Chapter 279: Can Old Demon Fang Make Friends?

"These days, even bandits deploy tactical formations?" Fang Qi marveled as he flew, clicking his tongue. "How incredibly high-end."

"They clearly came specifically to rob a brat like you!" Liu Ningyun stared coldly at Fang Qi, having evidently seen right through it. "Purposely bringing City Master Huangfu along to flaunt borrowed authority—what a calculated scheme!"

She already held a deep distaste for Fang Qi, and to make matters worse, her strength was inferior to his, which added an extra layer of awkwardness; she simply had no desire to speak to him at all!

Even when she did open her mouth, her words were laced with heavy hostility.

By this time, the lion that had been blindly roaring at Fang Qi had already been escorted back ahead of them by the disciples of the Nanhua Sect.

Fang Qi shrugged, adopting a perfectly solemn demeanor. "Actually, I could have just abandoned all of you and made a run for it on my own."

"Shameless!"

"Despicable!"

Several disciples who had followed from the Nanhua Sect instantly erupted in furious condemnation.

"I truly never imagined someone could speak of running away so high-mindedly and with such righteous conviction!"

Fang Qi was momentarily rendered speechless. "...Why do I get the feeling that everyone in your sect is a bit of a dimwit?"

"What did you say?!"

"Are you looking to pick a fight?!"

"..."

...

Amidst the pervasive atmosphere of mutual hostility, they arrived before the shop.

"Ah...!" Fang Qi let out a yawn, seemingly entirely indifferent to the tense mood as he led the group down to land before the entrance.

The clean street paved with white stone and the neat storefronts lining the road caused the eyes of several Nanhua Sect disciples, who had never visited this city before, to light up.

"Isn't flight banned over the city?" one disciple asked in wonder.

"I don't know either," Fang Qi explained. "I originally figured if anyone tried to enforce it, I'd just give them a beating. I didn't expect no one would bother to manage it at all!"

The disciples of the Nanhua Sect: "..."

Following closely behind them, Huangfu Tao's face twitched: It's more like no one dares to cross you, right? Even Qin Honglin was crippled; how many people in the outer city still possess the courage to control you?

"Hello, Boss!"

"Greetings, President!"

The moment they stepped through the entrance, they were greeted by various enthusiastic welcomes, making the environment seem exceedingly amicable.

The several Nanhua Sect disciples behaved exactly like country bumpkins entering a grand estate: "Senior Brother Li! Look, it's so vast inside!"

"The arrangement in here is so peculiar...!"

"To think it actually utilizes a spatial formation!" A chorus of sharp gasps arose from the rear.

Zou Mo looked with slight surprise at the several individuals following behind Fang Qi. "Boss, these guests are...?"

"Ah?" Fang Qi scratched his head. "Forgot to introduce them. New friends I met outside."

Su Zhi: "Unbelievable..."

Ruan Ning: "Even Old Demon Fang can actually have friends..."

"And such beautiful friends at that... it's simply mind-boggling!"

This instantly drew a crowd of onlookers. In particular, Ruan Ning, a girl who naturally familiarized herself quickly with others, sauntered over while cradling a bowl of instant noodles.

"The girl walking at the very front is so beautiful..."

Su Yao chewed on a spicy stick, her voice laced with envy. "She carries herself with such imposing grandeur..."

Xi Yue gave a soft snort. "You don't think he abducted them from somewhere, do you... I can't shake the feeling that I've seen her somewhere before..."

Just then, a pair of phoenix eyes swept over toward Fang Qi, carrying a frigid detachment meant to keep people a thousand miles away. "Who exactly is your friend? Don't try to act close with me!"

Staring into her eyes, Fang Qi blanked out for a moment before promptly restructuring his introduction: "Apologies, let me reintroduce her. This young lady is different; she's someone who inexplicably tagged along after I gave her a beating."

Liu Ningyun's vision went black, and she nearly fainted away from sheer exasperation!

"..."

The collective inner thoughts of everyone else: "We'd still prefer to just be friends..."

At this juncture, only Huangfu Tao, an old, sophisticated fox with a seasoned mentality, stepped forward to smooth things over: "No discord, no concord, after all! Boss Fang, your establishment is certainly bustling with people!"

