Chapter 1513: The Desolate Hall

Time flies, and years pass like a shuttle.

The four brothers, reunited after a long separation, were overjoyed.

This sincere bond had not weakened with the passage of time; instead, it had grown even stronger.

In their daily lives, they would either drink, boast, and watch dancers in Warm Wine City.

Or, during their leisure time, they would venture into secret realms together to seize opportunities and hone their skills.

Indeed, they believed that drinking, boasting, and watching dancers were the real priorities—at least that's what the black-clad youth, the toad, and the snail thought.

Despite their seemingly indulgent lifestyle, the four brothers' strength grew at an astonishing rate.

As hundreds of years passed, the four had become the top-tier powerhouses on the continent.

Because of their formidable strength and unique style, Warm Wine City had also become a one-of-a-kind existence on the continent.

Whether it was the masters of sacred lands or the leaders of sects, anyone who came here had to abide by the rules set by the four brothers—without exception.

One day.

Yi Feng suddenly noticed, to his surprise, that the space within his consciousness had expanded significantly.

The well and the old locust tree in the space remained unchanged, which puzzled him.

After some thought, he concluded that this space would grow over time and with the increase in his cultivation.

He wondered how large this space could eventually become.

Now, the space spanned over ten thousand miles, its vastness leaving Yi Feng in awe.

However, apart from the well and the old locust tree, the entire space was barren.

There was no air, nor any signs of life.

Yi Feng was unsure if this situation would change with the passage of time or as his cultivation improved.

He was filled with anticipation.

Yet, despite often being surrounded by his brothers, Yi Feng still felt a deep sense of loneliness.

"Ten thousand years of life and death, vast and indistinct, unthought of yet unforgettable."

In his spare time, Yi Feng would stay in his room and talk to the woman he loved.

Though she never responded, Yi Feng would still tell her in detail about all the interesting things he had encountered recently.

For example, the flashy toad's goggles had been hidden, leaving him hopping around in frustration.

Or how the snail would drink and vomit, then drink again, making it unclear whether he was drinking his own vomit.

As for the black-clad youth...

There wasn't much to say about him—most of his antics were unsightly and unfit for polite conversation.

Yi Feng often reminisced about the peaceful life in the small mountain village, but he also cherished the time he spent with his brothers.

How he wished his beloved could be by his side, sharing drinks and laughter with his rather unconventional brothers.

...

The wheel of time rolled on.

The continent was in turmoil, with heroes emerging one after another.

A mysterious force suddenly rose to prominence on the continent.

Their rise was astonishingly rapid, almost unbelievable.

In a short span of time, many factions and sacred lands on the continent had fallen under their control, serving their cause.

Their strength was evident.

This mysterious new force was called the "Desolate Hall."

This information, of course, reached the ears of the four brothers.

One day, the brothers were drinking and chatting merrily in the grand hall.

The hall echoed with their laughter and the sounds of music.

Such gatherings were never complete without the accompaniment of singers and dancers, and the brothers had grown accustomed to it.

After a round of lively songs and dances, the brothers were thoroughly intoxicated.

Suddenly, the toad waved his hand and said with a wide grin, "Enough with the music and dancing. Let's have a chat, brothers."

The ladies promptly retreated to the side.

Yi Feng and the other two stared at the toad, curious about what he was about to say.

"Have you heard? There's a new force that's risen really fast. They're called something like 'Yellow Shop.' I wonder how 'yellow' it is," the toad said.

The black-clad youth's eyes lit up with excitement. "That sounds thrilling! We should go check it out. There must be plenty of girls there!"

"Stop dreaming! It's called the Desolate Hall, not some 'Yellow Shop.' You toad, always dreaming of eating swan meat!" The snail, lifting his lazy head, couldn't help but retort.

"Shut up, you soft-bodied creature! You think you know everything!" the toad shot back.

"Are you resorting to personal attacks now?"

The ladies nearby covered their mouths, trying to stifle their laughter.

The black-clad youth's enthusiasm immediately waned. He scoffed, "Hmph, if it's not a 'Yellow Shop,' then it's not interesting. Seems like just another new faction. What do you think?"

"I'll watch from my chair!" the toad laughed.

"Edgy," the snail sneered, then added, "I'll watch lying down."

"Whatever."

"Boring."

"Big brother, what do you think?" the toad asked, turning to Yi Feng.

Yi Feng pondered for a moment before replying, "Why bother with them? We four brothers have no ambitions. We don't want to conquer the continent, so there's no need to get involved with them. Let's not worry about it."

Hearing Yi Feng's words, the others nodded in agreement.

The four brothers were content with their current lives and had no grand aspirations.

They drank, cultivated in their spare time, or explored secret realms.

Life was already fulfilling enough; there was no need to complicate things.

"Come on, let's not overthink it. Ladies, keep the music and dancing going! Brothers, let's drink!" the black-clad youth said cheerfully.

His hand kept wandering over the waist of the girl beside him, who occasionally leaned into him.

The others were used to this.

Soon, the sound of wine jars hitting the floor became frequent, and the shards piled up into a small hill.

...

The days of indulgence passed quickly.

One day, Warm Wine City received a visitor.

The four brothers sat in the hall to meet the guest.

The man wore a black cloak embroidered with cloud patterns, had triangular eyes, and a gloomy expression.

He was tall and thin, slightly hunched, with no beard, eyebrows, or hair—a classic "three-no" old man.

The visitor was none other than the third elder of the Desolate Hall, Wu Tian.

A scantily clad lady led him to a side seat.

Wu Tian subtly glanced at the lady's exposed chest, feeling a stir in his heart.

He thought to himself, "Warm Wine City is indeed as the rumors say."

But the strength of the four men before him was also as rumored—truly formidable.

The black-clad youth, noticing this, felt displeased.

These ladies were the property of Warm Wine City; how could an outsider dare to covet them? He spoke in a cold tone, "May I ask why the Desolate Hall has sent you to Warm Wine City? Surely not just to look at the ladies?"

The toad also sneered at the visitor.

The snail, as usual, acted indifferent.

Yi Feng, however, kept his gaze fixed on the visitor.

Wu Tian sensed the hostility from the four brothers but remained unyielding.

He cupped his hands and said coldly, "To be frank, the four of you are renowned. Our Desolate Hall admires your strength and wishes for you to join us and serve under our banner."

Wu Tian got straight to the point.

The Desolate Hall was at its peak, and anyone with a brain knew the benefits of joining.

Conversely, those who refused would face the consequences.

However, the brothers didn't even need to think before giving him an unexpected answer.

"Different paths do not make for good companions. Please leave," Yi Feng said calmly.

But the black-clad youth and the toad were far less polite.

"Turn left when you leave, and you'll find your one-way bridge. Walk slowly, so you don't strain your old back."

"You bald fool, do you think having no hair makes you invincible? How dare you come here to provoke us! Do you believe I'll kick you straight into reincarnation?"