Speaking of the little fox immortal, Guanghan Fairy recalled that night inside the coffin, when the old ghost had been outside chanting the sword scripture while someone murmured romantic tales right beside her ear. Having spoken his piece, Qin Xuan lowered his brow in contemplation.
Ji Qingni glanced sideways at him, taking in his jade crown binding his hair, his ink-dark stray locks draping over his shoulders, his eyebrows like distant mountains flying into temple corners, and his eyes like starlit pools carrying clear brilliance.
Once this little sword immortal quieted down and gathered his spirit, he actually possessed an airy, transcendent grace. She composed herself and looked away.
Reflecting on the exchange between Shopkeeper Hu and Qin Xuan just now, she understood broadly that the coffin was tied to someone versed in ghost arts of the capital. For it to involve the secrets of conveying the Dao within the Senluo Ghost Dao, it had to concern the Nether Soil of the Nine Nethers.
As she pondered, Qin Xuan took a step toward Advisor Hu. "How does Mister Hu know about the isolated island?"
Old Hu studied Qin Xuan's expression and sighed. "Young Master Qin, besides spirit fruits, near the center of that isolated island lies a spirit pool. Spirit spring water wells up from the pool day and night, nourishing the fruit trees across the island. The glow from the solitary island is emitted precisely by that spirit pool.
"Hu had an error in his cultivation and consequently retired to the book pavilion. Spiritual light occasionally flits out of the island's spirit pool, and some say that might be the wondrous Dao essence of the Wine Immortal. So I wanted to try my luck. A month ago, I took a boat to the island, but because my mind lacked fortitude, I nearly failed to return.
"If Young Master Qin goes, holds fast to your mind, and plucks some spirit fruits to bring back, I imagine it won't be difficult. When the time comes, you can use your ghost coffin to deal with those demonic creatures and earn immortal cowries in return."
Qin Xuan pondered for a moment.
There was truly no need for Old Hu to deceive him. They had no deep friendship, but they harbored no grudges either, and they had even done business together. "Mister Hu, what do you want?"
Old Hu replied, "Hu only shares this in hopes of getting a single spirit fruit from Young Master Qin. However, it must be an overnight fruit. If it's plucked that very day, those demonic creatures will track the fruit's scent, and I won't be able to handle them."
Ji Qingni, who had been listening all along, chimed in, "Are there people on that isolated island?"
"Yes!"
Old Hu pointed at Qin Xuan. "His adversaries are right on it."
Qin Xuan's gaze hardened. "Who are they?"
Advisor Hu said, "The black catfish demon of the Lan River, the River Earl of Yishui, and the spider spirit you asked about earlier. They are all near the solitary island's ferry crossing, repairing the river embankments along the shore. The day I landed on the island, they were still asking about you."
At this point, he offered a kind warning: "Young Master Qin, you must be careful. Clashing on the Heart Lake Sea does not violate the Wine Immortal's taboos."
"Thank you."
Qin Xuan voiced his thanks, committing every word of Old Hu's to memory while turning things over in his mind. After a brief pause, he said to Old Hu, "If I gather some spirit fruits, I'll bring one back for you, Advisor."
Old Hu beamed with delight, rubbing his hands together. "Young Master Qin is a straightforward man! Once I receive the spirit fruit, I will present you with an additional piece of news!"
Yet as soon as he spoke, he saw Qin Xuan looking at him with an unfamiliar, guarded gaze.
Old Hu cried out in grievance, "Heaven and earth be my witness! Hu treats young and old with honest fairness—I am no dishonest merchant!"
Ji Qingni watched from the side, thinking that this Shopkeeper Hu did not seem quite so sly and deceitful after all.
Qin Xuan did not banter, asking instead, "How much for the fruits used to catch river spirits?"
Still wearing his aggrieved expression, Old Hu pointed toward small green fruits in a square wooden crate. "Five immortal cowries per jin."
The old steward had said these fruits were inexpensive, likely similar to common fish bait.
So Qin Xuan raised two fingers. "Two immortal cowries."
Fairy Ji was slightly taken aback.
Then she heard Qin Xuan add, "Per basket."
Old Hu gave a hearty laugh. "Deal!"
Fairy Ji fell silent.
The two left the shop and headed straight toward the riverbank south of town.
Along the way, Ji Qingni asked, "Those adversaries Shopkeeper Hu mentioned—are they in league with the monk and mountain god we met today?"
"Pretty much."
Qin Xuan weighed his words and gradually explained the grievances between them.
When he recounted his encounter on the Lan River and his enmity with the black catfish demon, Ji Qingni's delicate brows furrowed slightly. The details Qin Xuan shared brought a touch of sorrow to her wondrous eyes; she evidently empathized with the grief in his heart.
