The Wine Immortal's Wine, the Tea Fairy's Tea

A glance at Qin Xuan's expression was all it took for the old ape to know he was unconvinced. To bolster his credibility, he tossed out several secrets concerning the Dao sanctuary: "This place lies beneath a tomb, directly connected to the Huangquan River within the underground caverns. The death qi in the river is absorbed by the spirit fruits. Even if you wash away the surface death qi, you cannot alter the fruit itself. "The fruit trees have long lived in symbiosis with the death qi. Those unable to adapt withered away countless ages ago. "Brewing the wine Senior Wine Immortal desires using such spirit fruits is harder than ascending to heaven. "Even if you were a master brewer in the outside world, no matter how extraordinary your skills, they will pale into insignificance here. "Fail to brew good wine, and tribulation qi will settle upon you. The ghosts prowling the town at night will inevitably seek you out. You will either succumb to inner demons born of tribulation qi or have your soul devoured by ghosts—there is no third possibility. "In several millennia, I, Yuan, have seen this all too often." The red-furred old ape sighed heavily, pointed at Zhang Laosan, and said to Qin Xuan, "This man on the cart slipped and fell into the Black River outside town by accident, and ghosts devoured most of his soul. He is on the brink of death. "You will follow in his footsteps. When that time comes, we will come to haul away your corpse." Having finished his speech, Guide Yuan shot Shen Yunfei a glance. Shen Yunfei chimed in, "Junior Brother Qin, I can erect a tombstone for you. The Wandering Vagabond Immortal? The Wind and Moon Immortal? Whatever inscription you wish, as your senior brother from the same sect, I shall grant it." Zhou Cang, who had transformed into a leopard, added, "I will offer a few extra cups of plain wine before your grave." The three chimed in one after another, as if they had already settled Qin Xuan's funeral arrangements. Qin Xuan could discern the mix of truth and falsehood in their words. Turning toward the red-furred old ape, he asked, "What advice do you have for me, Daoist Yuan?" In a confident, decisive tone, the old ape said, "Fifty immortal cowries, and I will teach you how to purge the death qi from inside the spirit fruits. Pay now, and out of respect for your two fellow sect members, I will only charge fifty. If you come seeking me next time, it will cost two hundred. "The opportunity comes only once. If you lack immortal cowries, you may write an IOU." How could Qin Xuan possibly fall for this? This old Yuan was plainly exploiting an information gap to fleece him. Ji Qingni stepped up beside Qin Xuan and said to the old ape with a smile, "Guide Ape, do you truly know how to wash the death qi from spirit fruits as well?" With a teasing look, she waved the bronze token given by the old man. The moment the ape saw it, he offered an embarrassed smile and held his tongue. Zhou Cang and Shen Yunfei caught the hint and, dragging the soul-bereft Zhang Laosan along, headed toward the next pavilion to knock on the doors of other newly appointed winemakers. Qin Xuan's eyes widened slightly. He spotted several familiar figures: Mountain God Tan, Master Jin Guan of Liangfeng Temple, and Captain Lu of Yingyang Prefecture. These people, unexpectedly, had also become winemakers. To those unfamiliar with this sanctuary, the old ape's words struck a nerve. Qin Xuan watched as Mountain God Tan, Master Jin Guan, and the others actually got fleeced of immortal cowries by the old ape. Throughout, the old ape kept turning toward Qin Xuan's direction, gesturing and pointing. It looked as if he were saying: *The fellow over there paid immortal cowries too, gaining knowledge you don't have.* Seeing Qin Xuan, Mountain God Tan and the others had hesitated at first, but ended up paying the cowries. *That bastard ape is using me as an advertisement!* Qin Xuan laughed in exasperation. Still, seeing Master Jin Guan and the rest get scammed, he had no intention of speaking up to help them. Putting the spectacle out of his mind, Qin Xuan turned to his own concerns. According to the old ape, being a winemaker carried immense risk. "Daoist Ji, what is the story with those spirit fruits?" Ji Qingni gave him a reassuring look. "I can help you wash away the death qi on the spirit fruits. Any Qi Refining cultivator in town tasked with washing spirit fruits can do so. However, I possess a sect secret art that can cleanse the death qi much more thoroughly. Only..." "Only you want immortal cowries, right?" "Not necessarily," she said, lifting her folding fan and waving it gently. "I will tell you once I've made up my mind. Until then, consider it free help." Qin Xuan