Xiao Chen turned around. Night had fallen. A man in a purple and white gown could be seen faintly in the dark and was slowly walking toward him. The man carried three jars of wine in his hands. A palm-size purplish-gold gourd was hanging on his waist. His hair was neatly tied up. Xiao Chen exclaimed, “Brother Yi! Why are you here?”
The man was Yi Tong. He smiled gently and said, “I just happened to be passing by. A day ago, I heard that Brother Xiao was here, so I came to have a look.” By the time he finished speaking, he had reached them. He looked at Evernight, who was beside Xiao Chen, and smiled. “I’m Yi Tong, may I know how to address you?”
“His name is Evernight, he is a friend I have known for many years.”
He chuckled. “I see, Brother Evernight.”
Evernight folded his arms and said faintly, “When did I know you for many years? When did I ever say my name?” Then he walked toward the yard.
Xiao Chen smiled awkwardly and said, “His temper is a bit odd. Brother Yi, please don’t mind him.”
Yi Tong smiled and said, “It doesn’t matter. When I was walking over I saw you sigh over and over, do you have something on your mind?”
“It’s nothing, let’s not mention this anymore. There is wine today, so let’s get drunk.”
The two smashed open the clay seal. The fragrance of the wine soon filled the space and drifted away with the mountain wind. They each took a sip. Xiao Chen asked, “Oh right, Brother Yi, why are you here in Tianyuan City?”
. Yi Tong smiled and said, “I just happened to be passing by and was staying here for a while. I heard that you were here so I came up to have a look.” Then he tilted his head back and took another sip.
Xiao Chen smiled and saw that he did not want to share more so he probed no more. It was just that people were guarding everywhere in Yutai Mountain, and there were countless elders’ restriction formations. How did he get up here?
But these things were not important. What was important was that in this chaotic world of chaos, you had to have a confidant who was happy to drink with you. Was that not a happy life? Why did one have to think so much?
The two men drank one jar of wine after another. After a jar was finished, they took another from the Divine Vessel. They drank till the night was quiet, till the moon was not parallel to the ground. On the cliffside, countless empty jars were stacked.
Xiao Chen could not hold his liquor anymore. He was so drunk that he passed out and fell asleep on the ground. Actually, with his cultivation, he was able to force the wine out of his system with Mystic Power, so that he could never get drunk. But it would be too boring to be drinking like this.
The night wind was getting chilly, so Yi Tong took off his outer coat and gently covered him with it. As he faced the darkness of the mountain, he sighed for a long time before finally taking off the purplish-gold gourd at his waist. He stroked it for a long time and sighed. “Big brother, that time you did not hesitate to exchange his life with yours, but now, where are you…”
His voice gradually became bitter. Yi Tong’s eyes were slightly reddened by the wind blowing at them, and the image of the big brother with silver hair appeared in his mind again.
As if in his ear, the words of the person who had left rang again: “Kiddo, drink less when I am gone, take care. I have left you with my purplish-gold gourd, which carries 30% of my power. Do not open it unless it is the last resort.”
“Big brother, don’t go! Tell me! Why! Why did you attract the five evils of the heavens! Why…” He sprinted forward with all his strength, but he could not catch up with the man’s footsteps under the stars.
The man went to Cloud Province with a blue sarcophagus, and since then, he had never returned.
Not knowing how long it had been, the sky gradually became blue and the sun was soon rising. Yi Tong stood and picked up Xiao Chen. He walked toward the yard. As he reached the gate of the courtyard, he saw Qingluan was there. Then he said, “Why don’t you send him back to his room? I have a lot of things coming up later.”
“Yes.” Qingluan took over Xiao Chen from his hands and turned and walked to the room.
Xiao Chen was in a state of drunkenness throughout the day and never woke up. Qingluan and Ziyun’er had to tell the outsiders that he was overly wounded yesterday and was still unconscious.
By the early morning of the next day, Xiao Chen was awakened by a nightmare suddenly. He shouted, “Xin’er!”
He was short of breath and was sweating all over and the sheets were soaked with his sweat. In the dream, he saw Huangfu Xin’er die, and she was slowly dying in his arms. But there was nothing that he could do aside from watch her die in his arms…
“Lord, are you awake?” A small footstep sounded outside the door, followed by Qingluan’s voice.
“Where is Xin’er? How is she doing now!”
Qingluan said, “Don’t worry, My Lord. Empress Huangfu should be fine now.”
“Should be fine? What do you mean by ‘should be fine’!”
Xiao Chen shoved off his blanket and rushed to the door. However, not even making a count of two steps, he hit the table with one of his feet. This knocked a fine dark-red enameled teapot to the ground, smashing it. At this moment, his head was sore and aching. Every time he drank a little bit too much, this would happen.
Qingluan pushed open the door. She walked in and lifted him. “Do not be anxious, My Lord, Qingluan will get someone to check it out now.” After saying this, she blew a whistle and immediately, a lady in purple came in. “What is the sister’s command?”
“Go check on Empress Huangfu’s injuries now, and come back quickly.”
“Yes!” The woman bowed and left. After a while, Xiao Chen calmed down and asked, “What day is it today?”