She fanned herself, letting the cool breeze lightly brush across Qin Xuan's cheek. Then she said softly, "Little Sword Immortal Qin, don't fret. Leave that catfish spirit to you, and as for the rest, just tell them to come to the Heart Lake Sea. I'm quite good in a fight."
Qin Xuan nodded. "Thanks. In return, I'll treat you to more wine."
Ji Qingni meant to refuse, but remembering that sweet flavor and the lingering fragrance that refused to dissipate, she swallowed her words. As for her mother's admonitions, she set them aside in her heart for now.
Lost in thought, Qin Xuan had already arrived at the riverbank fish stalls. The fish had been eaten up, so he needed to buy more.
Old Golden Robe was still there, as was the black-robed man.
Qin Xuan had already recognized this Luogu Peak vice peak master, and the other party recognized him as well. At the moment, however, Jin Tu was truly down on his luck. A millennium-old eccentric selling fish by the river, having to rely on a junior to patronize his business—with that thought in mind, Qin Xuan still pretended not to know him.
Beside the fish stall, the fifty-something elder in golden robes with sparse whiskers spotted Qin Xuan from afar, and the black-robed elder nearby saw him too. Before each of their stalls lay seven or eight fish.
Qin Xuan pointed at Old Jin's stall and declared magnanimously, "Senior, I'll take all of your spotted Spanish mackerel."
The expressions of both the golden-robed elder and the black-robed elder shifted. The black-robed man's eyes flashed with venom.
Jin Tu looked surprised. "You still have money to spare? It doesn't matter to this old man if I sell them slowly here."
"I do."
Without another word, Qin Xuan directly paid eight immortal cowries.
This gesture stirred a touch of warmth in Jin Tu's heart. In his eyes, Qin Xuan buying so many fish to take back would only result in them sitting around; it was nothing more than helping him out.
Qin Xuan, however, glanced at the fish on the black-robed man's stall. Truth be told, he wanted to buy those too.
Yet this man was Jin Tu's foe, and having appeared in Pingyuan Commandery City, he might well be an old monster from the Huanyin Sect or Renmao Sect. Providing resources to an enemy was something Qin Xuan would never do.
Instead, he inquired about serious business from Jin Tu: "Senior, what is the story behind the river spirits in this lake?"
Jin Tu assumed a solemn expression. "The Wine Immortal used great divine abilities to connect this place directly to the subterranean Yellow Springs River. The river spirits are entities born of the Yellow Springs' yin spirits combining with the tribulation qi of this place. When river spirits are driven back into the Yellow Springs River, they take the tribulation qi with them—this is a method of dissolving tribulations.
"When townsfolk capture and slay river spirits, the effect for the Wine Immortal is minuscule, but it is better than nothing, which is why a few immortal cowries can be earned."
*So that's how it is.*
He consulted further, "Junior intends to cross the river to the isolated island to pluck fruit for winemaking. Does Senior have any guidance?"
Jin Tu shook his head. "This old man has never been there. I have only heard rumors that the island tests one's state of mind. If delusional thoughts surge wildly, they will draw demonic creatures, so one must not board the island lightly."
Within this Ascension Ground, Jin Tu could not discern Qin Xuan's cultivation either. Thus, he offered guidance: "This place does not hinder your cultivation. You can focus more of your mind on brewing wine and your mental methods, accumulating as many immortal cowries as possible, and not letting any fortuitous encounters pass you by. You need only wait five hundred years or so; the ancestral master may cast down a talisman decree to negotiate with the Wine Immortal, with a decent chance of pulling a batch of people out of here.
"Do not take risks; simply wait quietly for a turning point."
*Five hundred years? An ancestral master's talisman decree...?*
Qin Xuan could not help but think of the Great Sage Sun from his past life.
The Monkey had been trapped beneath the Mountain of Five Fingers for five hundred years; was he supposed to brew wine here for five hundred years as well?
Pulling his thoughts back, he saw the black-robed man glaring at him in fury, so he pointed at the fish before him and asked deliberately, "Senior, may I buy these fish?"
Jin Tu chuckled in understanding. "This man's heart is rotten and his fish stink; terrible luck will soon befall him. Don't buy a single one from him."
"Alright!"
Qin Xuan walked away from the black-robed man's stall with a look of distaste.
"You—!"
The successor of the Huanyin Sect Master was nearly driven mad with rage, yet he could only watch Qin Xuan walk away, utterly helpless.