immediately beamed a friendly smile. This Daoist Ji was certainly not ordinary, so he painted her a grand promise: "Once I brew the wine Senior Wine Immortal desires, I will share a cup with you. Then you can obtain the Dao mystery and depart this place at ease." Ji Qingni pointed her fan toward the old ape. "Little Sword Immortal Qin, you ought to team up with that old ape and his friends." Qin Xuan smiled and retrieved the golden token given to him by the old man. He gleaned a great deal of information from it. The token represented his identity. Being of high rank, the golden token granted various discounts when shopping in the town's markets. It was also a miniature pocket map; with a mere touch of awareness, he could learn about all the buildings in the town. Furthermore, holding this token came with another benefit: The sanctuary's Wine Immortal had gifted a pot of wine. It could be collected at any wine shop in town. Qin Xuan was deeply curious about what the Wine Immortal's wine was like, how one might brew wine to satisfy him, and how all this connected to the cultivation methods of the Great Dao. There were many wine shops in town. Qin Xuan planned to collect the wine first, so after checking the pocket map within the golden token, he set off westward. He walked for about two li. Along the way, he observed the Qi Refining cultivators in the town. Some looked familiar, likely hailing from Pingyuan Commandery. Others, like the old ape, were shrouded in death qi, having presumably been trapped here for a very long time. There were even those who not only were smothered in death qi but lacked any breath of life entirely, wandering through town like solitary ghosts. Whenever Qin Xuan encountered such people, he avoided them outright. As they neared the wine shop, a middle-aged woman carrying shoulder baskets walked toward them, seemingly a vegetable peddler. The death qi clinging to her was far denser than the old ape's. Qin Xuan stepped aside, avoiding any contact. Ji Qingni looked back at the woman who had just passed them, puzzled, and whispered, "You seem to be avoiding certain people?" Her expression was genuine; she truly hadn't noticed. Suspicion stirred in Qin Xuan's heart. "Didn't you find that woman somewhat unusual?" "Unusual in what way?" "She has no breath of life. It is as if she is already dead." Qin Xuan's voice was very soft, but to their creeping horror, the vegetable peddler, who had already walked far ahead, suddenly turned her head and fixed her gaze on them. Her face wore a decayed, rotting smile. Bearing her baskets, she walked toward them and asked, "Young friends, these are the town's blackwater greens, two immortal cowries per jin. Eating them greatly replenishes qi and blood. Would you like to buy some?" The woman was thoroughly eerie. Qin Xuan and Ji Qingni shook their heads and refused to converse with her. The woman pressed them with questions for a stretch. Only when they drew near the wine shop did she halt her steps. However, she lingered in the street, refusing to leave, seemingly waiting for them to emerge. The two kept silent, unsure of her intentions. This was the sanctuary of an ancient Tribulation Immortal who had survived a great tribulation to mend his Dao fruit; it could not possibly be peaceful. Perhaps this was an immense danger. Qin Xuan murmured thoughtfully, "Can you discern her cultivation realm?" "No." Just as Ji Qingni answered, the wine shop's manager lifted the door curtain and stepped out. The moment Qin Xuan saw the shopkeeper, his composure shattered. Standing before him was a burly monk in a yellow kasaya, who beamed at him and pressed his palms together: "Amitabha. Benefactor Qin, what a small world." Master Bear! "Master, you were brought here as well." The Black Bear Monster's face fell briefly before returning to normal. "This humble monk was originally delivering a wild boar to the afterlife when the scent of wine drifted over, leading me here." His voice abruptly trailed off as he spotted the vegetable peddler outside. Noting her peculiar behavior, Master Bear caught on: "Benefactor Qin, it seems you have run into trouble." "Yes. Do you know anything, Master?" The Black Bear Monster said, "Before this humble monk arrived, this wine shop already had a shopkeeper, whose state was much like that person outside. When I took over the shop, that shopkeeper had no signs of life, yet he suddenly stood up and walked out onto the street. "Before leaving, he glanced at this monk and left a single sentence." Qin Xuan quickly asked, "What sentence?" "That shopkeeper said he was the Mad Swordsman Mo Jianli of Zhongzhou's Heavenly Dragon Sword Cave, who ate three longevity-extending fruits here and had been trapped for five thousand eight hundred and sixty