474: Wine

Cang Wu raised his hand and picked up the wine jar, first pouring a cup for Situ Jun's jade cup, then pouring one for himself.

In the translucent white jade cup, the wine was a semi-transparent milky white, shimmering with a faint spiritual light. Its fragrance was refreshing; with just one sniff, one felt the spiritual power within their Dantian begin to stir, longing to drink it all at once.

"This is a spiritual brew from my personal collection, named 'Moon Dew Brew.' It is made from century-old spiritual fruits from the Far North of the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty and thousand-year-old Ice Spring water, then nurtured at the eye of a Spiritual Vein in the Dynasty's ancestral lands for decades. Its Spiritual Qi is mellow and thick. A single cup for an ordinary Cultivator is worth half a year of bitter Cultivation. Even a Nascent Soul stage Cultivator can use it to nourish their Meridians and condense their Primordial Spirit."

Cang Wu picked up the jade cup in front of him and gestured slightly toward Situ Jun, his gaze gentle.

"Young friend, meeting is fate. Today, I feel a kinship with you at first sight. How about having a few drinks with this old man?"

Situ Jun looked at the translucent white Spiritual Wine in the cup, then looked up at Cang Wu's gentle eyes. He knew clearly in his heart that this was an invitation from a Soul Transformation stage powerhouse, and more so, an order that could not be refused.

Even though his heart was full of doubt and vigilance, the other party's Cultivation was right there. If he went against Cang Wu's wishes, not only would he bring great trouble upon himself, but he feared even his intentionally hidden Soul Transformation Cultivation might be exposed under the other's pressure.

More importantly, he could feel that there was no ill intent in this Moon Dew Brew, not a trace of toxin; it was simply a pure, top-tier spiritual brew.

He suppressed the myriad thoughts in his mind and slowly picked up the jade cup before him, lightly clinking it against Cang Wu's cup. A clear, crisp sound rang out, exceptionally distinct in the noisy hall.

"Thank you, Elder, for bestowing the wine."

Having said that, he tilted his head back and drained the wine in the cup.

The spiritual brew entered his throat, crisp and mellow without any spiciness, leaving only a mouth full of sweet fragrance.

A thick and pure spiritual power slid down his throat into his stomach, instantly transforming into countless tiny spiritual streams that spread to his limbs and bones. It gently nourished his Meridians and Dantian; even the Meridians that were usually slightly sluggish due to bitter Cultivation seemed to be cleared, making his whole body feel comfortable and causing the spiritual power throughout his body to become exceptionally active.

However, this spiritual power was too special, as it carried a faint trace of Yang Fire energy. After entering his stomach, it merged with the Dragon-Phoenix Spiritual Power in his body, causing the Dragon-Phoenix Spiritual Power to become even more active, slowly circling within his Dantian as if trying to break free from its shackles.

Seeing him drink it all in one go, a look of approval flashed in Cang Wu's eyes. He also tilted his head and finished his wine, then immediately refilled Situ Jun's cup. His movements were natural, as if the two had known each other for many years.

"I observe your countenance, young friend; your bone structure is extraordinary, and your Luck is remarkable. You are certainly no ordinary person and are well worth my Moon Dew Brew."

Elder Cang Wu spoke indifferently, his tone casual, as if it were a passing compliment.

After a pause, he continued.

"I have few hobbies in my life, except for collecting some Spiritual Wine. I have traveled through all the Dynasties under the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty and collected many rare brews. This Moon Dew Brew is one of my proudest collections. Since I feel a kinship with you today, I shall drink a few more cups with you. We won't stop until we're drunk."

Situ Jun could not decline and could only raise his cup to accompany him.

He was not naturally a drinker, but facing the enthusiastic persuasion of a Soul Transformation Late Stage powerhouse, combined with the other's status and strength, he had no room to refuse. He could only drink cup after cup.

Elder Cang Wu's tolerance for alcohol was excellent. Cup after cup of Moon Dew Brew went down his throat, yet his expression remained unchanged and his gaze stayed clear. Instead, he gradually became more talkative.

At times, he asked about the local customs and people of the Northern Border, his words suggesting he was quite curious about the territory of Tianqi.

At other times, he spoke of the celestial signs and Luck of Tianqi. Every sentence touched upon the Dynasty's fortune; while it seemed like casual chatter, every word appeared to hide a probe.