Jin Tu gave a sinister chuckle. "This old man's fish are sold out. This month, I've ruined your business once again. You've already taken on a strand of tribulation qi, and the foundational treasure given to you by the Huanyin Sect Master will hardly withstand three strikes. You will surely die here."
The black-robed man said coldly, "Then next month, don't even think about selling your fish either. We can just die together."
"Not necessarily."
Jin Tu looked at Qin Xuan's receding figure. "The Huanyin Sect has people here too, so why hasn't anyone come to help you? It seems hearts have changed. As the Sect Master's successor, you don't even receive respect—truly chilling to witness.
"Since that's the case, why cling stubbornly to your secrets? Tell me about your ancestral master, and I won't make things difficult for you here."
The black-robed man sneered. "Don't celebrate too soon. That boy earlier most likely won't listen to you. Once he dies in the Heart Lake Sea, we'll see who has the deeper foundation and who gets the last laugh."
Qin Xuan and Ji Qingni arrived at the riverbank south of town.
A bluestone pier sloped into the green waves, surrounded by several small wooden boats, each carrying a ferryman.
In the clear inner river, silver scales glinted from time to time as schools of silver fish swam to and fro. Qin Xuan surveyed his surroundings, thoughtful.
"The wine shops, treehouses, water pavilions, windows, and this Heart Lake—could this be what the Wine Immortal's homeland looked like?"
"Very likely," Ji Qingni agreed. "That's why destroying the town is forbidden; it is the Wine Immortal's taboo."
Qin Xuan sighed softly. "An ancient Tribulation Immortal gazed upon the stars of the Heavenly River and traversed boundless continents, yet still yearned for a quiet corner of his homeland in his heart."
Ji Qingni stood gracefully against the wind, cradling a wisp of river breeze in her hand, and laughed softly. "That's only natural. Immortals yearn for home as well. Did you misunderstand? Who says those who attain the Dao under heaven must all be heartless wanderers?"
Qin Xuan praised with a smile, "You truly are knowledgeable, Fairy."
Just as Ji Qingni was about to speak, she saw a skiff approaching from the south. The one sculling the oar was precisely the person they were looking for. Qin Xuan saw him as well.
The two walked up to the ferry.
The ferryman appeared to be a burly middle-aged man. His hair was already loose and unruly, and tousled by the river wind, he looked even more uninhibited.
Qin Xuan had chatted with this Fellow Daoist Fu last time and felt he was an honest sort.
On Fellow Daoist Fu's boat sat a woman in her thirties, evidently just returning from the isolated island, looking utterly shaken. Old Fu moored the boat by the bank.
When the woman stepped ashore, the two stepped forward, intending to ask about conditions on the isolated island. But she was exceedingly wary and unwilling to deal with them.
After mooring his boat, Old Fu looked toward the ferry. The young pair was simply too striking to miss; he recognized them immediately. Seeing Qin Xuan approach, he cupped his hands with a warm smile. "Fellow Daoists, we meet again."
Qin Xuan and Ji Qingni did not slight him in the least, bowing with clasped hands and calling out, "Fellow Daoist Fu."
This was an ancient person whose sanity remained clear.
Qin Xuan had heard him mention last time that his lifespan was nearly exhausted, and he planned to go to the solitary island in a few years to vie for Dao essence. Only...
There was an oddity. The old ape on the rear mountain possessed clear consciousness, yet his body reeked of death qi.
This Fellow Daoist Fu had not seemed to be faking when he spoke of his lifespan, yet there was not a trace of death qi upon him.
This was the discerning vision granted by the supreme mental method of the Nine Nethers. Qin Xuan was confident he was not mistaken.
"Fellow Daoist Fu, if we take your boat to catch river spirits, will we lose money?"
These remarkably blunt words caught the burly man on the bow off guard. Then his bushy brows twitched, and he burst into laughter. "You are truly interesting, Fellow Daoist! I ferry people across the river all the time and know where river spirits are easily caught. If you bring enough bait fruit and possess methods to deal with yin spirits and soul bodies, you shouldn't lose money.
"I've already completed one fare today. If I cause you to lose out, I won't charge you for the boat."
Qin Xuan had only wanted to see his reaction; he would not take advantage of someone for nothing, so he promptly produced five immortal cowries. Seeing this, Ji Qingni sent a voice transmission: *"Are we landing on the island now?"*
Qin Xuan replied via transmission: *"No rush. We'll head onto the river to look around first and test Fellow Daoist Fu's boating skills while we're at it."*
The two boarded the ferry together. Old Fu stood at the stern, grasping the oar.
Channeling strength through his arms, he pushed and pulled, the blade undulating gently through the water, and the boat drifted leisurely away from the bank.