years." Not to mention Qin Xuan, even Master Bear himself could not conceal his shock when recounting this. Ji Qingni joined in, "Heavenly Dragon Sword Cave is a great sect in Zhongzhou devoted to sword arts. Every three thousand years, they produce a generation's Mad Swordsman. Bearing such a title, Senior Mo must have been an exceptional true disciple of their sect." She let out a soft sigh. "To think such a figure would perish in this land of ascending to immortality." Ancient Tribulation Immortals—former attainers of the Dao regarded as taboos by great sects—had emerged from the Kalpa to mend Dao fruits tainted by tribulation qi, shrouded in bizarre mystery. Qin Xuan glanced at the woman outside. Perhaps she too was a mighty figure from millennia ago. And now, she had set her sights on them. Looking around the wine shop and reflecting on Master Bear's words, Qin Xuan understood one thing. No wonder the Wine Tribulation Immortal had made his move. Most of the ancient people in this town had decayed and required fresh blood. Through this cycle, the town remained in perpetual operation. A chill ran through him. Could so-called winemakers truly brew wine that satisfied an ancient Tribulation Immortal? Just then, Master Bear noticed something and signaled toward the street. "That is the senior from Heavenly Dragon Sword Cave." Qin Xuan and Ji Qingni followed his gaze. The hunchbacked elder who had been walking behind the vegetable peddler suddenly snapped his head around, looking right toward them. Then, just like the vegetable peddler, he came to a stop and stood motionless. A cold sweat broke out on Qin Xuan's forehead. He felt as though the old Mad Swordsman of Heavenly Dragon Sword Cave was staring directly at him, unblinking. "Master, say no more. Bring us a pot of wine first." Master Bear shook his head. "Though this humble monk is the bartender here, I cannot treat anyone to drinks. The cheapest wine costs thirty immortal cowries. I receive only ten immortal cowries a month for running this shop, so it would take three months before I could treat you to a cup." Qin Xuan brought out the golden token. Instantly, Master Bear seemed to receive some kind of epiphany. "So that is how it is." He stepped behind the counter and began tinkering with the wine-making vessels. Following a specific procedure, he hauled out a large wine vat and retrieved a spirit fruit bearing tender green leaves from a jade box on the counter. Squeezing its juice, he poured it into a foot-tall, long-necked wine pot. He then added wine from the vat, shook it with great ritual flair, and finally carried over a tray with a shallow silver cup, placing it onto Qin Xuan's table. "Benefactor Qin, please." Qin Xuan said, "Master, bring two more cups." The Black Bear Monster brought two more silver cups. Qin Xuan lifted the wine pot, filled all three cups to the brim, and stowed the remaining wine into his hundred-treasure bag. This was a gift from the Wine Tribulation Immortal; it was likely extraordinary, so he would study it later. Qin Xuan raised his silver cup, signaling to them. Without waste of words, he downed it in one gulp. First came the familiar wine fragrance, followed by the Elixir Dew Flying Transformation Scripture roaring to life within him. The spiritual qi in the wine condensed into drops of spirit dew, steadily pouring into his Flowery Pool to be absorbed by his Dao lotus. Because his cultivation was suppressed, his senses were somewhat dulled. Yet it was visibly apparent that his Flowery Pool spirit spring had grown noticeably! Worthy of being wine from a Tribulation Immortal! Shaken to his core, Qin Xuan felt a wave of tipsiness. If he drank it all, what kind of effect would it have?! His mouth went dry. "Master, does this wine cost only thirty immortal cowries?" Master Bear took a sip and felt that all the spirit springs he had ever tasted had become thoroughly bland. "This wine costs five hundred immortal cowries a pot. Only through your golden token could it be served. When this monk became shopkeeper here, I was fortunate enough to receive a bronze token, linking myself to this shop to reap some benefits. "However, the bronze token grants no extra gifts, nor does the Wine Immortal bestow wine for it. "This single cup is worth at least fifty immortal cowries." Master Bear was a principled monk; having taken an advantage, he immediately dug into his hundred-treasure bag. Qin Xuan said hastily, "Master, between friends, this is my treat. There is no need for bartering." Master Bear replied, "This is no barter. It was meant for you in the first place." He produced an oil lamp covered in characters for 'Ji.' "This object wards off evil. Perhaps it will be of use to you." The evil things he spoke of were naturally the