Chapter 101: Declaring Himself the Wine Immortal (New Volume, Please Bookmark)

A pearwood table, a pot of richly fragrant aged wine, four comfortable chairs, and four blue-and-white porcelain cups.

The four people seated around the table were silent. The emperor from the Imperial City was a peculiar case; of the four, he was the most visibly restless, constantly looking up to steal glances at Su Fan.

Su Fan casually poured himself a cup of wine and began to drink. At a time like this, pressing drinks upon the others would have been inappropriate.

As the wine warmed his troubled chest, washing away his melancholy, Su Fan's frown smoothed out. With a faint smile, he said, "I still cannot do this."

The middle-aged man trembled slightly and offered a placating smile. "This matter... perhaps the Young Master could reconsider."

The smile was incredibly fake and grating. Su Fan suddenly asked, "Where did Your Majesty learn of my existence?"

The middle-aged man froze for a moment before replying, "It was an old fortune-teller. He said only you could save me."

*An old fortune-teller, an old fortune-teller...* Su Fan repeated the words in his mind, on the verge of recalling something.

The middle-aged man added, "He said he was an old acquaintance of yours, and that you would definitely help me."

Su Fan narrowed his eyes, having apparently realized something. "Was there a woman by his side?"

The middle-aged man bowed his head, searching his memories for that strange encounter from years ago.

"Yes, she wore a dress of pale pink," the middle-aged man finally recalled.

Su Fan's expression darkened. *Wasn't that Ruoyu?* he thought with a sigh. *If the Imperial City wanted to kill me, how could the master of the Imperial City not know who I am? Could it be someone else? Who on earth was trying to kill me back then?*

*Perhaps only by helping him will I uncover the truth behind all of this. But doing so would leave me at his mercy. Then again, it offers a glimmer of hope to find Ruoyu. How should I choose?*

Perhaps the hardest thing in life is making a choice; a single misstep can lead to vastly different destinies.

Choosing to study at the academy had led him onto the path of cultivation, and choosing to follow Qian Pinming to Luocheng had brought about these bizarre encounters.

Su Fan fell silent for a long time. The agony of his choice was palpable, yet he did not complain about why misfortune always seemed to find him.

Su Fan gently set down the blue-and-white porcelain cup and asked, "What does Your Majesty wish for me to do?"

Seeing that Su Fan was consenting, the middle-aged man was overjoyed. "It is very simple. Kill my brother and help me reclaim my throne. When the time comes, you will be the Imperial Preceptor."

Su Fan felt a jolt of disgust. He despised such fratricidal schemes above all else.

Yet today, he was forced to assist such a ruthless man. Su Fan remained silent, his grip tightening around the cup.

Suddenly, the remaining drops of wine at the bottom of the cup began to gather, quickly forming a single character.

"Let go."

What did this mean? Su Fan stared wide-eyed at the cup, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him.

Sure enough, when he looked again, the word at the bottom of the cup had vanished without a trace.

Su Fan rose abruptly. "I cannot do Your Majesty's bidding," he said. "I advise Your Majesty to reconsider such shameful fratricide."

The middle-aged man's patience finally snapped. He stood up to face Su Fan, glaring at him as he barked, "I have tolerated enough today. I ask you one last time: will you go or not?"

Su Fan sneered. Grabbing the wine pot from the table, he took a long swig and laughed aloud. "I would rather be a wine immortal in these wild mountains than associate with the likes of you."

With that, Su Fan stumbled toward the backyard without looking back, muttering unintelligibly under his breath.

The middle-aged man said coldly, "Fool. You will regret this. I will make you regret this for the rest of your days."

Anger flared in Lin Xiaofeng's eyes. He began to form a hand seal, preparing to strike, but the grey-robed elder held him back.

The two watched the middle-aged man walk out of the tavern and leave the underground Old Wine Street.

"Why did you stop me?" Lin Xiaofeng demanded angrily.