They drew ever closer to the black river. Qin Xuan asked, "Fellow Daoist Fu, what happens if one falls into the river?"
Old Fu adopted a grave tone. "This black river water restricts a Qi Refining cultivator's dharmic powers, and dark yin ghost winds often whip up whirlpools on the riverbed. If you're lucky, dodging the center of the vortex will allow you to haul yourself up by the oar. But if a whirlpool catches you or a ghost beneath the water grabs your calf, you will plunge straight down into the Yellow Springs River, with no possibility of survival."
*Truly perilous.*
Qin Xuan dared not be careless, taking the opportunity to say, "My mortal enemies are on that island. If you ferry me over, I'm afraid you might be dragged into it."
The middle-aged man paused for several breaths before answering, "No matter. Such things are a common sight."
Before long, the skiff crossed the boundary of the clear river and rowed into the black waters.
Qin Xuan felt a bone-chilling cold pierce straight into his soul. The scene before his eyes shifted abruptly.
It had been broad daylight, but upon reaching this point, the light plummeted, resembling a night beneath a full moon. Old Fu altered their course, heading southwest.
They circled around the flank of the solitary island. The light atop the island grew increasingly brilliant, and the three moored seven or eight li away from it. Without a word, Old Fu simply pointed into the water.
Qin Xuan cast down a bait fruit. The lustrous green fruit emitted a green glow in the black river, bobbing along with the ripples.
After a while, the green light dissipated, and the fruit vanished. At that point, another fruit had to be thrown.
Nearly half an hour passed this way before Qin Xuan keenly sensed death qi drawing near beneath the surface. He sent a voice transmission to Ji Qingni.
The two made ready, while Old Fu watched quietly from the stern.
A ghostly white shadow emerged from the water. It was strangely formed, with a head as large as a bushel basket and thin, spindly legs. It opened its gaping maw, ravenously gulping down the glowing bait fruit, drawing steadily closer to the boat along the trail of bait.
Fairy Ji struck first. A sweep of her folding fan stirred up icy chill, freezing a small patch of river water along with the river spirit. However, the black river water restricted dharmic powers; no sooner had the ice formed than it began to thaw. Qin Xuan recited an incantation, and the Corpse Binding Rope flew from his hands.
Just as it had bound the ancient yaksha ghost back then, it bound the river spirit tight. With a casual beckon of his hand, the river spirit was hauled aboard.
It did not seem all that difficult to catch?
Qin Xuan inspected the ghostly creature brimming with death qi, finding nothing particularly extraordinary about it. The middle-aged man, who had been silent, was mildly startled and realized, "Fellow Daoist Ji can freeze soul bodies, and Fellow Daoist Qin is even more versed in ghost arts. The hardest part of catching these things is merely luring them out.
"When I saw others catching river spirits before, they always brought a whole pile of implements, yet they often failed—nowhere near as deft and neat as the two of you."
Fairy Ji asked curiously, "How many immortal cowries is this river spirit worth?"
"Hard to say," the man replied, scratching his stubble. "It absorbs the wisps of tribulation qi across the Dao arena, sometimes more, sometimes less—around seven immortal cowries or so."
Qin Xuan calculated the balance: they had just broken even. However, he still had more than half a basket of bait fruit left.
At Old Fu's suggestion, they changed locations.
Following the same pattern, Qin Xuan used the remaining half basket of bait fruit to haul up two more river spirits. On the return trip, Old Fu praised repeatedly, "Incredible! I've rowed boats on this Heart Lake Sea for over a millennium, and this is the first time I've seen someone catch three river spirits with a single basket of bait fruit."
Qin Xuan asked, "Had no one used ghost arts before?"
"There were."
Old Fu said, "Ghost arts have their grades too. In my experience, Fellow Daoist Qin's ghost art may not be the most ferocious, but it is the most meticulous and subtle. In a Dao-carrying legacy, the profound is seen through the subtle."
The three conversed at length about river spirits.
Qin Xuan also took the opportunity to inquire about the solitary island.
It was as though Old Fu had been bottled up for far too long; once the floodgates of conversation opened, he spoke tirelessly, sharing many occurrences on the Heart Lake Sea over the past centuries and millennia. Qin Xuan listened for a long while before asking out of curiosity, "Three thousand years ago, the person who took away the Dao essence—how many times did he land on the island?"
Old Fu thought back. "Probably... four or five times, I can't recall clearly.
"However, there is one thing I remember vividly. A great battle took place on this Heart Lake Sea. That man had many adversaries, but he used a mighty magic treasure to knock them into the black river one by one. Back then, the black river was not as stable as it is now, and many corpses floated upon it.
