Meeting Old Friends Again

The Fire Realm Restaurant was bustling with activity despite the heavy snowfall, with many guests in attendance.

In the kitchen of a small building, Suo Zi was fully focused on his cooking. After over twenty epochs, he had become one of the head chefs at the Fire Realm Restaurant. After all, the owner, "Black Butcher," rarely cooked himself, leaving the main dishes to the top chefs and their numerous disciples.

"It's done, you can serve it now," Suo Zi said as he completed a dish called the Fire Realm Feast.

"Yes," a waiting server responded immediately, taking the renowned "Fire Realm Feast" to the guests.

Suo Zi relaxed a bit. As a head chef, he handled the important dishes, while simpler ones could be left to his junior disciples.

"Now that I'm a head chef, I've been earning a lot more Chaos Crystals. If I keep at it for a few more epochs, I'll have enough resources to attempt a breakthrough," Suo Zi thought with anticipation as he counted his growing savings.

"Suo Zi, your brother is here; he's calling for you," a voice came from outside the kitchen.

"Alright," Suo Zi replied as he walked outside. As a head chef, he wasn't always too busy.

Suo Zi made his way to a hall where dozens of guests were seated, with Suo Yun sitting at the head of the table.

"Suo Zi," Suo Yun called out.

Suo Zi walked over.

"Today, I'm hosting a feast for many of the brothers from the Thousand Mountain Tower," Suo Yun said with a hearty laugh. "You must personally cook for us! All of our Thousand Mountain Tower brothers love your cooking."

"We're well aware of the skills of Suo Zi, the hall master's younger brother."

"Thank you for the effort, Suo Zi!"

The surrounding guests laughed heartily. Most of them were Void True Gods from the Thousand Mountain Tower.

Suo Zi smiled back at them, already accustomed to dealing with guests after such a long time. "I'll make sure everyone is satisfied. I'll go start cooking now."

"Go ahead, and once you're done, come join us for a drink," Suo Yun instructed.

"Will do," Suo Zi replied as he left the hall.

"Hall Master Suo Yun, why don't you have your brother join the Thousand Mountain Tower?" one guest asked.

"You don't understand. My brother is committed to learning the art of cooking from his master and has no interest in joining the Thousand Mountain Tower," Suo Yun explained. As one of the thirty-nine hall masters of the Thousand Mountain Tower, Suo Yun held a significant position.

Back in the kitchen, Suo Zi checked his communication token for the detailed menu. He assigned the simpler dishes to his junior disciples but took charge of preparing the main dishes himself.

"After over twenty epochs in Hu Yang City, Suo Yun has completely changed," Suo Zi thought. Growing up together in the tribe, Suo Zi could sense how Suo Yun had changed since coming to Hu Yang City. "It's hard to tell what's true and what's false in what he says now."

"He comes to the Fire Realm Restaurant often, not because of me, but to try to run into Luo He God," Suo Zi knew this well. "He was recruited by the dark forces of the Thousand Mountain Tower and promoted to hall master because of Luo He God."

In these twenty-plus epochs, as Suo Zi greeted and served countless guests, he could feel the invisible influence of Luo He God.

Because of Luo He God, many Eternal True Gods were willing to come to the Fire Realm Restaurant.

Because of Luo He God, the Fire Realm Restaurant had expanded its territory several times, and business had improved significantly.

Because of Luo He God, Suo Zi had received strong support from the restaurant owner.

"Luo He God has arrived." Suddenly, the servers in the Fire Realm Restaurant became excited, spreading the news among themselves.

"Luo He God is here?" Suo Zi looked out from the small building and saw Luo Feng, Morosa, and Mo Yu Qing Yan descending from the sky, with the owner, Black Butcher, already stepping forward to greet them.

...

"High Lord," Black Butcher greeted them warmly and respectfully.

He, too, had come to the Origin Continent after surviving the Samsara, struggling until now. Thanks to Luo Feng's fondness for the Fire Realm Restaurant, his life had improved significantly. Over these past twenty epochs, he had been able to rapidly accumulate resources.

He didn't mind being humble. What he feared was losing hope. In the long years of running the restaurant before, he had been oppressed by dark forces, often earning little or even losing money.

The good times over these past twenty epochs had brought him more wealth than all the previous years combined, allowing him to buy resources to aid his cultivation.

"Black Butcher, your Fire Realm Feast has become more impressive. If I don't come for a while, I start craving it," Luo Feng said with a smile.

"If the High Lord enjoys it, it is my honor. I'll head to the kitchen and make sure to do even better," Black Butcher replied with a broad, honest smile. "Shang High Lord and the others are in their usual spot."

Luo Feng nodded and flew toward the familiar, secluded small building.

As he flew, the servers of the Fire Realm Restaurant showed great respect, as did many of the guests, including the fawning Suo Yun.

"So that's Suo Yun. He actually joined the dark forces," Luo Feng thought as he glanced around, easily remembering all the faces.

Luo Feng had taken an interest in Suo Zi and Suo Yun.

After all, they were among the first beings he had saved upon arriving on the Origin Continent and had come to Hu Yang City with him. Luo Feng was quite interested in seeing how their futures would unfold.

But the fact that Suo Yun had joined the dark forces was something Luo Feng didn't like.

...

Luo Feng landed near the secluded building.

