Chapter 253 - 219: Liquor Brew (2)

The fierce winds were sliced apart by his Gang Qi, but Zhao Xuanqi’s speed didn’t slow at all.

The two began a chase through the mountain forest.

Lose a step, and you’ll always be a step behind.

In less than thirty seconds, Zhao Xuanqi reached the foot of the mountain. With a great leap, he started scaling the steep cliff. He moved with his hands and feet as if walking on level ground, darting rapidly toward the peak. Jiang Wu was left trailing behind, completely unable to catch up.

WHOO!!

Seeing Zhao Xuanqi about to reach the summit, Jiang Wu let out another long cry.

The summit housed the Dragon Embryo Array Hub, the place in the entire Blessed Land where the Power of Feng Shui and the magnetic field were strongest. This meant the Magnetic Field Energy Jiang Wu could command here was at its absolute peak.

With that cry, the mountain seemed to tremble. The unseen Power of Feng Shui was fully unleashed. A rosy light instantly erupted from the peak, piercing the heavens.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!!

RUMBLE RUMBLE!!

Dark clouds gathered, lightning striking like great serpents.

The magnetic field was agitated, forming heavenly lightning. Zhao Xuanqi was just about to set foot on the summit. However, he had activated his Spiritual Secret Technique, causing the Qilin to manifest. The intensity of his own magnetic field, combined with his position atop the high peak, made him as conspicuous as a lightning rod.

The dark clouds in the sky responded. Zhao Xuanqi’s Hundred Beasts’ Intent rang with a sudden warning, and his expression flickered.

’He has tricks like this?!’

CRACKLE!

But before he could think any further, a bolt of lightning shot from the dark clouds, striking straight for his head.

Even a Harmony master would likely be paralyzed on the spot, their body grievously wounded, if struck directly by this heavenly lightning.

But at this critical moment, Zhao Xuanqi, having already sensed the danger, reacted with what seemed like foreknowledge.

HISS!!

His pores opened and closed all over his body. His body temperature soared, and a massive amount of sweat shot out, instantly coalescing under the Vibration of his Gang Qi. It was as if he had conjured a turtle shell out of thin air.

Simultaneously, he instantly deactivated his Spiritual Secret Technique, his Divine Intent contracting rapidly. His body coiled like a spring, shrinking into a ball to minimize its surface area.

His body shot out from the turtle-shell-like cloud of misty Gang Qi.

The next moment, the heavenly lightning crashed down. The dazzling flash of electricity momentarily obscured everything.

The lightning struck. Most of its power was drawn away by the water vapor within the Gang Qi, causing it to miss its target. A small portion still hit Zhao Xuanqi, but it was no longer enough to cause any significant harm.

His skin was visibly charred. The moment he landed, his coiled body suddenly unfurled. With a final burst of Power Generation, he shot forward and finally reached the summit.

The summit was a relatively flat area about a hundred meters across. Some supplies, a stone table, and other items were arranged on it. To one side stood a wooden cabin, which appeared to be the residence Jiang Wu had built for himself.

In the center of the summit was a "lid" about a meter square. It seemed to be forged from some kind of metal, deep black in color and inlaid with silver threads.

"A fine Golden Cicada Shell technique. The Holy Beast Fist truly lives up to its name."

A voice came from behind Zhao Xuanqi. With a flash, Jiang Wu’s figure also landed on the summit. He looked at Zhao Xuanqi with a complex expression.

To be honest, he hadn’t expected Zhao Xuanqi to actually make it to the top.

He waved his hand. The intense Feng Shui magnetic field instantly dissipated. The rosy light vanished, the gales ceased, and the dark clouds in the sky slowly scattered.

The power of Divine Transformation was nothing short of miraculous.

"Elder Jiang, you let me win. Thank you."

Zhao Xuanqi said to Jiang Wu. He knew that with Jiang Wu’s skills, he likely still had some trump cards up his sleeve. Otherwise, Zhao Xuanqi would have had to resort to life-threatening measures to have any hope of reaching the summit.

"Say no more. A loss is a loss. Besides, that wasn’t your strongest technique, either. I was told you only recently reached Harmony. How long have you been in the Harmony realm?"

Jiang Wu waved his hand and asked via ventriloquism.

"Hmm... If I’m being precise, about a week."

Zhao Xuanqi considered it for a moment before telling him the truth.

"To reach this level in about a week is already impressive... Huh?! Wait. Not a year, but one *week*?!"

