CHAPTER 1254: CHAPTER 1183: EIGHTEEN TAVERNS

"I’m not familiar with the Abyss. If there’s a suitable person, I don’t mind forming a team to explore the Abyss together."

To obtain the Immortal Chaos Wood, Ye Chen would undoubtedly act alone.

However, since it’s still a long time before the right moment to get the Immortal Chaos Wood, Ye Chen doesn’t mind joining others to first explore other areas of the Abyss.

As for the safety of forming a team?

Ye Chen isn’t worried at all.

At this moment, Ye Chen has already stepped into the Divine Master Realm. When he was in the Sovereign Realm, he wasn’t afraid of facing the five Star Lords of the Abyss, let alone now with his realm advancing a level and his abilities multiplying, Ye Chen naturally has no fear of the Abyss.

Those who can harm him are now extremely rare.

As long as he acts carefully, safety is guaranteed.

With his Mind and Spirit whirling, Ye Chen raised his head to look at the Ancient Ruins Ferry he just arrived at.

This Ancient Ruins Ferry lies beside a massive sinking river.

The ferry is built right next to the river.

Rumor has it that this sinking river is the only entrance from Seven Phoenix City to the deeper realms of the Abyss.

At this moment, at the ferry beside the river, over ten thousand people are gathered, all ready to venture into the Abyss.

Ye Chen casually scanned and found that most of the over ten thousand people were in the Divine Master realm and above, with very few below the Divine Master Realm.

It seems that venturing into the deeper realms of the Abyss requires a higher realm.

"Hey, what is this..."

While observing, Ye Chen discovered that on the flat ground of the Ancient Ruins Ferry, aside from the gathered crowd, there were eighteen strangely shaped buildings in the corner of the ferry.

At that moment, many people were crowding in front of these eighteen buildings.

Ye Chen also walked towards these eighteen buildings. Through the conversations of those around him, Ye Chen quickly understood what these eighteen buildings were.

These turned out to be eighteen small taverns built by Star Lord Qian Lin of the Seven Phoenix City area, one of the seven Star Lords of the Abyss.

Star Lord Qian Lin built the eighteen small taverns specifically for people forming teams at the Ancient Ruins Ferry.

However, not everyone could use these eighteen small taverns.

According to the orders passed down by Star Lord Qian Lin, only those with sufficient ability could enter the eighteen taverns. If you weren’t capable, you could only team up on the outside platform.

This means that the outside is for the general crowd teaming up.

But the eighteen taverns are for the most outstanding people to form teams.

To find better teammates, it’s best to enter the taverns to choose!

"No wonder so many people are crowding in front of the taverns’ doors. These people must be trying to get inside."

"I bet a lot of people have already gathered inside the eighteen small taverns."

This method of separating the strong from the weak is quite interesting.

It also gives cultivators a chance to compare their abilities.

However, the eighteen taverns are not all the same. It’s said the 1st tavern is the hardest to enter, while the 18th tavern is the easiest.

Even so, the easiest 18th tavern can keep most people outside.

"Looks like to find good teammates, I really need to check out these eighteen taverns."

"I wonder what level of difficulty these taverns have for entry."

Ye Chen directly went to the door of the most difficult 1st tavern.

At the moment, the people in front of this 1st tavern were the least of all eighteen taverns.

After all, it’s the hardest one to enter here.

Many people simply don’t have the ability to get in.

When Ye Chen arrived at the door, seventeen people were gathered there. At that moment, many of these seventeen were discussing: "This 1st tavern is really too hard to enter."

"I heard there’s only one person inside now!"

"I fear that person won’t be able to find any teammates and might have to come out to choose from other taverns instead!"

"Aren’t you going to keep trying?"

"Try what. Even a lot of Peak Lords and Cosmic Emperors can’t get in. The 1st tavern is way too hard. I’m just here to watch the fun and see if anyone else can get in."

The discussions made Ye Chen frown.

Only one person has entered the 1st tavern?

Many Peak Lords and Cosmic Emperors can’t get in?

Heavens, the difficulty level is way too high.

However, Ye Chen also wondered what kind of difficulty level it truly was.

"First, I’ll check out the 1st tavern. Test the difficulty and see who that one entrant is."

Ye Chen directly bypassed the crowd and walked toward the entrance of the 1st tavern.

Seeing Ye Chen’s actions, many people immediately focused their gaze on him. When they saw that Ye Chen was just a well-dressed, slightly chubby middle-aged man and only at the first level of the Divine Master realm, many of them sneered at Ye Chen, saying: "Hey, friend, this 1st tavern isn’t so easy to enter."

"You should try other taverns or team up on the outside platform."

Clearly, these people didn’t think Ye Chen could pass the entry challenge of the 1st tavern.

But Ye Chen didn’t pay them any mind.

Upon reaching the entrance, Ye Chen stepped right through it.

At that moment, Ye Chen suddenly felt three Wine Gourds fly directly out from inside the tavern toward him.

"These three Wine Gourds are the three trials corresponding to the 1st tavern!"

"Only by passing these trials can you enter."

Someone behind Ye Chen told him.

Three Wine Gourds?

Just as that thought crossed Ye Chen’s mind, one of the Wine Gourds emitted a burst of light, directly drawing Ye Chen into it.

Boom!

Inside the first wine gourd was actually a mountain.

