, fine, but the combined cost of these two couldn't be more than three Spirit Stones. Dozens of times the profit—is this what a Demon Sect's territory is like?

So corrupt!

After paying the bill with a bitter face, Zhou Yan decisively took out the phone and sent a message to the only number.

"Mu Qianqiu!"

He had just sent one message and hadn't even started cursing when a line of text popped up.

"This contact has only enabled one-way communication. Until the contact initiates a message to the user, the user can only send one message to this contact."