Jiang Wu stopped mid-sentence, the expression in his eyes shifting dramatically.

In his opinion, a veteran Harmony master was someone who had been in the realm for over a decade. Only then could they be considered accomplished, having truly grasped the mysteries of the Harmony realm. So, someone who had been in the realm for a year would indeed be considered a novice.

But he never imagined that this young man, who had only been in the Harmony realm for a single week, could break through his defenses and reach the summit.

"Elder Jiang, Xuanqi isn’t even twenty years old yet."

Just then, another voice spoke up. It was Earth Elder, who had followed close behind and now reached the summit.

’Not even twenty?!’

Hearing Earth Elder’s words, Jiang Wu’s deer-like face went slack, his large mouth hanging slightly open. His expression was incredibly complex.

"The greater the talent, the greater the tribulation."

Jiang Wu was silent for a moment before finally sighing and uttering those words.

"Elder Jiang, Xuanqi has fulfilled your requirement, has he not?"

A smile spread across Earth Elder’s face—white-haired yet with a youthful complexion—making Jiang Wu wish he could slap him.

’I watched you grow up, and this is how you repay me? By bringing someone here to screw me over?’

"Relax. When have I ever broken my promise?"

Jiang Wu snapped at Earth Elder, then strode toward the special metal "lid" in the center of the summit and slowly lifted it.

Vaguely, Zhao Xuanqi thought he saw a rosy light burst forth. He knew this was the effect of an intensely concentrated convergence of natural Magnetic Field Energy.

This was the Dragon Embryo Array Hub, the point of the strongest magnetic field.

Then, Zhao Xuanqi caught a whiff of a strange, intoxicating fragrance.

GURGLE GURGLE!!

His stomach growled at the scent, churning uncontrollably. This told him that the source of the fragrance was undoubtedly a powerful tonic containing immense energy.

"The Power of Feng Shui in this Dragon Embryo Array Hub is so intense that even a Harmony master would feel unwell if they remained here for too long. So I converted it into a wine cellar. It’s blended with hundreds of rare ingredients and nurtured here, creating one of the finest vintages in the world. It’s capable of Purifying the Body and Soul, allowing a living creature to undergo a complete metamorphosis. Even an ordinary person, if they drank it over a long period, would find their Qi and Blood naturally strengthened and their organs fortified, eventually entering the realm of Inner Cultivation."

"However, this wine’s potency is so great that a single drop would cause an ordinary person to die from over-nourishment, bleeding from all seven orifices. Even a Harmony master can only drink a maximum of three cups a day, or they too will be unable to absorb its benefits. Few Secret Medicines in the world can match its power. In reality, this wine was never intended for humans. It was prepared for various Rare Beasts and Exotic Beasts."

"This is the Liquor Brew."

Jiang Wu said slowly via ventriloquism, a hint of pride in his tone.

After all, this Liquor Brew was his magnum opus. Few in the world could rival him in its creation.

"I’m not sure if this is what you’re looking for, but since you’ve met my demand, I won’t go back on my word. For the next three days, you may drink as much of this Liquor Brew as you wish. You just can’t take any with you."

Jiang Wu told Zhao Xuanqi.

"This should be exactly what I need."

Zhao Xuanqi said, stepping forward to take a look. The cellar was about half a meter deep and three meters across. However, the liquid inside only filled about two-thirds of the space, and it still contained brewing materials, meaning the actual amount of liquid was even less.

"Elder Jiang, forgive me for being blunt, but it seems you’re a little short on your Liquor Brew."

Zhao Xuanqi said after a moment’s hesitation.

’He’s showing me goodwill. This stuff looks difficult to make. If I drink too much, it’ll feel like I’m taking advantage of him, which would make meeting again awkward.’

"Short? This quantity would last even me at least half a year! You dare speak such nonsense because you clearly don’t understand the power of my Liquor Brew!"

Jiang Wu took Zhao Xuanqi’s words as a personal insult.

"It’s true, Elder Jiang. You’re being generous, and I don’t want to take advantage. My... capacity is very large."

"Then drink! If you have the ability, then drink as much as you want! I won’t bat an eye."

"Seriously, Elder Jiang. I’m telling the truth."

"Are you looking down on me? I said drink, so drink!"

"..."

「A quarter hour later.」

Jiang Wu’s deer-like face was twitching uncontrollably. It was pulled so long it looked more like a horse’s.