The after-effects of the Moon Dew Brew were very strong, far beyond that of mortal wine. After seven or eight cups, Situ Jun felt a slight heaviness in his mind, and a faint hint of drunkenness appeared in his usually cold eyes.

The sense of aloofness that usually kept people at a distance dissipated slightly, and even the sharpness between his brows softened a bit.

He originally wanted to circulate his spiritual power to force the alcohol and the Yang Fire energy from the Spiritual Wine out of his body.

But on second thought, doing so might displease Elder Cang Wu or even let the other party perceive the depth of his Cultivation. He could only suppress the thought and allow the drunkenness and spiritual power to spread through his body.

As the Yang Fire energy increased in his body, the Dragon-Phoenix Spiritual Power within Situ Jun became more and more active, carrying a faint hint of violence. His Meridians swelled slightly, causing his brow to furrow unconsciously as he attempted to use his will to suppress the restless spiritual power.

Elder Cang Wu seemed to see through his current worry. Putting down his wine cup, he smiled faintly.

"Young friend, there is no need to worry. This Moon Dew Brew is most unique. When drunk, the spiritual power in one's body will feel like a burning fire. It seems violent, but in reality, it is tempering the Meridians and solidifying the spiritual power. At this moment, you must let nature take its course and not forcibly suppress it to experience its wonders. Once the drunkenness fades, you will find that your spiritual power has improved significantly."

Upon hearing this, Situ Jun secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He then withdrew all his thoughts and allowed the spiritual power and Yang Fire energy in his body to merge and flow slowly through his Meridians.

As expected, just as Elder Cang Wu had said, the sense of violence gradually dissipated, replaced by a gentle force that slowly nourished his Meridians. It made his whole body feel warm, and even his Primordial Spirit showed signs of becoming slightly more solid.

One thing led to another, and Situ Jun actually ended up drinking too much.

The white jade wine jar before him was now empty. Its translucent white body was void, and the last drop of Moon Dew Brew had been poured into the wine cup by Elder Cang Wu.

Situ Jun's cheeks were flushed with a faint red hue, and his gaze wavered with obvious drunkenness. The sharpness that usually saw through people's hearts had long been replaced by a hazy intoxication, and even his posture was slightly more relaxed than at the beginning.

Seeing him like this, Elder Cang Wu did not urge him to drink more but continued to chat with him.

From the court anecdotes of the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty to the Sect landscape of the Divine Beast Continent, and then to insights and experiences on the path of immortal Cultivation—his words seemed casual, but every word was a gem, reflecting the perspective and wisdom of a Soul Transformation stage powerhouse, which benefited Situ Jun greatly.

Many of the puzzles he had encountered on his path of Cultivation were easily resolved by Elder Cang Wu's few words.

Although Situ Jun was drunk, his mind remained clear, and he did not lose his sense of propriety due to the alcohol.

He responded occasionally with concise words. In just a few sentences, he expressed his understanding of Cultivation and his commentary on the continent's landscape.

The smile in Elder Cang Wu's eyes grew deeper, and his gaze toward Situ Jun held more genuine appreciation, as if he were admiring a rare piece of uncut jade.

Everyone in the hall had their eyes glued to the side seat at the end of the hall. Watching the scene, they were all dumbfounded, their shock beyond measure.

No one expected that the high and mighty Elder Cang Wu of the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty would actually have such a pleasant conversation and drink continuously with a mere City Lord of Tianqi. He even treated him with his prized top-tier spiritual brew. Such treatment was something even the Lord of Tianqi, Li Xuan, had never received.

Li Xuan sat in the main seat, his wine cup suspended in mid-air. His gaze was fixed on the two figures drinking and chatting at the end of the hall, his heart filled with a complex mix of emotions.

There was wariness toward Elder Cang Wu, doubt toward Situ Jun, and a trace of indiscernible jealousy.

He had thought that Elder Cang Wu's arrival was an Opportunity for Tianqi. He could use Elder Cang Wu's prestige to suppress Situ Jun's Aura, which loomed over the Tianqi Imperial Family, and perhaps even take the chance to expose Situ Jun's various "transgressions," using Elder Cang Wu's hand to eliminate this major threat.

But seeing the situation now, the thought that had just popped into his head was instantly extinguished.

Elder Cang Wu valued Situ Jun so much that if he dared to say a single bad word, he feared he would be the first one to suffer.