He hurriedly shifted the topic.

Ruan Ning, who had accumulated a belly full of grievances because she had no time to tend to her own shop and frequently had to help Boss Fang look after his place and manage affairs, immediately edged closer. Cradling her instant noodles with one hand, she nudged the other woman's arm with her elbow and explained in a low murmur, "Don't be angry, young lady. This Old Demon Fang is just an old soul with a twisted mind..."

She was frantically slandering the boss!

"Ahem! Ahem!" Before she could even finish her sentence, she noticed a gaze laced with murderous intent locking onto her.

"I misspoke! He is handsome and exceedingly powerful!" She hastily altered her words.

Only then did that murderous gaze recede.

Liu Ningyun's delicate nose twitched slightly as she caught a whiff of a peculiar, enticing fragrance. Having spent the entire day chasing people and unleashing grand techniques, she was already somewhat exhausted, compounded by a severe depletion of her spiritual energy. Smelling the aroma of fine food at this moment made her feel exceptionally hungry!

"What is going on?" Liu Ningyun found it rather strange. She had practically attained the realm of subsisting on wind and dew; how could she still be enticed by the aroma of food?

She looked at the girl in red beside her. "Dear sister, what exactly is that in your bowl? Why does it smell so incredibly fragrant?"

The eyes of the other Nanhua Sect disciples also went completely wide.

"This shop's special: Master Kong's Pickled Cabbage Beef Instant Noodles," Fang Qi said. "Would the Nanhua Fairy care for a bowl?"

"The Nanhua Fairy?!" The surrounding crowd could not help but turn their gaze over in astonishment.

"Isn't that the supreme genius of the Nanhua Sect?"

"I heard that at a tender age, she has already comprehended the Nanhua Heavenly Light, rendering her utterly invincible!"

"Seeing her today, she truly possesses a grace that eclipses her generation! To think she would actually come to our Half-City!"

The entire crowd gathered around to gawk at her as if she were a rare, exotic animal!

Seated properly upon the sofa, Liu Ningyun gave a cold snort, her expression filled with utter disdain. "Judging by the name alone, it can't possibly be anything good...!"

Before her words could fully land, Huangfu Tao had already walked over from the side, cradling a bowl of instant noodles. "Slurp~ Slurp~ Ah... this old man has never tasted such fragrant delicacies before! It is truly a divine flavor! Hahahaha!"

"In Boss Fang's shop, this single bowl of instant noodles alone can already be considered the ultimate flavor of the mortal realm!"

Suddenly, Huangfu Tao exposed a look of profound astonishment. "These instant noodles..."

"What is it, City Master Huangfu?" Liu Ningyun's expression turned icy as she noted the drastic shift in Huangfu Tao's countenance. "Could it be that this fellow has laced it with poison?!"

"No!" Huangfu Tao marveled. "These instant noodles can actually purify the spiritual energy within this old man's body! It is consolidating my very foundation! Incredible! This is truly incredible!"

"What?!" Every single disciple of the Nanhua Sect bolted upright from their seats.

Liu Ningyun: "Bring me a bucket of instant noodles as well!"

"Slurp, slurp~! How can these instant noodles taste so utterly delicious!"

Ten minutes later, having drained the very last drop of broth from the container, she said, "Boss, bring me another bowl!"

Fang Qi stared at her slightly rounded little belly, and then looked back up at her face.

Liu Ningyun's beautiful face flushed crimson, leaving her utterly speechless.

"Limit one bowl per person each day," Boss Fang stated matter-of-factly.

At that moment, a white-haired elder could be seen sitting on the sofa, cradling a bowl of instant noodles.

Huangfu Tao sized him up with a meticulous gaze. "Is that not... Brother Mo?!"

Mo Tianxing looked up. "Ah, if it isn't City Lord Huangfu!"

"Pleasure to meet you! A true pleasure!"

"Brother Mo frequents this establishment as well?" Huangfu Tao asked in surprise.

A wave of awkwardness washed over Mo Tianxing. "It was all that old dog Yu Cangshan! He insisted on dragging this old man here to hack away at some Legend game! When he couldn't beat them, he went and joined some guild! Is City Lord Huangfu here to play Legend too?"

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