Inside the Refined Chamber, Azure Hall Master Mu Xu was brewing tea with an antiquated set of white porcelain ware. Boiling the water, warming the cups, rinsing the leaves, brewing—the steps flowed from his hands with practiced ease. The instant the emerald tea leaves rose, a rich fragrance rushed straight into Ye Zhen's lungs, jolting his spirits awake.
"Your Highness, young friend Ye, how does this tea taste?" Mu Xu asked as he pushed the cups over.
Princess Changle first inhaled its fragrance. Having received an excellent court education from childhood, she was thoroughly familiar with this entire process and spoke of its qualities with great discernment.
Ye Zhen's method was much simpler. He blew on it, then drained the cup in one gulp.
"Fine tea. This tea can even aid cultivation. Another cup!" Ye Zhen said crisply, holding out his cup.
Before Mu Xu could refill it for Ye Zhen, Ye Zhen had already picked up the teapot himself and begun pouring and drinking on his own.
He filled a cup, drained it, and as the fragrance and spiritual energy spread through his belly, Ye Zhen filled another cup. After four consecutive cups, the freshly brewed pot of fine tea had been guzzled dry by Ye Zhen alone, leaving Mu Xu and Princess Changle staring in stunned disbelief.
Azure Hall Master Mu Xu, in particular, looked at Ye Zhen as though he were looking at some sort of monster.
Mu Xu had met people who did not understand the tea ceremony before. Even if they knew nothing of it, they would still imitate what they saw before him, sipping slowly and tasting carefully. But someone like Ye Zhen, who knew nothing of tea etiquette yet dared to behave so brazenly in front of him—he had truly never seen one