I forge immortality with spiritual treasures.

Chapter 136 Meeting an Old Friend in the Mountains, Intoxicated by a Hundred Flowers

Enter Shoujingju and walk through the cave.

After a few turns, we were back in the sunlight, at what turned out to be a mountain platform.

Below the platform lies a valley, a vibrant tapestry of reds and purples, where hundreds of flowers bloom in competition, their beauty vying for attention. It looks as if colorful clouds have gathered together. Looking up, the sky is clear and the breeze is gentle, creating a truly delightful scene.

Qingyuanzi pointed towards the colorful clouds in the valley and said with a smile, "How about we drink here today, fellow Daoist?"

Lou Shenxiao clasped his hands in praise and said, "Excellent."

Ying Chan silently followed and climbed onto the platform. He saw that a jade table and a futon had been set up, and many monkeys were coming and going. The young Taoist priest pointed out that fruits, pastries and other items were placed on the table.

Lou Shenxiao asked in surprise, "When did such a group of apes appear in your mountains?"

“Hehe…” Qingyuanzi stroked his short beard and laughed, “It is due to fate that I have come uninvited.”

"They were originally a group of apes wandering in the mountains, who stumbled into my mountain by accident."

"I found them to be fairly intelligent and not too unruly, so I simply took them in and had them do chores like tending to the flowers and plants and serving water and tea."

"I see." Lou Shenxiao nodded and gracefully sat down in front of a jade table.

At this moment, the young Taoist priest also stepped forward, cupped his hands towards Ying Chan, and said, "Brother Taoist, please take a seat as well."

"Thank you, fellow Daoist."

Ying Chan returned the greeting and sat down behind Lou Shenxiao. Then, two white apes together carried a four-legged bronze cauldron with a coiled dragon onto the platform.

"Brother Ape?"

Ying Chan had just sat down when he suddenly saw the two white apes and was taken aback.

It turned out that the white ape carrying the four-legged cauldron was the old ape who had a close friendship with Li Xuanying. Ying Chan had even drunk a cup of his 'Hundred Fruit Wine' before. How could he not recognize him?

Looking closer at the other white ape, wasn't it the same little white ape that had gone to the Taoist temple to deliver the message? In just one or two years, it had grown so strong and robust.

The two white apes noticed the commotion and looked towards Ying Chan. The little white ape was still puzzled, but the old ape couldn't help but show a hint of surprise.

However, with the real person in front of it, it only nodded to Ying Chan, put down the four-legged bronze cauldron with coiled dragons, bowed to Qing Yuanzi, and then prepared to leave.

Seeing this, Qingyuanzi called out to him and then asked Yingchan, "Young friend, are you acquainted with Cangyuanzi?"

Cang Yuanzi, I never expected that the old ape would even have a Taoist name in Qingyuanzi's mountain.

Members of the Xuandu sect can choose their own pseudonyms, but only disciples who are ranked among the true disciples will be given a 'Dao name' by the sect. Therefore, Yingchandu has not yet received one.

He rose and bowed respectfully, saying, "Reporting to the True Immortal, I did indeed know Fellow Daoist Cang Yuanzi before..."

Earlier, when Qingyuanzi talked about the origin of the monkeys in the mountains, Yingchan was listening nearby. He never expected that these white monkeys were actually his old acquaintances. He felt that the word "fate" was truly wonderful.

He explained the reason in detail, and Qingyuanzi, after listening, couldn't help but clasp his hands in praise and said, "Excellent."

"No wonder you came to my mountain today, young friend. It is indeed due to a predestined connection."

"Cang Yuanzi is currently listening to lectures and practicing under my tutelage, and can be considered a disciple in name only. After today's banquet, you may seek him out for a chat."

But now is not the time for reminiscing.

Ying Chan quickly thanked the master and returned to his seat. Cang Yuanzi also led the little white ape away.

At this moment, Qingyuanzi called out towards the mountains, "Where is Fuxian?"

