74: Chapter 74 Wine...

Half an hour later.

Lu Tongli stopped in his tracks and pointed at a towering green-brick wall ahead: "Little brother, we've arrived."

"That is the entrance to the Immortal Market."

Wu Li stood on the youth's shoulder and looked up.

The wall was towering, with green bricks and gray tiles; the top of the wall was carved with dense runes, with spiritual light faintly flowing across them.

At the entrance was a vermilion gate, with a pitch-black plaque hanging on the lintel, inscribed with the four large characters "Longcheng Immortal Market".

On both sides of the gate stood four Cultivators, dressed in uniform dharma robes with white backgrounds and blue patterns, with long swords hanging at their waists, their gazes as sharp as hawks.

Their cultivation levels were not low. Wu Li's Blood Pupil swept a glance through the youth's clothes: three at the sixth level of Qi Refining, and one at the ninth level.

There was also a translucent light screen covering the entrance, sealing the gate tightly.

Runes flowed on the light screen, faintly emitting a pressure that made people palpitate.

A Restriction, and not an ordinary one; it was at least a second-order Formation Restriction.

Lu Tongli shrank his neck and lowered his voice: "Little brother, look at those Immortals standing at the door; none of them are to be trifled with. And that light screen, I heard it's a Formation set up by Immortals. If we Mortals touch it, we'll be sent flying."

"Last time, some ignorant fellow tried to force his way in, but was bounced back several zhang by that light screen, lying on the ground for a long time without being able to get up."

Wu Li did not speak, only controlling the youth to stare at the light screen for a moment.

Colorless Profound Light can conceal one's presence, but can it penetrate this Restriction?

Wu Li was also unsure.

"Let's go."

Wu Li controlled the youth to turn around.

Lu Tongli was stunned for a moment: "Little brother, not looking anymore?"

Wu Li did not answer, simply lifting his feet to walk back.

Lu Tongli hurriedly followed, muttering: "That's right, just looking is enough; we Mortals can't get into that place."

Wu Li crouched on the youth's shoulder, his blood-red pupils narrowing slightly.

The Immortal Market cannot be forced, but the blood crystal is inside; it's a bit tricky...

And looking at this situation...

Even if it is there, whether it has been taken or not is another matter.

On the way back.

Wu Li crouched on the youth's shoulder, his blood-red pupils narrowing slightly, calculating the matters of the Immortal Market in his mind.

Lu Tongli walked in front, still muttering about all sorts of things regarding the Immortal Market, but Wu Li was no longer listening.

On the way back, they bypassed the bustling markets.

Suddenly, Wu Li raised his head.

"The smell of wine..."

The smell of wine was not strong, but faint, mixed into the cooking smoke of the roadside stalls, appearing and disappearing. That aroma of wine drilled into his nasal cavity, suddenly evoking something.

Wu Li's wings folded slightly, and a trace of trance flashed through his blood-red pupils.

Past life.

The Age of Dharma Ending, where Spiritual Qi was exhausted and there was no hope for longevity.

Later, he turned to the Evil Path and killed countless people, but sometimes he would seal his cultivation and mingle in the Mortal markets, with two cases of beer, a handful of skewers, and some spicy small seafood and duck parts, enjoying himself in a daze.

At that time, what he drank was not wine, but numbness.

Wu Li's throat moved.

He controlled the youth to stop and turn towards the wine shop by the side of the road.

The wine shop was not large, with a narrow storefront. Behind the counter were several half-man-high wine jars, their mouths sealed with red cloth. On the wall hung a wooden sign, with the words "Osmanthus Wine", "Daughter's Red", and "Bamboo Leaf Green" written on it.

The shopkeeper was a chubby middle-aged man, dozing off while leaning on the counter.

Lu Tongli followed him in, looking puzzled: "Little brother, do you want to buy wine?"

Wu Li ignored him.

He controlled the youth to take out another Spirit Stone from his bosom and place it on the counter.

The shopkeeper was awakened by the sound, rubbed his eyes, and seeing the Spirit Stone, a smile immediately piled up on his face: "Customer, what kind of wine would you like?"

"I want strong liquor, bring two jars."

"Alright, customer, please wait a moment."

He turned around and walked out from behind the counter. From the moment Wu Li took out the Spirit Stone, he knew this was a big customer.

So he did not hesitate.

He bent down and dragged out two black pottery wine jars from under the counter. The mouths of the jars were sealed with yellow mud, and a yellowed red paper was pasted on the jar bodies, with the three characters "Strong Knife" written on them.

The shopkeeper patted the wine jars, which made a dull sound, looking pleased with himself.

"This is truly strong liquor, the treasure at the bottom of my shop's chest."

"This wine is made from high-quality spiritual rice, steamed and brewed nine times, and sealed for at least ten years. An ordinary drunkard would be knocked out after three sips."

Wu Li's blood-red pupils brightened slightly.

The shopkeeper dragged out eight more identical black pottery wine jars from under the counter, neatly arranging them in a row, totaling ten jars.

He rubbed his hands together, his eyes narrowing into slits as he smiled: "Customer, these ten jars of Burning Knife are the lifeblood of my shop; I usually can't bear to sell them. If you want them, ten Spirit Stones, not a single one less."

Lu Tongli gasped, his eyes wide round.

"Ten Spirit Stones? Shopkeeper, you are asking for an exorbitant price!"

The shopkeeper was not annoyed, still smiling: "Sir, go to the Immortal Market and ask; which jar of wine that those Immortals drink doesn't cost three or five Spirit Stones?"

"These ten jars of Burning Knife of mine have been sealed for ten years, with a mellow taste and a strong kick. Ten Spirit Stones is already a conscientious price."

Wu Li did not waste words, controlling the youth to take out ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones from his bosom, stacking them one by one on the counter.

These Spirit Stones were all searched from the old man of the Bai family's Storage Pouch.

The shopkeeper's eyes went straight, and he hurriedly collected the Spirit Stones into his sleeves, the smile on his face almost overflowing: "Customer, you are straightforward! These ten jars of Burning Knife are all yours."

Wu Li controlled the youth to wave his hand and directly store these wines into the Storage Pouch.

Lu Tongli followed behind.

"You can go now."

Wu Li saw the city gate and prepared to go back first.

Lu Tongli nodded repeatedly.

"Customer, if we have the chance next time, you can look for me again."

After saying this.

Lu Tongli turned and left.

On Wu Li's side, after walking for a distance, a team of constables walked towards them—seven or eight people, wearing gray-blue yamen uniforms, with iron rulers hanging at their waists. The leader was a middle-aged man in his forties, with a square face, thick eyebrows and big eyes, walking with a gust of wind.

The two groups brushed past each other. Wu Li controlled the youth to keep his head down, blending into the crowd without attracting anyone's attention.

But just as they walked past less than ten steps, the leading constable suddenly stopped.

He turned his head abruptly, his gaze fixed tightly on the youth's back, his eyes wide round.

"Did you see that?"

The constable leader's voice was dry.

The other constables stopped upon hearing this and looked in the direction of his gaze, only to see a youth in tattered clothes walking away in a hurry with his head down, a shiny black crow crouching on his shoulder.

"Boss, what did you see?"

A young constable scratched his head.

"That brat from the Liu family!"

The constable leader's voice became urgent, pointing at the youth's back, "It's that kid from the Liu family who was beaten to death; I recognize him!"