two figures outside. Seeing this, Qin Xuan accepted it. He cast a glance at Miss Ji beside him. Seeing the light rippling in her eyes as they reflected the Tribulation Immortal's wine without her taking a sip, he felt puzzled. "Daoist Ji, you jumped at the chance to save one immortal cowrie, yet now you pass up fifty immortal cowries' worth of wine?" Ji Qingni turned to look at him, knowing he was referring to when she traded information for three immortal cowries earlier. What a bizarre man. He haggled over a single cowrie for errand money, yet casually gifted a cup of immortal wine to someone else. Reaching into her treasure pouch, she produced three cowrie shells and pushed them forward with her slender, jade-like hand. "Here, returning them to you, lest you keep mentioning it." Qin Xuan froze. *She's so earnest? She actually gave them back.* Ignoring Qin Xuan's reaction, Ji Qingni lifted her silver cup. The image of a graceful, dignified woman surfaced in her mind—her mother, naturally: *"Qingni, you must remember: a young woman must never drink when away from home. If you get drunk, you will run into bad people..."* Now, inside the sanctuary of the Wine Tribulation Immortal, avoiding alcohol was impossible. Fairy Ji's gaze swept over Qin Xuan's face before she drank the wine down. The Wine Tribulation Immortal's wine carried its own Dao intent regardless of one's cultivation realm; no sooner had she finished drinking than a faint flush bloomed on her fair cheeks. Propriety demanded looking away, so Qin Xuan averted his eyes. Instead of staring at the breathtaking drunken fairy, he turned to the Black Bear Monster and asked, "Master, since you are mixing wine here, have you obtained any brewing recipes?" Master Bear nodded. "That Wine Immortal bestowed some knowledge, but this monk has only recently come into contact with it. Once I organize it to avoid any errors, I will pass along the information from the wine shop to you." "Many thanks." Qin Xuan needed to understand what this ancient Tribulation Immortal was truly trying to convey. They lingered in the wine shop for a while. Qin Xuan completely assimilated the spiritual power within the immortal wine, yet his cultivation aura remained at the tenth layer of Qi Refining, the Flowery Pool realm; Master Bear and Daoist Ji were the same. The vegetable peddler and Senior Mo of Heavenly Dragon Sword Cave waited outside the entire time. As dusk approached, their movements increased, and they glanced frequently at the sky. They seemed impatient, as if eager for night to fall. The wine shop was relatively safe, but the old man who gave the tokens had warned: *"Do not stay in others' residences at night, and do not go outside."* Seeing the eager expressions on the two outside made Qin Xuan's hair stand on end. He bid Master Bear farewell. "Daoist Ji, where is your residence?" "It is on the way, slightly behind yours." As they walked back along the street, the two old freaks behind them seemed to have reached an agreement: the hunchbacked elder fixated on Qin Xuan, while the vegetable peddler targeted Ji Qingni. "Will they follow us inside?" "I do not know." She said this as a deliberate test. Just then, the vegetable peddler and the hunchbacked elder behind them answered in unison: "We will." Hearing this, a chill gripped their minds and bodies. Qin Xuan noticed that the death qi on them had grown even thicker. Who knew what they would become once darkness fell. Unconsciously, Qin Xuan and Ji Qingni drew closer together. He asked via voice transmission, "Daoist Ji, are you confident we can deal with them?" "If we were outside, I would have some confidence. Here, it is a gamble. I have some magic treasures, but they might not work." Qin Xuan remembered something. "Do you possess two tokens?" "No," Ji Qingni replied. "The task of washing spirit fruits differs from that of a winemaker or shopkeeper; it has no fixed location, so there is only a sanctuary identity token. Seeing the old man give you a golden token today, I took a chance and asked for one, riding on your coattails to obtain a bronze token. "With this token, purchases are a bit cheaper." Qin Xuan made a sound of understanding, recalling Master Bear's words. "In that case, does my house count as yours as well?" "Yes." Qin Xuan tentatively asked, "How about you come to my place? We can join forces against these two old ghosts." Fairy Ji was stunned. Indeed, one really shouldn't drink wine—the moment you do, you encounter bad people. Having just finished drinking, she was already about to be taken to a man's home for the night. If Mother learned of this, she would probably be furious. Still, now was not the time to dwell on such thoughts. Weighing her options, she truly had no full confidence in handling