Ying Chan looked in the direction of the voice and saw a wisp of colorful smoke rising from among the flowers, drifting down to the banquet. It transformed into a graceful woman, who curtsied and said, "Fu Xian is here."

Qingyuanzi smiled and said, "Since we're in such a good mood today, I'd like to trouble you, fairy, to pour us some wine."

Fu Xian simply agreed softly, then took out a golden cup from somewhere, scooped some into the bronze cauldron, and with a slight shake, simultaneously transformed into four figures, each identical to the previous one, their movements graceful and natural. One of the figures gracefully walked to the table where Ying Chan was, and softly said to him, "Daoist Master, please drink."

As he spoke, he poured the wine into the cup in front of him, and a rich aroma immediately wafted out.

Ying Chan was slightly taken aback, wondering what this "Fu Xian" was all about. Her ability to create clones and possess both physical appearance and voice was already a profound magic, and the fact that each clone had a physical form made her even more extraordinary.

He quickly took the wine cup and replied, "Thank you, fairy."

Fu Xian simply smiled at him and then gracefully turned back.

After the fairy poured the wine, Qingyuanzi said to Lou Shenxiao, "Fellow Daoist, please?"

Lou Shenxiao raised his cup and took a sip, then exclaimed softly, "Old Daoist Qingyuan, where did you find this wine? It certainly has some flavor."

"Hahahaha." Qingyuanzi laughed, "Does fellow Daoist remember Cang Yuanzi?"

"Oh?"

Lou Shenxiao asked in surprise, "Could this wine be from his hand?"

“Indeed.” Qingyuanzi stroked his short beard and said leisurely, “Fellow Daoist, don’t underestimate Cang Yuanzi just because his cultivation level is not high. He is a master in the art of brewing.”

"This entire cauldron of wine was carefully blended and brewed by him using the spiritual flowers and fruits from my manor..."

"Not bad."

Lou Shenxiao finished his drink, and Fuxian then stepped forward to pour him more wine.

Lou Shenxiao, being of such status, remained calm and composed. He then smiled at Ying Chan and said, "Boy, be careful with your taste. If you get drunk for a hundred days, I won't bother waking you up."

Ying Chan never expected that the wine in his hand would actually be 'Hundred Fruit Wine'.

However, the wine brewed from the spiritual flowers and fruits in Qingyuan Zhenren's mansion was clearly very different from the 'Hundred Fruit Wine' he had tasted before...

"Thank you for your guidance, Uncle-Master."

Ying Chan cupped his hands in greeting, then picked up the wine cup in his hand, took a small sip, and felt the wine transform into a pure and refreshing energy as it entered his mouth, flowing through his meridians.

For a moment, my body felt as if it were immersed in a warm ocean.

Such a natural and comfortable feeling is more intoxicating than any strong liquor.

Ying Chan almost fell into a stupor, but fortunately he calmed himself down and quickly activated his profound skills to regulate his body and refine spiritual energy... It took him a while to recover, leaving only a slight buzz.

He couldn't help but glance at the wine in his glass.

Although brewed from spiritual flowers and fruits, it is as clear as water and has a pleasant fragrance. It is not only a fine wine but also a treasure for cultivators.

Ying Chan estimated that such a cup would save him half a month's worth of cultivation.

Unfortunately, refining it is by no means an easy task...

Ying Chan feared that he would have to contend with this cup of 'hundred-fruit wine' at today's banquet.

While refining the spiritual energy within his body, he paid attention to Lou Shenxiao's conversation with Qingyuanzi.

For him, the Hundred Fruit Wine might be a precious medicine for cultivation, but for the two Golden Core cultivators, it was nothing more than a taste.

Qingyuanzi took a small sip and then placed the wine cup on the table. Lou Shenxiao, on the other hand, kept drinking one cup after another, but that did not prevent him from talking to Qingyuanzi.

The two did not discuss profound principles or the great Dao; they merely recounted anecdotes from the cultivation world.

But to Ying Chan, it was quite an eye-opening experience…

(End of this chapter)