The grey-robed elder offered a bitter smile. "You are always so reckless. Even the figure in the bamboo forest is wary of the Imperial City's secrets. Acting rashly would only ruin everything."

Lin Xiaofeng snorted coldly and walked out of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. Only the grey-robed elder and Xiao Liu remained. Knowing he did not get along with Xiao Liu, the grey-robed elder quietly retreated to the backyard.

...

When Su Fan entered the backyard, it had reverted to its original state, presenting him with three paths.

Su Fan casually chose one and walked in, knowing this was an invitation from the Drunken Immortal.

Su Fan remained composed. The word in the wine cup had undoubtedly been a hint from the Drunken Immortal.

He had guessed correctly. After only a few steps, he saw the man in white, dressed in the exact same attire as before, looking as though he had remained unchanged for ten thousand years.

The Drunken Immortal smiled faintly, poured Su Fan a cup of wine, and gestured for him to sit.

Su Fan hesitated. This time, the Drunken Immortal seemed somewhat warmer, lacking his usual cold detachment.

Upon sitting, Su Fan felt a heavy, oppressive aura. Even if it was unintentional on the Drunken Immortal's part, it made Su Fan highly uncomfortable.

*So this is the power of the Mind-Transforming Realm,* Su Fan thought to himself.

The Drunken Immortal's smile faded. "You are very clever," he said, his expression so solemn that he seemed entirely sincere.

Su Fan, however, doubted it. For the Drunken Immortal to offer such uncharacteristic praise on their first proper conversation meant there was surely a deeper meaning. As for why he couldn't grasp it, Su Fan attributed it to his own lack of experience.

"I have no hidden meaning. I simply mean you are clever," the Drunken Immortal clarified, seeing right through Su Fan's thoughts.

Su Fan quickly waved his hands. "Senior, you summoned me..."

"Just to chat," the Drunken Immortal interrupted.

Being praised by someone who appeared to be of a similar age did not make Su Fan uncomfortable; rather, he felt a sense of pride.

Who among those who reached the Mind-Transforming Realm was not a genius? In fact, talent alone was rarely enough; it required immense fortune, supreme intellect, and an unwavering will.

Su Fan fell silent, lowering his head to look at the clay plates, cups, and wine pot on the small table. When speaking with a senior, listening was undoubtedly the best course of action.

The Drunken Immortal set down his dark red wine cup. "I was the one who set up that chess game," he said casually.

Su Fan looked up cautiously, unsure of what the Drunken Immortal meant. Was he displeased?

The Drunken Immortal chuckled. "No matter. Mr. Feng broke it once before as well."

What a lofty status Mr. Feng held. The Drunken Immortal's comparison immediately placed Su Fan on the same level, leaving him deeply flattered.

"I did it purely by accident," Su Fan said hurriedly.

The Drunken Immortal frowned slightly. "You also broke Mr. Du's poison formation."

Su Fan was speechless. It was indeed he who had broken it. Though luck had played a part, contradicting the senior again would seem disrespectful.

The Drunken Immortal continued, "I have my reasons for stopping you from going to the Imperial City. Staying away is for your own good."

"I am worried about a friend of mine," Su Fan said.

The Drunken Immortal replied calmly, "Whether it is a tribulation or a fated encounter, it cannot be avoided. I only wish for you to be stronger when the time comes to face it."

Su Fan smiled bitterly. "How can I become strong? My talent is mediocre; I can barely hope to reach the Nascent Soul stage."

The Drunken Immortal's brow furrowed in annoyance. "Who told you that poor talent prevents you from raising your cultivation?"

"Granted, it poses some difficulty. But once you surpass the Nascent Soul stage, the requirement for innate talent decreases significantly. Reaching the Mind-Transforming Realm might not be as impossible for you as you think."

Su Fan bowed his head. "The Mind-Transforming Realm? Such a realm is of no use to me. Once I have avenged my grievances and fulfilled my wishes, I will abandon cultivation."

The Drunken Immortal let out a long breath. "Do you no longer wish to save your parents?"