the vegetable peddler behind them. If the other party was like Mo Jianli of Heavenly Dragon Sword Cave—a figure from nearly six thousand years ago—she would certainly possess extraordinary means. With their cultivation suppressed, the outcome was hard to tell. At the same time, she felt that the young man beside her was quite exceptional. She herself had failed to notice anything amiss with the people on the street, yet Qin Xuan had. No wonder Madam Wei wished to take this Little Sword Immortal as her disciple. Ji Qingni was not one to hesitate. She immediately said, "Let us go to your place." The two did not part ways at the fork in the road, continuing toward Qin Xuan's pavilion. Behind them, Mo Jianli and the middle-aged woman followed closely, their gazes constantly scrutinizing them. They entered the house through the back gate. Just as he was about to close the courtyard door, Qin Xuan asked the two behind them, "If we had not seen through you two, would we have avoided this trouble?" "Indeed." No sooner had the old Mad Swordsman Mo Jianli replied than Qin Xuan slammed the door shut, barring him and the middle-aged woman outside. In an instant, the death qi on the two grew even denser, their ghostly visages turning ghastly. Passing through an orchard of fruit trees in the back courtyard, they climbed the steps to the second-floor pavilion. Before the sun set, the two hastened to set up their defenses. After laying out talismans and eight-trigram mirrors, Qin Xuan used his Dharmic powers to light the oil lamp bearing the character 'Ji' given by Master Bear. The moment the lamp lit, it cast a gentle Buddhist radiance, from which an illusion of an ancient Buddha emerged. Qin Xuan could tell this treasure was extraordinary. A look of surprise crossed Ji Qingni's face. "This oil lamp seems connected to Xingshan Temple." "Xingshan Temple?" "Yes. Although it is a branch of the Western Religion, its conduct differs from that of Mount Ling's Great Thunder Sound Monastery. Within it are eminent monks filled with great compassion who have truly seen through World-Liberating Insight." This seemed to be Master Bear's background. It appeared not bad at all. While Qin Xuan pondered Ji Qingni's words, he saw her produce a sachet and take out a porcelain cup. The sachet contained golden tea leaves, which she poured into the cup before adding a small vial of willow sweet dew. In an instant, a refreshing fragrance filled the entire room. Being a rustic fellow from Pingyuan Commandery, Qin Xuan naturally did not recognize the tea. However, his senses were sharp: "Daoist Ji, your tea is quite extraordinary. Just catching its aroma makes me feel as though my swordsmanship has advanced a fraction." "This is Nine Heavens Pure Tea. Not only does it aid in comprehending the Dao, but its clear qi can also ward off evil spirits." Nine Heavens Pure Tea. Hearing the name, Qin Xuan could not help but glance toward the sky. Unfortunately, this was the miniature world of an ancient Tribulation Immortal, and the realms beyond heaven could not be seen. "This tea is quite good. How much does it cost?" The moment he asked, he felt a twinge of regret. Having cultivated the Secret Demon Poverty Method, how could he presume to inquire about such a spiritual treasure? "It cannot be bought," Ji Qingni said, shaking her head. "It can only be traded for." "Traded for what?" "For instance, Xiantian water essence from the Heavenly River, One-Origin Heavy Water from the Heavenly River, Divine Firmament Swallows used to forge spirit artifacts, or Primordial Magnetic Immortal Light from the four poles of heaven and earth." Qin Xuan fell silent and looked away from the tea. *It's nothing special, just a bit of tea. I possess the Underworld Root Divine Wood, a bronze divine beast zun that might be a spirit treasure, and Spring and Autumn immortal sword arts that no one else can comprehend.* Unwilling to concede defeat, the Little Sword Immortal comforted himself. As he was musing, Ji Qingni suddenly carried the tea over. "Here, Little Sword Immortal Qin, have some tea." She switched to a small cup and poured out some tea from the larger vessel. Qin Xuan had never been one to stand on ceremony. He drained the cup in one gulp, feeling the ball of sword qi left by the female sword immortal illuminate inside his mind. This tea not only aided enlightenment, but its spiritual power was also astonishing. Transforming it with the Elixir Dew Flying Transformation Scripture, he nourished his Dao lotus once more. *The Tea Fairy is quite a decent person,* he evaluated inwardly. Seeing that he still seemed unsatisfied, Ji Qingni offered politely, "Another cup?" Qin Xuan held out the small cup. "Sure, another cup." Fairy Ji blinked, not expecting him to be so