"I remember... those corpses were fished out by the old ape on the rear mountain."
He continued reminiscing, recounting tale after tale. Some were rather amusing.
For instance, the Sword Madman of the Heavenly Dragon Sword Grotto had lost his flying sword in the black river while battling demonic creatures. He dared not dive into the black river, so he waited until boats reached the clear waters before jumping in to search, clinging to the foolish hope that the flying sword might drift over.
Speaking of this, Old Fu laughed heartily. Qin Xuan and Fairy Ji were amused as well.
Who would have guessed the old Sword Madman had pulled such a stunt? Qin Xuan only regretted that he had not known this inside the coffin that night; otherwise, speaking it aloud on the spot would have shattered Mo Jianli's Dao heart.
As they neared the shore, Old Fu's smile faded. "Fellow Daoist Qin, if you wish to leave this place, going to the isolated island is a must. However, you must keep your spiritual platform crystal clear; otherwise, you may very well never return.
"The customer I took today had only stepped onto the edge of the island before retreating in terror. She was sensible; had she taken one more step inward, she would have turned into dry bones."
Then he lowered his voice. "If you hire someone else to ferry you, remember to speak as little as possible."
Qin Xuan understood the deeper meaning.
Some ferrymen, like Mo Jianli, were steeped in death qi. Speaking too much with them made it easy to become a target.
Qin Xuan looked at the burly man, who sounded as if he were delivering his final words. "Fellow Daoist Fu, why are you...?"
The man said, "I've thought about it for many years, and lately I intend to try my luck at the spirit pool on the isolated island."
Ji Qingni was puzzled. "Fellow Daoist, you just warned us of the danger; why take the risk yourself?"
"My lifespan is nearly spent. A few years, a dozen years, or a few days—it's all the same. Ever since I came here, I've drifted endlessly upon the Heart Lake Sea. Having spoken so much with you two today has truly gladdened my heart. It is time for release."
Qin Xuan felt Old Fu was a good person, and as a ferryman, he was the most dependable around here.
He did not try to dissuade him, asking instead, "Fellow Daoist Fu, have you ever drunk the wine of this place?"
"Never." Old Fu shook his head.
Qin Xuan said gently, "When I come next time, I'll bring you some wine. My brew earned a superior rating from the Wine Immortal. Since you've entered the Wine Immortal's Dao arena, how can you not drink wine? Once you've drunk my wine, it won't be too late to set off."
Beside them, Fairy Ji praised, "This Little Sword Immortal Qin is the first person in a millennium praised by the Wine Immortal's steward."
Old Fu was taken aback.
In his eyes, a flicker of anticipation that had never appeared before suddenly bloomed. "Fine!"
He reached out, returned the five immortal cowries he had just taken, and laughed heartily. "Fellow Daoist Qin, I will wait for your wine before I set off!"
Qin Xuan returned to the town.
Choosing a crowded spot, he slew the three river spirits. With a clatter, twenty-three immortal cowries burst forth.
This immediately stirred quite a few people. Because of the incident at Wine Immortal Tower, someone recognized Qin Xuan right away. Originally, his renown had been confined to Pingyuan Commandery, but among the Qi Refining cultivators gathered near the prince's tomb, many hailed from neighboring prefectures and commanderies. The news of Wine Immortal Tower spreading was far more shocking than any rumors from Pingyuan Commandery.
Leaving this Ascension Ground was difficult, but the fortuitous encounters were plain for all to see.
The rare treasures in the Pavilion of Hidden Treasures could be exchanged for immortal cowries—in the past, who would have dared imagine such a thing? A few senior figures looked at Qin Xuan, competitive fire surging in their chests.
Brewing wine required skill, whereas catching river spirits depended on cultivation. Although everyone was suppressed to the tenth layer of Qi Refining, those with three Foundation Establishment lotus platforms or even Core Formation cultivators believed their attainments far exceeded those of a junior like Qin Xuan.
Others had caught river spirits before and lost money in the process.
Qin Xuan catching three in one go was truly enough to make eyes red with envy.
Before long, the riverbank south of town bustled with activity as people buzzed with discussion.
"Do you intend to lure all those adversaries over?"
"That's the plan, but it's not enough."
Qin Xuan looked toward the isolated island. "I want to seize this opportunity to settle scores with them..."
The trip had been smooth. Returning to the pavilion, Qin Xuan went straight to the rear courtyard and cracked open a jar of wine to celebrate a little. Fairy Ji was "unwilling" at first.
Yet when Qin Xuan handed over a cup and said they would only drink one, Fairy Ji was not so resistant anymore. Before long...
