Chapter 422 Testing the Waters, The Five Friends of Yunling

The Pan Family only brings out their meticulously brewed Yunshao Spring on the third day of the wine tasting festival.

This Yunshao Spring is not easy to brew and is extremely precious.

During this grand event, the Pan Family would only bring out one pot; only those with the most noble status present would have the chance to taste a small cup, while the rest could only smell the wine's fragrance from the side.

Of course, although Yunshao Spring is precious, the Pan Family cannot have only this little.

It is just that more of the wine liquid is used by themselves, or offered to the forces behind them to maintain their relationship.

All of this was learned by Yan Chu from the idle chatter of others.

"Fellow Daoist Kang, since you are from the Qiongtian Domain, I wonder how you came to be in our Fusheng Domain? The distance between them is surely more than hundreds of millions of miles, right?"

"If we were to use our movement speed in the Divine Ability Realm, I fear it would take a year or half a year to fly, wouldn't it?"

Old Ancestor Chen Jing of the Chen Family sat opposite Yan Chu, raised his cup, and asked.

Yan Chu also raised his cup to lightly clink with the other party, then took a small sip of the wine. This was not yet the Yunshao Spring, but the wine was equally fragrant, mellow, and long-lasting, with an excellent taste.

"I felt that my Cultivation within the Sect had reached a Bottleneck, and that the Opportunity for a Breakthrough lay in the outside world. Only then did I bid farewell to my teachers and elders to travel the world. Now that I think about it, it has been over ten years since I left the Sect."

Yan Chu's expression was perfectly disguised, and his tone was filled with longing for his Sect, causing those watching from the left and right to glance at him.

"Oh, I see!"

Chen Jing exchanged a look with the City Lord Yu Chongyue, who was sitting in the main seat, and said:

"This old man has heard that the Cold Ice Holy Sect possesses several powerful ice-type Divine Abilities. I wonder which one Fellow Daoist Kang has Cultivated? Could you let us present open our eyes? And witness the power of a great Sect's Disciple's Divine Ability?"

Others at the wine party echoed this upon hearing it.

"That's right! Fellow Daoist Kang is someone who has passed the Heavenly Tribulation; his strength must be extraordinary! Could you let us witness it?"

"The Cold Ice Holy Sect's number one Divine Ability is the Cold Dust Nirvana Divine Ability. I have heard that when this Divine Ability is Cultivated to a high level, it can freeze an area of tens of thousands of miles into a forbidden zone of cold ice, causing all living things to perish."

"Oh? Is this the Divine Ability that Fellow Daoist Kang has Cultivated?"

"..."

City Lord Yu Chongyue and the heads of the other three Families looked at Yan Chu with smiles.

Although they appeared friendly, this probing intent was clearly laid out on the table.

Everyone was an old fox who had Cultivated for thousands of years; they couldn't possibly believe whatever Yan Chu said.

Moreover, people from the Cold Ice Holy Sect, once they have achieved success in their Cultivation, emit a terrifying chill from their bodies, and the places they walk through can freeze everything.

But Yan Chu's aura was hidden without a leak.

Even just after finishing his Undergoing Tribulation, when he was absorbing the Spiritual Qi rain, everyone only saw that his momentum was quite strong, but they couldn't tell which path his Cultivation followed.

However, since they had just met, probing immediately would be impolite.

Now that they had invited him first and asked Yan Chu to taste the fine wine, the etiquette was thorough, so probing the other party would not give anyone a reason to complain.

Yan Chu also knew that probing was inevitable.

After all, it was impossible for them to believe everything he said. He was not annoyed, only laughing and saying:

"Since everyone wants to witness the unique skills of my Holy Sect, I will show two small moves."

He had previously searched the soul of Kang Zhe, but the Cultivation Techniques and unique skills were restricted, and Yan Chu naturally could not find them.

But he himself had Cultivated ice-attribute martial arts.