unapologetically blunt, and had no choice but to pour him more Nine Heavens Pure Tea. Qin Xuan drank it down again. Closing his eyes, he felt as though a faint white figure leapt out within his mind, practicing sword arts. A few breaths later, he opened his eyes. This tea was of immense use to him. If he drank this tea while reading the Spring and Autumn Annals, he might fully comprehend the sword qi thunderous roar. Aware of the tea's allure and seeing his burning gaze, Ji Qingni thought he was greedily hoping for more. Yet she heard Qin Xuan ask, "Xiantian water essence and One-Origin Heavy Water from the Heavenly River can be exchanged for tea, right?" "Yes," Ji Qingni replied, adding, "Not from the Sky-Connecting Great River, mind you. I mean the Xiantian Heavenly River, the one flowing above the Nine Heavens." Qin Xuan knew this general lore. The Sky-Connecting Great River cascaded down from the Nine Heavens, flowing from the Eastern Ascendant Continent all the way to Southern Jambudvipa. The Xiantian Heavenly River, however, resided within the Biluo Star Sea of the Nine Heavens. "Once I ascend to the Nine Heavens in the future, I will salvage some Xiantian water essence from the Heavenly River to trade with you." Qin Xuan was not simply boasting. Xiantian water essence was a foundational source of the Heavenly River, possessing extraordinary spirituality; it could take various illusory forms and excelled at hiding in water. Yet having comprehended the method of Tianyi True Water, as long as he continued to cultivate, he would have a far better chance of sensing such spiritual treasures than ordinary Qi Refining cultivators. Though Fairy Ji did not believe him, she did not mind. She heard the clamor outside in town. Most of the cultivators arriving here had been anxious at first, but after exploring a little and understanding the sanctuary's rules, most abandoned their fear and grew excited. The Wine Immortal had left numerous fortuitous encounters within the sanctuary, all redeemable with immortal cowries. Though currently out of reach, it drove them into a frenzy. Such unreachable treasures were things they previously could not even lay eyes on. To the vast majority, this land of ascending to immortality was a once-in-a-millennium treasure trove of opportunity! Night was falling. Outside the pavilion, a breeze blew in, tugging at the Little Sword Immortal's hems and stirring the hair of the Guanghan Fairy. This wind did not chill the skin; rather, it chilled the soul, stirring a sense of crisis within them. The clamor in town died down considerably. Creak, creak! The sound of doors and shutters closing echoed in waves. The cultivators newly admitted to the Wine Immortal's sanctuary from the Pingyuan King's tomb had all received warnings. At night, only staying inside one's own home was safe. Only while alive could one seize fortuitous encounters. As long as one was not a fool, no one would violate such blatant taboos. Before the sky had completely darkened, not a single person remained on the streets. Many newcomers stayed indoors, preparing defenses while silently observing what would unfold in the town. This would be their first night in the Wine Immortal's sanctuary. Whoosh, whoosh! The wind grew stronger, carrying a scent of wine identical to the fragrance that had permeated Pingyuan Commandery City. Outside the pavilion, the moon rose. Occasionally masked by dark clouds, it appeared exceptionally realistic; it was hard to believe this was a miniature world. Qin Xuan stared at the moon in a daze, recalling that Patriarch Geng's miniature world was far from reaching such a level. Ji Qingni reached out to catch a sliver of moonlight. "Though an ancient Tribulation Immortal's Dao fruit is damaged, he remains an attainer of the Dao. Interacting with heaven and earth, he can project and manifest earthly phenomena—it does not mean he can truly create the sun and moon. "Beings beneath the Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation cannot tell the real from the false." Qin Xuan stood enlightened. Beyond the Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation lay the Spirit Transformation stage; Perfected Ones from Guanjiang Mountain would likely notice clues here. "The lamps are lit." Peering through the cracks of the pavilion window, the two saw rows of dim yellow lanterns illuminate under the eaves throughout the town. A sense of familiarity struck Qin Xuan, reminding him of how Advisor Hu had also lit a battered paper lantern under the eaves of the Huyue Book Pavilion. He remembered that on that night, two underworld envoys had rested beneath the lantern. Thump, thump. Footsteps sounded on the street outside the front door. Qin Xuan tried to probe with his divine sense, but it