Using excuses like figuring out the Wine Immortal's thoughts and confirming the Ascension Ground was temporarily safe, the two downed two more cups in succession. When Qin Xuan offered a fourth cup, he was momentarily at a loss for a good reason.
Ji Qingni hesitated. "Shouldn't catching the river spirits be celebrated as well?"
"Indeed." Qin Xuan nodded.
Fairy Ji drank the fourth cup.
Qin Xuan felt far more relaxed than before. Having found his direction in the Ascension Ground and begun calculating against his enemies, he felt quite inclined toward a pleasant buzz. It was not that he wanted to get a certain fairy drunk; he simply did not wish to drink alone. Besides, a certain fairy herself wished to comprehend the Wine Immortal's Dao through the drink.
Thus, his subsequent urging became even more casual: "Fairy Ji..."
"One must drink fine wine, and ride the moon to revel on the high terrace..."
"When immortal life is agreeable, let smiles bloom; when fleeting life is proud, raise high the cup..."
Then he sighed in wonder: "Sing facing wine, for how long does life last?"
Ji Qingni gazed at the empty jade cup, sweet fragrance lingering between her lips and teeth, her fair face flushed crimson. Yet a sense of guilt welled in her heart: *Mother, it isn't that your daughter wanted to drink; what he said simply made too much sense...*
Over the next two months, aside from brewing wine as usual, Qin Xuan spent nearly all his time cultivating.
He continually ate the fish, refining the dharmic power within them using the Elixir Dew Flying Transformation Scripture. Such speed was comparable to pouring endless wealth into cultivation.
Moreover, the traces of Tiangang within the Tribulation Immortal's dharmic power aided his refinement of the Taibai Dark Wind Fiend-Qi—a fortuitous encounter virtually unattainable in the outside world.
The first Dao lotus in his Flowery Pool practically radiated light. The demonic obsessions within the fish were all absorbed by the fiend.
Qin Xuan had no fear of the fiend growing too strong; born of the Taiyin Soul Transformation, its life and death hung on his single thought. Because this supreme mental method of the Nine Nethers was incomplete, he had initially worried the fiend might fail to keep pace with his progress, but this encounter made up for it perfectly. Controlling the fiend allowed him to display numerous methods, counter the old ghost, and sense its true spirit.
Furthermore, it could devour delusional thoughts arising during cultivation. Qin Xuan had already tasted the benefits of that.
The Dao lotus in the Flowery Pool was ready to bloom at any moment, yet the Flowery Pool continued expanding, seemingly borrowing the power of the Dao arena to keep accumulating foundation.
Four months after entering the Tomb of the Prince of Pingyuan, Qin Xuan and Ji Qingni visited Wine Immortal Tower for the second time. It was much like the first.
Aside from two inferior ratings across the entire floor, he alone received a superior rating.
However, perhaps knowing his wine had not seen substantial improvement, the Wine Immortal did not summon his brew away again. Qin Xuan received only one hundred immortal cowries.
Even so, it was enough to make many eyes green with envy, especially Master Jin Guan, Mountain God Tan, Captain Lu, and their cohort. Leaving Wine Immortal Tower, Qin Xuan first went to Shopkeeper Hu to buy bait fruit, then to Jin Tu to buy fish. He came to make purchases once every month.
Seeing him, Jin Tu's initial corpse-like grimace gradually turned into smiles. He even began treating Ji Qingni with pleasant warmth.
The more radiant Jin Tu looked, the more wretched the black-robed man beside him appeared. Seeing Qin Xuan, the black-robed man wished he could swallow him whole. Leaving Jin Tu, Qin Xuan waited for Old Fu at the ferry.
The three went out once more to catch river spirits. On the return trip, Qin Xuan gave him a jar of wine rated superior by the Wine Immortal and promised to bring more next time. This Fellow Daoist Fu had originally been despondent, but now his life seemed anchored by that jar of wine, and he only said he would await Qin Xuan's return.
By the southern riverbank, in the gathering place of Qi Refining cultivators, Qin Xuan burst thirty immortal cowries from four river spirits. This time, Master Jin Guan, Mountain God Tan, and Captain Lu witnessed it with their own eyes. The expressions on all three faces were indescribable.
Unable to brew superior-rated wine, their rate of harvesting immortal cowries lagged far behind Qin Xuan's. Seeing their rival continuously reap fortuitous encounters, how could they sit easily?
Another month and a half passed in this manner.
On this day, Ji Qingni, who was meditating and circulating her arts, suddenly opened her eyes and looked toward the pavilion window.