"Luo He God," Shang Tianyan and another Eternal True God, Sang Shuiyun, were already at the entrance to greet him.

Mo Yu Qing Yan stood guard outside the building.

Morosa, feeling more at ease, walked over to a nearby building and instructed Black Butcher, "Prepare some food and drinks. You know my taste."

"Don't worry, I've got it covered," Black Butcher replied, quickly making the arrangements. After spending so much time with Morosa, he understood that this servant had a special relationship with Luo He God.

With that, Black Butcher, filled with determination, adjusted his mindset. He was ready to put his all into preparing the Fire Realm Feast. After all, Luo He God was his most important guest, and he had to serve him well.

From a distance, Suo Yun watched Luo Feng enter the small building, narrowing his eyes in thought.

"Hall Master Suo Yun, is that Luo He God?" Hall Master Qiu asked as he watched from afar, his eyes filled with envy and awe. As a core member of the dark forces of the Thousand Mountain Tower, Hall Master Qiu was well aware that Luo He God was one of the top beings in Hu Yang City, someone even the Five Great Families had to respect.

"Yes, it was Luo He God who saved my life. Without him, my brother and I would have died long ago," Suo Yun remarked with admiration.

...

Inside the secluded building.

Luo Feng, Shang Tianyan, and Sang Shuiyun took their seats.

Shang Tianyan laughed, "Luo He God, when you called for me, I happened to be here at the Fire Realm Restaurant with Sang Shuiyun."

"You two seem to have a close relationship, always together," Luo Feng teased.

In all of Hu Yang City, there were only two Eternal True Gods who were infatuated with the Lord of Dreamflower Pavilion, Shang Tianyan and Sang Shuiyun. Although they could be considered rivals in love, they actually had a good relationship.

"Back then, when Shang and I were both alone in Hu Yang City, with no attachments, we became friends," Sang Shuiyun said, shaking his head. "Now, I'm still free and unfettered, but Shang has established the Tianyan Sect, tirelessly teaching a large group of disciples. He's burdened himself with a bunch of responsibilities, making his life much harder."

Sang Shuiyun, who had wings and always carried a sense of desolation, had a somewhat reclusive personality.

"I've put countless efforts into crafting. I need to pass on my skills," Shang Tianyan said.

"Why must you pass on your skills? There are many artifact crafting masters on the Origin Continent who are stronger than you. If your crafting skills were lost, it wouldn't matter at all," Sang Shuiyun retorted. "Don't think you're so important. We're just insignificant ripples on the vast sea of the Origin Continent."

Shang Tianyan responded, "Even small ripples can have their moments. If you keep being so despondent, you won't even be a ripple, just dust."

"I'm dust, and you're a ripple," Sang Shuiyun shook his head. "But if you want to pass on your skills, you only need a few disciples. Establishing an entire sect ties you down; you'll never be truly free. It's a good thing you met Luo He God, or else you wouldn't have been as carefree as you are now."

"Haha, I do have to thank Luo He God," Shang Tianyan said, looking at Luo Feng. "In the past, there were many things I couldn't escape, as I had to consider the entire sect. But now, the various forces no longer dare to go too far."

Luo Feng said, "Shang, if you didn't care about your sect and your disciples, you could be as carefree as Sang Shuiyun."

Sang Shuiyun nodded, "He's just stubborn."

"If you can't say anything nice, just keep quiet. I need to talk to Luo He God about something important, so you can leave now," Shang Tianyan urged.

"I'm leaving," Sang Shuiyun said, standing up and leaving without hesitation.

Luo Feng watched Sang Shuiyun leave.

He could sense Sang Shuiyun's reclusiveness, as if nothing in the world truly mattered to him, like he was just a passerby in life.

"With Sang Shuiyun's temperament, you became friends with him?" Luo Feng asked, surprised.

"He's a lot like me," Shang Tianyan replied.

"Like you?" Luo Feng was taken aback.

To him, Shang Tianyan and Sang Shuiyun had completely opposite personalities. One loved making friends and dedicated himself to teaching disciples and running his sect, while the other was extremely reclusive, indifferent to everyone.

"In Hu Yang City, I understand him best, and he understands me best," Shang Tianyan said with a smile. "Maybe that's why we're both infatuated with the Lord of Dreamflower Pavilion."

"I really don't understand you two," Luo Feng said, shaking his head.

Over the past twenty-plus epochs, Luo Feng and Shang Tianyan had grown close, their personalities well-matched. Luo Feng had compassion for the weak, and Shang Tianyan shared that compassion, which was why he devoted himself to teaching his disciples.

They continued to eat, drink, and chat leisurely.

Suddenly—

"Buzz."

A small universe domain appeared in the Fire Realm Restaurant.

Luo Feng and Shang Tianyan turned their heads, their gazes penetrating the walls to see the owner, Black Butcher, who had just completed the Fire Realm Feast. While he was fully focused on preparing the feast, he suddenly gained enlightenment and broke through the final barrier.

The source of the laws he had mastered naturally formed a domain.

"Unexpectedly, the owner of the Fire Realm Restaurant has broken through and become an Eternal True God," Shang Tianyan said, surprised.

"For him to break through to Eternal True God while preparing a feast for us, this Fire Realm Feast must be incredibly delicious," Luo Feng said, his mouth watering.