still could not be released, and the same was true for Ji Qingni. Yet their five physical senses functioned normally. Someone was lingering before the pavilion's front door. Then came a knock, followed by a voice shouting from outside: "Host, please open the door and grant this humble monk lodging for the night." Qin Xuan and Ji Qingni heard it but made no reply. After waiting a moment, the monk outside began to introduce himself: "This humble monk is a disciple beneath Maharatnapani Bodhisattva of Falao Temple in Western Aparagodaniya. If Benefactor grants me lodging for the night, I shall bestow a fortuitous encounter upon you. "This monk is proficient in two divine abilities of the Western twelve fire arts: the Merit Disaster-Dispelling Fire 'Mohana' and the Yin Virtue Fire 'Kalaravi.' Grant me rest on your ground floor for the night, and I shall impart both divine abilities to you." Having said this, he knocked on the door again. Qin Xuan paid him no heed. Looking up, he saw the jade pendant on Ji Qingni's folding fan emitting a faint white glow. Pointing at the pendant, she transmitted her voice to Qin Xuan: "Do not speak with him. This may be a pestilence demon." "A pestilence demon?" Qin Xuan recalled Advisor Hu under the Flood Dragon King mentioning that pestilence demons came in two kinds: one formed from tribulation qi during a cultivator's tribulation, and the other formed when a cultivator failed their tribulation, their mind overrun and consumed by fiends. "Is he formed from tribulation qi, or was he consumed by a fiend?" Fairy Ji was slightly surprised, not expecting him to know such things. "My fan can sense the prying of a Nascent Soul. Emitting white light indicates that the opponent is a White Boy." Qin Xuan nodded slightly. Transitioning from Core Formation to the Golden Core required enduring the Yin Fire Mind Demon Tribulation. From the Golden Core to the Nascent Soul was the Five Elements Tribulation, which was tied to one's innate bone structure; during this tribulation, the Five Divine Boys would appear. The White Boy corresponded to metal-phase qi, which meant the monk outside was at least an old Nascent Soul monster who had overcome the Five Elements Tribulation. "Then why do you say he is a pestilence demon?" "It is my guess. This monk might be a dead man, just like Mo Jianli of Heavenly Dragon Sword Cave. If he died, his Nascent Soul could not survive in the world. Tainted by tribulation qi and turned into a pestilence demon, this is what he would become." Qin Xuan felt wary, yet also stirred with desire. Yin spirits, ancient ghosts, pestilence demons, and heavenly fiends were precisely what Old Fox Grandfather needed. The person knocking on the door outside was no monk; he was a walking mountain of gold. The monk continued knocking, repeating much the same words. However, he never pushed the door open. This was likely a rule of the Wine Tribulation Immortal's sanctuary: the lantern before the door could attract demonic entities, but if one resisted the temptation and ignored him, no harm would come. Creak! A door opened from the direction of the back courtyard. It was Mo Jianli of Heavenly Dragon Sword Cave and the middle-aged woman. Ji Qingni's fan did not light up. The woman's background was unknown, but Mo Jianli had been trapped for nearly six thousand years and had eaten longevity-extending fruits multiple times; his cultivation was likely higher than the monk's. Even so, their cultivation was suppressed by the Tribulation Immortal all the same. The fan's lack of reaction indicated that these two ancient ghosts differed from the monk and were an entirely different kind of entity. No footsteps could be heard, only a cold yin wind blowing in. Qin Xuan kept his expression taut; if pushed to a dead end, he would unleash the female sword immortal's sword qi. "Benefactor, unclean things have entered your house!" At this moment, the monk by the door grew animated, knocking and shouting simultaneously: "Benefactor, let this humble monk inside quickly! Once these two ancient ghosts encounter this monk's fire arts, they will instantly disperse like smoke! Benefactor, any later and it will be too late!" As he yelled, Qin Xuan and Ji Qingni already saw two sinister faces right outside their room. Talismans and eight-trigram mirrors had no effect on them. The hunchbacked elder sniffed, clearly catching the aroma of tea. His knowledge was formidable: "Nine Heavens Pure Tea—truly extraordinary. A pity that in this place, such tea is useless." Without breaking stride, he and the middle-aged woman walked directly toward the two in the room. Ji Qingni snapped open her folding fan, sweeping up Nine Heavens glacial qi capable of freezing souls, and fanned it toward them! In an instant, ice