Su Jiuer sat on the table, watching Qin Tian pour wine for Xu Yan with utmost deference. She was deeply shaken.
Before fleeing to Tianren City, she had already heard that Qin Tian, Sect Master of the Tianren Sect, had broken through two realms in succession. But what was she seeing now? This top expert of the Southern Domain was actually pouring wine for Xu Yan with such reverence.
Moreover, Qin Tian's gaze toward Xu Yan was always filled with awe and admiration.
Su Jiuer found Xu Yan more and more terrifying. Even Qin Tian, a Sea of Consciousness Second Heaven cultivator, called Xu Yan senior and treated him with such reverence.
Just as she thought—a cunning old monster, skilled at disguising himself!
After pouring wine for Xu Yan and himself, Qin Tian looked at Su Jiuer sprawled on the table. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes as he asked, "Senior Xu, is this fox your pet?"
He had already seen that Su Jiuer wasn't an ordinary fox, but a Fox Demon.
Xu Yan took out a small bowl and set it in front of Su Jiuer, then said to Qin Tian, "That's right. Pour her a little wine too."
He had no idea how amazing True Spring was. In any case, Qin Tian had brought over a whole jar, so it wouldn't hurt to let the little fox have a taste.
Besides, he'd never seen a fox drink before and didn't know whether they could hold their liquor.
Qin Tian's eyes widened. He was utterly impressed with Xu Yan. Keeping a Fox Demon as a pet was one thing—
but Xu Yan didn't take True Spring seriously at all. He even wanted to give some to his pet. As expected of Senior Xu.
He could only look up to such magnanimity and bearing.
So he did as Xu Yan asked and poured a bowl for Su Jiuer too.
Su Jiuer first looked at Qin Tian, then at Xu Yan. Suddenly, she realized that this old monster Xu Yan wasn't so detestable after all.
True Spring was a renowned fine wine in the cultivation world, brewed from countless heavenly treasures and earthly wonders. It contained extremely pure Spiritual Power, and even Sea of Consciousness Realm cultivators treasured this precious liquor.
Qin Tian wanted to see Xu Yan's reaction to True Spring and hear his assessment of it, so he said, "Senior Xu, please drink first."
An ordinary mortal would collapse and be dead drunk after even a single drop of True Spring.
Even Sea of Consciousness Realm cultivators would get drunk after a few bowls.
"Sure!"
Completely unaware of what Qin Tian was thinking, Xu Yan picked up the bowl and downed it in one gulp. Then he set it down and furrowed his brow slightly.
Why did it feel just like the wine outside Tianren City, with no kick at all? It was about the same as Nongfu Spring. Aside from tasting a little better, there was no difference.
So this was the famous fine wine?
He figured Qin Tian was just a minor cultivator after all. The famous wine he'd brought out was probably counterfeit too.
Seeing Xu Yan finish a bowl of True Spring without changing his expression, Qin Tian was full of admiration. He asked eagerly, "Senior Xu, how is it?"
Su Jiuer also watched Xu Yan curiously, wondering what he would say.
She had only ever heard of True Spring, never tasted it, so she didn't know its true flavor or effects.
Xu Yan pondered for a moment, then decided to tell Qin Tian the truth. "It tastes pretty good, but it has no kick at all. It's a little too weak."
He couldn't just stand by and watch Qin Tian keep getting swindled into thinking watered-down wine was fine wine. So even if his words might disappoint Qin Tian, he still said them.
Qin Tian and Su Jiuer both froze. True Spring had no kick? It was too weak?
Was he joking? True Spring was famous for its potency. Even Sea of Consciousness Realm cultivators could hardly handle it.
Qin Tian wondered if someone in the Tianren Sect had secretly switched the wine. He decided to try it himself and said, "I'll drink a bowl and see."
He followed Xu Yan's example and downed the bowl of True Spring in one go. Then he regretted it.
The vast, pure liquor exploded inside him. In an instant, he felt heat spread through his whole body, and his face turned bright red.
Xu Yan was startled by Qin Tian's appearance and asked, "Old Mr. Qin, are you all right?"
Qin Tian could tell he was getting drunk. He waved a hand and said, "I'm fine. I just drank too quickly and couldn't handle it. I'm a little drunk."
Even Sea of Consciousness Realm cultivators usually sipped True Spring a little at a time. They rarely drank an entire bowl in one go. The energy contained in it was too vast, and its potency too strong to withstand.
He had only drunk a whole bowl because he'd seen Xu Yan do the same and claim it had no kick. Now it was too late to regret it.
At the same time, he understood one thing: never compare yourself to Senior Xu.
Xu Yan hadn't expected wine that was barely any different from Nongfu Spring to be enough to get someone drunk. "You can get drunk from that? You really can't hold your liquor."
Then he poured himself another bowl and downed it in one go. He still felt nothing.
Qin Tian watched Xu Yan drink True Spring as if it were water, thinking that, as expected of Senior Xu, the wine's potency had no effect on him at all.
He sighed inwardly. With Senior Xu's unfathomably deep strength, how could he possibly care about a jar of True Spring? His own perspective had been too narrow.
Before long, he slumped onto the table and lost consciousness, completely drunk.
Su Jiuer watched Xu Yan drink True Spring as if it were water, then glanced at Qin Tian, who had passed out after just one bowl. She felt apprehensive about the bowl of True Spring in front of her.
After hesitating for a long while, she stuck out her nimble tongue and licked the wine in the bowl. In an instant, pure Spiritual Power and a vast wave of liquor surged through her.
Her vision grew blurry. Dizzy and unsteady, she stood up, then toppled headfirst into the wine.
Fortunately, her nose was still above the wine. Otherwise, she would have drowned in a bowl of it.
Xu Yan had watched Su Jiuer stick out her tongue to lick the wine, then topple into the bowl. He found it hard to believe. "This fox is ridiculous. She fell over after just touching alcohol."
Could every living thing in this world really have such a low tolerance for alcohol?
Half an hour later, Qin Tian woke up. After all, he was a Sea of Consciousness Second Heaven cultivator, and he'd only drunk one bowl. Much of the liquor's potency inside him had already dissipated.
He looked at the empty wine jar and Xu Yan, who was quietly carving a wooden puppet nearby. His admiration for Xu Yan surged like a great river.
True Spring could make even a Sea of Consciousness Realm cultivator drunk after one bowl, yet Senior Xu had drunk an entire jar in one go without the slightest reaction.
This—this was Senior Xu!
"Senior Xu, I'm feeling a little dizzy. I'll take my leave," Qin Tian said to Xu Yan.
He had meant to drink and chat with Xu Yan, but he'd passed out for half an hour after just one bowl. He was too embarrassed to keep staying.
"Sure. Remember, if you can't hold your liquor, don't drink too much." Xu Yan called out a reminder without even turning his head, continuing to carve the wooden puppet.
At Xu Yan's words, Qin Tian's face burned. He hurriedly left.
He thought to himself that he'd made a complete fool of himself today. He hoped Senior Xu wouldn't think he was useless.
Huh?
Why am I so dizzy? What happened to me?
Su Jiuer opened her eyes groggily. The scene before her gradually came into focus.
She was lying on the table. The wine beside her was gone, replaced by a bowl of water.
Xu Yan heard the movement and looked up at Su Jiuer on the table. "Drink some water to clear your head."
Then he stood and walked over, placing an exquisite wooden puppet in front of Su Jiuer.