What was surprising was that
no matter how many rejections and insults the young man received, he remained tireless.
He continued making his rounds from table to table, though no one knew what exactly he hoped to achieve.
Just as Jun Wangyou was marveling at this, the young man walked over to him.
"Brother, heading east? Come spread some warmth with me."
Ye Lingtian spoke somewhat numbly.
Then he left as soon as he finished speaking, not even waiting for Jun Wangyou's answer.
He seemed to think all answers would be the same, so there was no need to wait.
But Jun Wangyou smiled. "Sure."
Ye Lingtian seemed not to hear him and continued toward the next table.
Just as he was about to speak, Ye Lingtian suddenly froze.
He slowly turned his head, his face full of disbelief. "Y-you, what did you say?"
Jun Wangyou swirled his wine cup and smiled lightly. "I said... sure. Let's go east together."
The entire tavern fell silent at once.
Everyone looked at Jun Wangyou as though he were an idiot.
"Brother, are you all right? Going to that hellhole now is basically asking to die."
Someone warned Jun Wangyou.
Jun Wangyou seemed not to notice and merely smiled faintly at Ye Lingtian.
At that moment, Ye Lingtian was so excited he could barely speak.
Who knew how many people he had asked over the past few days, or how many dirty looks he had endured?
At last, he had found someone like-minded!
"Innkeeper, let's get a first-class private room."
With a wave of his hand, Ye Lingtian booked a large private room.
"Right away. This way, Young Master Ye."
The tavern owner immediately came over to lead the way.
Ye Lingtian, however, walked up to Jun Wangyou. "Brother, please!"
Jun Wangyou did not refuse and followed Ye Lingtian into the private room.
The moment they entered, Ye Lingtian impatiently asked,
"Brother, are you really planning to head east?"
Ye Lingtian was not foolish enough to believe that the person before him had agreed to go east because of his invitation.
He must have already had such intentions.
Jun Wangyou smiled and nodded. Then, seeing the text appear before his eyes, he thought to himself that it was just as he had expected.
[Ye Lingtian: Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation. Third young master of the Ye family, one of Nanxuan City's three great families. Four-star favorability toward you...]
Jun Wangyou had not chosen to approach Ye Lingtian on a whim.
It was because he had noticed that Ye Lingtian's bearing and clothing did not seem like those of an ordinary person.
More importantly, a large character for Ye was engraved on the jade token hanging at Ye Lingtian's waist.
Nanxuan City's three great families were the Nan family, the Ye family, and the Chen family.
At the time, he had guessed that the young man before him might belong to the Ye family, one of those three great families.
It seemed his guess had indeed been correct.
Not only was the young man before him a member of the Ye family, he was also its third young master. His status could be called noble.
Of course, compared to Jun Wangyou, it was nothing worth mentioning.
All told, Jun Wangyou had only entered the cultivation world about half a year ago.
There were many things he neither knew nor understood.
That was why, when Ye Lingtian approached him, Jun Wangyou had developed the idea of getting close to him.
He needed a guide.
Ye Lingtian was well suited for the role.
After receiving Jun Wangyou's definite answer, Ye Lingtian immediately burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha, Brother, you truly are a man of great ambition, just like me. You're not like those cowardly fools who only know how to run for their lives."
"My name is Ye Lingtian. From today onward, you're my brother. We'll head east together and make something great of ourselves, hahaha!"
Ye Lingtian was extremely familiar, directly throwing an arm around Jun Wangyou's shoulders.
Anyone unaware of the situation would have thought they were old friends.
Jun Wangyou was somewhat unaccustomed to Ye Lingtian's familiarity. He freed himself, went to sit down in the private room, poured himself a cup of tea, and looked up with a smile.
"Brother Lingtian, are you a local of Nanxuan City?"
If he wanted a guide, he naturally had to find someone knowledgeable.
If Ye Lingtian were merely an ignorant, spoiled young master,
Jun Wangyou would not travel with him.
He was heading east for training and battle, not sightseeing.
Ye Lingtian nodded and sat down as well.
