He stood on no ceremony, feeding it straight to a Gu Insect in his sleeve for storage before passing the jade bottle to Qing Chen. Whatever hidden trick there might be, he would lose no more than a Gu Insect approaching the fourth tier.
Seeing Old Man Five Gu accept it, Qing Sanxiao's smile deepened. He turned toward Qing Chen, his tone warmer than before.
"Sect Leader Qing, the grievances between you and our Qing Household's two elders, Qing Xuansu and Qing Tingxue, all arose over the Primordial Magnetic Origin Mountain. This was truly a failure of discipline on our Qing Household's part."
He waved a hand as though the past was best left unmentioned. "A treasured sword belongs with a hero. That Magnetic Origin Power rightly belongs in your hands, Sect Leader Qing. Here today, we ride the same boat, making us allies chosen by Heaven itself. Please accept this humble wine as a token of apology."
He spoke earnestly, putting away most of the inscrutability on his face, and truly looked as though he had come to apologize.
Qing Chen accepted the jade bottle, finding it warm and smooth to the touch. Looking down, he saw Spirit-Gathering Patterns densely engraved across its surface. It was indeed a fine item of the high-grade fourth tier.
He pulled out the stopper, and a rich wine fragrance mingled with the medicinal scent of blood ginseng rushed into his face. The aroma was so mellow it seemed to have weight, pressing against his nose and lingering there. A single sniff refreshed his mind and dispelled much of his Divine Soul's fatigue.
"Fine wine," Qing Chen praised, lowering his head to examine the liquid inside-crimson as blood and thick as syrup. Beneath the deep-blue lamp at the bow, it gleamed with rings of