Not to mention the Hail Blade from the Seven Limits of Heaven-Swallowing and Earth-Destroying, just the Heavenly Frost Fist and Six Arts of Arrogant Cold he had previously Cultivated had a martial arts ceiling that was definitely not low.

Among them, especially the Heavenly Frost Fist, when Cultivated to the highest Realm, it could even freeze time and space.

Although Yan Chu had not studied these two martial arts deeply later, with his current martial arts Realm, using them would definitely not be weaker than ordinary Divine Abilities.

Hearing what Yan Chu said, everyone's interest greatly increased.

This Qingcheng Gathering was originally an exchange meeting; it just used the name of wine tasting to gather everyone together, which sounded more elegant.

Being able to see this Prodigy from a large Sect display his Divine Ability, everyone turned their attention towards him.

Old Ancestor Chen Jing of the Chen Family, Old Ancestor Liu Jiupo of the Liu Family, and City Lord Yu Chongyue looked at each other, all frowning secretly.

What is going on?

Could this Kang Zhe in front of them really be from the Cold Ice Holy Sect?

Correct!

They hadn't believed Yan Chu's story from the beginning.

It was just that the other party had such Cultivation at such a young age, looking like he had a deep background, and they didn't want to offend him.

Forget it!

Let's see how he displays it!

"Everyone, please look!"

Yan Chu lifted the wine cup in his hand.

The wine in this cup had just been sipped halfway by him, and there was still a small half-cup left inside.

Everyone was watching him, unwilling to miss any detail, seeing what Divine Ability he was going to display.

Whoosh!

Yan Chu picked up the wine cup and splashed it directly into the sky. The amber wine liquid in the cup drew a beautiful curve, was splashed into the high sky, and then with a bang, all the wine liquid exploded, bursting into a vast mist, scattering in the long sky.

And then, nothing.

That's it?

What did you display?

The people present looked at each other; what kind of Divine Ability display was this?

Just when everyone was confused, suddenly, a shocking chill descended from the sky. The surrounding temperature plummeted, and the wine in front of everyone froze into ice lumps.

"Look quickly!!"

Someone shouted, and the others looked in the direction of the sound.

High in the sky, the mist formed by the half cup of wine Yan Chu had just splashed drifted for thousands of feet. At this moment, it converged into a thousand-foot-long ice river, spanning the horizon, looking magnificent and shocking.

"Hiss..."

Someone gasped.

Everyone present was a person of profound Cultivation, naturally able to see the terror of that ice river; even from such a distance, terrifying cold Qi was raining down.

If they were to face this ice river directly, I fear that few people present could withstand it.

And this was only caused by Yan Chu casually splashing a cup of wine.

If he used his full strength, I fear only City Lord Yu Chongyue and the Old Ancestors of the three great Families would be his opponents, right?

Yu Chongyue and the others looked at each other, all able to see the heavy look in each other's eyes, and their suspicions gradually faded.

"Hahaha!! Brother Kang, good technique!"

Yu Chongyue changed his form of address unknowingly and asked with a smile:

"I wonder which unique skill of your Sect this move is?"

"This move is called Frost Cold Long River!"

Yan Chu bluffed blindly:

"It takes the meaning of frost descending on a cold river, flowing water freezing, and all sounds falling silent. When Cultivated to a high level, the force is long and lasting, the cold penetrates the skin and muscles, and can lock and trap with layers of cold force. It is a lower-grade unique skill of my Sect's Divine Ability, Ice Age."

His tone and expression left no flaws, carrying the actor's self-cultivation to the end. Others listened as if it were true, all nodding repeatedly, exclaiming that they had learned something.

After this incident, the suspicion of the people present towards him was greatly reduced.

In addition, Yan Chu had searched the soul of Kang Zhe, and had an understanding of some daily affairs of the Cold Ice Holy Sect and the customs of the Qiongtian Domain, so his narration made everyone nod repeatedly, and they had no more doubts about his identity.