"Of course I'm a local. But if we're being precise, I haven't actually spent much time in Nanxuan City. I've spent most of my time traveling the world."
"Oh? Then Brother Lingtian must be quite worldly."
Hearing someone praise him, Ye Lingtian's chuunibyou side surfaced again. He could not help laughing loudly as he began to boast.
"Of course. Over the years, I've traveled far and wide. I can't speak for everywhere else, but as long as it's a place in the Eastern Continent with any reputation, I've been there."
Jun Wangyou nodded to himself. This was exactly the sort of person he needed.
At that moment, Ye Lingtian asked curiously, "After all this talking, I still don't know your name, Brother."
"My name is Jun Wuyou," Jun Wangyou said.
"Jun Wuyou?" Ye Lingtian's eyes flickered as he teased, "Brother, your name sounds a lot like Jun Wangyou, the number one prodigy of the Heavenly Dao Sacred Land. He forgets his worries, while you have no worries. Anyone who didn't know better would think you two were twins."
Jun Wangyou smiled faintly. "A lot of people say that."
"Then you've really had it rough. Being compared to a freak like Jun Wangyou, you must have taken quite a beating."
Ye Lingtian said sympathetically, "I heard that Jun Wangyou not only possesses unparalleled talent, but is also quite handsome. He's only a little worse-looking than me. Who knows how many fairy maidens in the Heavenly Dao Sacred Land have been utterly bewitched by him."
"Cough, cough..."
Jun Wangyou suddenly coughed twice. Unable to hold it in, he turned his head aside and desperately suppressed his laughter.
"Why are you coughing, Brother? Oh, right, I forgot. But you have to learn to accept it. Sometimes people really can't be compared. Comparisons can make you furious."
Ye Lingtian comforted him.
Jun Wangyou quickly pulled the conversation back on track. How had this gotten so far off-topic?
"When does Brother Lingtian plan to head east?"
Ye Lingtian's expression turned serious as well. "The sooner, the better. It would be best to set off tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
Jun Wangyou frowned, then relaxed. "All right."
As the Ye family's third young master, Ye Lingtian should have plenty of ways to cut in line.
Jun Wangyou still did not know what had happened outside earlier.
"Brother Wuyou, you're straightforward."
Ye Lingtian gave him a thumbs-up, then said, "Brother Wuyou, don't keep calling me Brother Lingtian. If you don't mind, how about you call me Big Brother, and I call you Second Brother?"
Jun Wangyou immediately shook his head. He pointed at himself, then at Ye Lingtian. "I'm the big brother. You're the second brother."
"Why?"
Ye Lingtian looked extremely unwilling.
Jun Wangyou smiled faintly. "Because I'm stronger than you."
Ye Lingtian immediately became unhappy and shouted, "We haven't even fought. How do you know you're stronger than me?"
Jun Wangyou chuckled. "Simple. Let's test our strength. Whoever wins is the big brother."
"Fine!"
Ye Lingtian's eyes lit up, and he agreed immediately.
Who had ever beaten him in a contest of strength?
Very soon, the two sat facing each other.
Jun Wangyou extended a single index finger. Its meaning was obvious.
Ye Lingtian's eyes widened. "Seriously? Isn't that a little insulting?"
Jun Wangyou smiled faintly. "If you can win, you'll still be the big brother."
"Fine, you said it. No taking it back."
Ye Lingtian immediately sat upright and grabbed Jun Wangyou's index finger.
"Three, two, one, go!"
As soon as the words fell, Ye Lingtian immediately exerted all his strength.
Yet no matter how hard he tried, Jun Wangyou's index finger did not move in the slightest.
What a joke. Did he think the Eternal Extreme Realm was just for show?
Let alone one Ye Lingtian, even a hundred Ye Lingtians would not be Jun Wangyou's match in a contest of strength.
After a while, Ye Lingtian resigned himself to it. He released Jun Wangyou's finger and reluctantly said, "Big Brother!"
Jun Wangyou grinned. "Second Brother."
Before you continue