formed over Mo Jianli and the middle-aged woman. They froze, unable to move. Yet in the next breath, with a series of sharp cracking sounds, the solid ice shattered. "Remarkable!" Mo Jianli praised. "Nine Heavens Spirit Insight—undoubtedly a celestial secret scroll of the Ancient Immortal Province." The middle-aged woman brushed off the ice shavings from her body and continued advancing toward Qin Xuan and Ji Qingni. Just then, Master Bear's oil lamp flared with light. The illusion of the ancient Buddha within the lamplight spotted the two ancient ghosts and struck out the character 'Ji' with golden brilliance. The two ancient ghosts were frozen in place at first, but quickly broke free. "Halt!" The ancient Buddha was extraordinary, seeming to utter a command. Ji Qingni waved her fan once more, and the combined Buddhist radiance and ice crystals froze the two ancient ghosts in place, appearing thoroughly suppressed. At this moment, Qin Xuan caught the crux of the matter. The death qi on their bodies resembled illusory insects, constantly gnawing away at the Buddhist radiance and ice crystals until they had consumed it all, completely nullifying the power binding the two ancient ghosts. Qin Xuan produced the evil-warding divine talisman given to him by Mei'er, transforming it into a burst of gray light that shot toward those illusory insects. The dark light chased the insects, darting wildly around the two ancient ghosts and causing them to let out piercing shrieks! "Aaagh!" The middle-aged woman shifted into a soul form, her face pale green and horrifying beyond measure. She snarled, "Junior, you actually know the ghost arts of Fengdu City!" Qin Xuan displayed another evil-warding divine talisman. "Withdraw. I have plenty of these talismans. There is no enmity between us, so why must we fight to mutual destruction?" A ghostly sneer appeared on the woman's greenish face, as if she had heard a joke. "It seems you do not know the value of this talisman. This is a talisman capable of saving lives on the Wangchuan River of the Nine Nethers; using it here cannot unleash its true power." Qin Xuan frowned. "Cease your nonsense." Seeing he remained unconvinced, the woman exposed the truth directly: "This old woman was returning from crossing the Wangchuan River in the Nine Nethers Great Void when I fell victim to a scheme. I flowed upstream from the Wangchuan into the underground Huangquan River and was swept here by the dark yin ghost wind. Do you still think I am spouting nonsense?" Seeing this development, Ji Qingni retrieved a fiery-red wutong leaf from the storage artifact on her wrist. As if having made a decision, she channeled Dharmic power into the leaf. A faint illusion of a divine phoenix danced upon the wutong leaf. She asked Qin Xuan, "Little Sword Immortal Qin, do you have any other methods? If not, I am going to fight with everything I have." Qin Xuan hurled out another evil-warding divine talisman. *If I had known, I should have let Mei'er draw energy from me for a few more days—these talismans aren't enough!* Glancing sideways, he saw the Tea Fairy pressing her lips tightly together, and he asked hastily, "What does your leaf do?" The ancient ghost Mo Jianli warned, "A leaf of the Divine Wutong Wood—do you intend to burn this place down? If you destroy this town, the Wine Immortal will strike to obliterate you, and we will all die together." Qin Xuan spoke up to stop her: "Do not be rash, I have a way!" Ji Qingni was sharp and kept the wutong leaf ready. "He sounded flustered; what he said might not be true." "Try my method first." "All right!" Qin Xuan had quite a few items on hand for dealing with ancient ghosts—handling ghosts was his forte. Seeing that Mei'er's talisman was effective, he immediately thought of another possession. From his hundred-treasure bag, he released a large vermilion coffin. Prying open the coffin lid, Qin Xuan lay straight inside. Fairy Ji stood dumbfounded. Mo Jianli and that ancient ghost from the Nine Nethers also widened their eyes. "Get in, quickly!" Hearing his urge, Fairy Ji could not afford to hesitate. She leapt into the coffin right after him and pulled the lid shut behind her. The room instantly plunged into silence. Mo Jianli and the middle-aged woman circled the coffin—three rounds to the left, three rounds to the right—circling for a long time, completely helpless against it. Inside the coffin, sensing the stillness outside, the two relaxed slightly, only then realizing their current predicament. "Fairy Ji, would you like to shift your posture?" As Qin Xuan spoke, Ji Qingni finally snapped back to reality and realized she was pressing entirely on top of him. She offered an apologetic smile: "Oh... apologies, I'm crushing you. I'll squeeze over to the side..."