"Fellow Daoist Kang, this is the Yunshao Spring brewed by our Pan Family. Within a radius of tens of thousands of miles, there is no other place like it."

Pan Yun reached out and gestured, and a charming maid stepped forward to fill Yan Chu's cup.

This was already the third day of the wine tasting festival.

During these three days, Yan Chu discussed martial arts with Yu Chongyue and others.

He had the Cultivation directly improved by the System, and his understanding of various martial arts principles was profound, far beyond what the people present could compare to.

Often, just a few casual words would make others suddenly enlightened.

The difficulties they had encountered in their Cultivation were solved instantly.

The gazes everyone looked at him with could not help but have a bit more respect.

Yan Chu had no interest in getting any help with his Cultivation from others; after all, he had the System, and given the foundation of these people, they could not give him any guidance.

He only wanted to learn news about the Yuanqing Holy Realm from everyone's mouths.

During these three days, he had already gained a general understanding.

In the Yuanqing Holy Realm, the most powerful groups were the Human Race and the Demon Race, but other groups like the Fiend, Corpse, Spirit, and Rakshasa, while not weak, still had a gap compared to these two major groups.

However, although these groups were slightly inferior to the Human Race, they were still a powerful threat.

The Fusheng Domain, where Yunqi City is located, is connected to the territory of the Corpse Race.

Both sides have friction from time to time, and every few thousand years, one or several major wars break out between the two races.

The areas affected by the war often span tens of millions of miles, and the casualties are countless.

The three major forces of the Fusheng Domain, the Ziyun Sect, the Tianxing Gate, and the Saint-Grade Family Zhao Family, are on the front line of the struggle against the Corpse Race.

Of course, that is the Corpse Race after all; it is impossible for only these three major forces to participate. Top forces from central Human Race domains like the Fantian Domain, Xuanhuang Domain, and Shanhai Domain would all send people.

Moreover, there are experts from top Human Race forces stationed here all year round.

Once the Corpse Race invades on a large scale, the Human Race Saint Alliance, composed of major top forces, will mobilize troops, and the Fusheng Domain will become the center of the war.

This is also the reason why there are few people here.

There is only one Yunqi City within tens of thousands of miles.

It is really because staying here is truly dangerous. If you happen to encounter a Corpse Race invasion one day, most of them will be conscripted as cannon fodder, and you won't be able to hide.

The four major families of Yunqi City are also because their ancestors were Disciples or servants of the three major Saint-Grade forces like the Ziyun Sect, and now they have intricate relationships with the three major forces, which is why they can only stay in Yunqi City.

However, because of the special location of the Fusheng Domain, the Human Race Saint Alliance has some resource concessions for all forces in the Fusheng Domain, so when there is no Corpse Race invasion, they still live quite comfortably.

Seeing Pan Yun's invitation, Yan Chu raised his wine cup.

The fine wine in the cup was clear and bright, and the wine aroma was wrapped in faint Spiritual Qi. Just smelling the wine aroma, one knew it was a fine wine.

He drank it in one gulp.

The wine liquid slid down his throat into his abdomen, turning into Spiritual Qi and dispersing, overflowing into his limbs and bones. A mellow, lingering alcoholic feeling flowed through his whole body, making one feel ethereal.

"Good wine!!"

Yan Chu's eyes brightened, and he praised.

It was indeed good wine. Although he was not a wine lover, he could also taste that this wine was truly a rare vintage.

The slight Spiritual Qi that increased his Cultivation was not worth mentioning; the key was the taste of the wine liquid, which even made his body feel comfortable, leaving a lingering fragrance on his lips and teeth.

As expected of the Yuanqing Holy Realm, such a small place can produce such fine wine.

It is absolutely impossible in the Lower Realm.

Pan Yun's eyes held a smile:

"Since Fellow Daoist Kang likes it, then have another cup to taste!"

Yan Chu's background and talent were both excellent, making her want to make friends with him.