At the foot of the mountain was a stele inscription, and to pass the trial of the first wine gourd, one must climb to the mountain’s peak.

Moreover, this mountain would adjust its climbing difficulty based on the climber’s realm.

"A level trial?"

"I guess one’s strength must far exceed their realm to pass the first round of the tavern’s trial."

Ye Chen smiled and stepped forward, beginning to climb the mountain.

The more he climbed, the stronger Ye Chen felt an immense pressure weighing on him.

By Ye Chen’s estimation, this pressure had reached the peak of the Divine Master level.

For other first-tier Divine Masters, the moment they began climbing, such pressure would probably force them down. However, for Ye Chen, the pressure at the Divine Master level was quite manageable.

Ye Chen easily passed this stage.

After crossing this section of the mountain path, Ye Chen immediately felt the pressure surge dramatically, becoming pressure at the Lower Tribulation Dominator level.

Ye Chen of course overcame it again!

Then, came the pressure of the Middle Tribulation Dominator, and finally, the Upper Tribulation Dominator!

Ye Chen kept climbing, eventually reaching the mountain’s peak. This last segment’s pressure had reached the initial stage of the First Star Tribulation Cosmic Emperor’s pressure!

This level of pressure was absolutely terrifying!

This meant that for Ye Chen, with his first-tier Divine Master realm, he had to cross two major realms!

For a Dominator attempting this, wouldn’t that mean crossing two major realms and experiencing Star Lord-level pressure?!

No wonder this first small tavern was so difficult to enter.

The first of the three trial wine gourds was already this challenging.

Of course, for Ye Chen, with the numerous treasures on him, he could withstand the pressure of the First Star Tribulation Cosmic Emperor.

Ye Chen ultimately succeeded in reaching the mountain’s peak, passing the first trial of the wine gourd.

Whoosh!

Ye Chen flew straight out of the wine gourd.

While Ye Chen entered the first wine gourd, the onlookers outside were speculating how long it would take for Ye Chen to be expelled.

After all, Ye Chen, a one-star Divine Master, and also a slightly plump middle-aged man, didn’t look like a mighty genius at first glance.

Just when these people were discussing eagerly, wanting to see Ye Chen’s mishap, they were surprised to see Ye Chen come out of the first wine gourd quite quickly, and he wasn’t expelled.

Because, once Ye Chen exited, he entered the second wine gourd.

If he had been expelled, it would mean he failed the first wine gourd trial and would have no opportunity to attempt the other gourds, nor a chance to enter the first tavern!

"Does this guy have some ability?"

The dozen or so people outside felt a bit incredulous.

But more surprises were on the way.

Soon, after Ye Chen entered the second wine gourd, he quickly flew out again, and then entered the third wine gourd!

Ye Chen passed the second trial as well.

This caused the people outside to gasp.

This meant that Ye Chen had already passed two of the three trials!

As these people were astonished, they saw the time interval was even shorter this time.

With just a few dozen breaths, Ye Chen again flew out of the third wine gourd and then directly pushed open the door of the first tavern, stepping inside it!

Ye Chen passed the test of the most challenging first tavern among the eighteen and could enter the best first tavern directly!

This scenario made the dozen or so people outside rub their eyes in disbelief.

"What is happening!"

"This Divine Master entered?!"

"He actually broke into the hardest first tavern directly?!"

"For the test inside, I failed at the first wine gourd. I heard it requires withstanding pressure beyond two major realms. Can this Divine Master withstand the pressure of a Cosmic Emperor level?"

"Moreover, the test in the second wine gourd is a reaction test, which requires an extremely terrifying level of reaction. I was shot dead by flying arrows from the reaction test as soon as I entered. And he passed it too!"

"And the last wine gourd’s test is about fighting and clashing with an abyssal beast. It’s said the beast’s level is extremely high, at least two and a half major realms more difficult than normal cultivators. Did he actually defeat an abyssal beast at least the level of the Second Star Tribulation Cosmic Emperor?"

"We’ve really underestimated this first-tier Divine Master!"

"His strength is probably not inferior to some Cosmic Emperors!"

The people outside were abuzz with discussion.

Many were also sentimental: "Being in the Divine Master realm, he had an advantage. Going by realm, just fighting the Cosmic Emperor is already the toughest. If it were a Dominator, they would have to face Star Lord-level tests!"

Someone refuted: "Star Lord tests are indeed hard for a Dominator. But Cosmic Emperor tests are equally difficult for a Divine Master. Otherwise, it couldn’t have been that only one person made it through here before. His power is genuinely formidable!"

"Even if you were a Dominator, can you contend against a Second Star Tribulation Cosmic Emperor?"

This rebuttal left the earlier sentimental speaker looking quite sheepish.

The chatter outside did not affect Ye Chen.

Once he stepped inside the first tavern, Ye Chen looked around, and immediately he had a silent revelation: "The only one in the first tavern is her?"

He saw a Divine Master girl sitting cross-legged in cultivation inside the first tavern.

Seeing someone enter, the Divine Master girl opened her eyes and looked at Ye Chen.

However, because Ye Chen had transformed into a slightly plump middle-aged appearance, this girl did not recognize him.

But Ye Chen recognized her.

She was the very Tian Lan Yan who had shown outstanding performance alongside him when they passed through the Nine Bends Demon Realm not long ago!