“Today is the third day of February. My Lord, you have slept for a day.”
“Well, okay, I know now.”
Xiao Chen rubbed his head, thinking that Yi Tong should have left, who would only dare to drink to unconsciousness when he was with him.
After 30 minutes, the woman in the purple dress came back to report that Huangfu Xin’er was fine. Xiao Chen finally felt at ease and began to pace his breathing for a while. Then he got Qingluan to boil some hot water before he bathed and changed clothes and went outside. Today was the final duel with Zuoqiu Yang.
By noon, the square was crowded with people, and compared to the previous two days, there were more people. Even many of the scattered cultivators spent Spirit Stones on connections to come to the square themselves to watch the game.
At this moment, 10 people sat on the east side of the high platform. Compared to the past few days, there was an additional radiant old man amongst them. The old man was spirited and his hair was as black as ink, not a single strand of white hair could be seen. If one did not look carefully, one would have thought that he was a young man. A purplish-brown gourd with a six-leaf herbal logo on the bottom was hanging over his shoulder. It was obvious that this person was a Sixth-order Elixir Saint!
The status of a Sixth-order Elixir Saint was comparable to a cultivator of the Apotheosis Realm. A commotion began in the square. “Could the man be Elixir Saint Situ Bei? Isn’t he in seclusion? The Immortals’ League even managed to invite him, that’s pretty incredible…”
The old man was indeed the famous Elixir Saint Situ Bei of the Middle Continent. He was known as the supreme one of refining. It was rumored that he once resurrected the dead with his medicine. Not only that, but he has also reached the Nirvana Realm cultivation, even the three seniors of the Immortals’ League were very respectful to him.
On the other side, as Xiao Chen stepped into the arena, he was immediately greeted with a loud cheer. Numerous people swarmed around him and asked, “Hello Mr. Xiao, how do you feel about the battle today? Is it really a life-and-death duel?”
“Hello, Mr. Xiao, may I ask you why do you have such a huge rivalry with Zuoqiu Yang? Rumors are saying that you wanted to violate his younger sister. Is that true?”
“Hello, Mr. Xiao, why did you want to violate Zuoqiu Yang’s sister…”
These people came from all parts of the five continents. While asking questions, they also took notes on paper with a pen. They were all reporters and they loved to spread some celebrity stories in every part of the five continents.
Qingluan and Ziyun’er led Hidden Fragrance Wafting Under the Moon and 10 other people in two rows, blocking the rest from getting closer than five steps.
Xiao Chen strode high and said nothing because he knew that whatever he said, these people would distort his words and spread them in the future. Rumors like violating Zuoqiu Yang’s younger sister had even come about, who knew which bastard had circulated that!
On the high platform, Elixir Saint Situ Bei looked below. His gaze stopped as he saw Xiao Chen. He then asked casually, “Is that the person who is fighting Zuoqiu Yang today? His cultivation is not high, but he is putting on big airs. What’s his name?”
The Immortals’ League elder who sat next to him smiled obsequiously and said, “He is Xiao Chen, who has recently become famous.”
“Xiao Chen? Probably because I have stayed in the mountains for too long, I have never heard of this name. Which sect is he from?”
The Immortals’ League elder coughed as he smiled and said, “He is a disciple under the East Continent Jade Qing Sect.”
“Oh? Which sect is the Jade Qing Sect? Oh forget it, I have lived in the mountains. I don’t have to know some unknown small sect anyway,” Situ Bei shook his hand and said.
As his voice fell, two people flew onto the high platform. One of them was wearing a red robe and there was a four-leaf herbal logo on his shoulder. This person was Elixir King Zuoqiu Que of the Zuoqiu family, and the other was Zuoqiu Yang.
“Teacher, I haven’t seen you in a long time. How have you been?” Zuoqiu Que walked to Situ Bei and respectfully took a bow. This Situ Bei was his teacher early on, and he had heard of his arrival beforehand. Therefore, he was not surprised.
Situ Bei nodded with a smile and said, “You have come here as well, how is your progress lately?”
“Thanks to teacher’s caring guidance previously, I reached the fourth-order 10 years ago.”
“Granduncle, I’m Nephew Zuoqiu Yang!” At this time, Zuoqiu Yang also went up. Situ Bei looked at him with a smile and said, “I haven’t seen you in a long time. Now Yang’er has grown so big. His cultivation is almost at the Nascent Soul Realm. Not bad, not bad!”
Zuo Qiuyang smiled and said, “This is thanks to my teacher for cultivating me over the years,” he said with his palm pointing to Feng Lan Perfected Immortal next to him, and then he greeted him with a bow.
Feng Lan Perfected Immortal immediately turned to Situ Bei and nodded to show friendliness. He smiled and said, “This is also because Shaoyang’s comprehension is good. The last time during the Swords Sect Battles, Shaoyang was a star on his own.”
These few people went about the family trivia right under the eyes of everyone, not even giving the slightest attention to the other sect Leaders. At this time, Su Yue, who was sitting next to the Third Elder, suddenly said coldly, “Everyone is here, can we start?”