Strands of qi were surging continuously from the handsome young man. Beside him lay an empty bamboo cylinder; the Taibai Dark Wind Fiend-Qi inside had been completely refined.
As the qi surged, it was suppressed into his Flowery Pool by the Ascension Ground. Ji Qingni understood in an instant: this was a breakthrough.
Possessing the true legacy of Guanghan Palace, her discernment was extraordinary.
At that moment, Qin Xuan's robes fluttered gently as clear qi swirled around his frame, giving this usually improper little sword immortal an ethereal air that seemed removed from the mortal dust. His body appeared draped in pure moonlight, evoking the airy purity of an emerald jade mountain glistening under pristine snow.
In the next instant... a sudden transformation occurred.
A burst of Taibai Dark Metal sharp qi shifted in a flash into the intent of Tianyi True Water! This aura climbed relentlessly, only to be pressed down once more by the Ascension Ground.
Guanghan Fairy observed quietly, sensing this technique was profoundly unusual. Yet searching through all the records in Guanghan Palace concerning the four ancestral courts of the Dao Sect, she found nothing that matched it. Perhaps it was a secret chapter from a great Lingbao sect.
Though the Ancient Immortal Province held many records of the Dao Sect, it could never know every secret. Ji Qingni thought briefly on it and ceased fretting over the matter.
At that moment, Qin Xuan was reflecting inward. His attention was entirely focused on the Flowery Pool.
The first Dao flower had bloomed!
In terms of realm, though he walked an unconventional path, his foundation had manifested, stepping into the Core Formation realm. Within the Flowery Pool, a white Dao flower shimmered with Taibai metal qi.
To his greater delight, beside this Dao flower sprouted three lotus leaves and another lotus platform.
The dharmic power of the Wine Tribulation Immortal interacting with heaven and earth—even a single wisp within the fish—was of unimaginable potency to him.
Once the Flowery Pool expanded to its limit and the first Dao flower bloomed, the boundless dharmic power immediately brought forth a second lotus platform! This lotus platform was pitch-black like an abyss—a water lotus.
The five phases generated one another; metal gave birth to water. The emergence of this lotus proved that the path he had deduced in Songsong's dream could truly be traversed!
Once he found a water fiend-qi suited to himself, he could bloom the second Dao flower. Unfortunately, there was no fiend-qi to harvest in this Ascension Ground.
Going forward in this place, he could only accumulate dharmic power; attempting another breakthrough would be difficult. However, the time for reckoning had finally arrived.
When Qin Xuan opened his eyes, he faintly caught a floating fragrance.
Looking over, he saw Ji Qingni waving her fan toward a jade pot, fanning out chilly winds that frosted the cups and sent thick white mist billowing up. She flicked her finger, sending an icy gleam toward Qin Xuan, hovering right before him.
Qin Xuan lifted the cup and asked in surprise, "Fairy Ji, instead of inviting me for tea, why invite me for wine of your own accord?"
"You drank all the tea," she replied, pulling out the small sachet that had held the tea leaves—now completely empty. Only then did Qin Xuan remember that Chacha had brewed tea for him several times during this period.
He immediately said, "When I go to the Nine Heavens Ancient Immortal Province in the future, I'll pluck plenty of tea for you."
Ji Qingni had thought he would offer to harvest heavenly river water essence; she had not expected him to talk about plucking tea. "Those tea gardens are guarded. Are you going to sneak in and steal them?"
She pressed her lips in a smile and steered the topic away: "Congratulations on advancing your cultivation."
"Thank you for the kind gesture."
Qin Xuan drank the chilled wine, suddenly remembering something: Chacha, who had never touched a drop of wine, seemed to be pondering how to drink it now.
Feeling a bit guilty, he said, "Fairy Ji, I heard you mention earlier that your mother dislikes you drinking. Isn't this...?"
Before he could finish, Guanghan Fairy's wondrous eyes shone brightly, and she replied breezily, "I am merely comprehending the Wine Immortal's Dao. Once we leave the Ascension Ground, I will naturally quit. After leaving here, just treat it as our little secret and don't tell anyone outside."
"Alright, I'll keep this little secret..."
Fifteen days later came the third wine tasting at Wine Immortal Tower. Still, only Qin Xuan received a superior rating.
His method of soaking the fruits in spirit water was the secret among secrets. That alone eclipsed many winemakers. His fame grew even louder, though the Wine Immortal still did not summon his cup away. Qin Xuan visited Advisor Hu once again.
This time, he did not buy bait fruit for catching river spirits; he only inquired about the isolated island at the center of the lake.
After a quarter of an hour, Advisor Hu watched him depart. Qin Xuan went to Jin Tu to buy fish once more.