"Hey! Lady Pan, you are too biased! Old man and the others ask you for this Yunshao Fragrance every day, and you won't even give half a cup more. How come as soon as you see Fellow Daoist Kang, you want to give him two cups of Spiritual wine in a row?"

"Could it be that you see Fellow Daoist Kang is handsome and your heart is stirred?"

Old Ancestor Chen Jing of the Chen Family tugged at his goat beard with a teasing look on his face.

Such jokes were only possible because they had known each other for thousands of years; otherwise, if it were a stranger, they would definitely not dare to make such a joke.

Old Ancestor Liu Jiupo of the Liu Family laughed in a croaking voice on her old face with deep wrinkles:

"Sister Pan is not that kind of person. Who doesn't know that she and Brother Zhong were a loving couple? Since Brother Zhong suffered Qi Deviation and passed away, Sister Pan has devoted herself to Cultivation and Family affairs."

"Old Ghost Chen, don't you go splashing dirty water on Sister Pan!"

City Lord Yu Chongyue watched the few people bickering with a smile and did not join in.

"Grandmother Jiupo is right. Senior Chen, this Yunshao Spring is precious and rare. I just admire Fellow Daoist Kang's outstanding talent, which is why I am willing to give an extra cup. Don't slander me at will."

Pan Yun said this, but her temper was not too angry.

With their friendship, they would not turn against each other because of a few words.

"Hahahaha!!!"

"You all really have such great leisure and elegance. Today is the Qingcheng Wine Party, and I smelled the wine from far away!"

"Since it is such a grand event, why didn't you invite the five of us? Could it be that you look down on us?"

As soon as Pan Yun finished speaking, a burst of wild laughter came from outside.

Clatter, crash...

This sound entered the City Lord's Mansion, instantly shattering cups and plates, and some maids with low Cultivation felt their heads buzzing, fainting to the ground.

Hearing this sound, the originally harmonious atmosphere in the field instantly turned cold.

The expressions of City Lord Yu Chongyue and the Old Ancestors of the three great Families became ugly at a speed visible to the naked eye.

As soon as the laughter stopped, a flash appeared before everyone's eyes, and five people appeared in the field.

The five people looked different, varied in height, and were ugly in their own unique ways, but all of them were wearing white cloud-patterned brocade robes, looking extremely flamboyant.

The leader had a chubby face, with small eyes narrowed, seemingly always carrying a smile, but this smile looked fake no matter how you looked at it.

The person on his left was dressed in gold and jade, with a gold necklace hanging around his neck, and all ten fingers wearing various rings, looking like a landlord.

The person on the right was dressed as a scholar, holding a folding fan, his eyes scanning the audience, and finally landing on Yan Chu.

The second person on the left was very tall, with large bones, like a small giant, with a face full of flesh, looking like someone not to be messed with at a glance.

The second person on the right was the most upright-looking among the five, with a sincere smile on his face, making people feel good at a glance.

"Fellow Daoist Kang, be careful! These are the Five Friends of Yunling who reside on the Five Yun Ridge."

At this time, Pan Yun's crisp and pleasant voice appeared in Yan Chu's ear, introducing the origin of the five people to him.

The chubby person in the middle with smiling small eyes is the leader of the Five Friends of Yunling, "Fake Face Minister" Jiang Heng. He looks like he is smiling, but he is actually a smiling tiger, harboring evil intentions inside.

The wealthy landlord wearing gold and silver on the left is nicknamed "Greedy Traveler" Jin Yi. He is profit-seeking, greedy for money, and uses unscrupulous means for his own desires.

The first person on the right is "Crafty Words Scholar" Meng Lingze, full of lies, relying on rhetoric to deceive and frame others, good at conspiracies and tricks, and is the mastermind among the five.

The second person on the left is nicknamed "Rampant Walker", whose real name is Hou Yu. He is the person with the second-highest hard power among the five after Jiang Heng, likes to bully others with power the most, and acts recklessly in the Five Yun Ridge area.