The greatest change was in the black-robed man. His stall had a fixed position; nearly everything in the town followed the arrangement deep within the Wine Immortal's memories and could not be altered.
Jin Tu and the black-robed man could reap benefits from selling fish, but correspondingly, they had to bear risks. Now, the benefits went to Jin Tu, while the black-robed man bore all the risks.
The string of scale beads that had hung at his chest was now shattered—the foundational treasure of the Huanyin Sect had been ruined within the Tribulation Immortal's Dao arena.
The way Old Jin looked at Qin Xuan was completely different now.
Three consecutive superior ratings for wine had long reached his ears. Had he not told his old rival Xubai Zi's disciple that Qin Xuan fell short of the threshold to be accepted as a disciple, he would have been unable to resist taking him in himself.
Offering his face for Xubai Zi to slap was something he would never do.
Before the fish stall, Jin Tu stared at Qin Xuan, calculating in his mind: *If this old man won't take him, Eldest Senior Brother can accept him into his fold.*
His Eldest Senior Brother was none other than Perfected One Xuannan's first disciple, Yuan Guan, who was very likely to become the next sect master of Guanjiang Mountain. The Wine Tribulation Immortal was a figure on par with an ancestral master; to gain even a shred of his praise made having Eldest Senior Brother accept Qin Xuan as a disciple more than appropriate.
Jin Tu had already made up his mind: the moment they left the Ascension Ground, he would immediately take Qin Xuan to Luogu Peak of Guanjiang Mountain, lest Martial Uncle Xuanling's Yuansong Temple lineage go back on its word. As for Lai Jing's words, they were no different from hot air in his eyes now. How could a mountain-guarding elder compare to a disciple who might possess true-legacy talent? Guanjiang Mountain had only six great true legacies in all, while mountain-guarding elders were a dime a dozen.
When Qin Xuan left the fish stall, Jin Tu told him to return at the end of the month. Once Qin Xuan was far off, Jin Tu turned to the black-robed man beside him.
"You have one final month to consider. If there is still no answer, I'll watch how you handle the tribulation qi.
"You received the true legacy of Sect Master Kuang, so your Six Desires Pestilence Prohibition Grand Art has likely reached an extremely profound stage. Alas, you will never have the hope of surviving the Six-Nine Heavenly Tribulation in this lifetime; you are destined to be buried here."
Seeing the bitter unwillingness on the black-robed man's face, Jin Tu added, "If you want to try breaking through an ancient Tribulation Immortal's Ascension Ground, go ahead. If you succeed, this old man will retreat ten thousand li whenever I see you in the future."
The black-robed man's resentment deepened, his eyeballs bulging almost out of their sockets. "Jin Tu, I wasn't defeated by your hand! If that junior hadn't meddled, even in this Ascension Ground, the winner wouldn't necessarily have been you!"
"Doesn't matter."
Jin Tu grinned. "A talented disciple of my Guanjiang Mountain can shine even in the Wine Immortal's Dao arena. Where is your Huanyin Sect's prodigy?
"Tell me what you were scheming before the end of the month. This is your last chance..."
Hearing this, the black-robed man glared furiously toward the sky. He wanted desperately to roar in rage, but the moment the thought arose, a chill took root in his heart. Even if his master were here, he would not dare behave insolently...
At the southern ferry, under the gaze of numerous Qi Refining cultivators, Qin Xuan boarded Old Fu's boat alongside Fairy Ji.
From the bank, Master Jin Guan, Mountain God Tan, and others watched with cold, indifferent stares.
"Fellow Daoist Qin, going to fish for river spirits?" Old Fu asked.
"No, Fellow Daoist Fu. I want to land on the isolated island in the heart of the lake."
The middle-aged man stopped sculling and turned back to look at them.
He had drifted here in a daze for ages, and lately, it was precisely these two who had rekindled in him a sliver of what it felt like to be alive.
Seeing Qin Xuan produce two jars of wine and prepare to unseal them, Old Fu walked over and stopped him. "Hold on.
"The island is perilous; you must be careful.
"I will wait outside the island. If you make it out, it won't be too late for us to drink then. At that time, I'll tell you a story. If you haven't come out by nightfall, I'll take the wine onto the island to look for you."
Qin Xuan understood his sentiment and nodded. "Alright."
Old Fu rowed the boat forward.
Qin Xuan looked toward the isolated island, then up toward the sky above the Ascension Ground. He had been in this place for quite some time.
At this moment, he truly wanted to know what kind of flavor could intoxicate an ancient Tribulation Immortal so completely...
Chapter 92